CLEANROOM SUSPENDED CEILING MOLDING HAVING A GASKET

Abstract

A wall molding for a suspended ceiling comprising a roll-formed sheet metal body having a vertical leg and horizontal leg connected at a substantially ninety-degree angle, the vertical leg having a polygonal shape creating an apex and opposite void along with a gasket projecting in a direction away from the horizontal leg wherein the gasket is adapted to create an air-tight seal between the wall molding and the wall when the wall molding is attached to the wall. The molding may also include a second gasket projecting upward from the top surface of the horizontal leg in a direction away from the vertical leg wherein the gasket is adapted to create an air-tight seal between the wall molding and the ceiling panel when a ceiling panel is laid in the grid opening.

Claims

1. A wall molding for a suspended ceiling attached to a wall, the wall molding comprising: a vertical leg having a top end and opposite bottom end, a polygonal shape creating an apex on a first surface the vertical leg and a corresponding void in a second surface opposite the first surface, and a wall gasket projecting outward from the second surface; a horizontal leg projecting outward from the bottom end of the vertical leg at a substantially ninety-degree angle, the horizontal leg having a top surface and opposite bottom surface, and a terminal end opposite the bottom end; wherein the gasket is adapted to create an air-tight seal between the wall molding and the wall when the wall molding is attached to the wall.

2. The wall molding of claim 1, further comprising: a beam gasket projecting upward from the top surface.

3. The wall molding of claim 1, wherein the wall gasket is a sheet, semi-circular shape, L-shape, finger, or combination thereof.

4. The wall molding of claim 3, wherein the wall gasket is a combination of a sheet and a finger.

5. The wall molding of claim 1, wherein the void closer to the bottom end than the top end of the vertical leg.

6. The wall molding of claim 1, wherein the wall gasket is located within the void.

7. The wall molding of claim 1, wherein the vertical leg and horizontal leg are formed of sheet metal.

8. The wall molding of claim 1, wherein the wall gasket is a polymer.

9. The wall molding of claim 2, wherein the beam gasket projects in a direction away from the vertical leg.

10. The wall molding of claim 2, wherein the beam gasket is a polymer.

11. A ceiling system for a cleanroom, the ceiling system comprising: a beam attached to a wall molding, the wall molding comprising: a vertical leg having a top end and opposite bottom end, a polygonal shape creating an apex on a first surface the vertical leg and a corresponding void in a second surface opposite the first surface, and a wall gasket projecting outward from the second surface; a horizontal leg projecting outward from the bottom end of the vertical leg at a substantially ninety-degree angle, the horizontal leg having a top surface and opposite bottom surface, and a terminal end opposite the bottom end; wherein the gasket is adapted to create an air-tight seal between the wall molding and the wall when the wall molding is attached to the wall.

12. The wall molding of claim 11, further comprising: a beam gasket projecting upward from the top surface.

13. The wall molding of claim 11, wherein the wall gasket is a sheet, semi-circular shape, L-shape, finger, or combination thereof.

14. The wall molding of claim 13, wherein the wall gasket is a combination of a sheet and a finger.

15. The wall molding of claim 11, wherein the void closer to the bottom end than the top end of the vertical leg.

16. The wall molding of claim 11, wherein the wall gasket is located within the void.

17. The wall molding of claim 11, wherein the vertical leg and horizontal leg are formed of sheet metal.

18. The wall molding of claim 11, wherein the wall gasket is a polymer.

19. The wall molding of claim 12, wherein the beam gasket projects in a direction away from the vertical leg.

20. The wall molding of claim 12, wherein the beam gasket is a polymer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0014] The invention is best understood from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing. It is emphasized that, according to common practice, the various features of the drawing are not to scale. On the contrary, the dimensions of the various features are arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity. Included in the drawing are the following figures:

[0015] FIG. 1 is side view of one embodiment of the disclosed wall moldings.

[0016] FIG. 2 is a top right perspective view of the wall molding depicted in FIG. 1.

[0017] FIG. 3 is a bottom left perspective view of the wall molding depicted in FIG. 1.

[0018] FIG. 4A is a side view of one embodiment of the disclosed wall moldings.

[0019] FIG. 4B is a side view of one embodiment of the disclosed wall moldings.

[0020] FIG. 4C is a side view of one embodiment of the disclosed wall moldings.

[0021] FIG. 4D is a side view of one embodiment of the disclosed wall moldings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] The features and benefits of the disclosed molding, beams, and ceiling system are illustrated and described by reference to exemplary embodiments. The disclosure also includes the drawing, in which like reference numbers refer to like elements throughout the various figures that comprise the drawing. This description of exemplary embodiments is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawing, which is to be considered part of the entire written description. Accordingly, the disclosure expressly should not be limited to such exemplary embodiments illustrating some possible non-limiting combinations of features that may exist alone or in other combinations of features.

