Garage door noise reduction roller assembly

Abstract

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 roller shaft is 12 mm at finished thickness to reduce the extra space. Closing the gap between the 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 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.

Claims

1. A hinge configured for use with two adjacent garage door panels of a garage door, a roller wheel rollable within a track adjacent an exterior edge of each of the two adjacent garage door panels, a cylindrical metal roller shaft affixed to the roller wheel and extending perpendicular to the roller wheel, the cylindrical metal roller shaft adapted for use with the hinge, the hinge comprising: a. a first hinge plate made of metal and affixed to a first hinge bracket made of metal having parallel oppositely disposed metal openings through the first hinge bracket made of metal; b. a second hinge plate made of metal and affixed to a second hinge bracket made of metal having parallel oppositely disposed metal openings through the second hinge bracket made of metal; c. 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; d. the first hinge plate made of metal having a plurality of openings through which first fastening members affix the first hinge plate made of metal to a back of a first of said two adjacent garage door panels; e. the second hinge plate made of metal having a plurality of openings through which second fastening members affix the second hinge plate made of metal to a back of a second of said two adjacent garage door panels; f. the cylindrical metal roller shaft having an outer wall having a diameter between 10 mm and 11 mm, a tube retaining member selected from the group consisting of treads, threads and screw threads, the tube retaining member cut into a portion in the outer cylindrical wall of the cylindrical metal roller shaft; g. an exterior plastic material selected from the group consisting of polyurethane and synthetic plastic injection molded onto at least a portion of the tube retaining member to form a combination exterior plastic tube and cylindrical metal roller shaft having a combined diameter of 12 mm; h. the combination injection molded plastic tube and cylindrical metal roller shaft inserted through an opening in the second hinge bracket made of metal, through an adjacent aligned opening in the first hinge bracket made of metal, through another opening in the first hinge bracket made of metal and through an adjacent another aligned opening in the second hinge bracket made of metal with no metal retaining member between the combination injection molded plastic tube and cylindrical metal roller shaft and the aligned openings in the first and second hinge brackets made of metal so that the injection molded plastic tube covers the cylindrical metal roller 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 roller shaft not covered by the injection molded plastic tube having the outer cylindrical surface retained at one end of the cylindrical metal roller shaft through the roller wheel, and after insertion of the combination injection molded plastic tube and cylindrical metal roller shaft through an opening in the second hinge bracket made of metal, through an adjacent aligned opening in the first hinge bracket made of metal, through another opening in the first hinge bracket made of metal and through an adjacent another aligned opening in the second hinge bracket made of metal, an opposite end of the cylindrical metal roller shaft is also not covered by the injection molded plastic tube; and i. the combination injection molded plastic tube and cylindrical metal roller shaft having an exterior surface of the injection molded plastic tube with a diameter of 12 mm which is greater than the 10 mm-11 mm diameter of the outer wall of the cylindrical metal roller 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 12 mm; j. wherein, the combination injection molded plastic tube and cylindrical metal roller shaft prevents metal-to-metal contact between the outer wall of the cylindrical metal roller shaft and the first hinge racket made of metal and the second hinge bracket made of metal.

2. 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, the hinge comprising: a. 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; b. 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; c. 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; d. the first hinge plate affixed to a back of a first of said two adjacent garage door panels; e. the second hinge plate affixed to a back of a second of said two adjacent garage door panels; f. 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; g. 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; h. the combination exterior plastic tube and cylindrical metal shaft inserted through an opening in the second hinge bracket made of metal, through an adjacent aligned opening in the first hinge bracket made of metal, through another opening in the first hinge bracket made of metal and through an adjacent another aligned opening 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 an opening in the second hinge bracket made of metal, through an adjacent aligned opening in the first hinge bracket made of metal, through another opening in the first hinge bracket made of metal and through an adjacent another aligned opening 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 i. the combination exterior plastic tube and cylindrical metal shaft having a diameter of the exterior surface of the exterior plastic tube which diameter is greater than the diameter of the exterior 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; j. 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 racket made of metal and the second hinge bracket made of metal.

