Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6298623
-
Patent Number
6,298,623
-
Date Filed
Friday, June 9, 200024 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, October 9, 200122 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Friedman; Carl D.
- Slack; N.
Agents
- Lee, Mann, Smith, McWilliams, Sweener and Ohlson
- Lorenzen; John M.
- Janci; David
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 052 71801
- 052 715
- 052 50606
- 052 50608
- 052 50609
- 052 5061
- 052 665
- 052 39
- 052 2206
- 052 2207
- 174 48
- 248 72
- 248 342
- 248 343
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
This invention is directed to a stand-alone adjustable trim strip system that can be used for the attachment of lighting and signs. The trim strip system is designed to conceal hardware used for attaching lighting and signs and also provides for a system that can be adapted to accommodate architectural design. The system has the capability of being suspended from the structure of a building by wires or rods or can be affixed to walls or ceilings by using fasteners. The system is comprised of one or more trim strips and brackets that can be shaped into different polymeric shapes or can be arranged in a grid format. The system has the ability to attach electric lighting and signs while providing for an aesthetically pleasing structure.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention may be described as a stand-alone adjustable trim strip system used for architectural design that can be suspended from the structure of a building by wires or rods or affixed to walls or ceilings which allows for the optional attachment of electric lighting and signs while concealing electrical wiring hardware and provides for an aesthetically pleasing structure.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
The present invention relates to a stand-alone adjustable trim strip system for decorative purposes which can be adapted to conceal electrical hardware and allow for the mounting of lighting systems and signs. The invention can further be suspended from the structure of a room by using wires or rods or fastened to walls or ceilings to create the appearance of suspended trim.
When designing the layout of lighting and signs for rooms in buildings with elevated ceilings such as those found in office buildings and retail spaces, it is desirable to provide a system which allows for the optimum placement of lighting systems and signs without the need for custom lighting or expensive suspension ceiling systems. It is further desired, when decorating a building, to provide ornamental trim that can be incorporated into an architectural layout to add bold accents to a room without the need for custom fabrication. In buildings with high ceilings or buildings in which the support structure is exposed, problems have arisen in the past when attempting to place signs, lighting and decorative trim at a level that would be most beneficial to the occupants. Typically when architectural designs call for ornamental trim in order to create a desired look, skilled craftsmen need to be retained so custom trim can be fabricated in accordance with the plans. Custom fabricated trim is very costly to create and requires vast amounts of time and labor to reach the desired end product.
Present lighting systems that can be suspended from these high ceilings require the use of special hardware so lighting systems can be lowered from their power supply to provide the required lighting conditions. Custom lighting hardware is expensive and is time consuming to install. Another alternative to provide illumination is to install high intensity lighting near the ceiling that is powerful enough to enlighten the floor below. High intensity lighting is expensive to purchase, consumes a considerable amount of electricity and generates high amounts of heat. An alternative system that can be used to alleviate the need for custom or high intensity lighting is to use suspended ceilings constructed out of a suspension grid and drywall or lay-in acoustical panels. Once the grid work for the suspended ceiling is installed, lighting fixtures such as recessed lighting or track lighting can be installed by attaching the fixtures to the grid work. After the lighting is installed, drywall sections or acoustical panels are attached to complete the ceiling. The electrical hardware that supplies power to the lighting fixtures, such as wiring, conduit and electrical boxes are hidden above the false ceiling out of view from the occupants below. When finishing suspended drywall ceilings, it has been found that a conventional face trim stripping such as COMPASSO™ trim sold by USG Interiors, Inc. can be used to conceal the ends of the ceiling, eliminating the need to trim and finish the edges with drywall, corner bead, “J” bead and finishing compound. To attach the face trim to the edge of the suspended ceiling, clips need to be attached to the grid beams in the suspended ceiling that support the drywall as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,937,605 and 5,201,787. While suspended ceiling systems provide a good structure for the attachment of lighting and signs, it inhibits the open air feeling that an architect or designer may be trying to create.
