# US 8,739,487 B2 · Suspended ceiling system for “T” bar grid system

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- Number: US 8,739,487 B2
- Document ID: US8739487B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/067,495
- Filed: 2011-06-06
- Published: 2011-12-22
- Granted: 2014-06-03
- Earliest claimed: 2010-06-04
- Assignees: CertainTeed Canada, Inc.
- Applicants: Martin Daniel Gerkes; Heikki Kolga; Ronald White
- Inventors: Martin Daniel Gerkes; Heikki Kolga; Ronald White
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8739487B2

## CPC

- E04B 9/247: {by means of sliding or pivoting locking elements, held against the underside of the supporting construction}
- E04B: GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS (border constructions of opening in walls, floors or ceilings E06B1/00; {electromagnetic shielding H05K9/0001})

## Abstract

A ceiling panel uses a perimeter frame with a wide outwardly extending bottom flange defining a thin panel edge. Preferably the bottom flange includes a lower surface for securing of a finished substrate about the panel perimeter. The upper surface of the bottom flange receives a gusset clip that includes two arms for securement of the bottom flange and an upwardly extending lift and shift securing tab. The upwardly extending lift and shift securing tab is preferably located within a depth of the ceiling panel generally defined by an acoustical dampening material located within the perimeter frame.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A ceiling panel comprising a perimeter frame, an acoustical insert secured within said perimeter frame and inwardly offset from a side edge of said ceiling panel, and a finished surface substrate secured beneath and covering a lower surface of said perimeter frame and said acoustical insert material; said perimeter frame comprising a series of connected extruded members where each extruded member includes an outwardly extending flange defining a wide border edge of said ceiling panel and an integral vertical section to one side of said flange; and wherein said finished surface substrate is secured to said outwardly extending flange of each extruded member and said vertical section of each, extruded member is held in abutting contact with a side edge of said acoustical insert; and wherein each extruded member includes in cross section at least one securing flange extending inwardly from said vertical section and located at an end of said vertical section opposite said outwardly extending flange or at an intermediate position on said vertical section.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A ceiling panel as claimed in claim 1 wherein a top surface of each outwardly extending flange includes a low profile securing channel extending in a length thereof.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A ceiling panel as claimed in claim 2 including gusset securing brackets where each gusset securing bracket is received in the low profile securing channels of abutting extruded members and secures said abutting extruded members.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

A ceiling panel as claimed in claim 3 wherein each gusset securing bracket is generally made of ‘L’ shaped stamped plate with at least one upwardly and forwardly extending securing tab defining a securing gap below said securing tab for supporting said ceiling panel from a ‘T’ bar grid.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

A ceiling panel as claimed in claim 4 wherein each gusset securing bracket includes a first flat arm without any significant protrusions on an upper surface thereof and a second flat arm having said at least one upwardly extending securing tab with a horizontal extending segment.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

A ceiling panel as claimed in claim 5 wherein said at least one upwardly and forwardly extending securing tab extends upwardly at an intermediate position with respect to a width of said second flat arm.

### Claim 7

A ceiling panel as claimed in 6 wherein said forwardly extending securing tab includes a positioning notch.

### Claim 8

A ceiling panel as claimed in 7 wherein each gusset securing bracket includes at least one upwardly extending alignment face on said arm for panel alignment with a ‘T’ bar grid.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

A ceiling panel as claimed in claim 8 wherein said alignment tab is located at an intermediate position with respect to the width of said second arm.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

A ceiling panel as claimed in claim 9 wherein said outwardly extending flange on a bottom surface includes a series of longitudinally extending shallow ribs of a progressively decreasing height from said vertical section to said perimeter of said ceiling panel.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

A ceiling panel as claimed in claim 8 wherein said alignment face is part of said securing tab and is connected to said second arm; said alignment face including an inwardly inclined guide face connecting said alignment face to an outwardly projecting securing flange.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

A ceiling panel as claimed in claim 11 wherein said securing flange includes a securing port passing therethrough.

### Claim 13 (depends on 7)

A ceiling panel as claimed in claim 7 wherein said series of shallow ribs includes at least three shallow ribs.

### Claim 14 (depends on 3)

A ceiling panel as claimed in claim 3 wherein said ceiling panel is rectangular with four corners with gusset securing brackets in each corner and wherein said gusset securing brackets include a first pair of adjacent gusset securing brackets on two of said corners with said horizontal extending segment orientated in a first direction and a second pair of adjacent gusset securing brackets on the two remaining corners with said horizontal extending segments orientated in a second direction opposite to said first direction.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

A ceiling panel as claimed in claim 14 wherein said panel is suspended below a ‘T’ bar ceiling grid network by said gusset securing brackets engaging bottom flanges of said ceiling grid network.

### Claim 16

A ceiling panel comprising a perimeter frame, an acoustical insert secured within said perimeter frame and inwardly offset from a side edge of said ceiling panel, and a finished surface substrate secured beneath and covering a lower surface of said perimeter frame and said acoustical insert material; said perimeter frame comprising a series of connected extruded members where each extruded member includes an outwardly extending flange defining a wide border edge of said ceiling panel and an integral vertical section to one side of said flange; and wherein said finished surface substrate is secured to said outwardly extending flange of each extruded member and said vertical section of each extruded member is held in abutting contact with a side edge of said acoustical insert; and wherein each extruded member includes two inwardly extending securing flanges positioned in a non-aligned manner with said outwardly extending flange.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

A ceiling panel as claimed in claim 16 wherein one of said inwardly extending flanges overlies a top edge of said acoustical insert.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

A ceiling panel as claimed in claim 17 wherein one of said inwardly extending flanges is received and projects into a side edge of said acoustical insert.
