Patent Publication Number: US-2015085474-A1

Title: Beam support

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     Suspended ceilings are used extensively in commercial and industrial buildings. In such ceilings, a metal grid framework, formed of interconnected T-beams, is hung from a structural ceiling by wires. The beams are roll-formed from continuous strips of sheet metal. 
     The grid supports panels in rectangular openings formed in the grid. 
     Such ceilings must resist earthquake tremors in accordance with applicable building codes: 
     This invention relates to a support, at selected locations in such grid, for an aluminum beam (AB) with light emitting diode (LED) lights. The support is installed at the time the suspended ceiling is constructed. The AB&#39;s with lights are installed later. By means of the invention, the suspended ceiling sustains its resistance to earthquakes with the AB&#39;s with LED lights installed, as in a prior-art ceiling without such AB&#39;s. 
     2. Prior Art 
     Suspended ceilings having folded sheet metal inverted T-beams interconnected at intersections into a grid that supports panels are well known. U.S. Pat. No. 7,926,238 (&#39;238), for instance, incorporated herein by reference, shows such a ceiling. 
     The grid in such prior art ceilings has, at each grid intersection, a connection having a pair of opposing identical first and second cross beams connected respectively to first and second cross beam connectors, and to a main beam. To form such a prior art connection, the first and second cross beam connectors, fixed on the ends of opposing cross beams, are thrust, or stabbed-in, from opposing sides of the main beam, through a slot in the main beam, to connect with each other and with the main beam. 
     Numerous such stab-in connections at grid intersections are made to create a ceiling grid. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the use of such prior art stab-in connections at grid intersections to form supports at selected locations for an aluminum grid (AB) with attached light emitting diode (LED) lights. 
     The prior art stab-in connection described above is modified to selectively create, as the ceiling grid is being installed, fixed cantilevered extensions at locations throughout a panel suspended ceiling, that is constructed in accordance with the applicable building codes, including those requirements relative to resistance to earthquakes. Aluminum beams (AB) with LED lights are later attached to the fixed cantilevered extensions, without disturbing the integrity of the suspended ceiling, including the resistance to such quakes. 
     The rolled sheet metal beams that are used in the grid of conventional prior art suspended ceilings, are not suitable to support LED lights. 
     In the present invention, the prior art stab-in connection referred to above, formed by a first cross beam connector on the end of a first cross beam that connects with an opposing identical second cross beam connector on the end of an opposing second cross beam, with both first and second cross beam connectors connecting with the main beam through the slot in the main beam, is modified. 
     The second cross beam connector, without any attached cross beam, is manually inserted into the slot, to connect with the opposing first cross beam connector on the end of the first cross beam, already in the slot, and the main beam. The second cross beam connector is desirably modified to provide an extended portion that enables the connector to be more easily manually inserted into the connector. 
     In either version described above, a fixed cantilevered extension is thus formed by the second cross beam connector, extending from the main beam and the first cross beam, that is capable of having attached thereto, and supporting, after such fixed cantilevered extension is created, the end of an AB with LED lights. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a right side elevational view of a prior art connection between identical first and second cross beam connectors attached to first and second cross beams. The first and second cross beam connectors extend through a slot in the main beam, to form a connector-to-connector, and a connectors to main beam, lock. 
         FIG. 1   a  is a top sectional view taken on the line  1   a - 1   a  in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 2  is a right side elevational view similar to  FIG. 1 , of the fixed cantilevered extension of the invention, with no modification of the second cross beam connector. 
         FIG. 3  is an isometric view showing an aluminum beam (AB) about to be secured to the fixed cantilevered extension of the invention, with no modification of the second cross beam connector. 
         FIG. 4  is a view similar to  FIG. 3  showing an aluminum beam (AB) fixed to the cantilevered extension of the invention for support. 
         FIG. 5  is a side elevational view of a preferred version of the invention, in which a modified second cross beam connector inserted in the connection that enables the second connector to be more easily inserted into the connection, and to more easily be attached to an AB beam. 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken on the line  6 - 6  in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 7  is a side elevational view similar to  FIG. 5  showing an aluminum beam (AB) fixed to the modified second cross beam connector for support. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The &#39;238 patent is representative of the prior art connection on which this invention is based. The connection itself, and the method of making such connection, is set forth in detail in the &#39;238 patent. 
     Such connection conforms to building codes, including their requirements as to earthquake resistance. 
     The prior art &#39;238 connection on which the present invention is based, is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 1   a.  Main beam  20 , shown in cross section, extends longitudinally in a ceiling grid that supports panels. Identical first cross beam connector  21  and second cross beam connector  22 , are attached to first cross beam  26  and second cross beam  27  respectively, by rivets  28 . To make the prior art connection of  FIG. 1 , the first and second cross beam connectors  21  and  22 , by means of attached first  26  and second  27  cross beams, are stabbed through a slot  23  in the web  25  of the main beam  20  and interconnect with each other and with the main beam  20 . 
     In such prior art connection shown in  FIGS. 1 and 1   a,  described above, the following occurs:
         (1) End  30  of second cross beam connector  22  engages detent  31  to form a connector-to-connector connection, as does end  32  of first cross beam connector  21  engage detent  33 ;   (2) Locking latches  40  on first cross beam connector  21  and second cross beam connector  22  are in an unflexed position;   (3) Backstops  35  and  36  on connectors  21  and  22  secure the ends  30  and  32  in the connector-to-connector lock; and   (4) First and second connectors  21  and  22  are kept laterally and vertically constrained within slot  23  by the cross sectional configuration of the identical first connector  21  and second connector  22 , as well known in the art.   (5) First cross beam  26  and second cross beam  27  extend outwardly, at right angles, from main beam  20 .
 
