US 5,445,207 AGranted

Reinforced collapsible garage door assembly

AssigneeThe Stanley Works

InventorsAldo Romanelli, David K. Wegner, George A. Sivore, Jr., Dennis M. Romanelli

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Abstract

An overhead door reinforcement assembly has a plurality of elongated reinforcing members operatively mounted vertically on the inner surface of the door between the top edge and the bottom edge of each of the several door panels, and a plurality of cap members overlying the adjacent ends of the reinforcing members. Pivot members pivotally connect the cap members to the adjacent ends of the reinforcing members, and this permits pivoting of the panels as the door is moved between open and closed positions, but prevents pivoting of the ends of the reinforcing members in the direction of the cap members to prevent buckling of the associated door in the closed position under externally applied pressure. A disengageable lock member is engaged with the cap members and the ends of the reinforcing members to prevent pivoting of the ends of the reinforcing members away from the cap members to prevent buckling of the door panels.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A reinforcement assembly for reinforcing a door of the overhead type having a plurality of horizontally extending panels pivotably connected along their top and bottom edges comprising:

(a) a plurality of elongated reinforcing members dimensioned and configured to be operatively mounted vertically on the inner surface of an associated door between the top edge and the bottom edge of each of the several door panels;
(b) a plurality of cap members overlying the adjacent ends of said reinforcing members;
(c) pivot means pivotally connecting said cap members to said adjacent ends of said reinforcing members and permitting relative pivotal movement of said adjacent ends of said reinforcing members in the direction away from said cap members for pivoting of the panels of the associated door as the door is moved between open and closed positions, the configuration of said cap members and pivot means preventing pivoting of said ends of said reinforcing members in the direction of said cap members to prevent buckling of the associated door in the closed position thereof under pressures applied externally thereof;
and
(d) disengageable lock means engageable with said cap members and said ends of said reinforcing members at a point spaced from said pivot means to prevent pivoting of said ends of said reinforcing members away from said cap members to prevent buckling of the panels of the associated door in the closed position thereof under positive and negative pressures applied thereto.

2 more elements

In combination:

(a) a building structure having a door opening with a frame providing a header thereabove and a floor therebelow;
(b) a door of the overhead type having a plurality of horizontally extending panels pivotably connected along their top and bottom edges;
(c) a plurality of elongated reinforcing members dimensioned and configured to be operatively mounted vertically on the inner surface of the associated door between the top edge and the bottom edge of each of said several door panels;
(d) a plurality of cap members overlying the adjacent ends of said reinforcing members;
(e) pivot means pivotally connecting said cap members to said adjacent ends of said reinforcing members and permitting relative pivotal movement of said adjacent ends of said reinforcing members in the direction away from said cap members for pivoting of said panels of said door as said door is moved between open and closed positions, the configuration of said cap members and pivot means preventing pivoting of said ends of said reinforcing members in the direction of said cap members to prevent buckling of said door in the closed position thereof under pressures applied externally thereof;
and
(f) disengageable lock means engageable with said cap members and said ends of said reinforcing members at a point spaced from said pivot means to prevent pivoting of said ends of said reinforcing members away from said cap members to prevent buckling of said panels of said door in the closed position thereof under positive and negative pressures applied thereto.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.