Pliable shrouds for a horizontal side-rolling door

Abstract

A sideways rollup door with a horizontal side-rolling curtain includes a vertical roller that is shielded by a pliable shroud. The shroud is supported by a frame that includes a breakaway feature and/or readily replaceable frame elements. To access the roller for servicing, the frame elements allow the shroud to be selectively moved (without the use of tools) between an installed position and a retracted position. In some cases, the breakaway feature enables the shroud to break away in certain directions easier than others. In some embodiments, the shroud includes a seal that engages the curtain when the shroud is in the installed position.

1 . A door for a wall defining a doorway with a lateral edge, the door comprising:
 a roller extending vertically and mountable in proximity with the lateral edge of the doorway;   a curtain wrapped about the roller such that the roller upon rotating selectively takes in and pays out the curtain substantially horizontally to respectively open and close the door; and   a shroud comprised of a pliable material, wherein the shroud is selectively movable between an installed position and a retracted position, the roller is interposed between the wall and the shroud when the shroud is in the installed position, and the roller is exposed to allow access to the roller from a direction pointing toward the wall when the shroud is in the retracted position.   
   
   
       2 . The door of  claim 1 , wherein the shroud has a generally L-shaped horizontal cross-section when the shroud is in the installed position. 
   
   
       3 . The door of  claim 1 , further comprising a corner frame member that is vertically elongate and about which the shroud is bent when the shroud is in the installed position. 
   
   
       4 . The door of  claim 3 , wherein the corner frame member is tubular. 
   
   
       5 . The door of  claim 1 , further comprising a seal attached to the shroud such that when the shroud is in the installed position, the seal extends from the shroud toward the roller to engage the curtain. 
   
   
       6 . The door of  claim 5 , wherein the seal is comprised of a fabric material. 
   
   
       7 . The door of  claim 1 , wherein the shroud includes a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end is mountable in proximity with the wall, the distal end includes an edge frame member that is vertically elongate and is less flexible than the shroud, the edge frame member moves with the distal end of the shroud as the shroud moves between the installed position and the retracted position. 
   
   
       8 . The door of  claim 7 , further comprising a touch-and-hold fastener on the proximal end of the shroud. 
   
   
       9 . The door of  claim 7 , wherein the edge frame member is tubular. 
   
   
       10 . The door of  claim 9 , further comprising an anchor that is substantially stationary, the anchor selectively engages and releases the edge frame member to facilitate moving the shroud between the installed position and the retracted position. 
   
   
       11 . The door of  claim 1 , further comprising an overhead track and drive unit from which the curtain is suspended, wherein the overhead track and drive unit powers the door open and closed. 
   
   
       12 . The door of  claim 11 , wherein the roller is spring loaded to urge the curtain to wrap about the roller. 
   
   
       13 . A door for a wall defining a doorway with a lateral edge, the door comprising:
 a roller extending vertically and mountable in proximity with the lateral edge of the doorway;   a curtain wrapped about the roller such that the roller upon rotating selectively takes in and pays out the curtain substantially horizontally to respectively open and close the door;   a shroud comprised of a pliable material that includes a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end is mountable in proximity with the wall, the distal end includes an edge frame member that is vertically elongate and is less flexible than the shroud, the shroud is selectively movable between an installed position and a retracted position, the roller is interposed between the wall and the shroud when the shroud is in the installed position, the roller is exposed out from between the shroud and the wall when the shroud is in the retracted position, and the edge frame member moves with the distal end of the shroud as the shroud moves between the installed position and the retracted position; and   an anchor that is substantially stationary, the anchor selectively engages and releases the edge frame member to allow the shroud to be moved between the installed position and the retracted position.   
   
   
       14 . The door of  claim 13 , wherein the shroud has a generally L-shaped horizontal cross-section when the shroud is in the installed position. 
   
   
       15 . The door of  claim 13 , further comprising a corner frame member that is vertically elongate and about which the shroud is bent when the shroud is in the installed position. 
   
   
       16 . The door of  claim 13 , further comprising a seal attached to the shroud such that when the shroud is in the installed position, the seal extends from the shroud toward the roller to engage the curtain. 
   
   
       17 . The door of  claim 16 , wherein the seal is comprised of a fabric material. 
   
   
       18 . The door of  claim 13 , wherein the edge frame member is tubular. 
   
   
       19 . The door of  claim 13 , wherein the anchor includes an upper surface that facilitates the edge frame member returnably breaking away from the anchor in reaction to the edge frame member experiencing an applied force that is above a predetermined magnitude, wherein the edge frame member breaking away allows the shroud to move from the installed position to the retracted position. 
   
   
       20 . The door of  claim 19 , wherein the edge frame member breaks away in a first direction easier than in a second direction which is different than the first direction. 
   
   
       21 . The door of  claim 19 , wherein the anchor resists the applied force substantially equally in all horizontal directions. 
   
   
       22 . A door for a wall defining a doorway with a lateral edge, the door comprising:
 a roller extending vertically and mountable in proximity with the lateral edge of the doorway;   a curtain wrapped about the roller such that the roller upon rotating selectively takes in and pays out the curtain substantially horizontally to respectively open and close the door, the roller is spring loaded to urge the curtain to wrap about the roller;
 an overhead track and drive unit from which the curtain is suspended, wherein the overhead track and drive unit powers the door open and closed; 
   a shroud comprised of a pliable material that includes a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end is mountable in proximity with the wall, the distal end includes an edge frame member that is tubular, vertically elongate, and less flexible than the shroud, the shroud is selectively movable between an installed position and a retracted position such that:
 in the installed position, the shroud is held taut between the wall and a fixed position of the edge frame member, and the roller is interposed between the wall and the shroud, 
 in the retracted position, the roller is exposed to allow access to the roller from a direction pointing toward the wall, and 
 the edge frame member moves with the distal end of the shroud as the shroud moves between the installed position and the retracted position; 
   a corner frame member that is vertically elongate and about which the shroud is bent when the shroud is in the installed position, wherein the corner frame member is tubular; and   an anchor that is substantially stationary, the anchor selectively engages and releases the edge frame member to allow the shroud to be moved between the installed position and the retracted position.   
   
   
       23 . The door of  claim 22 , wherein the shroud has a generally L-shaped horizontal cross-section when the shroud is in the installed position. 
   
   
       24 . The door of  claim 22 , further comprising a seal attached to the shroud such that when the shroud is in the installed position, the seal extends from the shroud toward the roller to engage the curtain. 
   
   
       25 . The door of  claim 24 , wherein the seal is comprised of a fabric material. 
   
   
       26 . The door of  claim 22 , further comprising a touch-and-hold fastener on the proximal end of the shroud.