Power operated garage door

• US 5,572,829 A
• Filed: 06/29/1995
• Issued: 11/12/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LKKG Corporation
• Original Assignee: LKKG Corporation
• Inventors: Stoltenberg, Donald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Green, Brian K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cohen, Curtis A.
• Application Number:
  US08/498,244
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 49/197, 49/199, 49/200, 49/352, 160/201, 160/188, 160/191
• US Class Current: 49/200
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 15/165 Details, e.g. sliding or rolling guides E05D15/18 - E05D15/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 15/38 for upwardly-moving wings, e.g. up-and-over doors
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/686 by cables or ropes
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/406 for additional wing movements only
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/412 for the final closing movement
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/41 for multiple motors
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/106 for garages

Abstract

A power operated garage door of the type having a single section movable from a vertical closed position to a horizontal open position at the ceiling of the garage by cables which pull the door open and closed and are secured to the door by extensions of the journal bearings for pivotally supporting the lower edge of the door.

Claims

1. In a power operated garage door of a type having a one piece door supported for movement between a vertical closed position and a horizontal open position by a pair of vertical guide tracks and a pair of horizontal guide tracks with a pair of guides on the door engaging the vertical guide tracks and a pair of guides engaging the horizontal guide tracks and including power driven flexible cables connected to the door for drawing the door upwardly and downwardly between said open and closed positions, the combination comprising:

a one piece rectangular door having top and bottom edges and side edges and having a pair of guide and drive assemblies mounted on the bottom edge of the door which is a lower-most portion when the door is positioned in a vertical closed position in a garage opening, said door having an inside surface and an outside surface disposed vertically when said door is in the closed position,

each said drive and guide assembly including;

(a) a guide appendage projecting laterally of said side edges for engagement with vertically extending guide tracks, (b) a cylindrical journal bearing which supports said guide appendage for rotation about a horizontal axis and (c) a mounting plate which is mounted on the bottom edge of said door and which supports said journal bearing below the bottom edge of said door and offset forwardly from said inside surface toward the outside surface on the bottom edge of said door,

a jack shaft extending horizontally above said door in the closed position and having a reversible drive means,

a pair of cable pulleys fixedly mounted beneath the bottom edge of said door in the vertical position adjacent said side edges,

a pair of drive cables each being connected to one of said drive and guide assemblies and driven by said jack shaft, each drive cable having a first portion extending vertically downwardly from said jack shaft to connection with said drive and guide assemblies and a second portion extending vertically downwardly from said jack shaft around one of said cable pulleys and then upwardly to a connection with one of said drive and guide assemblies, said drive cables being disposed between said door side edges and said vertically extending guide tracks when said door is in the vertical closed position.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein each of said cylindrical journal bearings including portions which extend laterally of said door side edges, said drive cables being connected directly to said laterally extending portions of said cylindrical journal bearings independently of said guide appendages.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said jack shaft supports a pair of pulleys to which said cables are connected, each said second cable portion including an upper end which winds on and off of one of said jack shaft supported pulleys and a lower end which extends around one of said cable pulleys and connects to one of said journal bearings, each said first cable portion extending along one of said side edges when said door is in the vertical position and winding onto one of said jack shaft supported pulleys when said door is opened, said first cable portion being equal in diameter to said upper end of said second cable portion and substantially greater in diameter than said lower end of said second cable portion.

7. The combination of claim 2 wherein each of said first and second cable portions are connected together and to a ring which surrounds and is journaled on a portion of one of said journal bearing extending beyond one of said door edges to permit said cables to apply their forces to said door independently of said guide appendages and through said horizontal axis of said journal bearings as the door rotates in moving between the open and closed positions.

