Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02934394 2016-06-27
ROLL UP DOOR ASSEMBLY
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of US Provisional Application
No.
62/185,177 filed on June 26, 2015.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
[0002] NONE.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0003] This invention relates generally to roll up doors for use in
opening and closing
for example a factory loading bay door. Even more particularly the present
invention relates
to rubber roll up doors and in particular; rubber roll up doors that can
withstand a large impact
without damage to the door or the tracks in which the door is guided.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Roll up doors are commonly used in commercial buildings to allow
entry
ways, such as loading bays, to be opened and closed. Typical roll up doors are
made of
aluminum. However, rubber roll up doors are now replacing aluminum doors. One
of the
main reasons for this is that rubber doors can withstand inadvertent impacts
better than
aluminum doors.
[0005] At a minimum, aluminum doors when impacted will have an unsightly
dent
and worst case be destroyed requiring a complete reinstallation of not only
the door but the
door tracks as well as possibly the surrounding building structure. Due to the
environment in
which rollup doors are typically used, there is a high likelihood of
repetitive inadvertent
impacts with the doors. For example, fork lift drivers or truck drivers, etc.
can inadvertently
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impact a door. One problem with inadvertent impacts to aluminum doors is the
resultant
unsightly appearance of the door. But more problematic is the impact which
results in the
door being inoperable. If an aluminum door is impacted and its locks or guide
wheels are
dislodged from the guiding tracks, it is a very difficult task to straighten
the door and reinsert
the guide wheels in the guide track. In some instances, the door cannot be
reinserted into the
tracks and a new door has to be purchased and installed. Even more problematic
is when the
impact results in the tracks being bent or even pulled out of the supporting
structure. This
requires not only the replacement of the door, but also the tracks and even in
some instances
the repair of the building structure. This can result in considerable costs
and downtime.
[0006] United States patent number 7,516,770 discloses a rubber door
assembly that
allows the rubber door to release from guide tracks and then be reinserted
into the guide
tracks after it is released. Rubber doors are not affected by smaller impacts
since the rubber is
flexible and does not dent like an aluminum door. Additionally, with larger
impacts, the
rubber door can flex and absorb a fair amount of the impact. Still further, if
the impact is
severe enough, the rubber door of the '770 patent is stated to be capable of
release from the
tracks to avoid damage to the tracks or the building structure.
[0007] The door assembly of the '770 patent has specially designed guides
which are
received within specially designed extruded aluminum tracks. The disclosure
states that the
tracks are flexible and are able to open or expand outwardly to allow the
guides to be
released. It is further disclosed that the guides can be reinserted into the
extruded aluminum
tracks if they are inadvertently released. The' 770 patent further discloses
that the guides
have a generally concave head which mates with a generally convex surface in
the aluminum
tracks.
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[0008] One
of the problems with the door assembly of the '770 patent is the cost to
manufacture the specially designed tracks and the additional cost in
installing the tracks in a
rollup door assembly. Still further, even though the aluminum tracks of the
'770 patent are
disclosed as being flexible and able to open to release the door guides,
aluminum has a
tendency to crack or break when it is plastically deformed, that is when the
stress on the
aluminum surpasses its yield point. With a large impact, the aluminum tracks
could surpass
their yield point and crack or break requiring replacement.
[0009] It
is desirable to provide a rubber rollup door having all the benefits of rubber
over aluminum, but still be relatively inexpensive to manufacture and install
and have a
superior release system that does not require replacement as a result of
impacts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[00010] In
general terms, the present invention provides a low cost highly dependable
roll up door assembly that resists impacts and allows for quick and easy
reinsertion of the
door into the guide tracks if the door is removed from the tracks.
1000111 The
door of the present invention can be released from the tracks and
reinserted into the tracks without damage. In most instances, the door can be
reinserted into
the tracks by raising the door and re-inserting the locks into the track and
then lowering the
door.
[00012] The
door assembly is low cost. The tracks are made of relatively inexpensive
metal c-shaped channels, such as steel, that are connected together to from
the track. One
edge of each channel is spaced from an adjacent edge of the other channel to
form the
longitudinal opening which receives the rubber door. In one embodiment, the
edges of the
metal track which define the opening are covered by plastic guide rails that
can easily snap off
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in the event the door is impacted to release the locks from the track. The
guide rails can then
be snapped back on the edges to reset the door.
