SQUARED COUPLING FOR SECTIONS OF SUSPENDED CEILINGS AND SECTIONS APPLIED TO SAME

Abstract: Squared coupling for suspended ceilings, mainly intended for sections (3, 10) which consist of a rectangular U-shaped body (4) which shows on both sides (5, 6) horizontal support flanges (7, 8, 12), in which the coupling (1) consists in a coupling element (15), manufactured in one piece with the extremity (2) of a first section (3), which cooperates with the second section (10), in which this coupling element is being formed by a supporting part (16) which rests on the support flange (12) of a second section (10) and clamping devices (18) to connect the sections (3, 10).

Description: Present invention pertains to a squared coupling for sections of suspended ceilings, more particularly between, on the one hand, the extremity of a first section which mainly consists in a rectangular U-shaped body which is provided on both sides with outward directed horizontal support flanges and, on the other hand, the side of a second section which shows at least a vertical part and a horizontal support flange directed to the first section. The invention also pertains to sections which at least at one extremity, and preferably at both extremities, are provided with linking devices which allow the achievement of aforementioned coupling. It is known that when suspended ceilings are being constructed sections can be applied which mainly consist in rectangular U-shaped bodies which are equipped at both sides with outward directed horizontal support flanges, also called strip grating sections because of the wide strips appearing on the ceiling when such sections are applied. In this case the outward directed horizontal support flanges form edges on which ceiling tiles and other elements, such as lighting fittings, are being placed. Due to their U-shaped profile such sections are moreover particularly suitable for the installation therein of electric cables and similar. In order to achieve the squared coupling between two of aforementioned sections, it is known that, at one extremity of a first section, a coupling piece is fitted, whereupon the first section by means of the coupling piece fitted to its extremity is being hooked on to the second section. The fitting of one or more of such coupling pieces at the extremity of a section occurs by means of clamping devices. An example of a similar construction is disclosed in US 4.598.521. Aforementioned coupling shows the disadvantage that when the section is being loaded non symmetrically, for instance on one side with light ceiling tiles and on the other side with a heavy lighting fitting, the coupling pieces can move and eventually unfasten, as a result of which the section can take a twisted position with respect to the remaining sections. Aforementioned coupling shows the disadvantage as well that the use of separate coupling pieces which must be placed on the extremities of the first section is a time consuming activity. Of the patent application DE 2.301.831 it is known that tiles can be connected to runners by means of a coupling element which is manufactured in one piece with the covering of the tile. This coupling however is not apt at being used for connecting two runners to each other. According to another known coupling, sections for ceiling grids are attached to each other by means of slotting the extremity of a first profile into a groove in the side wall of a second section. Such a coupling shows however the major disadvantage that it only allows fitting on locations where a groove is provided, which does not allow for mutual shifting of the sections. Present invention aims at providing for a solution to aforementioned disadvantages. The invention therefore relates to a squared coupling for sections of suspended ceilings, more particularly between, on the one hand, the extremity of a first section which mainly consists in a rectangular U-shaped body which is provided at both sides with outward directed horizontal support flanges and, on the other hand, the side of a second section which shows at least one vertical part and one horizontal support flange directed to the first section, whereby said squared coupling mainly consists in a coupling element having clamping devices which consist in an inverted U-shaped part which surrounds the vertical part of the second section, characterized in that the coupling element is manufactured in one piece with the extremity of the first section which co-operates with the second section; in that said coupling element comprises, at one hand, a supporting part whose underside rests on the support flange of the second section and, on the other hand said clamping devices, whereby these clamping devices co-operate with the vertical part of the second section in such way that they press both sections together in a horizontal direction, and also in a vertical direction such that the aforementioned supporting part is pressed on the support flange of the second section; and in that the supporting part and the inverted U-shaped part mainly consist of at least one folded lip or flange which is the continuation of the bottom plate of the first section. As the coupling element is produced in one piece with the extremity of the first section, the tolerance variances during the assembly of such coupling remain small. It is clear that the invention is related to sections which comprise the aforementioned coupling element as well. In order to achieve better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, some preferred embodiments are described hereafter by way of example, but without any limitation, whereby reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which: figure 1 represents a perspective view of the coupling according to the invention; figure 2 represents the coupling in a non connected state; figure 3 represents the coupling viewed from above; figure 4 represents a cross section according to the line IV-IV