Garage door noise reduction roller assembly with noise reduction roller wheel

Abstract

A roller with a plastic injection tube to coat the steel shaft wherein the plastic coated shaft eliminates the metal-to-metal contact that creates the noise. Closing the gap between the metal roller shaft and hinge barrel will eliminate the metal-to-metal contact resulting in a very quiet, rolling garage door. Further disclosed is an improved roller wheel having a tire made of material selected from the group consisting of urethane and urethane (PER) on which the roller will roll within a garage door track to significantly reduce the noise of the roller as it rolls inside the garage door tracks as the garage door is raised and lowered. The improved wheel include two plastic wheel sections with a gap therebetween with the tire made of urethane (PER) molded between the two sections and also extending through openings within the two wheel sections to retain the two wheel sections together.

Claims

1. A garage door roller assembly comprising: a hinge configured for use with two adjacent garage door panels of a garage door, a roller wheel rollable within a garage door track adjacent an exterior edge of each of the two adjacent garage door panels; a cylindrical metal shaft affixed to the roller wheel and extending perpendicular to the roller wheel, the cylindrical metal shaft adapted for use with the hinge; wherein the hinge comprises: a first hinge plate affixed to a first hinge bracket made of metal having parallel oppositely disposed metal openings through the first hinge bracket made of metal; a second hinge plate affixed to a second hinge bracket made of metal having parallel oppositely disposed metal openings through the second hinge bracket made of metal; the second hinge bracket made of metal exterior to the first hinge bracket made of metal, wherein the parallel oppositely disposed openings in the second hinge bracket made of metal are respectively aligned with, exterior to and adjacent to respective ones of the parallel oppositely disposed openings in the first hinge bracket made of metal; the first hinge plate affixed to a back of a first of said two adjacent garage door panels; the second hinge plate affixed to a back of a second of said two adjacent garage door panels; the cylindrical metal shaft having an outer wall having a diameter, a tube retaining member incorporated with at least a portion of the outer cylindrical wall of the cylindrical metal shaft; an exterior plastic material selected from the group consisting of polyurethane and synthetic plastic formed onto at least a portion of the tube retaining member to form a combination exterior plastic tube and cylindrical metal shaft with the exterior plastic tube having an exterior surface having a diameter; the combination exterior plastic tube and cylindrical metal shaft inserted through one of the openings in the second hinge bracket made of metal, through an adjacent one of the aligned openings in the first hinge bracket made of metal, through another one of the openings in the first hinge bracket made of metal and through an adjacent one of the aligned openings in the second hinge bracket made of metal with no metal retaining member between the combination exterior plastic tube and cylindrical metal shaft and the aligned openings in the first and second hinge brackets made of metal so that the exterior plastic tube covers the cylindrical metal shaft at the locations of and between the aligned openings in the second hinge bracket made of metal and adjacent first hinge bracket made of metal and another first hinge bracket made of metal and adjacent another second hinge bracket made of metal, a portion of the cylindrical metal shaft not covered by the exterior plastic tube having the outer cylindrical surface retained at one end of the cylindrical metal shaft through the roller wheel and after insertion of the combination exterior plastic tube and cylindrical metal shaft through one of the openings in the second hinge bracket made of metal, through an adjacent one of the aligned openings in the first hinge bracket made of metal, through another one of the openings in the first hinge bracket made of metal and through an adjacent one of the aligned openings in the second hinge bracket made of metal, an opposite end of the cylindrical metal shaft also not covered by the exterior plastic tube; and wherein the diameter of the exterior surface of the plastic tube is greater than the diameter of the outer wall of the cylindrical metal shaft, each of the aligned openings in the first hinge bracket made of metal and the second hinge bracket made of metal having a diameter larger than the diameter of the exterior surface of the plastic tube of the combination plastic tube and cylindrical metal shaft; wherein, the combination plastic tube and cylindrical metal shaft prevents metal-to-metal contact between the outer wall of the cylindrical metal shaft and the first hinge bracket made of metal and the second hinge bracket made of metal; and wherein the roller wheel comprises: two integrally formed wheel halves, each of the wheel halves comprising a plurality of holes formed therethrough; a gap between the two wheel halves; a ball bearing assembly; a circular metal separator connecting the ball bearing assembly to each of the two wheel halves; and a tire made of material selected from the group consisting of urethane and urethane (PER), the tire positioned within the gap for retaining the two wheel halves together, wherein the tire comprises a central section and a plurality of protruding sections that extend from the central section and through the plurality of holes formed in the wheel halves and wherein the tire has a diameter larger than a diameter of each of the wheel halves.

