System and method for converting an overhead door into a gate or serving window to facilitate entertainment and other purposes

A system is disclosed for converting an overhead door into a gate or serving window, the system having at least two rows of panels spanning the width of the door, one panel located above and adjacent to the other panel, a pair of rails opposite one another and adjacent to the panels, the panels traveling within the rails to move from a closed position to an open position, and at least one hinge connecting the lower row of panels to the upper row of panels, the hinge having an upper half attached to the upper row of panels and a lower half attached to the lower row of panels, the upper and lower halves of the hinge connected by a removable central pin, wherein the upper row of panels moves from the closed position to the open position when the central pin is removed from the hinge.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to overhead doors and, more particularly, to a system and method for modifying a standard overhead door to facilitate entertainment and other purposes. More specifically, the present invention relates to a novel system and method for converting an overhead door into a gate or serving window.

BACKGROUND

Overhead doors are well known in the art. Typically, overhead doors are comprised of a plurality of rows of panels spanning the width of the door opening, positioned between a pair of rails opposite one another in which the rows of panels travel along the rails from a closed or down position to an open or raised position.

Rows of panels typically are connected to one another via a plurality of hinges, each such hinge being permanently affixed to two adjacent rows of panels. In this manner, the plurality of rows of panels travel up the rails to move the entire door from the closed position to the open position.

To assist with the opening process of an overhead door, torsion springs mounted above the door often are used to help counter the weight of the door such that a person or low-horsepower motor can open the door. The torsion spring is sized and balanced based on the weight of the entire door, to serve as an effective counterbalance against the weight of the entire system. Often to balance the torsion spring, an installer might place the overhead door in a position approximately half-way between open and closed positions, and then increase tension on the torsion spring until the door suspends in half-way position on its own weight, balanced against the torsion spring.

Because the hinges tend to be permanently affixed to the panels, and because the torsion spring typically is sized and balanced against the weight of the entire door, the rows of panels of an overhead door typically travel together as one common linkage. Some prior art hinges exist that provide for a central pin to be removed, thereby decoupling one row of panels from an adjacent panel, as may be desirable to allow one row of panels to separate from the rest of the door. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,726,378 to Savon discloses an overhead door having hinges in which a pin can be pulled to decouple the bottom row of panels of the door such that the door may be opened to allow for ventilation while keeping a portion of the door closed to prevent animals and debris from entering the interior space. While the hinge disclosed by Savon could be placed on any row of panels, Savon focuses on decoupling only one row of panels, such that the weight of the door is not materially altered, thereby allowed the existing motor and torsion spring to operate the door as-is.

The prior art does not teach a comprehensive system for decoupling any row of panels, as necessary to form a gate or a serving window of any height, while simultaneously rebalancing the weight of the system to account for the changed dynamics of a partially-traveling door.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one non-limiting aspect of the present disclosure, an example embodiment of a system is disclosed for converting an overhead door into a gate or serving window. The system includes at least two rows of panels spanning the width of the door, one panel located above and adjacent to the other panel, a pair of rails opposite one another and adjacent to the panels, the panels traveling within the rails to move from a closed position to an open position, and at least one hinge connecting the lower row of panels to the upper row of panels, the hinge having an upper half attached to the upper row of panels and a lower half attached to the lower row of panels, the upper and lower halves of the hinge connected by a removable central pin, the lower half of the hinge having a spring-loaded pin for engaging with one of the rails to lock the lower row of panels to the rail, and the upper half of the hinge having an aperture for receiving and stowing the central pin upon removal, wherein the upper row of panels moves from the closed position to the open position when the central pin is removed from the hinge and the spring-loaded pin of the hinge is engaged with the rail.

