Patent Description:
Suspended ceiling systems provide a grid structure for suspending light-weight panels to form a ceiling in commercial environments such as office or retail spaces. The panels can be used to hide the upper space of a room which can contain wiring, conduit, piping or ductwork. Designers often desire the installation of visually different suspended ceilings other than those that can suspend standard square or rectangular panels. However this can involve complex and expensive installation. <CIT> discloses a suspended ceiling system having a plurality of removable panels which are supported below a grid network. The grid network comprises structural elements interconnected by junction members with the cells of the grid network sized to receive a panel about the periphery thereof. The structural members cooperate with framed panel members to accurately align adjacent panels and position them at a certain height below the grid network. Access to the area above the panels is obtained by removal of any of the panel members. Each panel is urged into abutting contact with the grid network to provide a seal therewith such that the area above the ceiling may be used as a return air plenum.

<CIT> discloses a coupler portion of a connector assembly for interconnecting vertical columns and horizontal beams, that includes a rectangularly shaped hollow block member having a vertical row of slots formed along the height of each of its sidewalls. The block member is connectable to the top or bottom of a vertical column or between two abutting vertical columns by a joiner insert composed of a flat flange section and a transverse stud section extending normally outwardly from one side of the flange to engage within a central hole provided in the end wall of the hollow block member. The joiner insert also includes a plug section extending normally outwardly from the flange section in a direction opposite the stud section to engage within a socket formed in the end portion of each column. The connector assembly also includes a T-shaped bracket engageable within a vertical slot formed in each end portion of the horizontal beams. The bracket includes a plurality of vertically spaced apart downwardly open hooks which slidably engage within, and securely lock with, the block member slots to thereby interconnect the horizontal beams with the end portion of a column or between the ends of two vertically abutting columns.

Examples of the invention seek to avoid or to at least ameliorate problems of existing suspended ceiling systems.

According to some aspects of the present invention, there are provided an intersection member and assemblies including such intersection member for suspending ceiling panels according to the appended claims.

The present invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:.

<FIG> are views of assemblies <NUM>, <NUM> for suspending ceiling panels <NUM> having respectively a frame <NUM> or two frames <NUM>, <NUM>, and suspension members <NUM> according to preferred embodiments of the present invention. The suspension members <NUM> are for suspending the frames <NUM>, <NUM> from structure, such as an interior surface of a roof or a ceiling of a room.

The frames <NUM>, <NUM> have intersection members <NUM>, <NUM> and support members <NUM> extending therebetween where each support member <NUM> supports a side of one of the ceiling panels <NUM>. The intersection members <NUM>, <NUM> have a generally tubular, axially extending, mounting member <NUM> and a base <NUM>, which base is lowermost in use of the intersection member. The base <NUM> extends outwardly around the periphery of the mounting member <NUM>, as a peripheral flange. The ends of the support members <NUM> are configured to engage with engageable portions <NUM> provided circumferentially about each of the intersection members <NUM>, <NUM>, the engageable portions <NUM> defining respective slot-like apertures which extend through the side wall of mounting member <NUM>. Together, the support members and intersection members form a support grid having openings principally defined at the peripheries by the support members <NUM>. The shape of these openings corresponds to the shape of the ceiling panels <NUM>, each side of the ceiling panel <NUM> being supportable by a respective support member <NUM>. That is, the support members <NUM> have flanges <NUM> on lower opposite longitudinal edges which receive thereon underside marginal portions of the ceiling panels <NUM>, thereby supporting the ceiling panels <NUM> to form a suspended ceiling as shown in <FIG>.

<FIG> show more detailed examples of the engagement of the support members <NUM> with the intersection member <NUM> or <NUM>, where the engageable portions <NUM> are provided as apertures <NUM> which are adapted to receive protrusions <NUM> provided at the opposite ends of the support members <NUM>. Alternatively, the engageable portions may be in the form of protrusions which are receivable in apertured portions provided at the opposed ends of the support members <NUM>.

