Garage door bracket

Abstract

A bracket assembly attaches a garage door track to the ceiling joists or another structural support. In one embodiment, an upper bracket includes an upper horizontal element, a lower horizontal element, and at least one support element extending between the upper and lower horizontal elements. The upper element may include a ceiling flange that is angled approximately ninety degrees from the remainder of the bracket. A vertical bracket member attaches to the upper horizontal element, the lower horizontal element and the garage door track. The bracket can reduce installation time, labor, and the potential for error from the typical installation arrangement and method by reducing the number of cuts that the installer must make, and by reducing the number of fasteners that are needed.

1 . A bracket assembly adapted to join a garage door track with at least one joist, comprising:
 an upper horizontal element adapted to be attached to the at least one joist;   a lower horizontal element;   at least one support element attached to the upper and lower horizontal elements; and   a vertical bracket member adapted to be attached to the track and at least one of the upper and lower horizontal elements.   
     
     
         2 . The bracket assembly of  claim 1  wherein the upper horizontal element includes a first flange parallel with and attached to a bottom surface of the joist and a second flange extending outward from the bottom surface of the joist. 
     
     
         3 . The bracket assembly of  claim 2  wherein the vertical bracket is adapted to be attached to the second flange. 
     
     
         4 . The bracket assembly of  claim 3  wherein at least one of the first and second flanges, the lower horizontal element and the vertical bracket member defines a plurality of holes adapted to receive a fastener. 
     
     
         5 . The bracket assembly of  claim 4  wherein at least one hole on the upper horizontal element is aligned with at least one hole on the lower horizontal element, wherein said vertical bracket is fastened to the upper and lower horizontal elements at said aligned holes. 
     
     
         6 . The bracket assembly of  claim 3  wherein the upper and lower horizontal elements are connected by first, second and third support elements. 
     
     
         7 . The bracket assembly of  claim 6  wherein the first support element extends between a first end of the upper horizontal element and a first end of the lower horizontal element, the first support element being generally perpendicular to the upper and lower horizontal elements. 
     
     
         8 . The bracket assembly of  claim 7  wherein the third support element extends between a second end of the upper horizontal element and a second end of the lower element. 
     
     
         9 . The bracket assembly of  claim 8  wherein the lower horizontal element is shorter than the upper horizontal element, wherein the third support element extends on an angle between the upper and lower support elements. 
     
     
         10 . The bracket assembly of  claim 8  wherein the second support element is positioned between the first and second support elements. 
     
     
         11 . The bracket assembly of  claim 10  wherein the second support element is generally parallel to the first support member. 
     
     
         12 . A method of attaching a garage door track to a joist with a bracket, the bracket having a an upper horizontal element, a lower horizontal element, at least one support element connecting the upper and lower horizontal elements, and a vertical bracket, the method comprising:
 attaching the upper horizontal element to the ceiling joist;   measuring the distance between the ceiling and the track;   cutting the vertical bracket member to a length that generally corresponds to the distance between the ceiling and track;   attaching the vertical bracket member to the upper and lower horizontal members of the bracket;   attaching the track to the vertical bracket member.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the upper horizontal element includes first and second flanges, wherein the method comprises arranging the first flange to be generally parallel to a bottom surface of the joist. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising arranging the lower horizontal element to be parallel with the upper horizontal element. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising attaching vertical bracket member to the second flange. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising connecting the upper and lower horizontal elements with first, second and third support elements. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising attaching the first support element to a first end of the upper horizontal element and to a first end of the lower horizontal element. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising attaching the third support element to a second end of the upper horizontal element and to a second end of the lower horizontal element, wherein the lower horizontal element is shorter than the upper horizontal element, wherein the third support element extends between the upper and lower horizontal elements on an angle. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising positioning the second support element between the first and third horizontal element. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the upper and lower horizontal elements and the vertical bracket member each define a plurality of holes, wherein the method comprises securing the vertical bracket member to the upper and lower horizontal members with a fastener. 
     
     
         21 . A bracket assembly for connecting a garage door track to a ceiling support element, comprising:
 a one-piece, unitary sheet metal bracket including an elongated upper member having first and second ends, an elongated lower member having first and second ends, a support member extending between the upper member and the lower member, and an attachment flange extending from the upper member generally perpendicular to the upper member for attaching the sheet metal bracket to the ceiling support member, the upper elongated member defining a first fastener hole and the lower elongated member defining a second attachment hole, the first and second attachment holes aligned along a line that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of the upper elongated member; and   an elongated vertical support member connected to the sheet metal bracket and the garage door track, the vertical support member including a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, the first portion attached to the upper elongated member of the sheet metal bracket by a first fastener extending through the first fastener hole, the second portion attached to the lower elongated member of the sheet metal bracket by a second fastener extending through the second fastener hole, and the third portion capable of attaching to the garage door track by a fastener extending through the third portion and the garage door track.