Overhead doors and panels therefor

Abstract: An overhead door (10) includes a plurality of adjacent panels (12) hinged (40) to one another. The adjacent edges (28, 30) of adjacent panels (12) are complementary with one another. The edge (28) includes a convex portion (64) and an abutting portion (66) substantially continuous with an apex (70) of the convex portion and the edge (30) includes a concave portion (78) complementary with the convex portion (64) and an abutting portion (80) substantially continuous with the concave portion (78) and which opposes the abutting portion (66) of the edge (28) when the panels are aligned. A seal (76) acts between the abutting portions. A gap (90) of uniform width is formed between the concave (78) and convex (64) portions of adjacent panels (12), the width of the gap remains constant as adjacent panels (12) are articulated with respect to one another about the hinge (40).

Description: The present invention relates to overhead doors comprising a plurality of panels being hingedly connected by a hinge, each panel including a front side, a rear side, a first edge and a second edge, said first edges and second edges of adjacent panels being complementary with one another, whereby said first edge includes a convex portion and an abutting portion substantially continuous with an apex of said convex portion said second edge includes a concave portion and an abutting portion substantially continuous with said concave portion so that when the adjacent panels are aligned the concave portion is complementary to the convex portion and the abutting portion of the second edge is opposed to the abutting portion of the first edge and a gap is formed between said concave and convex portions and has a width between said concave and convex portions which remains substantially constant as said adjacent panels are rotated with respect to one another about said hinge. It furthermore relates to overhead door panels. Such overhead doors are utilized in all types of residential and commercial applications to close off various building openings, e.g. of garages. Also, these types of doors are utilized in road trucks. Ordinarily, the doors include horizontal panels which are hinged together and moved vertically with respect to the opening. The panels include rollers at their ends, which move in tracks, to assist in the vertical movement. As the doors move vertically, the panels articulate with respect to one another ordinarily creating an opening in-between two adjacent panels about the hinge. An overhead door as described above is disclosed in EP-A-03703 24. A seal is arranged in a recess of the convex portion of the first edge in about the middle area between a step and the apex of the convex portion. This leads to the disadvantage that when the panels are inclined there is a gap and foreign objects may enter. US-A-5,002,114; US-A-4,893,666 and US-A-4,989,660 illustrate various types of door panels utilized in vertically moving overhead doors. US-A-5,002,114, as well as US-A-4,893,666, illustrate panels which have a gap between adjacent panels which gets smaller as the panels articulate with respect to one another. Also, these panels include a mortice and tenon joint. US-A-4, 989,660 illustrates a symmetric tooth shaped member extending from the edge of the panel. While the designs described appear to function satisfactorily, designers continue to strive to improve the art. It is therefore an object of the present invention to prohibit the insertion of foreign objects between the adjacent hinge panels and also to provide that the inside of the structure is better sealed. This object is according to the present invention achieved in that said abutting portion of said first edge includes a recess and in that a seal is positioned in said recess and contacts the abutting portion of the second edge of the adjacent panel, when the adjacent panels are aligned. This arrangement prohibits the entrance of foreign objects between adjacent panels even when the panels are in a fully articulated position. The concave and convex surface portions on adjacent panels may be concentric with the axis of the hinge jointing the panels. The hinge may be positioned on flat surfaces of the panels eliminating the identations for the hinges present in the prior art. The invention also provides a door panel for an overhead door and a subassembly of two such panels hinged together. From the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims, other advantages of the present invention will be apparent. In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of an overhead door in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the door of Figure 1 in a partially retracted position; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the part of Figure 2 within circle 3; and Figure 4 is a view like Figure 3 but within circle 4 of Figure 2 with the panels in a maximum articulated position. Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, an overhead door is illustrated and designated with the reference numeral 10. The overhead door 10 includes a plurality of horizontally extending panels 12 which move vertically to an open position guided by rollers (not shown) in rails 14. The overhead door of Figure 1 may be utilized as a residential or commercial type of garage door or as a tractor trailer door. Turning to Figure 2, the door is illustrated in side elevation in a partially open position. Here, the panels 12 are shown in both an articulated position and a stacked position. The panels 12 are ordinarily identical, however the top panel and bottom panel may each have a flat or straight edge since this edge is not used to mate with an adjacent panel. In this case, a seal may be positioned on the bottom panel to enable the overhead door 10 to seal with the ground. Also, the bottom panel 12 may include an edge like those to be described, wherein the seal would have a mating complementary configuration. Each panel 12 includes an outer metallic skin 20 with insulating material 22, such as an injected foam, within the metallic skin 20 and which acts as an insulation as well as securing the metallic front side 24 to the rear side 26 thereof. The panel 12 also includes a first or top edge 28 as well as a second or bottom edge 30. The panel 12 is formed from two metal sheets which may be stamped, extruded or the like, one including front side 24, the other rear side 26, and which are positioned with respect to one another to form the panel 12. The sides 24 and 26 are ordinarily planar and as can be seen from the drawings are parallel to one another. A hinge 40 connects adjacent panels 12 for rotation or articulation with respect to one another. The hinge 40 includes a first member 42, a second member 44, and a pin 46 which secures the hinge members 42, 44 together. The first hinge member 42 includes a planar portion 48 which is secured to the rear side 26 of the panel 12. The hinge member 42 also includes a cylindrical or barrel portion 50 which receives the pin 46. Likewise, the hinge member 44 includes a planar portion 52 to secure to the rear side 26 of an adjacent panel as well as an angled portion 54 extending from the planar portion and which includes a cylindrical or barrel portion 56 at its end to receive the pin 46. The pin 46 has an axis 60 about which the hinge members rotate. The first edge 28 of the panel 12 includes a projection 62 having a convex portion 64 and an abutting portion 66. The cross-sectional shape of the convex portion 64 is an arc of a circle centred at the axis 60 of the hinge. The convex portion 64 extends between a step 68 and an apex 70. An abutting portion 66 is continuous with the apex 70. The abutting portion 66 is substantially planar and is continuous with the rear side 26. The abutting portion 66 includes a recess 74 which receives a seal 76. The seal 76 seals adjacent panels with respect to one another when stacked as well as prohibiting entrance of foreign objects when the panels are articulated with respect to one another as illustrated in Figure 4. The second edge 30 of the panel includes a concave portion 78 and an abutting portion 80. The concave portion 78 extends from a base 82 which is continuous with and perpendicular to the front side 24 of the panel. An abutting portion 80 is continuous with the apex 84 of the concave portion 78. The cross-sectional shape of the concave portion 78 is an arc of a circle centred on the axis 60 of the hinge 40. Thus, the curvatures or arcs of the convex portion 64 and the concave portion 78 are concentric with one another. The abutting portion 80 is substantially parallel to abutting portion 66 when the panels are stacked or aligned such that the seal 76 contacts abutting portion 80 to seal the panels 12 with respect to one another. The abutting portion 80 is continuous with and perpendicular to the rear side 26 of panel 12. When the panels are hinged together and stacked or aligned as illustrated in Figure 3, a gap 90 is formed between the convex portion 64 on one panel and the concave portion 78 on the other panel. The gap 90 has a width which is substantially constant between the concave portion 78 and the convex portion 64. As the panels 12 are articulated with respect to one another, the width of the gap 90 remains constant during the articulation of the panels with respect to one another from a vertical or aligned position as illustrated in Figure 3 to a position of maximum articulation as illustrated in Figure 4. Also, as seen in Figure 4, at maximum articulation, the seal 76 prohibits the entrance of foreign objects between adjacent panels. Thus, the panels provide a pinchless connection which keeps foreign objects out between adjacent panels at all times.

