Angled door roller

• US 5,566,918 A
• Filed: 07/18/1994
• Issued: 10/22/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dometic LLC
• Original Assignee: Dometic LLC
• Inventors: Becker, Kent
• Primary Examiner(s): Braun, Leslie
• Assistant Examiner(s): King, Anita M.
• Application Number:
  US08/276,530
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 248/351, 248/251, 160/65, 160/67, 160/72, 160/66, 160/45, 135/88.1, 135/88.11, 135/88.12, 296/163, 296/156, 296/152, 52/74
• US Class Current: 248/351
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/343 Hoods for caravans
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 10/0614 whereby the pivot axis of the articulation is parallel to the roller

Abstract

A roller assembly is provided for mounting on a vehicle having a door and an awning mounted adjacent the door. The door has a generally-rectangularly shaped face and edging along edges of the face. The roller assembly comprises a roller and a bracket having a mounting portion with a substantially planar surface for abutting the face of the door and a supporting portion for rotatably supporting the roller angularly intersecting the mounting portion. The bracket is adapted for positioning the axis of rotation of the roller generally horizontal and above the edging near a top corner of the door. The supporting portion is adapted to position the axis of rotation of the roller to intersect an axis of rotation of the door.

Claims

1. A door assembly for hingedly mounting on a recreational vehicle and below a canopy, said door assembly comprising a generally-rectangularly shaped body, edging strips along edges of said body, and a roller assembly having a roller and a bracket, said bracket having a mounting portion mounted to said body and a supporting portion rotatably supporting said roller and connected to said mounting portion, wherein said bracket positions said roller substantially above said edging strips near a top corner of said door assembly, whereby said roller assembly is adapted to support the canopy when said door assembly is opened to prevent interference between the door assembly and the canopy.

2. The door assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said bracket is adapted to generally horizontally position an axis of rotation of said roller above said edging strips.

3. The door assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said mounting portion angularly intersects said supporting portion to position at least a portion of said roller laterally outward a side of said body.

4. The door assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said mounting portion is laterally offset from said supporting portion to position at least a portion of said roller laterally outward a side of said body.

5. The door assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the supporting portion is adapted to position an axis of rotation of said roller to intersect an axis of rotation of said door assembly.

6. The door assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said bracket is adapted to position at least a portion of said roller laterally outward a side of said body.

7. A recreational vehicle comprising a door having a generally rectangularly-shaped face and edging outwardly extending along edges of said face, a retractable awning mounted adjacent said door, and a roller assembly having a roller and a bracket, said bracket having a mounting portion fixed to said face of said door and a supporting portion connected to said mounting portion and rotatably supporting said roller substantially above said edging at a top edge of said door to support the awning to clear the door.

8. The recreational vehicle as set forth in claim 7, wherein an axis of rotation of said roller is generally horizontal and above said edging at said top edge of said door.

9. The recreational vehicle as set forth in claim 7, wherein said mounting portion angularly intersects said supporting portion to position at least a portion of said roller laterally outward a side of said face.

10. The recreational vehicle as set forth in claim 7, wherein said mounting portion is laterally offset from said supporting portion to position at least a portion of said roller laterally outward a side of said face.

11. The recreational as set forth in claim 7, wherein an axis of rotation of said roller intersects an axis of rotation of said door.

12. The recreational vehicle as set forth in claim 7, wherein said bracket is adapted to position at least a portion of said roller laterally outward a side of said face.