Abstract:
A single piece sheet metal clip including a trim engaging part and a mounting part extending or extendable from the trim engaging part at a right angle, the trim engaging part having a limited height when the clip is tilted from a vertical portion and a height greater than the limited height when upright whereby the trim engaging part may be inserted between opposed channels on a rear side of a trim strip and upper and lower edges are trapped in a respective channel when rotated from the tilted position to an upright position, the trim engaging part having an integral element resiliently deflected in a channel when the clip is turned upright, said resilient element releasably locking the clip against a reversal of said movement and thereby maintaining the trim engaging part trapped in said channels.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to an improved clip for connecting architectural ceiling trim and various other building components. 
     Suspended ceiling systems can include so-called island ceilings and fascias where all or a part of a perimeter of a ceiling is spaced from any wall. Various trim products and related accessories have been developed to provide a finished look for these ceiling perimeters. One style of trim is an aluminum extrusion formed with mutually facing attachment channels integrated on a rear face of the extrusion. 
     With the availability of these trim elements and specialized accessories, there are opportunities to expand their use to other applications such as a wall treatment. 
     Clips have been devised to attach the perimeter trim to suspended ceiling grid runners. U.S. Pat. No. 7,930,864 discloses an example of the prior art. Prior art clips, particularly where they comprise multiple parts, can come apart when being assembled, can cause distortion of the trim if overly tightened, and can be expensive to manufacture. Thus, there has been a need for a one-piece inexpensive, easy to use clip for reliably attaching a trim element to a suspended ceiling grid. Additionally, a need has existed for a clip that can be used to mount accessories such as a lighting strip to the perimeter trim and can be used to mount the perimeter trim to a vertical surface such as a wall to provide a decorative feature. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention provides a one-piece clip arrangement for connecting a trim strip on a grid runner or other object or, alternatively, an accessory on the trim strip. The clip arrangement has a trim engaging part with a unique spring lock feature. The spring lock feature is deployed by positioning the part of a clip between opposed mounting channels of a trim strip while it is tilted and then turning it upright. The spring lock can be released with a simple reverse twist force applied with a flat blade screwdriver or like tool. Ideally, the clip is a one-piece sheet metal stamping. The spring lock results from a slot formation in the sheet metal that allows a section of the trim engaging part to work as a cantilever spring. The integral spring is configured so that it is compressed between the mounting channels of the trim strip when the clip is upright. 
     Preferably, the spring terminates in a relatively sharp trailing edge profile such that the spring exhibits a “one-way” locking action. The spring geometry allows the clip to readily turn into an upright installed position and in normal service resists a reversal of this twisting locking motion. 
     The trim strip engaging part of the clip can be integrated with a variety of alternative parts for mounting on various grid runner cross sections, on a flat surface, and for attaching accessories such as light bars. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a universal trim strip mounting clip in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear elevational view of the clip of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an edge view of the clip of  FIG. 1  mounted on a trim strip; 
         FIG. 4  is a rear view of a portion of a trim strip and the clip of  FIG. 1  at the left tilted for assembly into channels of the trim strip, and at the right in an installed upright position; 
         FIG. 5  is a side elevational view of a second embodiment of the invention connecting a trim strip to a grid runner or tee; 
         FIG. 6  is a side elevational view of the clip of  FIG. 5  modified for use with a grid runner having a three dimensional flange; 
         FIG. 7  is a side elevational view of a third embodiment of the invention connecting a trim strip to a grid runner with another style of three dimensional flange; 
         FIG. 8  is a side elevational view of the clip of  FIG. 7  modified for use with a drywall grid tee and ½ inch drywall; 
         FIG. 9  is a side elevational view of the clip of  FIG. 7  modified for use with a drywall grid tee and ⅝ inch drywall; 
         FIG. 10  is a side elevational view of a fourth embodiment of the invention connecting a trim strip to a parallel grid runner; 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of the invention for mounting the trim strip on a flat surface such as a wall; 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 13  is a side elevational view of the clip of  FIG. 12  supporting a light strip on a trim strip. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIGS. 1-4  illustrate a universal mounting clip  10  embodying the present invention. The clip  10  is preferably formed as a one-piece sheet metal stamping, made, for example, from hot dipped galvanized steel of a gauge of nominally 0.046 inches, for example. The clip  10 , and the majority of clips disclosed hereafter, is bent into a right angle configuration after their various features have been blanked from sheet metal stock. The clip  10  has a planar trim engaging part  11  and a planar leg  12  extending at right angles to the part  11 . 