2. The garage door roller assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the two wheel halves is made of polyoxymethylene.

3. The garage door roller assembly of claim 1, wherein the tire directly contacts the garage door track.

4. The garage door roller assembly of claim 1, wherein the roller wheel has a diameter between 1.5 inches and 2.5 inches.

5. A noise reducing roller wheel assembly for use with a garage door comprising: a roller wheel rollable within a garage door track adjacent an exterior edge of two adjacent garage door panels, the roller wheel comprising: two integrally formed wheel halves, each of the wheel halves comprising a plurality of holes formed therethrough; a gap between the two wheel halves; a ball bearing assembly; a circular metal separator connecting the ball bearing assembly to each of the two wheel halves; and a urethane tire positioned within the gap for retaining the two wheel halves together, wherein the urethane tire comprises a central section and a plurality of protruding urethane sections that extend from the central section and through the plurality of holes formed in the wheel halves and wherein the urethane tire has a diameter larger than a diameter of each of the wheel halves; a cylindrical metal shaft affixed to a collar of the roller wheel and extending perpendicular to the collar of the roller wheel; and a hinge configured for use with the two adjacent garage door panels of the garage door, the hinge comprising: a first hinge plate affixed to a first hinge bracket made of metal having parallel oppositely disposed metal openings through the first hinge bracket made of metal; a second hinge plate affixed to a second hinge bracket made of metal having parallel oppositely disposed metal openings through the second hinge bracket made of metal; the second hinge bracket made of metal exterior to the first hinge bracket made of metal, wherein the parallel oppositely disposed openings in the second hinge bracket made of metal are respectively aligned with, exterior to and adjacent to respective ones of the parallel oppositely disposed openings in the first hinge bracket made of metal; the first hinge plate affixed to a back of a first of said two adjacent garage door panels; the second hinge plate affixed to a back of a second of said two adjacent garage door panels; the cylindrical metal shaft having an outer wall having a diameter, a tube retaining member incorporated with at least a portion of the outer cylindrical wall of the cylindrical metal shaft; an exterior plastic material selected from the group consisting of polyurethane and synthetic plastic formed onto at least a portion of the tube retaining member to form a combination exterior plastic tube and cylindrical metal shaft with the exterior plastic tube having an exterior surface having a diameter; the combination exterior plastic tube and cylindrical metal shaft inserted through one of the openings in the second hinge bracket made of metal, through an adjacent one of the aligned openings in the first hinge bracket made of metal, through another one of the openings in the first hinge bracket made of metal and through an adjacent one of the aligned openings in the second hinge bracket made of metal with no metal retaining member between the combination exterior plastic tube and cylindrical metal shaft and the aligned openings in the first and second hinge brackets made of metal so that the exterior plastic tube covers the cylindrical metal shaft at the locations of and between the aligned openings in the second hinge bracket made of metal and adjacent first hinge bracket made of metal and another first hinge bracket made of metal and adjacent another second hinge bracket made of metal, a portion of the cylindrical metal shaft not covered by the exterior plastic tube having the outer cylindrical surface retained at one end of the cylindrical metal shaft through the collar of the roller wheel and after insertion of the combination exterior plastic tube and cylindrical metal shaft through one of the openings in the second hinge bracket made of metal, through an adjacent one of the aligned openings in the first hinge bracket made of metal, through another one of the openings in the first hinge bracket made of metal and through an adjacent one of the aligned openings in the second hinge bracket made of metal, an opposite end of the cylindrical metal shaft also not covered by the exterior plastic tube; and wherein the diameter of the exterior surface of the plastic tube is greater than the diameter of the outer wall of the cylindrical metal shaft, each of the aligned openings in the first hinge bracket made of metal and the second hinge bracket made of metal having a diameter larger than the diameter of the exterior surface of the plastic tube of the combination plastic tube and cylindrical metal shaft; wherein, the combination plastic tube and cylindrical metal shaft prevents metal-to-metal contact between the outer wall of the cylindrical metal shaft and the first hinge bracket made of metal and the second hinge bracket made of metal.

