Non-walkable clean room ceiling, mounting system, and method

Abstract

A ceiling system for a clean room, a clean room ceiling and a method for constructing a ceiling for a clean room are provided. Inverted T-shaped beams support the ceiling from a building structure. A bracket attaches to a composite ceiling panel and engages a beam joint portion that extends in an upward direction from a beam leg. The beam joint portion and the composite periphery of the composite ceiling panel define a relief for solvent welding of a panel joint lower end of a composite ceiling panel to a beam joint lower end. A spring clip may resist vertical movement of the bracket with respect to the inverted T-shaped beam.

Claims

1. A clean room ceiling system for use inside a building structure, the system comprising: a) an inverted T-shaped beam, the inverted T-shaped beam defining a beam upright, the beam upright being configured to be supported by the building structure, the inverted T-shaped beam defining opposing beam legs, the opposing beam legs extending laterally from the beam upright and defining a beam bottom, each beam leg terminating in a beam joint portion, each beam joint portion extending generally in an upward direction from each beam leg, each beam joint portion defining a beam joint upper end and a beam joint lower end; b) a composite ceiling panel, the composite ceiling panel having a top skin, a bottom skin and a core disposed between the top and bottom skins, the composite ceiling panel defining a periphery, the periphery of the composite ceiling panel defining a panel joint portion, the panel joint portion defining a panel joint lower end and a panel joint upper end, the panel joint portion being configured for an engagement with the beam joint portion, wherein the panel joint portion and the beam joint portion define a relief when the panel joint portion and the beam joint portion are in engagement so that the beam joint lower end engages the panel joint lower end and the beam joint upper end does not engage the panel joint upper end.

2. The clean room ceiling system of claim 1, the system further comprising: a polymer coating, the polymer coating being disposed on the beam bottom, the bottom skin, the beam joint lower end and the panel joint lower end, the polymer coating being weldable by a solvent applied to the beam joint lower end and the panel joint lower end when the beam joint portion lower and the panel joint lower end are in engagement.

3. The clean room ceiling system of claim 2 wherein the polymer coating is polyvinyl chloride.

4. The clean room ceiling system of claim 2 wherein the inverted T-shaped beam comprises: a) a beam frame, the beam frame defining the beam upright, the opposing beam legs and a pair of opposing frame standards extending from the opposing beam legs; b. a beam wrap disposed on the beam frame, the beam wrap defining the beam bottom and a pair of opposing beam wrap sides, the beam wrap sides engaging the opposing frame standards to define the beam joint portions, each beam joint portion defining an angle of less than 90 degrees to the beam bottom, the beam joint portion defining the relief between the beam joint portion and the panel joint portion when the beam joint portion and the panel joint portion are in engagement.

5. The clean room ceiling system of claim 4 wherein the beam wrap sides and beam wrap bottom in combination define a beam wrap spring in the shape of a shallow U, the opposing beam wrap sides being configured to resiliently grip the frame standards and to be retained by the beam frame.

6. The clean room ceiling of claim 4 wherein the beam frame is composed of a polymer.

7. The clean room ceiling system of claim 2 wherein the inverted T-shaped beam comprises: a) a beam frame, the beam frame defining the beam upright, the opposing beam legs and a pair of opposing frame standards extending from the opposing beam legs; b. a beam wrap disposed on the beam frame, the beam wrap defining the beam bottom and a beam wrap side, the beam wrap sides engaging the opposing frame standards to define the beam joint portions; c. a pair of opposing beam wrap hooks, the beam wrap hooks being defined by the beam wrap sides and each of the beam wrap hooks engaging an end of the frame standard.

8. The clean room ceiling system of claim 7 wherein the beam joint portion defines an angle of less than 90 degrees to the beam bottom.

9. The clean room ceiling of claim 7 wherein the beam frame is composed of a polymer.

10. The clean room ceiling system of claim 2 wherein the beam joint portion defines an angle of less than 90 degrees with respect to the beam bottom.

11. The clean room ceiling system of claim 10 wherein the panel joint portion defines an angle of less than 90 degrees with respect to the bottom skin.

