AU2007216143A1

AU2007216143A1 - Garage door insulation assembly

Info

Publication number: AU2007216143A1
Application number: AU2007216143A
Authority: AU
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-09-04
Filing date: 2007-09-04
Publication date: 2008-03-20

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: "GARAGE DOOR INSULATION ASSEMBLY" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: GARAGE DOOR INSULATION ASSEMBLY This invention relates to garage door insulation assembly which is useful for cooling garage interiors from excessive heat.

Garage door insulation assemblies are known and thus reference may be made to US Patent 5,787,677 which refers to a garage door having a major surface, an insulation layer of mineral fibre insulation material having a major surface, and an asphalt layer positioned between the major surfaces of the garage door and the insulation layer. The purpose of the asphalt layer is to provide sound damping for the garage door and also to bond the insulation layer to the garage door. The major surface of the garage door is contoured and the asphalt layer and the insulation layer are deformable to the contour of the garage door.

Reference may also be made to US Patent 6,772,818 which refers to a sectional garage door panel having a rolled metal sheet having an outer wall and opposed top and bottom edges. Elongate prefabricated insulation parts are inserted in cavities formed by the top and bottom edges and a generally rectangular planar sheet is insertable in a cavity between the prefabricated insulation parts. Channel shaped brackets are used in cavities formed at the top and bottom edges and a metal backing sheet forms an inner wall to protect the insulation parts which are secured to an inner surface of the wall by adhesive.

US Patent 4,452,293 refers to a folding door having a thermal insulation panel having a body of plastics material having a series of closely adjacent passages extending transversely between opposite edges thereof.

Opposite ends of the closure means are closed by closure means at opposite side edges of the panels so as to provide a plurality of totally enclosed pockets extending horizontally of the door.

US Patent 4,441,301 refers to a garage door panel having a barrier strip made of insulating material and a weatherstrip engageable thereto in male female relationship in a snap fit. Each panel is substantially filled with rigid polymer foam.

However one significant disadvantage of the prior art discussed above was that the insulation sheet or layer was a permanent installation and thus could not be easily removed from the garage door or panel. Thus if it was desired to use such garage door insulation assemblies for rented accommodation so that such assemblies were removable then this was not possible.

It therefore is an object of the invention to provide a garage door insulation assembly that is removable from the garage door when required.

The garage door insulation assembly thereby provides a sheet of insulation material having releasable attachment means to an internal surface of the garage door. Such releasable attachment means may comprise a double sided Velcro strip, insulation tape, clips, clamps or magnets. Alternatively such releasable attachment means may use existing structure on the interior surface of the garage door such as a surround frame whereby adjacent edges of the insulation sheet are pushed into contact with the surround frame and retained therein. In this arrangement in some cases it is useful in incorporate additional releasable attachment means such as

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those described above. (Ni oIt is preferred that the insulation sheet have a concertina type structure whereby the sheet has a plurality of longitudinally extending or transversely extending folds so that the insulation sheet when extended has a sinusoidal or wave like cross section. The advantage of having a concertina type structure is that this facilitates the insulation sheet being retained within a peripheral frame of a garage door or a panel of a garage door. This will be apparent from the preferred embodiments described herein having particular relevance to a garage door of the sectional panel type wherein the insulation sheet having the concertina type folds may be retained in place by top and bottom flange assemblies of each panel.

In another embodiment the insulation material may form a planar sheet which incorporates the releasable attachment means such as double sided adhesive tape which is bonded to the door and also to the planar insulation sheet. This has particular relevance to application to a roller door wherein preferably the insulating sheet is spaced from each side edge of the roller door to avoid contact with the control or support structure.

In regard to attachment to a conventional tilting garage door the insulation sheet may be one having the concertina folds as described above in regard to installation to a sectional panel door. This facilitates retention of the insulation sheet within a peripheral frame of the tilting door panel.

However it is more preferred to use a plurality of planar sheets as discussed in the preferred embodiment herein.

Reference may now be made to a preferred embodiment of the invention as shown in the attached drawings wherein: FIG 1 is a perspective view of the insulation sheet fitted to a sectional garage which has a plurality of hinged panels with an upstanding orientation; FIG 2 is a vertical sectional view of the sectional garage door shown in FIG 1; FIG 3 is a similar view to FIG 1 showing the individual panels in a partly folded orientation; FIG 4 is a perspective view of the insulation sheet fitted to a roller type garage door; FIG 5 is a side view of the roller type garage door shown in FIG 4; FIG 6 is a rear view of a tilt type garage door fitted with an insulation sheet; FIG 7 is a schematic view of installation of a plurality of insulation sheets to a tilting type garage door; and FIG 8 is a schematic view of installation of a sheet of insulation to a roller type garage door.