6. The noise reducing roller assembly of claim 5, wherein each of the two wheel halves is made of polyoxymethylene.

7. The noise reducing roller wheel assembly of claim 5, wherein the urethane tire directly contacts the garage door track.

8. The noise reducing roller wheel assembly of claim 5, wherein the roller wheel has a diameter between 1.5 inches and 2.5 inches.

9. A noise reducing roller wheel assembly for use with a garage door comprising: a roller wheel rollable within a garage door track adjacent an exterior edge of two adjacent garage door panels, the roller wheel comprising: a first wheel section and a second wheel section, the first wheel section and the second wheel section being integrally formed; a first plurality of holes formed through a thickness of the first wheel section; a second plurality of holes formed through a thickness of the second wheel section; a gap between the first wheel section and the second wheel section; a ball bearing assembly; a circular metal separator connecting the ball bearing assembly to each of the first wheel section and the second wheel section; and a tire made of material selected from the group consisting of urethane and urethane (PER), the tire positioned within the gap for retaining the first wheel section and the second wheel section together, the tire comprising: a central section; a first plurality of protruding sections that extend from the central section and through the first plurality of holes formed through the thickness of the first wheel section; a second plurality of protruding sections that extend from the central section and through the second plurality of holes formed through the thickness of the second wheel section; wherein the tire has a diameter larger than a diameter of each of the wheel halves; a cylindrical metal shaft affixed to the roller wheel and extending perpendicular to the roller wheel; and a hinge configured for use with the two adjacent garage door panels of the garage door, the hinge comprising: a first hinge plate affixed to a first hinge bracket made of metal having parallel oppositely disposed metal openings through the first hinge bracket made of metal; a second hinge plate affixed to a second hinge bracket made of metal having parallel oppositely disposed metal openings through the second hinge bracket made of metal; the second hinge bracket made of metal exterior to the first hinge bracket made of metal, wherein the parallel oppositely disposed openings in the second hinge bracket made of metal are respectively aligned with, exterior to and adjacent to respective ones of the parallel oppositely disposed openings in the first hinge bracket made of metal; the first hinge plate affixed to a back of a first of said two adjacent garage door panels; the second hinge plate affixed to a back of a second of said two adjacent garage door panels; the cylindrical metal shaft having an outer wall having a diameter, a tube retaining member incorporated with at least a portion of the outer cylindrical wall of the cylindrical metal shaft; an exterior plastic material selected from the group consisting of polyurethane and synthetic plastic formed onto at least a portion of the tube retaining member to form a combination exterior plastic tube and cylindrical metal shaft with the exterior plastic tube having an exterior surface having a diameter; the combination exterior plastic tube and cylindrical metal shaft inserted through one of the openings in the second hinge bracket made of metal, through an adjacent one of the aligned openings in the first hinge bracket made of metal, through another one of the openings in the first hinge bracket made of metal and through an adjacent one of the aligned openings in the second hinge bracket made of metal with no metal retaining member between the combination exterior plastic tube and cylindrical metal shaft and the aligned openings in the first and second hinge brackets made of metal so that the exterior plastic tube covers the cylindrical metal shaft at the locations of and between the aligned openings in the second hinge bracket made of metal and adjacent first hinge bracket made of metal and another first hinge bracket made of metal and adjacent another second hinge bracket made of metal, a portion of the cylindrical metal shaft not covered by the exterior plastic tube having the outer cylindrical surface retained at one end of the cylindrical metal shaft through the roller wheel and after insertion of the combination exterior plastic tube and cylindrical metal shaft through one of the openings in the second hinge bracket made of metal, through an adjacent one of the aligned openings in the first hinge bracket made of metal, through another one of the openings in the first hinge bracket made of metal and through an adjacent one of the aligned openings in the second hinge bracket made of metal, an opposite end of the cylindrical metal shaft also not covered by the exterior plastic tube; and wherein the diameter of the exterior surface of the plastic tube is greater than the diameter of the outer wall of the cylindrical metal shaft, each of the aligned openings in the first hinge bracket made of metal and the second hinge bracket made of metal having a diameter larger than the diameter of the exterior surface of the plastic tube of the combination plastic tube and cylindrical metal shaft; wherein, the combination plastic tube and cylindrical metal shaft prevents metal-to-metal contact between the outer wall of the cylindrical metal shaft and the first hinge bracket made of metal and the second hinge bracket made of metal.

