Patent Application
20230160248
Prior application number 17733969 is incorporated by reference, as well as prior application number 63181248. Prior application number 17733969 claims the benefit of application number 63181248.
The embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the manufacturing and construction industries. More particularly, this disclosure relates to sealing systems for doors, such as garage doors or multi panel doors, and sealing methods which decrease air permeability and friction between doors and surfaces.
Certain structures and walls have openings which allow people, vehicles, animals, or other objects to pass through. To prevent undesirable objects from entering these openings, certain types of panels such as doors and windows are positioned within a frame constructed around the openings. An important purpose of these panels is to provide a sufficient barrier in preventing the transfer of environmental elements such as heat, noise, weather, water, and insects from one side of the panel to the other. Attempts have been made to fulfill this purpose by using various types of weather stripping between the panels and frame. For example, the weather stripping may be a strip of felt, foam, rubber, or other flexible synthetic material that provides a barrier against external weather and moisture.
The prior art panels may open and close by pivoting relatively to the frame, becoming a door or window. Alternatively, the panels may slide relative to the frame. An example of such a door is a car garage door which comprises several connected panels that move vertically. Sliding panels are advantageous for large openings because the door does not need a lot of space to swing inward or outward in order to open. However, an issue with such doors is that as time passes, friction develops between weather strips and door panels. Overtime, the increased friction degrades the integrity of the seal between the door and the frame causing the sealing system to be less efficient. In a swinging door, there may only be brief friction between the frame and panel in the initial opening movement or the final closing movement of the door. However, in sliding doors—like car garage doors—the panels often move upward along a vertical track before transferring to a horizontal track. To maintain a perfectly straight vertical track, the door constantly moves along the vertical track and rubs against the weather strip. Not only does this create problems for the weather strip, but it also hinders the motor or user moving the door up and down.
One attempt to address this issue in the prior art is a system of vertical tracks that are slightly angled away from the door opening (U.S. Pat. No. 8,684,065). In order to make the door fit snugly against the door jamb when it closes, each horizontal pair of panel hinges must be different from the hinges above and the hinges below. As the hinges connect panels that are higher in placement along the track, the wheel axle is manufactured to be further and further away from the hinge point. The disadvantage is that the upward friction is only slightly decreased and there is the need for many sizes of hinges to be created for just one door.
Another attempt to address this issue in the prior art is a system using a clamshell module that allows doors to be kept away from the seal of the door jamb as they move up and down along the vertical track (PCT/CA2007/000024). While this system is an improvement on prior art, one major disadvantage is the need to use custom made hinges that are not readily available in the market, further increasing the cost to install this system.
Provided herein is a system that addresses deficiencies of the art with respect to effectively creating a seal between a panel and a frame and is an improved method of allowing a door to move freely up or down along a track and also to press securely against the door jamb when the door is closed. A sealing assembly may be coupled to a garage door system, such as the garage door systems that are known in the art. The combination of the sealing assembly and the garage door system is referred to herein as the sealing system.
In certain embodiments of the present invention, a sealing system for connecting a panel to a frame comprises: a cam-stop assembly, at least one cam assembly, a stop brace, and at least one linkage connector connecting at least one cam assembly to a cam-stop assembly. In some embodiments, a sealing assembly comprises a plurality of cam stop assemblies and a plurality of stop braces. The cam stop assembly allows vertical movement to be converted to rotational movement forward as it engages a stop brace. This forward movement causes the door to press firmly against the door jamb. The system may also, in some embodiments, include a counter-tension system which allows the door to retract into a neutral position away from the door jamb when the cam stop assembly is not engaging the stop brace.
