Sectional overhead door roller assembly

Abstract

A roller assembly ( 10 ) to engage a track ( 100 ) having opposing generally parallel and transversely spaced first and second track portions ( 111, 112 ), the roller assembly including: a frame ( 11 ) including a shaped hole ( 15 ) and a slot ( 17 ) spaced from said shaped hole ( 15 ); a first roller ( 12 b ) mounted to the frame hole ( 15 ) for rotation about an axis which is to be generally transverse of the track; a second roller ( 12 a ) mounted in the frame slot ( 17 ) for rotation about an axis which is to be generally transverse of the track; wherein the frame slot ( 17 ) extends in a direction having a component generally normal to said axes and said track portions ( 111, 112 ) when in use, and the second roller ( 12 a ) is movably mounted in the frame slot ( 17 ) for movement in said direction; and said assembly further includes a biasing member ( 18 ) mounted on the frame ( 11 ) and operatively associated with said second roller ( 12 a ) to urge said second roller ( 12 a ) in said direction so that in use the rollers ( 12 a , 12 b ) are urged into contact with said track portions ( 111, 112 )

1 . A roller assembly to engage a track having opposing generally parallel and transversely spaced first and second track portions, the roller assembly including: 
 a frame including a shaped hole and a slot spaced from said shaped hole;    a first roller mounted to the frame hole for rotation about an axis which is to be generally transverse of the track;    a second roller mounted in the frame slot for rotation about an axis which is to be generally transverse of the track; wherein    the frame slot extends in a direction having a component generally normal to said axes and said track portions when in use, and the second roller is movably mounted in the frame slot for movement in said direction; and    said assembly further includes a biasing member mounted on the frame and operatively associated with said second roller to urge said second roller in said direction so that in use the rollers are urged into contact with said track portions.    
     
     
         2 . The roller assembly of  claim 1  wherein said second roller is biased in a direction away from the first roller.  
     
     
         3 . The roller assembly of  claim 1  wherein the frame further includes a second shaped hole, and the assembly includes a third roller mounted in said second shaped hole for rotation about an axis which is to be generally transverse of the track.  
     
     
         4 . The roller assembly of  claim 3  wherein the frame is triangularly shaped with the two holes formed adjacent two of its vertices and the slot extends from adjacent its other vertex in said direction.  
     
     
         5 . The roller assembly of  claim 3  wherein the biasing member comprises a spring operatively associated with said second roller.  
     
     
         6 . The roller assembly of  claim 5  wherein the spring is a compression spring, a leaf spring or a torsion spring.  
     
     
         7 . The roller assembly of  claim 6  wherein each roller includes an axle having a reduced diameter end portion which forms a shoulder in the axle, the axle end portion including a groove adjacent its distal end, wherein the axle end portion is inserted into the hole or slot of the frame such that the axle shoulder engages one side of the frame and a retaining clip is inserted into the axle groove on the other side of the frame to retain the roller to the frame.  
     
     
         8 . The roller assembly of  claim 3  wherein the second roller includes an axle having a flat groove adjacent its distal end, wherein the frame slot includes an enlarged portion and a narrower portion distal from said holes, wherein the axle is inserted into the slot enlarged potion and moved such that the axle flat groove mutually receives the narrower portion of the slot to movably retain the second roller to the frame, the axle flat groove preventing rotation of the axle relative to the frame.  
     
     
         9 . The roller assembly of  claim 8  wherein the first and third rollers each include an axle having a reduced diameter end portion which forms a shoulder in the axle, the axle end portion including a groove adjacent its distal end, wherein the axle end portion is inserted into the respective first or second hole of the frame such that the axle shoulder engage one side of the frame and a retaining clip is inserted into the axle groove on the other side of the frame to retain the respective roller to the frame.  
     
     
         10 . The roller assembly of  claim 8  wherein the second roller axle includes a recess for receiving an end of a compression spring.  
     
     
         11 . The roller assembly of  claim 8  wherein the frame includes a mid-portion transversely offset from its side portions, wherein the first and second holes are respectively formed in the side portions and the slot is formed in the mid-portion.  
     
     
         12 . The roller assembly of  claim 11  wherein the frame mid-portion includes a tongue which can be bent to be inserted into a compression spring for retaining said spring to said frame.  
     
     
         13 . The roller assembly of  claim 3  wherein the frame further includes a second slot extending in a direction having a component generally normal to said axes, and the assembly includes a fourth roller mounted in said second slot for rotation about an axis which is to be generally transverse of the track, the fourth roller being movably mounted in the second slot for movement in said direction, and wherein the biasing member is operatively associated with said second and fourth rollers to urge said second and fourth rollers in said direction.  
     
     
         14 . The roller assembly of  claim 13  wherein the biasing member comprises a leaf spring.  
     
     
         15 . The roller assembly of  claim 13  wherein the biasing member comprises two compression or torsion springs each respectively operatively associated with one of said second and fourth rollers.  
     
     
         16 . The roller assembly of  claim 13  wherein the frame is rectangular shaped with the two holes adjacent two of its adjacent vertices and the two slots extending from adjacent its other vertices in said direction.  
     
     
         17 . The roller assembly of  claim 1  further including an axle attached to the frame for connection with a hinge of a sectional overhead door.  
     
     
         18 . The roller assembly of  claim 17  wherein the axle includes a portion distal from the frame member which is axially offset from the portion of the axle adjacent the frame member.  
     
     
         19 . The roller assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the axle includes a sleeve for attaching to the door hinges.  
     
     
         20 . A sectional overhead door assembly to be mounted adjacent a building opening, the door assembly including 
 first and second generally parallel, transversely spaced and co-extensive tracks, each track having a substantially vertical section to extend along each side of the building opening, a substantially horizontal section to extend adjacent a ceiling of said building, and a curved section extending between the vertical and horizontal sections, each track comprising opposing generally parallel and transversely spaced first and second track portions in cross-section,    a plurality of contiguous door panels to each extend between said tracks, each door panel to be connected to an adjacent panel by hinges,    roller assemblies in accordance with any one of claims  1 ,  3 ,  8  or  13  to be mounted to end hinges of said panels to engage said tracks,    wherein, in use, the tracks and roller assemblies allow the door panels to be moved from the track vertical section where the door panels block the building opening to the track horizontal section to allow passage through the opening.