Abstract:
The present disclosure provides an improved sectional roll-up door system and related method. In one embodiment, the system includes hardware that enables a sectional roll-up door to be installed in situations wherein the door-to-ceiling clearance is very limited. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the system includes hardware that minimizes stress and wear on a door installed in a multi-track system. A method of installing a sectional door in an area with limited ceiling clearance is also provided.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims priority from Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/072,163, entitled “OVERHEAD GARAGE DOOR HINGING TOP BRACKET,” filed Mar. 27, 2008, and which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to a sectional roll-up door system and method. 
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]    Sectional roll-up doors, commonly referred to as garage doors, are known. For some applications where the vertical space between the top of the door and the ceiling is limited, dual track doors are used. Dual track doors allow the uppermost section of the roll-up door to be positioned as close to the same vertical position as the vertical section of track that supports the door when the door is in the opened position. For an example of a dual track sectional roll-up door see U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,304 to Mullet et al. In most dual or multi-track sectional roll-up door systems, only the uppermost door panel rides in the secondary track. This configuration results in an undesirable pinch point between the bottom edge of the uppermost door section and the top edge of the adjacent door section. The above-described pinch point is illustrated in  FIG. 2 , which is a figure of a prior art system. The present disclosure provides a system that avoids this issue, as well as others. The present disclosure provides a more effective sectional roll-up door system and related method. 
       SUMMARY  
       [0004]    The present disclosure provides an improved sectional roll-up door system and related method. In one embodiment, the system includes hardware that enables a sectional roll-up door to be installed in applications wherein the door-to-ceiling clearance is very limited. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the system includes hardware that minimizes stress and wear on a door installed in a multi-track system. A method of installing a sectional door in an area with limited ceiling clearance is also provided. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a portion of a prior art sectional door system with the door in the closed position with dashed lines showing the door in a slightly open position; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a side view of a portion of the sectional door of  FIG. 1  where the door is at least partially open; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a side view of a portion of a sectional door system according to the present disclosure with the door in the closed position; 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a side view of a portion of the sectional door of  FIG. 3  where the door is substantially open; 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is a side view of a portion of the sectional door of  FIG. 3  where the door is slightly open; 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a mounting bracket of the sectional door of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the mounting bracket of  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 8   a  is a front view of a portion of the mounting bracket of  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 8   b  is a side view of a portion of the mounting bracket of  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 9   a  is a front view of a portion of the mounting bracket of  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 9   b  is a side view of a portion of the mounting bracket of  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 10   a  is a side view of a portion of a prior art single track sectional door system showing the door in the closed position and in a slightly open position; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 10   a  is a side view of a portion of a single track sectional door system according to the present disclosure showing the door in the closed position and in a slightly open position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a side view of a prior art dual track system  10  is shown. The system includes a multi-section/multi-panel door  20  engaged with an L-shaped lower track  12  and a horizontal upper track  14 . The system is configured for application where the clearance between the top of the door opening and the ceiling of the garage is low. In a one track system the upper edge of the uppermost section/panel of the door is typically located below position A, which is where the L-shaped track begins to transition from being vertical to horizontal. In a one track system the clearance between the ceiling and the top of the door needs to be greater than the vertical distance between point A and the upper edge of the horizontal track  14 , which is referenced as D 2 . In the dual track system the distance D 1  between the upper edge  16  of the uppermost section  18  of the door  20  and the upper edge of the track is much less than in a single track system. Therefore, the dual track system is especially desirable where the vertical distance between the door opening and the ceiling is small. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the prior art dual track system is described in greater detail. In the dual track system  10 , the upper track  14  engages rollers  22  attached near the upper edge  16  of the uppermost panel  18  of the door  20 . The rollers  24 , attached to other areas of the door  20 , engage the L-shaped track  12 . In the prior art systems this configuration often results in a pinch point or stress point between the lower edge  26  of the uppermost panel  18  and the upper edge  28  of the adjacent panel  30 . This pinch point can cause the door  20  to fail in use or prematurely wear at that location. In addition, the configuration also results in the portions of the upper edge  16  of the uppermost panel  18  extending above the uppermost portions of the horizontal track  14  in use. For example, see  FIG. 1  showing the upper edge  16  extending above the horizontal track  14  when the door  20  is in the slightly open position. 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIGS. 3-5 , an embodiment of the multi-sectional door system of the present disclosure is described in greater detail. The multi-sectional door system  32  includes a sectional door  34 , an upper track  36 , and a lower track  38 . The upper track  36  is generally horizontal with a curved portion adjacent the door opening. The lower track  38  is generally L-shaped with a horizontal portion  40 , a vertical portion  42 , and a transitional curved portion  44 . A roller mechanism  46  is shown attached near the upper edge  48  of the uppermost door panel  50 . When the door is at least partially opened as shown in  FIG. 4 , the lower edge  52  of the uppermost panel  50  does not pinch the upper edge  54  of the adjacent panel  56 . 