It is desirable to design a system that allows for the positioning of standard electrical lighting and signs at elevations that are useful to the buildings occupants while leaving high ceilings or building structure exposed. It is also desirable to design a system that uses existing COMPASSO™ trim strips that can be adapted to allow multiple design configurations to create an aesthetically pleasing trim structure while having the capability of concealing electrical hardware if electrical lighting is used. Prior art trim systems have been used to attach face trim to ceiling edges by connecting clips to the grid system of a suspended ceiling. The prior art however, does not provide for an adjustable trim strip system that can be suspended to provide a stand-alone trim strip structure that can conceal electrical wiring hardware and allow for the attachment of electrical lighting and signs. The present invention incorporates trim strips such as COMPASSO™ trim and adjustable brackets to provide an aesthetically pleasing stand-alone trim structure that can be hung from wires or rods or attached to walls or ceilings in a building structure in numerous configurations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is a self supporting adjustable trim strip system that can be suspended from the structure of a building to create the appearance of a floating decorative trim in which lighting or signs can be attached thereto. The trim strip system allows for the placement of a continuous suspended decorative channel configuration that does not need to be connected to a suspended ceiling grid or other structure, but can be suspended from the structure of the building by using existing fastener technology such as hanger wires and rods. The benefit of the present invention is that it allows for the placement of lighting and signs in desired locations and heights without the need to enclose the structure with a false ceiling to hide electrical wiring hardware or mounting brackets. This allows the room to maintain high ceilings while providing usable lighting. The trim strip system also reduces the costs associated with installing a suspended ceiling. Another benefit of the present invention is that since the electrical power supply can be concealed within the trim strip system, it is unnecessary to use costly custom lighting systems that would otherwise be needed to illuminate the room.
The adjustable trim strip system consists of a bracket that can be suspended from a building structure at various points where paired face trim stripping is to be attached or can be directly mounted to walls or ceilings. The bracket allows two outwardly directed face trim pieces, such as COMPASSO™ trim, to be clipped in place along the exterior surface of the suspended brackets creating a continuous channel for concealing electrical hardware. The bracket comprises two trim attaching components which are elongated substantially flat members of a predetermined width that have attachment flanges formed at both ends. The attachment flanges are bent at an angle greater than 90 degrees so that they flare out and provide a biasing force used to hold against flanges of the face trim. The trim attachment brackets are bi-planar and are interconnected by a flat bridge. The entire clip can be formed from a single piece of metal or plastic which is formed into the desired configuration.
The bridge that interconnects the trim attachment clips creates an overall U-shape and provides the rigidity needed to keep the face trim strips parallel to each other. The bridge contains holes positioned in a horizontal arrangement that allow for the attachment of hangers or hanging wire. The holes are arranged to allow for the off center placement of the wire which causes the bracket to lean, altering the overall appearance of the trim strip system. Vertical holes on the bridge are used for the mounting of angle brackets which allow the clip to be attached to a suspension rod or allows two trim strip systems to be fastened together. The angle brackets can also be attached to the lower half of the bridge in order to provide a mounting surface so track lighting and signs can be installed. The top and bottom portions of the bridge can include notches to allow for the passing of electrical hardware. A knock-out is provided to allow connection to an electrical box so electrical service can be provided to a lighting fixture or an illuminated sign. Alternatively, the bracket may be configured to include one trim clip, a bridge member and a wall mount formed from a single piece of metal stock to form a Z-shaped bracket. The Z-shaped bracket is designed to allow for the attachment of a continuous length of trim stripping directly to a wall or ceiling by installing fasteners in the apertures located on the wall mount. If it becomes desirable to mix the heights of the trim stripping, an alternative split bracket can be used that provides for two L-brackets attached together by fasteners to form a split bridge. The split bridge can be widened or narrowed by sliding the brackets inward or outward, aligning the apertures on the bridge and installing the fasteners. The bridge can alternately be assembled in a “V” configuration by fastening the split bridge together so the upper half of the combined bridge is wider than the lower half of the bridge which allows for the installed trim panels to display an angled outward appearance.
To enclose the bottom of the trim strip system, which conceals any wires or brackets, an inverted U-shaped channel constructed of metal or plastic can be inserted into the lower notch of the bridge with the lower edges of the inverted “U” positioned on the flanges of the trim attachment brackets. The inverted U-shaped channel can be a continuous length of material interrupted only to allow the passage of a downwardly extending sign or illumination fixture, or can be a segmented structure if desired.
If it becomes necessary to connect two trim strip systems at an intersection, a hub may be incorporated to allow for the joining of two or more intersecting systems. A hub would be used to join a comer in a square strip system or may provide for a three-way or a four-way intersection if the trim strip is arranged in a grid format. To create a comer, two trim clips are fastened to a pair of hubs in a 90 degree fashion. The trim strip on the outer most surface is extended until both sections meet, concealing the comer. To aid in suspension, the hub contains a 90 degree upwardly facing tab that allows for the attachment of a wire that extends to the structure of the building. Alternatively, if it is necessary to create an intersection with an angle less than 90 degrees, a triangle spacer can be used to create smaller angles.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of the adjustable trim strip system.
FIG. 2
is a detailed perspective view of a segment of
FIG. 1
showing a bracket mounted in a typical configuration to a pair of trim strips where one of the trim strips is cut away to show the positioning of the bracket. The bracket is shown with a hanger wire attached to one of the holes in the bride. The bridges contains two notches.
