Patent ID: 11905756
Assignee: NATIONAL DOOR INDUSTRIES, INC.
Field: Other special machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC E  B | IPC B  E

Claim 1:
2. A method of manufacturing a wind and debris resistant window assembly for an overhead garage door, the door having front and rear exposed surfaces defining a thickness there between, and at least one window opening provided therein, the method comprising the steps of:
extruding four plastic strips for constructing a front frame member, wherein each front frame member strip comprises an outer peripheral portion and an inner peripheral portion;
cutting both ends of each front frame member strip at 45-degree angles;
permanently joining the cut ends of two front frame member strips using heat from a hot melt welder which fuses the cut ends, such that the two front frame member strips create an L-shape, with the inner peripheral portion of each strip facing inwards, to form a first front frame member half;
permanently joining the cut ends of the remaining two front frame member strips also using heat from a hot melt welder, such that the two front frame member strips create an L-shape, with the inner peripheral portion of each strip facing inwards, to form a second front frame member half;
forming the front frame member by permanently joining the cut ends of said first front frame member half to the cut ends of said second front frame member half to form a rectangle with the inner peripheral portion of each front frame member strip facing inwards and the outer peripheral portion of each front frame member strip facing outwards;
wherein when the front frame member is assembled, the combined outer peripheral portions of the front frame member strips are sized to circumscribe the window opening from the front exposed surface of the garage door once the assembly is installed in the garage door, and the combined inner peripheral portions of the front frame member strips are sized to circumscribe an edge of a transparent pane once said pane is installed in the assembly;
forming a rear frame member using the same steps as used to form the front frame member;
whereby the front and rear frame members cooperate, upon assembly, to securely grip the transparent pane with the transparent pane sandwiched therebetween;
wherein the inner peripheral portion of the front frame member comprises a flange region which overlays an outer periphery of the transparent pane, and wherein an internal wall extends perpendicularly from the inner peripheral portion generally perpendicular thereto, thereby creating a right-angled cavity in the interior of the front frame member;
wherein the internal wall also forms one side of an internal baffle, and wherein the right-angled cavity which is formed by the internal wall and the flange region together form a positive stop region for the outer periphery of the transparent pane, holding it securely in position;
wherein the rear frame member is provided with a plurality of honeycomb regions, and wherein-at least one of the honeycomb regions of the rear frame member has an interior wall portion arranged perpendicular to the outer periphery of the transparent pane, the at least one honeycomb region also being provided with an outer circumferential rib which is received within a mating groove provided on the transparent pane to form a cooperating rib and groove arrangement, and wherein the front frame member internal wall is arranged coincident with and fully contacting the interior wall portion of the at least one honeycomb region of the rear frame member upon assembly, whereby the pane is securely retained in the frame assembly;
wherein upon assembling the front and rear frame members and transparent pane within the window opening of the garage door, impact forces transmitted to the transparent pane are absorbed in the honeycomb regions of the assembled frame while the cooperating rib and groove arrangement securely grips the transparent pane between the front and rear frame members;
wherein the rear frame member is a high impact and high tensile strength Nylon-6 polymer having the following published characteristics:, Mechanical properties
dry/cond.

Tensile modulus
1880/500
MPa
ISO 527-1/-2

Yield stress
43/—
MPa
ISO 527-1/-2

Yield strain
4/—
%
ISO 527-1/-2

Nominal strain at break
>50/>50
%
ISO 527-1/-2

Flexural modulus
1800/—
MPa
ISO 178

Flexural strength
71/—
MPa
ISO 178

Charpy impact strength
N/N
kJ/m2
ISO 179/1eU

(+23° C.)

Charpy impact strength
N/N
kJ/m2
ISO 179/1eU

(−30° C.)

Charpy notched impact
100/N
kJ/m2
ISO 179/1eA

strength (+23° C.)

Charpy notched impact
25/18
kJ/m2

strength (−30° C.)

Thermal properties

Vicat softening temperature
130/—
° C.
ISO 306

(50° C./h 50N)

Other properties

Water absorption
7.3/—
%
Sim. to ISO 62

Humidity absorption
2.7/—
%
Sim to ISO 62

Density
1060/—
kg/m2
ISO 1883;

wherein the front frame member is manufactured from a weatherable, high impact strength and high tensile strength paintable ASA polycarbonate polymer blend having the following published characteristics:
Density, ASTM D 792
Water Absorption, ASTM D 570, 24 hours @ 73 F
Linear Mold Shrinkage, Flow, ASTM D 955, 0.125 inch
Linear Mold Shrinkage, Transverse, ASTM D 955, 0.125 inch
Melt Flow, ASTM D 1238, 280 C/3.8 kgf
Hardness, Rockwell R, ASTM D 785
Tensile Strength, Yield, ASTM D 638, Type I, 2.0 in/min
Elongation at Break, ASTM D 638, Type I, 2.0 in/min
Flexural Yield Strength, ASTM D 790, 0.05 in/min, 2″ span
Flexural Modulus, ASTM D 790, 0.05 in/min, 2″ span
Izod Impact, Notched, ASTM D 256, 73 F
Izod Impact, Notched, ASTM D 256
Gardner Impact, ASTM D 3763, Instrumented Impact Total Energy
Gardner Impact, ASTM D 3763, Instrumented Impact Total Energy
CTE, linear, Parallel to Flow, ASTM E 831
CTE, linear, Transverse to Flow, ASTM E 831
Thermal Conductivity, ASTM C 177
Deflection Temperature at 0.46 MPa (66 psi), ASTM D 648, 0.125 inch, unannealed
Deflection Temperature at 1.8 MPa (264 psi), ASTM D 648, 0.250 inch, unannealed
Gloss, ASTM D 523, Untextured, 60 degrees;
and wherein the window frame assembly manufactured from the particular choice of polymeric plastic materials is characterized as having a high impact strength and high tensile strength which can withstand or exceed an 8,000 psi impact from flying debris in testing.