Garage door track system

Abstract

The present garage door track system comprises four cross-sectionally identical linear tracks and two curvilinear tracks. Each linear track defines an internal linear guide and two opposite extremities. Each curvilinear track defines an internal curvilinear guide, two opposite extremities and a curved section of predetermined radius therebetween. The extremities of each curvilinear track is adapted for interconnecting with the extremities of the linear tracks to form therewith a pair of internal continuous guiding channels. The garage door track system further comprises a pair of wall bearing supports. Each wall bearing support is adapted for affixing one of the curvilinear tracks to a wall around a garage door opening.

Description

GARAGE DOOR TRACK SYSTEMTECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of garage door track systems.BACKGROUND

[0002] garage door track systems consist of a pair of straight vertical tracks and a pair of horizontal tracks equipped with a curved section which connects with one of the horizontal tracks. The vertical tracks, the horizontal tracks and the curved sections are made of steel profiles using roll forming. The thickness, length, width and depth of the tracks can vary.

[0003] The most popular radius for the curved sections is typically 12 inches (30.48 cm) and 15 inches (38.1 cm). But there are also curved sections with less popular radius, such as for example 10, 22, and 30 inches (25.4 cm, 55.88 cm, and 76.2 cm). The selection of vertical tracks, horizontal tracks and curved sections, as well as their positioning and installation depend on the size, type and / or panels of the garage door being installed, the space available above the garage door, etc.

[0004] Many factors may affect installation of a garage door track system. One such factor is when there were errors made in measuring the opening of the garage door. Another factor to consider is when elements hinder installation of the garage door track system. Another factor may be building constraints that limit the available installation space, and / or when discrepancies exist between the plans and the constructed building.

[0005] Typically, when errors occur, the garage door track system configuration is impacted and installers need to disassemble the already assembled components. Such a change may involve removing the vertical tracks, the horizontal tracks and replacing them by different vertical tracks, different horizontal tracks and / or horizontal tracks with different curved sections. Replacing the vertical tracks, the horizontal tracks and / or the curved sections results in delays and costs for the installers and the homeowners.

[0006] US Patent No. 6,527,035 to Overhead Door Corporation illustrates a prior art garage door track system. Such garage door track systems are difficult to install, adjust, require disassembling for replacing the curved sections, complicate transportation and logistics.

[0007] Furthermore, the prior art configuration of vertical tracks and horizontal tracks has two independent and separate components of the garage door track system that does not allow for any substitution without affecting an installation envelope and / or space required above a lintel (headroom) of the garage door.

[0008] There is therefore a need for a new garage door track system that alleviates problems of prior art garage door track systems.SUMMARY

[0009] According to a first aspect, the present disclosure relates to a garage door track system. The garage door track system comprises four cross-sectionally identical linear tracks and two curvilinear tracks. Each linear track defines a linear internal guide and two opposite extremities. Each curvilinear track defines an internal curvilinear guide, two opposite extremities and a curved section of predetermined radius therebetween. The extremities of each curvilinear track are adapted for interconnecting with the extremities of the linear tracks to form therewith a pair of continuous internal guiding channels.

[0010] According to a second aspect, the present disclosure relates to a garage door track system. The garage door track system comprises four cross-sectionally identical linear tracks. Each linear track defines a linear internal guide and two opposite extremities. The garage door track system further comprises a pair of curvilinear tracks. Each curvilinear track defines an internal curvilinear guide and two opposite extremities. The extremities of each curvilinear track are adapted for interconnection with the extremities of the linear tracks. Furthermore, when interconnected, the linear internal guide of the linear tracks and the internal curvilinear guide of the curvilinear track form an internal continuous guide. The garage door track system further comprises a pair of wall bearing supports. Each wall bearing support is adapted for affixing one of the curvilinear tracks to a wall over a garage door.