FIG. 3
is a perspective view of the basic U-shaped bracket shown with two trim clips with retaining flanges. The bridge connecting the two trim clips contains a knock-out for electrical as well as holes for attaching a hanger wire.
FIG. 4
is a perspective view of the preferred U-shaped bracket with a link across one of the notches that can be cut at the center and folded outward.
FIG. 5
is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the U-shaped bracket with the bridge extending to the top of the bracket.
FIG. 6
is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the U-shaped bracket with the top of the bridge incorporating a tab that can be bent downward for clearance at the top if required.
FIG. 7
is a perspective view of a Z-bracket with one side adapted to be mounted to a trim strip and the other adapted to be mounted to a wall.
FIG. 8
is a perspective view of two L-shaped brackets of different sizes attached at the bridge to allow the mounting of two separate size pieces of trim.
FIG. 9
is a cross-sectional view of the adjustable trim strip system with the U-shaped bracket attached to two trim pieces and supported by a hanger wire.
FIG. 10
is a cross-sectional view of the adjustable trim strip system shown in an angled installation.
FIG. 11
is a cross-sectional view of the adjustable trim strip system with an inverted U-channel at the bottom to close off the brackets.
FIG. 12
is a cross-sectional view of the preferred adjustable trim strip system shown supported by a hanger wire attached to the link across the bridge notch at the top of the bracket.
FIG. 13
is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the adjustable trim strip system without a notch at the top of the bridge.
FIG. 14
is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the adjustable trim strip system with a tab ed bracket wherein the tab can be folded to allow for the passage of wires.
FIG. 15
is a cross-sectional view of the adjustable trim strip system with the hanger clip attached with a wire yoke to raise the attachment point to the top of the bracket and allowing conduit to pass between.
FIG. 16
is a cross-sectional view of the adjustable trim strip system with an angle bracket attached to the U-bracket to allow suspension by a vertical rod.
FIG. 17
is a cross-sectional view of the adjustable trim strip system with an angle bracket attached to the U-bracket so the system can be attached to a ceiling.
FIG. 18
is a cross-sectional view of the adjustable trim strip system shown with two systems bolted together by use of two angle brackets.
FIG. 19
is a cross-sectional view of the adjustable trim strip system shown with two systems of different heights connected by using threaded rod bolted to two angle brackets.
FIG. 20
is a cross-sectional view of the adjustable trim strip system shown at a two-level ceiling intersection beam with one ceiling attached to the face of the trim stripping.
FIG. 21
is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the adjustable trim strip system shown at a two-level ceiling intersection using a bracket with a split bridge to allow for narrow gap adjustment.
FIG. 22
is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the adjustable trim strip system shown at a two-level ceiling intersection using a bracket with a split bridge to allow for a wider gap adjustment.
FIG. 23
is a perspective view of a room with the adjustable trim strip system arranged in a grid with four way intersections and attached to two walls and a ceiling cap.
FIG. 24
is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the adjustable trim strip system with the Z-bracket attached to the face of conventional COMPASSO™ which is capping a ceiling edge.
FIG. 25
is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the adjustable trim strip system with the Z-bracket used to attach trim stripping to the face of a wall.
FIG. 26
is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the adjustable trim strip system with an L-bracket and trim stripping attached with angle brackets to a conventional COMPASSO™ ceiling cap.
FIG. 27
is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the adjustable trim strip system with the L-bracket and trim stripping attached with angle brackets to a wall.
FIG. 28
is a perspective view, as seen from above, of two hubs at a four-way intersection with only three hanger brackets and two pair of trim stripping shown. The upper hub is suspended by a hanger wire.
FIG. 29
is a top plan view of the adjustable trim strip system and a hub at a two-way intersection.
FIG. 30
is a top plan view of the adjustable trim strip system and a hub at a three-way intersection.
FIG. 31
is a top plan view of the adjustable trim strip system and a hub at a four-way intersection.
FIG. 32
is a perspective view, as seen from below, of an alternate embodiment of a four-way intersection without hubs. Brackets are attached to the face of a continuous trim stripping which passes through the intersection. Flanges of the pass through trim stripping are cut and folded to maintain e look of a continuous open channel.
FIG. 33
is a top plan view of the adjustable trim strip system shown at a two way non-right angled intersection with the bridges of the brackets joined by a triangular spacer.
FIG. 34
is a perspective view of the adjustable trim strip system where one of the trim strips is cut away to show the typical attachment of an electrical box and conduit to the bracket for mounting a sign.
FIG. 35
is a perspective view of the adjustable trim strip system where a sign is lettered on the face of the trim stripping with illumination overhead.