in figure 3; figure 5 represents a cross section of another variant of the coupling according to the invention. Figure 1 represents a coupling 1 according to the invention which as aforementioned is intended for the coupling of, on the one hand, the extremity 2 of a first section 3 which mainly consists of a rectangular U-shaped body 4 which is equipped at both sides 5 and 6 with outward directed horizontal support flanges 7 and 8, and, on the other hand, the side 9 of a second section 10 which shows at least a vertical part 11 and a horizontal support flange 12 directed to the first section 3. According to figure 1 identical sections 3 and 10 have been used. In order to clarify the location of the coupling 1, figure 1 represents in addition a number of known components of a suspended ceiling, such as a pendant 13 with which in this case the second section 10 is being hooked up to a carrying structure, a ceiling tile 14 which rests on the support flanges 7 and 12 of the sections 3 and 10 and a number of smaller sections 15 which are connected in a known manner with the first section 3. It is clear that lighting fittings and similar can be placed on the support flanges 7, 8 and 12. As shown in figures 1 through 4 the coupling 1 mainly consists of a coupling element 16, constructed in one piece with the extremity 2 of the first section 3, cooperating with the second section 10, where this coupling element 16 mainly consists in a supporting port 17 whose underside 18 rests on the support flange 12 of the second section 10 and clamping devices 19 which cooperate with the vertical part 11 of the second section 10. The clamping devices 19 are manufactured in such way that they clamp the sections 3 and 10 in a horizontal direction against each other, as well as press the supporting part 17 of the coupling element 16 on the support flange 12 of the second section 10. The supporting port 17 consists of a horizontal flange or plate which is the continuation of the bottom plate 20 of the first section 3. As clearly shown in figure 4 a step like bent edge 21 is provided here, between the transition of the bottom plate 20 to the supporting part 17, by which the underside 18 of the supporting part 17 is located higher by a distance D than the underside 22 of the first section 3, in such way that the underside 22 is located in the same plane as the underside 23 of the second section 10. As shown in figure 4 the aforementioned clamping devices 19 consist in an inverted U-shaped part 24 which, for instance at its free extremity, is equipped with a distortion 25 which clutches elastically behind an edge, a collar or a widened part 26 which is provided at the upper extremity of the vertical part 11 of the second section 10. As shown in the drawings the supporting part 17 and the inverted U-shaped part 24 are preferably manufactured in one line with the distortion 25 in the shape of a bent flange or lip, in such way that the inverted U-shaped part 24 connects with one inner side 27 against the wall 28 of the vertical part 11 of the second section 10 which is directed towards the first section 3. Aforementioned distortion 25 shows for instance a semi cylindrical form which extends horizontally. By the elastic clutching of it behind the widening 26 one indeed achieves that, as shown in figure 4, the aforementioned inner side 27 is being pulled against the wall 28 of the second section 10, while at the same time the supporting part 17 is being pressed on the support flange 12. In order to achieve that the supporting part 17 always rests on the support flange 12, it is necessary that the vertically measured distance H1 between the underside 29 of the horizontal flange 30 of the inverted U-shaped part 24 and the underside 18 of the supporting part 17 is larger than or equal to the vertical distance H2 measured between the highest possible upper rim 31, according to manufacturing tolerances, of the vertical part 11 of the second section 10 and the upper wall 32 of the support flange 12. In order to optimally counteract the tilting of the first section 3 in case of a non symmetrical load the width B1 of the supporting part 17 and the width B2 of the inverted U-shaped part 24 shall preferably be chosen to be at least as long as the distance B3 between the vertical parts or flanges 33 and 34 of subject section 3, in such way as indicated in figures 1 through 3. Preferably even the supporting part 17 at least will be made in a width B1 which is equal to the total width B4 of the first section 3. It is clear that the invention also relates to a section, more particularly to the first section 3, which is equipped with coupling element 16 described above at least one of its extremities 2. In practice the coupling 1 is intended to connect sections of identical form with each other. This means that the aforementioned distance D with a section 3 is equal to the thickness of the flanges 7 and 8 of the same section. Sections shall preferably be made in rolled metal steel sheet. It is evident that different variants of the coupling and the section according to the invention can possibly be made. Figure 5 represents the coupling of two sections which may provide for a particular relief as the aforementioned support flanges 7, 8 and 12 are manufactured with a noticeable thickness D. The construction of the coupling utilized herewith is analogue to that described by means of figures 1 through 4. Obviously the coupling, respectively the section can also make use of a coupling element 16 which consists of two or more parallel bent lips or flanges, among others as represented by reference 1A in figure 1. Present invention is in no means limited to the sample embodiments described above and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, but such a squared coupling as well as the sections which can be applied to same, can be realized in all sorts of forms and dimensions without leaving the scope of present invention.