The drawings provided herein are not intended to be drawn to scale, instead serve to explain the principles of the invention. Each identical or nearly identical component illustrated in various drawings is represented by a common numeral. It should be noted that not every component may be labeled in each figure provided herein. Furthermore, the embodiments illustrated herein are presently preferred, it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown, wherein:
In the following description, numerous details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the presented concepts. The presented concepts may be practiced without some or all of the provided details. In other instances, intricacies have not been described so as to not unnecessarily obscure the described concepts. While some concepts are illustrated in conjunction with specific embodiments, it should be noted that these embodiments are not limiting. Reference herein to “one embodiment” or “one aspect” means that one or more structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or aspect is included in at least one implementation. The phrase “one embodiment” or “one aspect” throughout the specification may or may not be referring to the same embodiment or aspect.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a sealing system including: at least one guide track; a first stop brace; a first stop brace support removably attached to the first stop brace; a second stop brace; a second stop brace support removably attached to the second stop brace, wherein a distance between the first stop brace and the second stop brace is at least five feet; a first cam-stop assembly, further including a first cam assembly attached to a first stop, the first stop being removably attached to the first stop brace; and a first door panel hinge, the first cam assembly being removably attached to and vertically aligned with the first cam-stop assembly via a first linking assembly; and a second cam-stop assembly, further including a second cam assembly attached to a second stop, the second stop being removably attached to the second stop brace; and a second door panel hinge, the second cam assembly being removably attached to and vertically aligned with the second cam-stop assembly via a second linking assembly.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a sealing system, wherein the first door panel hinge is attached to a garage door panel; the first cam assembly is positioned below the first cam-stop assembly; and the second cam assembly is positioned below the second cam-stop assembly.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a sealing system, further including a third cam assembly removably attached to and vertically aligned with a first cam-stop assembly via a first linking assembly; and a fourth cam assembly removably attached to and vertically aligned with a second cam-stop assembly via a second linking assembly.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a sealing system, further including a fifth cam assembly removably attached to and vertically aligned with a first cam-stop assembly via a first linking assembly; and a sixth cam assembly removably attached to and vertically aligned with a second cam-stop assembly via a second linking assembly.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a sealing system, further including a seventh cam assembly removably attached to and vertically aligned with a first cam-stop assembly via a first linking assembly; and an eighth cam assembly removably attached to and vertically aligned with a second cam-stop assembly via a second linking assembly.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a sealing assembly including: at least one cam-stop assembly, each of the at least one cam-stop assembly further including: a first cam assembly, having a first corner, the first corner rotatably attached to a first bolt and a first door panel hinge, the first door panel hinge having at least one flange; a second corner, the second corner attached to a caster wheel via a second bolt, the caster wheel rotatably attached to a first guide track; and a third corner, the third corner attached to a second cam assembly via a first linking assembly, the second cam assembly located in a position relative to the first cam assembly selected from the group consisting of a position above the first cam assembly and a position below the first cam assembly.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a sealing assembly in claim 6, wherein the first cam assembly and the second cam assembly are each triangular in shape, include at least three pivot points, and include at least two axles.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a sealing assembly in claim 6, wherein the first linking assembly further includes an at least one rod; an at least one spring; an at least one rope; an at least one wire; an at least one cable; and an at least one a chain.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a sealing assembly, wherein the linking assembly further includes at least one first rod slidably disposed in a first holder of a connector; at least one tubing; at least one spring; at least one second rod disposed in a second holder, the second holder connected to the first holder; and a nut, the nut attached to the second rod.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a sealing assembly in claim 9, wherein the at least one tubing is either of a square or round shape.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a sealing assembly, wherein the at least one second rod is a rod selected from the group consisting of a compressible tension rod, a tension rod, a flexible rod, and a rigid rod.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a sealing assembly, wherein the at least one second rod and the nut are at least partially threaded.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a sealing assembly wherein the linking assembly further includes a tensible rod.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a sealing assembly, wherein the sealing assembly further includes a brace plate, the brace plate having a hole configured for attaching the spring to the linking assembly.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a sealing assembly, wherein the brace plate is coupled with at least one cam assembly.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method of sealing a garage door, including: providing a sealing system including: at least one guide track; a first stop brace; a first stop brace support removably attached to the first stop brace; a second stop brace; a second stop brace support removably attached to the second stop brace, wherein a distance between the first stop brace and the second stop brace is at least five feet; a first cam-stop assembly, further including a first cam assembly attached to a first stop, the first stop being removably attached to the first stop brace; and a first door panel hinge, the first cam assembly being removably attached to and vertically aligned with the first cam-stop assembly via a first linking assembly; and a second cam-stop assembly, further including a second cam assembly attached to a second stop, the second stop being removably attached to the second stop brace; and a second door panel hinge, the second cam assembly being removably attached to and vertically aligned with the second cam-stop assembly via a second link
In some aspects, a sealing system comprising: at least one guide track; a first stop brace; a first stop brace support removably attached to the first stop brace; a second stop brace; a second stop brace support removably attached to the second stop brace, wherein a distance between the first stop brace and the second stop brace is at least five feet; a first cam-stop assembly, further comprising a first cam assembly attached to a first stop, the first stop being removably attached to the first stop brace; and a first door panel hinge, the first cam assembly being removably attached to and vertically aligned with the first cam-stop assembly via a first linking assembly; and a second cam-stop assembly, further comprising a second cam assembly attached to a second stop, the second stop being removably attached to the second stop brace; and a second door panel hinge, the second cam assembly being removably attached to and vertically aligned with the second cam-stop assembly via a second linking assembly.