FIG. 36
is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the adjustable trim strip system with the Z-bracket and trim stripping attached to a ceiling.
FIG. 37
is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment of the adjustable trim strip system wit the L-bracket incorporating angle brackets to attach trim stripping to a ceiling.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The adjustable trim strip system
40
of the present invention essentially comprises a pair of outwardly facing trim strips
42
, and a U-shaped bracket
46
with trim clips
48
separated by a bridge
52
as depicted in FIG.
2
. The U-shaped bracket
46
is preferably formed from sheet metal but can be made out of plastic. The trim clips
48
, as shown in
FIG. 2
, have a planar face surface
54
and trim attachment flanges
56
located at the upper and lower edges of the planar face surface
54
. The trim attachment flanges
56
are bent at an angle greater than 90 degrees with respect to the planar face surface
54
to provide a clip biasing force against the inner surface
43
of the trim strip
42
. The planar face surface
54
of the trim clips
48
provide a load bearing surface for the inner surface
43
of the trim strip
42
when attached to the bracket
46
. The trim clips
48
are interconnected by a bridge
52
which maintains the trim clips
48
in spaced apart parallel planes. The bridge
52
contains a plurality of holes
58
-
60
that are horizontally positioned across the planar surface
62
of the bridge
52
. The holes are sized to allow the attachment of a hanger wire
64
that extends upward to the building structure. Depending on the hole position selected for attachment of the hanger wire
64
, the bottom of the trim strip system will appear either parallel to the floor or angled to the right or left. Angled installation, as shown in
FIG. 10
, is accomplished by placing the hanger wire
64
in either hole
58
or
60
and is typically used when the trim strip system is arranged in a ring format. If the hanger wire
64
attachment point needs to be raised to the top of the bracket
46
for ease of installation or stability, a wire yoke
94
which is an inverted V-shaped wire that can be inserted into the outer most holes
58
and
60
as shown in FIG.
15
.
FIG. 3
shows a detailed illustration of the bridge
52
which further includes at least one notch
70
, a knock-out
72
and a plurality of vertically extending holes
78
.
The notches
70
are located at the top and bottom of the bridge
52
and allow for the passage of electrical wiring, conduit and the like. The notch
70
located at the bottom of the bridge
52
allows for the attachment of a bottom trim strip
80
as shown in FIG.
11
and is used to close off the bottom of the channel formed by the trim strip system
40
. The bottom trim strip
80
conceals the brackets
46
and all electrical hardware from view.
The knockout
72
is provided to allow for the passage of conduit fittings and wiring when an electrical box is attached to the bridge
52
to provide power to a lighting fixture. The electrical box is connect to the bridge
52
by using fasteners and positioned so the knock-out located on the electrical box is aligned with the knock-out located on the bridge
52
.
Alternatively, a tab
74
, shown in
FIG. 6
, or a breakable link
76
, shown in
FIG. 4
, can be added to the bridge
52
to allow the hanger wire
64
to be fastened at the top of the bracket
46
. The tab
74
or breakable link
76
can be manipulated to allow for clearance at the top for the passage of the electrical hardware. The breakable link
76
, as shown in
FIG. 4
, is positioned at the upper edge of the bridge
52
and spans across notch
70
. The breakable link
76
contains apertures
58
-
60
to allow for the attachment of a hanger wire
64
and also includes weakened zones
57
which allow the breakable link
76
to be bent outwardly after the center has been severed. The tab
74
, shown in
FIG. 6
, includes a plurality of apertures
78
to allow the bracket
46
to be attached to the wire hanger
64
. The tab
74
also contains a weakened zone
57
along its base which allows the tab
74
to be easily bent downward if clearance is need for the passage of electrical hardware such as conduit.
The preferred embodiment of the bracket
46
, shown in
FIG. 4
, is similar to the other brackets in that it is of a unitized construction and is formed of a section of sheet metal to produce a structure that includes apertures
58
-
60
, notches
70
, breakable link
76
, knock-out
72
, vertical apertures
78
as well as the overall bracket configuration. The bridge
52
and the trim clips
48
are formed by bending the trim clips
48
inwardly until they are perpendicular to the bridge
52
. It is this configuration that gives the U-bracket
46
its U-shaped appearance. Once the two trim clips
48
are formed, flanges
56
are created by bending the upper and lower edges of the trim clip
48
until an interior angle is formed in excess of 90 degrees.
FIG. 4
is the preferred embodiment since it incorporates the breakable link
76
that allows for the attachment of the hanger wire
64
at the upper most position on the bracket
46
, while allowing the link
76
to be severed and bent outwardly to allow the passage of electrical hardware if so required.