In the embodiment shown in <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, the illustrated protrusion <NUM> is latchingly engaged in an aperture <NUM>. In an alternative embodiment shown in <FIG>, the protrusion <NUM> is latchingly engaged laterally in the aperture <NUM>. Both embodiments will be described further below. In any case, in <FIG>, the intersection members <NUM>, <NUM> are shown with the engageable portions <NUM> in the form of the described apertures <NUM> formed through the side wall 19a of the mounting member <NUM> and being arranged towards an end of the mounting member adjacent to the base <NUM> of the intersection member <NUM>, <NUM>. The locating member <NUM> is in the form of a punched-out resilient tongue extending sidewardly, and outwardly at an acute angle, from the remainder of the protrusion <NUM>. Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the width S of the aperture <NUM> is only slightly greater than the width W1 of the main body of the protrusion <NUM>. At the location of the free end 23a of the locating member <NUM>, the width W2 is greater than the width S. As the protrusion <NUM> is inserted into the aperture <NUM> (in the direction indicated by arrow A), one side edge 11a of the aperture <NUM> engages the locating member <NUM> such that the locating member <NUM> is depressed inwardly (in the direction indicated by arrow B) of the protrusion <NUM> by camming action against natural resilience of the locating member, the opposite face 17a of the protrusion <NUM> engaging the adjacent opposite surface 11b of the aperture <NUM>. By this camming action, the protrusion <NUM> can pass through the aperture <NUM> until the locating member <NUM> has passed through it. Once the locating member <NUM> is clear of the aperture <NUM>, the free end 23a of the locating member <NUM> moves outwardly under resilient bias (in the direction indicated by arrow C in <FIG>) from the protrusion <NUM> so that withdrawal of the support member <NUM> is inhibited by engagement of the free end 23a of the locating member <NUM> with the inner surface 19b of the side wall 19a of the mounting member <NUM> forming part of the intersection member <NUM> or <NUM>.

In the arrangement shown in <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, further inward movement of the protrusion <NUM> may be inhibited by engagement of a transverse locating member <NUM> on support member <NUM> and the base <NUM> of the intersection member <NUM> or <NUM>. Thus an outer edge surface 15a of the base <NUM> engages a surface 13a of the flange <NUM>. As exemplified in <FIG>, the protrusion <NUM> may have locating members <NUM> and/or <NUM> to provide an alternative engagement to inhibit further movement of the protrusion <NUM> into intersection member <NUM> or <NUM>. Referring to <FIG>, additionally or alternatively, inwards movement of the protrusion <NUM> into the aperture <NUM>, as mentioned, may be limited by engagement between a side edge 15a of the base <NUM> of the intersection member <NUM>, <NUM> and a lower transverse 13a surface of the flanges <NUM> of the support member <NUM>. A transverse locating member <NUM>, forming parts of flange <NUM>, extends side to side of the support member <NUM>, slightly above the main lengthwise extending parts 13b (<FIG>) of the flanges <NUM>, so as to define a step between the flanges and the transverse locating member <NUM>. It is at this step that the surface 13a is defined; that is, as an end surface of flange parts 13b. Also as shown in <FIG>, in the assembled condition of the support member <NUM> and intersection member <NUM> or <NUM>, the transverse locating member <NUM> rests on the base <NUM> so as to additionally or alternatively support the support member. Additionally or alternatively, inwards insertion of the protrusion may be limited by providing on the protrusion <NUM> a further locating member <NUM>, shown in phantom lines in <FIG> and in the form of a punched out tongue, like locating member <NUM>, but oppositely directed, and with its free end 28a spaced from the free end of locating member by a distance substantially the same as the thickness of the wall 19a. As the protrusion reaches the latched position, shown in <FIG>, the free end 18a is as shown brought into engagement with the outer surface of the wall 19a, to prevent further inwards movement.

The intersection members <NUM>, <NUM>, shown in <FIG>, have engageable portions <NUM> arranged equiangularly about the circumference of the intersection members <NUM>, <NUM> wherein the angles formed between the engageable portions <NUM> and an axis <NUM> of the intersection members <NUM>, <NUM> are represented as angle A, which corresponds to <NUM>° (see <FIG>). This angle A corresponds to the angle of a corner of an equilateral triangle, known as an interior angle. Therefore the assemblies <NUM>, <NUM> having intersection members <NUM>, <NUM> and support members <NUM> form a grid <NUM> in which there are openings which can suspend ceiling panels <NUM> in the shape of equilateral triangles to form a suspended ceiling <NUM>.

