AU765455B2 - A roll formed track for garage roller doors - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Invention Title: -KALFORD PTY- LTB DAVID TOFTS CULLEN CO., Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, 240 Queen Street, Brisbane, QId. 4000, Australia.

A ROLL FORMED TRACK FOR GARAGE ROLLER DOORS Details of Associated Provisional Applications: Nos.

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: x This invention relates to a roll formed track for garage roller doors.

Tracks for roller garage doors are secured to walls adjacent a doorway opening into a garage. The tracks are fixed to the walls and extend vertically along them. These tracks are sometimes made of extruded aluminium and as a consequence are more expensive than they otherwise would be if made from steel. Tracks made from roll formed steel are also known. These tracks are U shaped in transverse cross section.

End stop members which prevent the door from moving beyond the track are fixed to the track at the point of manufacture by welding. The particular position at which the stop member is fixed may not suit all sites. The floor at the site may not be level and as a consequence the best location for the stop *:"**members may not be identical for the two tracks used at the site. Also this allows the maximum door opening height to be limited to a specific customer required height.

It is preferable that the mounting brackets and the end stops be fitted to the tracks at the time of installation on site rather than at the point of manufacture of the track. Not only does this mean fewer operations at the point of manufacture but the mounting brackets and end stops are more likely to be fixed in place at the proper location along the track to suit the site.

With extruded aluminium tracks there were provisions for concealing fixing fasteners for the stops and thus preventing them from impeding movement S. of the door within the track.

With roll formed tracks there was no provision for concealing fasteners and thus the only viable method for attaching the stops to the track was by welding. Welding was not a preferred fixing method on site since fasteners such as self tapping screws are more convenient. Such fasteners cannot be used with known steel roll formed tracks for the reason mentioned above.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a roll formed track for roller or panel doors which at least minimises one of the disadvantages referred to above.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a roll formed track for roller or panel doors, the track having a generally U shaped irl configuration in transverse cross section with a base web and two opposed side walls, one of the side walls having a return flange directed inwardly towards the base web and located between the side walls and spaced from the one side wall, whereby an end stop or reinforcing member may be attached to an outer face of the one side wall by a fastener extending through the one side wall and into the space between the return flange and the one side wall so that the fastener does not impede movement of the door along the track.

Preferably the return flange terminates short of the base web.

The side walls may be separated from the base web by respective depressions spaced from one another and extending along the track.

The return flange may have a short end portion directed towards the one side wall for acting as a guide for the roller door to guide the door as it progresses out from the adjacent and upper end of the tracks.

The other side wall preferably has an outwardly directed flange extending from an edge thereof. Preferably the outwardly directed flange is parallel to the base web. A return flange may extend from the outwardly directed flange. The return flange is spaced outwardly from the other side wall.

Preferably the free edge of the return flange has a short portion directed inwardly towards the other side wall.

20 The inwardly directed return flange is preferably separated from the one side wall by a flange extending from the one side wall and directed towards the other side wall. This flange is preferably inclined relative to the base web.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 is an end view of a roll formed track for receiving and guiding a roller door according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a continuous roll formed member from which a plurality of tracks according to an embodiment of the invention may be cut to size; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a track according to an embodiment of the invention showing mounting brackets fitted thereto; Figure 4 is an end view of the track of the invention showing an edge of a roller door located within the track and with an end stop and a mounting bracket fixed to the track.

Figure 5 is a view like that shown in Figure 4 except that a reinforcing member is shown fastened to the track; Figure 6 is a view like that shown in Figure 5 but shows an alternative reinforcing member.

The track 10 is generally U shaped and has a base web 11 and two opposed side walls 12 and 13. A longitudinally extending depression 14 separates the side wall 12 from the base web 11. A further longitudinally extending depression 15 extends along the track at a location spaced from depression 14. Depression 15 separates side wall 13 from the base web 11.