12. The clean room ceiling system of claim 2 wherein the panel joint portion defines an angle of less than 90 degrees with respect to the bottom skin.

13. The clean room ceiling system of claim 1, the system further comprising: a bracket, the bracket defining a bracket horizontal portion and a bracket hook portion, the bracket hook portion depending from the bracket horizontal portion, the bracket horizontal portion being configured to be attached to the top skin so that the ceiling panel is supported by the bracket, the bracket hook portion being configured to engage the beam joint portion so that the beam joint portion supports the bracket and the attached ceiling panel with the bottom skin flush with the beam bottom.

14. The clean room ceiling system of claim 13 further comprising: a spring clip, the spring clip being configured to resiliently engage the beam upright and to be selectably retained by the beam upright, the spring clip defining a spring clip arm, the arm being configured to selectably engage the bracket when the bracket horizontal portion is attached to the panel top side and the bracket hook portion engages the beam joint portion, the spring clip arm being configured to resiliently urge the bracket hook portion to remain in engagement with the beam joint portion.

15. The clean room ceiling system of claim 14, the system further comprising: a pair of bosses disposed on opposing sides of the beam upright, the spring clip being configured to resiliently engage and to be selectably retained by the pair of bosses.

16. The clean room ceiling of claim 13 wherein the beam wrap, the panel top skin and the panel bottom skin are composed of a sheet steel.

Description

III. SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a detail perspective view of the clean room ceiling.

(2) FIG. 2 is detail end view of the clean room ceiling.

(3) FIG. 3 is a perspective exploded view of the beam frame and the beam wrap.

(4) FIG. 4 is a detail perspective view of the inverted T-shaped beam.

(5) FIG. 5 is an exploded end view of the beam frame and beam wrap corresponding to FIG. 3.

(6) FIG. 6 is an end view of the inverted T-shaped beam corresponding to FIG. 4.

(7) FIG. 7 is a perspective exploded view of the beam frame and beam wrap having hook ends.

(8) FIG. 8 is perspective of the inverted T-shaped beam.

(9) FIG. 9 is an end view corresponding to FIG. 7.

(10) FIG. 10 is an end view corresponding to FIG. 8.

(11) FIG. 11 is a side view showing an alternate configuration of the panel joint portion.

(12) FIG. 12 is a side view showing an alternate configuration of the beam joint portion.

(13) FIG. 13 is a side view showing a spring clip.

(14) FIG. 14 is a detail view of a portion of the clean room ceiling from inside the clean room.

IV. DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

(15) The invention is a clean room ceiling system, a clean room ceiling 2 constructed using the system of the invention, and a method of constructing a clean room ceiling 2.

(16) FIG. 1 is a detail perspective view of a clean room ceiling 2 of the Invention. FIG. 2 is a detail side view of the clean room ceiling 2. An inverted T-shaped beam 4 is suspended from a building structure in a grid pattern in the same manner as a familiar drop ceiling. The inverted T-shaped beam 4 includes a beam upright 6 and two opposing beam legs 8. The two opposing beam legs 8 define the beam bottom 10. Each of the opposing beam legs 8 defines a beam joint portion 12 that extends generally in an upward direction from the corresponding beam leg 10. The beam joint portion 12 defines a beam joint portion lower end 14 and a beam joint portion upper end 16.

(17) A composite ceiling panel 20 comprises a top skin 22, a bottom skin 24 and a core 26. The top and bottom skin 22, 24 may be composed of sheet steel and the core 26 may be composed of crenelated aluminum. Any other adequately strong materials may be used for the skins 22, 24 and core 26. The composite ceiling panel 20 is a stiff and because of its composite construction may span a distance of several feet without unacceptable sagging. The composite ceiling panel 20 also defines a periphery 28. The periphery 28 defines a panel joint portion 30, which is configured to engage the corresponding beam joint portion 12 so that the bottom skin 24 and the beam bottom are coplanar. The panel joint portion 30 defines a panel joint lower end 32 and a panel joint upper end 34.