Trim strip
42
is a face trim such as COMPASSO™ trim as shown in FIG.
2
. The trim
42
can be manufactured in various lengths and widths and can be produced from materials such as aluminum, steel or plastic. The exterior surface of the trim
42
can be produced in a variety of colors and textures and can be used to display signs as shown in FIG.
35
. The trim
42
is of a channel shaped configuration with flanges
110
that run along the length of the trim. The COMPASSO™, or other face trim, can be shaped to follow the contour of the ceiling edge or other shapes to follow architectural design. The COMPASSO™
42
has upper and lower inturned flanges
110
that run along the length of the trim
42
. Leading edges
112
of the flanges
110
, best viewed in
FIG. 2
, are bent back inwardly to form rebates
114
. The COMPASSO™ trim
42
is mounted to the trim clip
48
by snapping the leading edges
112
of flanges
110
of the COMPASSO™ trim
42
over the attachment flanges
56
of the trim clips
48
of the bracket
46
. Another section of COMPASSO™ trim
42
is similarly mounted to the second trim clip
48
that is separated by the first trim clip by bridge
52
. Once the COMPASSO™ trim sections
42
are attached to the first and second trim clips
48
, the entire assembly can be elevated to the desired height and the brackets
46
can be attached to the hanger wires
64
by inserting the wire
64
through one of the apertures
58
-
60
in the bridge
52
and twisting the wire
64
upon itself to make a secure connection. Alternatively, the brackets
46
can be pre-hung to the desired height and properly spaced apart before the COMPASSO™ trim
42
is attached. Once the brackets
46
are properly positioned, the leading edges of the COMPASSO™ trim
42
can be snapped over the attachment flanges
56
of the trim clips
48
.
Depending on the application, it may be necessary to converge two or more strips at an intersection. The adjustable trim strip system
40
, shown in
FIG. 23
, is a large grid arrangement that includes several four way intersections
138
and three way intersections
140
. The central portion of the grid system consists of paired COMPASSO™ trim
42
while the trim
42
along the walls and the capped ceiling section only incorporates singular strips of trim. The intersections are formed by attaching U-shaped brackets
46
to hubs
82
as shown in FIG.
28
. The COMPASSO™ trim
42
is attached to the walls and ceiling in
FIG. 23
by using either a Z-bracket
100
of
FIG. 7
or an L-bracket
116
of
FIG. 27
, with angle brackets
118
. The entire grid system is supported by attaching hanger wires
64
or rods (not shown) from the brackets
46
and hubs
82
to the structure of the building. To create an intersection, a pair of hubs
82
, as shown in
FIG. 28
, are used to allow for the attachment of one or more hangers
46
. The hubs
82
include a body
83
with a top surface
84
, a bottom surface
86
and four identical side edges
88
. The side edges
88
are essentially extensions of the body
83
that have been folded upward from the body of the hub at a 90 degree angle. The side edges
88
contain a plurality of holes
85
that are sized to allow for the attachment of the brackets
46
with the use of fasteners. The hub
82
is dimensionally square in shape, as shown in
FIG. 28
, and is sized to accommodate the width of the bracket
46
. If a four-way intersection is desired, four brackets
46
can be fastened to each side edge
88
of the hub
82
. To complete the intersection, two hubs
82
are used wherein one hub
82
is attached to the top and the other to the bottom of the bracket bridge
52
. The top surface
84
of the hub
82
includes a centrally positioned tab
90
. The tab
90
is created by bending a section of the body
83
upwards 90 degrees from the body
83
. The tab
90
contains an aperture
92
to allow for the attachment of the hanger wire.
If it becomes desirable to fasten the trim strip to a wall, a ceiling or a COMPASSO™ ceiling edge cap, a Z-bracket
100
can be used as shown in
FIGS. 24 and 25
. The Z-bracket
100
best shown in
FIG. 7
is similar to the U-shaped bracket
46
except that it only has one trim clip
48
. The Z-shaped bracket
100
further includes a wall mount
102
separated from the trim clip
48
by a bridge
52
. The wall mount
102
includes a front surface
104
and a back surface
106
which are planar. The wall mount
102
is attached to the bridge
52
at one edge and perpendicularly oriented so as to form a right angle to the bridge
52
. The wall mount
102
further includes a plurality of holes
108
to allow the clip to be attached to a wall by the use of fasteners. The bridge
52
of the Z-bracket
100
can also include a knockout
72
, horizontal apertures
58
-
60
and vertical apertures
78
. Once the Z-bracket
100
is fastened to the wall, the trim strip
42
can be pressed onto the trim clip
48
and snapped into position as shown in FIG.
25
. Alternatively, the Z-bracket
100
can be used to attach a COMPASSO™ trim section
42
to an existing ceiling edge cap as shown in FIG.
