Patents by Inventor Thomas J. Hormann

Thomas J. Hormann 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: 8376021
    Abstract: A structural element for the fabrication of a panel of a sectional door, which is movable between a closed and an open position along a predetermined pathway. The sectional door possesses a shell, generally of metal, having two mutually parallel sides, bent back on themselves, thus essentially creating structural elements aligned somewhat perpendicularly to the predetermined pathway. When in the closed position, the shell is characterized by forming an outer door surface which is external to the space to be closed, and forming an internal door surface opposed thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Hormann KG Brockhagen
    Inventors: Thomas J. Hörmann, Michael Brinkmann
  • Patent number: 7946332
    Abstract: A gate includes a gate leaf which is movable between a closed and an open position, and a plurality of gate leaf elements, which are tiltable. The gate leaf includes a door leaf which is swingable around a pivot axis extending perpendicular to the tilt axes. When closed, the door leaf is mounted in an opening in the gate leaf and the door leaf extends essentially parallel to the plane of the gate leaf. A stabilizing arrangement opposes the deformation of the gate leaf and a threshold element which rests on the floor of the opening when the gate leaf is in the closed position. The height of the threshold element is essentially less than 20 mm, preferably less than 10 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Hormann KG Brockhagen
    Inventors: Thomas J. Hörmann, Michael Brinkmann
  • Publication number: 20100288448
    Abstract: Proposed is a structural component for the assembly of a sectional door, which is to be movable along predetermined guide rails between a closed and an open position. Included are an outer surface which lies remote from an inner space, which space is to be isolated upon closing the door, and an inner surface oppositely located from the outer surface. The component possesses lateral edges running approximately parallel to the guide rails. Overlapping an exposed lateral edge is protective sheathing forming a thereto affixed cap, running at least somewhat parallel to the lateral edges of the panels. As an optional choice, a protective edge sheathing may also be placed on the outside to aid in the incorporation of the invented structural component as described above.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Publication date: November 18, 2010
    Applicant: HORMANN KG BROCKHAGEN
    Inventors: Thomas J. Hörmann, Michael Brinkmann
  • Publication number: 20100192465
    Abstract: A structural element for the fabrication of a panel of a sectional door, which is movable between a closed and an open position along a predetermined pathway. The sectional door possesses a shell, generally of metal, having two mutually parallel sides, bent back on themselves, thus essentially creating structural elements aligned somewhat perpendicularly to the predetermined pathway. When in the closed position, the shell is characterized by forming an outer door surface which is external to the space to be closed, and forming an internal door surface opposed thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2007
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: HORMANN KG BROCKHAGEN
    Inventors: Thomas J. Hörmann, Michael Brinkmann
  • Patent number: 7484332
    Abstract: The invention relates to a door comprising a leaf that is movable between an open position and a closed position, a guiding element which is fixed to the door leaf, interacts with a guide rail, and directs the movement of the door leaf, and a locking device that is movable between a released position in which said locking device releases movement of the door leaf and a locked position in which said locking device counteracts movement of the door leaf. The locking device is provided with a locking element which stops at a contact surface of the guide rail when said locking device is moved into the locked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Hörmann KG Brockhagen
    Inventors: Thomas J. Hörmann, Herbert Brinkmann, Franz Kraft, Michael Brinkmann
  • Publication number: 20070215295
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a sectional door with a door leaf movable longitudinally along a preset path between a closed and an open position, with said door leaf having a shell-like or single-wall design, with a shell bottom forming an outer boundary surface of the door leaf, and two shell edges preferably extending over the entire door leaf width in the direction of the articulating axes and protruding from the shell bottom in the direction of the space closed off thereby, with one of the shell edges having a hollow protrusion extending over the entire width of the door leaf and the other shell edge comprising a recess designed to accommodate a protrusion of an adjacent door leaf element, and with an insulating element, being inserted into the shell-like door leaf element, with the insulating element having a flange capable of being inserted into the hollow protrusion of the door leaf element and/or an edge profile on or in an edge of an insulating element, with said edge profile being des
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Publication date: September 20, 2007
    Applicant: HORMANN KG BROCKHAGEN
    Inventors: Thomas J. Hormann, Michael Brinkmann
  • Patent number: 7089990
    Abstract: A door including a leaf which is closable between an open position and a closed position. A guide rail arrangement directs the movement of the door leaf. A fastening arrangement fixes a rail element of the guide rail arrangement to a wall by a plurality of fastening elements, each of which can be fixed to the wall as well as to the rail element. The wall has an opening which can be closed with the aid of the door leaf. A pulling arrangement can be fixed to the door leaf as well as to a drive unit and/or a weight-balancing device. At least one protective element is assigned to the guide rail arrangement. The protective element can be fixed to the rail element and/or at least one of the fastening elements and is used for bridging an intermediate space between the rail element and the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Hürmann KG Brockhagen
    Inventors: Thomas J. Hörmann, Herbert Brinkmann
