Attachment components and system for ceiling panels

Abstract

An attachment system providing for connecting ceiling panels to a grid of suspended T-bars, may include plural plates attached to the upper surface of the ceiling panel. Each plate may include a standoff that offsets the plate's main surface to provide a space between the plate and the panel where a yoke may be captured but remain movable in a horizontal plane a sufficient amount to improve alignment of the ceiling panels. Each spring yoke may couple a spring to a slot on a spring holster on the grid of suspended bars. Each spring may be provided with first and second positioning mechanisms cooperating with the slot in the spring holster to provide an installed position and an accessible position. The system may include one or more alignment clips and stiffener clips and stiffener bars. The alignment clips may cooperate with the spring yokes' movability relative to the panel for alignment of adjacent panels. The stiffener bars may cooperate with the stiffener clips and the plates to allow horizontal expansion and contraction and prevent vertical warping of the panel.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.