     The clip  10  and other clips disclosed below are intended to be used with an extruded aluminum trim strip  14 . The trim strip  14 , on its rear side  16 , includes a pair of opposed shallow channels  17 ; the open side of each channel faces the opposed channel. The width of the channels  17  can be slightly greater than the thickness of the sheet stock forming the clip  10 . It will be understood that the channels  17  run the full length of the trim strip  14 . The illustrated trim strip  14  is exemplary of commercially available trim strips used to provide finished edges on island ceilings and fascias and can be, for example, of the type marketed under the trademark COMPASSO® ELITE, a registered trademark of USG Interiors, LLC. 
     The profile of the part  11  is preferably the same as that employed in various other clips described hereinbelow. The profile can be described as generally rectangular with two of its diagonal corners modified so that when the clip is tilted from a vertical orientation, the part  12  will pass between the minimum space between the channels  17 .  FIG. 4  illustrates this circumstance on the left with the modified corners designated  18  and  19 . A lower one of the clipped corners  19  is preferably rounded to provide an edge  21  which works as a cam surface as will be described. 
     A slot  26  extends from a mid-area of a lower edge  27  upwardly and laterally so that it overlies a part of the cam surface  21 . In the illustrated construction, the slot  26  has an S-shape, being vertical at  28 , horizontal at  29  and vertical at  30 . A notch  31  in a lower side of the horizontal portion of the slot  26  is aligned with the vertical portion  30 . A locking corner or point  32  is formed at the intersection of the slot  26  and the cam surface forming edge  21 . The locking point  32  is relatively sharp so that it is capable of biting into the material of the trim strip  14 . The part of the lower edge  27  on a side of the slot  26  away from the cam edge  21  and locking point  32  is slightly higher than the locking edge when the clip  10  is in a vertical orientation. 
     As demonstrated in  FIG. 4 , the diagonal length of the part  11  across the clipped corners  18 ,  19 , is less than the spacing between the free edges, designated  36  of the trim channels  17 . The clip is installed on a trim strip  14  by tilting it to the orientation illustrated on the left in  FIG. 4  and positioning it between the channels  17 . Thereafter, the clip is rotated upright so that its upper margin is captured in the upper channel  17  and, similarly, the lower edge  27  is captured in the lower channel  17 . The part  11  is dimensioned so that the vertical distance between an upper edge  37  and the locking point  32  is, in a free state, slightly larger than the inside dimension between the opposed channels  17 . The clip  10  can be rotated by grasping the leg  12  and/or by inserting a flat blade screwdriver or similar tool in the upper section  30  of the slot  26  and forcibly rotating the clip upright. When diagonal corners  38 ,  39  of the part  11  contact the base of the respective channel further rotation is arrested. Since the part is dimensioned with the locking point  32  slightly further from the upper edge  37  than the space between the channel bases, the locking edge will tend to bite into the relatively softer aluminum material of the trim strip  14  and will thereby lock the clip  10  in the upright position. The locking point  32  is spring loaded against the base of its respective channel  17  by the interference dimensioning of the part  12  relative to the spacing of the channels  17 . Spring action on this locking point is the result of resilient distortion in the leg or peninsula, designated  41  created by the slot  26 . This resilient distortion is analogous to a cantilever spring and is permitted by the width of the slot  26 . The right angle or hook-like shape of the leg  41  augments vertical displacement of the locking point  32  relative to the remaining area of the part  11 . Once installed upright, the clip  10  is held in position by the locking point  32  without free play and without longitudinal movement along the trim strip. Moreover, the upper and lower portions of the part  11  captured in the channel  17  afford a high force level resistance to pulling out of the channels perpendicularly to the plane of the trim strip  14 . 
     The lock or bite of the point  32  can be released to shift the clip longitudinally in the channel  17  for adjustment purposes or for removal of the clip altogether. Release of the clip  10  can be readily accomplished by inserting the flat blade of a screwdriver in the vertical section  30  of the slot  26  with part of the blade in the notch  31 . Rotation, counter-clockwise will flex the leg  41  enough to lift the locking point  32  from its grip on the respective channel  17  and continued rotation of the screwdriver will twist the clip  10  into the position of  FIG. 4  from which it can be removed from between the channels  17 . 
     The tightness of the clip  10  in the channels  17  can be increased by twisting a screwdriver with its blade in the vertical slot portion  30  clockwise so as to spread the leg  41  beyond its original spacing from the remainder of the part  11  so as to increase the distance between the locking point  32  and opposed upper edge  37 . 