         [0021]    In the depicted embodiment the upper edge  48  of the uppermost panel  50  does not extend above the upper track  36  when the sectional door  34  is in use. See  FIG. 5 . Therefore, the clearance D 3  between the upper edge  58  of the upper track  36  and the ceiling can be minimized. In some embodiments the clearance D 3  can be less than 12 inches. In yet other embodiments the clearance D 3  is less than three inches. In other embodiments the clearance D 3  is less than one inch. It should be appreciated that the door system of the depicted embodiment can also be installed in areas where vertical clearance is not an issue. 
         [0022]    Still referring to  FIGS. 3-5 , the roller mechanism  46  is described in greater detail. In the depicted embodiment the roller mechanism  46  includes a roller  60  pivotally attached to a swing arm  62 . In the depicted embodiment, the swing arm  62  is hinged to the inside surface of the uppermost panel  50  adjacent the upper edge  48  of the panel  50 . The configuration and arrangement of the roller mechanism  46  allows the uppermost panel  50  to be generally in the same plane as the adjacent panel  56  when the door is open (see  FIG. 4 ). Moreover, the configuration and arrangement of the roller mechanism  46  allows the upper edge  48  of the uppermost panel  50  to maintain a low position relative to the upper track  36  when the sectional door  34  is being opened and closed (see  FIG. 5 ). 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIGS. 6-9   b , the components of an embodiment of the roller mechanism  46  are described in greater detail. In the depicted embodiment, the roller mechanism  46  includes a swing arm  62  that connects a roller  60  to a mounting flange  64 . The mounting flange  64  and the swing arm  62  are connected to each other in a hinge arrangement. The hinge arrangement includes a pin that extends through nested and aligned tab portions  72  on the flange  64  and the swing arm  62 . In the depicted embodiment flange  64  includes slotted apertures  66  configured to receive mounting fasteners that connect the flange  64  to the inside surface of the uppermost panel  50  of the sectional door  34 . In the depicted embodiment the flange  64  is connected adjacent the upper edge of  48  of the uppermost panel  50 . The slotted apertures  66  allow the exact location of the flange  64  relative to the panel  50  to be easily adjusted. Moreover, in the depicted embodiment a roller mechanism  46  is attached to each end of the uppermost panel of the sectional door  34 . It should be appreciated that alternative configurations and arrangements are also possible. 
         [0024]    In the depicted embodiment, the swing arm  62  includes spaced apart tabs  70  that are configured to be hinged with the flange  64 . The swing arm also includes slotted apertures  68  that are configured to receive fasteners that connect the rollers  60  to the swing arm  62  (see  FIG. 7 ). In the depicted embodiment the swing arms  62  have a length that is greater than the radius of the roller  60 . In some embodiments the length of the swing arm is between 1-12 inches. In the depicted embodiment the length of the swing arm  62  is greater than the diameter of the roller  60 . It should be appreciated that many alternative configurations are also possible. 
         [0025]    It should be appreciated that the roller mechanism  46  can be used contexts other than in a dual track door system. For example, embodiments of the roller mechanism can be used in single track systems. See, for example,  FIGS. 10   a  and  10   b .  FIG. 10   a  shows a single track system with the prior art roller arrangement. When the door is partially opened a portion of the uppermost door panel  80  extends substantially above the track  82 , which necessitates that the clearance between the ceiling  84  and the track  82  be relatively large (e.g., 15 inches). The roller mechanism  46  in a single track system enables the door panel(s) to be raised and lowered smoothly without having portions of the panel(s) extend substantially above the roller track when the door is being opened or closed.  FIG. 10   b  illustrates that when the upper panel  90  of the door is in a closed position, the swing arm  92  of the roller mechanism  46  is extended away from the upper panel. When the door is in a partially opened position, the swing arm pivots towards the upper panel  90 , which allows the upper panel to move more rearward and less upward when the door is being opened. Consequently, the clearance between the ceiling  96  and the upper track  94  can be substantially less than in the system of  FIG. 10   a . Referring to  FIG. 10   b , it should be appreciated that the roller mechanism can be particularly advantageous in single track systems where the transition section of the track, which is between the vertical and horizontal sections of track, is relatively small. In other words, the roller mechanism can be particularly advantageous in systems where the L-shaped track abruptly changes direction. 
         [0026]    The above specification, examples and data provide a complete description of the manufacture and use of the composition of the invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.