The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 26, 1991
Filed:
May. 01, 1989
Alan R Leist, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Thomas G Mushaben, Cincinnati, OH (US);
Thomas E Youtsey, Bellevue, KY (US);
Other;
Abstract
Novel flexible hinge assemblies for connecting abutting panel sections of upward acting doors, fsuch as garage doors, are disclosed. More particularly, abutting panel sections of an upward acting door are hingedly connected together economically and in a weather-tight relationship by a flexible hinge assembly which can be easily installed without the use of tools by snapping it into predesigned elongated slots in the abutting panel sections from the rear or interior side of the door. When assembled, a flexible hinge assembly of the present invention provides a smooth, flush back surface on the rear or interior side of an upward acting door and eliminates the unsightly appearance associated with conventional metal hardware heretofore used to hinge abutting panel sections of upward acting doors. Examplary of a novel hinge assembly in accordance with the present invention comprises an elongated flexible hinge having first and second arms connected to a central web formed with a material substantially resistant to flexure fatigue and two elongated slats wherein each arm is adapted to be inserted into one elongated slot along the abutting edge of one abutting panel section and each slat is likewise adapted to be inserted into one of the elongated abutting slots in contact with one of the arms inserted therein to lock the flexible hinge in the elongated slots and hingedly connect together the abutting panel sections for articulation with respect to each other.