Claims: An overhead door (10) comprising a plurality of panels (12) being hingedly connected by a hinge (40), each panel (12) including a front side (24), a rear side (26), a first edge (28) and a second edge (30), said first edges (28) and second edges (30) of adjacent panels (12) being complementary with one another, whereby said first edge (28) includes a convex portion (64) and an abutting portion (66) substantially continuous with an apex (70) of said convex portion (64), said second edge (30) includes a concave portion (78) and an abutting portion (80) substantially continuous with said concave portion (78) so that when the adjacent panels are aligned the concave portion (78) is complementary to the convex portion (64) and the abutting portion (80) of the second edge is opposed to the abutting portion (66) of the first edge, and a gap (90) is formed between said concave (78) and convex (64) portions and has a width between said concave (78) and convex (64) portions which remains substantially constant as said adjacent panels (12) are rotated with respect to one another about said hinge (40), characterised in that said abutting portion (66) of said first edge (28) includes a recess (74) and in that a seal (76) is positioned in said recess (74) and contacts the abutting portion (80) of the second edge (30) of the adjacent panel, when the adjacent panels are aligned. An overhead door according to Claim 1, characterised in that said hinge (40) is attached to the rear side (26) of each of a pair of adjacent panels (12), each said panel side (26) being substantially planar and continuous with said abutting portions (55, 80) of said first edge (28) and said second edge (30). An overhead door according to Claim 1, characterised in that as said adjacent panels (12) rotate with respect to one another about said hinge (40) and as an end of said concave portion (78) approaches said abutting portion (66) of said first edge (28), said seal (76) prohibits entrance of foreign objects between adjacent panels (12). An overhead door according to any preceding claim, characterised in that said abutting portions (66, 80) are substantially planar. An overhead door according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the cross-sectional shape of said convex portion (64) is an arc of a circle centred on the axis (60) of said hinge (40). An overhead door according to any preceding claim, wherein the cross-sectional shape of said concave portion (78) is an arc of a circle centred on the axis (60) of said hinge (40). A door panel (12) for an overhead door (10) comprising; a front side (24), a rear side (26), a first edge (28) and a second edge (30) whereby said first edge (28) includes a convex portion (64) and an abutting portion (66), said abutting portion (66) being substantially continuous with the curvature of said convex portion (64) and whereby said second edge (30) includes a concave portion (78) and an abutting portion (80), said abutting portion (80) being substantially continuous with the curvature of said concave portion (78), characterised in that said abutting portion (66) of said first edge (28) includes a recess (74) and in that a seal (76) is positioned in said recess (74) and contacts the abutting portion (80) of the second edge (30) of the adjacent panel, when the adjacent panels are aligned. A door panel according to Claim 7, characterised in that said abutting portions (66, 80) are planar and substantially parallel to one another. A sub-assembly of two door panels according to any of Claims 7 and 8, wherein the two panels are hinged together by a hinge (40), characterised in that said first edge (28) of one panel (12) mates with the second edge (30) of a second panel (12) so that a gap (90) is formed between the concave portion (78) on one panel and the convex (64) portion on the other panel said gap (90) having a constant width between said concave (78) and convex (64) portions and remaining constant as the two panels (12) are articulated with respect to one another. A sub-assembly according to Claim 9, characterised in that as said adjacent panels (12) rotate with respect to one another about said hinge (40) and as an end of said concave portion (78) on one panel approaches said abutting portion (66) of said first edge (28) of the other panel, said seal (76) prohibits entrance of foreign objects between adjacent panels (12). A sub-assembly according to Claim 9 or Claim 10, wherein said concave portion (78) on one panel and said adjacent convex portions (64) on the other panel are arcs of circles centred about the axis (60) of the hinge (40).

Inventors: DRUZYNSKI FRANK CASMERE, MANSER IAN JAY, DRUZYNSKI, FRANK CASMERE, MANSER, IAN JAY
Applicants: ALUMA SHIELD IND INC, ALUMA SHIELD INDUSTRIES, INC.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: E06B3
IPC codes: E06B3