Stabilization Roller Bracket for Long Garage Door Roller Stems

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The use of long rollers in movable barriers, such as garage doors, requires additional hardware like double wide endcaps and second hinges, which increase cost, weight, and interfere with transparent or semi-transparent panels, necessitating labor-intensive material cutting.

Innovation Solution

A stabilization roller bracket with multiple holes that space the roller from the movable barrier by different distances, allowing it to be positioned based on vertical alignment, and includes a frangible portion for easy removal to accommodate lites, reducing the need for double wide endcaps and second hinges.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If long rollers are used to attach garage doors to tracks, then the ability to support heavier doors is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase due to requiring double wide endcaps and second hinges

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to support heavier doorsVSAvoidhardware requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The stabilization roller bracket is divided into a main body and a frangible portion that can be selectively removed. This segmentation allows the bracket to provide full support functionality when needed, while allowing simplification when lites are present, thus reducing device complexity without sacrificing strength when required

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The stabilization roller bracket serves multiple functions: it supports long roller stems for heavy doors, accommodates various vertical positions through multiple holes, and can be modified by removing the frangible portion to accommodate lites. This multi-functionality replaces the need for separate double wide endcaps and second hinges

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Strength

If double wide endcaps and second hinges are used to accommodate long roller stems, then the structural strength is improved, but the weight of the garage door increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidgarage door weight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The frangible portion is designed to be selectively removed from the stabilization roller bracket when lites are present. This extraction of material reduces the overall weight of the hardware assembly while maintaining the necessary structural strength through the remaining main body of the bracket

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Strength

If double wide endcaps and second hinges are installed to support long rollers, then the ability to accommodate heavier doors is improved, but the installation process becomes more labor-intensive due to material cutting requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesupport capacityVSAvoidinstallation process

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The bracket is pre-segmented into a main body and a frangible portion with a defined separation interface. This pre-segmentation eliminates the need for on-site cutting operations, as the frangible portion can be easily removed by hand or with minimal tools, dramatically simplifying the installation process while maintaining support capacity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The frangible portion is pre-formed with a groove and separation interface during manufacturing, preparing it for easy removal if needed. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for labor-intensive cutting operations during installation, as the portion can be cleanly separated in advance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Stability of the object's composition

If double wide endcaps and second hinges are used to accommodate long roller stems, then the structural stability is improved, but material waste increases due to cutting requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidmaterial waste

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The bracket is designed as a segmented component with a frangible portion that can be removed if lites are present. This segmentation prevents material waste by avoiding the need to cut through the entire bracket structure, as only the non-essential frangible portion is removed, preserving the main body material

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The frangible portion is designed to be discarded (removed) only when necessary for lite accommodation. When not removed, the entire bracket is reused in full. This selective discarding approach minimizes material waste compared to traditional methods that require cutting through substantial portions of endcaps and hinges

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Data Source

PatentUS12546154B2Stabilization roller bracket for long roller stems of a movable barrier

Publication Date: 2026.02.10 OVERHEAD DOOR CORP

AI summary

A stabilization roller bracket is positioned adjacent to a hinge and supplements a hinge in coupling a roller to a movable barrier. The stabilization roller bracket includes a base configured to be coupled to an inner surface of the movable barrier. The base includes a main body and a frangible portion. The stabilization roller bracket also includes at least one wall extending from the base and including a plurality of stem-receiving holes, each of the plurality of stem-receiving holes spaced a different distance from the base and configured to receive a portion of a stem of a roller for the movable barrier and space the roller from the inner surface of the movable barrier.