Patent Publication Number: US-6655440-B2

Title: Garage door bottom seal retainer

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to garage doors and garage door bottom seals. More particularly, the present invention relates to a garage door bottom seal retainer that can be installed onto a bottom surface of a garage door without the use of any tools or fasteners. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Garages are commonly used not only to store automobiles and other items, but also as transition zones between the insides and outsides of houses. Therefore, garages need some degree of protection from weather and other elements. A commonly used component used to provide this protection is a seal secured to a bottom surface of a garage door. The seal helps the garage door keep out noise, rain, wind, and other elements. 
     Currently, there are three types of retainers commonly available to attach a seal to a bottom surface of a garage door. A first type is an aluminum extrusion that is screwed onto the bottom surface with metal screws. One concern with these types of retainers is that the metal screws extend upward through a lower section of the door and are exposed and thus present a risk of injury to persons gripping the bottom surface of the door during opening and closing. 
     Another concern is electrolysis corrosion caused because the metal screws are typically formed of a dissimilar metal as compared with the aluminum extrusion. Screw-type fasteners are also labor intensive to install and destroy the integrity of pre-painted steel door panels, exposing the panel material to oxidation and producing loose shavings. 
     A second type of seal retainer is a plastic extrusion that is screwed onto a bottom surface of a garage door with metal screws. This type also suffers from the exposed screw problem described above. 
     A third type of seal retainer is an aluminum extrusion that is crimped into a bottom surface of a garage door. While this type does have some advantages, it requires a special purpose-built crimping tool. 
     All three types of retainers discussed above complicate installing a garage door by requiring tools, such as, a screwdriver or a crimping tool, to secure a seal to a bottom surface of the garage door. Additionally, some retainers require fasteners, which have additional concerns as discussed above. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for an improved garage door bottom seal retainer that overcomes the limitations of the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The garage door bottom seal retainer of the present invention overcomes the above-identified problems and provides a distinct advance in the art. More particularly the present invention provides a garage door bottom seal retainer that can be used to secure a seal onto a bottom surface of a garage door without the use of any tools or fasteners and that does not present exposed screws that may cause injury. 
     The retainer is preferably used with a seal comprising a cylindrical cushion and a retaining member with an exterior shoulder and an interior shoulder. The retainer preferably retains the seal on a garage door having a bottom surface that comprises an exterior lip with an exterior shelf and an interior lip with an interior shelf. 
     The preferred garage door bottom seal retainer broadly comprises a seal cavity, a exterior tension member, and an interior tension member. The seal cavity runs substantially the entire length of the retainer, which runs substantially the entire length of the bottom surface of the garage door. The seal cavity includes a seal opening, through which the retaining member of the seal is inserted, in order to mate the seal with the retainer. 
     The exterior tension member also runs substantially the entire length of the retainer. The exterior tension member includes an exterior gripping edge, which is supported by the exterior lip of the bottom surface of the garage door. 
     The interior tension member also runs substantially the entire length of the retainer. The interior tension member includes an interior gripping edge, which is supported by the interior lip of the bottom surface of the garage door. 
     In use, an installer slides the retaining member of the seal into the seal cavity of the retainer along its entire length. Then the installer seats the exterior gripping edge of the exterior tension member upon the exterior shelf of the exterior lip along it entire length. The installer then applies force to the interior tension member so as to seat the interior gripping edge into place upon the interior shelf of the interior lip. 
     In this manner, the seal is secured to the retainer and the retainer is then secured to the garage door. It can be seen that this is done without the use of any tools or fasteners and overcomes the limitations of the prior art. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a garage door bottom seal retainer and a seal constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention and shown attached to a conventional garage door; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the seal; 
     FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the bottom surface of the garage door; 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the garage door bottom seal retainer and the seal shown attached to a bottom surface of the garage door; and 
     FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the garage door bottom seal retainer, shown before it is attached to either the seal or the bottom surface of the garage door. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG.  1  and FIG. 2, a garage door bottom seal retainer  10  is shown constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The retainer  10  is used to secure a seal  12  to a bottom surface  14  of a garage door  16  without the use of any tools or fasteners. 
     Also referring to FIG. 3, the seal  12  is preferably constructed of plastic and is approximately eight feet long. The seal  12  preferably comprises an approximately two inch diameter cylindrical cushion  18  and a retaining member  20 . The cushion  18  is pliable and operable to conform to a floor when compressed, substantially sealing the garage door  16  to the floor. The retaining member  20  comprises an exterior shoulder  22  and an interior shoulder  24 . The seal  12  is preferably mated to the retainer  10 , during installation, when the retainer  10  is not affixed to the door  16 . 
     However, while the cushion  18  is preferably cylindrical, it may be any shape allowing it to substantially seal the garage door  16  to the floor. Additionally, while the seal  12  is preferably mated to the retainer  10  before the retainer  10  is affixed to the door  16 , the seal  12  may also be mated to the retainer  10  after the retainer  10  has been affixed to the door  16 . 
     Also referring to FIG. 4, the bottom surface  14  of the garage door  16  is approximately eight feet long and comprises an exterior lip  26 , an interior lip  28 , and a retainer cavity  30  therebetween. The exterior lip  26  protrudes from the bottom surface  14  downward and includes an exterior shelf  32  extending into the retainer cavity  30 . The interior lip  28  also protrudes from the bottom surface  14  downward and includes an interior shelf  34  extending into the retainer cavity  30 . 
     Also referring to FIG. 5, the retainer  10  broadly comprises a seal cavity  36 , a exterior tension member  38 , and an interior tension member  40 . The retainer  10  is preferably constructed of steel which is approximately one thirty-second of an inch thick and approximately eight feet long. 