The outer edge of side wall 12 has an outwardly extending flange 16. A return flange 17 extends from an outer edge of the outwardly extending flange 16 and is substantially parallel to side wall 12 and spaced outwardly of the side wall 12. The free edge of return flange 17 has a minor portion thereof 17a directed 0 0 towards the side wall 12.

Return flange 17 is separated from side wall 12 by a space.

Side wall 13 has an inwardly directed inclined flange 18 extending along an edge thereof. The inclined inwardly directed flange 18 terminates in a return flange 19 directed towards the base web 11 and is located between the side *00 walls 12 and 13. Flange 19 terminates short of base web 11 and a space 20 is present between flange 19 and the side wall 13.

A tongue or guide 21 extends outwardly from flange 19 and extends beyond side wall 13. Greater detail of the tongue 21 is shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

Figure 2 shows a continuous roll formed member 30 from which a plurality of tracks 10', 10" and 10"' according to the invention may be cut.

In order to produce the plurality of tracks from member 30 a portion of the wall 13 between what will become track 10' and 10" is removed as shown. In addition a portion of the return flange 19 between what will become track 10' and what will become track 10" is also removed. The portion of the flange 19 removed from the member 30 is shorter than the portion of side wall 13 that is removed between 10' and 10". This leaves short extensions of the flange 19 -u U I i~ which extend past the ends of the side wall 13. These portions are deformed outwardly beyond the side wall 13 to provide the tongues 21 previously mentioned. By cutting at location 31 the tracks 10' and 10" may be separated from one another. By adopting steps like that described and removing further portions of wall 13 and flange 19 and cutting at location 32 track 10" may be separated from track Track 10' typically would be fixed adjacent a left hand edge of a door opening for a garage whilst track 10" would be located adjacent a right hand edge of the door opening into a garage. The tongues 21 are spaced from the floor of the garage and serve to guide the roller door towards a take up roller.

When the door is being closed the tongues 21 serve to guide the door into the tracks 10' and hn Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a track for extending along a left ohand edge of a door opening for a garage.

Mounting brackets 40 and 41 should be in position relative to the track 10'. The mounting brackets 40, 41 allow the track 10' to be secured to a wall to I adjacent the opening into the garage. More than two such brackets may be used for this purpose.

The bracket 41 has a forward portion 42 received within the space between flange 17 and wall 12 and abuts an inner face of the flange 17. The bracket 40 has an intermediate raised locking portion 43 which extends between an outer face of side wall 12 and the inner face of flange 17 and serves to lock the bracket relative to the track. Inwardly directed portion 17a mates against an outer face of the intermediate portion 43 where the portion 43 engages against flange 17. The bracket has a fixing web 44 which, in use, extends over a wall adjacent the door opening into the garage. A tongue 45 is pressed out of the fixing web 44 to provide an aperture 46 for fixing fasteners. The tongue extends around an outer face of the depression 14 and also further serves to lock the bracket 40 relative to the track 10' and to minimise deflection of the track under load at the corners of 17/16, 16/12 and 12/11.

Figure 4 shows mounting bracket 40 locked relative to a track. A fastener 50 extends through an end of the tongue 45 and extends into the depression 14. The depression ensures that the fastener 50 is well spaced from the door or door panel 60 received within the track. In this way there is no possibility of the fastener impeding the movement of the door along the track as the door is opened and closed.

The door 60 has strips 61 of friction reducing material fixed to it. These strips provide for free movement of the door and also assist in inhibiting rattling of the door within the track.

A wind lock member 70 is fixed to the door by fastener 71. Stop 72, which forms part of the wind lock member, assists in locating the wind lock member in the proper position relative to the door. The wind lock member 71 s ::has a hooked end 73 which extends around the free edge of flange 19 and :foe: prevents the edge of the door from moving out of the track due to the effects of """wind loading on the door.

