Hinge guard for overhead door

Abstract

An overhead door and associated mating panels include a hinge guard which is used in conjunction with each of the hinges of a multi-panel or sectional door. The hinge guard includes a base that is screwed, bolted or otherwise secured to a lower one of the door panels or a stile on the lower panel. The base is designed and configured to fit between the spaced hinge arms of an upper hinge leaf of the door. The hinge guard also includes a pair of protective side flanges that are connected by a bridge to a common edge of the base. Each flange extends generally parallel to a respective side of the base and is spaced from the side to provide a gap through which one of the hinge arms of the upper hinge leaf pivots. The protective flanges are positioned on the outboard or external side of the hinge arms to thereby block or inhibit foreign objects from interfering with the movement of the hinge arms during articulation of the hinge. The hinge guard inhibits the insertion of a foreign object into the hinge from the side. Secondly, the raised arcuate-molded contour of a boss on the base minimizes the space or clearance between the upper hinge leaf and the lower door panel during articulation of the hinge to thereby inhibit the insertion of foreign matter in this region of the hinge.