The present disclosure relates to ceiling structures, and more particularly, to ceiling tiles for constructing a ceiling structure, and systems and methods for assembling the same.
Conventional suspended ceiling structures are constructed by assembling a ceiling structure grid above a floor and at the upper end of walls that form a boundary around residential or commercial space. The ceiling structure grid primarily includes a plurality of main runners and cross runners, which may be suspended by wires or the like from the overhead structure above. The pluralities of main runners and cross runners are generally oriented to be perpendicular to each other. The plurality of main runners and cross runners are each spatially spaced apart and interconnect at positions of intersection, which defines an opening to receive ceiling tiles. Conventional ceiling tiles are positioned within such openings from above, and rest on the grid in a non-secured manner. Construction and assembly of such conventional suspended ceiling structures can be complicated, time consuming, laborious, and may not result in an aesthetically pleasing ceiling.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,175,473, owned by Applicant, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, provides ceiling tile systems with robust and efficient form factors that allow ceiling tiles to be coupled to ceiling frameworks via magnetic coupling to ease installation and uninstallation. It is desirable, moreover, to have ceiling tile systems that may improve lighting in rooms with limited ambient lighting, provide certain aesthetically appealing lighting schemes, and control and optimize environmental noise.
Embodiments described herein provide simple, efficient systems, tiles, and methods for constructing and assembling ceiling structures that improve ambient lighting, control and optimize environmental noise, and provide aesthetically appealing structures.
For example, according to one embodiment, a ceiling structure can be summarized as including a suspended framework having a plurality of main runners and a plurality of cross runners interconnected to define an array of tile receiving openings, each of the plurality of main runners and the plurality of cross runners including a tile mating surface facing downward to define a mounting frame at each respective tile receiving opening, and a plurality of ceiling tiles positioned within the array of tile receiving openings, each of the plurality of ceiling tiles having a main body. The main body of the ceiling tile may include a base having a periphery, a plurality of magnets positioned at the periphery and sized and shaped to magnetically couple the ceiling tile within a respective one of the tile receiving openings, and a plurality of baffles coupled to the base, each baffle being spaced apart from the other.
According to another embodiment, a ceiling tile can be summarized as including a base having a periphery, one or more magnets positioned at the periphery and sized and shaped to magnetically couple the ceiling tile to a ceiling structure, and a plurality of baffles coupled to the base, each baffle being spaced apart from the other.
According to another embodiment, a method for assembling a ceiling structure can be summarized as including constructing a suspended framework having a plurality of main runners and a plurality of cross runners interconnected to define an array of tile receiving positions, magnetically coupling a plurality of ceiling tiles to the suspended framework with a respective ceiling tile located at each tile receiving position, coupling a light source to at least one of the plurality of ceiling tiles, the light source configured to illuminate an environment in which the ceiling tiles are located, and electrically coupling the light source to an external power supply.
In the following description, certain specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various disclosed embodiments. However, one skilled in the relevant art will recognize that embodiments may be practiced without one or more of these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and methods associated with suspended ceiling tile systems and ceiling tiles may not be shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring descriptions of the embodiments.
Unless the context requires otherwise, throughout the specification and claims which follow, the word “comprise” and variations thereof, such as “comprises” and “comprising,” are to be construed in an open, inclusive sense, that is, as “including, but not limited to.”
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.
As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. It should also be noted that the term “or” is generally employed in its sense including “and/or” unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.
Each of the first and second recesses 15a, 15b is sized and shaped to coupleably receive the baffles 14. In particular, the baffles 14 include first tabs 16a and second tabs 16b. The first and second tabs 16a, 16b extend or protrude outwardly from base surfaces of the baffles 14 and are sized and shaped to be received in the corresponding first and second recesses 15a, 15b. Proximate to each first and second recess 15a, 15b, the base 13 includes a pair of securing tabs 17a, 17b that surround and secure the first and second tabs 16a, 16b of the baffles 14.