     The clip  10  is illustrated and described for purposes of disclosing a universal clip with a non-specific function of the leg or part  12 . In the following disclosed embodiments, several clips are described having the same trim engaging part  11  as that of the clip  10 . The various clip embodiments disclosed below are, again, one-piece constructions and have different legs or parts for connecting with specific elements or bodies. The function of the trim engaging part  11  in the below-described embodiments is the same as that set out above, including installation and removal. 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrate a second embodiment of a clip  50  used to couple a trim strip  14  to suspended ceiling grid runners of various cross-section or profile. The clip  50  includes the described trim engaging part  11  and a grid member engaging part or leg  51 . The horizontal length of the leg  51  is somewhat greater than that of the part  11  enabling the leg to lie alongside a grid runner  52  with an end of the runner spaced from the vertical part of the trim  14 . More specifically, a standard length grid runner  52  with a standard end clip  53  can be accommodated by the clip  50  while a turned-up end  54  of a lower flange  56  is received on a lower runner flange  57  of the trim  14 . It will be seen from  FIG. 5  that the vertical height of the distal end of the clip leg  51  can be dimensioned to fit between the lower runner flange  56  and a runner reinforcing bulb  58  of a conventional grid tee such as the DX® or DXT style marketed by USG Interiors, LLC. The leg  51  is provided with sets of holes  59 ,  60  and  61  for attaching the clip  50  to the grid runner  52 . For example, the holes  59  can be used with fasteners such as pop rivets or screws that are assembled in holes (not shown) in the grid runner  52  and end clip  53  that exist with the assembly of the grid runner and clip. Where the trim strip  14  is located “off-module”, the grid runner  52  is cut to a proper length and the holes  60  and  61  can be used with screws or rivets assembled to the grid runner web  62 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the clip  50  has been modified in the field by a technician for accommodating a grid runner  65  having a bulb style lower flange  63 . An example of this style grid runner is the DXI product marketed by USG Interiors, LLC. A comparison of  FIGS. 6 and 5  reveals that a lower portion of the clip leg  51  has been cut-off by a tin snips or like tool to remove clip material below the top edge of an elongated slot  64  ( FIG. 5 ) to provide clearance for the vertically extending bulb style flange  63 . Holes  60  can be used with pop rivets in the factory holes associated with an end connector  53  to fix the clip  50  to the grid runner  62 . 
       FIGS. 7-9  illustrate another clip  70  useful with a variety of grid runners. In  FIG. 7 , there is illustrated a grid runner  73  of the screw slot type wherein a lower flange  71  forms a hollow box-like structure with an open slot centered below a web  72  of the grid runner. By way of example, the grid runner  73  may be of the type marketed under the mark DXF/DXLF by USG Interiors, LLC, and is shown in profile in  FIG. 10 . 
     As manufactured, the clip  70  has a part or leg  74  proportioned to fit on the web  72  between the slot forming flange  71  and a reinforcing bulb  76 . A pair of holes  77  are provided to register in the rivet holes at which a connector on the end of the grid runner  73  is attached. Rivets or screws can be assembled in the holes  77  to attach the leg  74  to the grid runner  73 . Auxiliary holes can optionally be used for fastening the clip  70  to a grid runner.  FIG. 7  illustrates the relationship of the leg  74  to the trim engaging part  11  that registers a lower face of the flange  71  with an upper side of the trim flange  57 . 
       FIG. 8  illustrates the scrim clip  70  connected with a drywall grid tee  81 . The clip  70  in  FIG. 8  has been modified in the field by a technician erecting a suspended drywall ceiling. It will be seen that, in  FIG. 8 , a lower part of the leg  74  is cutaway with a tin snips or other tool at the lower sides of a series of horizontal slots  82  originally formed in the clip  70  during its manufacture. The leg  74  is proportioned so that when trimmed in the manner illustrated in  FIG. 8 , land areas  83  at the end of the slots  82  rest on a flange  84  of the grid tee  81 . In this position relative to the grid tee  81 , the modified clip supports the trim strip  14  so that ½ inch drywall  86  is accommodated with a close fit on the upper face of the trim flange  57 . Screws or other fasteners are assembled in holes in the part  74  to fix the clip  70  to the web of the tee  81 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 9 , the clip  70  can be modified to connect a trim strip  14  to a suspended ceiling drywall grid tee  81  being used with ⅝ inch drywall  91 . The clip  70  is modified by cutting the bottom side of the leg  74  at the level of upper edges  92  of the horizontal slots  82 . When the upper edges  92  of the horizontal slots rest against the upper side of the grid tee flange  84 , ⅝ inch drywall  91  fits closely on the upper side of the trim flange  57 . It will be seen that a number of holes remain in the clip part  74  to receive fasteners such as screws or pop rivets to attach the part to the web of the grid tee  81 . 