According to another non-limiting aspect of the present disclosure, an example embodiment of a method is disclosed for converting an overhead door into a gate or serving window. The method includes the steps of providing at least two rows of panels spanning the width of the door, and locating one panel above and adjacent to the other panel; providing a pair of rails opposite one another and adjacent to the panels, the panels traveling within the rails to move from a closed position to an open position; providing at least one hinge connecting the lower row of panels to the upper row of panels, the hinge having an upper half attached to the upper row of panels and a lower half attached to the lower row of panels, the upper and lower halves of the hinge connected by a removable central pin, the lower half of the hinge having a spring-loaded pin for engaging with one of the rails to lock the lower row of panels to the rail, and the upper half of the hinge having an aperture for receiving and stowing the central pin upon removal; and moving the upper row of panels from the closed position to the open position when the central pin is removed from the hinge and the spring-loaded pin of the hinge is engaged with the rail, to form a serving window.

A skilled artisan will appreciate the foregoing details, as well as others, upon considering the following Detailed Description of certain non-limiting embodiments of the system and method according to the present disclosure. One of ordinary skill also may comprehend certain of such additional details upon using the system and method described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure, in part, is directed to overhead doors and, more particularly, to a system and method for modifying a standard overhead door to facilitate entertainment and other purposes. More specifically, the present invention relates to a novel system and method for converting an overhead door into a gate or serving window.

As shown inFIGS.1A and1B, an overhead door system10is shown having a door12, which is comprised of a plurality of rows of panels14,16,18,20. WhileFIGS.1A and1Bshow four rows of panels, those of ordinary skill would appreciate that overhead doors may be comprised of more or less rows of panels, and panels may be wider or narrower than depicted in the figures. Typical overhead doors used in residential environments, such as for a garage door opening, often are comprised of four or five rows of adjoining and connected panels. The overhead door system10provides for a unique and novel method for separating one or more upper panels18,20from one or more lower panels14,16, such that the lower panels can form a gate or, when coupled with a horizontal bench or countertop surface22, a serving window as may be desirable for entertainment or other purposes.

As shown inFIGS.2A and2B, the horizontal bench or countertop surface22may be configured to attach to any of the rows of panels and may be attached to the lowest panel14to facilitate a seating surface, as may be desirable for a spectator to sit while watching a driveway basketball game, as one example, or for a parent to sit while supervising children at play, as another example. The horizontal surface22may be attached to a higher panel, such as panel16, to facilitate a countertop surface for supporting food or beverages, as may be desirable at an outdoor gathering or party, as one example, or to facilitate a bar or lemonade stand, as other examples. When not in use, the horizontal bench or countertop surface22may be stowed in a vertical position parallel with and adjacent to the panel to which it is attached, such that the overhead door12may be used in an ordinary manner without having to remove the bench or countertop surface22, the details of which are shown inFIGS.6A-6Cand described hereinafter.

The overhead door system10provides that one or more of the plurality of panels14,16,18,20which comprise door12may separate to facilitate entertainment or other purposes.FIG.3shows a unique and novel split hinge assembly24that is one such example of accomplishing the efficient separation of the panels. Split hinge assembly24connects two panels and is mounted at the intersection of the panels. Split hinge assembly24is comprised of two halves, an upper half26and a lower half28, and the upper half26is mounted to one panel while the lower half28is mounted to a lower panel. The upper26and lower28halves of split hinge assembly24are configured such that the lower half28slightly nests within the upper half26. Specifically, the upper half26of split hinge assembly24includes flared mating portions30,32which are bent outward to accept and receive lower half28, which has retracted portions37to guide the upper half26over and around lower half28when the adjacent panels are adjoined together.

Split hinge assembly24further includes a panel lock spring pin36, which passes through lower half28and terminates in a dowel pin38that travels within the rail56. A second dowel pin39passes through upper half26and holds a wheel40that travels within the rail56. Wheel40is a standard overhead door wheel that is sized to fit within the rail56and may be slightly smaller or slightly larger depending upon which panel the wheel is attached to. For example, overhead door manufacturers typically size and identify the wheels40by a numbering scheme such that the largest wheel, typically stamped with a “1,” is located at the lowest panel, and wheels typically are numbered between 1-5 with higher-numbered wheels positioned with respect to higher-located panels. Panel lock spring36includes a spring42that is positioned within lower half28to actuate the spring pin from an unlocked position to a locked position.