(18) Also from FIGS. 1 and 2, when the panel joint portion 30 and the beam joint portion 12 are in engagement, panel joint portion 30 and beam joint portion 12 in cooperation define a relief 18. Because of the relief 18, the panel joint upper end 34 and the beam joint portion upper end 16 are not in engagement when the panel joint lower end 32 and the beam joint portion lower end 14 are in engagement. In FIGS. 1 and 2 the amount of the relief 18 is exaggerated for purposes of illustration. The relief 18 may be any that allows the panel joint lower end 32 and the beam joint lower end 14 to be in contact but that provides that the panel joint upper end 34 and the beam joint upper end 16 are not in contact when the beam bottom 10 and the bottom skin 24 are flush and disposed on the same plane.

(19) The beam 4 optionally may be composed of a beam frame 35 cooperating with a beam wrap 36, as shown by FIGS. 1 and 2 and as shown in more detail on FIGS. 3 through 10. The beam frame 35 defines the beam upright 6 and opposing beam legs 8. The beam frame 35 also defines beam standards 37 extending from the beam legs 8. The beam wrap 36 comprises a beam wrap bottom 38 and opposing beam wrap sides 40. The beam wrap bottom 38 defines the beam bottom 10. The beam wrap sides 40 in cooperation with the beam standards 37 define the beam joint portions 12, the beam joint lower end 14 and the beam joint upper end 16.

(20) Alternatively, the inverted T-shaped beam 4 may dispense with the beam wrap 36 and the beam standard 37 may define the beam joint upper end 16 and beam joint lower end 14.

(21) When provided, the beam wrap 36 may be composed of sheet steel. The beam wrap bottom 38 of the completed clean room ceiling 2 is visible from inside the clean room.

(22) The opposing beam joint portions 12 may define angles of less than 90 degrees with the beam bottom 10 and may define the relief 18, as shown by FIGS. 1 and 2.

(23) The beam wrap bottom 38 and two opposing sides 40 may define a beam wrap spring 42 in the shape of a shallow U. The beam wrap spring 42 may resiliently grip the opposing beam standards 37 to retain the beam wrap 36 in engagement with the beam frame 35.

(24) A polymer coating 44 is disposed on the beam bottom 10, the beam joint lower end 14 and the panel joint lower end 32. The polymer 46 is selected to be solvent weldable. A suitable solvent-weldable polymer is polyvinyl chloride. A polymer 46 is solvent weldable where the solvent will dissolve the polymer coating 44 and evaporation of the solvent re-adhere the polymer 46 to the coated surface and flows into the joint 68 between the inverted T-shaped beam 4 and the ceiling panel 20 to form a gas-tight and liquid-tight seal.

(25) From FIGS. 1 and 2, the composite ceiling panel 20 is supported by a bracket 48. The bracket 48 has a horizontal portion 50 and a bracket hook portion 52 that depends from the horizontal portion 50. The horizontal portion is configured to engage the top skin 22 of the composite ceiling panel 20, as by fasteners 54. The fasteners 54 hold the bracket 48 to the composite ceiling panel 20. The beam joint portion 12 supports the bracket 48, and hence the composite ceiling panel 20. The inverted T-shaped beam 4 thus supports the composite ceiling panel 20. The bracket 48 supports the ceiling panel 20 so that the bottom skin 24 of the ceiling panel 20 is flush and coplanar with the beam bottom 10.

(26) FIG. 3 is a perspective exploded view of the beam frame 35 and the beam wrap 36, shown in end view by FIG. 5. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the beam wrap 36 engaging the beam frame 35, shown in end view by FIG. 6. Beam wrap side 40 and beam wrap standard 37 together define the beam joint portion 12, which defines an angle 56 of less than 90 degrees with respect to the beam bottom 10.

(27) Together the beam wrap base 38 and beam wrap sides 40 define a beam wrap spring 42 in the shape of a shallow U. FIG. 4 shows the beam wrap 36 in engagement with the beam frame 35, with the beam wrap 46, as the beam wrap spring 42, resiliently clamping the opposing beam standards 37 between the two sides 40.

