EP0711882B1 - Supporting structure for a dismountable ceiling and suspending means for use in such a supporting structure - Google Patents

Abstract

The structure consists of supporting rails (14P, 14S) for the ceiling panels (12), connected to a framework (22) of I-beams suspended from the main ceiling (10). The lower flanges (26) of the I-beams have cut-away sections (23) at regular intervals to receive clips (35) connecting them to the rails. Each of the rails has a thicker portion (18) along its upper edge, and each clip (35) has two downward-pointing lugs with an aperture between them shaped to receive the upper edge of a rail.

Description

The present invention relates generally removable ceilings.

As we know, these are false ceilings, which, duly suspended from a floor slab, on the underside of this one, creates a vacuum with this floor slab, and this empty, commonly called "plenum", is frequently put works, in certain environments, and, particularly, in hospital, for the installation of various equipment techniques, such as cable trays, air supply ducts fresh and stale air extraction, circulation pipes fluid and others.

In practice, these removable ceilings are made up by a mosaic of ceiling tiles, which, arranged side by side side, are each individually removable, to give access to their right to the overlying technical equipment.

The present invention relates more particularly the supporting structure implemented to support these ceiling tiles.

Overall, this structure currently includes a grid network of support profiles presenting along their lower edge of the wings on which the slabs of ceiling rest by simple gravity, namely, on the one hand, support profiles, which are directly suspended from the slab of overlying floor, and which, for convenience, will hereinafter called main support profiles, and, on the other part, support profiles, hereinafter called simply convenience secondary support profiles, which, forming cross braces between the support profiles are hooked from place to place on these profiles main support, perpendicular to them.

In practice, for the suspension of support profiles main to the overlying floor slab it is set works with threaded rods which are duly installed from place in place in this floor slab by dowels.

The advantage of this provision is that it does not allow implement only relatively support profiles simple and light.

But it has many disadvantages which, for essentially relate to the joint implementation of the very many threaded rods necessary for their suspension.

First of all, the implantation of these threaded rods must be done according to rigorous spacing, corresponding to those main support profiles to be supported.

It therefore requires a preliminary layout particularly specific.

In addition, this implementation can be difficult, especially in a congested environment, and this is the case when a lot of technical equipment is present, these can at least locally oppose the passage of threaded rods to be implanted.

In addition, the anchoring of these threaded rods in the slab of the overlying floor is itself relatively long and painful to realize.

In addition, the length adjustment of these rods threaded, necessary for obtaining good flatness overall, is relatively delicate and time consuming.

Finally, these threaded rods also make relatively difficult the possible placement of plates made of insulating material between the floor slab and the false ceiling.

The present invention generally has for subject a provision to avoid these disadvantages and further leading to other benefits.

To do this, it proposes to take advantage of already existing framework furs of the type forming those primary framework furs in the French patent application which, filed on March 8, 1985 under No. 85 03424, was published under No. FR-A-2 578 570.

These framework furs include locally place in place, along their lower edge, cutouts thanks to each of which it is formed at least one shoulder turned towards their upper edge.

In French patent application No. FR-A-2 578 570, it is proposed directly snap on secondary frame furs in these cutouts, with a view to establishing a fixed ceiling.

According to the invention, it is proposed to couple lines to it of adaptation specific to the suspension of the main support profiles necessary to establish a removable ceiling.

The present invention therefore relates to a supporting structure for demountable ceiling of the kind comprising, for the support of ceiling tiles, a gridded network of support profiles formed, on the one hand, of main supports, which are intended to be suspended from a floor slab, and, on the other hand, secondary support profiles, which, level with the main support profiles, are established from place to place between these profiles main support, perpendicular to them, this supporting structure being generally characterized in that it comprises, for the suspension of the main support profiles, on the one hand, at least one framework fur which has a central core, and, along the lower edge of this median core, lateral wings, and which comprises, locally, of place in place, along its lower edge, cutouts in favor of each of which there is formed at least one shoulder turned towards the side of its upper edge, these cutouts affecting both the middle core, to the part lower of it, than the lateral wings, and having, each, back to back, parallel to these side wings, two blind bottom slots, and said shoulder being formed by the lower lip of one of these slots at bottom blind, and, on the other hand, at least one adaptation hanger comprising, at its upper part, at least one tab by which it is capable of being hooked on a shoulder of the framework fur, and, at its lower part, a head, by which it is adapted to engage with said support profile principal to suspend.

