Garage door support
AssigneeState Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
InventorRyan Whitlock
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bracing system for a door having a height, a width, a periphery and adjacent surrounding structure. The bracing system includes a first anchor positioned adjacent the periphery and fixed to the surrounding structure. The bracing system also includes an anchor surface positioned on the surrounding structure adjacent the periphery substantially opposite of the first anchor. The bracing system further includes a beam fixed to the first anchor and having a distal end configured to be engaged with the anchor surface. The bracing system still further includes an actuator drivingly engaged to the beam. The actuator and the beam are configured such that activation of the actuator causes movement of the distal end with respect to the anchor surface.
Claims19
A bracing system for a door having a height, a width, a periphery and adjacent surrounding structure, the bracing system comprising:
- a first anchor positioned adjacent the periphery and fixed to the surrounding structure;
- an anchor surface positioned on the surrounding structure adjacent the periphery substantially opposite of the first anchor;
- a beam fixed to the first anchor and having a distal end configured to be engaged with the anchor surface;
- and
- an actuator drivingly engaged to the beam, said actuator and said beam being configured such that activation of the actuator causes—
- movement of the distal end with respect to the anchor surface,
- movement of the beam alternatingly into and out of bracing engagement with the door.
A computer-implemented method for reinforcing a door, the computer-implemented method comprising, via one or more processors or transceivers:
- determining a position of a retractable reinforcement beam;
- analyzing weather-related event data against an event threshold to determine a reinforcement triggering event has occurred;
- analyzing obstruction-related data to determine absence of physical obstruction to a path of the beam;
- and
- automatically issuing an actuation command to an actuator drivingly engaged with the reinforcement beam in response to the determination of the reinforcement triggering event and determination of absence of physical obstruction to the path of the beam.
A reinforced garage door comprising:
- a plurality of vertically stacked panels adjacent surrounding structure, the panels defining a peripheral margin, a height and a width of the door;
- a bracing assembly including—
- a first anchor positioned adjacent the peripheral margin and fixed to the surrounding structure;
- an anchor surface positioned on the surrounding structure adjacent the peripheral margin substantially opposite of the first anchor;
- a beam fixed to the first anchor and having a distal end configured to be engaged with the anchor surface;
- and
- an actuator drivingly engaged to the beam, said actuator and said beam being configured such that activation of the actuator causes—
- movement of the distal end with respect to the anchor surface,
- movement of the beam alternatingly into and out of bracing engagement with the door.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.