Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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OVERHEAD GARAGE DOOR
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[01] This application is a continuation-in-part of, and claims the benefit of
priority to, U.S.
Patent Application No. 11/277,466, filed March 24, 2006 which claims the
benefit of
priority to Chinese Design Patent. Application Nos. 200630105541.7 and
200630105542.1, both filed on March 13, 2006 in China and is a continuation-in-
part
of the U.S. Patent Application No. 11/328,454, filed January 10, 2006, which
is a
continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application No. 11/229,713 filed September
20,
2005, which is a continuation of U.S. Patent Application No. 10/098,384, filed
March
18, 2002, now U.S. Patent No. 6,948,547, entitled "Overhead Garage Door With
Decorative Faqade Elements." The contents of the noted above applications are
expressly incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[02] This invention generally pertains to a sectional door having an apparatus
for pinch
resistant operation. More particularly, the present invention pertains to a
sectional
door pinch resistant apparatus that conceals seam lines between hingedly-
connected
sections of a sectional door, such as an overhead garage door, and to an
overhead
garage door having the same.
BACKGROUND
[03] Garage doors are generally known in the art as structures that form a
movable barrier
in an entryway to a garage or other type of building. Conventional overhead
garage
doors are formed from a vertical stack of horizontally folding sections
interconnected
by hinges and supported by a guide track.
[04] Visible seams are created in these conventional doors where the
horizontal panels of
the door meet when in the closed, vertical position. These seams detract from
the
aesthetics of the door and niay allow moisture, wind and debris to penetrate
through
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the garage door. Repeated use of the door over extended periods may cause
these
seams to widen further, allowing more moisture, wind and debris into the
garage,
reducing the insulation capabilities of the door and further detracting from
the
aesthetics of the door.
[05] In additional, conventional doors have a problem of a user's finger being
potential
engaged between the door sections on a closing operation. This problem is a
hazard
has not been adequately addressed by previous door designs.
SUMMARY
[06] Aspects of the present invention provide a sectional door having pinch
resistant
apparatus between hingedly-connected sections of the door when the door is
moved in
a closed position. In addition, aspects of the present invention provide good
sealing
capabilities at the seams of such a door in a closed position to prevent
moisture, wind
and debris from penetrating through the door. Further aspects provide an
overhead
garage door formed of hingedly-connected sections that interconnect while in
the
closed position to provide a robust, rigid door.
[07] In one embodiment, a sectional door includes a set of meeting rails
installed on
adjacent, hingedly-connected sections of the door. The meeting rails mask the
seam
created where the adjacent sections meet when in a closed position. In
addition, the
meeting rails can provide improved sealing and insulation for the door by
providing a
barrier against moisture, wind and debris.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[08] FIG. 1 shows a portion of a house with an attached garage having an
embodiment of
an overhead garage door in accordance with the present invention;
[09] FIG. 2 shows the house of FIG. 1, but with a conventional overhead garage
door;
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[10] FIG. 3 shows the garage door of FIG. 1, but with the overhead garage door
shown in a
partially opened condition;
[11] FIG. 4 is an exterior elevational view of the garage door of FIG. 1,
including guide
rails for connecting the door to the garage;
[12] FIG. 5 shows an interior perspective view of the garage door of FIG. 4;
[13] FIG. 6 shows a close-up perspective view of an interior portion of the
garage door of
FIG. 5, including a roller connected to a guide rail;
[14] FIG. 7 shows a close-up perspective view of an exterior portion of the
garage door of
FIG. 4, including a vertical groove and door handles;
[15] FIG. 8 shows an exterior elevational view of another embodiment of an
overhead
garage door in accordance with the present invention;
[16] FIG. 9 shows an exterior elevational view of a further embodiment of an
overhead
garage door in accordance with the present invention;
[17] FIG. 10 shows an exterior elevational view of yet another embodiment of
an overhead
garage door in accordance with the present invention;
[18] FIG. 11 shows an interior elevational view of the garage door of FIG. 10;
[19] FIG. 12 shows a top view of the garage door of FIG. 10;
[20] FIG. 13 shows a side view of the garage door of FIG. 10;
[21] FIG. 14 shows an exterior elevational view of an additional embodiment of
an
overhead garage door in accordance with the present invention;
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1221 F1G.15 shows an exterior elevational view of yet another embodiment of an
overhead
garage door in accordance with the present invention;
[23] FIG. 16 is a front elevational view of the garage door of FIG. 15;
[24) FIG. 17 is a cross sectional view of the garage door of FIG. 16 taken
along line 17-17;
[25] FIG. 1$ is a cross sectional view of the set of meeting rails of FIG. 16;
[26) FIG. 19 is a cross sectional view of a set of meeting rails according to
another
embodiment of the invention.
[27] FIG. 20 is a cross sectional view of a portion of an overhead garage door
according to
a further embodiment of the invention.
[28] FIG. 21 is a cross section view of a meeting railing system according to
one
embodiment.
[29] FIG. 22 is a cross section view of one member of the meeting rail system
shown in
FIG. 21.
[30] FIG. 23 is a cross section view of one member of the meeting rail system
shown in
FIG. 21.
[31) FIGS. 24A-E are cross section views illustrating at least one operational
sequence of
one embodiment.
[32) FIG. 25 is a cross sectional view of a meeting railing system according
to an alternate
arrangement.
[331 FIG. 26 is a cross sectional view of one member of the meeting railing
system shown
in FIG. 25.
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[34] FIG. 27 is a cross sectional view of one member of the meeting railing
system shown
in FIG. 25.
[35] FIGS. 28A-28G are cross sectional views illustrating at least one
operational sequence
of one arrangement of the meeting railing system of FIG. 25.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[36] One embodiment of the present invention is the overhead garage door 10
depicted in
Fig. I that includes decorative fagade elements 12 that simulate a set of four
light-
transmitting doors known commonly as French doors. A set of French doors
typically
includes two doors each having an array of divided lights. In the garage door
10, the
lights are light-transmitting panels that transmit visible light.