[0011] Those skilled in the art will further appreciate the above mentioned advantages and superior features of the invention together with other important aspects thereof upon reading the detailed description which follows in conjunction with the drawings.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Embodiments of the disclosure will be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0013] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of an example of the present garage door track system;

[0014] Figure 2 is a perspective view of an assembled garage door track system;

[0015] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a linear track;

[0016] Figure 4 is, from top to bottom, a back elevation view, a side elevation view and a front elevation view of the linear track of Figure 3;

[0017] Figure 5 is, from left to right, an elevation view of an extremity of the linear track, and a cross-sectional elevation view of the linear track;

[0018] Figure 6 is, from left to right, a front perspective view of a curvilinear track and a back perspective view of the curvilinear track;

[0019] Figure 7 is, from left to right, a top elevation view of a bracket, a back perspective view of the same bracket and a front perspective view of the same bracket respectively;

[0020] Figure 8 is, from left to right, a front perspective view of a wall bearing support and a back perspective view of the same wall bearing support respectively;

[0021] Figure 9 is, from left to right, a front elevation view of the wall bearing support of Figure 8 and a side elevation view of the same wall bearing support;

[0022] Figure 10 is a perspective assembled view of the wall bearing supports, shaft, bearings and resilient member;

[0023] Figure 11 is a perspective exploded view of the present garage door tracksystem with horizontal angles 138;

[0024] Figure 12 shows from top to bottom a perspective view, a side elevation view and a front elevation view of the horizontal angle 138; and

[0025] Figure 13 is an assembled side elevation view of the present garage door track system.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The present invention aims at minimizing the impact of measurement or construction error, by providing an improved curved section that is modular, equipped with inserts, and allows changing the radius of the curved section without having to replace or move the vertical tracks or the horizontal tracks, thus minimizing costs, delays, and efforts associated with such replacement.

[0027] The present disclosure generally relates to a garage door track system and components thereof.

[0028] The features of the garage door track system and components will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of illustrative embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, where numerals represent like features on the various drawings.GARAGE DOOR TRACK SYSTEM

[0029] The present invention relates to a garage door track system. The present garage door track system alleviates the problems identified with prior art garage door track systems. Reference is now made concurrently to Figures 1 and 2. The present garage door track system 100 is based on four cross-sectionally identical linear tracks 110 and a pair of curvilinear tracks 120. Each linear track 110 defines a linear internal guide 112 and two opposite extremities 114 and 116. The linear tracks 110 are designed so as to be adapted to be installed on either side of a garage door opening (not shown), either vertically or horizontally. Using cross-sectionally identical linear tracks provides many advantages to prior art garage door track systems: reducing the types of components to be carried by installer and simplifying installation.

[0030] Reference is now further made concurrently to Figures 3-5 which respectively provide a perspective view of the linear track 110, a back elevation view, a side elevation view and a front elevation view, and from left to right, an elevation view of an extremity of the linear track 110, and a cross-sectional elevation view of the linear track 110. The four linear tracks 110 include a longitudinal flat surface 115, an opposite longitudinal curved surface 117 and a series of pre-assembled threaded fasteners 119. The preassembled threaded fasteners 119 facilitate the installation of the linear tracks to walls and ceilings. The opposite longitudinal curved surface 117 is adapted for receiving and guiding wheels of a garage door.

[0031] The present cross-sectionally identical linear track 110 defines a symmetrical series of hole patterns that are adapted for being used on either side of a garage door opening. This particularity of the present garage door track system 100 makes installation easier and avoids confusion during installation.

[0032] Extremities of the linear tracks 110 define inserts to allow an easier installation with perforated angles. The perforated angels are used to assemble the linear tracks 110 to the ceiling.

[0033] Prior art garage door track systems are usually assembled by bolts and nuts. This implies that the tracks have a series of holes and slots which could make it sometimes confusing for the installer if the right and left side are mixed up. This also causes problems for the number of jamb brackets to be used and also their required minimal spacing to insure structural strength.

