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US 10,047,558 B2Granted
Retractable flexible-panel door
AssigneeODL, Incorporated
InventorsBenjamin Patrick Hummel, Sorin Ciobanu, Raymond Edward Hartnett
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A retractable, flexible-panel door is mountable to a door frame attached to a building and includes a first side rail, a second side rail, a top rail mountable to and between the first and second side rails, and a bottom rail mountable to and between the first and second side rails. A flexible panel extends between the top and bottom rails, and at least one biasing member draws the flexible panel toward one of the first and second side rails. The top and bottom rails are each axially expandable and reducible in length to accommodate mounting of the retractable, flexible panel door to door frames of different widths.
Claims20
A retractable, flexible-panel door mountable to a door frame attached to a building, comprising:
- a first side rail mountable to one side of the door frame,
- a second side rail mountable to an opposite side of the door frame,
- a top rail including a first end cap affixable to one end of the first side rail, a second end cap affixable to one end of the second side rail and an elongated top rail member extendable along a top of the door frame between the first and second end caps, the first end cap defining a first channel extending toward the second end cap and slidably receiving one end of the elongated top rail member therein and the second end cap defining a second channel extending toward the first end cap and slidably receiving an opposite end of the elongated top rail member therein, the first and second end caps and the top rail member together configured to define an axial length of the top rail between the first and second side rails that is adjustable between a minimum length in which the opposing ends of the elongated top rail member extend a first distance into the first and second channels relative to distal ends of the first and second channels and a maximum length in which the opposing ends of the elongated top rail member extend a second distance into the first and second channels relative to the distal ends thereof, the second distance less than the first distance,
- a bottom rail including a third end cap affixable to an opposite end of the first side rail, a fourth end cap affixable to an opposite end of the second side rail and an elongated bottom rail member extendable along a bottom of the door frame between the third and fourth end caps, the third end cap defining a third channel extending toward the fourth end cap and slidably receiving one end of the elongated bottom rail member therein and the fourth end cap defining a fourth channel extending toward the third end cap and slidably receiving an opposite end of the elongated bottom rail member therein, the third and fourth end caps and the bottom rail member together configured to define an axial length of the bottom rail between the first and second side rails that is adjustable between a minimum length in which the opposing ends of the elongated bottom rail member extend a third distance into the third and fourth channels relative to distal ends of the third and fourth channels and a maximum length in which the opposing ends of the elongated bottom rail member extend a fourth distance into the third and fourth channels relative to the distal ends thereof, the fourth distance less than the third distance,
- a flexible panel extending between the top and bottom rails, and
- at least one biasing member to draw the flexible panel toward one of the first and second side rails.
3 more elements
A retractable, flexible-panel door mountable to a door frame attached to a building, comprising:
- a first side rail mountable to one side of the door frame,
- a second side rail mountable to an opposite side of the door frame,
- a top rail including a first end cap affixable to one end of the first side rail, a second end cap affixable to one end of the second side rail and an elongated top rail member extendable along a top of the door frame between the first and second end caps, the first and second end caps defining therein opposing first and second channels respectively, the elongated top rail member slidably received within each of the first and second channels, the first and second end caps and the top rail member together configured to define an axial length of the top rail between the first and second side rails that is adjustable between a minimum length in which the opposite portions of the elongated top rail member are at or near proximal ends of the first and second channels and a maximum length in which the opposite portions of the elongated top rail member are spaced apart from the proximal ends of the first and second channels,
- a bottom rail including a third end cap affixable to an opposite end of the first side rail, a fourth end cap affixable to an opposite end of the second side rail and an elongated bottom rail member extendable along a bottom of the door frame between the third and fourth end caps, the third and fourth end caps defining therein opposing third and fourth channels respectively, the elongated bottom rail member slidably received within each of the third and fourth channels, the third and fourth end caps and the bottom rail member together configured to define an axial length of the bottom rail between the third and fourth side rails that is adjustable between a minimum length in which the opposite portions of the elongated bottom rail member are at or near proximal ends of the third and fourth channels and a maximum length in which the opposite portions of the elongated bottom rail member spaced apart from the proximal ends of the third and fourth channels,
- a flexible panel extending between the top and bottom rails, and
- at least one biasing member to draw the flexible panel toward one of the first and second side rails.
3 more elements
A retractable, flexible-panel door mountable to a door frame attached to a building, comprising:
- a first side rail mountable to one side of the door frame,
- a second side rail mountable to an opposite side of the door frame,
- a top rail including a first end cap affixable to one end of the first side rail, a second end cap affixable to one end of the second side rail and an elongated top rail member extendable along a top of the door frame between the first and second end caps, one of the first end cap and one end of the elongated top rail member defining a first channel configured to slidingly receive therein at least a portion of the other of the first end cap and the one end of the elongated top rail member, one of the second end cap and an opposite end of the elongated top rail member defining a second channel configured to slidingly receive therein at least a portion of the other of the second end cap and the opposite end of the elongated top rail member, the first and second end caps and the top rail member together configured to define an axial length of the top rail between the first and second side rails that is adjustable between a minimum length in which a distal end of the at least a portion of the other of the first end cap and the one end of the elongated top rail member extends a first distance into the first channel relative to a distal end of the first channel and a distal end of the at least a portion of the other of the second end cap and the opposite end of the elongated top rail member extends the first distance into the second channel relative to a distal end of the second channel, and a maximum length in which the distal end of the at least a portion of the other of the first end cap and the one end of the elongated top rail member extends a second distance into the first channel relative to the distal end of the first channel and the distal end of the at least a portion of the other of the second end cap and the opposite end of the elongated top rail member extends the second distance into the second channel relative to the distal end of the second channel, the second distance less than the first distance,
- a bottom rail including a third end cap affixable to an opposite end of the first side rail, a fourth end cap affixable to an opposite end of the second side rail and an elongated bottom rail member extendable along a bottom of the door frame between the third and fourth end caps, one of the third end cap and one end of the elongated bottom rail member defining a third channel configured to slidingly receive therein at least a portion of the other of the third end cap and the one end of the elongated bottom rail member, one of the fourth end cap and an opposite end of the elongated bottom rail member defining a fourth channel configured to slidingly receive therein at least a portion of the other of the fourth end cap and the opposite end of the elongated bottom rail member, the third and fourth end caps and the bottom rail member together configured to define an axial length of the bottom rail between the third and fourth side rails that is adjustable between a minimum length in which a distal end of the at least a portion of the other of the third end cap and the one end of the elongated bottom rail member extends a third distance into the third channel relative to a distal end of the third channel and a distal end of the at least a portion of the other of the fourth end cap and the opposite end of the elongated bottom rail member extends the third distance into the fourth channel relative to a distal end of the fourth channel, and a maximum length in which the distal end of the at least a portion of the other of the third end cap and the one end of the elongated bottom rail member extends a fourth distance into the third channel relative to the distal end of the third channel and the distal end of the at least a portion of the other of the fourth end cap and the opposite end of the elongated bottom rail member extends the fourth distance into the fourth channel relative to the distal end of the fourth channel, the fourth distance less than the third distance,
- a flexible panel extending between the top and bottom rails, and
- at least one biasing member to draw the flexible panel toward one of the first and second side rails.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.