Patent Description:
Overhead roll-up door assemblies like those found in <CIT> typically include a flexible door panel which is guided within side columns and/or guide tracks positioned on opposite sides of a doorway as the flexible door panel is opened and closed. In order to move the door panel within the guide tracks and open and close the door, a drum and motor combination is typically provided, with the door panel being fixed at one end to the drum. The motor is typically mechanically coupled to the drum so that activation of the motor in a first direction causes the drum to rotate in a first direction, and activation of the motor in a second, reverse, direction causes the drum to rotate in a second direction. As the drum rotates in one direction, the first direction for example, the door panel will begin winding up on the drum, opening the doorway which was previously blocked by the door panel. As the drum rotates in the opposite direction, the second direction for example, the door panel will unwind from the drum, blocking the previously open doorway. In some door assemblies, two drums may be utilized, with a first drum coupled to the motor to drive the door panel opened and closed, and a second drum is provided to which a top portion or edge of the door panel is fixed to in order to facilitate winding and unwinding of the drum.

In order to prevent the door panel from disengaging from the side columns as the door is opened/wound and closed/unwound, thickened bodies or other elements like nubs or teeth may be used along the vertical edges of the door panel. These thickened bodies or other elements may prevent the door panel from disengaging from a side column and/or guide track when a pressure differential exists on opposing sides of the door panel, or when wind load is applied to one side of the door panel.

The use of thickened bodies or other elements along the vertical edges of the door panel, however, makes disengagement and subsequent reengagement of the door panel in response to an impact hit more difficult. In order to accommodate disengagement, the side columns and/or guide tracks may be made with flexible materials and/or be provided with a larger gap to help permit the thickened bodies or other elements and door panel escape from the side columns or guide tracks if the door panel is impacted. Using too flexible a material, or making the gap too wide, however, negatively impacts the wind load or pressure differential resistance of the door panel.

In addition to thickened bodies or other elements along the outer edges of the door panel, a weighted bottom bar may be attached to a lower end of the door panel so that the door panel remains taut in the guide tracks and doorway opening, and to insure the bottom of the door panel is weighed down. Weighted bottom bars help prevent wind pressure on one side of the door panel, or pressure differentials on opposing sides of the door panel, from causing the door panel to disengage the guide tracks as it opens, closes, or stops and remains static in a partially or fully closed position. In order to simplify the door assembly and control system while maintaining safety, some doors may forego the use of a bottom bar, but such doors may have slack or the like along the door panel, and particularly along the bottom edge of the door panel, when the door panel is partially or fully closed.

The present invention aims to provide such a system and method.

The present invention is directed to a door assembly and door assembly side column and guide track configuration which provides maximum breakaway ability, while also ensuring that the door panel is taut and has full wind load or pressure differential resistance along a least a portion of the guide track.

According to one aspect of the invention, a door assembly is provided. The door assembly includes a door panel having a top edge, a bottom edge, a first vertical edge and a second vertical edge, with the door panel being fixed proximate the top edge to a drum. The door panel winds onto and unwinds from the drum in order to open and close a doorway. The door assembly further includes a first side column and a second side column, the first side column being positioned proximate a first side of the doorway and the second side column being positioned proximate a second side of the doorway. The first side column and the second side column each include a guide track, with each guide track having a first portion and a second portion. The first portion of each guide track defines a first guide channel having a first depth extending from a rear portion of each guide track to a first engagement portion of each guide track, with the first engagement portion of each guide track further defining a first gap so that the door panel may extend from the doorway through the first gap into the first guide channel. The second portion of each guide track defines a second guide channel having a second depth extending from the rear portion of the guide track to a second engagement portion of each guide track, with the second engagement portion of each guide track further defining a second gap so that the door panel may extend from the doorway through the second gap into the second guide channel. The second depth, i.e. the depth of the second guide channel, is less than the first depth, i.e. the depth of the first guide channel. In order to further increase the wind load and pressure differential resistance in the second portion of the guide track, the first gap may have a first width and the second gap may have a second width, with the second width being narrower or less than the first width.

Each guide track may further include a transition portion located between the first portion and the second portion. The transition portion may include a transition engagement portion defining a transition gap, and a transition guide channel which has a transition guide channel depth which may decrease from a top portion of the transition guide channel to a bottom portion of the transition guide channel or vice versa. The transition guide channel depth may be equal to the first depth at a top portion of the transition guide channel, for example, and may reduce to match to the second depth at a bottom portion of the transition guide channel. Where each guide track includes a transition channel, the first gap may have a first gap width, the second gap may have a second gap width, and the transition gap may have a transition gap width. Again, the second gap width may be narrower or less than the first gap width. The transition gap width may begin at the first gap width at a top portion of the transition portion and reduce to match the second gap width at a bottom portion of the transition portion. Alternatively, the transition gap width may be equal to first gap width, may be equal to the second gap width, or may be a third gap width different than the first or second gap width.

In order to form the second portion of each guide track, the second portion of each guide track may be molded during manufacture so that the second engagement portion is positioned closer to the rear portion of each guide track than the first engagement portion. Each guide track may be molded such that only the engagement portions are formed on the interior of the guide track, or the second portion of each guide track may include a body or filler which extends between the second engagement portion formed and an outer edge of each guide track, filling same or all of the area between the second engagement portion and the outer edge of the guide track. Where a body is formed, the body may further define a body gap from the second engagement portion to the outer edge of the guide track so that the door panel may extend through from the doorway through the body gap and the second gap into the second guide channel. The width of the body gap may be equal to the width of the second gap, may be narrower than the width of the second gap, or may be wider than the width of the second gap.