In FIGS 1 to 3 of the drawings there is shown a sectional type garage door 10 having a plurality of panels 11 with rollers (not shown) that run in a track (not shown) that is located on a doorway frame (not shown) each side of the sectional door 10 and is supported overhead so that the sectional door in the open position is oriented in a substantially horizontal plane.

FIGS 1 to 2 shows a pair of adjacent panels 11 having upper and lower flange assembles 12 and 13 which include recesses 14 and channel rib 16, vertical flange 17 and adjacent lip 18. The insulation sheet 19

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has a plurality of concertina folds 20 which are located intermediate panels S21 and 22. Panels 22 are shown detailing the external appearance of sheet 19 and panels 21 are shown schematically for the sake of clarity. It will be noted that each sheet 19 has a bottom edge 23 and a top edge 24 that is retained within each flange assembly 12 and 13 wherein bottom and top edges 23 and 24 abut channel ribs 16 and concertina folds 20 abut adjoining lips 18.

It has been found that the concertina folds 20 maintain each insulation sheet 19 in a stable planar orientation and thus is self supporting without the need for additional releasable attachment means which are used in the subsequent embodiments. FIG 2 also shows top channel rib 16A of one panel 11 engaging with a bottom channel rib 16B which functions as a socket of an adjacent panel 11.

FIG 3 shows a similar view to FIG 1 showing how insulation sheets 19 are securely retained within individual panels 11 even when the door 10 is being moved from an open to a closed position or vice versa.

FIGS 4 to 5 show insulation sheet 25 fitted to roller type door 26 and in this particular embodiment insulation sheet 25 may be planar or in the form of a flat sheet which is releasably attached to roller door 26. The insulation sheet 25 preferably is spaced from each side edge 27 of roller door 26 by gaps 27A to facilitate smooth operation of roller door 26.

Insulation sheet 25 may also have slot 28 having a closure flap 28A to facilitate an outwardly projecting handle (not shown) of the roller door 26 to be accessible by a user. The roller door 26 is located in opposed side rails each having a recess 31 for retention of a respective side edge 27. There is also shown drive axle 32 attached to roller drum 33 which is rotatable by suitable drive means (not shown). The drum 33 may also include slots 34 as is known in the art. There is also shown releasable attachment means such as double sided adhesive tape or Velcro strips 32A or magnets 32B. It will be appreciated that tape or strips 32A or magnets 32B may have any convenient orientation such as being attached to ribs 32C of roller door 26 or alternatively tape or ribs 32A or a row of magnets 32B may be oriented longitudinally of insulation sheet FIG 5 shows how sheet 25 does not interfere with the smooth operation of roller door 26. There is also shown in schematic form overhead frame 35 for supporting roller drum 33.

FIG 6 shows another embodiment of the invention as applied to a tilting type garage door 36 which has a single panel 37 that tilts about a horizontal axis to open or close a garage doorway as is known in the art. The tilt type door 36 is shown having a rear face 38 having a plurality of reinforcement ribs 39 and a peripheral frame 40. There are included angled braces 41 as well as actuating cable 29 fitted to control handle 43 and latches 44 and 45 which facilitate open and closing of the door in well known manner.

There is also shown insulation sheet 46 which may be of the same type as used for sectional door 10 and thus have a plurality of concertina folds 47 bounding angled panels 48 and 49. In FIG 6 there is shown separate triangular sheets 46A and 46B which have been cut to fit triangular areas 47 and 48 of rear face 38 each bounding angled braces 41 and 42.

There is also shown a separate sheet 46C in the process of being attached to tilt type door 36 and this will be cut in the region marked with line 51 in phantom to accommodate triangular area 47. Sheet 46C when fully extended will locate in triangular area 47. Each of sheets 46A, 46B or 46C may be attached to reinforcement ribs 39 of tilt type door 36 by any suitable attachment means such as insulation tape 32A or magnets 32B. Each of the sheets 46A and 46B may be separated by a central vertical rail 53. Each of sheets 46A and 46B may also be tucked under peripheral frame 40. Each of ribs 39 bound planar surfaces 52.

In FIG 7 reference is made to a further embodiment of installation of an insulation sheet to a tilt-type door assembly 49 which is shown schematically. Thus a triangular shaped piece of insulation material 50 is cut to fit the area 51 wherein the position of rib 52 is measured and the piece of material 50 cut to fit. In similar manner a piece of material 53 is cut to fit area 54. The triangular piece of material 50 is fitted into area 51 by tucking edges into top and side flanges 55 and 56 and also into rib 52 to facilitate retention of material 50 in space 51.

