Tripod Leg Overhead Door Frame Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing overhead door systems for large and heavy doors in commercial and industrial buildings transfer significant weight and force to the building structure during opening and closing, which can strain the building's framework and compromise structural integrity.
Innovation Solution
A frame assembly with a horizontal header supported by upright tripod legs and splice assemblies, utilizing linear actuators like hydraulic cylinders or motor-driven screws, which distribute the weight and forces of the door to the legs, allowing the door to move between upright and horizontal positions without imposing these loads on the adjacent building structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a traditional overhead door system is used, then the door can be opened and closed, but the building structure bears significant weight and force during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The support system is segmented into multiple independent tripod legs, each with its own set of columns working together to share the total load. This segmentation distributes the force across multiple structural elements rather than concentrating it on the building structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The support system transitions from a two-dimensional planar support to a three-dimensional tripod configuration. The tripod legs extend vertically from the header with columns arranged in a triangular pattern, creating a spatial distribution of forces that reduces the burden on any single point of the building structure.
2Reliability
If the door weight is supported by the building structure, then the door can be held in position, but the building framework experiences strain
Solution Approach 1:
The tripod legs with multiple columns act as intermediary support elements between the door and the building structure. These intermediaries bear the weight and transfer it to the ground through their own structural configuration, preventing direct stress on the building framework while maintaining reliable door positioning.
3Ease of manufacture
If a simple support system is used, then the structure is easier to manufacture, but lateral and vertical stability is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The tripod configuration adds a vertical dimension to the support structure, creating a three-legged stance that provides inherent lateral stability. The triangular arrangement of columns in space creates rigid geometric relationships that resist both lateral and vertical forces while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple columns are merged into a single tripod leg assembly, where the columns work together as an integrated unit. This merging of structural elements into a coordinated tripod configuration provides enhanced stability while maintaining ease of manufacture through standardized components.
Data Source
AI summary
An overhead door frame assembly has a horizontal header connected to tripod legs with splice assemblies. Each tripod leg has two upright columns connected to an upright I-bar and a support assembly and the upright columns and the upright I-bar are secured to a base adapted to be secured to a floor of a building. One of the splice assemblies is fastened to each upright column. Hinges pivotally mount an overhead door to the header to allow hydraulic cylinders connected to the support assemblies to move the overhead door to an open position and a closed position.