[37] The garage door 10 is shown installed on a garage 14 of a conventional
house 16. For
illustration purposes, the house includes divided light windows 18. The fagade
elements 12 give the garage door 10 an attractive appearance that blends well
with the
style of the house 16, particularly with the divided light windows 18 of the
house. In
contrast, Fig. 2 shows a conventional garage door installed on the same
conventional
house 16. Rather than blending in with the style of the house 16, the
conventional
garage door 20 stands out as a monolithic blank space that detracts from the
appearance of the house.
[38] Referring now to Figs. 4-7, the overhead garage door 10 includes a door
22, four
arrays 24 of light-transmitting panels 26, guide rollers 28, and guide tracks
30. The
door 22 includes sections 32 arranged in a stack, and hinges 34 pivotally
connecting
adjacent sections 32. Guide rollers 28 are connected to edge portions of the
sections
32 and are retained in a guide track 30 attached to the garage. The track has
a vertical
section and a horizontal section and extends at a right angle from a vertical
position to
a horizontal position. The guide rollers 28 are each received in a channel 31
in one of
the guide tracks 30. The garage door 12 opens and closes by rolling on the
guide
rollers along the guide tracks 30 from. a vertical closed position to an
overhead
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horizontal open position, and vice versa, as is known in the art. To
illustrate, Fig. 3
shows garage door 10 in a position intermediate between the opened and closed
position. Although embodied herein as a sectioned garage door, the present
invention
works as well with unitary, slab-type overhead garage doors as are known in
the art,
or with other types of overhead garage doors.
1391 The arrays 24 of light-transmitting panels 26 shown in Figs. I and 3-5
each include
five rows by three columns, which generally match, the appearance of regular
French
doors. The arrays 24 are spaced from one another along the door 22 to give the
appearance of four separate passage doors. To enhance the appearance of
separate
doors, the overhead garage door 10 further includes door handles 36. Each
array 24
in combination with a corresponding handle 36 generally fonns a fagade element
12
to simulate a light-transmitting door. Although the door handles 36 do not
function to
open the simulated doors 24, they may act as functional latches for opening
the garage
door 10 or as handles for lifting the garage door 10. To further simulate the
appearance of French doors, each one of the light-transmitting panels 26
appear to be
glazed in a section 32 as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, which is similar to the
manner in
which glass is often glazed in window frames. Accordingly, beveled moldings 38
are
provided in the sections 32 for retaining the light-transmitting panels 26.
The panels
26 retained therein are able to transmit light from the outside environment
into the
interior of the garage 14.
[40] The light-transmitting panels 26 preferably are translucent panels, which
provide the
benefit of transmitting light between the outside environment and the interior
of the
garage 14 without allowing persons outside of the garage 14 to clearly see
into the
garage. Thus, the present invention allows in a greater amount of natural
light into
the garage 14 compared with a conventional garage door. According to other
embodiments, the light-transmitting panels 26 may include transparent panels,
reflective panels, tinted panels, one-way mirrored panels, and the like to
provide a
desired level of privacy without sacrificing light. Further, the door arrays
24 may
include a mix of different panel types, and may include opaque panels. Thus,
the
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quantity of light transmitted into and out of the garage 14 can be custom
tailored
according to the light transmissibility of each one of the panels 26.
[41] The panels 26 are preferably made of material which can be customized in
appearance
and strong enough to be a barrier in an environment that is prone to weather
exposure,
shop conditions, or other adverse environments. One example of such a material
is
polycarbonate acrylic sheets, which are lightweight and provide high impact
resistance. These sheets can be made to have various light transmission
properties,
which can range from transparent to opaque. Polycarbonate acrylic sheets can
also be
made in a variety of colors and tints. The present invention further
contemplates
panels 26 made from a wide variety of plastics, glass, or other light-
transmitting
materials.
[42] To enhance the effect of the farade elements 12 in simulating French
doors, the door
22 also includes three vertical grooves 40. Each groove 40 is placed between a
pair of
panel arrays 24 to simulate the jambs of a set of adjacent doors. The grooves
40
additionally emphasize the appearance of simulated doors by drawing the eye
away
from the horizontal lines 42 created by the junction of adjacent sections 32.
The
grooves 40 are accentuated in comparison with the horizontal lines 42 by being
much
wider and deeper than the horizontal lines. Painting the grooves a dark color
further
increases their visual effect.
[43] The garage door 10 of the present invention can be created from a kit 11
for making
an overhead garage door that simulates a set of light-transmitting doors.
Referring
specifically to Figs. 4 and 5, the kit 11 generally includes a number of
sections 32 and
a number of hinges 34 for connecting the sections 32. A row of light-
transmitting
panels 26 are mounted on each section 32, and the panels of each row are
arranged in
groups 44 of three panels spaced apart from adjacent groups. The garage door
10 is
created by arranging the sections 32 into a stack to form the door 22, and
connecting
adjacent sections 32 to each other with hinges 34. The kit 11 also includes
guide
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rollers 28 and guide tracks 30 for mounting the assembled door to a garage,
and door
handles 36 for mounting on one of sections 32.
[44] A garage door 110 according to another'embodiment of the present
invention can be
created from a retrofit kit 11 l for modifying the appearance of an existing
overhead
garage door to simulate a set of light-transmitting doors. Referring to Fig.
14, the
retrofit kit I I l gcnerally includes decorative panels 126 and door handles
136. The
decorative panels 126 are mounted to a conventional garage door 120 (such as
the
conventional garage 'door 20 shown in Fig. 2) in a set of arrays 124 to give
it the
appearance of a set of French doors. In order to allow light to transmit
through the
panels 126, holes (not shown) may be cut into the garage door 120 prior to
mounting
the panels. The panels may be mounted over or within the holes (not shown)
according to known methods. The panels may include beveled edges 127 to
simulate
the frame elements of a French door. The handles 136 are each mounted next to
an
array 124 to further simulate light-transmitting doors. An optional vertical
stripe 140
may be painted onto the garage door 120 to simulate the jambs of adjacent
simulated
French doors.
