Suspended ceiling system

• US 5,979,134 A
• Filed: 01/27/1997
• Issued: 11/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eric Scott Neff
• Original Assignee: Eric Scott Neff
• Inventors: Neff, Eric Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Kent, Christopher
• Assistant Examiner(s): HORTON, YVONNE MICHELE
• Application Number:
  US08/789,621
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• Field of Search: 52/506.07, 52/506.06, 52/506.05, 52/664, 52/510, 52/665, 52/718.1, 52/718.04, 52/716.6, 52/489.1, 52/311.1, 52/311.2
• US Class Current: 52/506.07
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 2009/062 Caps covering visible surfaces of the supporting construction
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 9/064 comprising extruded supporting beams
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 9/10 Connections between parallel members of the supporting construction E04B9/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 9/127 one member being discontinuous and abutting against the other member
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 9/18 Means for suspending the supporting construction
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 9/30 characterised by edge details of the ceiling; e.g. securing to an adjacent wall

Abstract

A suspended ceiling system for suspension from an overhead ceiling of a room is disclosed which includes a plurality of wall trim members secured to the room walls, a plurality of main runner members extending from the wall trim members in a horizontal plane for spanning the room, and a plurality of cross braces interlocking with the main runner members and forming a grid for receiving ceiling tiles, panels, fixtures, and the like. A plurality of clips are slidably disposed on the wall trim members, main runner members, and the cross braces to suspend those members from the ceiling and to support the main runner members and cross braces at intersection points in the grid. In addition, for an in-place suspended ceiling framework that includes L-shaped metal wall angles secured to the walls of the room and metal main runners and metal cross braces spanning the room to form a grid beneath the ceiling, an improvement is disclosed which includes wall trim cover members for covering the metal wall angles, main runner cover members for covering the metal main runners, and cross brace cover members for covering the metal cross braces. The wall trim members, main runner cover members, and cross brace cover members preferably simulate a wood appearance and are removably attachable to the various suspended ceiling framework structural components.

Claims

1. A suspended ceiling system for suspension from an overhead ceiling of a room having at least two opposed walls and which forms a grid therebelow for supporting light fixture panels, air filter modules, blank panels, and ceiling tiles, the system comprising:

a plurality of wall trim members for securement to the walls and for extending about the perimeter of the room with each wall trim member disposed the same distance from the ceiling;

a plurality of elongated main runner members for spanning the room from one wall trim member to the opposite wall trim member with each main runner member including a pair of oppositely-disposed, horizontally-projecting arms coequal in length with the respective main runner member and terminating at oppositely-disposed, flat, vertical end portions;

a plurality of cross braces for interlocking with the main runner members at right angles thereto so that the grid is formed beneath the ceiling; and

adjustable hanging means for suspending the main runner members and the cross braces from the ceiling, the adjustable hanging means capable of slidable reciprocable movement on the cross braces and main runner members in order to suspend the cross braces and main runner members in a level, spaced-apart disposition from the ceiling.

2. A suspended ceiling system for suspension from an overhead ceiling of a room having at least two opposed walls and forming a grid therebelow for supporting ceiling tiles and light fixture panels, comprising:

a plurality of wall trim members for securement to the walls of the room;

each wall trim member including a flat, elongated vertical portion coextensive in length with the respective wall trim member and disposed contiguous to at least one wall of the room;

a flat, elongated horizontal portion coextensive with the vertical portion and attached thereto to form an L;

a flat, elongated, downwardly-projecting portion having an upper end attached to the horizontal portion and a lower end which projects away from the ceiling;

a molded portion attached to the lower end of the downwardly-projecting portion for abutting the wall;

each main runner member including a pair of oppositely-disposed, horizontally-projecting arms coequal in length with the respective main runner member, and an upraised, inverted, generally V-shaped runner portion coequal in length with the horizontally-projecting arms and located between and extending upwardly from the projecting arms;

a plurality of cross braces for interlocking with the main runner members at right angles thereto and which abut the wall trim members not abutted by the main runner members; and

adjustable hanging means for suspending the main runner members and the cross braces from the ceiling, the adjustable hanging means capable of slidable reciprocable movement on the wall trim members, the main runner members, and the cross braces in order to suspend the cross braces and main runner members in a level, spaced-apart disposition from the ceiling.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the adjustable hanging means includes a plurality of clips with each clip having a flat, horizontal surface portion and a pair of spaced-apart, oppositely-disposed, vertical sidewalls attached to and depending from the flat, horizontal surface portion.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein each sidewall of the clip has a centrally-located notch and the notch of one sidewall is aligned with the notch of the other sidewall.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the clip includes an arched member projecting above the flat, horizontal surface portion for defining an aperture between the arched member and the horizontal surface portion.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein each sidewall includes a lower end terminating with a row of serrated teeth for gripping the main runner members, the wall trim members, and the cross braces, and for retarding the movement of the clips when the clips are positioned thereon.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the sidewalls of each clip abut and enclose the V-shaped runner portion of each respective main runner member when each clip is attached thereto.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein each cross brace includes a pair of oppositely-disposed, horizontally-projecting cross brace arms coequal in length with the respective cross brace.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein each cross brace includes an upraised, inverted, generally V-shaped portion which is located between the cross brace arms and projects upwardly therefrom.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the sidewalls of each clip abut and enclose the upraised, inverted, generally V-shaped portion of each respective cross brace when each clip is attached thereto.

11. A method of suspending a suspended ceiling system from a ceiling of a room formed on its perimeter by a plurality of walls, the suspended ceiling system including a plurality of wall trim members for securement to the walls, a plurality of elongated main runner members for spanning the room from one wall trim member to an opposite wall trim member, a plurality of cross braces attached at right angles to the main runner members and a plurality of clips for suspending the main runner members and the cross braces from the ceiling so that a grid is formed subjacent thereto, the method comprising:

measuring a fixed distance from the ceiling on each of the respective walls;

marking the fixed distance on each respective wall;

placing a horizontal line on each respective wall so that the horizontal lines on all the walls are equidistant from the ceiling and located in the same horizontal plane;

securing the wall trim members to the respective walls along the length of the horizontal lines on the walls;

butting a plurality of starter main runner members against one wall trim member in spaced relation to each other so that the starter main runner members extend from the wall trim member in the same horizontal plane;

suspending the starter main runner members from the ceiling by attaching the clips to the starter main runner members and attaching the clips to the ceiling by a flexible wire means;

abutting a plurality of main runner members to the starter main runner members in linear succession in the same horizontal plane until the room is spanned and the main runner members engage the wall trim member secured to the opposite wall;

interlocking a plurality of cross braces to the starter main runner members and the main runner members at right angles thereto so that a grid is formed in spaced relation subjacent to the ceiling; and

supporting the main runner members from the ceiling by attaching clips to the main runner members and suspending the clips from the ceiling.