Sectional door strengthening member

1. A reinforced sectional door comprising, a plurality of panels, a plurality of hinge leaves connecting adjacent panels at the edges thereof, a strengthening member adapted for direct fixed attachment to one of said panels and extending rearwardly relative to said panels and said hinge leaves, said strengthening member further being adapted to capture said hinge leaves of said adjacent panels, whereby said strengthening member becomes substantially integral with the door upon assembly.

2. The reinforced sectional door of claim 1 , wherein said strengthening member has a body portion that includes a first extension attachable to one of said panels.

3. The reinforced sectional door of claim 2 , wherein said first extension is insertable between walls of said one of said panels.

4. The reinforced sectional door of claim 3 , wherein said first extension is fastened to one of said panels with a non-mechanical fastener.

5. The reinforced sectional door of claim 4 , wherein said non-mechanical fastener is an adhesive.

6. The reinforced sectional door of claim 2 , wherein said first extension is fastened to an interior surface of one of said panels.

7. The reinforced sectional door of claim 2 further comprising, a second extension adapted to capture said edges.

8. The reinforced sectional door of claim 7 , wherein said second extension extends in an arcuate manner around said hinge leaves.

9. A reinforced sectional door comprising, a plurality of panels, a plurality of hinge leaves connecting adjacent panels at the edges thereof, a strengthening member having a body portion adapted for direct fixed attachment to the door and extending rearwardly relative thereto, said body portion being adapted to capture said hinge leaves of adjacent panels, said strengthening member including a first extension attachable to an interior surface of one of said panels, said first extension including an attachment portion that extends parallel to said interior surface, and a fastener attaching said attachment portion to said interior surface, whereby said body portion becomes substantially integral with the door upon assembly.

10. The reinforced sectional door of claim 9 , wherein said fastener is an adhesive.

11. A door comprising, a plurality of panels, a first hinge leaf formed on one edge of a panel and a second hinge leaf formed on a second edge of said panel, wherein first and second hinge leaves on adjacent panels interrelate to form a hinge pivotally joining said panels, and a strengthening member adapted to capture said hinge leaves and directly and fixedly attachable to one of said adjacent panels near at least one of said first hinge leaf and said second hinge leaf.

12. The door of claim 11 , wherein said strengthening member has a body portion that extends rearwardly of said panels and said hinge leaves a selected length.

13. The door of claim 11 , wherein said strengthening member includes a first extension having an upturned end adapted to attach said strengthening member to one of said panels.

14. The door of claim 13 , wherein said strengthening member includes a second extension extending around a portion of said first and second hinge leaves.

15. A strengthening member used to be directly and fixedly reinforce a door having a plurality of panels pivotally joined to each other by a hinge, the hinge having a first hinge leaf and a second hinge leaf extending from the edges of the joined panels, the strengthening member comprising, a body portion extending a length rearward of said panels and said hinge, said body portion including a first extension adapted to attach to one of said plurality of panels and a second extension adapted to capture the hinge leaves, whereby the door is reinforced at the hinges between the panels of the door.

16. The strengthening member of claim 15 , wherein said second extension substantially conforms to the hinge leaves.

17. The strengthening member of claim 16 , wherein said second extension extends downward and inward in an arcuate configuration.

18. The strengthening member of claim 16 , further comprising a gap extension extending upward and inward from a lower extremity of said second extension, whereby said gap extension prevents the opening of gaps between the panel and said body portion during operation of the door.

19. The strengthening member of claim 18 , wherein a flange extends from an end of said gap extension.

20. The strengthening member of claim 18 , wherein said flange extends from the lower extremity of said second extension.

21. The strengthening member of claim 15 , further comprising a tab extending outward from said body portion adjacent a rear surface of the panel.

22. The strengthening member of claim 21 , wherein said tab is made generally L-shaped having a first leg extending upward from said body portion and a second leg extending rearward of said first leg.

23. The strengthening member of claim 21 , wherein said tab is located on said first extension of said body portion.

24. A strengthening member used to reinforce a door having a plurality of panels pivotally joined to each other by a hinge, the hinge having a first hinge leaf and a second hinge leaf extending from the edges of the joined panels, the strengthening member comprising, a body portion extending a length rearward of the door, said body portion including a first extension adapted to attach to the door and a second extension adapted to capture the hinge leaves, said body portion including a first leg and a second leg extending rearward relative to the door and generally parallel to each other, said first and second legs being joined at their rearward extremity by a third leg, wherein said first extension extends from said first leg and second extension extends from said second leg, whereby the door is reinforced at the hinges between the panels of the door.

25. The strengthening member of claim 24 , wherein said first and second legs lie in close proximity to each other.

26. The strengthening member of claim 24 , wherein said third leg extends generally perpendicular to said first and second legs defining a hollow rectangular body portion.

27. The strengthening member of claim 15 , wherein said first extension extends upwardly and inwardly from said body portion, said first extension having an attachment portion at its inward extremity, whereby said attachment portion is insertable between the hinge and the panel.

28. The strengthening member of claim 27 , wherein said attachment portion extends upwardly parallel to the face of the panel when in operative position.

29. The strengthening member of claim 28 , wherein said first extension extends upwardly and inwardly toward a rear face of the panel and downwardly and inwardly interiorly of the rear face.

30. The strengthening member of claim 29 , wherein said first extension is substantially arcuate extending in a generally semicircular fashion.

31. The strengthening member of claim 28 , wherein said first extension transcends an arcuate transition portion leading into said attachment portion, whereby said transition portion facilitates insertion of said first extension between the hinge and the panel.