24
. The Z-bracket
100
can be attached to the edge cap by placing the wall mount
102
against the face of the capping material and using fasteners to attach it thereto.
FIG. 1
shows a mounted trim strip system
40
with paired COMPASSO™ trim
42
placed in a curvilinear arrangement. The trim strips
42
are connected to U-brackets
46
, not shown, that are suspended from the ceiling of the room with hanger wires
64
. Lighting
47
and a sign
45
can be attached to the system
40
to provide lighting at specific locations. Referring to
FIG. 3
, a basic U-shaped bracket
46
is shown with a right side and left side trim clip
48
with flanges
56
and bridge
52
. The bridge
52
has an upper and lower notch
70
, hanger holes
58
-
60
, vertical holes
78
and knock-out
72
.
FIG. 4
is similar to
FIG. 3
but further includes the preferred breakable link
76
that allows the hanger wire
64
(not shown) to be connected closer to the top of the trim strip system
40
which allows for extra spacing so electrical boxes can be installed. If the breakable link
76
is not needed or prevents the passage of electrical hardware, the link
76
can be snipped in the middle of the link
76
and folded outward to provide the additional clearance needed as indicated by the shadow drawings.
FIG. 5
shows a hanger
46
that only includes a notch
70
on the lower section of the bridge
52
with the hanger holes
58
-
60
running across the top of the bridge
52
. In an alternative embodiment shown in
FIG. 6
, the top of the bridge can contain two vertically extending slots
71
to create a bendable tab
74
to allow for a higher attachment point of the hanger wire
64
. If the tab
74
is not needed or impedes the passage of electrical hardware, the tab
74
can be bent downward to provide the needed clearance.
FIG. 8
illustrates two L-brackets
116
that allows for the mixing of COMPASSO™ trim
42
of different heights and widths. The L-shaped brackets
116
are attached by fastening the bridges
52
of the brackets
116
together with sheet metal screws through the vertical holes
78
. Different holes may be used to narrow or widen the combined bridge
52
or to create a flared top section.
FIGS. 9-10
show the effect that the placement of the hanger wire
64
has on the positioning of the trim strip system
40
.
FIG. 9
depicts the hanger wire
64
in the center hole
59
on the bridge
52
which orients the system in a vertical position. In
FIG. 10
, the hanger wire
64
is in the left position
58
which allows the hanger wire
64
to pass vertically between flanges
110
when the trim strip system
40
is tilted or leaned to one side, leaving the bottom left comer of the system
40
lower than the bottom right. Alternatively, if the hanger wire
64
was tied to the right position
60
, not shown, the hanger would pivot in the opposite direction.
FIGS. 12-15
show alternate embodiments that allow the hanger wire
64
to be attached at the upper most point of the trim strip system
40
. Each embodiment performs the same function but provides different advantages depending on the installation. All but
FIG. 13
allow for the passage of electrical hardware through an opening in the top of the bridge
52
.
FIG. 12
shows the hanger wire
64
attached to an aperture in the breakable link
76
.
FIG. 13
illustrates a bracket
46
without a notch on the top of the bridge
57
.
FIGS. 16-19
depict alternative mounting arrangements of the trim strip system
40
with the addition of angle brackets
118
attached to the hanger bridge
52
. The angle brackets
118
are L-shaped brackets with a short leg
120
and a long leg
122
. The short leg
120
is perpendicular to the long leg
122
and contains one or more apertures
124
for the passage of a metal hanger rod
126
or a fastener. The long leg
122
contains a vertically extending slot
128
and a plurality of apertures
130
to allow for variable positioning on the hanger bridge
52
.
FIG. 16
shows an angle bracket
118
with the long leg
122
attached to the bridge
52
by a fastener
145
inserted into the vertical slot
128
. A vertically extending threaded hanger rod
126
is shown attached to the short leg
120
of the angle bracket. The threaded rod
126
may be used over the hanger wire
64
if stability of the trim strip system is of a concern. In certain situations, a threaded hanger rod
126
may be preferred over the hanger wire
64
because of the increase load bearing capacities and a more rigid attachment to the building structure.
FIG. 17
shows the angled bracket
118
attached by the vertical slot
128
to a vertical mounting hole
78
of the bridge
52
by the use of a fastener
145
. The short leg
120
of the angle bracket
118
is attached to the ceiling which allows for the attachment of the COMPASSO™ trim
42
within very close proximity to the ceiling surface to hide the brackets
118
.