[0034] Moreover, an installer has to manipulate a bolt and a nut for each fastening joint. This approach makes final adjustments tedious as door leaves may interfere with access to bolt heads positioned inside the track, especially when working at the bottom of the garage door opening.

[0035] To alleviate this problem, the linear tracks 110 further comprise a series of pre-assembled threaded fasteners 119. The pre-assembled threaded fasteners 119 may consist of Iclinched nuts or clinched fastener permanently set into the linear track 100 to allow use of one fastener for installing the linear track 100. For example, the pre-assembled threaded fasteners 199 could consist of a 7 / 16” hex head or a Torx drive.

[0036] The linear tracks 110 may be made or roll forming profiles where the thickness could vary for example from 0.030” to 0.090”, depending on weight of a garage door to be supported or application.

[0037] The linear tracks 110 are affixed to a wall surrounding the garage door opening using a plurality of brackets 140. Reference is now further made concurrently to Figure 7 which shows, from left to right, a top elevation view of the bracket 140, a back perspective view of the bracket 140 and a front perspective view of the bracket 140.

[0038] The bracket 140 is longitudinally symmetric so as to be used to affix the linear track 110 when positioned on a left-hand side of the garage door opening or when positioned on a right-hand side of the garage door opening. The bracket 140 may be longer or shorter than illustrated, to accommodate different types of installation. Furthermore, longer brackets 140 are adapted for accommodating installation of the linear tracks 110 vertically with a slight incline.

[0039] The bracket 140 is also used as an assembly interface for horizontal angle 138. The horizontal angle is used with heavier doors application to prevent the horizontal tracks (11) supporting the door from twisting when it is in the open position. The horizontal angle has a plurality of emboss to clear the pre-assembled threaded fasteners 119 of the linear track 110.

[0040] The bracket 140 defines an emboss 142 along a slot 144. The emboss 142 is adapted to clear the pre-assembled threaded fasteners 119 of the linear track 110 when installed vertically on the wall surrounding the garage door opening. The emboss 142 allows the bracket 140 to rest against the linear track 110 thereby providing a stronger assembly for wind load application. Installation of the linear tracks 110 in the horizontal position along a ceiling of the garage may be achieved. Any mechanism known in the industry may be used.

[0041] The linear tracks 110 installed horizontally and vertically on each side of the garage door opening are interconnected using a pair of curvilinear tracks 120. Reference is now further made concurrently to Figure 6 is, from left to right, a front perspective view of a curvilinear track 120 and a back perspective view of the curvilinear track 120.

[0042] Each curvilinear track 120 defines an internal curvilinear guide 122 andtwo opposite extremities 124 and 126. The extremities 124 and 126 of each one of the curvilinear tracks 120 are adapted for interconnection with the extremities 114 and 116 of the linear tracks 110, and the linear internal guide 112 of the linear tracks 110 and the internal curvilinear guide 122 of the curvilinear track 120 form an internal continuous guide when interconnected.

[0043] The extremities 124 and 126 of the curvilinear tracks 120 may be adapted for being inserted into the extremities 114 and 116 of the linear tracks 110. Alternatively, the extremities 124 and 126 of the curvilinear tracks 120 may be adapted for being inserted over the extremities 114 and 116 of the linear tracks 110. In another alternative, one extremity 124 of each curvilinear track 120 is adapted for being inserted into one of the extremities 114 of one of the linear tracks 110 and the other extremity 126 of each curvilinear track 120 is adapted for being inserted over one extremity 116 of the other linear track 110.

[0044] The extremities 114 and 116 of the four linear tracks 110 and the extremities 124 and 126 of the two curvilinear tracks 120 may further comprise a securing mechanism (not shown) for interlocking the extremities 114 and 116 of the linear tracks 110 to the extremities 124 and 126 of the curvilinear tracks 120. Any type of mechanism or attachment may be used as the securing mechanism.