In some aspects the sealing system, wherein the first door panel hinge is attached to a garage door panel; the first cam assembly is positioned below the first cam-stop assembly; and the second cam assembly is positioned below the second cam-stop assembly.
The sealing system further comprising a third cam assembly removably attached to and vertically aligned with a first cam-stop assembly via a first linking assembly; and a fourth cam assembly removably attached to and vertically aligned with a second cam-stop assembly via a second linking assembly.
The sealing system further comprising a fifth cam assembly removably attached to and vertically aligned with a first cam-stop assembly via a first linking assembly; and a sixth cam assembly removably attached to and vertically aligned with a second cam-stop assembly via a second linking assembly.
The sealing system further comprising a seventh cam assembly removably attached to and vertically aligned with a first cam-stop assembly via a first linking assembly; and an eighth cam assembly removably attached to and vertically aligned with a second cam-stop assembly via a second linking assembly.
A sealing assembly comprising: at least one cam-stop assembly, each of the at least one cam-stop assembly further comprising: a first cam assembly, having a first corner, the first corner rotatably attached to a first bolt and a first door panel hinge, the first door panel hinge having at least one flange; a second corner, the second corner attached to a caster wheel via a second bolt, the caster wheel rotatably attached to a first guide track; and a third corner, the third corner attached to a second cam assembly via a first linking assembly, the second cam assembly located in a position relative to the first cam assembly selected from the group consisting of a position above the first cam assembly and a position below the first cam assembly.
The sealing assembly wherein the first cam assembly and the second cam assembly are each triangular in shape, comprise at least three pivot points, and comprise at least two axles.
The sealing assembly wherein the first linking assembly further comprises an at least one rod; an at least one spring; an at least one rope; an at least one wire; an at least one cable; and an at least one a chain.
The sealing assembly wherein the linking assembly further comprises at least one first rod slidably disposed in a first holder of a connector; at least one tubing; at least one spring; at least one second rod disposed in a second holder, the second holder connected to the first holder; and a nut, the nut attached to the second rod.
The sealing assembly wherein the at least one tubing is either of a square or round shape.
The sealing assembly wherein the at least one second rod is a rod selected from the group consisting of a compressible tension rod, a tension rod, a flexible rod, and a rigid rod.
The sealing assembly wherein the at least one second rod and the nut are at least partially threaded.
The sealing assembly wherein the linking assembly further comprises a tensible rod.
The sealing assembly wherein the sealing assembly further comprises a brace plate, the brace plate having a hole configured for attaching the spring to the linking assembly.
The sealing assembly wherein the brace plate is coupled with at least one cam assembly.
A method of sealing a garage door, comprising: providing a sealing system comprising: at least one guide track; a first stop brace; a first stop brace support removably attached to the first stop brace; a second stop brace; a second stop brace support removably attached to the second stop brace, wherein a distance between the first stop brace and the second stop brace is at least five feet; a first cam-stop assembly, further comprising a first cam assembly attached to a first stop, the first stop being removably attached to the first stop brace; and a first door panel hinge, the first cam assembly being removably attached to and vertically aligned with the first cam-stop assembly via a first linking assembly; and a second cam-stop assembly, further comprising a second cam assembly attached to a second stop, the second stop being removably attached to the second stop brace; and a second door panel hinge, the second cam assembly being removably attached to and vertically aligned with the second cam-stop assembly via a second linking assembly; positioning at least one stop of at least one cam-stop assembly above an at least one stop brace; lowering the garage door and the at least one cam-stop assembly; frictionally and removably coupling the at least one stop of the at least one cam-stop assembly with the at least one stop brace, the coupling further comprising attaching the at least one stop to a first corner of a hinge of the cam-stop assembly; and exerting a torque on the at least one cam-stop assembly, wherein a second corner and a third corner of the hinge of the cam-stop assembly rotating counter-clockwise thereby pushing at least one door panel hinge to a surface.
The method of sealing a garage door comprising installing a weather strip to a garage door jamb.
A sealing system comprising: at least one guide track; a first stop brace; a first stop brace support removably attached to the first stop brace; a second stop brace; a second stop brace support removably attached to the second stop brace, wherein a distance between the first stop brace and the second stop brace is at least five feet; a first cam-stop assembly, further comprising a first cam assembly attached to a first stop, the first stop being removably attached to the first stop brace; and a first door panel hinge, the first cam assembly being removably attached to and vertically aligned with the first cam-stop assembly via a first linking assembly; and a second cam-stop assembly, further comprising a second cam assembly attached to a second stop, the second stop being removably attached to the second stop brace; and a second door panel hinge, the second cam assembly being removably attached to and vertically aligned with the second cam-stop assembly via a second linking assembly.