Rather than being molded during manufacture the guide tracks may have a continuous engagement portion, and the door assembly may include at least two inserts, with one insert from the at least two inserts being inserted into each guide track to form the second portion of each guide track. Each insert may provide the second engagement portion positioned further inside the guide track than the first engagement portion so that the second engagement portion is positioned closer to the rear portion of each guide track than the first engagement portion. Each insert may include only a second engagement portion, or alternatively may include a body or filler which fills the area in the guide channel between the first engagement portion to the second engagement portion along the portion of the guide track in which the insert is placed. The body may further define an insert gap so that the door panel may extend through from the doorway through the insert gap and the second gap into the second guide channel. The width of the insert gap may be equal to the width of the second gap, may be narrower than the width of the second gap, or may be wider than the width of the second gap.

Each side column of the door assembly may further include a guide track retainer mounted to each respective guide track. Each guide track retainer may be made from a different material than each guide track, for example, the material of each guide track may be more flexible than the material of each guide track retainer. Each guide track retainer may extend a first distance across the first potion of an associated guide track and a second distance across the second portion of the associated guide track, with the first distance being different than the second distance. Each guide track retainer may extend across the second portion of an associated guide track a distance which at least reaches the second engagement portion.

In some embodiments of the invention, the first portion of each guide track may have a first flexibility and the second portion of each guide track may have a second flexibility, with the first and second flexibilities being different. The first portion flexibility may be more or less flexible than the second portion flexibility. Likewise, the first engagement portion may have a different flexibility than the second engagement portion.

Other advantages and aspects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following description of the drawings and detailed description of the invention.

While the present invention is susceptible to embodiments in many different forms, there is described in detail herein, preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosures are to be considered as exemplifications of the the invention as claimed.

<FIG> shows an embodiment of a door assembly as contemplated by the invention. As seen in <FIG>, door assembly <NUM> includes a door panel <NUM>, a roll drum <NUM> onto which the door panel winds and from which the door panel unwinds to open and close the door, respectively. Side columns <NUM>, <NUM> having guide tracks <NUM>, <NUM> are provided along opposing vertical sides of doorway <NUM> to guide the door panel as it is wound and unwound from drum <NUM>, opening and closing the door respectively.

In order to facilitate the movement and winding and unwinding of the door panel in the embodiment of door assembly <NUM> shown in <FIG>, a motor <NUM> may be provided, with the motor being connected to a drive drum <NUM> to drive the door panel between the open and closed position. Motor <NUM> may have a gear or sprocket directly coupled to a corresponding gear or shaft on drive drum <NUM>, or may be coupled using a flexible connection means such as a cable, chain, rope or the like. The motor may also be directly coupled to the drive drum. Regardless of how coupled, motor <NUM> should be configured to rotate drive drum <NUM> in two directions to facilitate the opening and closing and winding and unwinding of door panel <NUM>. For example, activation of the motor in a first mode or direction may cause the drive drum to rotate in the counterclockwise direction to drive the door panel upwards and open the door, and activation of the motor in a second mode or direction may cause the drive drum to rotate in the clockwise direction to drive the door panel downwards and close the door.

Drive drum <NUM> and roll drum <NUM> should be arranged to rotate in the same direction when door panel <NUM> is winding or unwinding. For example, when door panel <NUM> is winding and the door is being opened, roll drum <NUM> and drive drum <NUM> may be configured to rotate in the counterclockwise direction, while both roll drum <NUM> and drive drum <NUM> may rotate in the clockwise direction to unwind the door panel and close the door.

In order to ensure that a tight roll is formed on roll drum <NUM>, counterweight <NUM> may be provided and connected to a spool <NUM> by a flexible engagement member <NUM>, which may be, for example, a strap or belt. Spool <NUM> may be coupled to rotate along with roll drum <NUM>, with the flexible engagement member carrying the counterweight being wound about spool <NUM> in the opposite direction door panel <NUM> is wound on roll drum <NUM>. For example, as door panel <NUM> is wound and raised when roll drum <NUM> is rotated in the counterclockwise direction, flexible engagement member <NUM> should be configured to unwind and lower counterweight <NUM> from spool <NUM> as spool <NUM> is rotated in the counterclockwise direction with the roll drum. Similarly, as the door panel is unwound and lowered when the roll drum is rotated in the clockwise direction, the flexible engagement member should be configured to wind and raise the counterweight to the spool as the spool is rotated in the clockwise direction with the roll drum. A free-moving pulley <NUM> may be connected proximate an end of drive drum <NUM> to provide further guidance for strap <NUM>. Pulley <NUM> should be free moving and not attached to drive drum <NUM> in a manner in which motor <NUM> or drive drum <NUM> control or influence the rotation of pulley <NUM> - movement of the flexible engagement member <NUM> as it is guided over pulley <NUM> is wound and unwound should cause pulley <NUM> to rotate.