[45] The present invention is flexible in that it allows for variety in the
design of facades
and in the types of light-transmitting doors simulated. For example, a further
embodiment of an overhead garage door in accordance with the present invention
is
shown in Fig. 8. In this embodiment, there are five arrays 224 of light-
transmitting
panels 226 simulating a set of four light-transmitting doors centered about a
window
array 225. The arrays 224 are arranged into two by five arrays having two
columns
and five rows. The garage door 210 further includes borders 250 simulating the
jambs and top edges of each simulated door and the window. The borders 250 are
preferably formed by grooves in the garage door, but may also be formed from
painted stripes, adhesive strips, and other methods for marking a border.
Except for
preferences and aspects related to number, arrangement and size of arrays 224,
or to
the simulated borders 250, all other preferences and aspects are generally the
same as
for the previous embodiments.
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[46] The present invention also provides flexibility in the size and type of-
panels used for
the simulated light-transmitting doors. For example, an additional embodiment
of an
overhead garage door 310 in accordance with the present invention is shown in
Fig. 9.
This embodiment differs from the embodiment shown in Fig. 8 in that each panel
in
the top row of panels 326 include an ornate arching curvature 352 along its
top edge.
As illustrated in the top row 352, the panels 326 need not be rectangular or
uniform in
size and shape, and may include any nuinber of decorative variations.
[47J Referring now to Figs. 10-13, yet another embodiment of an overhead
garage door
410 in accordance with the present invention is shown. This embodiment
demonstrates further flexibility in design according to the present invention,
particularly for garage door design as well as for panel design and array
layout. The
garage door 410 according to this embodiment generally includes a door 422 and
three arrays 424 of light-transmitting panels 426 simulating a set of three
light-
transmitting doors. The door 422 includes three sections 432 arranged in a
vertical
stack, and hinges 434 pivotally connecting adjacent ones of sections 432. The
sections 432 in this embodiment are of different sizes, with the top section
being
wider than the middle section and bottom sections, and the middle section
being wider
than the bottom section. The arrays 424 are arranged into two by five arrays
having
two columns and five rows.
1481 The garage door 410 represented by this embodiment demonstrates a number
of
design differences from other embodiments. For example, the panels 426 located
in
the top row 425 of each array are taller than the panels located in lower.
rows. In
addition, each panel in the top row 425 has an arcuate top edge 427. Although
the
panels 426 are arranged into five rows, the panels are spaced over only three
sections
432. Accordingly, the top two rows in each array are located on the top
section, the
middle two rows in each array are located on the middle section, and the lower
row of
each array is located on the lower section. As such, the simulated windows in
each of
the simulated doors appear to be upwardly offset from the bottom of the
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-corresponding simulated door. The garage door 410 further includes round
doorknobs
436 to enhance the appearance of doors.
[49] Referring now to Figs.l5-19 another embodiment of an overhead garage door
510 is
shown that illustrates various aspects of the present invention pertaining to
seams
between the hingedly-connected sections, such as concealing the seams and
improving the interconnection of adjacent sections at the seam region
therebetween.
As with the previous embodiments, garage door 510 includes decorative fagade
elements, such as light-transmitting panels 512, which simulate two sets of
light-
transmitting doors commonly known as French doors. However, aspects of the
present invention pertaining to seams between the sections may be practiced
with
other door configurations, which may or may not simulate light-transmitting
doors or
even include light-transmitting elements.
[50] As shown in Figs. 15 and 16, overhead garage door 510 includes a door
522, four
arrays 524 of light-transmitting panels 526, end stiles 528 and 530 that form
a top and
bottom portion of door 522, guide rollers (not shown) and guide tracks (not
shown).
Door 522 includes horizontal sections 532 arranged in a vertical stack, and
hinges 534
(Fig. 18) pivotally connecting adjacent horizontal sections 532. When
installed on a
building, guide rollers (not shown) attached to edge portions of the
horizontal sections
are retained in a guide'track (not shown), which is attached to the garage.
The track
may have a vertical section and a horizontal section that generally form a
right angle
to guide the door from a vertical position to a horizontal position. The
garage door
opens and closes by rolling on the guide rollers along the guide tracks from a
vertical
closed position to an overhead horizontal open position, and vice versa, as is
known in
the art. Horizontal sections 532 are hingedly connected together to allow them
to
bend around the angled transition between the vertical section of guide track
and the
horizontal section of guide track.
[511 Garage door 510 also includes a concealing apparatus, such as meeting
rails 514,
which are located at the joint between adjacent horizontal sections 532. As
shown in
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Fig. 18, the meeting rails 514 are a pair of complementary pieces, an upper
meeting
rail 514a and a lower meeting rail 514b, that are joined by a hinge, such as
surface
mounted hinge 534. As the door 510 moves between a horizontal, open position
and
a vertical, closed position, adjacent sections 532 bend about hinge 534 to
accommodate the angled transition between the two positions. Upper meeting
rail
514a is attached to a bottom portion of an upper section 532 and rotates about
hinge
534 with respect to lower meeting rail 514b, which is attached to an upper
portion of
an adjacent section. When the horizontal sections 532 are stacked in a closed
position, a seam 550 (Fig. 18) is created where the two sections meet. Meeting
rails
514 act as a concealing apparatus to mask seam 550 that is formed between
adjacent
sections.
[52] A pair of meeting rails for a particular section can be attached to each
other via
through bolts or other fasteners connecting them to the body of their
respective
section. As shown in Fig. 17, a first meeting rail (e.g., 514a) for a
particular section
can be connected to an opposite meeting rail (e.g., 514b) for the particular
section via
fasteners, such as a series of through bolts 552. As shown, bolt 552 extends
vertically
from the first one of the rails, through a body portion 554 of the section,
and to the
opposite one of the rails. If the section is one of the top or bottom sections
for the
door, the through bolt could attach to either the top stile 530 (Fig. 16) or
the bottom
stile 528 and extend through the section's body to a rail on the opposite side
of the
section. As further shown in Fig. 17, through bolts 550 may include a collar
556 that
is bevel cut to mate with geometric features (e.g., angles) of the respective
meeting
rail 514a or 514b, which can strengthen the structural connection and aid with
its
assembly.