The sealing system wherein the first door panel hinge is attached to a garage door panel; the first cam assembly is positioned below the first cam-stop assembly; and the second cam assembly is positioned below the second cam-stop assembly.
The sealing system further comprising a third cam assembly removably attached to and vertically aligned with a first cam-stop assembly via a first linking assembly; and a fourth cam assembly removably attached to and vertically aligned with a second cam-stop assembly via a second linking assembly.
The sealing system further comprising a fifth cam assembly removably attached to and vertically aligned with a first cam-stop assembly via a first linking assembly; and a sixth cam assembly removably attached to and vertically aligned with a second cam-stop assembly via a second linking assembly.
The sealing system further comprising a seventh cam assembly removably attached to and vertically aligned with a first cam-stop assembly via a first linking assembly; and an eighth cam assembly removably attached to and vertically aligned with a second cam-stop assembly via a second linking assembly.
A sealing assembly comprising: at least one cam-stop assembly, each of the at least one cam-stop assembly further comprising: a first cam assembly, having a first corner, the first corner rotatably attached to a first bolt and a first door panel hinge, the first door panel hinge having at least one flange; a second corner, the second corner attached to a caster wheel via a second bolt, the caster wheel rotatably attached to a first guide track; and a third corner, the third corner attached to a second cam assembly via a first linking assembly, the second cam assembly located in a position relative to the first cam assembly selected from the group consisting of a position above the first cam assembly and a position below the first cam assembly.
The sealing assembly wherein the first cam assembly and the second cam assembly are each triangular in shape, comprise at least three pivot points, and comprise at least two axles.
The sealing assembly wherein the first linking assembly further comprises an at least one rod; an at least one spring; an at least one rope; an at least one wire; an at least one cable; and an at least one a chain.
The sealing assembly wherein the linking assembly further comprises at least one first rod slidably disposed in a first holder of a connector; at least one tubing; at least one spring; at least one second rod disposed in a second holder, the second holder connected to the first holder; and a nut, the nut attached to the second rod.
The sealing assembly wherein the at least one tubing is either of a square or round shape.
The sealing assembly wherein the at least one second rod is a rod selected from the group consisting of a compressible tension rod, a tension rod, a flexible rod, and a rigid rod.
The sealing assembly wherein the at least one second rod and the nut are at least partially threaded.
The sealing assembly wherein the linking assembly further comprises a tensible rod. Linkage between cam assemblies may be offset from the main panel hinge; in preferred embodiments, there may be two axle sleeves that are offset of each other, and when the axles are offset of each other than collapsible linkage may be used to connect cam assembly to an adjacent cam assembly.
The sealing assembly wherein the sealing assembly further comprises a brace plate, the brace plate having a hole configured for attaching the spring to the linking assembly.
The sealing assembly wherein the brace plate is coupled with at least one cam assembly.
A method of sealing a garage door, comprising: providing a sealing system comprising: at least one guide track; a first stop brace; a first stop brace support removably attached to the first stop brace; a second stop brace; a second stop brace support removably attached to the second stop brace, wherein a distance between the first stop brace and the second stop brace is at least five feet; a first cam-stop assembly, further comprising a first cam assembly attached to a first stop, the first stop being removably attached to the first stop brace; and a first door panel hinge, the first cam assembly being removably attached to and vertically aligned with the first cam-stop assembly via a first linking assembly; and a second cam-stop assembly, further comprising a second cam assembly attached to a second stop, the second stop being removably attached to the second stop brace; and a second door panel hinge, the second cam assembly being removably attached to and vertically aligned with the second cam-stop assembly via a second linking assembly; positioning at least one stop of at least one cam-stop assembly above an at least one stop brace; lowering the garage door and the at least one cam-stop assembly; frictionally and removably coupling the at least one stop of the at least one cam-stop assembly with the at least one stop brace, the coupling further comprising attaching the at least one stop to a first corner of a hinge of the cam-stop assembly; and exerting a torque on the at least one cam-stop assembly, wherein a second corner and a third corner of the hinge of the cam-stop assembly rotating counter-clockwise thereby pushing at least one door panel hinge to a surface.
