Universal Hinge Assembly for Overhead Sectional Doors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing overhead door panel designs lack a universal hinge solution that can accommodate various configurations and designs, leading to inefficiencies in manufacturing, stocking, and installation processes, as well as increased risk of pinch sites and hazards due to unique component designs for specific applications.
Innovation Solution
A hinge assembly with segmented convex and concave profiles on mating edges and U-shaped stiles, where upper and lower hinge leaves are pivotally connected by rivets, allowing for preassembled configuration and easy mounting on stiles, compatible with multiple door panel designs including pan, insulated, and non-insulated configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If unique hinge designs are created for specific door panel configurations, then the door can minimize gaps between panels and reduce pinch sites, but the manufacturer and installer must stock and handle multiple varieties of components
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly is designed with a universal mounting structure that can accommodate multiple door panel configurations (different thicknesses, insulation types, and styles) through a single standardized design. The mounting plate and pivot mechanism remain consistent across applications, while allowing for minor adjustments to fit various panel types, thereby eliminating the need to stock multiple hinge varieties.
2Weight of moving object
If door panels are constructed with thin outer skins to reduce weight, then ease of operation improves, but internal reinforcing members are required which complicates the panel structure
Solution Approach 1:
The door panel is divided into distinct functional segments: thin outer skin panels for weight reduction, separate internal reinforcing stiles for structural support, and modular hinge mounting plates for connection. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the skin remains thin and lightweight while the reinforcement and mounting structures provide necessary strength without adding excessive weight.
3Ease of operation
If components are provided in preassembled configuration to simplify installation, then ease of operation improves, but the hinge design must be compatible with various door panel configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly is preassembled with the mounting plate, pivot mechanism, and connecting components configured before installation. This preliminary configuration allows the installer to simply mount the complete assembly to the door panel without complex on-site assembly steps. The preassembled design incorporates standardized mounting features that maintain compatibility across different door panel types.
Data Source
AI summary
A hinge assembly pivotally couples adjacent panels together in an overhead sectional door. The panels include stiles between each lateral end of the panel to which the hinge assemblies are attached. The hinge assembly includes an upper hinge leaf on an upper panel with a pair of spaced generally parallel flanges which span the juncture between the upper and lower panels. The hinge assembly also includes a lower hinge leaf with a pair of flanges projecting generally parallel to each other. The lower hinge leaf is mounted to one of the stiles of the lower panel and each flange includes a pivot axis hole near a terminal end thereof for alignment with a pivot axis hole in one of the flanges of the upper leaf. The stile includes a pair of spaced, parallel sidewalls and a notch, depression or recess is on each sidewall. The recesses provide a seat for the respective flanges of the hinge leaves and clearance between the sidewall of the stile and any adjacent components. A rivet or similar pivotal connector device is seated within the pivot axis holes on each side of the hinge.