10. The noise reducing roller wheel assembly of claim 9, wherein the first wheel section and the second wheel section are made of polyoxymethylene.

11. The noise reducing roller wheel assembly of claim 9, wherein the tire directly contacts the garage door track.

12. The noise reducing roller wheel assembly of claim 9, wherein the roller wheel has a diameter between 1.5 inches and 2.5 inches.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Referring particularly to the drawings for the purpose of illustration only and not limitation, there is illustrated:

(2) FIG. 1 is an exploded view illustrating a roller with a collar retaining a metal shaft extending from the roller and the present invention threads formed into the metal roller shaft and the plastic tube about to be inserted and threaded onto the shaft of the roller;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the roller shown with the plastic injection molded tube encircling the metal roller shaft and having been threaded onto the metal shaft of the roller through the threads on the metal shaft which are part of the present invention;

(4) FIG. 3 is a side view of the roller shown with the plastic injection molded tube encircling the metal roller shaft and having been threaded onto the metal shaft of the roller through the threads on the metal shaft which are part of the present invention;

(5) FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the shaft extending from the roller with a locking member within the shaft and a plastic tube to be inserted onto the shaft of the roller;

(6) FIG. 5 is a top view of the completed embodiment of the plastic tube affixed onto the metal roller shaft;

(7) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the new and improved rolled plastic lined metal roller shaft affixed through openings in the hinge plate which affixes the assembly to the back of a garage door which enables the track roller to roll up and down the track and eliminates the noise between the metal roller shaft and the metal portions of the hinge plate due to the fact that the shaft of the roller is now covered with plastic which is affixed onto the shaft of the roller so that the plastic shaft reduces noise and assure that the plastic shaft will not roll or fall off the shaft of the roller;

(8) FIG. 7A is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of the roller wheel in the present invention with the two sections of the wheel retained together by urethane (PER);

(9) FIG. 7B is a rear perspective view of a second embodiment of the roller wheel in the present invention with the two sections of the wheel retained together by urethane (PER);

(10) FIG. 8 is a side perspective view of only the urethane (PER) portion of the wheel that is in the gap between two wheel sections and extends through the openings of the two sections;

(11) FIG. 9A is a left side perspective view of only the two section of the wheel prior to the urethane (PER) portion being added;

(12) FIG. 9B is a right side perspective view of only the two section of the wheel prior to the urethane (PER) portion being added; and

(13) FIG. 10 is a front side perspective view of the present invention urethane wheel 1200 with all of the urethane (PER) removed and a portion of the two integrally formed polyoxymethylene (POM) sections 1400A and 1400B removed to illustrate the metal separator and ball bearing assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(14) Although specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, it should be understood that such embodiments are by way of example only and merely illustrative of but a small number of the many possible specific embodiments which can represent applications of the principles of the present invention. Various changes and modifications obvious to one skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and contemplation of the present invention as further defined in the appended claims.

