Overhead Door Belt-Driven Panel Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing overhead doors face issues with high maintenance requirements, damage from crashes, and inefficient closing mechanisms, leading to high repair costs and noise due to the use of rigid hinges and rollers.

Innovation Solution

The overhead door employs a conveyor belt system adjacent to the horizontal track, eliminating the need for rollers and using flexible belts as hinges, which allows for simultaneous panel acceleration during closing, reducing maintenance and noise, and enabling high-speed operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If rigid hinges are used to connect panels, then the door blade can be pushed into the open position, but maintenance requirements increase due to lubrication and exchange needs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepanel movementVSAvoidmaintenance requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces rigid mechanical hinges with a flexible belt system that connects panels. The belt allows panel movement through flexibility rather than mechanical joints, eliminating lubrication requirements and reducing maintenance while maintaining operational capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a flexible belt as the connecting element between panels instead of rigid hinges. This flexible film structure provides the necessary movement while eliminating the mechanical components that require maintenance, directly addressing the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Ease of operation

If rigid hinges are used to connect panels, then the door blade can be pushed into the open position, but repair costs increase after crashes due to twisted hinges

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepanel movementVSAvoidrepair time and costs

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces rigid mechanical hinges with a flexible belt system. This substitution eliminates the problem of twisted hinges after crashes, as the flexible belt can absorb impact forces without permanent deformation, significantly reducing repair time and costs while maintaining panel movement capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible belt system inherently provides cushioning against crash forces before they can cause damage. The flexibility of the belt allows it to absorb and distribute impact energy, preventing the twisted hinge damage that would otherwise require expensive repairs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Ease of operation

If rollers are used to guide the door blade in tracks, then smooth movement is achieved, but noise and wear increase throughout operation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedoor blade movementVSAvoidnoise and wear

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the roller-based mechanical guidance system with a flexible belt guidance mechanism. This substitution eliminates the rolling contact that generates noise and wear, providing smooth door blade movement through the flexibility of the belt while eliminating the harmful effects of traditional roller systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Speed

If pull down systems are used to close the door blade, then high closing speed is achieved, but discontinuous panel movement occurs during acceleration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveclosing speedVSAvoidpanel movement continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the closing force application across all panels simultaneously through the flexible belt system. This unified approach ensures continuous and synchronized panel movement during acceleration, eliminating the discontinuous motion that occurs with sequential pull-down systems while maintaining high closing speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11661778B2High speed overhead door

Publication Date: 2023.05.30 ASSA ABLOY ENTRANCE SYST AB

AI summary

The invention relates to an overhead door for covering a door opening comprising a door blade (11) with a plurality of panels (17), said door blade (11) being movable between a vertical, closed position and a horizontal, opened or overhead position within a side frame (12) comprising double-sided a vertical track (13) and a horizontal track (14), connected by a connecting portion (15), respectively, and with a belt (20) or a chain associated with one side each of the said side frame (12) to lift the panels (17) from said vertical position to said horizontal position. To develop the stated overhead door in a way that the advantages of a high speed rollup door and an overhead door are combined, to offer an overhead door with a low space requirement, low maintenance requirements and a high speed closing possibility, the stated overhead door comprises driving means (27) for simultaneously driving a plurality of said panels (17).