Suspension ceiling support clip

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11274440-B2
Application number	US-201816233659-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 27, 2018
Priority date	Dec 29, 2017
Publication date	Mar 15, 2022
Grant date	Mar 15, 2022

Abstract

A suspension ceiling support clip including a body, a snap-fit connector disposed on the body, and a locking member disposed on the body. The snap-fit connector is configured to receive a first beam of a suspension ceiling that extends in a first direction. The locking member is configured to receive a second beam of the suspension ceiling that extends in a second direction, where the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A suspension ceiling assembly comprising:
a first beam of a suspension ceiling grid that extends in a first direction, the first beam being a T-beam including a first flange, an opposing second flange, and a web that extends upward from the flanges to a bulb;
a second beam of the suspension ceiling grid that extends in a second direction, wherein the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction; and
a support clip coupled to the first beam and the second beam, the support clip comprising:
a body including a channel having an open end and a closed end, the channel including a web at the closed end and first and second sidewalls extending up from the web;
a snap-fit connector disposed on the body at the closed end of the channel, the snap-fit connector including a receptacle having a width and a restricted opening providing access to the receptacle such that the first and second flanges of the first beam are received in the receptacle; and
a locking member disposed on the body and receiving the second beam of the suspension ceiling.

2. The suspension ceiling assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the restricted opening has a width that is smaller than the width of the receptacle.

3. The suspension ceiling assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the receptacle includes a first groove at a first end of the web and an opposing second groove at a second end of the web that faces the first groove, and
wherein the width of the receptacle extends from an inner surface of the first groove to an inner surface of the second groove.

4. The suspension ceiling assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the body includes a support surface and the locking member includes a locking tab that extends over the support surface, and
wherein the locking tab and the support surface form an aperture therebetween.

5. The suspension ceiling assembly according to claim 4 , wherein the locking tab includes a catch extending into the aperture, and wherein the catch includes a soft edge facing an open end of the aperture and a sharp edge facing the inner end of the aperture.

6. The suspension ceiling assembly according to claim 4 , further comprising an opposing locking tab that extends over the support surface, and
wherein the opposing locking tab and the support surface form an opposing aperture therebetween that faces the aperture of the locking member.

7. The suspension ceiling assembly according to claim 6 , wherein the opposing locking tab is longer than the locking tab of the locking member.

8. The suspension ceiling assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the body includes a first flange extending outward from a first side of the channel, and
wherein the locking member is disposed on the first flange.

9. The suspension ceiling assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the first flange provides a support surface, and
wherein the locking member includes a locking tab that extends over the support surface and forms an aperture between the locking tab and the support surface.

10. The suspension ceiling assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the clip further comprises a second locking member,
wherein each of the first and second locking members includes an aperture having an open end, and
wherein the open end of the aperture of each locking member faces the same direction.

11. A method of connecting two beams of a suspension ceiling grid, the method comprising:
providing a first beam of a suspension ceiling grid that extends in a first direction, the first beam being a T-beam including a first flange, an opposing second flange, and a web that extends up to a bulb;
attaching a support clip to the first beam, wherein the support clip comprises:
a body including a channel having an open end and a closed end, the channel including a web at the closed end and first and second sidewalls extending up from the web:
a snap-fit connector disposed on the body at the closed end of the channel, the snap-fit connector including a receptacle having a width and a restricted opening providing access to the receptacle, wherein the restricted opening has a width that is smaller than the width of the receptacle, and
a locking member disposed on the body,

wherein the support clip is attached to the first beam using the snap-fit connector of the support clip such that the first and second flanges of the first beam are received in the snap-fit connector, and attaching the support clip to the first beam includes deforming the support clip so as to widen the restricted opening and allow the first and second flanges of the first beam to move into the receptacle; and
connecting a second beam that extends in a second direction to the first beam by attaching the second beam to the support clip using the locking member,
wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the receptacle includes a first groove and an opposing second groove facing the first groove, and
wherein the attaching the support clip to the first beam includes placing an end of the first flange of the first beam into the first groove and placing an end of the second flange of the first beam into the second groove.

13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the second beam is a T-beam and includes a first flange,
wherein the body of the support clip includes a support surface and the locking member includes a locking tab that extends over the support surface,
wherein the locking tab and the support surface form an aperture therebetween, and
wherein the attaching the second beam to the support clip includes inserting the first flange of the second beam into the aperture of the locking member.

14. The method according to claim 11 ,
wherein the first beam fits inside the channel when the support clip is attached to the first beam.

15. The method according to claim 11 ,
wherein the first beam is oriented such that the first and second flanges thereof are positioned at a lower end of the first beam, and
wherein attaching the support clip to the first beam includes pushing the support clip upward onto a central portion of the first beam so that the first beam fits inside the channel and the open end of the channel faces upward.

16. A method of positioning components of a suspension ceiling grid, the method comprising:
providing a plurality of first beams of a suspension ceiling that each extend in a first direction;
connecting a second beam to the plurality of first beams using a method according to claim 11 .

17. The suspension ceiling assembly according to claim 1 , wherein
the first beam is one of a plurality of first beams extending in the first direction;
a respective support clip is attached to each of the first beams; and
the second beam is attached to each of the support clips.

Assignees

• Certainteed Ceilings Corp

Inventors

• Neubeker Bryan
• Paolucci Tony
• Salazar Lorenzo
• Czyzewicz Robin C

Classifications

• E04B9/205

  by means of a resilient clip · CPC title

• E04B9/16 Primary

  the members lying in different planes · CPC title

• E04B9/068

  with double web · CPC title

• F16B7/0493

  forming a crossed-over connection · CPC title

• F16B2/245

  external, i.e. with contracting action · CPC title