As shown inFIG.4A, panel lock spring pin36is placed in an unlocked position during normal operation of the overhead door12. In this configuration, the spring42is compressed between retaining member45, which presses against post44of the lower half28, and an inner edge of the lower half28, thereby allowing pin38to travel freely within rail56. Retaining member45may be a small retaining pin or set screw that passes through or otherwise attaches to pin38to securely retain spring42. In the unlocked position, retaining member45rests against post44, which protrudes from lower half28. Alternatively, post44may be an enclosure that surrounds or encloses the pin38, with retaining member45passing through the enclosure when pin38is rotated ninety degrees but prevented from passing through when the pin is in the default or unlocked position, similar to a keyhole, which permits entry of the key (pin) in one orientation only but restricts entry in any other orientation.

When desiring to separate one of more of the panels14,16,18,20of the overhead door20, the lower panels remaining in a closed position preferably are locked to prevent movement of those lower panels. As shown inFIG.4B, the panel lock spring pin36may be placed into a locked position in which the pin38engages and locks with the rail56, such as by passing through an aperture cut within rail56. To move the panel lock spring pin36into the locked position, the panel lock spring pin36must be rotated by about ninety degrees to allow the retaining member45to disengage from the post44and allow the retaining member45to move past the post44, thereby allowing spring42to expand and fill the entire cavity within the lower half28. The expansion of the spring42maintains the panel lock spring pin36in a locked position.

With the lower panels placed in a locked position with respect to the rail56, the upper half26of the split hinge assembly24may be disconnected from the lower half28to allow upper panels to move up rail56to the open position, thereby creating the serving window, for instance. As shown inFIG.5A, central pin34may be removed from the split hinge assembly24such that the upper half26disconnects from lower half28, thereby allowing upper half26to move upward and away from lower half28as the panels are separated. Central pin34preferably is a locked pin that engages and is locked within split hinge assembly24when the upper26and lower28halves are joined, such as by a threaded connection, press-fit connection, or similar to lock the central pin34within the split hinge assembly24. As shown inFIG.5B, the central pin34may be stored within an aperture43within or inside of dowel pin39.

To utilize the lower panels14,16as a serving window, once the lower panels are secured and locked to the rail56, the horizontal bench or countertop surface22may be moved from a stowed position to a horizontal position, as shown inFIGS.6A and6B. This is accomplished by use of a retractable bracket hinge46, which either attaches to or is used in place of lower half28of the split hinge assembly24.

As shown inFIG.6C, hinge bracket46is comprised of a cantilever support member48that is maintained in a horizontal position by lower support member50, which is affixed to and travels within a slot52disposed within cantilever support member48. This configuration allows cantilever support member48to move from a horizontal position, as shown inFIG.6C, to a vertical position, as shown inFIG.2A, by allowing the lower support member50to slide about the slot52. Release lever54locks lower support member50within slot52to hold cantilever support member48in the horizontal position during use or to lock cantilever support member48in a stowed position, as shown inFIG.2B.

Overhead doors typically have pulleys58that wind a cable attached to the bottom panel of the door and are wound to assist movement of the door by a torsion spring centrally located above the door. Torsion springs are set to counter the entire weight of the door and only provide assistance when the entire door moves, because the cable wound by a torsion spring is attached to the lowest panel. When upper panels are separated from lower panels, the upper panels no longer would be assisted by the torsion spring when the panels are moved to the open position. Because panels tend to be heavy, this weight could place undue stress on a user, resulting in injury, or on a motor unit, resulting in damage to the motor or inability of the motor to move the upper panels.

As shown inFIGS.7A and7B, novel extension spring assist components are disclosed which work to pull the upper panels from the top. Specifically, extension spring60, which is mounted against a front wall, pulls a cable68that is attached to plate62mounted to the ceiling struts supporting rail56. Cable68passes around pulleys64,66attaches to upper panel pull roller bracket70.FIG.7Ashows the extension spring assist components as positioned when the upper panels are in the closed position, with the extension spring60in an extended position. As the upper panels move to the open position, the extension spring60retracts to a resting position.