Lock for Securing Clips

Abstract

This invention relates generally to a lock for securing clips used to hold a panel to a wall or ceiling. It includes a panel assembly covering a back surface of a ceiling with a panel, comprising: the panel held face to face with the back surface by a link between a first clip and a second clip; a lock for securing the clips linked together comprising a shim and a flexible wedge connected together; at least a first fastener which connects the wedge to the back surface at a location outside the perimeter of the panel; wherein the shim intermediate the wedge and the back surface is movable to a first position outside of the perimeter to unlock the link to remove the panel from the back surface and in a second configuration the shim is located inside the perimeter where the link is locked to prevent removal of the panel.

Claims

1. A lock for securing clips linked together intermediate a back surface and a panel held to the back surface by the clips, comprising: a wedge having a flexible length intermediate first and second connectors, and a shim connected to the wedge at the first connector, the shim is moveable from/to a first position where a portion of the shim distal from the first connector extends away from the wedge to/from a second position where the portion of the shim distal from the first connector is adjacent the wedge, wherein the second connector is connectable to the panel.

2. The lock according to claim 1 wherein a moveable connection of the first connector connects the wedge to the shim by a snap fit, click fit, or interlock fit of the first connector.

3. The lock according to claim 1 wherein the shim is rotatable or swivel-able around the first connector from/to the first position to/from the second position.

4. The lock according to claim 1 wherein the shim and wedge are connectable together to the back surface by the first connector.

5. The lock according to claim 1 wherein the first connector includes a first hole through the wedge and a second hole through the shim align-able with the first hole to receive a fastener to the back surface about which the shim is rotatable from the position to the second position.

6. The lock according to claim 1 wherein the wedge comprises a third connector which is non-collinear with the first and second connectors to connect the wedge to the panel or the back surface.

7. The lock according to claim 1 wherein the wedge has a relatively thin cross section in the region of the flexible length and a relatively thick cross section of the distal ends of wedge.

8. The lock according to claim 1 wherein the first connector is located at a distal end of the wedge from the second connector.

9. A panel assembly covering a back surface of a ceiling or wall with a panel, comprising: the lock according to claim 1, a first clip attached to the panel, a second clip attached to the back surface, and the panel held face to face with the back surface by a link between the first clip and the second clip, wherein a first configuration of the panel assembly the lock is in the first position to unsecure the link to remove the panel from the back surface, and in a second configuration the lock is in the second position to secure the link hold the panel to the back surface.

10. The panel assembly according to claim 9 wherein the first configuration the wedge is displaced toward the back surface to unsecure the link and in the second configuration the wedge is displaced away from the back surface to secure the link.

11. The panel assembly according claim 10 wherein the wedge is bendable along the flexible length to be displaced.

12. The panel assembly according to claim 9 wherein the first configuration the shim is outside the perimeter of the panel to unsecure the link.

13. The panel assembly according to claim 9 wherein the second configuration, at least the portion of the shim distal from the first connector is located intermediate the wedge and the back surface to obstruct displacement of the wedge to secure the link.

14. The panel assembly according to claim 9 wherein the second configuration the shim obstructs the wedge from bending to lock the link.

15. The panel assembly according to claim 9 wherein in the second configuration the shim obstructs movement toward the back surface of the wedge, the panel and the first one of the clips attached to the panel.

16. The panel assembly according to claim 9 wherein the clips are hook shaped and hook together to form the link.

17. The panel assembly according to claim 9 wherein the shim is movable parallel to a surface of the panel to which the first clip is fixed to move the shim from/to the first position to/from the second position.

18. A method of securing a first clip attached to a panel, a second clip attached to a back surface in a linked together configuration to hold the panel to the back surface by use of the lock according to claim 1; including: using the second connector to connect the wedge to a surface of the panel attached to the second clip, moving the shim to the first position, moving the clips to a secured position by moving the panel to bend the wedge from the shim toward the back surface then moving the panel parallel to the back surface then moving the panel to unbend the wedge; and securing the clips together by moving the shim to the second position so that the first portion of the shim is intermediate the back surface and the wedge.

19. A kit of components comprising the lock according to claim 1, a first clip attachable to a back surface, and a second clip attachable to a panel and linkable to the first clip.

