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In modern society, cold storage facilities often have forklift accessible door openings into a cold space from a warm space. Various barrier devices including overhead suspended sliding insulated doors have been used in the past to provide some measure of thermal control and to secure the door openings from unwanted intrusions.
With many prior art doors, there have been problems of unwanted heat exchange between the cold and warm spaces, ice buildups in and around the door opening, and unwanted freezing of the closed door in the door opening. Additionally, many prior art doors are more susceptible to unwanted impact damage from forklifts, forklift loads, or other moving objects that may impact the door during operations in or about the door opening by such equipment and objects.
Forklift operations through and near door openings and associated sliding doors in cold storage facilities often result in impact incidents between the forklift or forklift loads and the doors that selectively close the door opening resulting in unwanted damage to the door that often necessitates expensive repair or replacement of the door or associated structures.
The present invention relates to a novel flexible door panel cold storage door system having at least one overhead track-mounted horizontally sliding flexible door panel useful for the convenient closing and opening of a door opening into a cold storage area that incorporates features that reduce or eliminate the above mentioned problems.
The instant invention incorporates a novel movable door panel that reduces or eliminates damage to the door panel that might result from impact incidents and reduces maintenance and downtime as compared with many other prior art cold storage sliding doors that would suffer significant damage and require significant maintenance and undesirable downtime from comparable impact incidents. The instant invention is designed for easy and convenient repair in the event of any damage from impact incidents involving the door panel.
The instant invention incorporates a movable flexible door panel having spaced vertical suspension cables, at least two vertical stiffeners, and at least one horizontal stiffener closely and elastically attached between and to the vertical stiffeners and provides a durable panel that has improved resistance to undesired breaching or damage of the panel by accident or by malicious intent by unauthorized entities or forces.
The door hanger assemblies of the instant invention allow the door panel to swing outward away or inward toward the wall during an impact incident and lessen the likelihood of damage to the hanger assemblies and to the overhead horizontal track and carriage system to which the hanger assemblies are attached
The present invention relates to a novel flexible door panel cold storage door system 10 for selectively blocking and unblocking a door opening 8, having a surrounding doorframe assembly 12, in a boundary wall 6 between a cold space 2 and a warm space 4 in a cold storage facility with a movable flexible door panel 66.
The novel flexible door panel cold storage door system uses heat generated by the operation of a plurality of electromagnets 36 to reduce or eliminate frost and ice in and around the door opening 8, the doorframe assembly 12, and the door panel 66.
In the best embodiment, the electromagnets 36 promote an improved sealing between the door panel 66 and a doorframe assembly 12; the electromagnets generate heat that is dispersed into a heat dispersion layer 34, a nonferrous doorframe outer jacket 46, and a plurality of gasket sections 148 and 164 attached to a door panel jacket 104 to preclude icing and freezing of a sealing zone between the door panel and the doorframe assembly. The electromagnets preferably are powered when the door panel is in a selected stationary closed position and generate heat that warms air that is circulated through a frame core ventilation channel 32 in the doorframe assembly in close proximity to an interface between the doorframe assembly and the movable door panel.
In the best embodiment, the electromagnets are powered to attract ferrous gasket targets 154 when the door panel is in a closed position and air warmed by the operation of the electromagnets is circulated by at least one inline ventilation fan 40 in a substantially closed loop through the ventilation channel 32 that interconnects a plurality of electromagnet wells 26, 28, 30 in which the electromagnets are mounted and through at least one interconnected bottom sweep assembly air channel 144 when the door panel is in a closed position. Additionally, in the best embodiment a heat dispersion layer 34 that is in close contact with portions of the electromagnets disperses heat from the operating electromagnets to help warm the overlaying doorframe outer jacket 46.
The best embodiment of the instant invention provides a seal between the door panel 66 and the doorframe assembly 12 and a close contact sliding seal between a bottom sweep assembly 124, 324, 424 of the door panel and a floor surface within the door opening 8.
In the best embodiment of the invention, the bottom sweep assembly air channel 144, 344, 444 circulates warmed air that reduces or eliminates ice build-up beneath the door panel and lessens or eliminates the likelihood that the door panel in the closed position will freeze to the floor surface beneath the door panel structure.
