Patent ID: 7428803

Claim:
A ceiling system comprising: a suspension framework having a frame, the frame having a plurality of upper horizontal surfaces; a plurality of panels, the panels comprising a non-woven material having: first binder fibers, first effect fibers, second binder fibers, and, second effect fibers; wherein the non-woven material being a unitary material formed in a single process without joining together discrete separate layers having: a first planar zone defined by a first boundary plane and a first zone inner boundary plane, the first planer zone including a portion of the first binder fibers, the first effect fibers, and the second binder fibers; a second planar zone defined by a second boundary plane and a second zone inner boundary plane, the second planar zone including a portion of the first binder fibers, the first effect fibers, and the second binder fibers; a first semi-rigid skin at the first boundary plane formed by melt bonding the first binder fibers on the first boundary plane of the first planar zone, the first skin comprising the first binder fibers; wherein concentrations of said first binder fibers in said first planar zone being greater than concentrations of the first binder fibers in said second planar zone, and the concentration of the first binder fibers decreases in a gradient from the first boundary plane to the first zone inner boundary plane; wherein concentrations of said second binder fibers being greater in said second planar zone than the concentration of the second binder fibers in second planar zone, and the concentration of the second binder fibers decreases in a gradient from the second boundary plane to the second zone inner boundary plane; and wherein the first boundary plane of the non-woven material contact the upper horizontal surfaces of the frame in the suspension framework.