Breakaway guide assembly for a roller door
AssigneeRite-Hite Corporation
InventorPeter S. Schulte
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An omni-directional breakaway guide assembly for use in conjunction with a bottom member in a roll-up door. The guide assembly comprises a guide extension for engaging vertical guide members to guide the door in a vertical plane, and a bottom member portion coupled to the bottom member. The breakaway guide assembly includes a magnetic coupling between the guide extension and the bottom member portion. Upon application of a sufficient force on the bottom member the magnetic coupling is overcome and the bottom member and attached bottom member portion breakaway from the guide extension. Such breakaway may occur for forces applied in a variety of directions to the bottom member.
Claims20
A breakaway guide assembly for use on a roll-up door, the roll-up door including a bottom member on the leading edge thereof, vertical guide members being disposed on either side of the door for receiving and guiding the guide assembly in a vertical plane, the breakaway guide assembly comprising, in combination:
- a guide extension engaging the vertical guide members to guide the door in a vertical plane;
- the guide extension extending toward an end of the bottom member;
- a bottom member portion coupled to the end of the bottom member and extending toward the guide extension;
- and
- a magnetic coupling between the guide extension and the bottom member portion, the magnetic coupling releasably mating the guide extension and bottom member portion for forces applied to the door below a predetermined magnitude.
A method of releasably connecting an end of a roll-up door bottom member to a guide extension received within and guided in a vertical plane by a vertically extending guide member disposed on one side of the door, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a guide extension which guidingly engages the vertically extending guide member to guide the door in a vertical plane;
- restricting movement of the guide member toward the door;
- coupling the guide extension to a coupling member attached to the bottom member by an omni-directional coupling which provides separation of the guide extension and coupling member for forces applied into and in the vertical plane;
- allowing the omni-directional coupling to be broken upon application of force to the door above a predetermined magnitude.
A method of releasably connecting an end of a roll-up door bottom member to a guide extension received within and guided in a vertical plane by a vertically extending guide member disposed on one side of the door, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a guide extension which guidingly engages the vertically extending guide member to guide the door in a vertical plane;
- magnetically coupling the guide extension to a coupling member attached to the bottom member;
- allowing the magnetic coupling to be broken upon application of a force to the door above a predetermined magnitude.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.