[0045] The curvilinear tracks 120 may be made of steel and have a cross-section similar, compatible and / or identical to the cross-section of the linear tracks 110. In a preferred embodiment, the curvilinear tracks 120 are symmetrical so as to be installed on either side of the garage door opening. The curvilinear tracks 120 may be produced using a roll formed profile which is afterward bent.

[0046] The extremities of the curvilinear tracks 120 may be flared as shown, so as to allow inserting the extremities 124 and 126 of the curvilinear track 120 over the extremities 114 and 116 of the linear tracks 110. The length of the straight section of the curvilinear tracks 120 may vary depending on the radius of the curved section there in between. Most popular radii in the industry are 10”, 12”- and 15”.

[0047] Figure 6 further shows holes at each extremity 124 and 126 of the curvilinear tracks 120 for receiving a securing mechanism, for securing with the extremities 114 and 116 of the linear tracks 110. Figure 6 further illustrates a center hole along the curved section ofthe curvilinear track 120 to be used with the wall bearing support 130 for anchoring the curvilinear track 120 to the wall near the garage door opening.

[0048] Reference is now further made concurrently to Figures 8 and 9 which illustrate different views of the wall bearing support 130. The wall bearing support 130 may be made for example of steel. The wall bearing support 130 comprises a fastening plate 132 and a supporting projection 134 projecting substantially normally from the fastening plate 132. The fastening plate may have a combination of holes and slots to receive lag screws for affixing the wall bearing support 130 to a garage wall. In a particular implementation, the wall bearing support 130 comprises 3 horizontal slots to assemble with the Canimex® EZ- LHR system 136.

[0049] The wall bearing support 130 defines a bearing flange opening 137 for receiving a bearing flange 154, and two holes for securing the bearing flange 154 to the wall bearing support 130. Alternatively, the bearing flange 154 may be clipped in the bearing flange opening 137. Those skilled in the art will understand that the two holes of the wall bearing support 130 for securing thereto the bearing flange could be substituted or replaced by any other type of attachment known in the industry.

[0050] The bearing flange 154 includes a bearing 152, which can be mounted directly on the shaft 150, added thereto, or part of the bearing flange 154. The bearing 152 enables rotation of the shaft 150 in the wall bearing support 130. The bearing flange 154, bearing 152 and shaft 150 are thus removable independently of the wall bearing support 130, and facilitates assembly of the shaft 150 after the wall bearing support 130 has been installed on the wall.

[0051] The wall bearing support 130 is adapted for directly attaching through the supporting projection 134 the curvilinear track 120 as shown on Figure 1 through one or several elongated slots 135. Alternatively, or complementarily, the wall bearing support 130 is adapted for indirectly attaching, through a combination of horizontal angle slots 133 on the supporting projection 134 and a horizontal angle 138, the curvilinear track 120 as shown on Figure 11. The supporting projection 134 thus includes one or several elongated slots 135 for adjusting the attachment of the curvilinear track 120 for various thickness of garage door panels. Those skilled in the art will understand that the garage door track system 100 is installed taking into account thickness of the garage door panels which will be insertedinto the garage door track system. For example, for thicker garage door panels, the linear tracks 110 installed vertically and the curvilinear tracks 120 must be positioned and adjusted considering the thickness of the garage door panels. For this reason, several components of the garage door track system 100 are provided with horizontal elongated slots instead of round apertures, to facilitate the required adjustments. Those components include for example the brackets 140 and the wall bearing support 130.

[0052] Reference is now concurrently made to Figure 12 which shows different views of the horizontal angle 138, and the horizontal angle 138 assembled on the garage door track system 100.

[0053] The shaft 150 may further be equipped with a resilient member for assisting in lifting and lowering a garage door along the internal continuous guide, the shaft being rotationally mounted into the pair of wall bearing supports. The resilient member may be a spring, a spring system or a combination or spring, spring system and pulley.

[0054] The present garage door track system 100 thus simplifies installation and adjustments, reduces a number of parts that need to be stored and transported by installer, minimizes a number of tools used during installation, while reducing installation time and improving installation flexibility.