[53] Through bolts 552 act in tension to draw the opposite rails or raiVstile
pair toward
each other and, thereby, to sandwich the body portion between the pair in
compression. As shown in Fig. 16, the body portion 554 can include an
arrangement
of light-transmitting panels 526 and structural supports 527, such as solid
panels. As
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discussed above for other embodiments, the panels may be fonned from metal
(e.g.,
aluminum), wood or other types of support materials.
[54] Meeting rails 514a and 514b may be made from various substantially rigid
materials,
such as aluminum, steel and rigid plastic materials. In one embodiment, the
rails are
made from aluminum, such as 6063T-3 aluminum. Rails made from aluminum can
be relatively lightweight while providing a robust hinge apparatus with
durable
mating surfaces, which can maintain its shape for many years through multiple
openings and closings of the door. The rails may be manufactured through
various
processes, such as by extruding aluminum or plastic, welding steel pieces
together, or
thermoforming plastic materials. In addition, the meeting rails 514a and 514b
can be
manufactured to appear as a material similar to that of the rest of the door
and of the
same color to match the exterior appearance of the door 510.
[55] As further shown in Fig. 18, upper rail 514a and lower rail 514b are
preferably
asymmetrical. As discussed further below, their asymmetrical shapes can
provide '
advantages, such as masking seams between door sections, aiding the assembly
and
structural integrity of door sections, and enhancing door rigidity in the
closed
position. Upper rail 514a can include a flat front surface 540 that is visible
on the
front of garage door 510 when installed. The flat front surface 540 can reduce
the
appearance of seam lines created by adjoining horizontal sections 532. The
flat front
surface 540 is configured to cover the seam between the section to which it is
attached
and the adjacent section and, thereby, to provide a more aesthetically
pleasing door
than one having visible seams. As shown, lower rail 514b may have an extended
flange 546 that provides a surface to which hinge 534 can be mounted. As the
door is
raised or lowered, the meeting rails 514a and 514b rotate apart about hinge
534 to
allow the door to move to the open or closed position.
[56] In addition to providing aesthetic benefits gained by concealing seams
between
sections, the flat front surface 540 of upper rail 514a can also aid the
insulation
properties of the door. The flat front surface 540 includes an overlap 542
that
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overlaps a corresponding under surface 558 of the lower rail and, thereby,
provides a
tight seal at seam 550. The overlap seal configuration can provide protection
against
air and moisture seeping between the horizontal panels of the door and, thus,
provide
a weather-tight seal. The overlap seal configuration further prevents any
moisture
that may possibly seep behind the flat front surface 540 from penetrating
further. Any
such moisture would meet with under surface 558 of the lower rail and will not
be
able to penetrate to the inside of the door. The overlap seal configuration
also
encourages precipitation and other fluids contacting the exterior of the door
to move
downward past the seam without being able to enter it. In general, the overlap
seal
configuration acts as a barrier against wind, moisture and debris, to reduce
undesired
infiltration into the garage.
157] Additional advantages can be realized when a concealing apparatus, such
as meeting
rails 514, is used with a sectional door having aesthetic features, such as
fagade
elements or other elements that simulate the appearance of something other
than a
sectional door. For instance, the use of meeting rails 514 with an overhead
garage
door that incorporates French door fagade elements can enhance the fagade
elements
by concealing the seams 550 between adjacent sections. The seams created by
the
adjoining horizontal pieces can detract from the appearance of the door and
the
desired look created by the French door design. Concealing the horizontal
seams in
such an overhead garage door provides a uniform door appearance that is
consistent
with actual French doors and other types of vertically hinged doors.
[58] Fig. 19 depicts an altemate embodiment of the meeting rails 624a and 624b
for use
with a sectional door, such as garage door 510. Upper meeting rail 624a
includes an
additional lip 660 protruding downward. This lip 660 may be located on a
horizontal
portion of the rail adjacent. to the flat front surface 640 of upper guide
624a. An
additional lip 662 may be located on the upper guide 624a and may protrude
from the
vertical back portion of the upper guide 624a. This lip protrudes toward the
flat front
surface 640 and downward toward the lower meeting rail 624b. The additional
lips
660 and 662 may be formed in each of the meeting rails 624a and 624b during
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manufacture. For instance, the meeting rails 624a and 624b can be formed by an
extrusion process to include additional lips 660 and 662.
[59] Additional lips 660 and 662 can aid in installation of the meeting rails
624a and 624b.
The lips 660 and 662 can assist with aligning the meeting rails 624a and 624b
to
thereby simplify installation of adjacent sections to each other. In addition,
the lips
660 and 662 can aid with locking the meeting rails 624a and 624b together
while the
door is in a closed position. The lips 660 and 662 permit the upper meeting
rai1624a
to interconnect with corresponding recesses 663 and 665 of the lower meeting
rail
624b to enhance the security and structural integrity of the door when in the
closed
position.
[60] Figure 20 shows a concealing apparatus 710 according to another
embodiment of the
invention. As shown, concealing apparatus 710 generally includes an overlap
plate
770 attached to a lower portion of a door section 732, such that it overlaps
and
conceals a gap 774 formed between adjacent sections. Plate 770 may be attached
to
garage door section 732 by way of a fastener, e.g., screw, bolt, and the like.
The
overlap plate 770 may also have an overlapping portion 772 that can conceal a
seam
774 created between two adjoining horizontal sections 732 of the garage door
710.
The overlap plate 770 can act as a barrier against wind, moisture and debris
and will
also mask the seam 774 to improve the appearance of the door 710.
1611 Referring to FIG. 15 and FIGS. 21 through 24A-E, an alternative
embodiment of an
overhead garage door 510 is shown that illustrates various aspects pertaining
to
providing a pinch resistant function between the hingedly-connected sections.
Referring generally to FIG. 15, garage door 510 may include decorative fagade
elements, such as light-transmitting panels 512, which simulate two sets of
light-
transmitting doors commonly known as French doors. However, aspects of the
present invention pertaining to pinch resistant functions between the door
sections
may be practiced with other door configurations, which may or may not simulate
light-transmitting doors or include light-transmitting elements.