4. In a power operated garage door of a type having a one piece door supported for movement between a vertical closed position and a horizontal open position by a pair of vertical guide tracks and a pair of horizontal guide tracks with a pair of guides on the door engaging the vertical guide tracks and a pair of guides engaging the horizontal guide tracks and including power driven flexible cables connected to the door for drawing the door upwardly and downwardly between said open and closed positions, the combination comprising:

a one piece rectangular door having top and bottom edges and side edges and having a pair of guide and drive assemblies mounted on the bottom edge of the door which is a lower-most portion when the door is positioned in a vertical closed position in a garage opening,

each said drive and guide assembly including;

(a) a guide appendage projecting laterally of said side edges for engagement with vertically extending guide tracks, (b) a cylindrical journal beading which supports said guide appendage for rotation about a horizontal axis and (c) a mounting plate which is mounted on said door and which supports said journal bearing below the bottom edge of said door,

a jack shaft extending horizontally above said door in the closed position and having a reversible drive means,

a pair of cable pulleys fixedly mounted beneath the bottom edge of said door in the vertical position adjacent said side edges,

a pair of drive cables each being connected to one of said drive and guide assemblies and driven by said jack shaft, each drive cable having a first portion extending vertically downwardly from said jack shaft to connection with said drive and guide assemblies and a second portion extending vertically downwardly from said jack shaft around one of said cable pulleys and then upwardly to a connection with one of said drive and guide assemblies, said drive cables being disposed between said door side edges and said vertically extending guide tracks when said door is in the vertical closed position

said jack shaft supporting a pair of pulleys to which said cables are connected, each said second cable portion including an upper end which winds on and off of one of said jack shaft supported pulleys and a lower end which extends around one of said cable pulleys and connects to one of said journal bearings, each said first cable portion extending along one of said side edges when said door is in the vertical position and winding onto one of said jack shaft supported pulleys when said door is opened, said first cable portion being equal in diameter to said upper end of said second cable portion and substantially greater in diameter than said lower end of said second cable portion, said jack shaft supported pulleys being of constant diameter and the length of the drive cables extending from said jack shaft supported pulleys remaining constant during the opening and the closing of said door.

5. In a power operated garage door of a type having a one piece door supported for movement between a vertical closed position and a horizontal open position by a pair of vertical guide tracks and a pair of horizontal guide tracks with a pair of guides on the door engaging the vertical guide tracks and a pair of guides engaging the horizontal guide tracks and including power driven flexible cables connected to the door for drawing the door upwardly and downwardly between said open and closed positions, the combination comprising:

a one piece rectangular door having top and bottom edges and side edges and having a pair of guide and drive assemblies mounted on the bottom edge of the door which is a lower-most portion when the door is positioned in a vertical closed position in a garage opening,

each said drive and guide assembly including;

(a) a guide appendage projecting laterally of said side edges for engagement with vertically extending guide tracks, (b) a cylindrical journal bearing which supports said guide appendage for rotation about a horizontal axis and (c) a mounting plate which is mounted on said door and which supports said journal bearing below the bottom edge of said door,

a jack shaft extending horizontally above said door in the closed position and having a reversible drive means,

a pair of cable pulleys fixedly mounted beneath the bottom edge of said door in the vertical position adjacent said side edges,

a pair of drive cables each being connected to one of said drive and guide assemblies and driven by said jack shaft, each drive cable having a first portion extending vertically downwardly from said jack shaft to connection with said drive and guide assemblies and a second portion extending vertically downwardly from said jack shaft around one of said cable pulleys and then upwardly to a connection with one of said drive and guide assemblies, said drive cables being disposed between said door side edges and said vertically extending guide tracks when said door is in the vertical closed position,

a pair of adjustable door stops secured to said cable pulleys and disposed adjacent to said side edges when said door is in the vertical position, said adjustable stops engaging said journal bearings to limit the downward travel of said door and being adjustable to vary the distance from the floor at which the lower edge of the door will be positioned in the closed position.

6. The combination of claim 5 including a sensing edge supported on said bottom edge of said door to sense any obstacles in the path of said door, said sensing edge having a resilient deformable housing positioned between said door stops when said door is in the closed position.

