Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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WALL BRACKET FOR GARAGE DOORS AND THE LIKE
Field of the invention:
The present invention relates to a wall bracket for garage doors and the
like. More particularly, the present invention relates to a wall bracket for
use with a
door, such as a garage door for example, and for possible interaction also
with the
counterbalancing system thereof.
Background of the invention:
Sectional doors, rolling doors and cable-operated doors, such as
garage doors and the like, are well known in the art. A garage door is usually
connected to an overhead mechanism that provides a driving or counterbalancing
force in order to decrease the force required to open the door and also
facilitate its
closing.
it is also known in the art that a garage door generally needs to have a
proper counterbalancing system so that it may be easily opened and closed. The
counterbalancing force is generally achieved by the usage of either one or
many
torsional springs, or by any other suitable biasing means, such as
counterweights
for example.
It is also well known in the art that a garage door, the components
thereof, and/or the components of a corresponding counterbalancing mechanism,
are generally supported onto a fixed structure, such as a wall for example, by
means of support plates, cammoniy known as "wall brackets". These wall
brackets
are intended to support the weight of the garage door and of all the different
components operatively connected thereto and are thus subject to substantial
loads, and also various repeating loading conditions due to the inherent
nature of
the raising and lowering of garage doors. Consequently, as a result thereof,
it has
been found that these wall brackets generally have a tendency to warp or
deform
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themselves, thus leading to a series of adverse consequences, such as
inefficient
operation of the garage door andlor corresponding counterbalancing mechanism,
fatigue stresses resulting in the wall brackets leading possibly to a failure
or an
unsafe condition thereof, and the like. Consequently, the wall brackets may
need
periodic inspection andlor maintenance, and may require replacement, which is
very disadvantageous for different reasons.
Hence, in light of the aforementioned, there is a need for an improved
wall bracket which, by virtue of its design and components, would be able to
overcome some of the aforementioned prior art problems.
Summary of the invention:
The object of the present invention is to provide a wall bracket which
satisfies some of the above-mentioned needs and which is thus an improvement
over the other related wall brackets known in the prior art.
In accordance with the present invention, the above object is achieved,
as will be easily understood, with a wall bracket provided with at least one
embossment such as the ones briefly described herein and such as the ones
exemplified in the accompanying drawings.
According fio another aspect of the invention, there is also provided a
driving (or "counterbalancing") mechanism provided with the above-mentioned
wall bracket.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is also provided
the garage door provided with the above-mentioned wall bracket.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is also provided
the garage door provided with the above-mentioned driving (or
"counterbalancing")
mechanism.
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The objects, advantages and other features of the present invention will
become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description
of
preferred embodiments thereof, given for the purpose of exemplification only
with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
Brief description of the drawings:
Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a pair of left and right wall
brackets each provided with at least one embossment according to a first
preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a front plan view of a right wall bracket provided with at least
one embossment according to another first preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
Figure 3 is a side elevational view of what is shown in Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a top plan view of what is shown in Figure 2.
Figure 5 is a front plan view of a stamping blank used to form and
obtain the wall bracket shown in Figure 2.
Figure 6 is a front perspective view of a pair of left and right wail
brackets each provided with at least one embossment according to a second
preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of a left wall bracket provided with at
least one embossment according to another second preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
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Figure 8 is a front plan view of a right wall bracket provided with at least
one embossment according to yet another second preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
Figure 9 is a side elevational view of what is shown in Figure 8.
Figure 10 is a top plan view of what is shown in Figure 8.
Figure 11 is a front perspective view of a pair of left and right wall
brackets each provided with at least one embossment according to a third
preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 12 is a front plan view of a right wall bracket provided with at
least one embossment according to another third preferred embodiment of the
present invention.
Figure 13 is a side elevational view of what is shown in Figure 12.
Figure 14 is a top plan view of what is shown in Figure 12.
Figure 15 is an enlarged view of a section of what is shown in Figure
14.
Figure 16 is an enlarged view of a portion of what is shown in Figure 12.
Figure 17 is an enlarged view of a portion of what is shown in Figure 13.
Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention:
In the following description, the same numerical references refer to
similar elements. The embodiments, physical dimensions and physical properties
shown in the figures are preferred.
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Moreover, although the present invention was primarily designed for
use with a garage door for example, it may be used with other types of doors
and
objects, and in other fields, as apparent to a person skilled in the art. For
this
5 reason, expressions such as "garage", "door", etc., used herein should not
be
taken as to limit the scope of the present invention and includes all other
kinds of
doors or items with which the present invention could be used and may be
useful.
Moreover, in the context of the present invention, the expressions
"bracket", "plate", and any other equivalent expression and/or compound
expressions thereof such as "wall bracket", "support plate", and the like,
known in
the art, will be used interchangeably. Furthermore, the same applies for any
other
mutually equivalent expressions, such as "cable-operated door" and "garage
door", as well as "support" and "bracket" for example, as also apparent to a
person
skilled in the art.