An embodiment of door panel <NUM> isolated from door assembly <NUM> in <FIG> can be seen in <FIG>, while a front perspective view close up of portion R of door panel can be seen in <FIG>, a rear perspective view of portion R of the door panel can be seen in <FIG>, and a side view of portion R of door panel <NUM> can be seen in <FIG>. As seen in <FIG>, door panel <NUM> includes a top edge or portion <NUM>, a bottom edge or portion <NUM>, and opposing vertical side edges <NUM>, <NUM> which extend vertically between the top edge and the bottom edge of the door panel. Top edge or portion <NUM> of door panel <NUM>, and optionally or alternatively some amount of door panel, is mounted to roll drum <NUM>, while bottom edge or portion <NUM> contacts a lower boundary <NUM> (shown in <FIG>) of doorway <NUM> when the door panel is in the fully closed position. Aligned along each vertical edge <NUM>, <NUM> of door panel <NUM> are columns of drive teeth <NUM>, <NUM> which each comprise a plurality of individual drive teeth <NUM> which each abut the drive teeth immediately above and below in the drive tooth column. A first portion <NUM> (shown in <FIG>) of each drive tooth abuts the first portion of adjacent drive teeth when wound about roll drum <NUM>, and a second portion <NUM> (shown in <FIG>) of each drive tooth abuts the second portion of adjacent drive teeth when unwound from drum <NUM> and being guided and/or contained in guide track <NUM> or <NUM>. The abutting of adjacent first portions of drive teeth <NUM> can be more easily seen in <FIG> which shows an isolated side view of the exterior of portion R of the door panel as it would look when the door panel is wound about a drum.

As most easily seen in <FIG>, in order to facilitate attachment of the individual drive teeth, a keder <NUM> comprising a flexible cable or body <NUM> wrapped in a flap of material <NUM> may be provided along each vertical edge of the door panel. The flexible cable or body <NUM> may be a constant length body or cable which does not stretch or shorten as the door panel is wound and unwound, with flap <NUM> surrounding the cable and being fixed directly to the door panel. Each drive tooth <NUM> within drive tooth columns <NUM>, <NUM> may then be fixed directly to the cable using a fastener <NUM> (shown in <FIG>) which may be a screw, rivet, bolt or the like, to maintain the position of the drive teeth relative to each other in the drive tooth columns, and to ensure that the first and second portions of each drive tooth abut the first and second portions of adjacent drive teeth as necessary.

In order to facilitate the driving of the door panel, drive sprockets <NUM>, <NUM> may be fixed on drive drum <NUM> and configured to engage drive tooth columns <NUM>, <NUM> and individual drive teeth <NUM> to push the drive tooth columns downwards when the door panel is being unwound as the door is closed, and pull the drive tooth columns upwards when the door panel is being wound and the door is opened. A more detailed explanation of the engagement of drive tooth columns, individual drive teeth, and drive sprockets can be found in <CIT>.

<FIG> show portion C of guide track <NUM> from <FIG>. It should be understood that though guide track <NUM> will be primarily discussed herein, all elements discussed with respect to guide track <NUM> will likewise be found in guide track <NUM>. As seen in <FIG>, guide track <NUM> may further include an outer channel <NUM> in which counterweight <NUM> and flexible engagement member <NUM> may be housed and travel as the counterweight is wound and wound from spool <NUM>.

As seen in <FIG>, portion C of guide track <NUM> includes two tracks, 20a, 20b, as well as an upper portion <NUM> and a lower portion <NUM>, with upper portion <NUM> extending vertically along a majority or the entirety of guide tracks <NUM>, from a top portion or area <NUM> (see <FIG> for example) of the guide tracks to some portion above lower portion <NUM> or any transition portion as discussed herein. Upper portion <NUM> of tracks 20a, 20b includes an engagement portion 70a which may engage the drive tooth column mounted to one opposing vertical edge of the door panel when, for example, a wind load is applied to the door panel, or a pressure differential is applied to opposing sides of the door panel. A gap <NUM> is bound by engagement portions 70a of tracks 20a, 20b through which the door panel extends from the doorway and into the upper portion of the guide track.

Lower portion <NUM> of tracks 20a, 20b likewise include engagement portions, in this case engagement portions 70b. The engagement portions 70b define a gap <NUM> through which the door panel extends from the doorway and into the lower portion of the guide track. Gap <NUM> and gap <NUM> may have the same dimension, or different dimensions depending on the requirements of the door assembly. For example, for door assemblies in locations with potentially high winds and/or high-pressure differentials on opposing sides of the door panel, gap <NUM> in the lower portion of the guide track may be narrower or smaller than gap <NUM> in order to better prevent any drive teeth from escaping the lower portion of the guide track in response to a potentially high wind load applied to the door panel, and/or high-pressure differential being applied to opposing sides of the door panel. Inasmuch as wind load, for example, increases on the door panel as the door panel is closed as more surface area of the door panel is engageable by wind or a gust, providing a more secure engagement between the drive teeth columns within the side columns at the lower portion of the doorway helps prevent disengagement of the door panel from the side columns as the door panel approaches and reaches the fully closed position.

An interior portion of tracks 20a, 20b further define a guide channel which can be partially seen in <FIG> which are perspective and front views of guide track <NUM> in <FIG>, respectively, with a portion of track 20b removed. As seen in <FIG>, guide channel <NUM> in upper portion <NUM> of guide track <NUM> is bound by engagement portion 70a on the doorway side of the guide track, and by a rear portion <NUM> of the guide track on the portion of the guide track remotely located from the doorway.