  • Patent number: 6655088
    Abstract: An arrangement for monitoring a condition of a counterbalance torsion spring in an overhead door or gate and preventing the door or gate from accidentally slamming shut or dropping too rapidly when the spring fails. The arrangement includes a drum mounted on a shaft which transmits the torque of the spring to the drum. During normal operation a sensor and release assembly maintains a catcher in a inactive position and when the spring fails, the sensor and release assembly allows the catcher to move to an active position and engage a grabber disposed on an inside surface of the drum to block rotation of the drum and therefore movement of the door or gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Hörmann KG Brockhagen
    Inventor: Thomas J. Hörmann
  • Patent number: 6557301
    Abstract: The invention relates to a locking device and a door-drive device comprising a locking device for a door which can be secured against opening by unauthorized persons using force from the exterior. The locking device has a lever element consisting of two lever arms which pivot about a first pivoting shaft. A connecting element is hinged to the first lever arm for connecting the door and the second lever arm which has an engaging device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Hörmann KG Antriebstechnik
    Inventors: Thomas J. Hörmann, Michael Sanke, Viktor Schütz
  • Patent number: 6122862
    Abstract: An overhead garage door arrangement in which a door leaf is moveable between open and closed position, and is installable against a ceiling for sliding up and down or that can be tilted or swung up and down for compensating against the weight of the door, at least one helical spring module is provided with a least two parallel-loaded helical tension springs that are arranged coaxially one within the other, and that are wound in opposite directions. The inner spring has an outside diameter which is smaller than the inside diameter of the outer spring. The oppositely wound coils of the coaxial springs cross each other. The two springs are pushed over a holding element which has a narrower first section for receiving the inner spring, and having a wider second section spaced from the first section for receiving the outer spring. The first and second sections of the holding element have edges with hook-shaped portions for grasping coils of the coaxial springs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Inventor: Thomas J. Hormann
  • Patent number: 6076589
    Abstract: An articulated overhead gate for gate openings with particularly small drop heights between the upper edge of the gate opening that is to be closed and an adjoining overhead area or similar with a gate leaf consisting of several panels (3, 5) articulated successively in the direction of movement, which are driven by laterally arranged rollers (2) in first lateral roller rails (6), connected in an approximately vertical and thereby curved horizontal direction, excepting the upper panel (5) in closed position, which engages with its rollers (4) which, in this position, are arranged in the upper edge area (30), in second roller rails (7). Said roller rails are parallel to and located above the facing horizontal segments of the first roller rails (6), each segment having an end part (8) facing the gate frame, a first section (10) of which part is lowered only slightly in relation to the horizontal, and a second section (11) correspondingly inclining only slightly over 90.degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Horman KG Brockhagen
    Inventor: Thomas J. Hormann
  • Patent number: 6073674
    Abstract: A sectioial overhead door is disclosed with a door leaf comprising several consecutive hinging panels (10, 10', 10") which are guided in the known way by rollers (11) in horizontal tracks and in tracks (12, 12', 12") joined to them to form a bow and are provided with a balancing device (15) in the form of approximately horizontal helical tension springs. The latter are designed to be space-saving, in particular with low drop heights, underneath the horizontal track sections extending into the building, such that on each of the outer side regions (27) of the horizontal track sections (12, 14) facing away from one another one or more helical tension spring units (16) are arranged approximately parallel to one another and one below the other. At least some of the helical tension spring units (16) consist of at least two coaxial helical springs (17, 18), the turns of which are mutually opposing and intersecting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2000
    Assignee: Hormann KG Brockhagen
    Inventor: Thomas J. Hormann
  • Patent number: 5868639
    Abstract: Drive with a belt-driving wheel and a belt-motion deflector with a transmission member in the form of a belt wrapping around them in a continuous loop. The belt is in form-fit engagement with and is driven by at least the belt-driving wheel. Structures are distributed at least part-way along the belt and form fit matching structures on at least the belt-driving wheel. The belt is woven and the structures are applied to the belt in a separate step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Hormann KG Verkaufsgesellschaft
    Inventor: Thomas J. Hormann
  • Patent number: 5002114
    Abstract: An overhead door having a number of panels secured together by hinges, in which the insertion of a finger into a gap between the consecutive panels is prevented. Facing edges of ajdacent panels have areas that curve around an axis of the hinges to eliminate the occurrence of a gap as wide as a finger at any angle between the panels. Shoulder areas engage each other when the door is in the closed state, and they are located in the vicinity of the interior surface of the door and outside the curved edge areas that extend from the outer surface of the door. To facilitate manufacture of panels that will ensure that the door is tight, well supported, and precisely positioned when in the closed state, there is a section in the area of the gap between the facing edges of adjacent panels as viewed from the outer surface and toward the interior surface of the door. The gap distance is interrupted and the panels rest one on top of another when the door is in the closed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1991
    Assignee: Hormann KG Brockhagen
    Inventor: Thomas J. Hormann