Panel capture frame

Abstract

A frame for a panel is constructed from two frame components. One of the frame components has a first wall and a first channel and the second frame component has a second wall and a second channel. The first frame component is mated to the second frame component with the first wall of the first frame component inserted in and making frictional contact with the second channel of the second frame component and the second wall of the second frame component inserted in and making frictional contact with the first channel of the first frame component. Portions of the panel are held between and make contact with the first frame component and the second frame component such that an end of the panel is located within a chamber defined between the first frame component and the second frame component.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a first frame component having a plurality of notches, a first wall, and a first channel;   a second frame component having a second wall and a second channel, wherein the first frame component is mated to the second frame component with the first wall of the first frame component inserted in the second channel of the second frame component and the second wall of the second frame component inserted in the first channel of the first frame component, the first frame component and the second frame component forming a chamber;   a mesh comprising a first set of strands crossing a second set of strands wherein each strand in the first set of strands passes through a respective opening defined by a perimeter of a respective notch of the first frame component and part of the second frame component such that an end of the strand is located in the chamber formed by the first frame component and the second frame component.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of notches intersect the first channel such that the plurality of notches define a plurality of first channel segments, with each first channel segment extending between two respective notches. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first wall comprises at least one flared portion and wherein the second channel comprises at least one rib such that the flared portion and the rib portion are in frictional contact with each other so as to keep the first wall within the second channel. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the second wall comprises at least one flared portion and wherein the first channel comprises at least one rib such that the flared portion of the second wall and the rib portion of the first channel are in frictional contact with each other so as to keep the second wall within the first channel. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first channel is defined within a first strut member of the first frame component and wherein the part of the second frame component that defines the openings comprises a lip portion that extends over the first strut member. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein an end of the first strut member is in direct contact with the second frame component. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first frame component and the second frame component have identical cross-sectional shapes in at least areas without notches. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a third frame component and a fourth frame component that are mated together to form a second chamber, a fifth frame component and a sixth frame component that are mated together to form a third chamber, and a seventh frame component and an eighth frame component that are mated together to form a fourth chamber, wherein each strand of the second set of strands has one end in the second chamber and one end in the third chamber and wherein each strand in the first set of strands has an end in the fourth chamber. 
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 forming a mesh of elements, each element having two free ends;   aligning two components of a frame, wherein at least one of the components comprises a plurality of openings;   inserting into each of the plurality of openings a respective free end of an element of the mesh; and   compressing the components of the frame together so that the free ends of the elements inserted into the openings are located between the components of the frame and such that the components of the frame are latched together.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising:
 aligning two additional components of the frame, wherein at least one of the two additional components comprises a plurality of openings; 
 inserting into each of the plurality of openings a respective free end of an element of the mesh; and 
 compressing the two additional components of the frame together so that the free ends of the elements inserted into the openings of the additional component of the frame are located between the two additional components of the frame and such that the two additional components of the frame are latched together. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the two components comprise first component and a second component and wherein aligning the two components of the frame comprises inserting a tongue of the first component in a channel of the second component and inserting a tongue of the second component in a channel of the first component. 
     
     
         12 . A frame component comprising:
 a face plate having an exterior surface;   a lip extending from the face plate at a first end of the face plate, the lip extending in a direction opposite the exterior surface;   a shaped wall extending from the face plate in the same direction as the lip and having a top that is a height above the point on the face plate that the shaped wall extends from; and   a strut, extending from the face plate in the same direction as the shaped wall and having an end opposite the face plate, the strut having a channel defined in the end opposite the face plate wherein the channel has a depth from the bottom of the channel to the end of the strut opposite the face plate that is at least as great as the height of the shaped wall.   
     
     
         13 . The frame component of  claim 12  wherein the strut comprises an exterior sidewall located a lateral distance from a wall defining the channel wherein the lateral distance is less than a distance from an interior surface of the lip facing the shaped wall to a surface of the shaped wall facing the lip. 
     
     
         14 . The frame component of  claim 12  wherein a side of the shaped wall comprises a flared portion. 
     
     
         15 . The frame component of  claim 14  wherein the channel comprises a flare cutout such that the channel is narrower at a point further from the bottom of the channel than at a point closer to the bottom of the channel. 
     
     
         16 . The frame component of  claim 12  further comprising a plurality of cutouts in the strut, each cutout passing through an entire width of the strut. 
     
     
         17 . The frame component of  claim 12  further comprising a second lip extending from the face plate at a second end of the face plate, the second lip extending in a direction opposite the exterior surface. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus comprising:
 a first frame component comprising a first lip, a first shaped wall, and a first strut having defined therein a first channel;   a second frame component comprising a second lip, a second shaped wall, and a second strut having defined therein a second channel, wherein the first frame component is mated to the second frame component with the first shaped wall of the first frame component inserted in the second channel of the second frame component and the second shaped wall of the second frame component inserted in the first channel of the first frame component, the first frame component and the second frame component forming a chamber; and   a panel wherein a portion of the panel extends between and is in contact with the first lip and the second lip such that an end of the panel is positioned in the chamber.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18  wherein:
 the first frame component further comprises a third lip; 
 the second frame component further comprises a fourth lip; 
 the first and second frame component further forming a second chamber. 
 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19  further comprising a second panel having a portion that extends between and is in contact with the third lip and the fourth lip such than an end of the second panel is positioned in the second chamber. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 19  further comprising a bolt having a head positioned in the second chamber and a post extending between and in contact with the third lip and the fourth lip.