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[62] Referring to FIG. 15, overhead garage door 510 includes a door 522, four
arrays 524
of light-transmitting panels 526, end stiles 528 and 530 that form a top and
bottom
portion of door 522, guide rollers (not shown) and guide tracks (not shown).
Door
522 includes horizontal sections 532 arranged in a vertical stack, and hinges
534 (Fig.
18) pivotally connecting adjacent horizontal sections 532. When installed on a
building, guide rollers (not shown) attached to edge portions of the
horizontal sections
are retained in a guide track (not shown), which is attached to the garage.
The track
may have a vertical section and a horizontal section that generally form a
right angle
to guide the door from a vertical position to a horizontal position. The
garage door
opens and closes by rolling on the guide rollers along the guide tracks from a
vertical
closed position to an overhead horizontal open position, and vice versa, as is
known in
the art. Horizontal sections 532 are hingedly connected together to allow them
to
bend around the angled transition between the vertical section of guide track
and the
horizontal section of guide track.
[63] Figures 21-23 illustrate an alternative embodiment of the meeting rail
system 800 for
a garage door 510 (FIG. 15). The meeting rail system 800 is configured to
provide a
pinch resistant type of garage door to protect the detents of a user's limb,
such as a
finger of the user, from being engaged between the horizontal sections 532.
Meeting
rail system 800 comprises an upper rail 802 and a lower rail 804. The upper
rail 802
and lower rail 804 are provided between adjacent horizontal sections of the
door 510.
The upper rail 802 is mounted to the upper horizontal section to extend
laterally
across the width of the door 510. Likewise, the lower rail is mounted the
lower
section of the door. The upper rail 802 and the lower rail 804 are hingedly
connected
together to move in a complementary manner when the garage door sections 532
move on the guide track (not shown). In one construction shown in FIGS. 21 and
22,
the upper meeting rail 802 includes.a vertical leg.8Ø6 which has.a front
face 808.and a
rear face 810. The front face 808 is substantially planar, but could have
other surface
configurations. The rear face 810 includes a convex protrusion portion 812
disposed
near the distal end 814 of the vertical leg 806. The remainder of the rear
face 810 is
substantially planar, but could be other configurations. The vertical leg 806
is
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connected to an angular portion 807 which is mounted to the bottom end of the
door
section.
[64] Referring to FIGS. 21 and 23, the lower meeting rail 804 is provided with
an
upstanding portion 816 having a front face 817 with a compound arcuate surface
818.
The upstanding portion 816 is connected to an angular portion 815 which is
mounted
to the top end of the door section. The compound arcuate surface 818 includes
a
concave portion 820 having a complementary curvature to the curvature of the
convex
protrusion portion 812 for mating engagement with the vertical leg 806 of the
upper
rail 802. The remainder of the surface 818 has a convex curvature. The
curvature of
the arcuate surface 818 changes from the concave configuration of portion 820
to a
convex curvature at an inflection region 822. The inflection region 822 is
generally
located by measuring from the lower end 814 of the front face 817 to the upper
end
824 of the convex protrusion 812 of the upper meeting rail 802. In one
arrangement,
the radius of curvature RI of the concave portion 820 is smaller than the
radius
curvature R2 of the remainder of the arcuate surface 818. This general
arrangement
provides the benefit of safety for a pinch resistant operation of the garage
door. In
one configuration, radius of curvature Ri is 15 to 25 mm and is preferably 20
mm,
and radius of curvature R2 is 30 to 40 mm and is preferably 34 mm. More
preferably,
radius of curvature R2 is 34 mm as measured from the center of pivot pin 852.
Arrangements having these parameters can provide significant pinch resistant
functionality.
[65] Figures 24A-E illustrates at least one operational sequence of the
meeting rail system
acting as a pinch resistant or pinch proof apparatus. The upper rail 802 and
the lower
804 have an interlocking function. In the operational sequence, when the door
is
opened in a fashion as, a rollup of the garage door, the meeting rails 802,
804 separate
from each other by pivoting on the hinge. During the rotational motion of the
meeting
rails, the upper rail 802 with the vertical leg 806 moves in a curvilinear
manner to
generally follow the curvature of the upstanding leg of the lower meeting rail
804.
The separation distance is maintained to be sufficiently small between the
protrusion
16
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portion 812 and the arcuate surface 818. so that a finger of a person is
pushed
downward, rather than being pinched between the surface 818 and protrusion
portion
812.
[66] Similar to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 15-20, lower meeting rail 804
has a flange
846 that can be used to mount or otherwise retain a hinge 850 with pivot pin
852( see
FIGS. 21 and 23). The particular hinge mounting arrangement is shown in FIG.
21.
In one embodiment shown in FIG. 21, the pivot pin 852 is provided in a rear
position
with respect to garage door section. In another embodiment, the pivot pin 852
is
disposed in a recessed arrangement between the upper meeting rail 802 and the
lower
meeting rail 804. This recessed arrangement is provided by a structure of an
upper
rotation limiter 870 and lower rotation limiter 872, disposed on the upper
meeting rail
802 and lower meeting rail 804, respectively. Upper rotation limiter 870 and
lower
rotation limiter 872 define a rotation limiter system 874 that stops downward
rotation
of the upper meeting rail 802 with respect to the lower meeting rail 804.
(Counter-
clockwise rotation as shown in the FIGS. 21 and 24A-24E). Referring to FIGS.
21-23,
the upper rotation limiter 870 and lower rotation limiter 872 are planar and
angled
from the vertical. The distal end of the upper rotation limiter 870 includes a
protrusion portion 876 that becomes received in a corresponding shaped cavity
878 on
the distal end of the lower rotation limiter 872. This arrangement of the
protrusion
portion 876 and cavity 878 enables a stable and strong support when the
meeting rails
802, 804 are in a closed position. When in meeting rails are in a closed
position, the
protrusion-cavity arrangement, prevents lateral twisting of the door about a
longitudinal axis along the width of the door. In the embodiment shown in
FIGS. 21-
24E, the protrusion portion 827 has a triangular cross section and is prism-
shaped in
viewed in a three-dimensional space. This triangular configuration provides a
greater
sectional area to reduce. shearing loads and provides a.benefit to pr_event
lateral twist
as noted in the foregoing. Nevertheless, protrusion portion 827 can have other
shapes
and sizes. Further, in operation, as the protrusion portion 872 of upper
rotation limiter
870 enters the cavity 878 of the lower rotation limiter 872, the upper meeting
rail 802
becomes generally aligned with the lower meeting rail 804. It should be noted
that
17
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between 0.5 degrees to 2 degrees from vertical, the upper meeting rail 802
starts to
become generally aligned with the lower meeting rail 804 depending on the
height of
protrusion portion 872.