In some instances, it may be necessary to attach several trim strip systems
40
together to form a single unit as shown in
FIGS. 18 and 19
. The trim strip systems
40
, as shown in
FIG. 18
, are fastened together by the use of two angle brackets
118
fastened together by the short legs
120
of the angle brackets
118
. The long legs
122
of the angle brackets
118
are attached to the bridges
52
of the brackets
46
through the elongated slot
128
. By using the elongated slots
128
, it is possible to slide the trim strip systems
40
close enough together to eliminate the space between the systems to hide the angle brackets
118
.
FIG. 19
depicts trim strip systems
40
of different heights fastened together by the use of a threaded rod segment
132
and a pair of angle brackets
118
. The angle brackets
118
are attached to the bridge
52
of the bracket
46
by passing a fastener through the vertical slot
128
of the long leg
122
of the angle bracket
118
. The threaded rod segment
132
is inserted into the apertures
124
of the short legs
120
of the angle bracket
118
and locked into place by using a pair of threaded nuts
134
. The nuts
134
are oriented so one is on each side of the short leg
120
and locked by tightening. Once the two trim systems
40
are fastened together, the entire assembly can then be hung by a hanger wire
64
or a hanger rod, not shown.
In situations where two different ceiling heights meet, it is possible to incorporate the present trim strip system
40
as a transition between elevations as well as provide structural support to the ceiling ends as shown in
FIGS. 20-22
.
FIG. 20
depicts a U-bracket
46
with COMPASSO™ trim
42
attached to the trim clips
48
. To transition the differential ceiling height, the top of the left COMPASSO™ trim section
42
is placed underneath the higher ceiling elevation. To allow attachment to the lower ceiling section, a conventional angle molding
118
is fastened to the face of the right COMPASSO™ trim section
42
which provides a ledge for the lower ceiling elevated to be situated. The trim strip system
40
is held in place by use of a hanger wire
64
which maintains a tight fit between the trim system
40
and the ceiling sections.
FIGS. 21 and 22
depict a pair of L-brackets
116
with different trim clip
48
heights adjustably attached at their bridge sections
52
to allow for alterations of trim spacing. Depending on the width of the span between ceiling sections, it is possible to vary the width of the trim strip system
40
to provide for a transition between elevations.
FIGS. 26 and 27
allow for the adjustable attachment of an L-bracket
116
to a wall or ceiling cap by using angle brackets
118
. A pair of angle brackets
118
are slidably attached to the bridge
52
of the L-bracket
116
by use of fasteners through the vertical slots
128
in the long legs
122
of the brackets
118
. Once the angle brackets
118
are attached to the trim strip brackets
46
, the short legs
120
can be fastened to either the wall or ceiling cap by use of a pair of fasteners such as sheet metal or drywall screws. Vertical adjustment may be necessary to allow for the passage of electrical hardware or signs.
FIGS. 28-31
illustrate the various intersections that can be created by attaching one or more brackets
46
to the side edges
88
of a pair of hubs
82
.
FIG. 28
is a perspective showing how a U-bracket
46
can be attached to a pair of hubs
82
. The bracket
46
is attached by the top and bottom portions of the bridge
52
using four fasteners. Once the bracket
46
is in place, the COMPASSO™ trim
42
can be snapped into place on the flanges
56
of the trim clips
48
.
FIGS. 29-31
are top views of the trim strip system
40
that illustrate two, three and four way intersections. Depending on the intersection formed, it may be necessary to miter the trim stripping
42
at 45 degree angles to allow a proper fit.
An intersection may be formed without the use of hubs
82
as shown in FIG.
32
. To create a hubless intersection, a continuous pass through COMPASSO™ trim
42
a
and a pair of COMPASSO™ interrupted trim segments
42
b
and
42
c
are used. The brackets
46
are attached to the face of the pass through COMPASSO™ trim
42
a
by fastening the bridges
52
with screws. To maintain the look of a continuous open channel, the COMPASSO™ trim
42
a
is cut and folded up and inward. The hubless intersection would only require the use of two brackets
46
to form a four-way intersection and would be supported by the bridges
52
of the brackets
46
.
Depending on the installation, it may be necessary to form an angled intersection greater or less than 90 degrees. By using a triangle spacer
136
, two-way intersections with angles of intersection less than 90 degrees can be formed as shown in FIG.
33
. To create an intersection, the bridges
52
of two brackets
46
are connect to two sides a triangular spacer
136
with fasteners. To alter the intersection angle, spacers
136
of varying angles will be produced to allow the intersection to conform to design requirements.
Various features of the invention have been particularly shown and described in connection with the illustrated embodiment of the invention, however, it must be understood that these particular arrangements merely illustrate, and that the invention is to be given its fullest interpretation within the terms of the appended claims.