1000131 In another embodiment, the opposed edges of the c shaped channels
are bent
inwardly to form a generally u-shaped guide rail that retains the locks within
the track but
allows the locks to be released upon impact. This further embodiment is much
less expensive
to manufacture than the extruded aluminum tracks of the '770 patent and is
much less
susceptible to breakage.
1000141 The roll up rubber door assembly of the present invention includes
a rubber
door having a front face and rear face and longitudinally extending opposed
sides. Opposed
tracks are mounted vertically at a spaced distance from each other, with each
of the tracks
having an elongated body portion defining an interior cavity and a vertically
extending
opening. The tracks have opposed edges that define the opening.
1000151 In one embodiment of the invention, a guide rail is snapped over
each
respective one of the edges of the track. The guide rail is generally square
in cross-section
and has an elongated slot that snaps over the edge.
1000161 In a further embodiment, the opposed edges are generally u-shaped
in cross
section to form generally smooth opposing faces. These faces act as cam
surfaces to allow the
locks to cam out of the track in the event of impact with the door.
1000171 Locks are mounted along the opposed sides of the rubber door and
each lock
has a head portion and a base portion. The base portion of each of the locks
is attached to one
of the opposed sides of the rubber door. The locks are operatively mounted
within the tracks,
with the head portion of lock being positioned within the cavity with the head
portion and the
body portion engaging the guide rails.
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1000181 In this way, the locks are adapted to release from the tracks in
the event of
impact with the rubber door. The locks are adapted to pull through the edges
without damage
to the tracks.
[00019] The tracks of the present invention include two generally c-shaped
channels
with each having first and second flanges. The first flanges of each channel
are joined and the
second flanges are spaced from one another to define the opening.
1000201 The head portion of one of the embodiments of the locks of the
present
invention protrudes from a base and has five exposed surfaces, one of the
surfaces extends
generally parallel to the base and the remaining four surfaces extending at
generally right
angles to the base.
[00021] In another embodiment, head portion of the locks includes a sixth
exposed
surface extending at an acute angle between the surface extending generally
parallel to the
base and one of the four remaining surfaces, the sixth exposed surface
creating a cam surface
to facilitate release of the lock from the track.
[00022] These and other features and advantages of this invention will
become more
apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description of a
preferred embodiment.
The drawings that accompany the detailed description are described below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[00023] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the roll up door of the present
invention.
1000241 Figure 2, is a front view of the roll up door of the present
invention.
1000251 Figure 3 is a perspective view of the motor and shaft for opening
and closing
the roll up door of the present invention.
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[00026]
Figure 4 is a cutaway view of the first embodiment of the track and lock of
the
present invention.
[00027]
Figure 5 is a cutaway view of the second embodiment of the track and lock of
the present invention.
[00028]
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the lock of the
present invention connected to a door.
[000291
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the lock of the
present invention.
[00030]
Figure 8 is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the lock of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[00031]
Figure 1 generally illustrates the roll up door assembly 10 of the present
invention. As illustrated, an opening 11 has sidewalls 15 with each sidewall
having a door
track assembly 12 mounted to it. A flexible door 17 is operatively mounted
within the
opposed door track assemblies 12 and can open and close the opening 11 by
moving up and
down the side track assemblies 12. The flexible doors 17 of the disclosed
invention arc
typically made of rubber.
1000321
The flexible door 17 is wound and unwound upon a shaft 19 to open
and close the door. The shaft 19 is either rotated by a motor and gear
assembly 21 which can
be a chain drive as illustrated or a direct drill assembly or by hand through
the use of for
example a pull chain. A bottom section or bar 25 is typically mounted to the
bottom of the
door 17 to assist in unwinding it. The bottom section 25 is relatively heavy
when compared
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to the door 17 to assist in closing the door 17 and holding the door in the
closed position. In
the same example shown, the bottom bar 25 is a one piece extruded aluminum
bar, but could
also be several pieces of metal, aluminum etc.