[67] Figure 24A shows at least two adjacent garage door sections in an open
position, such
as when the upper door section is on a curved section of a guide track. For
ease of
explanation, the sectional doors are not shown. Hence, FIG. 24A shows upper
meeting rail 802 pivoted about pivot pin 852 above lower meeting rail 804. As
seen
in FIGS. 24A-24E, the pivot pin 852 is provided in a rear position for
enabling the
upper meeting rail 802 to rotate so that the distance (d) between the convex
protrusion
812 and surface 818 is small. This small distance (d) provides safety feature
so that
finger of a user is pushed away, rather than pinched between door sections.
[681 Figure 24B illustrates the sectional doors in one downward closing
position with
upper rail approximately 30 degrees from the vertical. Figure 24C illustrates
the
sectional doors in a subsequent downward closing position with upper rail
approximately 25 degrees from the vertical. Figure 24D illustrates sectional
doors in
subsequent downward closing position with upper rail approximately 15 degrees
from
the vertical. Figure 24E illustrates sectional doors in another subsequent
downward
closing position with upper rail approximately 5 degrees from the vertical.
[69] While the meeting rails 802 and 804 provide a safety benefit to prevent
pinching of
user's finger, the vertical leg of upper rail 802 in combination with the
compound
arcuate surface 818 of meeting rail 802 aids in the insulation properties of
the door.
The concave portion 820 of surface 818 having a complementary curvature to the
curvature of the convex protrusion portion 812, engagements with the vertical
leg 806
of the upper rail 802 to a create a seaming arrangement to prevent air
infiltration. The
concave-convex configuration can provide protection against air and moisture
seeping
between the horizontal panels of the door and, thus, provides a substantially
weather-
tight seal. The concave-convex configuration further encourages precipitation
and
other fluids contacting the exterior of the door to move downward past the
interface
18
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for the two meeting rails when the garage door is closed. In general, the
overlap seal
configuration acts as a barrier against wind, moisture and debris, to reduce
undesired
infiltration into the garage. -
[70] Meeting rails 802 and 804 inay be made from various substantially rigid
materials,
such as aluminum, steel and rigid plastic materials. In one embodiment, the
rails are
made from aluminum, such as 6063T-3 aluminum. Rails made from aluminum can
be relatively lightweight while providing a robust hinge apparatus with
durable
mating surfaces, which can maintain its shape for many years through multiple
openings and closings of the door. The rails may be manufactured through
various
processes, such as by extruding aluminum or plastic, welding steel pieces
together,
machining metals, or thermoforming plastic materials. In addition, the meeting
rails
802 and 804 can be manufactured to appear as a material similar to that of the
rest of
the door and of the same color to match the exterior appearance of the door
510 (FIG.
15).
j71] Meeting rails 802 and 804 can be fastening a selected garage door section
via bolts or
other mechanical fasteners. This configuration is generally illustrated in
FIG. 17.
Nevertheless, other meeting rails 802 and 804 could be bonded or otherwise
attached
of the ends of the garage door.
[721 Referring to FIG. 15 and FIGS. 25 through 28A-G, an alternative
embodiment of an
overhead garage door 510 is shown that illustrates various aspects pertaining
to
providing another arrangement of a pinch resistant function between the
hingedly-
connected sections. Referring generally to FIG. 15, garage door 510 may
include
decorative fagade elements, such as light-transmitting panels 512, which
simulate two
sets of light-transmitting doors commonly known as French doors. However,
aspects
of the present invention pertaining to pinch resistant functions between the
door
sections may be practiced with other door configurations, which may or may not
simulate light-transmitting doors or include light-transmitting elements.
19
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[73] Referring to FIG. 15, overhead garage door 510 includes a door 522, four
arrays 524
of light-transmitting panels 526, end stiles 528 and 530 that form a top and
bottom
portion of door 522, guide rollers (not shown) and guide tracks (not shown).
Door
522 includes horizontal sections 532 arranged in a vertical stack, and hinges
534 (Fig.
18) pivotally connecting adjacent horizontal sections 532. When installed on a
building, guide rollers (not shown) attached to edge portions of the
horizontal sections
are retained in a guide track (not shown), which is attached to the garage.
The track
may have a vertical section and a horizontal section that generally form a
right angle
to guide the door from a vertical position to a horizontal position. The
garage door
opens and closes by rolling on the guide rollers along the guide tracks from a
vertical
closed position to an overhead horizontal open position, and vice versa, as is
known in
the art. Horizontal sections 532 are hingedly connected together to allow them
to
bend around the angled transition between the vertical section of guide track
and the
horizontal section of guide track.
[741 Figures 25-27 illustrate another arrangement of the meeting rail system
900 for a
garage door 510 (FIG. 15). The meeting rail system 900 is configured to
provide an
alternate arrangement for pinch resistant type of garage door to protect the
detents of a
user's limb, such as a finger of the user, from being engaged between the
horizontal
sections 532. Meeting rail system 900 comprises an upper rail 902 and a lower
rail
904. The upper rail 902 and lower rail 904 are provided between adjacent
horizontal
sections of the door 510. The upper rail 902 is mounted to the upper
horizontal section
to extend laterally across the width of the door 510. Likewise, the lower rail
is
mounted the lower section of the door. The upper rail 902 and the lower rail
904 are
hingely connected together to move in a complementary manner when the garage
door sections 532 move on the guide track (not shown). In one construction
shown
in FIGS. 25and 26,the upper meeting rail 902 includes a ver.tical leg 906
which has a
front face 908 and a rear face 910. The front face 908 is substantially
planar, but
could have other surface configurations. The rear face 910 is substantially
planar in
the upper portion and includes a convex protrusion 912 disposed near the
distal end
914 of the vertical leg 906. Although the upper portion of the rear face 910
is
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substantially planar, it could be other configurations. The vertical leg 906
is
connected to an angular portion 907 which is mounted to the bottom end of the
door
section.
