Abstract: A hinge assembly pivotally couples adjacent panels together in an overhead sectional door. The panels include stiles between each lateral end of the panel to which the hinge assemblies are attached. The hinge assembly includes an upper hinge leaf on an upper panel with a pair of spaced generally parallel flanges which span the juncture between the upper and lower panels. The hinge assembly also includes a lower hinge leaf with a pair of flanges projecting generally parallel to each other. The lower hinge leaf is mounted to one of the stiles of the lower panel and each flange includes a pivot axis hole near a terminal end thereof for alignment with a pivot axis hole in one of the flanges of the upper leaf. The stile includes a pair of spaced, parallel sidewalls and a notch, depression or recess is on each sidewall. The recesses provide a seat for the respective flanges of the hinge leaves and clearance between the sidewall of the stile and any adjacent components.

Abstract: A panel for an overhead sectional door offers increased performance and economy by optimizing the panel skin. The upper and lower structural rail areas which typically mate with corresponding lower and upper rails of an adjacent panel have thicker skin. The non-structural areas or the front face of the panel in one embodiment has a thinner skin which is typically embossed with a wood grain or other pattern. The structural rail areas which have the thicker skin add rigidity and resistance to deflection from wind loads and similar dynamic forces. The overhead door panel with differing performance characteristics for specific portions of the skin may be utilized with a variety of rail configurations such as a lap joint, tongue and groove joint, and convex/concave joint between adjacent panels. In another aspect, a specific bottom rail section using the variable thickness concept avoids the need for an astragal retainer thereby providing a cost savings while offering structural and strength benefits.