[0023] In the description of embodiments, any reference to direction or orientation is merely intended for convenience of description and is not intended in any way to limit the scope of the present invention. Relative terms such as lower, upper, horizontal, vertical, above, below, up, down, top, and bottom as well as derivatives of those terms (e.g., horizontally, downwardly, upwardly, etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description only and do not require that the apparatus be construed or operated in a particular orientation. Terms such as attached, affixed, connected, coupled, interconnected, and similar terms refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both moveable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise.

Ceiling System

[0024] The ceiling system includes at least two main beams running substantially parallel to each other. The main beams are supported by angled molding attached to at least two walls. Cross beams run between the main beams. The cross beams may connect to other cross beams, main beams, or the wall. The main beams and cross beams form a grid into which panels may be laid. The panel can be standard commercially available products and, as is conventional, are duplicated across the expanse of a grid.

[0025] The wall can be constructed of drywall sheets secured to vertical studs or other structure at the backside thereof. Where drywall sheets are joined, particularly where their ends are abutted and taped or where they intersect at an outside corner and are capped with a corner bead and joint compound, the wall will have localized bulges meaning that the wall surface deviates from a flat plane.

Beams

[0026] As outlined above, the ceiling system includes both main beams and intersecting cross beams. Regardless of type, beams are formed generally of flat sheet metal folded into an inverted T cross section having a web, a bulb at the top of the web, and a horizontal flange extending in both directions from the bottom of the web. The web is formed of two adjacent layers typically stitched together by punching a portion of one layer through a portion of the second layer surface creating an indentation in the first layer and a bump in the second layer surface. In some instances, the beams are not folded metal but instead are made of extruded material, such as metal (e.g., aluminum) or polymers.

[0027] The main beams are typically suspended from a structural ceiling by wires. The main beams, which run parallel to one another, are generally spaced 24 inches, 36 inches, or 48 inches (61 cm, 91 cm, or 122 cm) apart. A straight, finished main beam may continuously emerge from a roll-forming operation, and then be cut, on the run, into suitable lengths of, for instance, 12 feet (366 cm).

[0028] Crossbeams are connected to the main beams through slots in the main beams. Such connections form corners. In such a configuration, the cross beams are typically supported by the main beams. Cross beams are manufactured in a manner like main beams and may be cut into lengths of 2, 3, or 4 feet (61 cm, 91 cm, or 122 cm). Cross beams may also be connected to brackets by clips. When cross beams are connected to main beams, the ceiling system with a grid adapted to receive laid-in panels is formed.

Panels

[0029] Various type of lay in panels can be used with the grid system. For example, acoustic tiles may be used. In the case of acoustical tiles, the tiles may comprise fiberglass, mineral wool (such as rock wool, slag wool, or a combination thereof), synthetic polymers (such as melamine foam, polyurethane foam, or a combination thereof), mineral cotton, silicate cotton, gypsum, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the tile provides a sound attenuation function and preferred materials for providing the sound attenuation function include mineral wool.

[0030] Acoustic ceiling panels exhibit certain acoustical performance properties. Specifically, the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has developed test method E1414 to standardize the measurement of airborne sound attenuation between room environments 3 sharing a common plenary space. The rating derived from this measurement standard is known as the Ceiling Attenuation Class (CAC). Ceiling materials and systems having higher CAC values have a greater ability to reduce sound transmission through a plenary spacei.e. sound attenuation function. In certain embodiments, the lay in tiles incorporated into the ceiling system provide a CAC (Ceiling Attenuation Class) rating of at least 35, preferably at least 40. CAC is further described below.

[0031] Another important characteristic for acoustic ceiling panel materials is the ability to reduce the amount of reflected sound in a room. One measurement of this ability is the Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) rating as described in ASTM test method C423. This rating is the average of sound absorption coefficients at four octave bands (250, 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz), where, for example, a system having an NRC of 0.90 has about 90% of the absorbing ability of an ideal absorber. A higher NRC value indicates that the material provides better sound absorption and reduced sound reflectionsound absorption function.

[0032] Acoustic ceiling panels can have different constructions. In some cases, the body may be porous, thereby allowing airflow through the body between an upper surface and a lower surface. The body may be comprised of a binder and fibers. In some embodiments, the body may further comprise a filler and/or additive.

[0033] Non-limiting examples of binder may include a starch-based polymer, polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), a latex, polysaccharide polymers, cellulosic polymers, protein solution polymers, an acrylic polymer, polymaleic anhydride, epoxy resins, or a combination of two or more thereof.

