The present invention relates generally to a door mounting and track system for a movable barrier. More particularly, the present invention relates to a combination door mounting and track system for a movable barrier, such as a sectional door, which moves in and out of position relative to an opening. More specifically, the present invention relates to a combination door mounting and track system particularly suitable for circumstances where there is minimal clearance between a door frame and the overhead.
Using double or dual horizontal tracks in conjunction with sectional doors has been known to the industry for years. These dual horizontal tracks have been used to decrease the headroom required for operation of sectional doors. For example, one approach provides a sectional door having an upper panel, a top intermediate panel, a bottom intermediate panel, and a lower panel used in combination with dual horizontal tracks, and dual vertical tracks. The dual horizontal tracks include upper and lower horizontal track sections, and the vertical tracks include an inner vertical track section and an outer vertical track section. The lower horizontal track section and the inner vertical track section are interconnected by a curved transition track section to form a roller raceway.
Intermediate rollers provided on the intermediate panels are positioned within the above-discussed roller raceway to allow for articulation of the sectional door between opened and closed positions. Upper rollers are provided in the upper horizontal track section, and lower rollers are provided in the outer vertical track section. The upper horizontal track section and outer vertical track section include track extensions, and the upper rollers and lower rollers are respectively positioned therein when the sectional door is alternately closed and opened. That is, the upper rollers are positioned in the track extension attached to the upper horizontal track section when the sectional door is closed, and the lower rollers are positioned in the track extension attached to the outer vertical track section when the sectional door is opened. As such, the dual horizontal tracks, the dual vertical tracks, and track extensions allow the door panels to be substantially vertical when closed and substantially horizontal when opened, while simultaneously reducing the headroom required for operation.
However, the upper horizontal track section, the lower horizontal track section, the inner vertical track section and the outer vertical track section are separate components, and therefore, must be prepared before installation. To prepare for installation, the horizontal track sections must be joined together, and the vertical track sections must be joined together.
There are different methods for preparing these components for installation with a door. For example, the first method is to preassemble the horizontal track sections together and the vertical track sections together at the factory by mechanical means such as welding, button locking or fasteners. This first method requires labor and equipment for proper assembly, and such labor and equipment is an additional cost to the manufacturer.
A second method is to ship the components separately to the installer, and have the components assembled at the time of installation of the sectional door. This second method passes the costs associated with assembly to the installer, even though it is difficult to properly align the horizontal track sections and the vertical track sections in the field. Therefore, it is more likely for manufacturers to follow the first method of preparing the horizontal track sections and vertical track sections for installation.
Consequently, there is a need for dual track sections that do not require the additional costs of preassembly at the factory or in the field. These track sections should be capable of functioning in sectional door assemblies installed in locations where there is a minimum of space surrounding the frame of a door opening.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a door system including a combination door mounting and track system for sectional doors capable being installed in locations where there is a minimum of space surrounding the frame for a door opening. Another object of the present invention is to provide such a door system that may be adapted for use in areas having restricted overhead clearance above the door opening.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a door system incorporating a sectional door having adjacent articulating panels including at least a top panel, an intermediate panel, and a bottom panel. A further object of the present invention is to provide for the movement of the adjacent panels between a vertical closed position and a horizontal open position.
Another object of the present invention is to provide one piece vertical track assemblies incorporating vertical track sections and reverse angles, wherein preassembly of separate vertical track sections and reverse angles is not required. Still another object of the present invention is to provide reverse angles that can be attached to a header, wherein the header and reverse angles can be attached to the door frame.
A further object of the present invention is to provide reverse angles which effectively shield the vertical edges of the panels. A still further object of the present invention is to provide flag angles connecting the header with the reverse angles, wherein the flag angles are also configured to support transitional track members. A still further object of the present invention is to eliminate the need for a separate adaptor plate by attaching the operator directly to the header. Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a door system, wherein the required overhead clearance is no higher than the top of the header and/or an operator attached thereto.
