GARAGE DOOR PANEL WITH THERMOSET OVERLAY ELEMENT AND RELATED METHODS
A garage door has pivotally connected door panels, with each of the door panels including an outer skin having an outer surface. The outer skin has a metal, such as steel, having a first coefficient of thermal expansion. An overlay element, such as a decorative element, is coupled to the outer surface of at least one of the outer skins. The overlay element includes a fiber-reinforced thermoset material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion. In one specific embodiment, the first and second coefficients of thermal expansion are substantially equal. In one embodiment, the overlay element includes a pultruded fiber-reinforced thermoset material. In yet another aspect, the overlay element is adhesively coupled to the outer surface. Adhesive coupling may, for example, include a hot-melt adhesive, a two-part glue, or double-sided adhesive tape.
1 . A garage door comprising:
a plurality of pivotally connected door panels, each of said door panels including an outer skin having an outer surface, said outer skin comprising a metal having a first coefficient of thermal expansion; and
an overlay element coupled to said outer surface of at least one of said skins, said overlay element comprising a fiber-reinforced thermoset material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion;
wherein said first and second coefficients of thermal expansion are substantially equal.
2 . The garage door of claim 1 further comprising:
an adhesive coupling said overlay element to said outer surface.
3 . The garage door of claim 2 wherein said adhesive further comprises a quick-setting adhesive.
4 . The garage door of claim 3 wherein said adhesive further comprises a structural adhesive in combination with the quick-setting adhesive glue.
5 . The garage door of claim 2 wherein said adhesive further comprises double-sided adhesive tape.
6 . The garage door of claim 1 wherein said metal further comprises steel and said overlay element is a decorative element.
7 . A garage door comprising:
a plurality of pivotally connected door panels, each of said door panels including an outer skin having an outer surface, said outer skin comprising a metal having a first coefficient of thermal expansion; and
an overlay element coupled to said outer surface of at least one of said skins, said overlay element comprising a pultruded fiber-reinforced thermoset material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion.
8 . The garage door of claim 7 wherein said first and second coefficients of thermal expansion are substantially equal.
9 . A door panel for use as a component of an overhead garage door comprising:
an outer skin having a metallic outer surface with a first coefficient of thermal expansion; and
an overlay element coupled to said outer surface, said overlay element comprising a fiber-reinforced thermoset material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion;
wherein said first and second coefficients of thermal expansion are substantially equal.
10 . The door panel of claim 9 further comprising:
an adhesive coupling said overlay element to said outer surface.
11 . The door panel of claim lo wherein said adhesive further comprises a quick-setting adhesive.
12 . The door panel of claim lo wherein said adhesive further comprises one of a single-part or a multi-part adhesive.
13 . The door panel of claim 12 wherein multiple discrete spaced component parts of said overlay member are each adhesively coupled to said outer surface.
14 . The door panel of claim lo wherein said adhesive further comprises double-sided adhesive tape.
15 . The door panel of claim lo wherein said outer surface further comprises steel and said overlay element is a decorative element.
16 . A door panel for use as a component of an overhead garage door comprising:
an outer skin having a metallic outer surface with a first coefficient of thermal expansion; and
an overlay element coupled to said outer surface, said overlay element comprising a pultruded fiber-reinforced thermoset material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion.
17 . The door panel of claim 16 wherein said first and second coefficients of thermal expansion are substantially equal.
18 . A method of making a panel for an overhead door, the door having a plurality of panels pivotally coupled together for movement to and between a generally vertical orientation and a generally horizontal, overhead orientation, the method comprising:
roll-forming a metal sheet into an outer skin of a door panel, the outer skin having an outer surface;
forming an overlay element from a fiber-reinforced thermoset material;
substantially matching a first coefficient of thermal expansion of the metal sheet with a second coefficient of thermal expansion of the fiber-reinforced thermoset material; and
mounting the overlay element onto the outer surface of the outer skin.
19 . The method of claim 18 wherein the step of forming the overlay element further comprises:
pultruding the fiber-reinforced thermoset material.
20 . The method of claim 18 wherein the mounting step comprises:
applying an adhesive between the overlay element and the outer surface of the outer skin.