A stop member 80 extends around an outer face of the depression, over an outer face of side wall 13, over inclined flange 18 and then over and spaced from the door. The end stop 80, when a track is in its vertical position relative to the door opening is located below the tongue 21. A stop member (not shown) attached to the lower edge of the door in use abuts the stop member 80 when the door is fully raised to prevent the door from moving beyond the track when the

S

door is opened.

The stop member is fixed in position by a fastener 81. The space :receives the fastener and the flange 19 prevents the fastener from projecting into a position where it might otherwise inhibit movement of the door.

The particular configuration of the flange 19 is significant in that not only does it provide a convenient location against which the wind lock member may abut, but because it is inwardly directed and located between walls 12 and 13, it provides the space 20 for separating the fastener 81 from interfering with the movement of the door within the track.

Return flange 19 and space 20 conceal fastener 81 and allow the stop member 80 to be fixed in position on site. Thus fixing of the stop is not necessary at the point of manufacture of the track and a fastener such as a self tapping screw may be used. Added advantages are provided by flange 17 and J !IAJJ~j"l the depression 14. The configuration shown allows the mounting bracket to be snap fitted and fixed by a fastener which is contained within the depression 14 and prevented from contacting the door.

In Figure 5 like numerals are used for like parts illustrated in Figure 4. In Figure 4 an end stop 80 is shown extending around the side wall 13. Figure has a reinforcing member 90 extending around the side wall 13. A plurality of members 90 may be located at spaced locations along the track. The members strengthen the track and assists in ensuring that the track resists flexing when the wind stop lock member 70 acts against flange 19. The members 90 may be oooo fixed to the track by fasteners 81. The fasteners are received within the space Figure 6 shows an alternative member 100 for reinforcing the track. The Smember has a portion 101 which extends over the side wall 13 and a portion 102 which overlies a part of the mounting bracket and portion 103 links that part and portion 102. A plurality of members 100 may be located at spaced locations along the track. The members 100 are fastened to the track by fasteners.

The reinforcing members of either Figure 5 or Figure 6 may be fixed to the track and may terminate short of an end stop like that shown in Figure 4 which is also fixed to the track.

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Claims (12)

1. A roll formed track for roller doors, the track having a generally U- shaped configuration in transverse cross section with a base web and two opposed side walls, one of the side walls having a return flange directed inwardly towards the base web and located between the side walls and spaced from the one side wall, whereby an end stop or reinforcing member may be attached to an outer face of the one side wall by a fastener extending through the one side wall and into the space between the return flange and the one side wall so that the fastener does not impede movement of the door along the track.

2. The track of claim 1 including an inwardly directed flange extending from the one side wall, and said return flange extending from an edge of the inwardly directed flange.

3. The track of claim 2 wherein the inwardly directed flange is inclined relative to the base web.

4. The track of any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the return flange terminates short of the base web.

The track of any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the side walls are separated from the base web by respective depressions, the depressions S extending along the track and are spaced from one another.

6. The track of claim 5 having an outwardly directed flange extending from the other said side wall.

The track of claim 6 including an outwardly located return flange Sdirected towards the base web and spaced outwardly from the other side wall.

8. The track of claim 7 wherein the outwardly located return flange has a portion along its free edge directed towards the other side wall.

9. The track of claim 7 or 8 wherein the space between the outwardly located return flange and the other side wall may receive mounting brackets fixed to the track by a fastener extending into the depression between the other side and the base web whereby when a door is received between the other side wall and the inwardly located return flange the fastener for fixing the mounting bracket is prohibited from contacting the door by the depression within which it is received.

The track of any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein a wind lock member 9 carried by the door may project around an edge of the inwardly directed return flange and into the space between that flange and the one side wall when a door is received between the other side wall and the inwardly directed return flange.

11. The track of any one of claims 1 to 10 including a guide formed on a lateral end of the inwardly directed return flange that is located between the opposed side walls, the guide projecting towards the one side wall.

12. A track substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings. Dated this 13 th day of June 2003 Kalford Pty Ltd By their patent attorneys Cullen Co. i* *l *e *l *IO