As illustrated in
Each of the splice connectors 21 is coupled to a corresponding light source 25 that is generally configured to illuminate the ceiling tile 10 or an environment in which the ceiling tile 10 is located. In some implementations, the light source 25 may take the form of one or more light emitting diodes (LED) 27, e.g., Red, Green, Blue (“RGB”) LEDs, that can be disposed in LED strips 28. In other implementations, the light source 25 may take other forms, such as incandescent lights, fluorescent lights, compact fluorescent lights, and other light emitting elements that may illuminate the ceiling tile 10, or an environment. The light source 25, for example, LED strip 28, is positioned between each of the baffles 14. In some implementations, the LED strips 28 may be coupled to the base 13 via adhering, fasteners, or other coupling structures. In some implementations, the base 13 may include recesses sized and shaped to receive the LED strips 28. Moreover, in some implementations, the LED strips 28 may be positioned within housings that include one or more diffuser materials that diffuse light rays emitted by the LED strips 28.
As described above, the light sources 25 are configured to emit light to illuminate the ceiling tile 10 and/or an environment in which the ceiling tile 10 is located. For example, in some implementations, the light sources 25 may illuminate the ceiling tile 10 and/or the environment in a certain color, such as red, green, blue, etc. In some implementations, the light sources 25 may be configured to generate certain lighting schemes, for example, animated lighting schemes.
The baffles 14 are sized and shaped to provide an aesthetically appealing shape to a ceiling structure while having a complex compound shape that improves acoustical absorption of noise in an environment in which the ceiling tile 10 is located. For example, each baffle, e.g., 14a, 14b, 14c . . . 14n, includes a base surface, e.g., base surface 29a, 29b, 29c . . . 29n (collectively referred to herein as base surface 29), that is relatively flat and from which the first tabs 16a and second tabs 16b extend or protrude outwardly. An opposing, edge surface, e.g., 30a, 30b, 30c . . . 30n (collectively referred to herein as edge surface 30) has a complex compound shape. The complex compound shape of the edge surface 30 is sized and shaped to provide an aesthetic appeal to the ceiling tile 10. Moreover, the edge surface of each of the baffles, e.g., edge surface 30a, 30b, 30c . . . 30n, has a distinct shape which defines a surface area of each baffle, e.g., baffle 14a, 14b, 14c . . . 14n, that, in some implementations, may be different from the other baffles. For example, in some implementations, the surface area of baffle 14a may be less than the surface area of baffle 14b, and similarly the surface areas of the other baffles may increase in the longitudinal direction L1. Such varying surface areas of the baffles 14 may be configured to gradually increase the surface area exposed to sound, which tends to reduce reverberation, and thus improves sound absorption.
In some implementations, the baffles 14 are spaced apart from each other to define an acoustical gap 32. The acoustical gap 32 is sized and shaped to improve sound suppression capability of the ceiling tile 10 via resonance between the baffles 14 at a certain defined frequency attributable to the acoustical gap 32. As shown in
In addition to the sizes, shapes, and/or locations of the baffles 14 described above, each baffle 14 may comprise a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) thermoplastic resin, which in combination with the sizes, shapes, and/or locations of the baffles 14, improves sound absorption quality of the ceiling tile 10. In some implementations, the baffles 14 may comprise other materials that improve sound absorption, such as various forms of fiberglass, acoustic foam, and/or recycled cotton.
The ceiling tile 10 includes a peripheral portion 35 that is disposed around a periphery of the base 13. The peripheral portion 35 is defined by sides 36a, 36b, 36c, 36d of the base 13. In particular, the base 13 includes a first body 51 and a second body 52. The first body 51 includes wall portions 53 and the second body 52 includes wall portions 54 that are coupled to each other via one or more fasteners 55, e.g., rivets. The wall portions 53 of the first body 51 and the wall portions 54 of the second body 51, when coupled together with the fasteners 55, form sides 36a, 36b, 36d of the base 13.
In some implementations, the peripheral portion 35 includes one or more receptacles 40 disposed in the sides 36a, 36b, 36d, 36d of the base 13. The one or more receptacles 40 is sized and shaped to coupleably receive a corresponding magnet 41. The magnet 41, in some implementations, may take the form of a square or a rectangular magnet. In other implementations, the magnet 41 may take the form of a radial magnet, which is diametrically magnetized to produce a magnetic force in a direction that is substantially normal to a planar surface of the base 13, e.g., base surface 29 or edge surface 30.