The general configuration so far described conforms to the prior art, and to building codes.
       

     In a basic embodiment of the present invention, shown in  FIG. 2 , second cross beam connector  22  is manually stabbed, by itself, through slot  23  to form a connection by engaging the main beam  20  and opposing first cross beam connector  21  attached to first cross beam  26  as described above. 
     The result is a fixed cantilevered projection  10 , as seen in  FIG. 2 , that is anchored to main beam  20 , and first cross beam  26 . The ceiling continues to conform to the building codes including the earthquake requirements, since the connection between the opposing first and second connectors, and the main beam remain the same. 
     Such fixed cantilevered projections  10  are constructed at opposing sides of suspended ceiling rectangular grid openings where aluminum beams (ABs)  50  with LED lights are to be placed. The ABs are generally rolled into an inverted-T cross section, with lower flanges  53  and  54 , and upper fins  52 . 
     The ends of the ABs  50  with LED lights are attached to the fixed cantilevered projections  10  by, for instance, rivets  57  extending through matched rivet holes  56 , in the fixed cantilevered extension  10  and the AB  50  as seen in  FIG. 4 . The fixed cantilevered extensions  10  fit in contoured depressions  58  in the ABs  50 . 
     In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a prior art second cross beam connector  22  as set forth above, is modified as shown in FIGS.  5 , 6 , and  7 , to provide an extended length that enables a second cross beam connector  22 ′ to be more easily inserted manually into the connection, and that provides a longer fixed cantilevered projection  10 ′. 
     In this preferred modified embodiment, second cross beam connector  22 ′ is formed by extending second cross beam connector  22  at  61  to provide a manual grip  62  with greater surface to grasp with fingers  63  than the surface of the second cross beam connector  22  by itself. A suitable surface configuration, such as a circular hump  64 , enables the second cross beam connector  22 ′ to be more easily manually inserted into the connection, as shown in  FIG. 5 , wherein fingers  63  grasp grip  62  of the extended second cross beam connector  22 ′. 
     The longer fixed cantilevered extension  10 ′ also provides a more stable support for AB  50 . Alternatively, such a modified fixed cantilevered extension  22 ′ could be formed of two segments by fastening an extended portion to the second cross beam connector  22 . 
     The invention, among other benefits, permits a first group of workers, skilled in installing prior art suspended prior art ceilings with folded sheet metal beams  20 ,  26 , and  27 , to create a suspended ceiling with the fixed cantilevered projections  10  installed at locations where the ABs  50  with LED lights are to be later installed. No panels are inserted at these locations during the initial construction of the suspended ceiling, so the fixed cantilevered extensions  10  are left exposed. 
     Later, a second group of workers, preferably electricians skilled in installing ABs with LED lights, simply connect the ABs  50  to the fixed cantilevered extensions  10  installed earlier by the first group of workers, and then make the electrical connections. 
     Once the ABs  50  with LED lights are secured to the fixed cantilevered extensions  10  of the invention, and the LED lights electrically wired, the openings adjacent such ABs  50  are closed by simply laying suitably sized ceiling panels on the flanges  53 , 54  of the ABs  50  and the flanges  66  of prior art roll-formed sheet metal beams of the suspended ceiling surrounding the ABs  50 . 
     In the procedure described above, the invention permits the ceiling to maintain its compliance with particularly the earthquake requirements of the building codes, notwithstanding the lights in the ceiling are installed after the installation of the ceiling itself. The cantilevered supports of the invention make such continued compliance possible.