(15) The parent application addressed the following problem with noise created when a garage door is moving up or down. When the parent application was filed, it was believed that the problem was not the roller wheel itself. The parent application addressed the perceived problem was that the noise came from the steel shaft of the roller that slides into the hinge and fixtures (top and bottom door brackets) of the garage door.

(16) A problem with noise is that the steel garage door hinges and fixtures have a tube or round bracket that retains the roller's shaft. This allows the roller to be retained and allows the shaft to move freely side to side. As the garage door rolls up and down, the rollers move freely and the space in between the tube and metal roller shaft causes a rattle because of the metal-to-metal contact. This is why the door sounds shaky and noisy when it is in motion. Greasing or lubricating the rollers will not fix the problem of the rattling sound. Even installing the quietest belt drive garage door opener with the quietest hinges and best precision 13-ball rollers will not guarantee that the door will be rattle-free in operation.

(17) The parent application invention is a roller with a Delrin® plastic injection to coat the steel shaft wherein the plastic coated shaft eliminates the metal-to-metal contact that creates the noise. The new and improved Delrin® plastic coated shaft will be 1 mm larger than industry standard shafts because 10-11 mm industry standard shafts are too loose in the hinge barrels which allows the rattling. This improved metal roller shaft is 12 mm at finished thickness to reduce the extra space. Closing the gap between the metal roller shaft and hinge barrel will eliminate the metal-to-metal contact resulting in a very quiet, rolling garage door. By keeping the finished thickness at 12 mm on the new shaft, the roller will still work on new and old garage door hinges and fixtures. This makes the new and improved metal roller shaft a truly universal product that will work on 90% of garage doors in service and almost all new models. This is a long over-due improvement to garage door rollers.

(18) Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a perspective view which includes a conventional roller wheel 10 which is placed into a track of a garage door so that a garage door can be rolled up and down with a pair of oppositely disposed rollers respectively set within oppositely disposed tracks adjacent opposite ends of the garage door. The roller wheel 10 includes a collar 20 with the metal roller shaft 30 retained into the roller wheel 10 by the collar 20. The innovation of the present invention is to retain a plastic tube or tire 40 made out of material as described above selected from the group consisting of hard thermoplastic (such as Delrin®), urethane (PER) durable synthetic plastics. The plastic tube or tire 40 has a cylindrical outer wall 42 and a cylindrical inner chamber 44 surrounded by the cylindrical outer wall 42 and open at both a first end 46 and a second end 48. A tube retaining member 50 is formed into the outer cylindrical wall 42 of the metal roller shaft 30. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the retaining member 50 is selected from the group consisting of treads, threads or screw threads are cut or otherwise formed into the outer wall 32 of metal roller shaft 30. The plastic tube 40 is injection molded on the metal roller shaft 30 and press molded against the threads 60 and is thereby securely retained on the metal roller shaft 30.

(19) Referring to FIG. 2, there is illustrated a perspective view of the completed present invention roller wheel assembly 100 which includes the roller wheel 10, the injection molded plastic tube 40 encircling the metal roller shaft 30 retained at a first end 34 through the collar 20 and into the roller wheel 10, the plastic tube 40 having been injection molded onto or press fit onto the metal roller shaft 30. A detent 37 is at the second end 36 of the metal roller shaft 30 to be crimped or have a retention member thereon to prevent the metal roller shaft from sliding out of the brackets of the hinge member (See FIG. 6).

