US 6,047,761 AGranted

Universal overhead door system

AssigneeClopay Building Products Company, Inc.

InventorsEdwin C. Jaehnen, Richard J. Lewis, Jr., Kenneth E. Carper, Bob Bailey

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Abstract

A universal overhead door system includes a pair of horizontal track members, a pair of vertical track members and a pair of track radius members interconnecting the horizontal and vertical track members. A pair of short radius members extend from the track radius members to guide uppermost rollers of an overhead sectional door. The short radius members terminate close to the top of the door opening and thereby eliminate the need to guide the uppermost rollers below the level at which the curved portion of the track radius members begin. The ability to install the short radius members when needed for smaller door opening sizes and low head room environments provides a universal track system for most overhead door installations.

Claims37

Dependent claims

A universal overhead door system, comprising:

an overhead door having a plurality of pivotally interconnected door panels operable to move between vertical and horizontal positions relative to a door frame, each of said door panels having guide members arranged on opposite sides thereof;
a pair of generally channel-shaped horizontal track members, each of said horizontal track members defining a generally horizontal channel for guiding movement of said guide members in a generally horizontal plane;
a pair of generally channel-shaped vertical track members, each of said vertical track members defining a generally vertical channel for guiding movement of said guide members in a generally vertical plane;
a pair of generally channel-shaped first radius members, each of said first radius members substantially abutting a respective end of said horizontal track members and extending in a defined radius of curvature to substantially abut respective ends of said vertical track members to thereby form a pair of substantially continuous door tracks on opposite sides of said door frame, each of said first radius members defining a first curved channel for guiding movement of said guide members between said horizontal and vertical channels, and further having an opening to permit uppermost ones of said guide members on opposite sides of said overhead door to travel outside of said first curved channels;
and
a pair of generally channel-shaped second radius members, each of said second radius members defining a second curved channel removably registrable with and extending directly from the opening in said first curved channels for guiding movement of said uppermost guide members into and out of said first curved channels during movement of said overhead door between said vertical and horizontal positions.

3 more elements

A universal overhead door system, comprising:

an overhead door having a plurality of pivotally interconnected door panels operable to move between vertical and horizontal positions relative to a door frame, each of said door panels having guide members arranged on opposite sides thereof;
a pair of generally channel-shaped vertical track members, each of said vertical track members defining a generally vertical channel for guiding movement of said guide members in a generally vertical plane;
a pair of generally channel-shaped horizontal track members having integral first radius members which extend in a defined radius of curvature to substantially abut respective ends of said vertical track members to thereby form a pair of substantially continuous door tracks on opposite sides of said door frame, each of said horizontal track members defining a generally horizontal channel for guiding movement of said guide members in a generally horizontal plane and each of said integral first radius members defining a first curved channel for guiding movement of said guide members between said horizontal and vertical channels, said integral first radius members further having an opening to permit uppermost ones of said guide members on opposite sides of said overhead door to travel outside of said first curved channels;
and
a pair of generally channel-shaped second radius members, each of said second radius members defining a second curved channel removably registrable with and extending directly from the opening in said first curved channels for guiding movement of said uppermost guide members into and out of said first curved channels during movement of said overhead door between said vertical and horizontal positions.

2 more elements

A universal overhead door system, comprising:

an overhead door having a plurality of pivotally interconnected door panels operable to move between vertical and horizontal positions relative to a door frame, each of said door panels having guide members arranged on opposite sides thereof;
a pair of support rails, each mounted to and extending generally horizontally from a respective side of said door frame;
a pair of generally channel-shaped horizontal track members mounted respectively to said pair of support rails, each of said horizontal track members defining a generally horizontal channel for guiding movement of said guide members in a generally horizontal plane;
a pair of generally channel-shaped vertical track members mounted respectively to opposite sides of said door frame, each of said vertical track members defining a generally vertical channel for guiding movement of said guide members in a generally vertical plane;
a pair of generally channel-shaped first radius members mounted respectively to said pair of support rails, each of said first radius members substantially abutting a respective end of said horizontal track members and extending in a defined radius of curvature to substantially abut respective ends of said vertical track members to thereby form a pair of substantially continuous door tracks on opposite sides of said door frame, each of said first radius members defining a first curved channel for guiding movement of said guide members between said horizontal and vertical channels, and further having an opening to permit uppermost ones of said guide members on opposite sides of said overhead door to travel outside of said first curved channels;
and
a pair of generally channel-shaped second radius members mounted respectively to said pair of support rails, each of said second radius members defining a second curved channel removably registrable with and extending directly from the opening in said first curved channels for guiding movement of said uppermost guide members into and out of said first curved channels during movement of said overhead door between said vertical and horizontal positions.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.