3. 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 metal roller shaft affixed to the roller wheel and extending perpendicular to the roller wheel, the metal roller shaft adapted for use with the hinge, the hinge comprising: a. 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; b. 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; c. 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; d. the first hinge plate affixed to a back of a first of said two adjacent garage door panels; e. the second hinge plate affixed to a back of a second of said two adjacent garage door panels; f. the metal roller shaft having an outer wall having a diameter, a tube retaining member incorporated with at least a portion of the outer wall of the metal roller shaft; g. an exterior plastic material selected from the group consisting of polyurethane and synthetic plastic retained onto at least a portion of the tube retaining member to form a combination retained plastic tube an metal roller shaft with the exterior plastic tube having an exterior surface having a diameter; h. the combination retained plastic tube and metal roller shaft inserted through an opening in the second hinge bracket made of metal, through an adjacent aligned opening in the first hinge bracket made of metal, through another opening in the first hinge bracket made of metal and through an adjacent another aligned opening in the second hinge bracket made of metal with no metal retaining member between the combination plastic tube and metal roller shaft and the aligned openings in the first and second hinge brackets made of metal so that the plastic tube covers the metal roller 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 metal roller shaft not covered by the retained plastic tube having the outer cylindrical surface retained at one end of the metal roller shaft through the roller wheel and after insertion of the combination retained plastic tube and metal roller shaft through an opening in the second hinge bracket made of metal, through an adjacent aligned opening in the first hinge bracket made of metal, through another opening in the first hinge bracket made of metal and through an adjacent another aligned opening in the second hinge bracket made of metal, an opposite end of the cylindrical metal roller shaft also not covered by the retained plastic tube; and i. the combination retained plastic tube and metal roller shaft having a diameter of the exterior surface of the exterior plastic tube which diameter is greater than the diameter of the exterior wall of the metal roller 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 retained plastic tube and metal roller shaft; j. wherein, the combination plastic tube and metal roller shaft prevents metal to metal contact between the outer wall of the metal roller shaft and the first hinge bracket made of metal and the second hinge bracket made of metal.

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 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 shaft of the roller 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 shaft of the roller 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 roller shaft; and

(7) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the new and improved rolled plastic lined 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 shaft of the roller 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.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(8) 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.

(9) The present invention addresses the following problem with noise created when a garage door is moving up or down. The problem is not the roller wheel itself because that is not where the noise comes from. The noise comes from the steel shaft of the roller that slides into the hinge and fixtures (top and bottom door brackets) of the garage door. 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 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.

(10) The present 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 roller shaft is 12 mm at finished thickness to reduce the extra space. Closing the gap between the 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 roller shaft a truly universal product that will work on 90% of garage doors

(11) in service and almost all new models. This is a long over-due improvement to garage door rollers.

(12) 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 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), polyurethane and 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 32 of the roller shaft 30. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the retaining member 50 is selected from the group consisting of treads, threads or screw threads 60 cut or otherwise formed into the outer wall 32 of roller shaft 30. The plastic tube 40 is injection molded on the roller shaft 30 and press molded against the threads 60 and is thereby securely retained on the roller shaft 30.

(13) 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 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 shaft 30. A detent 37 is at the second end 36 of the metal shaft 30 to be crimped or have a retention member thereon to prevent the metal shaft from, sliding out of the brackets of the hinge member (See FIG. 6).

(14) 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 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 shaft 30. A detent 37 is at the second end 36 of the metal shaft 30 to be crimped or have a retention member thereon to prevent the metal shaft from, sliding out of the brackets of the hinge member (See FIG. 6).

(15) Referring to FIG. 4, there is illustrated a perspective view of a alternative embodiment of the present invention which includes a conventional 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 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), polyurethane and durable synthetic plastics. The plastic tube or tire 40A has a cylindrical outer wall 42 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 roller shaft 30A. As illustrated in FIG. 4, detents or at least one locking member 50A are cut or otherwise formed into the outer wall 32A of roller shaft 30A. The plastic tube 40A is injection molded onto the roller shaft 30A and retained thereon by the at least one locking member 50A so that the plastic tube 40A is securely retained on the roller shaft 30A.

(16) 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 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 shaft 30A. A detent 37A is at the second end 36A of the metal shaft 30A to be crimped or have a retention member thereon to prevent the metal shaft from sliding out of the brackets of the hinge member (See FIG. 6).

(17) Referring to FIG. 6, there is illustrated a perspective view of the new and improved plastic lined 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.

(18) The plastic tube 40 covering the roller shaft 30 eliminates metal to metal contact between the 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 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.

(19) The roller shaft can be covered with a plastic tube such as 40 or 40A and retained on the roller shaft 30 by retaining members such as treads, threads, screw threads, detents or other locking members. The roller shaft can also be coated with plastic and also the plastic can be heat formed or molded onto the roller shaft 30. The plastic covering also creates a tight press fit with the openings 310, 320, 350 and 360 with the hinge brackets 340 and 380 to further reduce noise and assure that the plastic shaft will not roll or fall out of the hinge brackets 340 and 380. The plastic coating on the roller shaft causing the plastic to abut against the openings 310, 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.

(20) 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 hereinabove 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.