     The seal cavity  36  runs substantially the entire length of the retainer  10 . Also referring to FIG. 6, the seal cavity  36  is formed by first finding a center line approximately two and one half inches from each edge of the retainer  10 . The retainer  10  is bent at the center line forming a first cavity bend  42  of approximately one hundred and twenty degrees along the length of the retainer  10 . The retainer  10  is then bent forming a second cavity bend  44  of approximately one hundred and twenty degrees along the length of the retainer  10 . The second cavity bend  44  occurs approximately one quarter inch from the first cavity bend  42 . The second cavity bend  44  is bent in the opposite direction of the first cavity bend  42 . 
     The retainer  10  is then bent forming a third cavity bend  46  of approximately one hundred and twenty degrees along the length of the retainer  10 . The third cavity bend  46  occurs approximately one half inch from the second cavity bend  44 . The third cavity bend  46  is bent in the same direction as the second cavity bend  44 . 
     Finally, the retainer  10  is bent forming a forth cavity bend  48  of approximately one hundred and twenty degrees along the length of the retainer  10 . The forth cavity bend  48  occurs approximately one quarter inch from the third cavity bend  46 . The forth cavity bend  48  is bent in the opposite direction of the third cavity bend  46 . 
     This process results in the seal cavity  36  being formed in the retainer  10  offset toward the exterior tension member  38 . As can be seen, the seal cavity  36  includes a seal opening  50  which is approximately one eighth of an inch wide. 
     The exterior tension member  38  is formed by first bending the retainer  10  forming a first exterior bend  52  of approximately ninety degrees along the length of the retainer  10 . The first exterior bend  52  occurs to approximately one half inch from the forth cavity bend  48 . The first exterior bend  52  is bent in the same direction as the forth cavity bend  48 . 
     The retainer  10  is then bent forming a second exterior bend  54  of approximately ninety degrees along the length of the retainer  10 . The second exterior bend  54  occurs approximately one half inch from the first exterior bend  52 . The second exterior bend  54  is in the opposite direction of the first exterior bend  52 . 
     Finally, the retainer  10  is bent forming a third exterior bend  56  of approximately one hundred and eighty degrees along the length of the retainer  10 . The third exterior bend  56  occurs approximately one quarter inch from the second exterior bend  54 . The third exterior bend  56  is in the opposite direction of the second exterior bend  54 . Furthermore, the third exterior bend  56  provides rigidity to the exterior tension member  38  by forming an exterior gripping edge  58 . 
     The interior tension member  40  is formed by first bending the retainer  10  forming a first interior bend  60  of approximately ninety degrees along the length of the retainer  10 . The first interior bend  60  occurs approximately one inch from the-first cavity bend  42 . The first interior bend  60  is bent in the same direction as the first cavity bend  42 . 
     The retainer  10  is then bent forming a second interior bend  62  of approximately ninety degrees along the length of the retainer  10 . The second interior bend  62  occurs approximately one half inch from the first interior bend  60 . The second interior bend  62  is in the opposite direction of the first interior bend  60 . 
     Finally, the retainer  10  is bent forming a third interior bend  64  of approximately one hundred and eighty degrees along the length of the retainer  10 . The third interior bend  64  occurs approximately one quarter inch from the second interior bend  62 . The third interior bend  64  is in the opposite direction of the second interior bend  62 . Furthermore, the third interior bend  64  provides rigidity to the interior tension member  40  by forming an interior gripping edge  66 . 
     In use, an installer slides the retaining member  20  of the seal  12  into the seal cavity  36  of the retainer  10  along its entire length. The shoulders  22 , 24  of the retaining member  20  resist being pulled through the seal opening  50 . Then the installer seats the exterior gripping edge  58  of the exterior tension member  38  upon the exterior self  32  of the exterior lip  26  along it entire length. The installer then applies force to the interior tension member  40  so as to seat the interior gripping edge  66  into place upon the interior shelf  34  of the interior lip  28 . 
     In this manner the seal  12  is secured to the retainer  10  and the retainer  10  is then secured to the garage door  16 . It can be seen that this is done without the use of any tools or fasteners and overcomes the limitations of the prior art. 
     While the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, it is understood that other materials and/or dimensions can be substituted. These and other minor modifications are within the scope of the present invention. 
     For example, as described, the retainer  10 , the seal  12 , and the bottom surface  14  are approximately eight foot long. The eight foot length is designed to accommodate a standard eight foot wide single car garage door. While not as common, some garage doors are as narrow as five foot wide, necessitating a five foot length. Similarly, a standard sixteen foot wide double car garage door would necessitate a sixteen foot length. An unusually wide garage door could be as wide as twenty foot, necessitating a twenty foot length. 
     Additionally, while in the preferred embodiment, the retainer  10  is seated within the bottom surface  14 , it is within the scope of the present invention to attach the retainer  10  to an exterior surface of the garage door  16 . This alternative embodiment could be accomplished in a number of ways. First, the retainer could be configured as described above except the first exterior bend  52  and the first interior bend  60 . These bends  52 , 60  would be approximately one hundred and twenty degrees. This would allow the tension members  38 , 40  to apply tension inwardly instead of outwardly as described above. 
     Second, the second exterior bend  54  and the second interior bend  62  could be bent in the opposite direction as that described above. In this embodiment, the gripping edges  58 , 66  would be oriented inwardly instead of outwardly as described above. 
     These alternative embodiments may require that the bottom surface  14  be configured differently in order to accommodate them. For instance, the shelves  32 , 34  may be oriented outwardly instead of inwardly as described above. 
     Finally, the retainer  10  may be constructed of a different material, such as, for example, plastic, aluminum, tin, copper, brass, or stainless steel. The retainer  10  may also be constructed of a different thickness, as may be required by the different material. Furthermore, the width of the retainer  10  may be modified, as a matter of design, to accommodate a wide variety of garage doors.