Claims: 1. Squared coupling for sections of suspended ceilings, more particularly between, on the one hand, the extremity (2) of a first section (3) which mainly consists in a rectangular U-shaped body (4) which is provided at both sides (5, 6) with outward directed horizontal support flanges (7, 8) and, on the other hand, the side (9) of a second section (10) which shows at least one vertical part (11) and one horizontal support flange (12) directed to the first section (3), whereby said squared coupling mainly consists in a coupling element (16) having clamping devices (19) which consist in an inverted U-shaped part (24) which surrounds the vertical part (11) of the second section, characterized in that the coupling element (16) is manufactured in one piece with the extremity (2) of the first section (3) which co-operates with the second section (10); in that said coupling element (16) comprises, at one hand, a supporting part (17) whose underside (18) rests on the support flange (12) of the second section (10) and, on the other hand said clamping devices (19), whereby these clamping devices (19) co-operate with the vertical part (11) of the second section (10) in such way that they press both sections (3, 10) together in a horizontal direction, and also in a vertical direction such that the aforementioned supporting part (17) is pressed on the support flange (12) of the second section (10); and in that the supporting part (17) and the inverted U-shaped part (24) mainly consist of at least one folded lip or flange which is the continuation of the bottom plate (20) of the first section (3). 2. Squared coupling according to claim 1, characterized in that the vertical part (11) of the second section (10) shows a widened part (26) at its upper extremity and that the U-shaped part (24) is equipped with a distortion (25) which clutches elastically behind the aforementioned widened part (26). 3. Squared coupling according to claim 2, characterized in that the distortion (25) shows a semi cylindrical shape which extends horizontally. 4. Squared coupling according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the inverted U-shaped part (24) is the prolongation of the supporting part (17) and touches with one inner side (27) the wall (28) of the vertical part (11) of the second section (10) which is directed towards the first section (3). 5. Squared coupling according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the width (B1) of the supporting part (17) and the width (B2) of the inverted U-shaped part (24) are larger or equal to the distance (B3) between the vertical parts (33, 34) of the first section (3). 6. Squared coupling according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the width (B1) of the supporting part (17) mainly is equal to the width (B4) of the first section (3). 7. Squared coupling according to one of the previous claims, characterized in that the distance (D) between the underside (18) of the supporting part (17) and the underside (22) of the first section (3) mainly is equal to the thickness of the support flange (12) of the second section (10). 8. Section comprising at its end a coupling according to claim 1, consisting in a rectangular U-shaped body (4) of sheet metal rolled steel which is equipped at both sides (5-6) of outward directed horizontal support flanges (7, 8), characterized in that it is equipped at one extremity (2) with a coupling element (16) manufactured in one piece with the section (3), which coupling element mainly consists in a supporting part (17) whose underside (18) is located higher than the underside (22) of this section, and clamping devices (19) which mainly consist in an inverted U-shaped part (24) which at its free extremity is equipped with an inward directed distortion (25). 9. Section according to claim 8, characterized in that the distance (D) between the underside (18) of the supporting part (17) and the underside (22) of the U-shaped body (4) mainly is equal to the thickness of the outward directed support flanges (7, 8) of the section (3). 10. Section according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the supporting part (17) and the inverted U-shaped part (24) consist in a folded lip or flange which is the continuation of the bottom plate (20) of the section (3).

Inventors: GRARD, GAUSBERT
Applicants: CHICAGO METALLIC CONTINENTAL N.V.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: E04B9
IPC codes: E04B9