1000331 One example of the door track 12 is illustrated in figure 4.
The track 12
has two c-shaped channels 18 and 20 joined at abutting flanges 22 to define an
opening 26
between the spaced flanges 27. In this embodiment, the flanges 22 are joined
by a bolt 25.
1000341 The flexible door 17 is released from the track 12 if it is
inadvertently
hit by something, like a vehicle. The door 17 releases from the track 12 to
avoid damage to
the door 17, track 12 or the building to which the track 12 is attached. To
allow release, the
door 17 has a series of locks 30 attached along the edge of the door 17. The
locks 30 engage
the track 12 and guide the door 17 up and down the track 12. If the door 17 is
hit, the locks
30 snap out of the track 12. Once out, the locks 30 can be reinserted into the
track 12. For
example, reinsertion can be done manually, or by raising the door 17 to the
top and then
lowering it to reinsert the locks 30 into the track 12.
1000351 In order to allow efficient quick release without damage to
the door 17
or the track 12, the shape of the lock 30 is important. A large impact against
the door will
force the door away from the opening 11 and pull one or more of the locks 30
from the track.
In this way, the track and locks 30 are not damaged.
1000361 Guide strips or rails 32 facilitate release of the locks and
smoother
consistent operation of the door 17. As shown, the disclosed rails 32 are
generally square in
profile and have a slot 34 that is snapped over the facing edges 35 of the
track 12. In this
embodiment, the track 12 is made of steel. With the use of rails 32, if the
doors 17 are
impacted, the rails 32 can release from the tracks 12 facilitating release of
the locks 30.
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1000371 As
disclosed, the locks 30 and rails 32 are made of plastic. The shape of the
locks 30 ensure engagement of the locks 30 with the rails 32 and no engagement
between the
door 17 and the track 12 reducing wear upon the door 17 that would normally
result from
engagement of the door or locks with the metal track 12.
1000381 In
figure 5, a further example of a track 62 is illustrated. In this
embodiment, the opening 64 is formed by bending the edges of the opening into
a generally u-
shaped configuration to create a smooth sided reduced opening for retaining
the locks 30
within the track 62. In this embodiment, the track 62 is preferably made of
thin steel or other
relatively flexible metal to allow the track 62 to flex in the event the door
17 is impacted. The
opening includes an angled wall 65 that acts as a cam surface to allow release
of the locks 30
in the event of impact.
1000391 In
figures 6 and 7, a first embodiment of the lock 30 is illustrated. The
lock 30 has a base 34 with holes for receipt of fasteners 36 to fasten the
lock 30 to the door
17. The lock 30 also includes a head portion 38. In this embodiment, the head
portion 38 is a
parallelepiped having sides 40, 42, 44, 46, 48 and 50. The generally square
shape of head 38
provides strong retention of the head 38 within track 12. With the head 38
sized for the track
12 and guide 24, the optimal amount of tension and release upon impact can be
obtained.
1000401 In
figure 8, a second embodiment of the lock 30 is illustrated having a
six-sided. In this embodiment, there are sides 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, and 62. As
illustrated, side
60 is angled with respect to sides 58 and 62. The angled side 60 facilitates
the release of the
lock 30 upon impact of the door 17. The side 60 acts as a cam surface to
normally hold the
door 17 in the track 12, but allow easy release of the door 17 upon impact. It
should be
appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that either lock will work
with either track of the
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present invention.
1000411 In
a still further embodiment of the present invention, the door 17 is
preferably made from a single piece of rubber. Rubber doors are commonly used,
but they
are formed from at least two and sometimes several pieces of rubber. The edges
of the pieces
of rubber are cut at an angle and then the two angled edges are glued
together. This is a very
time consuming process and relatively expensive process. To save time, money
and to
eliminate any issues with the glued edges, one option for the present
invention is to use a
single piece of rubber cut to the proper size of the opening without any glued
seams.
1000421 The
foregoing invention has been described in accordance with the relevant
legal standards, thus the description is exemplary rather than limiting in
nature. Variations
and modifications to the disclosed embodiment may become apparent to those
skilled in the
art and do come within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of
legal protection
afforded this invention can only be determined by studying the following
claims.
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