20. A room, shed, cabin, mobile home, elevator, or vehicle having a wall or ceiling comprising a panel assembly according to claim 9.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0068] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a ceiling panel attached to a back surface of a ceiling with clips locked by a lock;

[0069] FIG. 2 shows a kit of components for attaching a ceiling panel to a back surface of a ceiling or wall;

[0070] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a lock in a first configuration;

[0071] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the lock in the second configuration;

[0072] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a ceiling panel which shows a wedge connected by a swivel connector to a shim in a first position;

[0073] FIG. 6 shows side view of a panel oriented with the surface to which a first clip is attached and a shim of a lock is in a first position and contact with a back surface of a ceiling board;

[0074] FIG. 7 shows a side view of the panel in FIG. 5 pressed toward the back surface to bend a flexible portion of a wedge;

[0075] FIG. 8 shows a side view of the panel in FIG. 5 with the first clip attached to the panel linked to a second clip attached to the back surface; and

[0076] FIG. 9 shows a side view of the panel in FIG. 5 with the shim rotated to a second position to lock the linked clips.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0077] Referring to the Figures, there is shown in FIG. 1 a panel assembly 100. The assembly 100 comprises a panel 500 covering a back surface 202 of a ceiling board 200. The panel 500 is held face to face with the back surface 200.

[0078] Attached to the back surface 202 is a second clip 300. Attached to the panel 500 is a first clip 400 which cannot be seen in FIG. 1, but it can be seen in FIG. 5.

[0079] The panel 500 is held to the back surface 202 by a link between the first clip 400 which the second clip 300.

[0080] Three repetitions of the second clip 391, 392, 393 fastened to the back surface 202 can be seen in FIG. 1. Two of the repetitions of the second clip 391, 392 are located where they could receive corresponding first clips of a second panel. So the panel assembly may comprise a plurality of ceiling panels.

[0081] The panel assembly also comprises a lock 900. About half of the lock 900 is visible in FIG. 1 where it extends beyond the perimeter 504 of the panel. The lock 900 comprises a shim 700 connected by pivot 704, 804 to wedge 800. A view of the whole lock 900 is visible in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5.

[0082] The lock 900 secures the second clip 300 and the first clip 400 so that they remain linked together. A sequence of steps in a method of securing the clips 300, 400 in a linked together configuration is illustrated by FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9.

[0083] The shim 700 and the wedge 800 may be supplied and stored separately. The shim 700 and wedge 800 are connectable by a first connector 704, 804. The first connector comprises a shim pivot 704 located at an end of the shim 700 and a wedge pivot 804 located at an end of the wedge 800. The shim pivot 704 is connectable to the wedge pivot 804.

[0084] Shown in FIG. 2 are components for a kit. The components include: the first clip 400; the second clip 300; the shim 700; the wedge 800; and three fasteners 601, 602, 603. These components may be used in a panel assembly as shown in FIG. 1 to securely hold a panel 500 to a back surface 202 of a ceiling board 200.

[0085] As shown in FIG. 2 the shim 700 has a plate 706 which extends radially from the shim pivot 704. The plate 706 joins a block 702 at an end radially distal from the shim pivot 704. The plate 706 and the block 702 are portions of the shim 700 which extends radially from the shim pivot 704. The block 702 and the shim pivot 704 are at radially opposite ends the shim 700 and the plate 706 is intermediate them.

[0086] The plate 706 is relatively thin in the axial direction of the shim pivot 704 compared to the thickness of the shim pivot 704 itself the block 702. The shim pivot 704 and the block 702 have the same thickness.

[0087] As shown in FIG. 2 the wedge 800 has a similar form to the shim 700. The lock 900 would be operable if the shim 700 and wedge 800 were identical.

[0088] The wedge 800 has a second plate 806 which extends radially from the wedge pivot 804. The second plate 806 joins a second block 802 at an end radially distal from the wedge pivot 804. The second plate 806 and the second block 802 are portions of the wedge 800 which extend radially from the wedge pivot 804. The second block 802 and the shim pivot 804 are at radially opposite ends the shim 800 and the second plate 806 is intermediate them.

[0089] There are three fasteners 601, 602 and 603 provided in the kit shown in FIG. 2 which are used to connect the lock 900 to the panel 500 and to the back surface 202. The three fasteners 601, 602 and 603 pass through three non-collinear respective holes 810, 812 and 814 in the wedge 800.

[0090] FIG. 9 shows how the first fastener 601 is inserted through aligned holes 710, 810 of the connected shim pivot 704 and wedge pivot 804. The fastener is screwed into the ceiling board 200 to connect the wedge to the back surface 202 at a location outside the perimeter 504 of the panel 500. The shim pivot 704 is intermediate the wedge pivot 804 and the back surface 700. So the first fastener 601 also connects the shim to the back surface 202.