The same intersection members <NUM>, <NUM> and support members <NUM> can be used to form a grid <NUM> whereby the ends of adjacent support members <NUM> engaged in intersection members <NUM>, <NUM> form an angle of <NUM>° represented as B in <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>. Angle B is the interior angle of a hexagon. The openings of the grid <NUM> therefore can receive and suspend hexagonal shaped ceiling panels <NUM>, see <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>. The same intersection members <NUM>, <NUM> can be used to form an assembly for suspending panels of equilateral triangle shape or hexagonal shape or a combination therefore, depending on the configuration of members <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>.

Further embodiments of the present invention are directed to similar assemblies as described above but for suspending ceiling panels having square, octagonal or pentagonal shaped ceiling panels, see <FIG>. The angle between ends of adjacent support members engaged in the intersection members <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> can form angles C, D and E being respectively angles of <NUM>°, <NUM>° and <NUM>° (corresponding to the interior angles of quadrilaterals, octagons and pentagons) to form the exemplary grids <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>. The openings of grids <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> can receive ceiling panels having the shapes of squares, octagons and pentagons. While the grid <NUM> is for suspending square ceiling panels, it can be understood that any quadrilateral ceiling panels, such as rectangular panels could be utilized by varying the length of the support members <NUM> as appropriate.

<FIG> is a view of an assembly having two frames <NUM>, <NUM> in a spaced apart vertical configuration. The intersection member <NUM>, <NUM> of each frame <NUM>, <NUM> is engageable with the suspension members <NUM> such that one intersection member <NUM> of the two frames <NUM>, <NUM> is supported above the other intersection member <NUM>, each frame being able to receive at least one ceiling panel <NUM>. The intersection members <NUM>, <NUM> attach to the suspension members <NUM> by a fastener <NUM> such as a suspension clip. The fastener <NUM> is releasably attachable to the suspension member <NUM> such that the intersection member <NUM>, <NUM> can be movably adjustable along the length of the suspension member <NUM>, which can be in the form of a rod, to allow adjustment of the vertical distance between the frames <NUM>, <NUM> or the adjustment of the height of the suspended ceiling. The intersection members <NUM>, <NUM> can be attached to the fasteners <NUM>, in particular the lower end portion of the fastener <NUM> is configured as a hook <NUM> which can be received in an apertured portion <NUM> of the intersection members <NUM>, <NUM>.

Each intersection member <NUM> on an upper portion of the suspension member <NUM> has an opening <NUM> configured to allow the suspension member <NUM> to be received therethrough such that an axis of the suspension member <NUM> is substantially parallel to an axis of the intersection member <NUM> so that the intersection members <NUM>, <NUM> are spaced-apart substantially vertically one above the other. As shown more particularly in <FIG>, the aperture <NUM> is substantially the size of the diameter of the suspension member <NUM> and is preferably centrally located within a base <NUM> of the intersection member <NUM>. In a preferred embodiment, there is a transverse element internal to the intersection member <NUM>, the transverse element <NUM> having a second aperture <NUM> and where the transverse element <NUM> is spaced apart from the base <NUM> along the longitudinal axis within the body of the intersection member <NUM> to ensure that the intersection members <NUM>, <NUM> are accurately positioned vertically, one above the other.

An example suspended ceiling <NUM> having three levels is shown in <FIG>. Further frames could be engaged with the suspension members <NUM> so as to provide a suspended ceiling with four or more levels. Alternatively the assemblies can be arranged with the intersection members <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> as shown in <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG> so as to form a suspended ceiling with one or more levels having quadrilateral, pentagonal or octagonal shaped ceiling panels or combinations thereof.

