Insertable roll-up door for a vehicle

Abstract

Disclosed is an insertable roll-up door for a vehicle. The door is formed from a header, left and right guide members and, optionally, a bottom sill. The header, guide members, and sill are assembled at a first geographic location to form a dimensionally stable subassembly. A flexible door panel and roller are installed in the subassembly. The top end of the door panel is connected with the roller. Ends of the roller are received at top portions of the guide members and the roller is supported to rotate about a roller axis. Rotation of the roller winds the door panel onto and off from the roller. Edges of the door panel are guided by the guide members to move vertically to open and close the door. The assembled door is shipped to a second location to be installed on a vehicle. At the second location, an opening is created in the vehicle sized to receive the door. The door is inserted in the opening and fixed to the vehicle with fasteners.

1 .- 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A roll-up door adapted to be inserted into an opening of a vehicle, the door comprising:
 a door subassembly, wherein the subassembly comprises:   a header, the header having a left end portion and a right end portion;   a right guide member and a left guide member, the guide members comprising, respectively, a left extension at a top end of the left guide member and a right extension at a top end of the right guide member, wherein the top ends of the left and right guide members are permanently fixed with left and right end portions of the header, respectively; and   left and right roller receivers connected with the left and right extensions;   and   a packaging, wherein the packaging is adapted to secure and protect the subassembly for shipping from a first location to a second location.   
     
     
         10 . The door of  claim 9 , wherein the left and right guide members are permanently fixed with respective left and right end portions of the header by welding. 
     
     
         11 . The door of  claim 9 , further comprising a sill, the sill having a left sill end portion and a right sill end portion, wherein the left and right sill end portions are permanently fixed with the left and right guide members at bottom ends of the guide members. 
     
     
         12 . The door of  claim 18 , wherein the roller further comprises a torsion spring counterbalance. 
     
     
         13 . The door of  claim 9 , further comprising left and right idler wheels, rotatably connected with the left and right extensions, respectively, wherein left and right edges of the door panel are supported by the respective left and right idler wheels. 
     
     
         14 . The door of  claim 9 , wherein the header further comprises a rain gutter. 
     
     
         15 . The door of  claim 9 , wherein the left guide member comprises a left flange extending leftward and the right guide member comprises a right flange extending rightward, wherein the left and right flanges are adapted to receive a fastener suitable for connecting the door with a wall of the vehicle. 
     
     
         16 . The door of  claim 9 , wherein the header, left guide member and right guide member are formed by one or more of stamping from a sheet of metal, bending, and extrusion. 
     
     
         17 . The door of  claim 9 , comprising a plurality of subassemblies, wherein the packaging is adapted to secure and protect the plurality of subassemblies. 
     
     
         18 . The door of  claim 9 , wherein the subassembly further comprises
 a roller having a left end, a right end, and a roller axis, wherein the left and right ends of the roller are received in the left and right receivers, respectively; and   a flexible door panel, wherein a top end of the door panel is connected with the roller, wherein a left edge and a right edge of the door panel are slidably received by the left and right guide members, respectively, wherein rotation of the roller about the axis winds and unwinds the door panel onto and off from the roller.