Another object of the present invention is to eliminate the need to preassemble separate horizontal track sections by providing one piece horizontal track sections. Still another object of the present invention is to interconnect the vertical track sections with the horizontal track sections using transitional track members. A further object of the present invention is to provide the transitional track members with first track sections and second track sections. A still further object of the present invention is to provide the first track sections with a curved shape extending through approximately ninety degrees. A still yet further object of the present invention is to provide the second track sections with a distal end positioned adjacent the header.
Another object of the present invention is to provide the dual horizontal track sections with lower horizontal track sections and upper horizontal track sections. A further object of the present invention is to provide a first roller raceway formed from the lower horizontal track sections interconnected with the vertical track sections via the first track sections. A still further object of the present invention is to provide a second roller raceway formed from the upper horizontal tracks interconnected with the second track sections.
In general, the present invention contemplates a door system including a sectional door having adjacent panels hinged for moving between a closed vertical position and an open horizontal position, the adjacent panels including at least a top panel, an intermediate panel, and a bottom panel, sets of lower rollers provided proximate the interfaces of the adjacent panels and proximate the lower extremity of the bottom panel, upper rollers carried proximate the upper extremity of the top panel, vertical track assemblies including vertical track sections and reverse angles, the reverse angles interconnecting with a header to form a door mounting system, transitional track members having first track sections and second track sections, and dual horizontal track assemblies having lower horizontal track sections and upper horizontal track sections, wherein the lower rollers are carried by the vertical track sections, the first track sections and the lower horizontal track sections and the upper rollers are carried by the second track sections and the upper horizontal track sections.
A sectional door system according to concepts of the present invention is generally indicated by the numeral 10 in
The door frame 12 consists of a pair of spaced framing members 13 and 14 that are generally parallel. The framing members 13 and 14 extend in a vertical direction upwardly from the garage floor or ground G (
As seen in
In addition to reinforcing the panels 21, 22, 23, 24, the left-hand end stiles 27 and right-hand end stiles 28 are adapted to carry lower rollers 30 and roller pins 31. Sets of the lower rollers 30 and roller pins 31 are carried by the lower vertical extremities of each of the left-hand end stiles 27 and right-hand end stiles 28, and are positioned near the interface of the adjacent panels 21, 22, 23, 24.
Near the ground G, the lower extremity of the bottom panel 24 is equipped with a bottom panel extension 32 adapted to carry lower rollers 30 and roller pins 31. The bottom panel extension 32 can be equipped with weather stripping 33 to ensure a weather-tight seal between the sectional door D and the ground G. In a similar fashion to the bottom panel 24, the upper extremity of the top panel 21 is provided with a top panel extension 36. Roller brackets 37 are mounted on either side of the top panel extension 36, and are adapted to carry upper rollers 38 on roller pins 39 (
As seen in
As best seen in
After the reverse angles 47 and the header 48 are positioned relative to the door frame 12, the track system 42 can be assembled. As seen in
The vertical track sections 46 are attached to transitional track members, generally indicated by the numeral 54. The transitional track members 54 include first track sections 55 and second track sections 56. The first track sections 55 are positioned below the second track sections 56, and the transitional track members 54 may be unitarily formed from cast, forged, or molded materials.
As seen in
Referring particularly to
As shown, the dual horizontal track assemblies 60 are preferably integrally formed from one piece of material. More specifically, the horizontal track assemblies 60 can be formed from a shaped piece of sheet metal. In cross-section (
Referring to
The second arm 72 is joined to an extension 80, and the extension is joined to a web 81 to form the cross-sectional shape of the reverse angles 47. To aid in the support of the track system 42, the web 81 is part of the door mounting system, and is joined to a framing member 13 or 14. Furthermore, the web 81 can be provided with a hook-shaped door stop 83. The door stop 83 extends generally perpendicularly inward from the web 81 and, when the sectional door D is closed, the door stop 83 is located directly adjacent the panels 21, 22, 23, 24. The door stop 83 is configured to prevent outward movement of panels 21, 22, 23, 24 when in the substantially vertical, closed orientation. Furthermore, the door stop 83 may readily mount a vertical extending flexible seal 84 to exert a positive pressure on the panels 21, 22, 23, 24. As such, the flexible seal 84 can also sealingly engage the panels 21, 22, 23, 24, and prevent environmental elements from infiltrating therebetween. In a known manner, the seal 84 preferably has a relatively rigid attachment portion 85 and a relatively flexible sealing lip 86 which may be made of PVC or other plastic.