As described above, a plurality of ceiling tiles 10 are configured to be coupleably received in a suspended frame.
The cross runners 224 are coupled to the main runners 222 in a known manner. The coupling of the cross runners 224 to the main runners 222 defines tile receiving openings 210. The area of each of the tile receiving openings 210 (i.e., width and length) depends on the spacing of the main runners 222 and the cross runners 224. This spacing can be adjustable based on the areas of the ceiling tiles 10 that are to be positioned within the tile receiving openings 210, such that the ceiling tiles 10 substantially cover or overlay the tile receiving openings 210. Each tile receiving opening 210 also defines a mounting frame 228 that bounds the tile receiving opening 210 and includes mating surfaces 290 that generally face downward, i.e., facing a floor structure of an interior of a room or space. The mating surfaces 290 may be defined by base flanges of the main runners 222 and the cross runners 224, to which the ceiling tiles 10 are coupled.
The main runners 222 and the cross runners 224 are generally made from steel or other ferromagnetic materials. Thus, when the ceiling tiles 10 are positioned within the tile receiving openings 210, the magnetic force produced by the magnet(s) 41 is sufficient to magnetically couple the ceiling tile 10 to the suspended framework 202. In some implementations, the ceiling structure 200 may include a gasket that may be positioned between the main runners 222 and the cross runners 224. The gasket may be positioned around boundaries of the ceiling tiles 10.
With reference to
The DC/DC power converter(s) may take a variety of forms, for example an unregulated or regulated switch mode power converter, which may or may not be isolated. For instance, the DC/DC power converter(s) may take the form of a regulated boost switch mode power converter or buck-boost switch mode power converter.
The DC/DC converter(s) can include one or more buck converters, boost converters, buck-boost converters, or any combination thereof. In some situations, the DC converter(s) may include a buck converter. A buck converter can include any switched device suitable for reducing an input DC voltage to a lower output DC voltage. Typical buck converters include a switching device, for example a pulse wave modulated MOSFET or IGBT that controls the input voltage delivered to an inductor coupled in series, and a diode and a capacitor coupled in parallel with the load. In some instances, the DC/DC buck converter may include a synchronous buck converter using one or more switching devices in lieu of the diode found in a conventional buck converter. The use of one or more switching devices, such as a second MOSFET or IGBT transistor or transistor array in a synchronous buck converter, may advantageously reduce power loss attributable to the diode forward voltage drop that occurs within a standard buck converter. In some situations, at least a portion of the DC/DC converter(s) may include a boost converter. A boost converter can include any device or system suitable for increasing a relatively low input DC voltage to a higher DC output voltage.
In some implementations, the power block 251 may also include a DC/AC power converter, commonly referred to as an inverter, that couples the external power supply to supply or deliver power to the light sources 25 via the DC/DC converter(s). The DC/AC power converter may invert electrical power from the DC/DC converter(s) into an AC waveform suitable to power the light sources. The AC wave form may be single-phase or multi-phase, for example two- or three-phase AC power. The DC/AC power converter(s) may take a variety of forms, for example an unregulated or a regulated switch mode power converter, which may or may not be isolated. For instance, the DC/AC power converter may take the form of a regulated inverter.
In some implementations, the power block 251 includes one or more input and output ports 252, 253. The one or more input ports 252 may be coupled to the external power supply. The one or more output ports 253 may be coupled to an input connector 22 of one of the plurality of ceiling tiles 10. As described above, in such an implementation, an output connector 23 may thereafter be coupled to an input connector 22 of another adjacent ceiling tile 10. For example, an input port of the input connector 22 may be coupled to the output port 253 of the power block 251. An output port of the input connector 22 may be coupled to the light source(s) 25 via the splice connectors 21 and an input port of the output connector 23 via the wire connectors 24. The output port of the output connector 23 may be coupled to an input port of an input connector 22 of an adjacent ceiling tile 10. In a similar manner, the other ceiling tiles 10 may be electrically coupled to each other with one power block 251 configured to supply or deliver power to the arrangement of ceiling tiles 10, in contrast to having corresponding power blocks 251 for each ceiling tile 10.