It will be apparent that in the described assemblies of completed form can have ceiling panels received in the openings so that the ceiling panels present a complete false ceiling. In the suspended ceiling having two or three levels, each level does not need to be occupied by ceiling panels so they are viewed from below of complete coverage. To provide such coverage, ceiling panels <NUM> can be received between adjacent intersection members <NUM>, <NUM> on the same suspension member <NUM> such that the ceiling panels <NUM> lie perpendicular to the plane of the frames <NUM>, <NUM>.

In an example use of the present invention, a user can assemble a suspended ceiling with ceiling panels having an equilateral triangle shape <NUM>. The user can first assemble a frame <NUM> with intersection members <NUM> where the ends of six support members <NUM> are engaged with each of the six engageable portions <NUM> provided equiangularly about each of the intersection members <NUM> so as to form a grid <NUM>, see <FIG>. The ends of adjacent support members <NUM> form an angle A of <NUM>° (the interior angle of an equilateral triangle). The user can then attach each intersection member <NUM> to a fastener <NUM> on a rod-shaped suspension member <NUM>, the top portion of which is fixed to structure such as a ceiling of a room or an interior surface of a roof. The suspended ceiling <NUM> is thereby formed when the user provides equilateral triangle shaped ceiling panels <NUM> in the correspondingly shaped recesses formed by the grid <NUM>, the panels being held in the respective recesses by flanges provided on the support members <NUM>.

In order to form a suspended ceiling with multiple levels, the user can assemble a second frame <NUM> which is spaced apart vertically above the first frame <NUM>, in the same way as described for the first frame <NUM> above. The user can then attach the second frame <NUM> to an upper portion of the suspension member <NUM> by a second fastener <NUM>. The resultant assembly has first and second frames <NUM>, <NUM> which are substantially parallel but spaced apart as shown in <FIG>.

Similarly, a user can form assemblies for suspending ceiling panels having a quadrilateral, hexagonal, pentagonal or octagonal shapes with the intersection members <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and support members <NUM> of <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>. In the example of octagonal shaped ceiling panels, each intersection member <NUM> receives ends of three support members <NUM> to form two angles D of <NUM>° and one angle C of <NUM>° thereby forming the grid <NUM> having both octagonal and square shaped recesses to configured to receive correspondingly shaped octagonal and square ceiling panels, see <FIG>. Although eight engageable portions <NUM> are shown on the intersection member <NUM>, clearly at a minimum only three engageable portions which form the two angles D of <NUM>° and one angle C of <NUM>° as described above would be necessary to form the required assembly. It can be understood that the intersection members <NUM> may also be used to form a grid <NUM> for suspending ceiling panels having only quadrilateral shaped recesses.

<FIG>, <FIG> show exemplary grids which are substantially planar, however <FIG> are schematic diagrams showing an opening <NUM> for suspension of a pentagonal shaped ceiling panel which is the apex of a dome-like grid <NUM>. The dome-like grid <NUM> is formed by intersection members <NUM> that can have two adjacent support members <NUM> engaged therein to form an angle which corresponds to the interior angle of a pentagon, represented as angle E of <NUM>°. The other support member <NUM> forms angles, B' of <NUM>° each, with the first two adjacent support members <NUM>. If the support members <NUM> are angled away, for example downwards or upwards from the plane of the pentagonal shaped opening <NUM>, the angle formed by the support members <NUM>, <NUM> decreases to <NUM>°, represented as angle B, to accommodate the interior angle of a hexagon shaped ceiling panel, thereby forming the dome-like grid <NUM>.

The described formation of the intersection members <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, as having engageable portions in the form of slot like apertures enables these to be used to interconnect with support members <NUM> of a variety of commercially available ceiling support systems. The support members of these systems generally have inverted T-shaped cross sectional form with a central web, upright in use, and sidewardly extended flanges, one to either side of the central web and at a lower edge of the central web in use of the support members. Notwithstanding this similarity, support members from different systems are generally incompatible with each other in the sense that the end protrusions of the support members and the configuration of slots, formed in the central webs, and, which accept the end protrusions are differently configured, such that interchangeability is precluded. This incompatibility may for example particularly arise because intersections between support members are formed by passing end protrusions of two support members oppositely into a single slot in another support member, such that the protrusions cooperate with each other and with the slot to effect latching. On the other hand, with the described arrangements of this invention, this incompatibility problem is lessened because the engageable portions <NUM> only need to accommodate one protrusion. It has been found that forming the engageable portions <NUM> as elongate rectangular apertures of about <NUM> width by <NUM> length, in the axial direction of the intersection member, enables protrusions of various commercially available support members to be used in practicing the invention. The dimensions of the rectangular apertures can vary in length by one or two mm so as to accommodate the variable dimensions of the commercially available support members, so that the apertures can be between <NUM> to <NUM> in length and <NUM> to <NUM> wide.