The configuration of upper guide channel <NUM> can be more clearly seen in <FIG> which is a cross-section taken along the line D-D in <FIG> with door panel <NUM> shown therewith. As seen in <FIG>, engagement portions 70a may be formed as a curved seat <NUM> or other shape which has a geometry which cooperates or matches the geometry of the individual drive teeth <NUM> in the drive tooth column guided within the guide track. For example, when the guide teeth are rounded as shown in <FIG>, the curved seats may have a matching radius to receive the drive teeth. The shape of engagement portions 70a may take any form, so long as it substantially matches the geometry of the drive teeth or other wind lock mounted along the vertical edge of the guided door panel in the given door assembly. Regardless of the shape of the drive teeth and matching engagement portions, the engagement portions form a first boundary of guide channel <NUM>. Likewise, rear portion <NUM> may take any form so long as it bounds the channel on a second boundary opposite the first so that the vertical edge of the door panel cannot escape through the back of the guide track.

Guide channel <NUM> is defined between engagement portions 70a and rear portion <NUM> at a depth E, with gap <NUM> having a width F defined between engagement portions 70a of guide tracks 20a, 20b. Upper guide channel <NUM> extends along a majority of guide track <NUM> and within the upper portion of the guide track, door panel <NUM> and the mounted drive teeth are free to move between the engagement portion and rear portion as the door panel is guided within the guide track as the door panel wound and unwound from roll drum <NUM>. In an unloaded state as seen in <FIG>, for example, when no or very little wind load is applied to the door panel, an interior channel gap G exists between the drive teeth and the engagement portion to reduce friction as the door panel is moved within the guide channels between the opened and closed, or wound and unwound, positions.

In order to remove slack from the door panel and increase wind load resistance as the door panel approaches a substantially closed position in the present embodiment, as seen in <FIG>, and more clearly seen in <FIG> and <FIG> which are a cross-section taken along the line H-H in <FIG> with door panel <NUM> shown therewith, lower portion <NUM> of guide track <NUM> defines guide channel <NUM> which has a reduced depth J therein to pull the teeth outwards, away from the doorway and gap <NUM>, and closer to rear portion <NUM>.

In order to reduce the depth of guide channel <NUM> from guide channel <NUM> defined within the upper portion of guide track <NUM> and pull the vertical edges of the door panel outwards, engagement portions 70b may be positioned inwards in the guide tracks, away from the doorway and closer to the rear portion relative to engagement portions 70a, in order to engage the drive tooth columns and force the drive tooth column, along with the door panel to which the drive teeth <NUM> are mounted, outwards from the doorway and towards rear portion <NUM>. Guide channel <NUM> in lower portion <NUM> of guide track <NUM> is defined between the engagement portions 70b and the rear portion of the guide track, with the depth of the guide channel <NUM> being reduced to depth J. Width M of gap <NUM> between the engagement portions 70b may also optionally be reduced from width F between engagement portions 70a in upper portion <NUM> of guide track <NUM>. As discussed further herein, a transition portion <NUM> may be provided in each guide track between upper portion <NUM> and lower portion <NUM>, to provide a smooth transition from the wider upper guide channel depth to the narrower lower guide channel depth.

Reducing the depth of the guide channel in the lower portion of the guide tracks by positioning the engagement portions 70b closer to the rear portion, forces the portion of the drive tooth column fixed proximate the lower portion of the vertical edge to engage the engagement portion and pushes the vertical edge of the door panel towards the rear portion of the guide track, away from the gap. Forcing the drive tooth column on the door panel outwards, away from the gap and towards the rear portion of the guide track, causes the door panel to become more taut, reducing any sag or looseness in the across the door panel and/or in the bottom edge of the door panel, and increases the wind load resistance of the door panel, as the drive teeth are required to overcome the force generated by the friction of the drive teeth moving within the guide channel while engaged, as well as the force required to slip through a gap created in the middle of the guide tracks rather than the end of the guide tracks. When gap <NUM> is a reduced width, greater force is required to pull the drive tooth column or other wind lock element through the gap to disengage the guide track. The effect of the upper and lower portions of the door panel can be seen in <FIG>, wherein the distance between outer edges of the door panel may be separated by a distance Y, just inside in the outer edge of the guide tracks in the upper portion of the guide tracks when allowed to freely hang or move in the guide tracks, while the outer edges of the door panel may be forced into a greater separation distance Z by when the drive teeth are engaged in the lower portions of the guide tracks and forced outwards, away from each other, and towards the rear portion of the guide track.

Guide track retainers <NUM> may be utilized in door assembly <NUM> and formed as part of side columns <NUM>, <NUM>. Providing guide track retainers which are made from a material which is stiffer or less flexible than the guide tracks, for example steel or metal guide track retainers and UHWM polymer guide tracks, the portion of the guide tracks to which the guide track retainers are mounted may be stiffer and more difficult for the drive tooth columns or other wind lock elements and door panel to disengage from. Where guide track retainers are utilized, the guide track retainers may extend a uniform distance across the guide tracks from top to bottom, or may alternatively extend a different amount across upper portion <NUM> of the guide tracks than across lower portion <NUM> of the guide tracks. For example, guide track retainers may only extend a small distance across upper portion <NUM> to merely help maintain the position of the guide tracks while providing minimal resistance, and across a larger distance across lower portion <NUM> of the guide tracks in order to add stiffness to the tracks and help increase wind load resistance in the guide tracks at lower portion <NUM> and help prevent the door panel from escaping the guide tracks. Guide track retainers <NUM> may, for example, extend across an outer portion of guide tracks 20a, 20b a distance at least equal to depth J of guide channel <NUM> in lower portion <NUM> of the guide tracks.