In each ceiling tile 310, each corresponding light source 325 that is generally configured to illuminate the ceiling tile 310 or an environment in which the ceiling tile 310 is located, is coupled to the PCB 393. Again, in some implementations, the light source 325 may take the form of one or more light emitting diodes (LED), e.g., Red, Green, Blue (“RGB”) LEDs, that can be disposed in LED strips. In other implementations, the light source 325 may take other forms, such as incandescent lights, fluorescent lights, compact fluorescent lights, and other light emitting elements that may illuminate the ceiling tile 310, or an environment. The light source 325, for example, LED strip, is positioned between each of baffles. Again, in some implementations, the LED strips may be coupled to a base of the ceiling tile 310 via adhering, fasteners, or other coupling structures. In some implementations, the base may include recesses sized and shaped to receive the LED strips. Moreover, in some implementations, the LED strips may be positioned within housings that include one or more diffuser materials that diffuse light rays emitted by the LED strips.
As described above, the light sources 325 are configured to emit light to illuminate the ceiling tile 310 and/or an environment in which the ceiling tile 310 is located. For example, in some implementations, the light sources 325 may illuminate the ceiling tile 310 and/or the environment in a certain color, such as red, green, blue, etc. In some implementations, the light sources 325 may be configured to generate certain lighting schemes, for example, animated lighting schemes. The suspended framework 402 is generally suspended from an overhead structure (not shown) by hanging wires, braces or other structures that couple the suspended framework 402 to the overhead structure. The suspended framework 402 includes a plurality of main runners 422 that are spatially spaced apart and are substantially parallel to each other. The suspended framework 402 further includes a plurality of cross runners 424 that are spatially spaced apart and are substantially parallel to each other, but are oriented to be substantially perpendicular to the plurality of main runners 422. The main runners 422 and the cross runners 424 may be manufactured from extrusions having various cross-sectional profiles.
The cross runners 424 are coupled to the main runners 422 in a known manner. The coupling of the cross runners 424 to the main runners 422 defines tile receiving openings 410. The area of each of the tile receiving openings 410 (i.e., width and length) depends on the spacing of the main runners 422 and the cross runners 424. This spacing can be adjustable based on the areas of the ceiling tiles 310 that are to be positioned within the tile receiving openings 410, such that the ceiling tiles 310 substantially cover or overlay the tile receiving openings 410. Each tile receiving opening 410 also defines a mounting frame 428 that bounds the tile receiving opening 410 and includes mating surfaces 490 that generally face downward, i.e., facing a floor structure of an interior of a room or space. The mating surfaces 490 may be defined by base flanges of the main runners 422 and the cross runners 424, to which the ceiling tiles 310 are coupled.
The main runners 422 and the cross runners 424 are generally made from steel or other ferromagnetic materials. Thus, when the ceiling tiles 310 are positioned within the tile receiving openings 490, the magnetic force produced by magnet(s) 341 of ceiling tiles 310 is sufficient to magnetically couple the ceiling tile 310 to the suspended framework 402. In some implementations, the ceiling structure 300 may optionally include a gasket that may be positioned between the main runners 422 and the cross runners 424. The gasket may be positioned around boundaries of the ceiling tiles 310.
With continued reference to
Again, in some implementations, the power block 351 includes one or more input and output ports 352, 353. The one or more input ports 352 may be coupled to the external power supply. The one or more output ports 353 may be coupled to an input connector 322 of one of the plurality of ceiling tiles 310. As described above, in such an implementation, an output connector 323 may thereafter be coupled to an input connector 322 of another adjacent ceiling tile 310. For example, an input port of the input connector 322 may be coupled to the output port 353 of the power block 351. An output port of the input connector 322 may be coupled to the light source(s) 325 via the PCB 393 and an input port of the output connector 23 via wire connectors 324. The output port of the output connector 323 may be coupled to an input port of an input connector 322 of an adjacent ceiling tile 310. In a similar manner, the other ceiling tiles 310 may be electrically coupled to each other with one power block 351 configured to supply or deliver power to the arrangement of ceiling tiles 310, in contrast to having corresponding power blocks 351 for each ceiling tile 10.
Moreover, the various embodiments or implementations described above can be combined to provide further embodiments or implementations. These and other changes can be made to the embodiments or implementations in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments or implementations disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments or implementations along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.
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