Composite insulated panel for upward acting door

Abstract

A sectional garage door panel formed by a member including a front wall, top and bottom edges and spaced apart back wall parts defining an interior space which is partially filled with an expandable PUR foam insulation material. A rigid polystyrene insulation member is placed in the interior space and bonded to the expanding foam material. The panel is placed in a laminator to secure the insulation member in the panel interior space during foam expansion and to provide for forced foam expansion into spaces defining panel top and bottom edges. A sheet backer is adhesively bonded to the insulation member and the back wall parts. A system includes conveyors, foam and adhesive dispensing nozzle arrays and a laminator including conveyor belts which hold the insulation member forcibly within the interior space of the panel during foam expansion and curing.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] In the manufacture of door panels, particularly sectional door panels for upward acting garage doors and the like, there has been a continuing need to improve the construction of such panels and methods of forming same. Sectional door panels for garage doors and the like are typically fabricated of sheets of metal or plastic which are roll formed or extruded into a particular cross sectional shape followed by insertion of insulation material into spaces defined by front and back walls of the panel. However, the placement of preformed insulation parts within the complex shapes of top and bottom edges of sectional door panels which are adapted to provide pinch resistant profiles, has become complicated. Also, there arise complications in inserting and attaching preformed insulation parts within door panels which have deeply embossed front walls, which embossments are typically added for strengthening the panel and for aesthetic purposes. [0002] Still...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005] In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a door panel constructed as described above is provided with a somewhat rigid preformed block or sheet of polymer insulation material which is inserted within the space that has been at least partially filled with an expandable foam polymer insulation material to add rigidity to the panel and to minimize the volume of curable polymer insulation material that was sprayed into the panel's void spaces. In this way the cure time for expandable foam insulation is reduced, greater adhesion of the foam insulation to the panel wall surfaces is provided and a preformed insulation member is installed in the panel to allow installation of a back wall or a backer sheet member to the panel to complete the manufacturing process rapidly and efficiently.

[0006] Still further, the present invention provides an improved method of making door panels, particularly relatively large sectional door panels for garage doors and the like wherein a fully insulated panel may be provided by injecting a curable foam insulation material into panel void spaces between a front wall and back wall of the panel including the narrowed or convoluted spaces defined by opposed panel edges, to at least fill the narrowed spaces, and followed by placement of a relatively large block or part of already formed insulation material within the panel. The preformed insulation member is adhered to the injected foam insulation material, allows the injected or poured in insulation material to occupy spaces within the panels which are difficult to access with preformed insulation parts and allows installation of a backing sheet or backer at an improved rate of production of sectional door panels, in particular.

Problems solved by technology

However, the placement of preformed insulation parts within the complex shapes of top and bottom edges of sectional door panels which are adapted to provide pinch resistant profiles, has become complicated.

Also, there arise complications in inserting and attaching preformed insulation parts within door panels which have deeply embossed front walls, which embossments are typically added for strengthening the panel and for aesthetic purposes.

Still further, it is desirable to increase the speed with which sectional door panels are constructed, but manufacturing costs, properties of certain insulation materials and the lengthy cure time required for a fully insulated panel wherein the insulation material is injected as a curable foam into the void space between the panel front and back walls have also been somewhat nettlesome problems.

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