Patents by Inventor Jim S. Ford

Jim S. Ford has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6076590
    Abstract: A segmented door (10, 107) such as a garage door includes a plurality of adjacent door panels (12, 14, 104, 106) pivotally interconnected for movement between a pivoted position and an alignment position. The edge walls (30, 34, 190, 192) on opposed sides of the juncture (26, 110) between adjacent panels (12, 14, 104, 106) present mated, arcuate surfaces. The preferred door (10, 107) includes a hinge bracket (38, 112) mounted to one panel (12, 104) and a hinge brace (40, 116) mounted to an adjacent panel (14, 106) configured to present hinge pin holes (66, 74, 126, 142) in registration with a hinge pin (42, 128) received therein, adjacent the first panel (12, 104) and spaced from the juncture (26, 110) between the panels (12, 14, 104, 106).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Garage Door Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Jim S. Ford, Loren D. Mock
  • Patent number: 5921307
    Abstract: A segmented door (10) such as a garage door includes a plurality of adjacent door panels (12, 14) pivotally interconnected for movement between a pivoted position and an alignment position. The edge walls (30, 34) on opposed sides of the juncture (26) between adjacent panels (12, 14) present mated, arcuate surfaces. The preferred door (10) includes a hinge bracket (38) mounted to one panel (12) and a hinge brace (40) mounted to an adjacent panel (14) configured to present hinge pin holes (66, 74) in registration with a hinge pin (42) received therein, adjacent the first panel (12) and spaced from the juncture (26) between the panels (12, 14). The bracket (38) and brace (40) are configured for gradually closing the gap between the edge walls (30, 34) and so that the edge walls (30, 34) slide by one another to prevent pinching in the juncture (26) during movement from the pivoted to the aligned position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: Garage Door Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Jim S. Ford, Loren D. Mock