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US 8,997,426 B1Granted
Ceiling panel clip
AssigneeE.H. Price Limited
InventorsLeith McLeod, David Surminski, Andrew Bourgeois, Andrew Grierson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ceiling panel clip to engage the grid structure of a drop ceiling and thereby hold panels of a drop ceiling in place.
Claims14
A ceiling panel clip for securing a ceiling panel, with a lower edge and a top, to an elongated ceiling frame member having an inverted T-shaped cross-section, the ceiling panel clip comprising:
- a. a cap segment having a length with ends;
- and
- b. a pair of resilient legs attached to the ends of the cap segment, each leg comprising in series:
- i. a cap radius segment connected to one end of the cap segment;
- ii. an inwardly extending segment connected to the cap radius segment;
- iii. a gripping radius segment connected to the inwardly extending segment;
- iv. an outwardly extending segment connected to the gripping radius segment;
- v. a keeper radius segment, with an inside concave surface, connected to the outwardly extending segment by a camming upper portion;
- and
- vi. an inwardly extending end segment connected to the keeper radius segment by a camming lower portion,
- wherein the lower edge of the ceiling panel engages the camming upper portion of the keeper radius segment to push the keeper radius segment toward the ceiling frame member to allow the ceiling panel to move to a position below the keeper radius segment and wherein the top of the ceiling panel engages the camming lower portion of the keeper radius segment to push the keeper radius segment toward the ceiling frame member to allow the ceiling panel to move to a position above the keeper radius segment.
8 more elements
A drop ceiling comprising:
- a. a support structure comprising,
- i. ceiling frame members each comprising a horizontal web and a vertical web wherein the horizontal web and the vertical web are in the shape of an inverted T, and the vertical web has an enlarged crown with crown shoulders;
- and
- ii. hangers for connecting the ceiling frame members to an existing ceiling;
- b. ceiling panels, with lower edges and tops, supported by the horizontal web of the ceiling frame members, and
- c. ceiling panel clips for securing the ceiling panels to the horizontal webs, each ceiling panel clip comprising,
- i. a cap segment having a length with ends;
- and
- ii. a pair of resilient legs attached to the ends of the cap, each leg comprising in series:
- (1) a cap radius segment connected to one end of the cap segment;
- (2) an inwardly extending segment connected to the cap radius segment;
- (3) a gripping radius segment connected to the inwardly extending segment;
- (4) an outwardly extending segment connected to the gripping radius segment;
- (5) a keeper radius segment with an inside concave surface connected to the outwardly extending segment by a camming upper portion;
- and
- (6) an inwardly extending end segment connected to the keeper radius segment by a camming lower portion,
- wherein the cap segment and the inwardly extending segments surround the crown of the vertical web and thereby secure the ceiling panel clips to the vertical webs, wherein the lower edges of the ceiling panels engage the camming upper portions of the keeper radius segments to push the keeper radius segments toward the vertical web to allow the ceiling panels to move to a position below the keeper radius segments, and wherein the tops of the ceiling panels engage the camming lower portions of the keeper radius segments to push the keeper radius segments toward the vertical web to allow the ceiling panels to move to a position above the keeper radius segments.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.