[0034] The binder may be present in an amount ranging from about 1 wt. % to about 25 wt. % based on the total dry weight of the bodyincluding all values and sub-ranges there-between. The phrase dry weight refers to the weight of a referenced component without the weight of any carrier. Thus, when calculating the weight percentages of components in the dry-state, the calculation should be based solely on the solid components (e.g., binder, filler, hydrophobic component, fibers, etc.) and should exclude any amount of residual carrier (e.g., water, VOC solvent) that may still be present from a wet-state, which will be discussed further herein. According to the present invention, the phrase dry-state may also be used to indicate a component that is substantially free of a carrier, as compared to the term wet-state, which refers to that component still containing various amounts of carrier.

[0035] Non-limiting examples of filler may include powders of calcium carbonate, including limestone, titanium dioxide, sand, barium sulfate, clay, mica, dolomite, silica, talc, perlite, polymers, gypsum, wollastonite, expanded-perlite, calcite, aluminum trihydrate, pigments, zinc oxide, or zinc sulfate. The filler may be present in an amount ranging from about 25 wt. % to about 99 wt. % based on the total dry weight of the bodyincluding all values and sub-ranges there-between.

[0036] Non-limiting examples of additives include defoamers, wetting agents, biocides, dispersing agents, flame retardants, and the like. The additive may be present in an amount ranging from about 0.01 wt. % to about 30 wt. % based on the total dry weight of the bodyincluding all values and sub-ranges there-between.

[0037] The fibers may be organic fibers, inorganic fibers, or a blend thereof. Non-limiting examples of inorganic fibers mineral wool (also referred to as slag wool), rock wool, stone wool, and glass fibers. Non-limiting examples of organic fiber include fiberglass, cellulosic fibers (e.g. paper fibersuch as newspaper, hemp fiber, jute fiber, flax fiber, wood fiber, or other natural fibers), polymer fibers (including polyester, polyethylene, aramid-i.e., aromatic polyamide, and/or polypropylene), protein fibers (e.g., sheep wool), and combinations thereof. Depending on the specific type of material, the fibers 130 may either be hydrophilic (e.g., cellulosic fibers) or hydrophobic (e.g. fiberglass, mineral wool, rock wool, stone wool). The fibers may be present in an amount ranging from about 5 wt. % to about 99 wt. % based on the total dry weight of the bodyincluding all values and sub-ranges there-between.

[0038] A face coating may comprise a binder, a pigment, and optionally a dispersant.

[0039] Non-limiting examples of a binder include polymers selected from polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), latex, an acrylic polymer, polymaleic anhydride, or a combination of two or more thereof. Non-limiting examples of a latex binder may include a homopolymer or copolymer formed from the following monomers: vinyl acetate (i.e., polyvinyl acetate), vinyl propinoate, vinyl butyrate, ethylene, vinyl chloride, vinylidene chloride, vinyl fluoride, vinylidene fluoride, ethyl acrylate, methyl acrylate, propyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, ethyl methacrylate, methyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, hydroxyethyl methacrylate, hydroxyethyl acrylate, styrene, butadiene, urethane, epoxy, melamine, and an ester. Preferably the binder is selected from the group consisting of aqueous lattices of polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl acrylic, polyurethane, polyurethane acrylic, polystyrene acrylic, epoxy, polyethylene vinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, and polyvinyl chloride.

[0040] The face coating may be a color surface coating. The term color surface coating refers to a surface coating comprising a color pigment and the resulting surface coating exhibits a color on the visible color spectrumi.e., violet, blue, green, yellow, orange, or red. The color surface coating may also have a color of white, black, or grey. The color surface coating may further comprise combinations of two or more colorssuch a primary color (i.e., red, yellow, blue) as well as an achromatic color (i.e., white, grey).

[0041] A non-limiting example of a color surface coating may be pink and produced from a combination of red and white pigments. Another non-limiting example of a color surface coating may be green and produced from a combination of blue and yellow pigments. Another non-limiting example of a color surface coating may be brown and produced from a combination of red, yellow, and black pigments.

[0042] The pigment may be an inorganic pigment. Non-limiting examples of inorganic pigment include particles of carbon black, graphite, graphene, copper oxide, iron oxide, zinc oxide, calcium carbonate, manganese oxide, titanium dioxide and combinations thereof. The inorganic pigments may include individual particles having colors selected from, but not limited to, red, blue, yellow, black, green, brown, violet, white, grey and combinations thereof. The particles that make up the first pigment may have a particle size ranging from about 15 nm to about 1000 mincluding all sizes and sub-ranges there-between.

