Garage Door Track Bracket Shim for Clearance and Rust Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for creating space between garage tracks and walls during garage door installation are either difficult to install, expensive, or prone to damage from moisture, such as metal washers that rust or wood blocks that split.
Innovation Solution
A shim with a slot and lip design that allows easy alignment and secure fastening between the garage track bracket and wall, using an adhesive for installation, which provides additional space without the risks of rust or splitting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If metal washers are used to create space between the garage track and wall, then the door operation is improved, but the installation difficulty increases and the reliability decreases due to rust
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses plastic shims instead of metal washers. The plastic material is inexpensive, rust-proof, and designed for single-use installation. The shim is inserted, secured with a screw, and then removed, leaving no permanent metal components that could rust or require maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The plastic shim acts as an intermediary component between the track bracket and the wall. It provides the necessary clearance space while being easily installable and removable, mediating the conflict between providing space and maintaining structural integrity without the drawbacks of metal washers.
2Reliability
If wood blocks are used to create space between the garage track and wall, then the door operation is improved, but the reliability decreases due to splitting and rotting
Solution Approach 1:
The plastic shim replaces wood blocks as a disposable, single-use component. It is inexpensive, resistant to moisture and decay, and designed to be installed and removed without leaving permanent structures that could split or rot.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter from wood to plastic. This material substitution eliminates the issues of splitting and rotting while maintaining the functional capability of providing clearance space. The plastic material inherently resists moisture and structural degradation.
3Reliability
If metal washers are stacked to create space, then the door operation is improved, but the device complexity increases due to careful stacking requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The solution segments the space-providing function into a single plastic shim component rather than requiring multiple stacked metal washers. This single-component approach simplifies the assembly process while achieving the same clearance effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The plastic shim is designed as a simple, single-use component that eliminates the need for complex stacking of multiple metal washers. It provides the necessary clearance in a single installation step without requiring precise alignment of multiple parts.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The shim effectively creates necessary space between the garage track and wall, ensuring smooth door operation, durability, and a professional finish, without the drawbacks of traditional materials.
Implementation Method 1
fastening the front surface of the shim to a track bracket using an adhesive
Data Source
AI summary
A shim for providing extra space between a garage door track and a garage door wall. The shim may be mounted in between the garage door wall and a track bracket that supports the garage door track. The shim may be inserted prior to mounting the garage door track or after mounting the garage door track. The shim may include a screw guide slot so that a screw may secure the bracket and the shim to the garage wall.