Patent ID: 6679310
Filing Date: 2004-01-20
Classification: E05D,E05Y,E06B

Abstract:
In an overhead folding garage door incorporating hinged door panels, a first panel forming an upper panel and a second panel forming a lower panel, each said panel being a one piece molded plastic member having a front wall formed with an upwardly and rearwardly arching upper edge forming an upwardly projecting part circular tenon offset rearwardly of the front face of said front wall a distance substantially equal to the thickness of said front wall to define a recessed shoulder, each said panel having side walls extending downwardly from said tenon to a point a distance short of the bottom of said front wall corresponding to the height of said tenon to provide a front wall bottom portion defining a tenon receiving mortis therebehind, said front walls of said panels being reinforced on their rear sides between said side walls with an integral grid work of intersecting ribs, said panels further having on the rear side a hinge locating and mounting arrangement of integral rearwardly projecting pods arranged adjacent the bottom of said upper panel and adjacent the upper edge of said lower panel, said pods having screw receiving bores therein, said panels being connected by a plurality of hinges each having one strap secured by screws driven into the bores of respective ones of said pods on said upper panel and the other strap secured by screws driven into bores of respective ones of said pods on said lower panel, there being metal reinforcements interposed between said hinge straps and said pods, said pods being so arranged that the axes of the pintles of said hinges are located at the center of curvature of said part circular tenon of said lower panel, the arrangement being such that said lower panel is hingedly connected to said upper panel with said lower panel tenon received in said upper panel mortis with the lower edge of said upper panel overlying said recessed shoulder of said lower panel with said panels in vertical alignment whereby on articulation of said panels out of vertical alignment the lower edge of said upper panel closely follows the curved surface of said lower panel tenon.