8. A power operated garage door comprising;

a door movable between a vertically disposed position closing an opening in a garage and a horizontally disposed position above said opening and within said garage,

a powered door drive including a pair of cables which are driven by a reversible motor to pull said door upwardly to said open position and pull said door downwardly to said closed position,

vertically extending tracks disposed adjacent to said door opening,

door guide means disposed on said door at horizontally spaced positions on vertically extending edges of said door to guide said door in moving between said open and closed positions, said door guide means each including a guide shaft journaled for rotation at an inner end in a horizontally extending bearing which is secured to said door with a portion projecting beyond one of said edges of said door, each of said guide shafts having an outer end which extends beyond said bearing and supports a guide which engages one of said tracks to guide said door in moving between said closed and open positions,

means connecting each of said cables directly to one of said projecting portions of said bearings independently of said guide shafts received in said bearings.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said means connecting each of said cables to one of said bearings directs the force of each cable in pulling said door upwardly or downwardly in a direction through a horizontal axis on which both of said guide shafts are disposed.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein said means connecting each of said cables to one of said bearings comprises a bushing encircling the projecting portion of each bearing, said bushing being connected to each cable intermediate to its ends and on a portion of each cable which extends vertically adjacent said tracks.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein said bushing comprises a cable thimble, said portion of each cable which extends vertically adjacent said tracks being formed with loop portions secured by a connector and extending around said thimble to secure said thimble to said vertically extending portion of cable.

12. The combination of claim 8 wherein said powered door drive includes a jack shaft supporting pulleys around which said cables are wound and by means of which said cables are driven, said reversible motor driving said jack shaft in either of two directions to selectively open or close said door, a floor mounted pulley disposed in vertical alignment with each of said guide means, each said cable extending downwardly from one of said pulleys on said jack shaft into connection with said guide means and downwardly from said connection with said guide means around said floor pulley and upwardly to said one pulley on said jack shaft.

15. The combination of claim 12 wherein said cable portions extending downwardly from said pulleys on said jack shaft to said connection with said guide means and to said floor pulleys are disposed in the same vertical plane as said vertically extending tracks.

16. The combination of claim 8 wherein each said track comprises a tube having a generally cylindrical guiding surface and each said guide having a complimentary shape to receive and partially enclose said tube and slidably engage said surface to guide said guide means for vertical movement.

17. The combination of claim 8 wherein said vertically extending tracks each comprise an open channel member extending vertically with the channel being open in the portion facing the door, each said door guide being a roller received in one of said channel members and engaging said channel member to restrict said guide means for vertical movement with respect to said track.

13. A power operated garage door comprising;

a door movable between a vertically disposed position closing an opening in a garage and a horizontally disposed position above said opening and within said garage,

a powered door drive including a pair of cables which are driven by a reversible motor to pull said door upwardly to said open position and pull said door downwardly to said closed position,

vertically extending tracks disposed adjacent to said door opening,

door guide means disposed on said door at horizontally spaced positions on vertically extending edges of said door to guide said door in moving between said open and closed positions, said door guide means each including a guide shaft journaled for rotation at an inner end in a horizontally extending bearing which is secured to said door with a portion projecting beyond one of said edges of said door, each of said guide shafts having an outer end which extends beyond said bearing and supports a guide which engages one of said tracks to guide said door in moving between said closed and open positions,

means connecting each of said cables to one of said projecting portions of said bearings,

said powered door drive including a jack shaft supporting pulleys around which said cables are wound and by means of which said cables are driven, said reversible motor driving said jack shaft in either of two directions to selectively open or close said door, a floor mounted pulley disposed in vertical alignment with each of said guide means, each said cable extending downwardly from one of said pulleys on said jack shaft into connection with said guide means and downwardly from said connection with said guide means around said floor pulley and upwardly to said one pulley on said jack shaft,

a pair of adjustable door stops secured to said floor mounted pulleys and disposed adjacent to said door edges when said door is in the closed position, said adjustable stops engaging said bearings to limit the downward travel of said door and being adjustable to vary the distance from the floor at which the lower edge of the door will be positioned in the closed position.

14. The combination of claim 13 wherein said means connecting each of said cables to one of said bearings comprises a bushing secured to one of said cables at an intermediate portion extending vertically between said jack shaft and said floor pulley to direct the force applied by said cable to said guide means through a horizontal axis about which said guide shafts rotate.