The wind load resistance may be further be controlled by providing a body or insert between engagement portion 70b and outer edges <NUM> of guide track <NUM>, or between engagement portion 70b and first engagement portion 70a of guide track <NUM>, or by leaving the area empty so that only the engagement portion 70b provides thickness to prevent the drive teeth column from escaping.

Engagement portion 70b may be positioned deeper in guide tracks <NUM> and closer to rear portion <NUM> in lower portion <NUM> of guide tracks <NUM>, <NUM> by directly molding the lower section of the guide track with a deeper or more inwardly positioned engagement portion relative to the top portion, or by providing an insert or inserts for each guide track which fit within the track and provide a new engagement portion at lower portion <NUM>. Tracks which are directly designed to have the second engagement portion formed with the track may be any of machined or milled UHMW polymers as seen in <FIG>, molded UHWM polymers.

The use of separate insert <NUM> fixed within the guide tracks can be seen in <FIG>. Inserts are particularly beneficial during the manufacturing process, as a continuous guide track having a substantially uniform guide track may be created, with inserts provided to slip into the track as desired or required anywhere along the track to reduce the depth of the guide channel along the section of track the insert is positioned, i.e. lower portion <NUM>. The inserts may also be configured to change the width of the gap through which the door panel has to pass to escape. By using inserts, various points along the track can be modified to tighten the door panel in place, and the reduction in the channel depth can be more easily controlled as inserts having an engagement portion which narrows the guide channel different amounts can be used at different points along the track.

Utilizing inserts also allows for the depth of the guide channel to be modified over time, if necessary. For example, in guide tracks which are initially placed in a high-traffic, low wind or low-pressure differential environment, a minimal insert may be utilized within the track so that high level of guide channel width and breakaway ability of the door panel is maintained along the entire length of the guide track and doorway opening. If the wind load and/or pressure differential realized by the door panel increases over time, and/or the traffic at the door location decreases over time, new inserts may replace the old inserts within the guide tracks at selected positions, for example the bottom <NUM>-<NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM> inches) of the track, to further narrow the guide channel and better hold the door panel in place over that portion of the guide tracks.

Inserts may be inserted into each guide track by, for example, opening or holding the gap in the track open at the desired location of the insert to allow the insert to be slid into the track. Alternatively, one of the tracks, guide track 20b for example, may be removed to allow positioning of the insert in the desired location before track 20b is reattached. The inserts may also be slid in from a top or bottom portion of the track and positioned along the track as desired. When positioned along the bottom <NUM>-<NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM> inches) of the guide track, the inserts may be allowed to merely rest on lower boundary <NUM> of doorway <NUM> or area surrounding the doorway. The inserts may also be fixed within the guide tracks at any desired location, including the bottom <NUM>-<NUM> (<NUM>-<NUM> inches) of the guide track, using adhesives or fasteners such as screws, bolts, rivets, or the like.

In order to ensure a smooth transition between upper portion <NUM> and lower portion <NUM> of guide tracks <NUM>, <NUM>, and in order to eliminate any edges on which the door panel and any drive teeth or other wind lock may become stuck as the door panel moves between guide channels <NUM>, <NUM>, as mentioned herein and seen in <FIG>, a transition portion <NUM> of the guide track may be provided having a transition channel <NUM>. When a narrower guide channel is used at the bottom of the guide tracks, the depth of the transition guide channel should begin at approximately depth F of guide channel <NUM> at the upper guide channel <NUM> and gradually narrow the guide channel down to approximately the narrower depth J proximate at the lower portion of guide channel <NUM> at the upper most portion of guide channel <NUM>. Approximate depth in this case may be equal to or slightly smaller or larger than, such that no lip or edge is created on which a drive tooth or the like may become stuck as the door panel opens and closes and passes the area where the channel transitions from guide channel <NUM> to guide channel <NUM> to guide channel <NUM>. Engagement portion 70c of transition portion <NUM> may engage and gradually push the drive tooth columns outward from the doorway and gap, and towards rear portion <NUM>, as the door panel closes, gradually removing the slack and tightening the door panel before finally stopping at depth J and passing the drive tooth column off to engagement portion 70b in lower portion <NUM> of the guide tracks.

<FIG> shows a second embodiment of a door assembly contemplated by the invention in which rather than have drive tooth columns aligned along each vertical edge, one or more thickened bodies are provided along each vertical edge to both provide wind load resistance to the door panel. As seen in <FIG>, door assembly <NUM> includes door panel <NUM> which is wound and unwound from drum <NUM> to open and close the door, respectively. Door assembly <NUM> further include side columns <NUM>, <NUM>, having guide tracks <NUM>, <NUM> respectively, with the side columns forming the outer vertical edges of doorway <NUM>, and guide tracks <NUM>, <NUM> guiding the outer vertical edges of the door panel as it winds and unwinds from the drum to open and close the door. In order to drive drum <NUM>, motor <NUM> may be coupled to drum <NUM>. Motor <NUM> may have a gear or sprocket directly coupled to a corresponding gear or shaft on drum <NUM>, or may be coupled using a flexible connection means such as a cable, chain, rope or the like. Regardless of how coupled, motor <NUM> should be configured to rotate drum <NUM> in two directions to facilitate the winding and unwinding of door panel <NUM>. For example, activation of the motor in a first mode or direction may cause the drum to rotate in the counterclockwise direction to wind up the door panel and open the door, and activation of the motor in a second mode or direction may cause the drum to rotate in the clockwise direction to unwind the door panel and close the door. Note, unlike the previous embodiment of the invention, in the current embodiment of the invention a single drum may be used as both the roll drum and the drive drum.