The framework furring (s) used according to the invention may for example be duly suspended from the overlying floor slab, following for example provisions of the type described in the French patent application mentioned above.

But, in particular, because these framework furs can easily be relatively long important, the number of threaded rods to be used for their suspension is advantageously reduced, which facilitates implantation and length adjustment of these threaded rods.

In addition, this establishment does not require advantageously no particular layout.

Jointly, given the reduced number of stems threaded, the technical equipment to provide easily find their place.

But, in practice, the framework fur (s) implemented according to the invention can advantageously have a sufficient length to be installed directly from wall to wall, especially when the ranges then to be respected are equal or less than three meters, which then completely releases the place above them.

In all cases, presenting, in advance, one step determined, the cuts specific to the installation of the lines adaptation according to the invention, these framework furs advantageously avoid any route for the establishment of main support profiles required to support ceiling tiles.

In addition, by their own profile, they present advantageously good mechanical strength, for the benefit of the solidity of the whole.

Finally, they allow, advantageously, if desired, easy installation of insulating material plates, these insulating material plates which can for example come to rest by simple gravity on the wings they present along from their bottom edge, finding their place on their own height, without interfering with any rods suspension.

la figure 1 est, avec des arrachements locaux, et de manière en partie éclatée, une vue partielle en perspective d'une structure porteuse suivant l'invention, vue de dessus ;

la figure 2 reprend, à échelle supérieure, le détail de la figure 1 repéré par un encart II sur cette figure 1 ;

la figure 3 est, à échelle encore supérieure, une vue en perspective d'une suspente d'adaptation mise en oeuvre dans cette structure porteuse ;

la figure 4 est une vue en élévation de face de cette suspente d'adaptation, suivant la flèche IV de la figure 3 ;

la figure 5 en est une vue en élévation latérale, suivant la flèche V de la figure 4 ;

la figure 6 est une vue en perspective qui, analogue à celle de la figure 3, se rapporte à une variante de réalisation de la suspente d'adaptation suivant l'invention.

The objects of the invention, their characteristics and their advantages will appear from the description which follows, by way of example, with reference to the appended schematic drawings in which:

Figure 1 is, with local cutaway, and partially exploded, a partial perspective view of a supporting structure according to the invention, seen from above;

Figure 2 shows, on a larger scale, the detail of Figure 1 identified by an insert II in this Figure 1;

Figure 3 is, on a still larger scale, a perspective view of an adaptation line implemented in this support structure;

Figure 4 is a front elevational view of this adapter hanger, according to arrow IV of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view along arrow V of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a perspective view which, similar to that of Figure 3, relates to an alternative embodiment of the adaptation hanger according to the invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, it is, overall, to hang from any floor slab 10, on the underside thereof, a removable ceiling 11, formed, for the most part, 12 contour ceiling tiles globally quadrangular, and, for example square.

In a manner known per se, the supporting structure 13 implemented for this purpose includes, for the support of the slabs of ceiling 12, a grid network of support profiles 14P, 14S formed, on the one hand, of main support profiles 14P, which are intended to be suspended from the floor slab 10, and, secondly, secondary 14S support profiles, which, at level with the main support profiles 14P, are established from place to place between these support profiles 14P main, perpendicular to them, forming in some sort of cross ties between them.

These support profiles 14P, 14S, which have substantially the same profile, are well known by themselves, and, not falling not of the present invention, they will only be succinctly described here.

It will suffice, in practice, to indicate that they include a central core 15, with, along the lower edge of the latter, side wings 16, on which rest, by single gravity, ceiling tiles 12, and, along its upper edge, in the embodiment shown, a bead 18.

The central core 15 of the main support profiles 14P presents, from place to place, slots 19, and, at their ends, the secondary 14S support profiles have hooks 20 by which they are hooked on both main support profiles 14P between which they extend through one of the slots 19 in the middle core 15 of these.

According to the invention, the support structure 13 comprises, for the suspension of the main support profiles 14P, at minus a frame fur 22 which, like that described in the French patent No 85 03424 mentioned above, includes, locally, from place to place, along its lower edge, 23 cutouts in favor of each of which there is formed at least one shoulder 24 turned from the side of its top edge.

In the embodiment shown, and as described in French patent application FR-A-2 578 570, the fur of frame 22 has, in cross section, an I-profile, with a central core 25, lateral wings 26 along the edge lower of this median core 25, and wings 27 along its upper edge.

