HK1163199A - Concealed suspension ceiling with downward removable panels - Google Patents

Description

Concealed suspended ceiling with downward removable panels

The present invention relates to the construction of suspended ceilings, and in particular to systems in which ceiling panels can be detached downwardly from suspended grilles.

Background

Suspended ceilings generally comprise a rectangular metal grid and a plurality of panels or tiles that fit into the cells of the grid from the space above the plane of the grid. While this mounting technique allows the grid elements and panels to have a simple shape, it requires some minimum overhead clearance and often leaves the underside of the grid elements completely exposed. These features may limit the locations where these conventional systems can be used, as well as the aesthetics of such installations.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention provides grid and panel components for suspended ceilings that allow panels to be installed onto and removed from the grid by moving through the space below the ceiling. The invention relies on a plurality of transverse resilient elements being placed where the grid member surface supports the edges of the panels. In some embodiments of the invention, the resilient elements are located on the grid members, while in other embodiments, the resilient elements are located on the panels. These elastic elements are preferably positioned at least at two opposite edges of each panel. One or both of the interengaging surfaces of the grid and panel edges may be shaped to form a camming action to produce lateral movement of the resilient element and thereby enable the panel to be installed on or removed from the grid when a force is applied upwardly or downwardly to the panel. In some disclosed arrangements, this configuration creates a camming action during both the upward panel installation movement and the downward panel removal movement.

Brief description of the drawings

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of a novel grid tee and ceiling panel configuration for a suspended ceiling that can be accessed from below;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of a modified ceiling panel;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of yet another variation of the ceiling panels and grid tees;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of yet another modified grid tee and ceiling panel configuration;

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a variation of the grid tee shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of yet another grid tee and ceiling panel constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a variation of the grid tee shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 7A is an isometric view of yet another variation of the grid tee shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a grid tee constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 9 is an isometric view of a grid tee;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the clip of FIG. 9 shown in a mounted position on a complementarily configured support grid tee;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a grid tee and a novel ceiling panel;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of an edge detail of a grid tee in yet another variation of a ceiling panel;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of an edge detail of a variation of the ceiling panel similar to that shown in FIG. 12; and is

Fig. 14 is a partial cross-sectional view of grid tees and ceiling panels having a unique configuration embodying the present invention.

Description of the preferred embodiments

As is conventional in the industry, the grid members described herein will typically be formed from steel or aluminum rolled sheet metal strips. The grid member typically has an inverted T-shaped overall cross-sectional shape with a panel-supporting flange at the bottom and a hollow reinforcing bulb at the top. The grid members or tees are arranged in a conventional manner in a rectangular grid that typically uses long main runners and short cross runners. For example, the grid modules may be 2 feet x2 feet or 2 feet x4 feet (or metric equivalents) along with other desired dimensions. It should be well understood that the different tees disclosed herein may be used in only one direction, while the conventional tee shape is used in the other direction, such that a rectangular panel is supported on two opposing edges, or alternatively, the tees disclosed herein may be used in both directions, such that the panel is supported on all four edges. The ceiling panels described herein are typically rectangular (which term includes square) composite panels of known construction having desirable mechanical and acoustic properties. In all embodiments disclosed, at least two opposite edges of a panel have a special shape for cooperating with the elastic elements on the adjacent grid members, or they constitute or integrate themselves these elastic elements.

Referring now to fig. 1, a grid runner or tee 10 and a pair of ceiling panels 11 are shown in cross-section. The grid tee 10 has a hollow reinforcing bulb 12 extending along its upper edge and a panel support flange 13 extending opposite along its lower edge or bottom. A plurality of webs or web layers 14 extend generally perpendicularly between the bulb 12 and the plurality of flanges 13. In the illustrated example, the flanges are in the form of a U-shaped channel with the U-shaped bend away from its associated web 14. The edge 16 of the panel 11 has a groove or recess 17 which receives the corresponding flange 13. The tee 10 is roll formed or otherwise manufactured such that in its free state (as shown in fig. 1) the web layers 14 diverge from one another with increasing spacing from the bulb 12. The panels or tiles 11 may be released from the grid formed by the tees 10 by pressing the tees to bring the web layers 14 together, thus withdrawing at least one of the flanges 13 from its respective groove 17 and allowing the associated panel 11 to be lowered vertically downwards to enable access to the space above the ceiling plane.