(20) Referring to FIG. 3, there is illustrated a perspective view of the completed present invention roller wheel assembly 100 which includes the roller wheel 10, the injection molded plastic tube 40 encircling the metal roller shaft 30 retained at a first end 34 through the collar 20 and into the roller wheel 10, the plastic tube 40 having been molded onto or press fit onto the metal roller shaft 30. A detent 37 is at the second end 36 of the metal roller shaft 30 to be crimped or have a retention member thereon to prevent the metal roller shaft from, sliding out of the brackets of the hinge member (See FIG. 6).

(21) Referring to FIG. 4, there is illustrated a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention which includes a roller wheel 10A which is placed into a track of a garage door so that a garage door can be rolled up and down with a pair of oppositely disposed rollers respectively set within oppositely disposed tracks adjacent opposite ends of the garage door. The roller wheel 10A includes a collar 20A with the metal roller shaft 30A retained into the roller wheel 10A by the collar 20A. The innovation of the present invention is to retain a plastic tube or tire 40A made out of material as described above selected from the group consisting of hard thermoplastic (such as Delrin®), urethane (PER) durable synthetic plastics. The plastic tube or tire 40A has a cylindrical outer wall 42A and a cylindrical inner chamber 44A surrounded by the cylindrical outer wall 42A and open at both a first end 46A and a second end 48A. A tube retaining member 50A is formed into the outer cylindrical wall 32A of the metal roller shaft 30A. As illustrated in FIG. 4, detents or at least one locking member 37A (see FIG. 5) are cut or otherwise formed into the outer wall 32A of metal roller shaft 30A. The plastic tube 40A is injection molded onto the metal roller shaft 30A and retained thereon by the at least one locking member 37A so that the plastic tube 40A is securely retained on the metal roller shaft 30A.

(22) Referring to FIG. 5, there is illustrated a perspective view of the completed alternative embodiment of the present invention roller wheel assembly 200 which includes the roller wheel 10A, the plastic tube 40A encircling the metal roller shaft 30A retained at a first end 34A through the collar 20A and into the roller wheel 10A, the plastic tube 40A having been retained onto the metal roller shaft 30A. A detent 37A is at the second end 36A of the metal roller shaft 30A to be crimped or have a retention member thereon to prevent the metal roller shaft from sliding out of the brackets of the hinge member (See FIG. 6).

(23) Referring to FIG. 6, there is illustrated a perspective view of the new and improved plastic lined metal roller shaft 30 affixed through openings 310 and 320 in hinge bracket 330 affixed to first hinge plate 340 and openings 350 and 360 in hinge bracket 370 affixed to hinge plate 380. First hinge plate 340 has a multiplicity of openings 340A, 340B, 340C, 340D, and 340E through which fastening members affix first hinge plate 340 to the back of a garage door panel. Second hinge plate 380 has a multiplicity of openings 380A, 340B, 340C, 380D, and 380E through which fastening members affix second hinge plate 380 to the back of a garage door panel. The hinge plates 340 and 380 are respectively affixed at the location of two adjacent garage door panels which enables the roller wheel 10 to roll up and down a track (with an opposite roller wheel inside an opposite track) to enable the garage door to move up and down.

(24) The plastic tube 40 covering the metal roller shaft 30 eliminates metal to metal contact between the metal roller shaft 30 and the metal brackets 330 and 370 and metal hinge plates 340 and 380 to thereby significantly reduce the noise between the metal roller shaft 30 and the metal portions of the hinge brackets and hinge plates of the hinge as the garage moves is moved upward and downwards.

(25) The metal roller shaft can be covered with a plastic tube such as 40 or 40A and retained on the metal roller shaft 30 by retaining members such as treads, threads, screw threads, detents or other locking members. The metal roller shaft can also be coated with plastic and also the plastic can be heat formed or molded onto the metal roller shaft 30. The plastic covering also creates a tight press fit with the openings 310, 320, 350 and 360 with the hinge brackets 330 and 370 respectively affixed to hinge plates 340 and 380 to further reduce noise and assure that the plastic shaft will not roll or fall out of the hinge brackets 330 and 370. The plastic coating on the metal roller shaft causing the plastic to abut against the openings 330, 320, 350 and 360 and therefore, the rattling noise of metal-to-metal contact known in the prior art is eliminated so that there is a much quieter action of the garage door roller as it rolls up and down the garage door track.