[0091] The shim 700 is rotatable round the central axis of the lock pivot formed by aligning and connecting the shim pivot 704 and the wedge pivot 804. This may be seen by comparing a first configuration of the lock 900 shown in FIG. 3 to a second configuration of the lock 900 shown in FIG. 4.

[0092] In the first configuration of the lock 900 shown in FIG. 3, the shim 700 is rotated to a first position where the portion 702, 706 of the shim 700 which extends radially from the lock pivot 704, 804 is non-coincident with the portion 802, 806 of the wedge 800 with which extends radially from the lock pivot 704, 804.

[0093] In the second configuration of the lock 900 shown in FIG. 4, the shim 700 is rotated to a second position where the portion 702, 706 of the shim 700 which extends radially from the lock pivot 704, 804 is coincident and overlaps the portion 802, 806 of the wedge 800 with which extends radially from the lock pivot 704, 804.

[0094] FIG. 5 shows the panel 500 prepared for attachment to the ceiling back board 200. The panel 500 has a surface 502 which faces the back surface 202 of the back board 200 when the panel is attached.

[0095] The first clip 400 has an attachment plate 402 through which there are holes 404, 405, 406 to receive screws 412, 416, 418 to fasten the attachment plate 402 to the panel 500.

[0096] The first clip 400 has a hook shape section 408 extending from the attachment plate 408. At the distal end of the hook shape section 408 from the attachment plate 408 is a lip 410. The lip 410 is at the end of the hook and extends perpendicular to the attachment plate 408. So as shown in FIG. 5, the lip 410 extends toward the panel 500 and perpendicular to the panel 500. There is an opening between the lip 410 and the panel 500. A side view of the first clip 400 can be seen in FIGS. 6 to 9.

[0097] The first clip 400 links to the second clip 300. Details of the second clip 300 are shown in FIG. 2. The second clip 300 has an attachment surface 310 around a cavity. There are holes, for example 302, 304 through a wall around the cavity. There is an entrance into the cavity through the wall. The entrance is partially blocked by a lip 306 extending from a floor 308 of the cavity. The wall rises from the attachment surface 310. When the attachment surface 310 is attached to the back surface 202, the entrance is from back surface 202 to the lip 306. The thickness of the second clip 300 from the attachment surface to the most distant external surface of the cavity floor 310 is less than the maximum thickness of the lock through the wedge 800 and shim 700.

[0098] FIG. 5 shows the lock 900 in the first configuration of FIG. 3. In FIG. 5 the lock 900 is fastened to the surface 502 of the panel 500 which faces the back surface 202 of the ceiling board 200.

[0099] The block 802 at the end of the wedge 800 is a connector to connect the wedge 800 to the panel 500. The block 802 has countersunk through holes 812, 814 through it. The holes 812, 814 receive fasteners 602, 603 by which the block 800 is fastened to the panel 500. The fasteners 602, 603 cannot be seen in FIG. 5 because the fastener heads are sunk into the countersunk holes 812, 814.

[0100] As shown in FIG. 5, the relatively thin flexible plate 806 extends from the block 802 over the edge of the perimeter 504 of the panel 500. The plate 806 is held above the panel 500 because the plate 806 extends from the distal surface 808 of the block 802 from the panel. The plate 806 extends over the perimeter of the panel 500. The wedge pivot 804 is at the distal end of the plate 806 from the block 802. The shim plate 706 and holds the shim block 802 away from the perimeter 504. So when the lock 900 is in the first configuration shown in FIG. 5, the entire shim is outside the perimeter of the plate 500.

[0101] FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9 the panel assembly in a sequence positions which occur as the panel 500 is clipped to the ceiling board 200 and first clip 400 is linked to the second clip 300 and then the link between the clips is secured by the lock 900.

[0102] As shown in FIG. 6 the panel 500 is oriented parallel to the back surface 202 with the clips 300, 400 intermediate the panel 50 and the back surface 202. The lock is in the first configuration. The shim 700 is pressed against the back surface 202.

[0103] The thickness of the lock 900 through wedge 800 and the shim 700 is greater than the most distal point of the second clip 300 from the panel 500. So there is clearance between the second clip 300 and the back surface 200.