Exemplary door panels <NUM> which may be utilized with door assembly <NUM> can be seen in <FIG> which show various embodiments of door panel <NUM> isolated from door assembly <NUM>. As seen in <FIG>, each door panel <NUM> may include a top portion or edge <NUM>, a lower edge or portion <NUM>, and opposing vertical edges <NUM>, <NUM> extending between the upper portion or edge and the lower edge or portion. The top portion or edge <NUM>, and optionally or alternatively, some portion of the adjacent door panel, is fixed to drum <NUM> while lower edge or portion <NUM> contacts a lower boundary of the doorway (boundary <NUM> shown in <FIG>, for example), such as a floor, when the door panel is fully unwound and the door panel is fully closed.

In order to enhance engagement and guidance of the door panel when integrated with the door assembly, as well as provide wind load and/or pressure differential resistance and prevent the door panel from escaping the guide tracks and disengaging from the door assembly in response to a wind load being applied to the door panel, for example, one or more thickened bodies may be fixed proximate each vertical edge <NUM>, <NUM> of the door panel. As seen in <FIG>, multiple thickened bodies <NUM> spaced apart by a distance D may be attached proximate each vertical edge to better facilitate disengagement of the door panel from the guide tracks and door assembly if the door panel is impacted by, for example, a vehicle or items being carried by a vehicle. Alternatively, as seen in <FIG>, a single thickened body <NUM> may extend along at least a majority of each vertical edge to facilitate better wind load resistance at the expense of disengageability if the door panel is impacted.

Exemplary cross-sections of thickened bodies <NUM> and a single continuous thickened body <NUM> taken along line AA-AA in <FIG> can be seen in <FIG>. Whether segmented or broken part, the thickened bodies may include a body portion <NUM> and angled or engagement portion <NUM> which is positioned and configured to engage the guide track in response to a wind load and/or a pressure difference existing on opposing sides of the door panel. Utilizing an angled portion helps facilitate disengagement of the door panel in response to the door being impacted by a vehicle or the like, as the angled portion may wedge into a gap formed in the guide track and push the gap open to allow the door panel and remaining thickened edge to escape the guide track.

Angled or engagement portion <NUM> may be solid and continuous, as seen in <FIG>, or may include one or more ribs <NUM> having gaps <NUM> therebetween to allow for compression of the ribs and the angled or engagement portion when the door panel is impacted and engages the engagement portion of the guide track to further facilitate disengagement of the door panel from the guide tracks and door assembly. As seen in <FIG>, and <FIG> the body portion may be solid. Alternatively, in order to allow for more compression of the thickened bodies and better facilitate disengagement from the guide tracks and door assembly in response to an impact hit, open channels <NUM> may be provided in the body portion as seen in <FIG> and <FIG>. As seen in <FIG>, rather than be solid or having open channels formed therein, a portion <NUM> of the body portion may be simply removed behind the angled or engagement portion so that only the angled portion must squeeze through the gap to escape the guide track if the door panel is impacted.

Rather than have an angled portion, the door panel shown in <FIG> may have only the thickened body portion and no angled portion. As better seen in <FIG> which is a cross-section taken along line BB-BB of the door panel shown in <FIG>, in a further embodiment, thickened body <NUM> may include a body portion and have an engagement edge or portion <NUM> which is perpendicular to face <NUM> of the door panel. Rather than extending at an angle from the face of the door panel as with thickened bodies <NUM>, <NUM>, engagement edge or portion <NUM> extends vertically from the face of the door panel to better prevent door panel <NUM> from escaping the guide tracks and door assembly in response to a wind load or pressure differential.

To facilitate disengagement of the embodiment of door panel <NUM> shown in <FIG> in response to an impact hit on the door panel, the lower most portion of thickened body <NUM> may include a portion <NUM> which is angled outwards from engagement edge or potion <NUM> towards the outer vertical edge of the door panel, with the portion <NUM> also being beveled with respect to face <NUM> of the door panel. Like the angled portion <NUM> in the embodiments of the door panel shown in <FIG>, portion <NUM> may act to wedge into the gap of the guide track and push the guide track open slightly to help the remainder of thickened body <NUM> escape the guide track and avoid unnecessary damage to the door panel, guide track, side column, thickened body, or any other portion of door assembly <NUM> in response to the door being impacted by a vehicle, for example.

Regardless of the differences in door panels <NUM>, door assembly <NUM>, guide tracks <NUM>, <NUM> are substantially identical and can better seen in <FIG> which show a view of portion CC of guide track <NUM>. It should be understood that though guide track <NUM> will be primarily discussed herein, all elements discussed with respect to guide track <NUM> will likewise be found in guide track <NUM> except where specifically identified herein.