In addition, although the preferred embodiment of the present invention
as illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises various components and
although the preferred embodiments of the wall bracket 1 as shown consists of
certain geometrical configurations and physical dimensions as explained and
illustrated herein, not all of these components, geometries and dimensions are
essential to the invention and thus should not be taken in their restrictive
sense,
i.e. should not be taken as to limit the scope of the present invention. It is
to be
understood, as also apparent to a person skilled in the art, that other
suitable
components and cooperations thereinbetween, as well as other suitable
geometrical configurations may be used for the wall bracket 1 and
corresponding
parts according to the present invention, as briefly explained and interred
herein,
without departing from the scope of the invention.
Broadly described, the wall bracket 1 according to the present
invention, as shown in the accompanying drawings, is a wall bracket 1 for use
garage doors and the like.
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The wall bracket 1 is preferably connected to a fixed structure, such as
a wall for example, by suitable fastening means. To that effect, the wall
bracket 1
may be provided with corresponding fastening flanges and/or corresponding
orifices for receiving suitable fasteners, such as screws, and the like, as
apparent
to a person skilled in the art.
Moreover, the wall bracket 1 according to fihe present invention may
comprise corresponding orifices for receiving corresponding components of the
garage door andlor of the counterbalancing mechanism thereof, such as an
overhead shaft for example, andlor for receiving any other suitable component.
These orifices may be circular or may be rectangular, square, or of any other
suitable geometrical configuration depending for which component they are
intended to cooperate with, as also apparent to a person skilled in the art.
Moreover, as shown in the accompanying drawings, the wall bracket 1
may be provided with corresponding hooks for also cooperating with
corresponding components of the garage door andlor corresponding
counterbalancing mechanism thereof.
Figures 1-5, 6-10, and 11-17, illustrate respectively three main different
embodiments of the wall bracket 1 according to the present invention, each set
of
figures illustrating different examples and variations thereof.
Indeed, according to the present invention, a conventional wall bracket
is preferably reinforced structurally by means of the provision of a
reinforcement
embossment 3 that is preferably made integral to the wall bracket 1 and
incorporated therein during the manufacturing of said wall bracket 1. The
embossment 3 may be stamped, molded, cast, or made by any other suitable
manufacturing process, as apparent to a person skilled in the art.
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As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the embossment 3 may
take on various different forms and dimensions, depending on the particular
nature
of the wall bracket 1 and the particular application for which it is intended
for, as
also apparent to a person skilled in the art. The particular shape, form and
size of
the wall bracket 1 and corresponding embossments) 3 are preferably selected so
as to optimize structural reinforcement of the wall bracket 1, as can be
easily
understood, and as apparent to a person skilled in the art.
It is worth mentioning that according to the present invention, the wall
bracket 1 preferably comprises at least one embossment 3, but may also
comprise
a pair or a plurality of embossments 3, depending on the particular nature of
the
wall bracket and the application for which it is intended, as also apparent to
a
person skilled in the art.
The wall bracket 1 according to the present invention is preferably
made of a suitable substantially rigid material, such as a metallic material,
such as
steel for example, or may be manufactured from other suitable materials, such
as
composite materials, hardened polymers, and the like, depending once again on
the particular application for which the wall bracket 1 is intended and the
loads for
which it is devised to sustain, as apparent to a person skilled in the art.
Some of the wall brackets 1 shown in the accompanying figures are
"right" wall brackets 1 to be located at the "right" of the garage door, more
specifically at the right-hand side thereof when viewed from the inside of the
garage. A "left" wail bracket 1, that is, a left-hand side version of the
brackets 1
shown, would simply be a mirror image of what is in the accompanying figures,
and vice versa. Each wall bracket 1 with corresponding embossment 3, whether
right or left wall bracket 1, is preferably devised to hold at least half of
the load of
the garage door and corresponding components operatively connected thereto,
and is preferably securely affixed to a fixed structure, such as a wall for
example,
by suitable fastening means.
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As may now be appreciated, the present invention is a substantial
improvement over the prior art in that, by virtue of its design and
components, the
wall bracket 1 and its corresponding reinforcement embossment 3 is devised to
offer improved structural properties with respect to wall brackets of the
prior art, as
well as is very simple and easy to manufacture andlor install, without
substantially
increasing costs andlor manufacturing steps. Hence, it may now be appreciated
that the present invention represents important advantages over other wall
brackets known in the prior art, in terms of performance, safety and costs.
The present invention is also an improvement and presents several
advantages over other related wall brackets known on the prior art in that it
may
be used in the garage door industry, with new garage doors or existing garage
doors, whether commercial or residential. Furthermore, the present invention
may
be used with other kinds of doors, such as slidable truck doors, as apparent
to a
person skilled in the art.
Of course, numerous modifications could be made to the above-
described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention, as
apparent to a person skilled in the art.
