Patent ID: 7650923

Claim:
A track assembly for supporting fabric on a wall or ceiling surface under tension, comprising: a base track including a base plate for contact with the surface, a first half of a hinge in elevated relation to the base plate, and a first half of a snapping clamp distal the first half of the hinge; an upper track defining a second half of the hinge, and a second half of the snapping clamp, an upper plate extending between the second half of the hinge and the second half of the snapping clamp; and an elongated strut disposed intermediate the second half of the hinge and the second half of the snapping clamp and extending from the upper plate at a non-perpendicular angle away from the snapping clamp and towards a surface of an elevated portion of the base track facing the snapping clamp; wherein after securement of the base track to the surface, the upper track is hinged to the base track with the coupling of the first and second halves of the hinge, the upper track then swingable about the hinge away from the surface to facilitate placement of the fabric over the second half of the snapping clamp and subsequent swinging of the upper track towards the base track causing the first and second halves of the snapping clamp to secure and releasably lock the fabric therebetween; and wherein in the presence of forces applied to the track assembly by the fabric, the strut extends between the upper track and the elevated portion of the base track such that a first end of the strut is in contact with the upper track and a second generally opposite end of the strut is in contact with the elevated portion of the base track, preventing opening of the snapping clamp and distortion of the track assembly; and wherein the elevated portion of the base track comprises a tension force dissipater comprising the first half of the hinge and segments extending from the first half of the hinge to the base plate so as to elevate the first half of the hinge relative to the base plate, at least a portion of which engages the strut when high tension forces are applied to the upper track.