Additional and various other objects and advantages attained by the invention will become more apparent as the specification is read and the accompanying figures are reviewed.
Referring to
The left frame 14 has a left frame core 16; the top frame 18 has a top frame core 20; and the right frame 22 has a right frame core 24; each frame core has a frame core top surface and a longitudinal top surface centerline; the frame cores are preferably made of wood or a suitable composite material.
A plurality of open electromagnet wells 26 are formed in the frame cores and distributed along and proximate to the centerlines; a frame core ventilation channel 32 is formed or routed in the frame core top surfaces.
The ventilation channel 32 has a first end near said left frame core's bottom end and the ventilation channel contiguously and serially communicating to and through each well in each frame core and the ventilation channel having a second end near the right frame core's bottom end.
A plurality of electromagnets 36 are operably mounted one electromagnet in each well and mounted substantially flush to the adjacent frame core top surface that surrounds that respective well. The electromagnets 36 are selectively energized by a D/C power supply 38 that is electrically connected to said electromagnets; the power supply is selectively controlled by an electric door operator control box 50.
When the door is in the closed position, the electromagnets 36 are powered on to generate a plurality of magnetic fields to attract a plurality of ferrous gasket targets 154 toward respective electromagnets and to generate heat to warm air circulating in close proximity to the electromagnets.
A signal to open and a signal to close the door can be initiated by a manually operated switch connected to the control box or by a radar system, an induction loop system, a radio transmitters/receiver system, a photocell system, a pull-cord switch system, or some other suitable signaling device known in the art that can communicate with the control box.
Preferably, each installation of the instant invention includes a D/C power supply 38 that is a 12 volt system that is custom fabricated to supply the required wattage needed to power the number of electromagnets used in the specific door system being installed; the power will vary depending upon the door size and the number and size of the electromagnets used.
Preferably, the D/C power supply 38 is controlled via a 120 volt power switch located inside of the door operator control box 50. The power switch is selectively activated in response to a door operator control switch that is selectively activated via a manufacturer's supplied pull cord, a push button, a magnetic floor loop/forklift detection, a radio remote, or another suitable activation system. The power switch is configured to switch the power of the 12 volt power supply to the electromagnets ON when the door panel is in a closed position and OFF when the door is signaled to be opened, while the door panel is in motion, and while the door panel is in an open position.
Preferably, the power supply 38 sends a brief (fraction of a second) reverse current to the pole plates of the electromagnets when the electromagnets are powered off to scramble the magnetic fields and help ensure that the ferrous gasket targets 154 release from the electromagnets during opening of the door opening by the moving door panel.
Preferably, after a signal to close the door panel from an open position to a closed position, the power switch is configured with about a 5 second delay regarding the powering of the electromagnets to ON to allow the door panel to fully close before powering on the electromagnets.
In a fully-assembled preferred embodiment of the invention, a nonferrous doorframe outer jacket 46 is attached, preferably with removable fasteners, to the frame cores 16, 20, and 24 to substantially cover the frame cores, the ventilation channel 32, and the electromagnets 36.
Preferably, there are two air ventilation ports 42 and 44 through the outer jacket 46 and the ventilation ports communicate with the ventilation channel 32 with one ventilation port located proximate the first end of the ventilation channel and the other ventilation port located proximate the second end of the ventilation channel.
A movable flexible door panel 66 has a door panel jacket 104 and has a door panel periphery and the door panel is selectively disposable against the doorframe outer jacket 46 to at least partially block the door opening 8 when in a closed position, and the door panel substantially unblocking the door opening when in an open position. The door panel jacket 104 has an upper end and a lower end.
Two bottom sweep gasket sections 164 are removably attached by attachment means to the door panel jacket proximate the lower end along the door panel periphery that overlaps two portions of the doorframe outer jacket when the door panel is in the closed position with one bottom sweep gasket section located proximate the first end and the other bottom sweep gasket section located proximate the second end. The attachment means preferably comprises cooperating hook pads and loop pads selectively fixed to the panel jacket and to each gasket section. The hook pads and loop pads could be replaced by cooperating permanent magnet strips fixed one to the panel jacket and one to each gasket section or replaced by use of a suitable adhesive or by stitching with needle and thread.
