Guide system for vertically moveable flexible door
OwnerDale M. Lichyinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A damage minimizing closure door that is moved vertically between open and closed positions in which the door is a flexible curtain and a guide assembly is mounted on the side edges of the doorway for receiving and guiding the side edges of the flexible door during vertical movement. A counterbalancing power spring is associated with the door to assist in raising and lowering the curtain. The flexible door or curtain and the guide assembly include unique features which enable the side edges of the curtain to separate from the guide assembly upon being impacted by an externally applied force, such as by a vehicle, with little if any damage occurring to the curtain or guide assembly.
Claims15
In a vertically movable closure door including a flexible curtain movable vertically between a closed position in occluding relation to a door opening and an open position out of registry with the door opening, a guide structure along side edges of a door opening for guiding movement of the flexible curtain, the improvement comprising each guide structure including a guide channel opening toward the door opening, said guide channel being defined by spaced, generally parallel flanges, coacting means adjacent the side edge of the curtain and on at least one flange of the guide channel to releasably retain the side edge of the curtain within the guide channel, to guide the vertical movement of the curtain, and to release the curtain from the guide channel upon engagement of a sufficient impact force on said curtain, said coacting means including a laterally extending, outwardly facing projection adjacent the side edge of the curtain and a laterally extending inwardly facing projection on said at least one flange with said projections normally facing each other during vertical movement of the curtain, said projection on said at least one flange of the guide channel being releasably secured to said flange to retain the side edge of the curtain within the guide channel during vertical movement and enabling the projection to be displaced by separation from the flange of the guide channel upon an excessive impact force engaging the curtain, thereby enabling the side edge of the curtain to separate from the guide channel.
A low maintenance door comprising:
- a vertically movable flexible curtain including a top, bottom and side edges, said side edges including a thicker area along a substantial length thereof,
- a rotatable barrel located above a door opening with said flexible curtain affixed thereto with the rotation of said barrel causing the flexible curtain to raise and lower into and out of the door opening,
- a guide system including a releasable windbar to restrain said side edges of the curtain from escapement from the guide system under normal wind load or pressure condition,
- said side edges of the flexible curtain engaging with said windbar when an excessive impact such as a vehicle, is put upon the flexible curtain which causes said windbar to be displaced by separation from said guide system thereby releasing said side edges from the guide system and thereby causing little if any damage to said flexible curtain or guide system.
A vertically movable closure door comprising a curtain movable vertically between a closed position in occluding relation to a door opening and an open position out of registry with the door opening, guide structures along each side edge of the door opening for guiding movement of said curtain, coacting means for releasably retaining side edges of said curtain within said guide structures, said coacting means including a guide structure retaining member secured to at least one of said guide structures and a curtain retaining means secured to at least one side edge of said curtain, said guide structure retaining member and said curtain retaining means being in facing relation to each other when said curtain is retained within the guide structures, and wherein at least one of said guide structure retaining member and curtain retaining means is detached by separation from its respective guide structure and curtain upon an excessive impact force engaging the curtain, thereby enabling the side edge of the curtain to separate from the guide structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.