In similar manner triangular shaped material 53 is fitted under rib 52, top flange 55 and bottom flange 57. Double sided tape 58 shown partially in FIG 7 is then applied to central rib 59 and material 54 may subsequently be attached to an edge of central rib 59. In similar manner triangular shaped pieces of material may be attached to areas 59 and In FIG 8 reference is shown to a roller type door 61 and insulation sheet 62 is attached to door 61 spaced from each side edge 63 by gap 64.

Insulating tape 67 shown in phantom is applied to the top edge 65 of the sheet 62 and bonded to the door 61. This also occurs to bottom edge 72.

Also double sided tape strips 66 and 68 shown partially in phantom in FIG 8 are attached to two arcuate sections 71 of door 61 as shown. In the centre of roller type door 61 there is a keyhole 69. In order to use the key and have a hand grip to open the door a cut out is made of the sheet 62 to create a flap similar to flap 28A shown in FIG 4.

It will also be appreciated that the insulation sheet used in the invention can be made from any suitable insulation material such as plastics foam material, mineral fibre such as glass fibre, rock fibre, slag fibre or basalt fibre or polymers inclusive of vinyl polymers.

Advantages of the invention as shown in the preferred embodiments described above include the following: The insulation sheet is easily fitted to a rear face of the garage door or removed therefrom without requirement of a handyman or skilled tradesman especially in the case of the sectional type garage. Thus the insulation sheet is perfectly suited to rented accommodation.

(ii) The insulation sheet when fitted to the garage door provides effective cooling of the interior of the garage especially when working at a workbench even on the hottest of days without the requirement of air conditioning and the insulation sheet maintains the garage relatively cool during the summer months.

(iii) The insulation sheet when fitted to the garage door provides an 9 acoustic effect.

(iv) The insulation sheet is lightweight suitably weighing about 1300-2000g and more preferably 1600g and thus will not add substantially to loads imparted to the garage door during operation.

Claims

1. A garage door insulation assembly having a sheet of insulation material applied to an internal surface of a garage door, said internal surface O having a surround frame or partial surround frame having an internal space and the sheet of insulation material having edges which are pushed or inserted into said internal space to facilitate the retention of the sheet to said internal surface characterised in that said sheet is of a concertina shape having a plurality of longitudinally extending folds or transversely extending folds so that the insulation sheet has a sinusoidal or wave like cross section wherein said folds have a bias that facilitates retention of the sheet within the internal space.

2. A garage door insulation assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the garage door is a sectional type garage door having a plurality of foldable panels wherein each panel has a top and bottom flange forming said partial surround frame and being substantially of channel shape each having said internal space wherein a respective sheet of insulation material is retained on an internal surface of an adjacent panel by individual top and bottom edges being retained within said internal spaces of said top and bottom flange.

3. A garage door insulation assembly having a sheet of insulation material applied to an internal surface of a garage door, said internal surface having a surround frame or partial surround frame and said garage door being constituted by a roller type door of corrugated shape having a plurality of longitudinal ribs wherein said sheet is spaced from side edges of the roller type door and having top and bottom edges bonded to said internal surface by adhesive tape wherein there is further provided double sided strips of tape attached to one or more ribs of said internal surface to facilitate retention of the sheet to said internal surface.

4. A garage door insulation assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein there is provided a central flap in the sheet of insulation material formed by a cut out in the sheet to provide access to a keyhole for locking the garage door and/or to a handle for manually controlling operation of the door.

A garage door insulation assembly having a plurality of sheets of insulation material applied to an internal surface of a garage door, said internal surface having a surround frame or partial surround frame wherein said each sheet of the insulation material is retained within separate areas of said internal space by being inserted in internal spaces of the surround frame or partial surround frame.

6. A garage door insulation assembly as claimed in claim characterised in that the garage door is a tilting type door having a surround frame and also having a pair of oblique frame members as well as a central rib wherein each oblique frame member extends respectively from adjacent a top corner of the internal surface to a location adjacent a bottom end of the central rib thereby defining a plurality of substantially triangular areas of said internal space and separate sheets of insulation material are retained within a respective triangular space.

7. A garage door insulation assembly as claimed in claim 6 wherein each separate sheet of insulation material is retained within a respective triangular space by being tucked within said internal space of part of said surround 12 frame and being bonded to an adjoining oblique rib by adhesive tape.