Raised panel door section and overhead garage door produced therefrom

Abstract

A raised panel door section ( 22, 54, 64 ) for an overhead garage door ( 20, 50, 60 ) includes a sheet metal layer ( 32, 56, 66 ) formed from sheet metal stock ( 74 ) that is embossed to produce a raised panel design by an automated method that selects one of a first die set ( 84 ) and a second die set ( 90 ) in response to a predetermined embossment style, installs the selected one of the first and second die sets ( 84, 90 ) into an embossing press ( 36 ) and embosses the sheet metal stock ( 74 ) with the predetermined embossment style. The predetermined embossment style includes one of a vertical raised panel design ( 30 ), a horizontal raised panel design ( 52 ), and a horizontal long raised panel design ( 62 ).

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A raised panel door section having an embossment style formed by a method comprising: 
 selecting one of a first die set and a second die set in response to said embossment style, said embossment style being one of a first panel design and a second panel design, said first die set being configured to produce said first panel design and said second die set being configured to produce said second panel design;    installing said one of said first and second die sets into an embossing press using a conveyer;    transferring sheet metal stock into said embossing press; and    embossing said sheet metal stock with said embossment style using said one of said first and second die sets.    
     
     
         2 . A raised panel door section as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said first die set is further configured to produce a third panel design, and when said embossment style is one of said first and third panel designs, said method further comprises: 
 determining that said first die set is installed in said embossing press to produce the other of said first and third panel designs; and  
 rotating said first die set approximately ninety degrees using an automated winch of said embossing press.  
 
     
     
         3 . A raised panel door section as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said method further comprises removing said first die set from said embossing press using said conveyer prior to said rotating operation.  
     
     
         4 . A raised panel door section as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said selecting operation comprises: 
 determining that a second one of said first and second die sets is installed in said embossing press; and  
 removing said second one of said first and second die sets prior to said installing operation.  
 
     
     
         5 . A raised panel door section as claimed in  claim 4  wherein said removing operation removes said second one of said first and second die sets using a second conveyer.  
     
     
         6 . A raised panel door section as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said first panel design is a horizontal raised panel design, and said first die set is further configured to produce a third panel design, said third panel design being a vertical raised panel design.  
     
     
         7 . A raised panel door section as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said first panel design is a first raised panel design exhibiting a first length, and said second panel design is a second raised panel design exhibiting a second length that is greater than said first length.  
     
     
         8 . A raised panel door section as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said method further comprises installing an insulating foam board in a cavity formed in said sheet metal layer.  
     
     
         9 . A raised panel door section as claimed in  claim 8  wherein said method further comprises adhering said insulating foam board to an inner surface of said sheet metal layer.  
     
     
         10 . A second raised panel door section having a second embossment style formed by said method as claimed in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         11 . A second raised panel door section as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said second embossment style is a second one of first and second panel designs.  
     
     
         12 . A second raised panel door section as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said method produces said raised panel door section exhibiting a first finished height, and said second raised panel door section exhibiting a second finished height, said second finished height differing from said first finished height.  
     
     
         13 . An overhead garage door produced from said raised panel door section as claimed in  claim 1 .  
     
     
         14 . An overhead garage door as claimed in  claim 13  wherein said raised panel door section is a first raised panel door section, said embossment style is a first embossment style, and said overhead garage door further includes a second raised panel door section having a second embossment style formed by said method, and said method further comprises mating a first portion of said first raised panel door section with a second portion of said second raised panel door section to produce said overhead garage door.  
     
     
         15 . An overhead garage door as claimed in  claim 14  wherein said second embossment style is a second one of said first and second panel designs.  
     
     
         16 . A first raised panel door section having a first embossment style and a second raised panel door section having a second embossment style, said first and second embossment styles being one of at least a first panel design and a second panel design, and said first and second raised panel door sections being formed by a method comprising: 
 for each of said first and second raised panel door sections, selecting one of a first die set and a second die set in response to one of said first and second said embossment styles, said first die set being configured to produce said first panel design, and said second die set being configured to produce said second panel design;    installing said one of said first and second die sets into an embossing press using a conveyer;    transferring sheet metal stock into said embossing press; and    embossing sheet metal stock with said one of said first and second embossment styles using said one of said first and second die sets, said method producing said first raised panel door section exhibiting a first finished height, and said second raised panel door section exhibiting a second finished height, said second finished height differing from said first finished height.    
     
     
         17 . First and second raised panel door sections as claimed in  claim 16  wherein said first die set is further configured to produce a third panel design, and when said embossment style is one of said first and third panel designs, said method further comprises: 
 determining that said first die set is installed in said embossing press to produce the other of said first and third panel designs; and  
 rotating said first die set approximately ninety degrees using an automated winch of said embossing press.  
 
     
     
         18 . First and second raised panel door sections as claimed in  claim 16  wherein said selecting operation comprises: 
 determining that a second one of said first and second die sets is installed in said embossing press; and  
 removing said second one of said first and second die sets prior to said installing operation.  
 
     
     
         19 . First and second raised panel door sections as claimed in  claim 16  wherein said first panel design is a first raised panel design exhibiting a first length, said second panel design is a second raised panel design exhibiting a second length that is greater than said first length.  
     
     
         20 . An overhead garage door comprising a first raised panel door section having a first embossment style, and a second raised panel door section having a second embossment style, said first and second embossment styles being selected from a group of embossment styles that includes a first panel design and a second panel design, said overhead garage door being produced by a method comprising: 
 for each of said first and second raised panel door sections, said method includes: 
 selecting one of a first die set and a second die set in response to one of said first and second said embossment styles, said first die set being configured to produce said first panel design, and said second die set being configured to produce said second panel design;  
 installing said one of said first and second die sets into an embossing press using a conveyer;  
 transferring sheet metal stock into said embossing press;  
 embossing sheet metal stock with said one of said first and second embossment styles using said one of said first and second die sets; and  
   mating a first portion of said first raised panel door section with a second portion of said second raised panel door section to produce said overhead garage door.