       FIG. 10  illustrates another embodiment of the clip  100 . The clip  100  includes a part or leg  101  that has an edge configuration  102  adapted to engage the profile of a slotted flange style grid runner  73 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , the clip leg profile or edge  102  generally conforms to one side of the grid runner  73  including a portion  104  that closely fits between a flange  71  and reinforcing bulb  76 . 
     The part  101  is generally planar with the exception of a flange  108  bent at right angles in the same direction as the trim engaging part  11 . A tab  109  is connected to the main body of the part  101  by webs  110  on opposite sides of a slot  111  punched into the body of the part  101 . The presence of the slot  111  allows the tab  109  to be bent upwardly, i.e. towards the stiffening flange  108  manually with a pair of pliers. The tab  109  is temporarily bent out of the plane of the part  101  to allow the reinforcing bulb  76  to be located in a receiving area  112 . The receiving area  112  is shaped to closely confine the bulb  76  when the tab  109  is bent back to its original orientation coplanar with the remaining of the part  101 . The grid runner  73  is supported in parallel relation to the trim strip  14  by a plurality of identical clips  100  spaced along the length of the trim strip. The clips  100  by virtue of the profile  102  hold the grid runner  103  at an elevation such that a pan-like panel  113  snapped in the slot of the grid runner flange  73  is flush with the flange  57  of the trim strip  14 .  FIG. 10  illustrates a cross runner  73  having an end connector inserted in a slot in a web of the grid runner  73  running parallel to the trim strip  14 . 
       FIG. 11  illustrates a clip  120  of still another embodiment that can be used to mount a trim strip  14  on a surface of a structure such as a vertical wall. A part  121  of the clip  120  joined to the trim engaging part  11  is three dimensional in the sense that a distal section  122  is at right angles to a plane of a section  123  proximal to the trim engaging part  11 . The distal section  122  includes a pair of holes  124  adapted to receive screws or other fasteners to secure the clip  120  to a mounting surface such as that provided by a vertical wall. 
     The distal and proximal sections  122 ,  123  are separated by an elongated slot  126  and, similarly, the proximal section and trim engaging part  11  are separated by a pair of aligned elongated slots  127 . The clip  120  can be manufactured and distributed in a flat configuration and can be bent along its lines of the slots  126 ,  127  into the orthogonal configuration illustrated in  FIG. 11  or into a mirrored configuration by the technician installing the trim strip  14 . The clip  120  can be used to mount a trim strip  14  on a wall to construct a three dimensional wall mounting or a light box, for example. 
       FIGS. 12 and 13  illustrate a clip  130  which is intended to mount hardware on a trim strip  14 , as opposed to the above disclosed clips serving to mount a trim strip on hardware. The clip  130  includes a part  131  connected to the trim engaging part  11  with land areas  132  formed by a pair of elongated, aligned slots  133 . The limited length of the land areas  132  enable the clip  130  to be manually bent by a technician in the field. The clip can be manufactured and distributed in a flat condition; note that the trim engaging part  11  can be bent to the left or right of the hardware mounting part  131 . The part  131  is configured, as shown in  FIG. 13 , to receive an extrusion  134  which can be part of a commercially available light bar  136  carrying LED lamps. The clip part  131  includes a cut-out  137  configured to receive the extrusion  134 . A tab  138  can be bent out of the plane of the part  131  at a line or zone weakened by a hole  139  in order to receive a leg  141  of the extrusion  134 . When the extrusion  134  is fully received within the cutout  137 , the tab  138  can be bent back into the plane of the part  131  to capture the extrusion  134  in the cutout  137 . The part  131  is manufactured with narrow slots  142  to receive mounting tabs  143  of a power supply  144  associated with the light bar  136 . Two or more clips  130 , spaced along a trim strip  14  are used to support the extrusion  134  and the power supply  144 . 
     While the invention has been shown and described with respect to particular embodiments thereof, this is for the purpose of illustration rather than limitation, and other variations and modifications of the specific embodiments herein shown and described will be apparent to those skilled in the art all within the intended spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the patent is not to be limited in scope and effect to the specific embodiments herein shown and described nor in any other way that is inconsistent with the extent to which the progress in the art has been advanced by the invention.