Patent ID: 8082696

Claim:
A temperature compensating outdoor wall padding apparatus operable to inhibit the likelihood of the appearance of wrinkles due to a change in temperature, said apparatus comprising: a generally rigid backing having a front side and a rear side; a padded member having a front side, a rear side, and a peripherally-extending edge defining a horizontal top edge, a horizontal bottom edge, a vertical right side edge, and a vertical left side edge, said rear side of said padded member disposed over said front side of said generally rigid backing; a vinyl cover having a central portion disposed over said front side of said padded member and a peripherally-extending portion defining a horizontal top portion, a horizontal bottom portion, a vertical right side portion, and a vertical left side portion disposed over front edge portions of said padded member along said peripherally-extending horizontal top edge, said horizontal bottom edge, said vertical right side edge, and said vertical left side edge, respectively, of said padded member, said padded member comprising a first coefficient of thermal expansion and said cover comprising a second coefficient of thermal expansion different from said first coefficient of thermal expansion; a expansion/contraction panel disposed over said peripherally-extending edge of said padded member and having a rear portion attached to said generally rigid backing, and a front portion having a front edge sewn to said horizontal top portion, said horizontal bottom portion, said vertical right side portion, and said vertical left side portion of said cover; and wherein said expansion/contraction panel is pre-tensioned upon attachment to said rear side of said generally rigid backing to hold said cover tautly across said front side of said padded member and inhibit the likelihood of wrinkles appearing on said cover as said cover and said padded member expand and contract over a change in temperature between about 30-degrees Fahrenheit to about 40-degrees Fahrenheit in a few hours.