As seen in <FIG>, guide track <NUM> includes two tracks, 120a, 120b, as well as an upper portion <NUM> and a lower portion <NUM>, with upper portion <NUM> extending vertically along a majority or the entirety of guide tracks <NUM>, from top portion or area <NUM> in <FIG> to lower portion <NUM> or a transition portion located therebetween. Upper portion <NUM> of tracks 120a, 120b include an engagement portion which may engage the thickened body mounted to one opposing vertical edge of the door panel, with a gap <NUM> being bound by tracks 120a, 120b through which the door panel extends from the doorway and into the upper portion of the guide track.

Similarly, tracks 120a, 120b of lower portion <NUM> define a gap <NUM> through which the door panel extends from the doorway and into the lower portion of the guide track. Gap <NUM> and gap <NUM> may have the same dimension, or different dimensions depending on the requirements of the door assembly. For example, for door assemblies in locations with high wind loads and/or a high pressure differential on opposing sides of the door panel, gap <NUM> in the lower portion of the guide track may be narrower or smaller than gap <NUM> in order to better prevent any thickened body from escaping the lower portion of the guide track in response to a wind load and/or high pressure differential being applied to opposing sides of the door panel.

An interior portion of tracks 120a, 120b further define guide channels which can be partially seen in <FIG> which are perspective and front views of guide track <NUM> in <FIG>, respectively, with track 120b removed. As seen in <FIG>, guide channel <NUM> in upper portion <NUM> of guide track <NUM> is bound by engagement portion 170a on the doorway side of the guide track, and by a rear portion <NUM> of the guide track.

The configuration of upper guide channel <NUM> can be more clearly seen in <FIG> and <FIG> which are cross-sections taken along the line DD-DD in <FIG> with door panel <NUM> shown therein. As seen in each of <FIG> and <FIG>, engagement portion 170a in the guide tracks may differ in order to cooperate with or match the geometry of the various embodiments of thickened bodies discussed herein. However, regardless of the shape of the thickened body and cooperating or matching engagement portion, in each case the engagement portion forms the innermost boundary of guide channel <NUM>. Engagement portion 170a may take any form, so long as it is substantially matches or complements the geometry of the thickened body mounted along the vertical edge of the guided door panel in the given door assembly. Likewise, rear portion <NUM> may take any form so long as it bounds the channel so that the vertical edge of the door panel cannot escape through the back of the guide track.

For example, <FIG> shows an engagement portion which would be utilized in a door assembly including door panels similar to those shown in <FIG>, with engagement portion 170a extending at an angle complementary to the angle of angled portion <NUM> of the thickened body or thickened bodies fixed to door panel <NUM> in <FIG>. Guide channel <NUM> is then defined between engagement portion 170a and rear portion <NUM> at a depth EE, with gap <NUM> having a width FF defined by engagement portion 170a of guide track <NUM> and track 20b.

By comparison, <FIG> shows an engagement portion which would be utilized in a door assembly including a door panel similar to that shown in <FIG>, with engagement portion 170a extending at a right angle, matching the angle of engagement portion <NUM> of the thickened body or thickened bodies fixed to door panel <NUM> in <FIG>. Guide channel <NUM> is then defined between engagement portion 170a and rear portion <NUM> at a depth EE, with gap <NUM> having a width FF defined by engagement portion 170a of guide track <NUM> and track 120b.

In each door panel embodiment, regardless of the shape of the engagement portion, the upper guide channel <NUM> which extends along a majority of guide track <NUM> has a depth EE and is bounded by the engagement portion and a rear portion of the guide track. Within the guide track, door panel <NUM> and any thickened bodies are free to move between the engagement portion and rear portion as the door panel is guided within the guide track as the door panel wound and unwound from drum <NUM>. In an unloaded state as seen in <FIG> and <FIG>, for example, when no or very little wind load is applied to the door panel, an interior channel gap GG exists between the thickened bodies and the engagement portion to reduce friction as the door panel is wound and unwound from the drum caused by engagement of the thickened bodies and engagement portion of the guide track.

In order to remove slack from the door panel and increase wind load resistance as the door panel approaches a substantially closed position, as seen in <FIG>, and more clearly seen in <FIG> and <FIG> which are a cross-section taken along the line HH-HH in <FIG> with door panel <NUM> shown therewith, lower portion <NUM> of guide track <NUM> includes guide channel <NUM> at a reduced depth JJ therein to engage the thickened bodies and pull the thickened bodies outwards, away from the gap and closer to rear portion <NUM>.

In order to reduce the depth of guide channel <NUM> from guide channel <NUM> defined within the upper portion of guide track <NUM>, engagement portion 170b may be positioned inwards in the guide tracks, away from the doorway, in order to engage the thickened bodies and force the thickened bodies, along with the door panel to which the thickened bodies are mounted, outwards from the gap and closer to rear portion <NUM>. Guide channel <NUM> in lower portion <NUM> of guide track <NUM> is still defined between the engagement portion of the guide track and the rear portion, however the depth of the guide channel is reduced to depth JJ by positioning the engagement portion inwards, towards the rear portion. Gap <NUM> is formed having a width MM between engagement portion 170b of guide track 120a and track 120b. Width MM may be equal to or smaller than width GG of gap <NUM>.