[75] Referring to FIGS. 25 and 27, the lower meeting rail 904 is provided with
an
upstanding portion 916 having a front face 917 with a compound arcuate surface
918.
The upstanding portion 916 is connected to an angular portion which is mounted
to
the top end of the door section. The compound arcuate surface 918 includes a
concave
portion 920 having a complementary curvature to the curvature of the convex
protrusion portion 912 for mating engagement with the vertical leg 906 of the
upper
rail 902. The remainder of the surface 918 has a convex curvature. The
curvature of
the arcuate surface 918 changes from the concave configuration of portion 920
to a
convex curvature at an inflection region 922. The inflection region 922 is
generally
located by measuring from the lower end 924 of the front face 917 to the upper
end
924 of the convex protrusion 912 of the upper meeting rail 902. In one
arrangement,
the radius of curvature RIO of the concave portion 920 is smaller than the
radius
curvature R12 of the remainder of the arcuate surface 918. In another
arrangement,
the radius of curvature R10 is substantially smaller than the radius of
curvature R12.
This general arrangement provides the benefit of safety for a pinch resistant
operation
of the garage door. In one configuration, radius of curvature RIO is 5 to 10
mm and is
preferably 7 mm, and radius of curvature R12 is 15 to 25 mm and is preferably
22
mm. Arrangements having these parameters can provide significant pinch
resistant
functionality.
[76] The concave portion 920 of the lower meeting rail 904 includes a
protruding tail 930
at the proximal end. The convex protrusion 912 of the upper meeting rail 902
is
arranged such that, when the meeting rail system is in a closed position, that
is, when
the concave portion 920 and convex protrusion 912 are aligned, the protruding
tail
930 substantially covers the distal tip 914 of the vertical leg 906. For
instance, the
protruding tail 930 extends beyond the seam 932 between the concave portion
920
and the convex protrusion 912 to act as a barrier to access to the seam 932.
Such an
21
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arrangement can aid in preventing a user's fingers from being pinched within
the
meeting rails by limiting access to the seam where a user's fingers could
become
lodged or pinched in a conventional system.
[77j Figures 28A-G illustrate at least one operational sequence of the meeting
rail systeln
acting as a pinch resistant or pinch proof apparatus. The upper rail 902 and
the lower
rail 904 have an interlocking function. In the operational sequence, when the
door is
opened in a fashion as a rollup of the garage door, the meeting rails 902, 904
separate
from each other by pivoting on the hinge.. During the rotational motion of the
meeting
rails, the upper rail 902 with the vertical leg 906 moves in a curvilinear
manner to
generally follow the curvature of the upstanding leg of the lower meeting rail
904.
The separation distance between the front face of the arcuate surface 918 and
the rear
face of the vertical leg 906 of the upper rail 902 is generally sufficiently
small that an
object, such as the finger of a user, can not fit between the two parts.
Further, the
arrangement of the convex protrusion 912 and the concave portion 920 allows an
object, such as the finger of a user, to be pushed down, rather than becoming
lodged,
as the upper rail 902 closes on the lower rail 904. The protruding tail 930
further aids
in forcing a user's finger downward and away from the meeting rails so that it
will not
be caught between the two rails 902, 904.
[78] Similar to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 15-20, lower meeting rail 904
has a flange
946 that can be used to mount or otherwise retain a hinge (top and bottom
hinge plates
shown as 940 and 942 respectively in Fig. 25). The particular hinge
arrangement may
be similar to the arrangement discussed above. In the arrangement shown in
Fig. 25,
a pivot pin 952 works in conjunction with the hinge and is disposed in a
recessed
arrangement between the upper meeting rail 902 and the lower meeting rail 904.
This
recessed arrangement is provided by a structure of an upper rotation limiter
970 and
lower rotation limiter 972 disposed on the upper meeting rail 902 and lower
meeting
rail 904, respectively. Upper rotation limiter 970 and lower rotation limiter
972 define
a rotation limiter system 974 that stops downward rotation of the upper
meeting rail
902 with respect to the lower meeting rail 904. (Counter-clockwise rotation as
shown
22
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in the FIGS. 25 and 28A-28G). As discussed below, the upper rotation limiter
970
also aids in providing a maximum upward rotation for the upper meeting rail
902.
(Clockwise rotation shown in Figs. 25 and 28A-G). Referring to FIGS. 25-27,
the
upper rotation limiter 970 and lower rotation limiter 972 are planar and
angled from
the vertical. The distal end of the upper rotation limiter 970 includes a
protrusion
portion 976 that is received in a corresponding shaped cavity 978 on the
distal end of
the lower rotation limiter 972. This arrangement of the protrusion portion 976
and
cavity 978 enables a stable and strong support when the meeting rails 902, 904
are in
a closed position. When the meeting rails are in a closed position, the
protrusion-
cavity arrangement prevents lateral twisting of the door about a longitudinal
axis
along the width of the door. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 25-28G, the
protrusion portion 976 has a triangular cross section and is prism-shaped when
viewed
in a three-dimensional space. This triangular configuration provides a greater
sectional area to reduce shearing loads and provides a benefit to prevent
lateral twist
as noted in the foregoing. Nevertheless, protrusion portion 976 can have other
shapes
and sizes. Further, in operation, as the protrusion portion 976 of upper
rotation
limiter 970 enters the cavity 978 of the lower rotation limiter 972, the upper
meeting
rail 902 becomes generally aligned with the lower meeting rail 904. It should
be
noted that, in one configuration, between 0.5 degrees to 2 degrees from
vertical, the
upper meeting rail 902 starts to become generally aligned with the lower
meeting rail
904 depending on the height of protrusion portion 972.