A plurality of intermediate gasket sections 148 are removably and contiguously attached by attachment means to the door panel jacket between and proximate to two bottom sweep gasket sections 164 and along a contiguous portion of the door panel periphery that overlaps a contiguous portion of the doorframe outer jacket when the door panel is in the closed position and the gasket sections are operably configured to form an air seal with the doorframe outer jacket when the door panel is in the closed position.
Preferably, in each embodiment of the invention, each gasket section has at least one ferrous gasket target 154 located proximate the gasket section's top surface spaced away from the door panel jacket 104 and towards the doorframe outer jacket 46 and each ferrous gasket target is aligned to cooperate and be magnetically attracted by and towards one of the electromagnets when the door panel is in the closed position and the electromagnets are powered on (energized).
In all embodiments of the flexible panel cold storage door system 10 invention, a doorframe assembly 12 has a vertical left frame 14 having a left frame core 16 and a bottom end, a horizontal top frame 18 having a top frame core 20, and a vertical right frame 22 having a right frame core 24 and a bottom end; the frame cores have a plurality of electromagnet wells 26 formed in them to receive and mount a plurality of electromagnets 36, the wells may include cooperating half-length electromagnet wells 28 and 30 that together in respective abutting pairs form a well that may receive and mount an electromagnet; a frame core ventilation channel 32 is formed in the frame core top surfaces and the ventilation channel has a first end near the left frame core's bottom end and the ventilation channel contiguously and serially communicates to and through each well in each frame core and the ventilation channel has a second end near the right frame core's bottom end.
Preferably, a heat dispersion layer 34 preferably made of aluminum foil is interposed between the frame cores and the plurality of electromagnets 36 that are mounted in the wells 26 and cooperating half-length wells 28 and 30 and the dispersion layer proximately lines the wells and the core frame ventilation channel 32 and substantially covers the frame core top surfaces.
A D/C power supply for electromagnets 38, preferably a 12 volt system, selectively powers the electromagnets 36 and one or more inline ventilation fans 40 that are emplaced in the core frame ventilation channel 32 to move air through the ventilation channel.
Preferably, there are two air ventilation ports 42 and 44 in the nonferrous doorframe outer jacket 46 and each ventilation port communicates with the core frame ventilation channel 32 with one port located proximate the first end of the ventilation channel and the other port located proximate the second end of the ventilation channel.
The invention preferably is operatively suspended from a conventional overhead horizontal track and carriage system 48 that is controlled by an electric door operator control box 50. The carriage system 48 includes at least one carriage assembly 52 or 352 and 452 that is or are movably mounted on an overhead horizontal track 54, 254 that is mounted above and across the horizontal top frame 18 and at least two door hanger assemblies 56 attach a flexible door panel 66 to the carriage assembly or attach two leaves 220 and 224 to respective carriage assemblies 352 and 452.
Preferably, each door hanger assembly 56 has a hanger bracket 58 that is attached to a header 68 of the door panel 66 and the bracket rotatably mounts a horizontal hanger member 60 that is preferably secured in the bracket by a retainer 62 such as a C-clip or comparable securing device, the horizontal hanger member has a midpoint transverse bore to receive and retain a transverse vertical hanger member 64 that is preferably a threaded bolt and the vertical hanger member attaches the hanger assembly to a carriage assembly 52 or to one of two alternate carriage assemblies 352 and 452.
In the best embodiment, a flexible door panel 66 has an internal support frame assembly 74 that supports the door panel and suspends the door panel from a carriage assembly 52 or 352 and 452; each support frame assembly 74 has a header 68 spaced from and connected to at least one door panel base plate segment 80 by at least two spaced vertical suspension cables 78, each of the two suspension cables is threaded lengthwise through and retained respectively in one of at least two vertical tube stiffeners 86; at least one horizontal tube stiffener 94 is attached proximately and elastically to and perpendicularly between the two vertical tube stiffeners; a plurality of flexible insulation sheets 72 facing and proximate to one another with at least one insulation sheet on each side of the frame assembly and the insulation sheets supported by the frame assembly; a door panel jacket 104 having an upper end and a lower end encapsulates the support frame assembly and the insulation sheets; and at least two door hanger assemblies 56 are spaced and aligned coaxially and attached proximate the upper end to the header.