By reducing the depth of the guide channel by forming the engagement portion deeper into the guide track away from the doorway and closer to the rear portion, the engagement portion forces any thickened edge fixed proximate the vertical edge of the door panel towards the rear portion of the guide track, away from the gap. Forcing the thickened edges on the door panel outwards, away from the opening, causes the door panel to become more taught, reducing any sag or looseness in the across the door panel and/or in the bottom edge of the door panel, and increases the wind load resistance of the door panel, as the thickened edges or guide teeth are required to overcome the force required to slip through a gap created in the middle of the guide tracks rather than the end of the guide tracks. The effect of the upper and lower portions of the door panel can be seen in <FIG>, wherein the distance between outer edges of the door panel may be separated by a distance YY, just inside in the outer edge of the guide tracks in the upper portion of the guide tracks when allowed to freely hang or move in the guide tracks, while the outer edges of the door panel may be forced into a greater separation distance ZZ by when the thickened bodies are engaged in the lower portions of the guide tracks and forced outwards, away from each other, and towards the rear portion of the guide track.

Guide track retainers <NUM> may optionally be formed as part of side columns <NUM>, <NUM>. By providing guide track retainers which are made from a material which is stiffer or less flexible than the guide tracks, for example steel or metal guide track retainers and ultra-high molecular weight ("UHWM") polymer guide tracks, the portion of the guide tracks to which the guide track retainers are mounted may be stiffer and more difficult for the thickened body and door panel to disengage from. Where tracks holders are utilized, the guide track retainers may extend a uniform distance across the guide tracks from top to bottom, or may alternatively extend a different amount across upper portion <NUM> of the guide tracks than across lower portion <NUM> of the guide tracks. For example, guide track retainers may only extend a small distance across upper portion <NUM> to merely help maintain the position of the guide tracks while providing minimal resistance, and across a larger distance across lower <NUM> in order to add stiffness to the tracks and help increase wind load resistance in the guide tracks at lower portion <NUM>. The guide track retainers may extend across an outer portion of guide tracks 120a, 120b a distance equal to at least depth JJ of guide channel <NUM> in lower portion <NUM> of the guide tracks.

This wind load resistance may be further enhanced by filling at least a portion the area between outer edges <NUM> of the guide tracks and engagement portion 170b in lower portion <NUM> of the guide tracks with body or insert <NUM> which maintains the narrowed gap from the engagement portion of the guide track to the doorway opening as seen in <FIG>. Alternatively, as seen in <FIG>, this area in any embodiment may be left clear in order to better allow the thickened bodies and door panel to escape the guide track if the door panel is impacted by a force.

The positioning of engagement portion 170b closer to rear portion <NUM> in lower portion <NUM> of guide tracks <NUM>, <NUM> may be accomplished by directly molding the lower section of the guide track with a deeper or more inwardly positioned engagement portion, or by providing an insert or inserts for each guide track which fit within the track and provide a new engagement portion at lower portion <NUM>. Tracks which are directly molded may be any of machined or milled UHMW polymers as seen in <FIG>, molded UHWM polymers, or though the use of separate insert <NUM> fixed within the guide tracks as seen in <FIG>.

The advantages of using inserts discussed above with respect to the first embodiment of the invention would likewise apply to the present embodiment of the invention. Inserts may likewise be fixed within guide tracks <NUM>, <NUM> in the same manner as they would be fixed into guide tracks <NUM>, <NUM>, with only one engagement portion being provided within each guide track rather than two engagement portions as utilized in the first embodiment.

In order to ensure a smooth transition between upper portion <NUM> and lower portion <NUM> of guide tracks <NUM>, <NUM>, and in order to eliminate any edges which may cause the door panel and any thickened bodies to become stuck as the door panel moves between guide channels <NUM>, <NUM>, as seen in <FIG>, a transition portion <NUM> of the guide track having a transition channel <NUM> may be provided between the upper and lower portions of the guide tracks. When a narrower portion guide channel is used at the bottom of the guide tracks, the depth of the transition guide channel should begin at approximately depth FF at the lower portion of the upper guide channel <NUM>, and gradually narrow down to the narrower depth JJ proximate the upper most portion of lower guide channel <NUM>. Engagement portion 170c of transition portion <NUM> may gradually push the thickened bodies outward from doorway <NUM>, towards rear portion <NUM> of the guide tracks, gradually removing the slack and tightening the door panel before finally stopping at depth JJ and passing the thickened body off to engagement portion 170b in lower portion <NUM> of the guide tracks.

Claim 1:
A door assembly comprising:
a door panel (<NUM>) having a top edge, a bottom edge, a first vertical edge and a second vertical edge,
the door panel being fixed proximate the top edge to a drum (<NUM>), the door panel winding onto and unwinding from the drum to open and close a doorway (<NUM>);
a first side column (<NUM>) and a second side column (<NUM>), wherein the first side column is positioned proximate a first side of the doorway and the second side column is positioned proximate a second side of the doorway, the first side column and the second side column each comprising a guide track (<NUM>,<NUM>), a
characterized in that
each guide track comprises a first portion and a second portion (<NUM>,<NUM>),
the first portion (<NUM>) of each guide track defining a first guide channel (<NUM>) having a first depth extending from a rear portion (<NUM>) of each guide track to a first engagement portion (70a) of each guide track, the first engagement portion of each guide track further defining a first gap (<NUM>) so that the door panel may extend from the doorway through the first gap into the first guide channel, and
the second portion (<NUM>) of each guide track defining a second guide channel (<NUM>) having a second depth extending from the rear portion (<NUM>) of the guide track to a second engagement portion (70b) of each guide track, the second engagement portion of each guide track further defining a second gap (<NUM>) so that the door panel may extend from the doorway through the second gap into the second guide channel,
wherein the second depth is less than the first depth.