Wall bracket reinforced with an embossment, overhead door assembly including the same, and method of manufacturing such a reinforced wall bracket

Abstract

A wall bracket for supporting an overhead door assembly, such as that of garage doors and the like. The wall bracket includes a first portion for fastening onto a fixed structure, such a wall, said first portion extending along a first vertical plane. The wall bracket also includes a second portion for receiving a corresponding component of the door assembly, said second portion extending along a second vertical plane substantially perpendicular to the first vertical plane of the first portion. An important feature of the wall bracket resides in the fact that it further comprises an embossed portion, made integral to the second portion and being shaped and sized for increasing the sectional inertia of the second portion so as to provide said second portion with an reinforcement resistant to warping of said second portion.

1 . A wall bracket for supporting an overhead door assembly, the wall bracket comprising: 
 a first portion for fastening onto a fixed structure, said first portion extending along a first vertical plane;    a second portion for receiving a corresponding component of the door assembly, said second portion extending along a second vertical plane substantially perpendicular to the first vertical plane of the first portion; and    an embossed portion, made integral to the second portion and being shaped and sized for increasing the sectional inertia of the second portion so as to provide said second portion with an reinforcement resistant to warping of said second portion.    
     
     
         2 . A wall bracket according to  claim 1 , wherein the first portion comprises at least one orifice for receiving a fastener for fastening the first portion onto the fixed structure.  
     
     
         3 . A wall bracket according to  claim 1 , wherein the second portion comprises at least one orifice for receiving a corresponding component of the door assembly.  
     
     
         4 . A wall bracket according to  claim 1 , wherein the wall bracket is made of a metallic material.  
     
     
         5 . A wall bracket according to  claim 1 , wherein the embossed portion extends along a vertical plane substantially parallel to the second vertical plane of the second portion.  
     
     
         6 . An overhead assembly comprising a wall bracket, the wall bracket comprising: 
 a first portion for fastening onto a fixed structure, said first portion extending along a first vertical plane;    a second portion for receiving a corresponding component of the door assembly, said second portion extending along a second vertical plane substantially perpendicular to the first vertical plane of the first portion; and    an embossed portion, made integral to the second portion and being shaped and sized for increasing the sectional inertia of the second portion so as to provide said second portion with an reinforcement resistant to warping of said second portion.    
     
     
         7 . An overhead door assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the first portion comprises at least one orifice for receiving a fastener for fastening the first portion onto the fixed structure.  
     
     
         8 . An overhead door assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the second portion comprises at least one orifice for receiving a corresponding component of the door assembly.  
     
     
         9 . An overhead door assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the wall bracket is made of a metallic material.  
     
     
         10 . An overhead door assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the embossed portion extends along a vertical plane substantially parallel to the second vertical plane of the second portion.  
     
     
         11 . A method of manufacturing a reinforced wall bracket for supporting an overhead door assembly, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a) forming a wall bracket having a first portion for fastening onto a fixed structure, said first portion extending along a first vertical plane, and a second portion for receiving a corresponding component of the door assembly, said second portion extending along a second vertical plane substantially perpendicular to the first vertical plane of the first portion; and    b) forming an embossed portion, made integral to second portion and being shaped and sized for increasing the sectional inertia of the second portion so as to provide said second portion with an reinforcement resistant to warping of said second portion.    
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein step a) comprises the step of providing the first portion with at least one orifice used for receiving a fastener for fastening the first portion onto the fixed structure.  
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein step a) comprises the step of providing the second portion with at least one orifice used for receiving a corresponding component of the door assembly.  
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein step a) comprises the step of using a metallic material for forming the wall bracket.  
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein step b) comprises the step of forming the embossed portion along a vertical plane extending substantially parallel to the second vertical plane of the second portion.  
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein step b) comprises the step of plastically forming the embossed portion from the second portion by a corresponding embossing process.  
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 16 , wherein the corresponding embossing process is selected from the group consisting of stamping, hydroforming, and cold forming.