Mounting hardware for ceiling system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12546108-B2
Application number	US-202418420497-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2024
Priority date	Jan 23, 2023
Publication date	Feb 10, 2026
Grant date	Feb 10, 2026

Abstract

Described herein is a mounting clip comprising a mounting flange comprising a top surface opposite a bottom surface and a perimeter extending between the top surface and the bottom surface, a positioning member extending upwards from the mounting flange, a grid engagement member extending upwards from the positioning member, a first alignment tab extending downward from the mounting flange, and wherein the mounting flange comprises a keyhole located inset from the perimeter of the mounting flange and extending continuously from the top surface to the bottom surface of the mounting flange.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A mounting clip comprising:
a mounting flange comprising a top surface opposite a bottom surface and a perimeter extending between the top surface and the bottom surface; a positioning member extending upwards from the mounting flange; a grid engagement member extending upwards from the positioning member; a first alignment tab extending downward from the mounting flange; and wherein the mounting flange comprises a keyhole located inset from the perimeter of the mounting flange and extending continuously from the top surface to the bottom surface of the mounting flange.

2 . The mounting clip according to claim 1 , wherein the first alignment tab comprises a first distal end located below the bottom surface of the mounting flange by a first tab distance, the first tab distance being a non-zero positive value.

3 . The mounting clip according to claim 1 , wherein the perimeter of the mounting flange comprises a first edge opposite a second edge and a third edge opposite a fourth edge, wherein the positioning member is adjacent to the first edge.

4 . The mounting clip according to claim 1 , further comprising a second alignment tab extending downward from the mounting flange.

5 . The mounting clip according to claim 4 , wherein the second alignment tab comprises a second distal end located below the bottom surface of the mounting flange by a second tab distance, the second tab distance being a non-zero positive value.

6 . The mounting clip according to claim 5 , wherein the second alignment tab is located adjacent to the second edge and fourth edge of the perimeter of the mounting flange.

7 . The mounting clip according to claim 4 , wherein the first alignment tab is located adjacent to the first edge and third edge of the perimeter of the mounting flange.

8 . A mounting clip comprising:
a mounting flange comprising:
a top surface;
a bottom surface that is opposite the top surface;
a perimeter extending between the top surface and the bottom surface;
a keyhole located inset from the perimeter of the mounting flange and extending continuously from the top surface to the bottom surface of the mounting flange;
a first alignment tab extending downward from the mounting flange; a second alignment tab extending downward from the mounting flange; a first axis extending through the keyhole in a direction that is orthogonal to the bottom surface of the mounting flange; and wherein the first alignment tab and the second alignment tab are positioned about the first axis and offset by about 180 degrees as measured about the first axis.

9 . The mounting clip according to claim 8 , wherein the first alignment tab comprises a first distal end located below the bottom surface of the mounting flange by a first tab distance, the first tab distance being a non-zero positive value.

10 . The mounting clip according to claim 8 , wherein the second alignment tab comprises a second distal end located below the bottom surface of the mounting flange by a second distance, the second tab distance being a non-zero positive value.

11 . The mounting clip according to claim 8 , wherein the first alignment tab comprise a first inner wall opposite a first outer wall, and the second alignment tab comprises a second inner wall opposite a second outer wall, wherein the first inner wall and the second inner wall are substantially parallel.

12 . The mounting clip according to claim 8 , wherein the first inner wall of the first alignment tab is offset from the second inner wall of the second alignment tab by about 180 degrees about the first axis.

13 . The mounting clip according to claim 8 , wherein the first axis extends through the keyhole but is not centered on the keyhole.

14 . The mounting clip according to claim 8 , wherein the perimeter of the mounting flange comprises a first edge opposite a second edge and a third edge opposite a fourth edge, wherein the positioning member is adjacent to the first edge.

15 . The mounting clip according to claim 14 , wherein an X-axis intersects the first edge and the second edge of the perimeter of the mounting flange, a Y-axis intersects the third edge and the fourth edge of the perimeter of the mounting flange, and a Z-axis intersects the top surface and the bottom surface of the mounting flange.

16 . The mounting clip according to claim 15 , wherein the first alignment tab and the second alignment tab are horizontally offset from each other by a first tab offset distance as measured along the X-axis, and the first alignment tab and the second alignment tab are horizontally offset from each other by a second tab offset distance as measured along the Y-axis.

17 . The mounting clip according to claim 16 , wherein a ratio of the first tab offset distance to the second tab offset distance ranges from about 0.35:1 to about 0.95:1.

18 . A panel assembly comprising
a panel comprising a body and having a first major surface opposite a second major surface and a side surface extending there-between; at least one mounting clip comprising:
a mounting flange comprising:
a top surface opposite a bottom surface and a perimeter extending between the top surface and the bottom surface;
a keyhole located inset from the perimeter of the mounting flange and extending continuously from the top surface to the bottom surface of the mounting flange;

a positioning member extending upwards from the mounting flange;
a grid engagement member extending upwards from the positioning member;
a first alignment tab extending downward from the mounting flange; and
at least one mounting key comprising:
a mounting tab; and
a mounting spacer; and
wherein the first alignment tab of the mounting clip is located adjacent to the first major surface of the panel; wherein the lower surface of the mounting flange is located is adjacent to the side surface of the panel; wherein the mounting spacer of the mounting key is located at least partially within the keyhole of the mounting flange; and wherein the mounting tab of the mounting key is located adjacent to the top surface of the mounting flange.

19 . The panel assembly according to claim 18 , the mounting clip further comprises a second alignment tab extending downward from the mounting flange, and wherein the second alignment tab is located adjacent to the second major surface of the panel.

20 . The panel assembly according to claim 18 , wherein the mounting tab comprises an upper surface opposite a lower surface, and wherein the lower surface of the mounting tab at least partially overlaps with the top surface of the mounting flange in a vertical direction.

Assignees

• Armstrong World Ind Inc
• Awi Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Hanuschak Ryan D

Classifications

• E04B9/04 Primary

  comprising slabs, {panels,} sheets or the like · CPC title

• E04B9/34

  {Grid-like or} open-work ceilings, e.g. lattice type {box-like modules, acoustic baffles} (E04B9/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E04B9/18 Primary

  Means for suspending the supporting construction · CPC title