[0104] As shown in FIG. 6, the thickness of the lock 900 through wedge 800 and the shim 700 is greater than the most distal point of the of the first clip 400 from the back surface 202. So there is clearance between the first clip 400 and the panel 500.

[0105] After the panel 500 is oriented as shown in FIG. 6, it is urged closer to the back surface 202 of the ceiling board. This is shown by FIG. 7.

[0106] The lip 410 of the link 408 of first clip 400 must be inserted through the cavity entrance of the second clip 300 attached to the panel 500. To do this the first lip 410 of the first clip 400 attached to the panel 500 must be moved closer to the back surface 202 than the second lip 306 of the second clip 300 attached to the back surface 202. As shown in FIG. 7 this is done by moving the panel 500 closer to the back surface 202 by bending the wedge flexible portion 806 toward the back surface 202. This positions the first and second clips 300, 400 to move relative to each other parallel to the back surface 202 unobstructed by the lip 306, 410 of the other.

[0107] Next, shown in FIG. 8, the first lip 410 is moved past the second lip 306 and into the cavity of the second clip 300 by moving the panel 500 parallel to the back surface. Then the panel 500 is moved away from the back surface 202. As shown in FIG. 8, this positions the lip 410 of the first clip 400 further from the back surface 202 than the lip 306 of the second clip. Moving the panel 500 away from the back surface bends the flexible wedge portion away from the back surface until is it is straight again. In this position the first lip 410 is blocked by the second lip 310 from movement parallel to the back surface 202. The two clips are linked.

[0108] To secure the link, the panel 500 must be prevented from moving toward the back surface 200 where the first lip 410 could be clear of the second lip 306 for movement parallel to the back surface.

[0109] As shown in FIG. 9, the link is secured by rotating the shim 700 around the lock pivot 704, 804 to a second position where the portion 702, 706 of the shim 700 which extends radially from the lock pivot 704, 804 is coincident and overlaps the portion 802, 806 of the wedge 800 with which extends radially from the lock pivot 704, 804. The overlapping wedge 800 and shim 700 are squeezed into the space intermediate back surface 202 and the panel 500. The panel is prevented from moving toward the back surface 202 and the link between the clips 300, 400 is secured.

[0110] Finally and optionally, a fastener screw 601 in inserted into through hole 810 of the wedge pivot, then through aligned hole 710 of the shim pivot and screwed into the ceiling board. The wedge 800 was already fixed to the panel 500 with two fastener screws 601, 602 through two respective holes 812, 814 as shown in FIG. 5. So the wedge 800 is now connected by the three non-collinear fasteners 601, 602, 603 to the panel 500 and back surface 202. This secures the panel directly and it also provides further security to lock the link between the clips 300, 400.

[0111] The panel 500 can be clipped and securely locked to the ceiling board using the lock 900 very quickly by a person with an electric screwdriver. They turn the shim 700 to the first position to put the lock 900 into the first configuration; screw in two screws 601, 602 to attach the lock 900 to the panel 500; push the panel 500 up against the ceiling board 200 back surface 202; then slide panel 500 over and let it drop to link the clips 300, 400; then turn the shim 700 to the second position to put the lock 900 in the second configuration; screw in the third screw 603 and the procedure is done.

TABLE-US-00001 Index of Labelled Features in FIGS. Panel assembly 100 Back board of ceiling 200 Back surface of ceiling 202 First clip 300 First clip fastener hole 1 302 First clip fastener hole 2 304 First clip link lip 306 First clip link floor 308 First clip attachment surface 310 First clip repetition 1 391 First clip repetition 2 392 First clip repetition 3 393 Second clip 400 Second clip attachment plate 402 Second clip fastener hole 1 404 Second clip fastener hole 2 406 Second clip link arch 408 Second clip link lip 410 Second clip fastening screws 412, 414, 416 Panel 500 Panel surface fixed to first clip 502 Fastener 1 601 Fastener 2 602 Fastener 3 603 Shim 700 Shim block 702 Shim pivot 704 Shim plate 706 Shim wedge facer 708 Shim pivot fastener hole 710 Shim back surface facing surface 712 Wedge 800 Wedge panel connector (second connector) 802 Wedge pivot (first connector) 804 Wedge flexible portion 806 Wedge panel connector shim facing surface 808 Wedge fastener hole 3 810 Wedge fastener hole 2 812 Wedge fastener hole 1 814 Wedge panel connector attachment surface 816 Lock 900

[0112] The invention has been described by way of examples only. Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the claims.