Ceiling mounting system and related method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016356041-A1
Application number	US-201514728404-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 2, 2015
Priority date	Jun 2, 2015
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A ceiling system comprises a pair of spaced overhead longitudinal grid support members and a light-weight ceiling panel suspended therefrom. The panel may be an acoustical honeycomb panel in one embodiment. Localized elongated reinforced areas or sections are formed on the top facing which support a plurality of hangers mounted on each section. The reinforced sections coincide in arrangement with the layout of the support members and structurally strengthen the top facing in select areas. In one embodiment, each reinforced section may comprise a stiffening spline attached to the top facing. The ceiling panel is hung from the grid support members via the hangers and reinforced sections. Fasteners may be used to attach the hangers to the reinforced sections which resist pullout when the panel is hung. In certain embodiments, the reinforced sections extend longitudinally through a central portion of the panel to prevent sagging between the panel sides.

First claim

1 . A ceiling system comprising:
an overhead support grid including an elongated longitudinal grid support member; a honeycomb ceiling panel disposed below the support grid and supported by the grid support members, the ceiling panel including a top facing sheet, a bottom facing sheet, a core comprised of a plurality of cells extending between the top and bottom facing sheets, and a plurality of peripheral sides, the facing sheets adhesively bonded to the core; the top facing sheet including a longitudinally extending first reinforced section structured to have a greater stiffness than unreinforced portions of the top facing sheet; and a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart hangers arranged in a linear row and attached to the first reinforced section of the top facing sheet, the hangers being configured for removable attachment to the longitudinal grid support member; the first reinforced section comprising a first stiffening spline attached to the top facing sheet, the first stiffening spline having an elongated flattened plate structure and being disposed between the hangers and top facing sheet; the first stiffening spline having a continuous length greater than a majority of the length or width of the ceiling panel, wherein the first stiffening spline extends beneath the plurality of hangers in the linear row such that more than one hanger is attached to the first stiffening spline; wherein the ceiling panel is hung from the longitudinal grid support members via the hangers and conceals the grid support member when viewed from below the bottom facing sheet; wherein the hangers are slideable along the longitudinal grid support member such that the ceiling panel is longitudinally adjustable in a continuum of axial positions on the longitudinal grid support member.

2 . The ceiling system according to claim 1 , wherein the first reinforced section is longitudinally elongated in a same direction as the longitudinal grid support member.

3 . The ceiling system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one reinforced section comprises less than a total surface area of the top facing sheet.

4 . (canceled)

5 . (canceled)

6 . The ceiling system according to claim 1 , wherein stiffening spline has thickness less than the thickness of the ceiling panel.

7 . The ceiling system according to claim 1 , wherein the hangers are attached to the first reinforced section via threaded fasteners.

8 . (canceled)

9 . The ceiling system according to claim 1 , wherein the ceiling panel includes a central portion disposed between the peripheral sides, the first reinforced section extending through a majority of the central portion.

10 . The ceiling system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second longitudinal grid support member; a second reinforced section disposed on the top facing sheet of ceiling panel and structured the same as the first reinforced section; and a second plurality of hangers attached to the second reinforced section; wherein the ceiling panel is mounted to the second longitudinal grid support member via the second plurality of hangers.

11 . The ceiling system according to claim 10 , wherein the second reinforced section of the ceiling panel is laterally spaced apart from the first reinforced section.

12 . The ceiling system according to claim 1 , wherein the top facing sheet is vertically spaced apart from and below the longitudinal grid support member.

13 . A ceiling system comprising:
a longitudinal axis; a pair of elongated longitudinal grid support members arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis; at least one elongated lateral grid support members arranged transversely between the longitudinal grid support members; a ceiling panel supported by the longitudinal grid support members, the ceiling panel each including a top facing sheet, a bottom facing sheet, a honeycomb core comprised of a plurality of cells extending between the top and bottom facing sheets, a plurality of peripheral sides, and a central portion disposed between the peripheral sides; the top facing sheet including first and second longitudinally extending reinforced sections structured to have a greater rigidity than unreinforced portions of the top facing sheet, the reinforced sections extending through the central portion of the ceiling panel; and a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart hangers arranged in first and second linear rows and attached to each of the first and second reinforced sections of the top facing sheet respectively, the hangers being configured and arranged for removable attachment to the longitudinal grid support members; the first and second reinforced sections each comprising a stiffening spline attached to the top facing sheet, the stiffening splines each having an elongated flattened plate structure and being disposed between the hangers and top facing sheet; the stiffening splines each having a continuous length greater than a majority of the length or width of the ceiling panel, wherein each stiffening spline extends beneath the plurality of hangers in the first and second linear row such that more than one hanger is attached to each of the stiffening splines; wherein the ceiling panel is hung from the longitudinal grid support members via the hangers and conceals the grid support member when viewed from below the bottom facing sheet; and wherein the hangers are slideable along the longitudinal grid support members such that the ceiling panel is longitudinally adjustable in a continuum of axial positions on the longitudinal grid support members.

14 . (canceled)

15 . The ceiling system according to claim 13 , wherein the stiffening splines each extend through a majority of the central portion of the ceiling panel.

16 . The ceiling system according to claim 13 , wherein the stiffening splines have a greater thickness than the top facing sheet.

17 . The ceiling system according to claim 13 , wherein the ceiling panel has opposing cantilevered peripheral lateral portions that each extend transversely outwards beyond a respective one of the longitudinal grid support members.

18 . The ceiling system according to claim 17 , wherein the lateral portions each extend outwards by at least 15% of a width of the panel measured transversely to the longitudinal axis.

19 . The ceiling system according to claim 13 , wherein the longitudinal ends of the reinforced sections do not extend all the way to the peripheral sides of the ceiling panel.

20 . A method for supporting ceiling panels in a ceiling system, the method comprising:
providing an overhead support grid including a pair of laterally spaced longitudinal grid support members; providing a ceiling panel comprising a top facing sheet, a bottom facing sheet, a honeycomb core comprised of a plurality of cells extending between the top and bottom facing sheets, a plurality of peripheral sides, and a central portion extending between the peripheral sides; forming a pair of laterally spaced apart elongated first and second reinforced sections on the top facing sheet, the reinforced sections extending longitudinally through the central portion of the ceiling panel and structured to have a greater rigidity than unreinforced portions of the top facing sheet; mounting a plurality of hangers on each of the first and second reinforced sections of the top facing sheet, the hangers spaced apart and each forming a longitudinal row of hangers on each reinforced section; positioning the ceiling panel beneath the longitudinal grid su

Assignees

• Armstrong World Ind Inc

Inventors

• Oleske Peter J

Classifications

• E04B9/04

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

• E04B9/0464

  having irregularities on the faces, e.g. holes, grooves · CPC title

• E04B9/225 Primary

  with the slabs, panels, sheets or the like hanging at a distance below the supporting construction · CPC title

• E04B9/0442 Primary

  having a honeycomb core · CPC title

• E04B9/067

  with inverted T-shaped cross-section · CPC title