System for bracing garage door against hurricane force winds

摘要

A garage door bracing arrangement for reinforcing the entire vertical extent of a multi-panel garage door against high velocity (e.g. hurricane-force) winds is comprised of a plurality of vertically extending door-stiffening column members. These door-stiffening column members are pivotally attached to upper mounting brackets affixed to the garage building structure directly above the garage door opening. Lower mounting brackets are affixed to second ends of the column members and are configured to be anchored to the garage floor directly beneath the upper mounting brackets. The door-stiffening column members are further attachable to deflection brackets that are mounted to the door panel hinge joints, so that the garage door panels are securely braced over the entire height of the garage door by an anchoring structure that prevents the garage door from being flexed off its guide tracks and becoming detached by the impact of or the vacuum created by intense winds. In addition, in its installed position, the garage door bracing arrangement of the present invention provides a security measure against intruders, as it prevents the garage door from being opened.