(26) The present invention addresses a second problem that noise also comes from wheel rolling in the garage door track. Referring to FIGS. 7A, 7B, 8, 9A and 9B there is illustrated a second embodiment roller wheel assembly 1010, similar to the first embodiment 100, the injection molded plastic tube 40 encircling the metal roller shaft 30 is retained at a first end 34 through the collar 20. The second embodiment roller wheel assembly 1010 differs from the first embodiment by the use of a urethane (PER) central tire 1100 (illustrated in FIGS. 7A and 7B) which is injected into a central gap 1250 (see FIGS. 9A and 9B) between wheel section 1400A and 1400B (see FIGS. 9A and 9B) to form the present invention urethane tire 1200 as illustrated in FIGS. 7A and 7B.

(27) Referring to FIG. 8, there is illustrated the central section 1100 which is made of material selected from the group consisting of urethane and polyurethane (PER) (jointly and severally referred to throughout as “urethane (PER)”). The central section 1100 is entirely comprised of urethane PER and the shape of the urethane (PER) central tire wheel section 1100 illustrated in FIGS. 7A, 7B and 8 illustrates the remaining conceptual portion of the urethane (PER) central tire sections illustrating several protruding urethane (PER) sections which flow into openings or polyoxymethylene (POM) gaps in respective wheel sections 1400A and 1400B. The protruding urethane (PER) sections are for illustration and not limitation purposes. The central tire wheel section 1100 illustrated in FIGS. 7A and 7B corresponds to the shape that fits into central gap 1250 located between the two integrally formed wheel sections 1400A and 1400B (illustrated in FIGS. 9A and 9B) to form a tire after it has hardened. Integrally formed wheel section 1400A has an outer circumferential surface 1400A-ES and integrally formed wheel section 1400B has an outer circumferential surface 1400B-ES Integrally formed sections 1400A and 1400B are typically made of (POM), also known as acetal, polyacetal and polyformaldehyde. POM is typically a hard plastic that is characterized by hardness and high strength. It is also within the spirit and scope of the present invention for two integrally formed POM sections to be made of thermoplastics.

(28) FIG. 7A is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of the roller wheel in the present invention with the two sections of the wheel retained together by urethane (PER). FIG. 7B is a rear perspective view of a second embodiment of the roller wheel in the present invention with the two sections of the wheel retained together by urethane (PER). FIG. 9A is a left side perspective view of only the two section of the wheel prior to the urethane (PER) portion being added. FIG. 9B is a right side perspective view of only the two section of the wheel prior to the urethane (PER) portion being added.

(29) FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrate the two POM sections 1400A and 1400B before injection of polyurethane, FIG. 8 illustrates what the injected polyurethane would look like after injection if there were no sections 1400A and 1400B. FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate the complete present invention wheel after the polyurethane injection.

(30) During the creation of the present invention polyurethane roller wheel 1200 which is comprised of urethane (PER) section 1100 and the two integrally formed wheel sections 1400A and 1400B, liquid polyurethane is injected into central gap 1250 and then the liquid polyurethane flows from POM central gap 1250 into POM gaps 1210A, 1210B, 1210C, 1210D, 1210E, and 1210F in first wheel section 1400A as illustrated in FIGS. 9A and 9B. In addition, when liquid polyurethane is injected into central gap 1250, then the liquid polyurethane flows from POM central gap 1250 into POM gaps 1410A, 1410B, 1410C, 1410D, 1410E, and 1410F in second wheel section 1400B as illustrated in FIGS. 9A and 9B. A portion of a gap is running through the entire transverse thickness of each respective POM section.