Claims
- 1. An adjustable trim strip system for suspending channel-shaped trim strips from a structure, said trim strip system including:a bracket adapted to be attached to a structure, form intersections and to allow for the attachment of a trim strip being curvilinear or linear and having a decorative surface; said bracket having trim clips with flanges at each end, said flanges adapted to engage trim flanges on a channel-shaped trim strip at rebates formed at leading edges of said trim flanges; said bracket further includes a substantially vertical bridge attached to said trim clips, said bridge adapted to allow the attachment of fasteners or hangers to facilitate in the attachment to the structure; said bridge oriented with respect to said trim clips to provide a space therebetween.
- 2. The adjustable trim strip system of claim 1, wherein said bracket is of a unitized construction formed from a single section of sheet metal and folded to create said bridge portion and said trim clip portions.
- 3. The adjustable trim strip system of claim 1, wherein said bracket is of a unitized construction formed from a plastic material to create said bridge portion and said trim clip portions.
- 4. The adjustable trim strip system of claim 1, wherein said bridge includes a plurality of horizontal apertures for the attachment of a hanger wire or a wire yoke.
- 5. The adjustable trim strip system of claim 4, wherein said bridge further includes a plurality of vertically extending holes to allow for the attachment of a support device.
- 6. The adjustable trim strip system of claim 5, wherein said bridge includes a knock-out to allow for the passage of electrical hardware.
- 7. The adjustable trim strip system of claim 6, wherein said bridge includes one or more notches to allow for the passage of electrical hardware.
- 8. The adjustable trim strip system of claim 5, wherein said attachable support device includes an angle bracket which comprises a long leg and a short leg;whereby said long leg is perpendicularly attached to said short leg and includes a vertically extending slot and a plurality of apertures to allow for the adjustable attachment to said bridge; and said short leg includes at least one aperture to allow attachment to a second angle bracket, to a hanger rod, to an electric lighting system, to a wall or to a ceiling.
- 9. The adjustable trim strip system of claim 5 wherein said bridge further includes a breakable link, said breakable link includes a plurality of apertures to allow the attachment of a hanger device, said breakable link can be severed and folded outwardly to allow for the passage of electrical hardware.
- 10. The adjustable trim strip system of claim 5 wherein said attachable support device includes a hub which comprises;a body with side edges; said body includes a tab with an aperture to allow for the attachment of a hanger device; said side edges include a plurality of apertures to allow for the attachment of one or more of said brackets to create an intersection.
- 11. An adjustable trim strip system for the attachment of a trim strip to a structure, said trim strip system including:a trim strip, a trim clip with flanges at each end, said flanges adapted to engage trim flanges on a section of said trim strip at rebates formed at leading edges of said trim flanges; a wall mount interconnected to said trim clip by a bridge, said wall mount including a plurality of apertures to allow the passage of fasteners whereby said wall mount can be secured to a structure; and said bridge interconnecting said trim clip and said wall mount and adapted to allow the attachment of fasteners or hangers.
- 12. An adjustable trim strip system for suspending trim strips from a structure, said trim strip system including:a trim strip, a bracket comprised of a trim clip with flanges at each end, said flanges adapted to engage trim flanges on said trim strip at rebates formed at leading edges of said trim flanges; said bracket further including a bridge connected to said trim clip, said bridge adapted to allow for the attachment of a support device to facilitate attachment to said structure.
- 13. The adjustable trim strip system in claim 12 further including a second adjustable trim strip system that includes a trim clip and a bridge;said bridge in said adjustable trim strip system in claim 12 is fastened to said bridge of said second adjustable trim strip system so that said trim clip in claim 12 opposes said trim clip of said second adjustable trim strip system to create a combined adjustable trim strip system.
- 14. A joiner hub joining at least two adjustable trim strip brackets to create an intersection, said hub including;a body having a first portion for the attachment of a hanger device; and a second portion for the attachment of one of said at least two brackets; said at least two brackets having trim clips with flanges at each end, said flanges adapted to engage trim flanges of channel-shaped trim strips at rebates formed at leading edges of said trim flanges; and said at least two brackets further including a substantially vertical bridge spaced between one or more of said trim clips and adapted to be attachable to said second portion of said hub.
- 15. An intersection system to allow for the joining of two or more adjustable trim strip systems, said intersection system including;a pass-through section of paired trim strips being attached to a first bracket containing two trim clips interconnected by a bridge; said trim clips having flanges at each end, said flanges adapted to engage trim flanges on said paired trim strips at rebates formed at leading edges of said trim flanges; a second bracket being attached to an exterior surface of said pass-through section of paired trim strips at a bridge of said second bracket; and said second bracket includes a pair of trim clips for the attachment of additional sections of other trim strips to form an intersection.
US Referenced Citations (13)