Preferably, as shown in
Preferably, each vertical suspension cable 78 at each end has a threaded cable end coupler 84 to interact at the top of the support frame assembly 74 with a respective wing nut 90 to attach the cable to the header 68 and at the bottom of the support frame assembly with a respective nut 92 to attach the cable to a bottom plate segment 80 and to allow vertical adjustment of the length of each cable and thereby allowing adjustment of the amount of separation between the header and the bottom plate segments after the door panel is assembled.
Preferably, each vertical tube stiffener 86 has at least one vertical tube stiffener transverse bore 88 aligned with a corresponding bore in at least one other vertical tube stiffener; at least one horizontal tube stiffener 94 is attached proximately and elastically to and perpendicularly between the two vertical tube stiffeners by an elastic cord 100 or a spiral spring threaded through the horizontal tube stiffener and through and anchored beyond each vertical tube stiffener transverse bore by an anchor clip 102 or other suitable retaining device.
Preferably, each horizontal tube stiffener 94 has a horizontal tube stiffener transverse bore 96 associated with each vertical suspension cable 78 that intersects the horizontal tube stiffener for receiving there through the respective cable.
Preferably, each stiffener transverse bore 88 and 96 has a tube grommet 98 preferably made of resilient rubber or other suitable material inserted in each transverse bore to encircle a respective cable, cord, or spiral spring threaded there through.
As shown in
Preferably, adjacent each sweep gasket section hook pad 132 is attached a bottom sweep side skirt hook pad 136 that aligns with a respective panel jacket side surface when the bottom sweep assembly 124 is attached around and extended downward beyond the lower end of the panel jacket and the sweep assembly air ports 142 communicate with a bottom sweep assembly air channel 144 preferably defined by a bottom surface of the jacket, an inner surface of the base strip 126 below the bottom sweep attachment loop strip 128, and the underlying floor surface.
Preferably, the base strip 126 is secured as a closed loop strip to, about, and encircling the lower end of the jacket by a bottom sweep closure loop pad 138 attached to one end of the base strip removably engaging a bottom sweep closure hook pad 140 attached to the other end of the base strip.
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In the best embodiment of a fully-assembled invention, two panel jacket side skirt assemblies 116 are removably attached respectively each to one of two panel jacket side surfaces by means of at least one panel jacket side surface hook pad 110 on each side surface engaging a respective side skirt loop pad 118. Preferably, each side skirt loop pad 118 also engages portions of intermediate gasket section hook pads 160 adjacent a respective side surface hook pad 110 and also engages portions of a bottom sweep gasket section hook pad 180 adjacent a respective side surface hook pad 110.
Referring to
In the best embodiment of a fully-assembled invention, the top skirt assembly 120 is removably attached to the panel jacket top surface by means of at least one panel jacket top surface hook pad 112 attached to the panel jacket top surface removably engaging the top skirt loop pad 122. Preferably, two panel jacket top surface end hook pads 114 also engage the top skirt loop pad 122. Preferably, each top skirt loop pad 122 also engages portions of intermediate gasket section hook pads 160 adjacent the top surface hook pad 112 and also engages portions of intermediate gasket section hook pads 160 adjacent a respective top surface end hook pad 114.
Referring to
Each stay roller assembly 184 or 384 has a base plate 186; a spring attachment wall 188 depending upward from an edge of the base plate, a plurality of spaced spring attachment holes 190 distributed along an upper edge of the spring attachment wall; a pressure arm support post 192 depending upward from the base plate, a pivot bolt mounting bore 194 in the support post; an L-shaped pressure arm 196 having a spring adjustment leg 198 and a stay roller attachment leg 202, a plurality of spaced spring adjustment holes 200 distributed along the spring adjustment leg, a stay roller attachment bore 204 near the free end of the attachment leg; and a transverse arm mounting bore 206 located between the two legs; a pressure arm pivot bolt 208 engaged in the pivot bolt mounting bolt rotatably mounts the pressure arm to the support post; at least one pressure spring 210 is selectively mounted between one of the spring attachment holes and one of the spring adjustment holes; at least one stay roller 214 is rotatably mounted in the arm mounting bore at the outer end of the stay roller attachment leg by a stay roller bolt 216 and a stay roller nut 218.