Fig. 2 illustrates a grid tee and ceiling panels 21, which may have the same configuration as the tee disclosed in fig. 1 and which have modified edge profiles in accordance with the illustration in fig. 1. The edge 22 of the panel includes a groove 23 for receiving the tee flange 13. Above the groove 23, these edges are angled or tapered at 24. This angled configuration allows the surfaces 24 to cam inwardly against their respective flanges 13 when the panels are pushed upwardly during installation. That is, the panels 21 can be mounted to the tees 10 from below by a push-up movement in which the ramps 24 act to resiliently deflect the flanges and associated web layers 14 until the panels 21 are in their vertically mounted position and the flanges 13 can snap into the grooves 23. Apertures or slots 26 may be provided near the joints between the flanges 13 and their respective web layers 14 to enable a tool to be inserted therein from below the ceiling and through the gap between adjacent panels 21 to deflect the web layer 14 towards its opposite web layer to release the flanges 13 from the groove 23 and thus the panels 21 from the tee 10.

Referring to fig. 3, the grid tees 30 differ from those shown in fig. 1 and 2 in that their flanges 31 are more spherical or rounded than those previously shown. The ceiling panel 32 has a plurality of edges 33 with V-shaped grooves or recesses 34 and a tapered or chamfered upper region 36. As the panel 32 is pushed upwardly during installation, an inclined surface 38 of the lower portion of the flange 31 engages the surface of the ramp 36, with the result that the flange 31 and web 35 are deflected inwardly until the flange snaps into the recess 34 to install the panel from the space below the grid tee. When the panel 32 is pulled downwardly and is thus released from the installed position, an inclined surface 39 of the groove 34 abuts an inclined surface 41 of the upper portion of the flange 31 to cam the flange and the web 35 inwardly to displace the flange from the groove.

In FIG. 4, a grid tee 45 is shown having a hollow reinforcing bulb 46 at its top and a panel support flange 47 at its bottom. A double-walled or double-layered web 48 is disposed between the bulb 46 and the flange 47. As seen in fig. 4, the flange 47 has a plurality of symmetrical sections to the left and right of the web. Each flange section has a horizontal portion 49 extending from the web 48 and an upturned portion 51 remote from the web. The upturned portion 51 is convex with respect to a corresponding ceiling panel 52 by means of an outwardly inclined region 53 and an inwardly inclined region 54. The grid tee 45 is shown in its free state or substantially in its free state. The ceiling panel 52 has an edge configuration complementary to the corresponding section of the flange 47. Specifically, the edge 56 includes a flared or directed surface 57 and an inwardly flared or directed surface 58. The surfaces 57, 58 form a shallow groove or recess for receiving the tee flange portion 51. The material of the grid tee 45 is sufficiently resilient to enable the sides of the flange 47 to be retracted inwardly to enable the panel 52 to be pushed into position for installation from below the ceiling plane and to be pulled downwardly to enable access to the space above the ceiling. During installation, when engaged by a corner 59 of the panel 52, acts as a cam for the outwardly inclined flange section 53 to urge the flange portion 51 inwardly to mount the panel 52. For removal or disassembly of the panel 52, the flared panel surface 57, which acts as a cam against the flange surface 54, presses the flange section 51 laterally inward to allow the panel to be pulled away from the grid tee 45. For example, the flange 47 may be slotted, notched, or otherwise weakened at point 61 to ensure that the flange will collapse for installation or removal of the panel 52 without exerting excessive compressive forces on the panel that might otherwise damage the panel.

Fig. 5 illustrates a grid tee 62 that is functionally similar to the tee 45 shown in fig. 4. In this example, the flange section 63 is L-shaped and has a horizontal portion 64 and a vertical portion 65. A regularly spaced series of projections 66 are longitudinally spaced along the vertical flange portion 65, the projections being stamped from the plane of the vertical portion. The projections have inclined surfaces 67, 68 that function as the respective surfaces 53, 54 of the grid tee 45 of fig. 4. The grid tees 62 may be used with the panels 52 shown in fig. 4, and panel installation and removal may be accomplished in the manner described in connection with fig. 4.