[0055] Although the present disclosure has been described hereinabove by way of non-restrictive, illustrative embodiments thereof, these embodiments may be modified at will within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and nature of the present disclosure.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A garage door track system comprising: four cross-sectionally identical linear tracks, each linear track defining an internal linear guide and two opposite extremities; two curvilinear tracks, each curvilinear track defining an internal curvilinear guide, two opposite extremities and a curved section of predetermined radius therebetween, the extremities of each curvilinear track being adapted for interconnecting with the extremities of the linear tracks to form therewith a pair of internal continuous guiding channels.

2. The garage door track system of claim 1 , wherein the extremities of the curvilinear tracks are adapted for being inserted into the extremities of the linear tracks.

3. The garage door track system of claim 1, wherein the extremities of the curvilinear tracks are adapted for being inserted over the extremities of the linear tracks.

4. The garage door track system of claim 1 , wherein one extremity of each curvilinear track is adapted for being inserted into one of the extremities of one of the linear tracks and the other extremity of each curvilinear track is adapted for being inserted over one extremity of another linear track.

5. The garage door track system of claim 1, wherein the extremities of the four cross- sectionally identical linear tracks and the extremities of the two curvilinear tracks further comprise a securing mechanism for interlocking the extremities of the linear tracks to the extremities of the curvilinear tracks.

6. The garage door track system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of brackets for vertically affixing the linear tracks onto a wall of a garage, the brackets being adapted for being affixed perpendicularly over the linear track.

7. The garage door track system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of brackets define a complementary shape to a transversal section of the linear tracks.

8. The garage door track system of claim 1, wherein the extremities of the two curvilinear tracks interconnect with the extremities of the linear tracks in such a manner as to form an internal continuous guide for receiving and guiding wheels of a garage door.

9. A garage door track system comprising: four cross-sectional ly identical linear tracks, each linear track defining a linear internal guide, two opposite extremities and a series of pre-assembled threaded fasteners; a pair of curvilinear tracks, each curvilinear track defining an internal curvilinear guide and two opposite extremities, the extremities of each one of the curvilinear tracks are adapted for interconnection with the extremities of the linear tracks, and the linear internal guide of the linear tracks and the internal curvilinear guide of the curvilinear track interconnected therewith form an internal continuous guide; and a pair of wall bearing supports, each wall bearing support being adapted for affixing one of the curvilinear tracks to a wall around a garage door opening.

10. The garage door track system of claim 9, wherein each wall bearing support comprises a positioning mechanism for affixing the curvilinear track to the wall bearing support.

11. The garage door track system of claim 9, wherein the resilient member is a spring.

12. The garage door track system of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of brackets for vertically affixing two of the linear tracks onto a wall of a garage using the preassembled fasteners, the brackets being adapted for being affixed perpendicularly over the linear track.

13. The garage door track system of claim 9, wherein the curvilinear tracks are adapted for being inserted into the extremities of the linear tracks.

14. The garage door track system of claim 9, wherein the extremities of the curvilinear tracks are adapted for being inserted over the extremities of the linear tracks.

15. The garage door track system of claim 9, wherein one extremity of each curvilinear track is adapted for being inserted into one of the extremities of one of the linear tracks and the other extremity of each curvilinear track is adapted for being inserted over one extremity of the other linear track.

16. The garage door track system of claim 9, wherein the extremities of the four linear tracks and the extremities of the two curvilinear tracks further comprise a securing mechanism for interlocking the extremities of the linear tracks to the extremities of the curvilinear tracks.

17. The garage door track system of claim 9, wherein the linear tracks comprise a series of pre-assembled threaded fasteners.

18. The garage door track system of claim 9, further comprising a shaft having a resilient member for assisting in lifting and lowering a garage door along the internal continuous guide, the shaft being rotationally mounted into the pair of wall bearing supports.

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