The method of sealing a garage door further comprising installing a weather strip to a garage door jambing assembly; positioning at least one stop of at least one cam-stop assembly above an at least one stop brace; lowering the garage door and the at least one cam-stop assembly; frictionally and removably coupling the at least one stop of the at least one cam-stop assembly with the at least one stop brace, the coupling further including attaching the at least one stop to a first corner of a hinge of the cam-stop assembly; and exerting a torque on the at least one cam-stop assembly, wherein a second corner and a third corner of the hinge of the cam-stop assembly rotating counter-clockwise thereby pushing at least one door panel hinge to a surface.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to disclosed methods and further comprise, installing a weather strip to a garage door jamb. Multiple combinations of described aspects of the inventions are contemplated; thus various aspects may be combined even if not explicitly described.
Referring to
As shown in
First cam-stop assembly 120 may be a cam assembly coupled to an elongated stop, which may be substantially parallel with the horizontal length of a door panel. A second cam assembly may be similar or equivalent to the first cam assembly provided that the second cam assembly may be coupled to a caster wheel 210 that may be rotationally and operably coupled to the second guide rail. Standard garage doors, as viewed from someone standing at the main entrance into the garage and facing the garage door, generally have a left side and a right side. The first cam-stop assembly 120 may be disposed along the wall that is to the right of the garage door; the second cam-stop assembly 120 may be disposed along the wall that is to the left of the garage door.
The first cam assembly may be similar or equivalent to the third cam assembly wherein the third cam assembly may have a flange defining a recess couplable with a hook, the fifth cam assembly may have a flange defining a recess couplable with a hook, and the seventh cam assembly may have a flange defining a recess couplable with a hook. The second cam assembly may be similar or equivalent to the fourth cam assembly wherein the fourth cam assembly may have a flange defining a recess couplable with a hook, the sixth cam assembly may have a flange defining a recess couplable with a hook, and the eighth cam assembly may have a flange defining a recess couplable with a hook.
In some embodiments, the first cam assembly may be coupled via a linking assembly 600 to a second cam assembly; second cam assembly may be coupled via a linking assembly 600 to a fourth cam assembly; the fourth cam assembly may be coupled via a linking assembly 600 to a sixth cam assembly. The compressible connector may be a) a spring, b) a rod, or c) a spring or rod coupled to an upper portion of a connector and a spring or rod coupled on one end to a lower portion of a connector, wherein the spring or rod coupled to the upper portion of the connector may be nonparallel to the spring or rod coupled to the lower portion of the connector, and wherein a spring or rod coupled to a lower portion of a connector may be coupled on an opposite end to a flange bolted to an adjacent cam assembly. Stop brace support may be coupled to a support rod that may extend along part of the height or the entire height of the distance from the highest cam-stop assembly or cam assembly to the ground.
Since one or more of the cam assemblies or cam-stop assemblies are fastened to a door panel hinge, then the vertical movement of the garage door panels, actuated by mechanisms known in the art for raising or lowering a garage door, will cause the lowering or raising of the plurality of cam assemblies or plurality of cam-stop assemblies.
To seal the garage door, the stop of the cam-stop assembly is first positioned above the stop brace. The garage door, and also the cam-stop assembly, is lowered. Referring to
When the garage door is opened by the open-closing mechanism then the cam-stop assembly will also press against the stop brace, but since the garage door is being raised, then the torque and rotation of the cam-stop assembly will result in the upper portion of the cam-stop assembly being rotated towards the ceiling of the garage space, thereby causing the garage door to be moved backwards and upwards, which may have advantageously reduce the incidence of the garage door scraping against the garage door jamb (or weather stripping attached to the door jamb).
The linking assemblies, such as the tensible rod, that may be used to connect a cam stop assembly to one or more lower cam assemblies, may act to stabilize the cam assemblies, and also allow for the cam assemblies to move in conjunction with the cam-stop assembly, such that when the cam-stop assembly is being rotated by the torque created by force generated by the stop against the stop brace, then the other cam assemblies aligned along the same side of the garage door move in conjunction.
Referring to
Referring to
Different embodiments and aspects of the apparatus and methods of the sealing assembly are disclosed herein that include a variety of components, features, and functionality. It should be noted that the various embodiments and aspects of the apparatus and methods may include any of the components, features, and functionality of any of the other embodiments and aspects of the apparatus and methods disclosed herein in any combination, and all such possibilities are intended to be within the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the enumerated disclosure is not intended to be limiting in any way. A person skilled in the art may come across many modifications of the disclosure set forth herein having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63181248 | Apr 2021 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 17733969 | Apr 2022 | US |
| Child | 17956816 | US |