Fig. 6 illustrates a variation of the grid tee 70. The flange sections 71 of the grid tee 70 are inverted according to the orientation of the flange sections described in association with fig. 4. The flange regions 71 include a horizontal portion 72 and a vertical portion 73 depending from the horizontal portion. The vertical portion 73 is convex with respect to the ceiling panel 74 by means of an outwardly extending portion 76 and an inwardly extending portion 77. The ceiling panels 74 have their edges shaped to conform to the contour of the flange areas 71. Specifically, an edge 78 of panel 74 has a V-shaped groove 79 that is proportioned to fit over the outward and inward sections 76, 77 of the vertical flange portion 73. The panel 74 may be installed onto the grid tee 70 by pushing it into place or removed from the grid tee by pulling it out of its installed position in the same manner as described in connection with the grid tee 45 and panel 52 shown in fig. 4.

Fig. 7 illustrates a grid tee 80 similar to the grid tee 62 of fig. 5. The grid tee 80 has flange sections 81 that include a horizontal portion 82 and a vertical portion 83 depending from the horizontal portion and away from the grid tee web 84. The projections 86 are stamped from the vertical portions 83. The projections are spaced along the length of the grid tee 80 and have a profile similar to that of fig. 6 when the tee is viewed end-on. The grid tee 80 may be used with the ceiling panel 74 of fig. 6 or the panel 52 of fig. 4 in the installed and removed manner described in connection with these figures.

Fig. 7A illustrates a modified grid tee 85 similar to the tee 80 of fig. 7. The flange section 87 includes a horizontal portion 88 and a vertical portion 89. The resilient grips 95 are integrally formed on the vertical portion 89 at a plurality of spaced apart locations along the length of the grid tee 85. The grips 95 cut on three sides from the vertical portion 89 leaving an integral hinge 96 are relatively long compared to their vertical dimension (including the vertical length of the hinge). This short vertical length of the hinge 96 and the relatively long distance from the bulbous free end 98 of the grip 95 results in a relatively soft spring, namely: a low force required to deflect the grip. When the panels as shown in fig. 6 are pushed up for installation and pulled down for removal, the resulting soft action of the grips 95 allows them to deflect easily, thereby avoiding excessive force and possible damage to the panels.

Fig. 8 illustrates a modified form of grid tee 90. The flange section 91 includes a horizontal portion 92 and a vertical portion 93. The sheet metal spring clips 94 are spaced along the length of the grid tee 90 in associated elongated slots that are stamped in the upper region of the vertical flange portion 93. A portion of the clip 94 outside of the flange section 91 serves the purpose of the protrusion 86 of the grid tee 80 (fig. 7) to receive and retain the panels 52, 74 as shown in fig. 4 and 6. Within the flange sections 91, the clip 94 has an integral arm 97. The arms 97 may be manipulated with a tool inserted between adjacent panels to release the panels by flattening a portion of the clip 94 outside the flange section 91 against the vertical flange portion 93.

Fig. 9 and 10 show a twist-on clip 100 for a suspended ceiling panel 101. The clip 100 is proportioned to fit on the underside of a standard grid tee (typically having a face width of 15/16 inches). The clip 100 may be stamped from sheet steel stock and hardened before or after stamping to have a spring-like character. The clip 100 includes a pair of opposing grips 102 on diagonally opposite corners and a pair of stops 103 on the other diagonally opposite corner. A pair of opposing legs 104 depend from the original plane of the body of the clip 100. Each of the legs 104 has a projection 106 extending transversely relative to a plane of its associated leg 104 which, when mounted on a grid tee, is parallel to a plane of the web 107 of the tee 108 on which it is mounted (fig. 10). The panel 101 has a metal mold product roll-formed from light-gauge steel 109 or a plastic (e.g., polyvinyl chloride (PVC)) extruded product attached to an edge thereof and extending upward above an upper side of the panel 101.

The molded article 109 is mechanically attached to the panel by a suitable fastening technique, such as creating barbs in the body of the molded article, using separate staples, and/or using an adhesive. It will be appreciated that the panel 101 may be assembled over the clip 100 and its associated grid tee 108 by pushing the panel into position to cam the legs 104 inwardly through contact between the upper corners of the mouldings 109 and the lower portions of the projections 106. The legs 104 snap into recesses formed by the flared out molded articles 109. Instead, the panel 101 may be removed from the installed position shown in FIG. 10 by pulling the panel downward so that the upper portion of the projection 106 cams inwardly of the legs 104 and thereby releases the panel 101. During disassembly of a particular panel 101, the adjacent panel may be lifted above its normal resting position shown in FIG. 10 to provide a finger or tool grip to the panel being removed.

