Ornamental ceiling system
OwnerCarl E. Hansoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ornamental ceiling capable of attaching directly to an existing structural ceiling or to an existing suspended ceiling which uses inverted T-members as supports. The ornamental ceiling comprises a stile, an inverted T-member, a clip with a snap-on capability for readily attaching the stile to the inverted T-members, and an ornamental panel. A connector is provided for readily attaching the ornamental ceiling close to a preexisting structure ceiling. A hanger and a cantilever support is also disclosed for supporting a stile that longitudinally abuts a preexisting structural wall.
Claims23
An ornamental ceiling that attaches close to a preexisting structural ceiling, comprising:
- (a) an inverted T-member having a generally vertical portion and a generally horizontal portion;
- (b) a stile having an upper face, a lower face and a longitudinal groove generally centrally disposed along the upper face of the said stile;
- (c) a clip associated with said longitudinal groove having a means for attaching said clip to the horizontal portion of said inverted T-member, wherein the horizontal portion of said inverted T-member is located above the upper face of said stile;
- (d) a panel located above the lower face of said stile and laterally from the vertical portion of said inverted T-member;
- and
- (e) a connecter attached to an upper end of the generally vertical portion of said inverted T-member and having a resilient snap-on means for readily gripping the upper end of the generally vertical portion of said inverted T-member and a means for securing the connector directly to a preexisting structural ceiling so that the distance between the lower face of stile and the preexisting structural ceiling may be less than six inches.
An ornamental ceiling that can be readily attached to a preexisting suspended ceiling which uses inverted T-members and L-shaped angle members to support panels, said ornamental ceiling comprising:
- (a) a stile having an upper face, a lower face and a longitudinal groove generally centrally disposed along the upper face of said stile;
- (b) a clip that attaches to said stile and horizontal portion of an inverted T-member for supporting said stile from the inverted T-member, said clip comprising:
- a bottom surface;
- first and second means for engaging said stile associated with said bottom surface;
- first and second side surfaces resiliently associated with said bottom surface;
- inverted T-member engaging means associated with said side surfaces for instantaneous engagement of the generally horizontal portion of said inverted T-member, wherein said side surfaces resiliently expand outwardly in response to a force from said T-member's generally horizontal portion and contract inwardly to engage the generally horizontal portion of said inverted T-member;
- and
- (c) an ornamental panel located above the lower face of said stile and laterally from a vertical portion of said inverted T-member.
A clip for supporting a stile on an ornamental ceiling and capable of attaching to a horizontal portion of an inverted T-member, comprising:
- (a) a bottom surface,
- (b) means for engaging the stile said means associated with said bottom surface;
- (c) first and second side surfaces resiliently associated with said bottom surface the side surfaces having an inverted T-member engaging means for instantaneously engaging a generally horizontal portion on said inverted T-member, wherein said side surfaces expand outwardly in response to a force from said T-member's generally horizontal portion and contract inwardly to instantaneously engage said T-members generally horizontal portion.
A clip for attaching a stile to the generally horizontal portion of an inverted T-member, comprising:
- (a) a bottom surface;
- (b) a stile engaging means associated with the bottom surface;
- (c) first and second side surfaces extending from the bottom surface;
- (d) resilient means associated with the side surfaces for allowing the side surfaces to expand outwardly and contract inwardly;
- (e) responsive means integral with the side surfaces responsive to a force from a generally horizontal portions of the inverted T-member for expanding the side surfaces outwardly;
- and
- (f) inverted T-member engaging means associated with the first and second side surfaces for engaging the generally horizontal portion of the inverted T-member, wherein the inverted T-member engaging means has firs:
- and second sets of tines projecting inwardly from the first and second side surfaces respectively, each set of tines having an upper tine and a lower tine, wherein the upper and lower tines are each at acute angles from said side surfaces, to provide quick and sturdy engagement with the generally horizontal portion of the inverted T-member.
An ornamental ceiling system that attaches to a grid network of inverted T-members, the ornamental ceiling system comprising:
- (a) a clip for attaching main and cross stiles to inverted T-members;
- (b) main and cross stiles each having a groove located generally-centrally and longitudinally on an upper surface of each stile, the groove further comprising:
- (1) means for engaging the clip,
- (2) first and second sidewalls located above the clip engaging means, wherein the sidewalls are substantially planar and angle outwardly and upwardly towards the upper face of the stile to provide some play for the clip;
- and
- (c) a plurality of panels placed within openings of the grid network.
A clip for attaching a stile to first and second laterally extending flange portions of an inverted T-member, which comprises:
- (a) a bottom surface;
- (b) a stile engaging means;
- (c) first and second side surfaces extending from the bottom surface;
- (d) resilient means integral with the side surfaces for allowing the side surfaces to expand outwardly and contract inwardly;
- (e) responsive means integral with the side surfaces responsive to a force from the laterally extending flange portions of inverted T-member for expanding side surfaces outwardly;
- and
- (f) inverted T-member engaging means associated with the first and second side surfaces for engaging the laterally extending flange portions of the inverted T-member, wherein the inverted T-member engaging means includes first and second symmetrically opposed channels that engage the first and second laterally extending flange portions of the inverted T-member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.