(28) FIG. 7 is a perspective exploded view of beam frame 35 and beam wrap 36. FIG. 9 is the corresponding end view. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the joined beam frame 35 and beam wrap 36. FIG. 10 is the corresponding end view. In the example of FIGS. 7 through 10, the beam wrap 36 include beam wrap hooks 58 disposed on the beam wrap ends 40 and configured to engage an end of the beam frame standard 37. Beam wrap hooks 58 positively secure the beam wrap 36 to the beam frame 37 and prevent the beam wrap 58 from being pulled away from the beam frame 37. The beam wrap 36 of FIGS. 7 through 10 otherwise is similar to the beam wrap 36 of FIGS. 3-9.

(29) FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate two alternative configurations of the clean room ceiling 2 to achieve the required relief 18. In FIG. 11, the angle between the panel joint portion 30 and the bottom skin 24 is 90 degrees or more while the angle between the beam joint portion 12 and the beam bottom 10 is less than 90 degrees. The resulting gap defines the relief 18.

(30) In FIG. 12 the angle between the panel joint portion 30 and the bottom skin is less than 90 degrees while the angle between the beam bottom 10 and the beam joint portion 10 is 90 degrees or more. The result is relief 18.

(31) In sum, any arrangement of the panel joint portion 30 and the beam joint portion 12 that results in a relief 18 between the beam joint upper end 16 and the panel joint upper end 34 when the beam joint lower end 14 and the panel joint lower end 32 are in engagement is contemplated by the Invention.

(32) FIG. 13 is an end view of an installed spring clip 60 to resist a composite ceiling panel 20 from being dislodged from a completed clean room ceiling 2 by pushing up on the ceiling panel 20 from below. The spring clip 60 is composed of a suitably strong and resilient material, such as steel. The spring clip 60 resiliently engages a pair of bosses 62 on opposing sides of the beam upright 6. The bosses retain the spring clip 60 on the beam upright 6. The spring clip also defines opposing arms 64. The arms 64 bear upon the bracket 48 or on the top skin 22 when the spring clip 60 engages the bosses 62. The arms 64 resiliently resist movement of the composite ceiling panel 20 in the upward direction with respect to the inverted T-shaped beam 4.

(33) FIG. 14 is a view of the completed clean room ceiling 2 from the inside of the clean room. The person observing the clean room ceiling 2 will see a smooth, flat surface defined by the bottom skins 24 and by the beam wrap bottom side 38. The bottom skins 24 are separated from the beam wrap bottom side 38 by a pair of narrow, shallow grooves 66. The grooves 66 are the joints 68 between the panel joint lower ends 32 and the beam joint lower end 14. The grooves 66 are sealed by solvent welding the polymer coating on the bottom skins 24 and the beam bottom 10. After assembly, solvent is applied to the joint 68. The solvent 46 dissolves the polymer 46 and carries the polymer 46 into the joint 68. The solvent 46 evaporates, depositing the polymer 46 within the joint 68 and onto the bottom skin 24 and beam bottom 10. The polymer 46-coated surfaces and sealed joint 68 are illustrated by FIG. 2.

(34) Unless the context requires otherwise, any description of a feature with respect to any drawing applies equally to that feature or to corresponding features on other drawings.

(35) The following is a list of numbered elements from the claims and specification. a clean room ceiling 2 an inverted T-shaped beam 4 a beam upright 6 opposing beam legs 8 beam bottom 10 a beam joint portion 12 a beam joint lower end 14 an beam joint upper end 16 a relief 18 a composite ceiling panel 20 a top skin 22 a bottom skin 24 a core 26 periphery 28 panel joint portions 30 panel joint lower end 32 panel joint upper end 34 beam frame 35 beam wrap 36 beam standards 37 beam wrap bottom 38 beam wrap side 40 an angle of less than 90 degrees beam wrap spring 42 a polymer coating 44 a polymer 46 a bracket 48 a bracket horizontal portion 50 a bracket hook portion 52 fasteners 54 an angle of less than 90 degrees 56 beam wrap hook 58 a spring clip 60 a pair of bosses 62 a spring clip arm 64 a shallow groove 66 joint 68