Referring to fig. 11, there is shown a conventional grid tee 108 and a novel ceiling panel 109. The base of the panel 109 is made from a conventional ceiling panel blank. The edge of panel 109 is notched so that it includes a vertical plane 111 recessed from the outermost edge 112 of the panel. A resilient foam edge 113 is attached to the rebated surface 111. The notched edges of the panels 109 and the resilient foam edges 113 are proportioned so that the panels can be pushed upwardly between a pair of regularly spaced, parallel grid tees 108. In this push-up mounting operation, the resilient foam edge 113 is resiliently compressed so that it can pass through the space between the flanges of the grid tees 108. When the panel 109 abuts the underside of the grid tee 108, the resilient foam edge expands to its free state such that it covers the adjacent portion of the grid tee flange and thereby holds the panel in place. Resilient foam edge 113 may be an extruded or molded part formed in place on panel 109 or adhered thereto with a suitable adhesive.

Fig. 12 illustrates a variation of the design illustrated in fig. 11. Panel 109 has a clip 114 affixed to its vertical surface 111. The clip 114 may be a suitable, extruded plastic such as PVC or similar material having resilient characteristics that enable it to function as a spring. The plastic strip 114 may be continuous along the length of the associated panel 109 and is adhesively or mechanically attached to the vertical surface 111 of the edge of the slot of the panel 109. Panels 109 are provided with strips or clips 114 on at least two opposite edges. The assembly of panels 109 and clips 114 can be mounted on a suspended grid from below the plane of the grid in the manner described in connection with figure 11.

Referring now to fig. 13, a ceiling panel 109 has a lightweight metal spring 117 attached to its vertical surface 111. Springs 117, which may extend continuously along vertical surface 111 or may be provided in a plurality of spaced apart portions, are mechanically attached to panel 109 as desired, with integral barbs, staples, or adhesive. The metal spring 117 has a shape similar to the plastic strip 114 disclosed in fig. 12 when seen in a direction extending along a vertical surface. This enables the assembly of panel 109 with springs 117 to be used in the same manner as described in connection with figures 11 and 12, so that panel 109 can be assembled from below the plane of the grid.

Referring to fig. 14, a ceiling panel 120 is clad with a lightweight metal plate 121. The metal plate 121 has an inverted disk shape. The outer periphery of cladding sheet 121 is formed by a vertical flange 122. The flange 122 is bent inwardly to form a rib or 1-wire leg 23. The flange 122 and its legs 123 are proportioned to releasably grip on a slot edge 124 of a conventional slot-type grid tee 125.

While the invention has been shown and described with respect to a number of specific embodiments thereof, this is for the purpose of illustration only and not of limitation, and it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that other variations and modifications of the specific embodiments shown and described herein are all within the spirit and scope of the invention as contemplated. Accordingly, this patent is not to be limited in scope and effect to the specific embodiments herein shown and described nor to any other means which is inconsistent with the scope of what has been advanced in the art by the present invention.

Claims (10)

1. A suspended ceiling system comprising: metal grid members and rectangular composite acoustical panels having edges at their peripheries, the grid members having a generally inverted-T-like cross-section such that they provide oppositely extending flanges adapted to support the panels at their edges; a resilient element at a connection point between a bracket on the grid member flanges and at least one edge of each panel, the resilient element being arranged to temporarily deflect to allow a panel to be lifted from below the grid member into an installed position and to spread itself out to hold the panel in place on the grid.

2. A suspended ceiling system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said resilient element is formed from a grid member.

3. A suspended ceiling system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the grid member flanges have a pair of generally vertical faces, at least a portion of said faces being resiliently deflectable inwardly toward a vertical centerline of the grid member to allow panel installation.

4. A suspended ceiling system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the flanges are supported on separate, downwardly extending webs of the grid member that are spaced from each other in the area of the flanges in a free state and are resiliently deflectable toward each other when engaged by a panel edge during installation of the panel.

5. A suspended ceiling system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the one panel edge is shaped with a recess to receive at least a portion of the corresponding grid member flange.

6. A suspended ceiling system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the resilient element is carried on a panel.

7. A suspended ceiling system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the panel has a notched edge, and the resilient element is disposed within a hollow of the notched edge.

8. A suspended ceiling system as set forth in claim 7, wherein the resilient element is an elastomer.

9. A suspended ceiling system as set forth in claim 7, wherein the resilient element is a metal strip or clip.

10. A suspended ceiling system as set forth in claim 7, wherein the resilient element is a flexible plastic strip or clip.