Hingeless High-Speed Sectional Door with Dedicated Panel-Track Pairing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high-speed roll-up doors face challenges in efficient and economical repair after impact, leading to productivity losses, thermal losses, and damage, with prior art lacking automated solutions for reconfiguring the door's guiding function.
Innovation Solution
A high-speed sectional overhead door design featuring panels stacked in a single plane, using dedicated panel-track pairing and a unique hook/cam device for storage, allowing for rapid panel replacement and eliminating the need for ceiling connections, with a hingeless system for reduced wear and improved aesthetics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If conventional high-speed roll-up doors are used, then high-speed operation is achieved, but efficient and economical repair after impact is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The door is divided into multiple independent panels that can be individually replaced. Each panel operates independently within its own track, allowing damaged panels to be quickly removed and replaced without affecting the entire door system or requiring manual realignment procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The panel-track pairing system enables automated self-alignment during panel replacement. The dedicated tracks guide panels into correct positions automatically during the opening/closing cycle, eliminating the need for manual realignment by operators and enabling efficient repair operations.
2Ease of repair
If conventional sectional doors with hinges are used, then panels can be connected, but connection points require higher energy consuming operators and limit ease of repair
Solution Approach 1:
The door system segments panels into independent units without inter-panel hinges or connections. Each panel operates independently in its own dedicated track, eliminating the need for connection points between panels and the high-energy operators required to manage those connections during repair operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge connection system is completely removed from the design. Panels are extracted from the conventional connected structure and operate independently in dedicated tracks, eliminating the complex interaction and energy requirements associated with hinged connections during repair operations.
3Length of stationary object
If standard sectional door installations with ceiling tracks are used, then panels can be guided, but ceiling connections are required which increase headroom requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The panel guidance system transitions from ceiling-mounted horizontal tracks to vertically-oriented tracks mounted on the door frame structure. This dimensional repositioning eliminates the need for ceiling connections and reduces headroom requirements while maintaining reliable panel guidance through the vertical track configuration.
4Strength
If conventional doors with multiple connection points are used, then panels can be supported, but more moving parts increase wear and reduce aesthetics
Solution Approach 1:
The support system is segmented into individual panel-track pairs, with each panel supported independently by its own dedicated track and roller mechanism. This eliminates the need for multiple connection points and inter-panel moving parts, reducing overall device complexity and wear while maintaining adequate panel support through the distributed track system.
Data Source
AI summary
A high-speed sectional overhead door covers a door opening with panels stacked in a single plane and lifted from the bottom-most panel. As panels are lifted, each rolls in its own individual track. As the panels move into the head area, they run through curved tracks and are nested there. The stored panels stacked horizontally one atop another with the door open. This design utilizes a dedicated panel-track pairing as well as a unique hook/cam device which allows for the upper panel to be both locked in the closed position and pushed away for separation and storage in the open position. The design also provides a sectional door with low headroom clearance, high speed closing/opening and a multitude of panel heights without hinges joining the adjacent panels