Overlapping seal for insulated folding door
AssigneeRite-Hite Corporation
InventorFloyd D. West
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A panel for a multi-panel folding door includes a semi-rigid, transparent partition with insulating layers disposed on opposing sides thereof. A collapsible nose seal adjacent to a lateral edge of the panel and extending substantially the length thereof is adapted for engagement with another similar panel also having a collapsible nose seal to provide an interlocking, insulated seal between the panels when the door is closed while permitting the panels to be separated when the door is opened. A magnet in the collapsible nose seal of each panel is adapted for magnetic coupling to a metal plate in the other panel to provide a weather-tight, thermal insulating seal. Each of the insulating layers includes an aperture, with the apertures in mutual alignment to form a window in the panel.
Claims19
For use in a high speed folding door having a plurality of panels suspended from an overhead track and drive means for moving said panels between an open and a closed position, a panel adapted for mutually overlapping positioning with another similar panel when the door is closed, each of said panels comprising:
- a sheet-like, flexible partition comprised of a transparent material;
- first and second insulating layers disposed on opposed surfaces of said flexible partition, wherein said insulating layers include respective apertures arranged in mutual alignment to form a windown in the panel;
- and
- breakaway double interlocking seal means disposed on an overlapping edge portion of the panel for connecting the panel to another similar panel in a sealed manner when the door is closed while allowing a separation of the panels from each other when the door is opened.
Apanel for use in a multi-panel folding door, wherein adjacent panels are arranged in an edge overlapping manner when the door is extended across an opening in a wall in the closed position and the panels are arranged in closely spaced, parallel array when the door is retracted to an open position, said panel comprising:
- a sheet-like, semi-rigid transparent partition;
- a first insulating layer disposed on a first side of said partition and having a first aperture therein;
- a second insulating layer disposed on a second, opposed side of said partition and having a second aperture therein, wherein said first and second apertures are in mutual alignment to form a window in the panel;
- and
- detachable sealing/coupling means disposed on a lateral edge portion of the panel for enaging another similar panel in the overlapped position when the door is extended across an opening in the closed position and forming a seal between the panels while permitting the panels to be separated when the door is retracted to the open position.
For use in a high speed folding door having plurality of panels suspended from an overhead track and drive means for moving said panels between an open and a closed position, a panel adapted for mutually overlapping positioning with another similar panel when the door is closed, each of said panels comprising:
- a sheet-like, flexible partition comprised of a transparent material;
- first and second insulating layers disposed on opposed surfaces of said flexible partition, wherein said insulating layers include respective apertures arranged in mutual alignment to form a window in the panel;
- detachable sealing/coupling means disposed on a lateral edge portion of the panel for engaging another similar panel in the overlapped position when the door is extended across an opening in the closed position and forming a seal between the panels while permitting the panels to be separated when the door is retracted to the open position;
- and
- said detachable sealing/coupling means comprises a collapsible nose strip extending substantially the entire length of said overlapped edge portion and providing an air spaced between the two collapsible nose strips when the door is closed to provide environmental isolation between opposing sides of the door.
The panel 17 wherein each of said first and second insulating layers is comprised of a bubble pack with a reflective thermal barrier skin disposed on at least the outer surface thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.