Patent ID: 8651165

Claim:
A breakaway door panel system to be mounted to tracks via rollers; the system comprising: first and second connecting members to which first rollers and second rollers are respectively mounted, wherein each of the first and second connecting members is a single unitary member; the first and second connecting members respectively including first and second shafts so mounted thereto as to face each other; a first door panel extending between and fixedly connected to the first and second connecting members; an impact resistant door panel including first and second bores positioned on both sides of the impact resistant door panel and at an offset from a top edge of the impact resistant door panel, the first and second bores defining a horizontal pivot axis of the impact resistant door panel, the impact resistant door panel comprising a top section defined between the top edge of the impact resistant door panel and the horizontal pivot axis and a bottom section defined between the horizontal pivot axis and a bottom edge of the impact resistant door panel, the first and second bores being so configured, sized and positioned as to respectively receive the first and second shafts for thereby pivotally mounting the impact resistant door panel to and between the first and second connecting members so as to provide pivotal movement about the horizontal pivot axis of the impact resistant door panel with respect to the first door panel; a top seal member between mounted on the top edge of the impact resistant door panel and interfacing with a lower edge of the first door panel, side seal members provided at each lateral end of the impact resistant door panel, and a bottom seal member provided at the bottom of the impact resistant door panel, the top, side and bottom seal members providing fluid tightness and air tightness between the impact resistant door panel and surrounding structures; and an impact releasable door panel locking device for releasably locking the impact resistant door panel to at least one of the first and second connecting members; wherein, when an impact force of at least a predetermined magnitude is applied to either side of the bottom section of the impact resistant door panel, the impact releasable door panel locking device allows the bottom section of the impact resistant door panel to pivot with respect to the first door panel in a direction of application of the impact force while the top section of the impact resistant door panel pivots with respect to the first door panel in direction opposite to the application of the impact force; and wherein the top seal member is in contact with the lower edge of the first door panel when the impact resistant door panel is not pivoted with respect to the first door panel and wherein the to seal member is not in contact with the lower edge of the first door panel when the impact resistant door panel is pivoted with respect to the first door panel.