[79] With further reference to Fig. 25, the pivot pin 952 is shown within a
relatively
enclosed area formed by the upper rotation limiter 970, lower rotation limiter
972 and
flange 946. As shown in Figs. 28A through 28G, as a garage door opens, the
upper
meeting rail 902 will rotate clockwise around the pivot pin 952. Such rotation
can be
limited by the arrangement of the pivot pin 952 and the relatively limited
space
between the upper rotation limiter 970 and lower rotation limiter 972. As
shown in
Fig. 28A, the upper rotation limiter 970 may only move so far before the top
plate of
the hinge 940 comes in contact with the bottom plate 942 of the hinge. This
contact
can prevent the upper meeting rail 902 from rotating beyond a certain point.
For
23
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instance, in one illustrative arrangement, the upper meeting rail may rotate
to a
maximum open position between 55 and 60 from horizontal. In another
arrangement, the upper meeting rail may rotate to a maximum open position of
57
from horizontal. This position, shown in Fig. 28A, ensures relatively limited
space
(shown as gap Y) between the convex protrusion 912 of the upper meeting rail
leg
906 and the distal end 915 of upstanding portion 916 of the lower meeting rail
904.
The relatively small gap Y between these two parts fiirther aids in providing
a pinch-
proof mechanism by providing a gap that is, generally speaking, too small for
the
finger of a user to fit into. In other arrangements, the maximum open position
may
prevent any gap from occurring between the convex protrusion 912 of the upper
meeting rail leg 906 and the distal end 915 of upstanding portion 916 of the
lower
meeting rail 904. In further arrangements, the hinge plates may not be
configured to
act as rotation limiters and the maximum opening may be limited in other ways,
such
as by the bend radius of the garage door as it moves between horizontal and
vertical
positions.
[80] Figure 28A shows at least two adjacent garage door sections in an open
position. For
ease of explanation, the sectional doors are not shown. Hence, Fig. 28A shows
upper
meeting rail 902 pivoted about pivot pin 952 above lower meeting rail 904. As
shown
in Figs. 28A-28G, the pivot pin 952 is provided in a rear position for
enabling the
upper meeting rail 902 to rotate so that the gap Y (Fig. 28A) between the
convex
protrusion 912 and the distal end of the upstanding portion 916 of the lower
meeting
rail 904 is small. The gap Y may be sufficiently small to prevent an object,
such as
the finger of a user to become lodged or pinched between the upper meeting
rail 902
and the lower meeting rail 904. As also shown in Figs. 28A-280, should a
user's
finger come in contact with the upstanding portion 916 of the lower meeting
rail 904
during operation of the garage door, the shape of the convex protrusion 912
may
prevent the finger from becoming pinched as the meeting rails rotate to a
closed
position and will encourage the finger downward and away from the meeting rail
system.
24
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[81] Figure 24B illustrates the sectional doors in one downward closing
position with
upper rail approximately 50 from horizontal. As shown, the gap Y (Fig. 28A)
is
generally closed to prevent an object from being pinched between the upper and
lower
rails. Figure 24C illustrates the sectional doors in a subsequent downward
closing
position with upper rail approximately 40 from horizontal. Figure 24D
illustrates
sectional doors in a subsequent downward closing position with upper rail
approxiinately 30 from horizoiital. Figure 24E illustrates sectional doors in
another
subsequent downward closing position with upper rail approximately 20 from
horizontal. Figure 24F illustrates sectional doors in yet another subsequent
downward
closing position with the upper rail approximately 100 from horizontal, Figure
24G
illustrates sectional doors in a substantially closed position with the upper
rail
approximately 0 from horizontal.
[82] As shown in the sequence of Figs. 28A-28G, the shape and rotation of the
meeting
rails may prevent pinching between the meeting rails and may force an object
downward and away from the meeting rail system as the sectional doors are
closing.
The tail protrusion further aids in forcing any object in contact with the
upstanding
portion 916 of the lower meeting rail 904 away from the meeting rail system.
[831 While the meeting rails 902 and 904 provide a safety benefit to prevent
pinching of
user's finger, the vertical leg of upper rail 902 in combination with the
compound
arcuate surface 918 of meeting rail 902 aids in the insulation properties of
the door.
The concave portion 920 of surface 918 having a complementary curvature to the
curvature of the convex protrusion portion 912, engagements with the vertical
leg 906
of the upper rail 902 to a create a seaming arrangement to prevent air
infiltration. The
concave-convex configuration can provide protection against air and moisture
seeping
between the horizontal panels of the door and, thus, provides a substantially
weather-
tight seal. The concave-convex configuration further encourages precipitation
and
other fluids contacting the exterior of the door to move downward past the
interface
for the two meeting rails when the garage door is closed. In general, the
overlap seal
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configuration acts as a barrier against wind, moisture and debris, to reduce
undesired
infiltration into the garage.
[841 Meeting rails 902 and 904 may be made from various substantially rigid
materials,
such as aluminum, steel and rigid plastic materials. In one embodiment, the
rails are
made from aluminum, such- as 6063T-3 aluminum. Rails made from aluminum can
be relatively liglitweight while providing a robust hinge apparatus with
durable
mating surfaces, which can maintain its shape for many years through multiple
openings and closings of the door. The rails may be manufactured through
various'
processes, such as by extruding aluminum or plastic, welding steel pieces
together,
machining metals, or thermoforming plastic materials. In addition, the meeting
rails
802 and 804 can be manufactured to appear as a material similar to that of the
rest of
the door and of the same color to match the exterior appearance of the door
510 (FIG.
15).
[851 Meeting rails 902 and 904 can be fastening a selected garage door section
via bolts or
other mechanical fasteners. This configuration is generally illustrated in
FIG. 17.
Nevertheless, other meeting rails 902 and 904 could be bonded or otherwise
attached
of the ends of the garage door.
[86] Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to
structural
features, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the
appended claims
is not necessarily limited to the specific features described above. Rather,
the specific
features described above are disclosed as example forms for implementing the
claims.
Further, it is appreciated that aspects of the invention discussed herein may
be
practiced alone or in combination with other aspects, and they may be
practiced in a
variety of door configurations.
26