(31) Referring to FIGS. 9A and 9B, first wheel section or POM section 1400A has an exterior surface 1400A-ES and an interior surface 1400A-IS and a thickness T-1400A. Referring to FIGS. 9A and 9B, second wheel section or POM section 1400B has an exterior surface 1400B-ES and an interior surface 1400B-IS and a thickness T-1400B. While each wheel section is shown with six (6) holes, openings, POM gaps or synonymous terms, six (6) is an arbitrary number and any number of holes from at least two (2) in each wheel section 1400A and 1400B is within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

(32) Referring to FIG. 8, urethane (PER) section 1100 can be divided into the PER central section 1150 which fits into central gap 1250 and twelve (12) protruding sections Protruding sections 1110A, 1110B, 1110C, 1110D, 1110E, and 1110F respectively fit into POM gaps 1210A, 1210B, 1210C, 1210D, 1210E, and 1210F. Protruding sections 1310A, 1310B, 1310C, 1310D, 1310E, and 1310F respectively fit into POM gaps 1410A, 1410B, 1410C, 1410D, 1410E, and 1410F. In FIGS. 7A and 7B, the protruding polyurethane sections are visible in each respective gap. Therefore, the protruding polyurethane sections are illustrated and numbered in FIGS. 7A and 7B and the POM gaps are illustrated and numbered in FIGS. 9A and 9B.

(33) Referring to FIG. 10, there is illustrated a front side perspective view of the present invention polyurethane roller wheel 1200 with all of the urethane (PER) removed and a portion of the two integrally formed POM sections 1400A and 1400B removed. Referring to FIG. 10, there is illustrated the metal separator 1500 and ball bearing assembly 2000. Ball bearing assembly 2000 is located at the center of the present invention polyurethane roller wheel 1200. Ball bearing assembly 2000 may consist of five (5) to eleven (11) ball bearings. There is a circular metal separator 1500 that connects ball bearing assembly 2000 to POM sections 1400A and 1400B.

(34) Referring to FIGS. 7A, 7B and 10, when the urethane (PER) section 1100 of the present invention polyurethane roller wheel 1200 has been injected into POM gaps 1210A, 1210B, 1210C, 1210D, 1210E, and 1210F and 1410A, 1410B, 1410C, 1410D, 1410E, and 1410F and allowed to harden, the resulting polyurethane roller wheel 1200 has a tire edge 1205 that is wearable item that will wear down during continued use as a car tire would. The present invention polyurethane roller wheel 1200 could then be re-injected with more of the polyurethane to restore the polyurethane roller wheel 1200 having a tire edge 1205 or it can be replaced. During the time the urethane (PER) section 1100 has worn down, the wheel will still function; however, an increase in noise will be experienced based upon the interaction of the hard plastic with the garage door track as opposed to the polyurethane section being in direct contact with the garage door track.

(35) The present invention polyurethane roller wheel 1200 is typically 2 inches and the urethane (PER) section 1100 is approximately ⅛ of an inch beyond that. The range of the diameter would therefore be 2 inches plus 1/16 inch for the polyurethane section (PUR) or tire wheel 1100 and could be up to ¼ inch. Therefore, the diameter of the polyurethane wheel 1100 typically ranges from 2 and 1/16 inches to 2¼ inch with the preferred diameter being 2 and ⅛ inches. It is within the spirit and scope of this invention though for the dimensions of the present invention polyurethane roller wheel 1200 to be larger or smaller than the typically dimensions and range given.

(36) Of course the present invention is not intended to be restricted to any particular form or arrangement, or any specific embodiment, or any specific use, disclosed herein, since the same may be modified in various particulars or relations without departing from the spirit or scope of the claimed invention herein above shown and described of which the apparatus or method shown is intended only for illustration and disclosure of an operative embodiment and not to show all of the various forms or modifications in which this invention might be embodied or operated.