SEALED GARAGE DOOR JOINT WITH THERMAL BREAK

• US 20020112444A1
• Filed: 02/16/2001
• Published: 08/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Francis Lacasse
• Original Assignee: Francis Lacasse
• Inventors: Lacasse, Francis
• Granted Patent: US 6,568,149 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/784.13
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 3/485 Sectional doors

Abstract

A joining strip is provided by which sheet metal may be formed into a hollow tubular panel. The joining strip provides a seam between panel edges that acts as a thermal break between inner and outer faces of the panel. The joining strip may also carry a resilient tubular cushion which extends into the joint between the side ends of two panels that are connected by a hinge. This cushion contributes to providing an air seal within the joint between the two panels. Applications include roll-up garage doors and roll-away, articulated walls.

Claims

1. A flexible joining strip for joining two sheeting edges, said strip being provided with two parallel slots to receive such edges, said strip having a central web separating the two slots to provide the joining strip with a partially “

M”

shape in cross-section, the central web extending below the base of the “

M”

to terminate in a cross-sectionally inverted “

T”

-shaped flange with outwardly extending lateral portions, the respective lateral portions of the flange extending across the direct, aligned path of entry into the respective slots to block direct removal from said slot of an edge fitted into said slot, the lateral portions of the flange on the central web being displaced sufficientlcy below the base of the “

M”

to provide an access path for said edges to extend into the respective slots.

2. A strip as in claim 1 wherein the material of the joining strip has a thermal conductivity which is less than that of a metal.

3. The strip of claim 1 in combination with a panel having two inner and outer panel portions of sheet material, each panel portion respectively having a longitudinal edge extending along at least one end boundary of such panel wherein said longitudinal panel portion edges are coupled together by being respectively inserted into said respective slots to provide a seam between said panel portions.

4. A strip as in claim 1 in combination with a single sheet of metal having two longitudinal edges and bent to provide both the inner and the outer faces of a panel wherein the longitudinal edges are joined by the joining strip along a seam to provide an inner enclosed volume.

5. The strip of claim 3 wherein said panel portions are separate panel portions, each panel portion having longitudinal edges extending along both top and bottom end boundaries of the panel, and wherein the longitudinal edges at the top and bottom end boundaries of the panel are joined respectively by a joining strip.

6. A strip as in claim 1 comprising a sealing member extending along the outer face of the flange, remote from the central web.

7. A strip as in claim 6 wherein said sealing member comprises a hollow, flexible tubular cylinder which can be compressed into a flattened condition adjacent to the flange.

8. A strip as in claim 7 wherein the sealing member is made of a resilient material.

9. A strip as in claim 1 in combination with adjacent panels forming an articulated door or wall, said panels being joined by hinge means each with a hinge axis, said panels each comprising sheet panel-portions bent to provide at least one set of adjoining longitudinal edges for such panel wherein said edges are held together by insertion of the edges into the slots in said joining strip to form a seam.

10. A strip as in claim 9 wherein the panels each comprise two panel portions, each panel portion comprising two longitudinal edges, wherein said edges are joined in pairs with said joining strips to form seams along respective longitudinal ends of each panel and to define an inner enclosed volume.

11. A strip as in claim 9 wherein said panels comprise two opposed longitudinal ends one of which longitudinal ends is shaped to be generally convex, while the other longitudinal end is generally concave to provide a close but not obstructing fit between the respective ends when one panel is rotated about the hinge axis with respect to the other panel.

12. A strip as in claim 11 wherein a portion of the joining strip along the seam formed on the convex end of one panel brushes against the inner surface of the concave end of the other panel when one panel is rotated about the hinge axis with respect to the other panel.

13. A strip as in claim 10 wherein each said joining strip each bears against another joint strip when the panels are flattened out into a planar orientation with respect to each other.

14. A strip as in claim 9 comprising a joining strip which carries a sealing member that bears against the longitudinal end of an adjacent panel when the panels are flattened out into a planar orientation with respect to each other.

15. A strip as in claim 9 wherein each panel has two longitudinal ends and further comprising a sealing member mounted along the flange of a joining strip lying along the seam on the longitudinal end of one of the two adjacent hinged panels, said sealing member being positioned to bear against the end of the adjacent panel when the panels are flattened out into a planar orientation with respect to each other.

16. A strip as in claim 10 wherein said joining strips each carrying a sealing member that respectively bears against an adjacent sealing member when the panels are flattened out into a planar orientation with respect to each other.

17. A strip as in claim 11 wherein the hinge axis is located proximate to one corner of the abutting ends of adjacent panels and portions of the longitudinal ends of the hinged panels rotating about such axis are concentrically curved about such axis to minimize the gap formed when adjacent panels are bent out of planar alignment with each other.

18. A strip as in claim 17 wherein the panel ends remote from the hinge axis have an inflection zone whereat such ends meet when the panels are flattened out into a planar orientation with respect to each other.