Patent ID: 6874290

Claim:
A siding system, for use by a user with a support structure having an upper portion and a lower portion, for protecting the support structure from damaging environmental effects, comprising a plurality of substantially identical siding assemblies, wherein while being deployed to cover the support structure, the plurality of siding assemblies are arranged in a series, wherein the next higher of any two siding assemblies of the series is attached to the support structure at a position which is closer to the upper portion of the support structure, and wherein the next lower of any two siding assemblies of the series is attached to the support structure at a position which is closer to the lower portion of the support structure, each siding assembly comprising: a wall bracket having an attachment plate having a top, a bottom, a first side, a second side, a front surface, and a rear surface, wherein said attachment plate is selectively attachable to the vertical support structure, said attachment plate having a flange which projects outward from its front surface for selectively engaging the next higher siding assembly in the series, said flange is substantially cylindrical and extends longitudinally between the first and second side, said wall bracket having an outwardly projecting lip extending partially downward from the front surface of the attachment plate at an acute angle to the attachment plate, said lip extending at least partially between the first and second sides of the attachment plate at a position between the top and the bottom of the attachment plate, thereby forming a tab engagement channel; and an associated siding panel, selectively attachable to its own wall bracket and to the wall bracket of the next lower siding assembly in the series, said siding panel having a front surface, a rear surface, a top, a bottom, a top edge, a bottom edge, and a locking tab in proximity to its top edge for selectively engaging the tab engagement channel of its associated wall bracket, wherein the locking tab extends at least partially between the sides of the top of the panel, and wherein the bottom edge of the panel has an inwardly extending substantially cylindrical and substantially hollow channel having an opening, wherein said siding panel is selectively attached to the wall bracket of the next lower siding assembly in the series by snapping the channel onto the flange of said wall bracket by the user pushing the bottom edge of the panel toward the wall bracket, wherein after selective attachment of the plurality of siding assemblies to the support structure, the siding panels of adjacent siding assemblies in the series are arranged in a head-to-tail series, wherein the top of each siding panel substantially abuts the bottom of the next siding panel in the series, and wherein the top of each panel is more proximal to the upper portion of the support structure, and the bottom of each panel is more proximal to the lower portion of the support structure.