# US 2021/0340799 A1 · Laminate panel and overhead sectional door panel with laminate panels and a universal fabric hinge

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- Number: US 2021/0340799 A1
- Document ID: US20210340799A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/246,532
- Filed: 2021-04-30
- Published: 2021-11-04
- Earliest claimed: 2020-05-01
- Assignees: Clopay Corporation
- Applicants: Clopay Corporation
- Inventors: John K. McGee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210340799A1

## CPC

- E05D 15/165: {Details, e.g. sliding or rolling guides (E05D15/18 - E05D15/24 take precedence)}
- E05D 15/242: {Hinge connections between the parts}
- E06B 1/522: {for overhead garage doors}
- E06B 3/48: Wings connected at their edges, e.g. foldable wings
- E06B 3/485: {Sectional doors}
- E06B 3/486: {with hinges being at least partially integral part of the section panels}
- E06B 3/7001: {Coverings therefor; Door leaves imitating traditional raised panel doors, e.g. engraved or embossed surfaces, with trim strips applied to the surfaces}
- E05Y 2900/106: for garages
- E06B 7/2305: {with an integrally formed part for fixing the edging (E06B7/2316 takes precedence)}
- E06B 7/2316: {used as a seal between the floor and the wing}
- E06B 2003/7044: {Garage doors}
- E06B 2003/7051: {of layered construction involving different materials}
- E05D: HINGES OR SUSPENSION DEVICES FOR DOORS, WINDOWS OR WINGS (pivotal connections in general F16C11/00)
- E06B: FIXED OR MOVABLE CLOSURES FOR OPENINGS IN BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, FENCES OR LIKE ENCLOSURES IN GENERAL, e.g. DOORS, WINDOWS, BLINDS, GATES (shades or blinds for greenhouses A01G9/22; curtains A47H; lids for car boots or bonnets B62D25/10; skylights E04B7/18; sunshades, awnings E04F10/00)
- E05Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES E05D AND E05F, RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS, ELECTRIC CONTROL, POWER SUPPLY, POWER SIGNAL OR TRANSMISSION, USER INTERFACES, MOUNTING OR COUPLING, DETAILS, ACCESSORIES, AUXILIARY OPERATIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, APPLICATION THEREOF

## Abstract

In example a panel for an overhead sectional door is provided. The panel includes a laminate core, a laminate skin, and a universal fabric hinge. The laminate skin is coupled to two opposing sides of the laminate core. The universal fabric hinge is coupled to the laminate skin to connect the panel to an adjacent panel of the overhead sectional door.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A panel for an overhead sectional door, comprising:
a laminate core;
a laminate skin coupled to two opposing sides of the laminate core; and
a universal fabric hinge coupled to the laminate skin to connect the panel to an adjacent panel of the overhead sectional door.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The panel of claim 1, further comprising:
an end stile coupled to each lateral end of the panel.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The panel of claim 2, wherein the end stile comprises a single piece end stile.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The panel of claim 1, further comprising:
a bottom bracket coupled to a lower edge of the panel.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The panel of claim 4, wherein the bottom bracket comprises:
a first side wall;
a second side wall;
a bottom surface coupled to the first side wall and the second side wall;
a brush seal bracket that is integrally formed as part of the second side wall of the bottom bracket;
a first astragal bracket coupled to a first bottom side of the bottom surface; and
a second astragal bracket coupled to a second bottom side of the bottom surface.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The panel of claim 1, wherein the laminate core comprises polymeric sheets, foamed sheets, honeycomb structured sheets, thermoset composite sheets, organic coatings, wood, or metal.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The panel of claim 1, wherein the laminate skin comprises a plurality of layers of composite plies.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The panel of claim 7, wherein the plurality of layers of composite plies comprises at least one zero degree ply and at least one 90 degree ply.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The panel of claim 8, wherein the plurality of layers of composite plies comprises two or more layers of 90 degree ply located between two outer layers of zero degree ply.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The panel of claim 1, wherein the universal fabric hinge comprises poly vinyl chloride (PVC), nylon, vinyl, or laminated 4-ply PVC fabrics.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The panel of claim 1, wherein the adjacent panel comprises a non-laminate panel, and the universal fabric hinge is folded into a first orientation to form a laminate-to-non-laminate center hinge.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The panel of claim 1, wherein the adjacent panel comprises a laminate panel, and the universal fabric hinge is folded into a second orientation to form a laminate-to-laminate center hinge.

### Claim 13

An overhead sectional door, comprising:
a track system;
at least one non-laminate panel movably coupled to the track system; and
at least one laminate panel movably coupled to the track system, wherein the at least one laminate panel is mechanically connected to a lower edge of the at least one non-laminate panel via a universal fabric hinge that is folded into a first orientation to form a laminate-to-non-laminate center hinge.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The overhead sectional door of claim 13, further comprising:
a second laminate panel movably coupled to the track system and mechanically coupled to the at least one laminate panel via a second universal fabric hinge that is folded into a second orientation to form a laminate-to-laminate center hinge.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The overhead sectional door of claim 13, wherein a reset block is inserted between the at least one laminate panel and the at least one non-laminate panel at opposing lateral ends.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The overhead sectional door of claim 13, further comprising:
a seal structure located between the at least one non-laminate panel and the at least one laminate panel, wherein the seal structure is located on an upper edge of the at least one laminate panel and a lower edge of the at least one non-laminate panel.

### Claim 17

A universal fabric hinge to connect a laminate panel to an adjacent laminate panel or an adjacent non-laminate panel, comprising:
a plurality of through-holes symmetrically arranged in the universal fabric hinge;
a first fold line located at a mid-point of a height of the universal fabric hinge;
a second fold line located at a bottom quarter of the height of the universal fabric hinge;
a third fold line located at an angle relative to the first fold line; and
a fourth fold line located at an angle relative to the first fold line, wherein the first fold line, the third fold line, and the fourth fold line are arranged to form an isosceles triangle.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The universal fabric hinge of claim 17, wherein the universal fabric hinge is folded along the first fold line to form a rectangular shaped laminate-to-laminate center hinge, wherein a first set of through-holes of the plurality of through-holes below the first fold line is aligned with a second set of through-holes of the plurality of through-holes above the first fold line when the universal fabric hinge is folded along the first fold line.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The universal fabric hinge of claim 17, wherein a bottom edge of the universal fabric hinge is folded along the second fold line, a first polygon shape of the universal fabric hinge is folded along the third fold line, and a second polygon shape of the universal fabric hinge is folded along the fourth fold line to form an isosceles triangle-shaped laminate-to-non-laminate center hinge.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The universal fabric hinge of claim 19, wherein the first polygon shape and the second polygon shape are folded in a same direction to overlap each other.