[0043] Ceiling tiles other than the acoustic tiles described above can also be used in embodiments of the invention. For example, tiles made from metal, wood, plastic, composites, or other materials can be used.

Molding

[0044] A first embodiment of a wall molding 100 constructed in accordance with the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1-3. The molding 100 is secured to the wall by fasteners such as screws, nails, or staples. It is customary that the fasteners are driven through the drywall into the underlying studs or other framework or support. Typically, the studs will be spaced horizontally a regular distance along the wall.

[0045] The wall molding 100 comprises a generally vertical leg 110 connected to a generally horizontal leg 140. The wall molding 100, preferably, is a single sheet of metal, typically steel sufficiently hard to exhibit a springiness or resilience as discussed below. The wall molding 100 while it can be brake-formed, is preferably roll-formed using conventional roll-forming techniques known in the industry.

Polygonal Shape

[0046] The vertical leg 110 includes a polygonal shape 112 projecting outward from the plane of the vertical leg 110 in the direction of the horizontal leg 140. The polygonal shape 112 forms an apex 114 on the front of the vertical leg 110 and a void 116 on the rear. The void 116 must be large enough to allow the wall gasket 150 to provide an airtight seal while permitting the wall molding 100 to remain flush against the wall.

[0047] In certain embodiments, the apex 114 is a point which may form a void 116 which is parabolic in shape. In other embodiments, the apex 114 defines a flat surface which may form a void 116 which is square or rectangular in shape.

[0048] In certain embodiments, the bottom of the polygonal shape 112 is offset from the top of the polygonal shape 112 such that the horizontal leg 140 is out of line with the plane of the vertical leg 110.

[0049] In certain embodiments, the polygonal shape 112 is closer to the horizontal leg 140 than it is to the top of the vertical leg 110. In other embodiments, the polygonal shape 112 is closer to the top of the vertical leg 110 than it is to the horizontal leg 140. In still other embodiments, the polygonal shape 112 is located about the same distance between the top of the vertical leg 110 and the horizontal leg 140.

[0050] In certain embodiments, not shown in the Figures, the gasket 140 comprises a sheet and a finger or L-shaped projection, wherein the sheet portion is located in the void 116 with a uniform thickness.

Wall Gasket

[0051] The vertical leg 110 also includes a wall gasket 150 projecting outward from the plane of the vertical leg 110 in the direction away from the horizontal leg 140. The wall gasket 150 may take on any shape. For example, the wall gasket 150 may be a semi-circular shape, a finger, a sheet, or a combination thereof attached to the rear of the vertical leg 110. Similarly, the wall gasket 150 may be located anywhere along the rear of the vertical leg 110. For example, the wall gasket 150 may be located above, below, or within the void 116 create by the polygonal shape 112. The wall gasket 150 may be made of any flexible material. For example, the wall gasket 150 may be polymer based (e.g., a thermoplastic elastomer).

[0052] In certain embodiments, the top of the vertical leg 110 may be folded back over itself. The fold may be in the direction of the horizontal leg 140, like that depicted in FIGS. 1-3. Conversely, the fold may be in the direction away from the horizontal leg 140.

Beam Gasket

[0053] The horizontal leg 140 includes a beam gasket 160 projecting outward from the top of the horizontal leg 140 in the direction away from the vertical leg 110. The beam gasket 160 may take on any shape. For example, the beam gasket 160 may be a semi-circular shape, a finger, a sheet, or a combination thereof attached to the rear of the vertical leg 110. Similarly, the beam gasket 160 may be located anywhere along the top of the horizontal leg 140. For example, the beam gasket 160 may be located closer to the terminal edge 142 of the horizontal beam 140 than it is to the vertical beam 110. Conversely, the beam gasket 160 may be located further from the terminal edge 142 of the horizontal beam 140 than it is to the vertical beam 110. The beam gasket 160 may even be a substantially equal distance between the terminal edge 142 of the horizontal beam 140 and the vertical beam 110. The beam gasket 160 may also be made of any flexible material. For example, the beam gasket 160 may be polymer based (e.g., a thermoplastic elastomer).

[0054] In certain embodiments, the terminal end of the horizontal beam 140 may be folded back over itself. The fold may be in the upward direction, like that depicted in FIG. 1. Conversely, the fold may be in the downward direction.

Materials

[0055] The molding 100 may be constructed of metal, carbon fiber, plastic, wood, or composite materials. In one embodiment, the molding 100 is made of steel. In other embodiments, the molding 100 is made out of aluminum.

[0056] Although illustrated and described above with reference to certain specific embodiments, the present invention is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown. Rather, various modifications may be made in the details within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims and without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is expressly intended, for example, that all ranges broadly recited in this document include within their scope all narrower ranges which fall within the broader ranges.