Referring to
The alternative flexible door panel cold storage door system 310, further has a movable flexible door panel comprising a left flexible door leaf 220 and a right flexible door leaf 224, the leaves engageable at an abutting interface between abutting edges of the leaves, each leaf having a leaf jacket and having a leaf jacket periphery and each leaf selectively disposable against the doorframe outer jacket to at least partially block the door opening when in a respective closed position, each leaf substantially unblocking the door opening when in a respective open position; each leaf jacket having an upper end and a lower end; two bottom sweep gasket sections removably attached by attachment means one to each of the leaf jackets proximate the lower end along the leaf jacket periphery that overlaps a portion of the doorframe outer jacket when the door panel is in the closed position with one bottom sweep gasket section located proximate the first end and the other bottom sweep gasket section located proximate the second end; a plurality of intermediate gasket sections removably and contiguously attached by attachment means to each leaf jacket proximate and along a contiguous portion of each leaf jacket periphery that overlaps a contiguous portion of the doorframe outer jacket when the leaves are in respective closed positions and the gasket sections operably configured to form an air seal with the doorframe outer jacket when the leaves are in the closed position; and each gasket section having at least one ferrous gasket target located proximate the gasket section's surface spaced away from the leaf jacket and towards the doorframe outer jacket and each ferrous gasket target aligned to cooperate and be magnetically attracted by one of the electromagnets when the leaves are in respective closed positions and the electromagnets are energized.
In the alternative flexible door panel cold storage door system 310, each leaf 220, 224 has a support frame assembly having a header spaced from and connected to at least one door panel base plate segment by at least two spaced vertical suspension cables 78, each suspension cable threaded lengthwise through and retained respectively in one of at least two vertical tube stiffeners 86; at least one horizontal tube stiffener attached proximately and elastically to and perpendicularly between the two vertical tube stiffeners; a plurality of flexible insulation sheets facing one another with at least one insulation sheet on each side of the frame assembly and the insulation sheets supported by the frame assembly; the leaf jacket encapsulating the support frame assembly and the insulation sheets; and at least two door hanger assemblies 56 spaced and coaxially aligned and attached proximate the upper end to the header; an overhead horizontal track and carriage system comprising: an overhead horizontal track 254 mounted across the top frame 18; two carriage assemblies 352, 452 movably mounted to the horizontal track; each leaf suspended respectively by at least two door hanger assemblies 56 from one of carriage assemblies; and each leaf movable between the respective closed position and the respective open position; each leaf having a lower end attachment hook strip attached to, about, and encircling the lower end; each leaf having a bottom sweep assembly 324, 424 having a bottom sweep attachment loop strip; the respective bottom sweep attachment loop strip removably attached to the respective lower end attachment hook strip and encircling the respective lower end; a respective depending wall portion of the respective bottom sweep assembly extends downward beyond the respective lower end to slidingly engage the floor surface in the door opening; the respective lower end, the respective depending wall portion, and the floor surface defining a respective bottom sweep assembly air channel 344, 444, and the respective depending wall portion having a respective bottom sweep assembly air port communicating into and out from the respective bottom sweep assembly air channel, and the respective assembly air port aligned and communicating with one of the ventilation ports when the door panel is in the closed position; and each leaf having an interface air port 242, 442 in a portion of the respective bottom sweep assembly in closest proximity to the other leaf and aligned and communicating with the corresponding interface air port in the other leaf when the leaves are in the closed position.
In the alternative flexible door panel cold storage door system 310, an inline ventilation fan is mounted in the ventilation channel; each leaf has a magnet strip 232, 234 incorporated into and along the leaf's abutting edge aligned to magnetically attract the corresponding magnet strip in the other leaf's abutting edge; and each of the leaves has a sealing flap 222, 226 removably attached along a portion of the leaf's abutting edge; and the sealing flaps on opposite faces of the leaves to partially overlap the other leaf when in the closed position.