As discussed hereinabove and as seen in
Through coupling using the transitional track members 54, the vertical track sections 46, the first track sections 55, and the lower horizontal track sections 61 form first roller raceways 91. The sets of lower rollers 30 attached to the panels 21, 22, 23, 24 travel within the first roller raceways 91. Furthermore, second roller raceways 92 are adapted to receive the upper rollers 38 and are formed from the interconnection of the second track sections 56 with the upper horizontal track sections 62. The first roller raceways 91 and the second roller raceways 92, and the respective movement of the lower rollers 30 and upper rollers 38 therein provides for the movement of the sectional door D between an open, substantially horizontal position and a closed, substantially vertical position. Thus, in cooperation with the lower rollers 30 and upper rollers 38, the first roller raceways 91 and second roller raceways 92, respectively, control the vertical movement, the horizontal movement, and the transition therebetween of the sectional door D.
The shape of the first track sections 55 that extends through approximately ninety degrees provides for the transition of the panels 21, 22, 23, 24 in the first roller raceways 91. Since the radius of curvature of the first track sections 55 is relatively small, the sectional door D can move between opened and closed position with minimal spacing between the opening in the door frame 12 and a low overhead O (see
When the sectional door D is closing, i.e., moving from a substantially horizontal position to a substantially vertical position, the upper rollers 38 traveling in the second roller raceways 92 enter the second track sections 55 from the upper horizontal track sections 62. As seen in
The elbow portions 96 curve abruptly downwardly and outwardly, and such abrupt change of direction facilitates the positioning of the top panel extension 36 and top panel 21 adjacent the header 48. Specifically, the top panel extension 36 and the top panel 21 articulate according to the movement of the upper rollers 38 in the second track sections 55. Furthermore, distal ends 98 of the elbow portions 96 are positioned directly adjacent the header 48, so that when the sectional door D is closed, the upper rollers 38 are seated in the distal ends 98. Therefore, when the sectional door D is closed, the top panel extension 36 and top panel 21 are located adjacent the header 48. Consequently, as seen in
The elbow portions 96 maintain the top panel extension 36 and the top panel 21 in the seated position until sufficient opening forces produce an extent of vertical travel of the sectional door D, such that the upper rollers 38 can transcend the elbow portions 96 and then move into the curved portions 95, and the horizontal portions 94, and continue into the remainder of the second raceway 92.
The dual horizontal track assemblies 60 are supported proximate their rearward extremity by struts S which may be attached to the overhead O in a conventional fashion (
The flag angles 52 have body portions 100, and tongue portions 101 extending outwardly in a perpendicular direction therefrom. The body portions 100 are configured to accept the reverse angles 47. Furthermore, the tongue portions 101 interface with the header 48. As such, the flag angles 52 interconnect the reverse angles 47 with the header 48 to form the door mounting system 11 as discussed hereinabove. The body portions 100 also accept the transitional track members 54 and may be curved at 103 to follow the contour of the transitional track members 54 to lower hang down below first roller raceways 91.
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As seen best in
Thus, it should be evident that the door mounting and track system for a sectional door disclosed herein carries out one or more of the objects of the present invention set forth above and otherwise constitutes an advantageous contribution to the art. As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, modifications can be made to the preferred embodiments disclosed herein without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of the invention herein being limited solely by the scope of the attached claims.