18. In a power operated garage door of a type having a one piece door supported for movement between a vertical closed position and a horizontal open position by a pair of vertical guide tracks and a pair of horizontal guide tracks with a pair of guides on the door engaging the vertical guide tracks and a pair of guides engaging the horizontal guide tracks and including power driven flexible drive means connected to the door for drawing the door upwardly and downwardly between said open and closed positions, the combination comprising:

a one piece rectangular door having top and bottom edges and side edges and having a pair of guide and drive assemblies mounted on the bottom edge of the door which is a lower-most portion when the door is positioned in a vertical closed position in a garage opening,

one of said drive and guide assemblies including;

(a) a guide appendage projecting laterally of said side edges for engagement with vertically extending guide tracks, (b) a cylindrical journal bearing which extends laterally of said side edge and which supports said guide appendage for rotation about a horizontal axis, (c) a mounting plate which is mounted on said door and which supports said journal bearing at the bottom edge of said door,

a jack shaft extending horizontally above said door in the closed position and having a reversible drive means,

a floor pulley fixedly mounted beneath the bottom edge of said door in vertical alignment with one of said side edges when the door is in the closed vertical position,

a flexible drive means connected to one of said drive and guide assemblies and driven by said jack shaft, said flexible drive means having a first portion extending vertically downwardly from said jack shaft to connection directly with said journal bearing independently of said guide appendage and a second portion extending vertically downwardly from said jack shaft around said floor pulley and then upwardly to a connection with said journal bearing.

19. The combination of claim 18 wherein said first and second flexible drive means portions are connected together and to a ring which surrounds and is journaled on a portion of said journal bearing extending beyond one of said door edges to permit said flexible drive means to apply their forces to said door independently of said guide appendages and through said horizontal axis of said journal bearings as the door rotates in moving between the open and closed positions.

20. The combination of claim 19 wherein said flexible drive means comprises a stranded cable and said ring which is journaled on said portion of said journal bearing extending beyond one of said door edges is a cable thimble around which the ends of said cable extends and are secured together by a cable connector.

21. In a power operated garage door of a type having a one piece door supported for movement between a vertical closed position and a horizontal open position by a pair of vertical guide tracks and a pair of horizontal guide tracks with a pair of guides on the door engaging the vertical guide tracks and a pair of guides engaging the horizontal guide tracks and including power driven flexible drive means connected to the door for drawing the door upwardly and downwardly between said open and closed positions, the combination comprising:

a one piece rectangular door having top and bottom edges and side edges and having a pair of guide and drive assemblies mounted on the bottom edge of the door which is a lower-most portion when the door is positioned in a vertical closed position in a garage opening,

one of said drive and guide assemblies including;

(a) a guide appendage projecting laterally of said side edges for engagement with vertically extending guide tracks, (b) a cylindrical journal bearing which extends laterally of said side edge and which supports said guide appendage for rotation about a horizontal axis, (c) a mounting plate which is mounted on said door and which supports said journal bearing at the bottom edge of said door,

a jack shaft extending horizontally above said door in the closed position and having a reversible drive means,

a floor pulley fixedly mounted beneath the bottom edge of said door in vertical alignment with one of said side edges when the door is in the closed vertical position,

a flexible drive means connected to one of said drive and guide assemblies and driven by said jack shaft, said flexible drive means having a first portion extending vertically downwardly from said jack shaft to connection with said journal bearing and a second portion extending vertically downwardly from said jack shaft around said floor pulley and then upwardly to a connection with said journal bearing,

said first and second flexible drive means portions being connected together and to a ring which surrounds and is journaled on a portion of said journal bearing extending beyond one of said door edges to permit said flexible drive means to apply their forces to said door independently of said guide appendages and through said horizontal axis of said journal bearings as the door rotates in moving between the open and closed positions,

said flexible drive means comprising a stranded cable and said ring which is journaled on said portion of said journal bearing extending beyond one of said door edges comprising a cable thimble around which the ends of said cable extends and are secured together by a cable connector,

said first portion of said flexible drive means extending around said thimble and being joined together by said connector forming a loop around said thimble, said second portion of said flexible drive means having an end portion extending upwardly and having its strands divided to pass on either side of said thimble and into engagement with said connector above said thimble.

22. The combination of claim 21 including a jack shaft supported pulley to which said cable is connected, said second cable portion including an upper end which winds on and off of said jack shaft supported pulley and a lower end which extends around said floor pulley and connects to said journal bearing, said first cable portion extending along one of said side edges when said door is in the vertical position and winding onto said jack shaft supported pulley when said door is opened, said first cable portion being equal in diameter to said upper end of said second cable portion and substantially greater in diameter than said lower end of said second cable portion.