Preferably, the left flexible door leaf 220 has a left leaf sealing flap 222 attached by cooperating hook and loop attachment pads along a portion of the left flexible door leaf's cold space surface 308 adjacent the abutting interface and extending beyond the abutting interface to partially overlap the right flexible door leaf's cold space surface 408 when the leaves are in the closed position. Preferably, the right flexible door leaf 224 has a right leaf sealing flap 226 attached by cooperating hook and loop attachment pads along a portion of the right flexible door leaf's warm space surface 406 adjacent the abutting interface and extending beyond the abutting interface to partially overlap the left flexible door leaf's warm space surface 306 when the leaves are in the closed position.
Preferably, the left flexible door leaf 220 has a left bottom sweep assembly 324 removably attached to, about, and encircling the lower end of the its leaf jacket; the left bottom sweep assembly having a left bottom sweep assembly air channel 344, the left bottom sweep assembly having a bottom sweep assembly air port that communicates with a ventilation port when the leaf is in the closed position and an interface air port 242 in a portion of the left bottom sweep assembly in closest proximity to the right flexible door leaf 224 and aligned and communicating with the corresponding interface air port 442 in the right flexible door leaf when the leaves are in the closed position.
The right flexible door leaf 224 preferably has a right bottom sweep assembly 424 attached to, about, and encircling the lower end of the its leaf jacket; the right bottom sweep assembly having a right bottom sweep assembly air channel 444, the right bottom sweep assembly having a bottom sweep assembly air port that communicates with a ventilation port when the leaf is in the closed position and an interface air port 442 in a portion of the right bottom sweep assembly in closest proximity to the left flexible door leaf 220 and aligned and communicating with the corresponding interface air port 342 in the left flexible door leaf when the leaves are in the closed position.
In the best embodiment, the frame cores 16, 20, and 24 are wood, composite material, or another suitable material; the nonferrous doorframe outer jacket 46 is stainless steel, aluminum, PVC, or another suitable material; the flexible insulation sheets 72 are cross-linked polyethylene closed cell foam sheets, but could also be Minicel® foam sheets, polypropylene closed cell foam sheets, or another suitable, resilient, flexible insulation sheet known in the art that has a suitable insulating R-value.
In the best embodiment, the header 68 and the base plate segments 80 are made from steel channel, wood, composite material, or another suitable material; the suspension cables 78 are braided steel cables or another suitable cable and having crimped on steel cable end couplers 84 that are threaded; the tube stiffeners 86 and 94 are round or square steel tubing, round or square PVC tubing, or tubing of another suitable material.
In the best embodiment, the door panel jacket 104 is made of a flexible PVC, polyester, nylon, Teflon® coated, silicone impregnated, vinyl, Nomex®, Kevlar®, PBI/Kevlar®, or another suitable fabric; in the alternative embodiment having two leaves, the leaf jackets are made of a flexible PVC, polyester, nylon, Teflon® coated, silicone impregnated, vinyl, Nomex®, Kevlar®, PBI/Kevlar®, or another suitable fabric.
In the best embodiment, the gasket section cores 150 and 166 are made of insulating foam such as Trymer® foam, polyurethane foam, polyisocyanurate foam, polystyrene, or another suitable gasket material; and the gasket outer jackets 156 and 172 are made from a durable material such as PVC, rubber, silicone rubber, stainless steel, aluminum, or another suitable material.
In the best embodiment, the insulating strips 157, 173 can be made from neoprene or another suitable material.
Alternatively, the gasket sections 148 and 168 could be each made of neoprene, PVC, rubber, silicone rubber, cork, or another suitable gasket material known in the art and each gasket section incorporating at least one ferrous gasket target 154.
The door system could also be configured with recessed door handles for manual operation between a closed position and an open position.
In the best embodiment, the door system is substantially mounted to the warm side of the boundary wall, but the door system could also alternatively be substantially mounted to the cold side of the boundary wall.
The preceding description and exposition of the invention is presented for purposes of illustration and enabling disclosure. It is neither intended to be exhaustive nor to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Modifications or variations in the invention in light of the above teachings that are obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art are considered within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted to the breath to which they fairly, legitimately and equitably are entitled.