As particularly illustrated, these apertures may terminate close to the base <NUM> and with the longer dimensions of the slots aligned in the axial direction of the intersection members. The length of the apertures <NUM> in the axial direction of the intersection members may be chosen to suit a particular form of protrusions <NUM> of the support members <NUM> being used. As shown the length may be somewhat greater than the upper to lower edge dimension of the protrusions. This may enable use of the intersection members of various different forms of support members, although it may be preferable, mechanically, to make the length only a clearance fit with the upper to lower edge dimension.

The configuration of the described intersection members as having a generally tubular mounting member <NUM> and a base <NUM>, of polyhedral form with the number of edge surfaces 15a corresponding to the number of engageable portions <NUM>, enables a neat appearance of the completed ceiling to be achieved, as for example, shown in <FIG>. That is, the base <NUM> effectively covers the region where the protrusion <NUM> engaged with the engageable portions <NUM>. Also, as described with reference to <FIG>, the edge surface 13a of each support member <NUM> neatly engages an adjacent edge surface 15a, likewise presenting a neat finish. As evident from <FIG>, for example, the edge surfaces 15a of the base <NUM> are, when the depicted intersection member is viewed in plan, disposed at <NUM> degrees to an imaginary line from the axis of the intersection member through the engageable portion <NUM> and, when viewed from the side, each engageable portion is disposed centrally with respect to the adjacent surface 15a. Generally, the form of the base may be polyhedral, with the number of sides corresponding to the number of engageable portions <NUM>, as mentioned. Thus, the base may be regular polygonal although, for example, corners of the polygonal form may be cut off as illustrated in <FIG>. The latter may still present a neater appearance when viewed from the underside provided the side-to-side width of the flanges of the support members does not exceed the width of the "non-cutoff" side edge surfaces 15a where these abut the surfaces 13a of the flanges <NUM> although, generally, the edge surfaces 15a may be rather longer than the lengths of the surfaces 13a. Generally, too, the base <NUM> provides support portions 15b shown for example in <FIG>, one supporting each support member fitted to the intersection member, and thus arrayed in an array about the axis of the intersection member, preferably equiangularly arrayed as shown for example in <FIG>.

In the described arrangements, the latching between the engageable portions <NUM> and the support members <NUM> is effective to prevent inwards and outwards movement of the support members relative to the intersection members. This may effectively lock support members to the intersection members in the sense that they cannot be separated without defamation of one or more components, permanent or otherwise.

While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not by way of limitation. It will be apparent to a person skilled in the relevant art that various changes in form and detail can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Thus, the present invention should not be limited by any of the above described exemplary embodiments.

Claim 1:
Intersection member (<NUM>,<NUM>) having engageable portions (<NUM>) arranged about the periphery of a mounting member (<NUM>) thereof, the mounting member (<NUM>) being of tubular configuration and the engageable portions (<NUM>) being slot-like apertures (<NUM>) that extend in an axial direction of the mounting member (<NUM>), and through the wall of the mounting member (<NUM>) and being adapted to receive and engage with end protrusions of support members (<NUM>) of a suspended ceiling, such that when so received the end protrusions extend outwardly from the intersection member (<NUM>,<NUM>) to provide support for ceiling panels (<NUM>), the engageable portions (<NUM>) being disposed adjacent an end of the mounting member (<NUM>) at which there is provided a base (<NUM>), characterized in that the base (<NUM>) extending outwardly around the periphery of the mounting member (<NUM>) as a peripheral flange so as to provide support portions (15b) for each of the support members (<NUM>) when fitted to the intersection member (<NUM>,<NUM>) in use.