The cutouts 23 affect both the central core 25, the lower part of it, that the wings 26 corresponding.

The shoulder 24 belongs to the remaining part of the middle core 25, and it is in practice formed by the lip bottom of a blind bottom slot 29 formed in this core median 25 parallel to the lateral wings 26.

In practice, for each cut 23 two slots at the bottom blind 29 are provided back to back, and, therefore, two shoulders 24, on either side of a heel 28 whose lower edge is level with the side wings 26.

The framework fur 22 thus formed can advantageously extend along a relatively wide important, and, for example, go from one wall to another, or even be placed directly on them.

Alternatively, it is provided, from place to place, for its coupling to the overlying floor slab 10, as described in French patent application FR-A-2 578 570, lines 30.

In practice, the supporting structure 13 has, place in place, a plurality of frame furs 22.

From one to the other, the cutouts 23 are aligned, and the main 14P support profiles are established at their law.

According to the invention, for the coupling of a profile of main support 14P to a frame fur 22, it is provided for an adaptation line 31 comprising, on the one hand, its upper part, at least one tab 35, by which it is suitable for being hooked onto a shoulder 24 of a cutout 23 of this frame fur 22, and, on the other hand, to its lower part, a head 36, by which it is adapted to engage with the main support profile 14P at to suspend.

In practice, in the embodiments shown, the adaptation line 31 comprises, overall parallel to each other, at a distance from each other, two legs 35, at the rate of one per shoulder 24 of a cutout 23 of the framework fur 22, and, for their hooking on such a shoulder 24, these legs 35 are to be folded in the direction of the head 36.

In the embodiments shown, the adaptation line 31 is formed in one piece in one and even blank, in metallic practice, suitably cut and possibly folded.

It therefore includes a flat core 38.

The legs 35 extend at the edge of this core 38, and, integral with the latter, they are capable of being folded.

In the embodiment more particularly shown in Figures 1 to 5, the legs 35 are from arms 40 laterally forming extensions of the core 38, and they are, in advance, bent square, in the workshop, generally perpendicular to this core 38.

The main support profiles 14P comprising, as described above, a bead 18 along their edge upper, the head 36 of an adaptation line 31 shape, generally parallel to each other, in the embodiment shown, two fingers 41, which, by returns 42 directed towards each other, are suitable for enclose, with clearance, such a bead 18, as shown schematically in broken lines in Figure 4.

In the embodiment more particularly shown in Figures 1 to 5, these fingers 41 are offset one relative to the other perpendicular to the core 38 of which they are derived, and they are therefore also offset one by relative to each other along the main support profile 14P of which they enclose the bead 18.

To do this, they are each assigned, at their root, two folds 43, 44, which are parallel to each other, but which are in opposite directions of folding relative to each other.

For example, and as shown, these folds 43, 44 are square folds.

Anyway, one of the fingers 41 extends in practice on one side of the core 38, and the other on the side of this opposite to the previous one.

In the embodiment shown, the returns 42 of the two fingers 41 extend along the plane of these, and, therefore, parallel to the core 38, and, in practice, following a generally rounded outline.

Anyway, the D1 offset between the two fingers 41 is made at least equal, and preferably slightly greater than the thickness D2 of the bead 18 of the profiles of main 14P support.

An adaptation line 31 can thus advantageously be engaged, by his fingers 41, on the the bead 18 of such a main support profile 14P, at a point any of it, with its core 38 parallel to the middle core 15 of this main support section 14P, as shown in broken lines on the Figure 4, before being pivoted by a quarter turn relative to this profile main 14P support.

At the end of this quarter-turn pivot, the line adapter 31 is hooked by his fingers 41 on the bead 18 of the main support profile 14P on which it was previously engaged, as shown in solid lines in FIG. 4.

Then simply by sliding along such a support profile 14P principal, to engage its legs 35 on the shoulders 24 of the cutout 23 concerned with the framework fur 22, then bend these legs 35 in a U direction of the head 36, as shown for such an adaptation line 31 on the right side of figure 1.

In the alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the arms 40 from which the legs 35 originate extend over the entire height of the core 38, and the fingers 41 of the head 36 are themselves derived from these arms 40.

In addition, for flat delivery of the assembly, the lugs 35 initially remain in the plane of the core 38, and the fingers 41 extend themselves following this plan.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the forms of realization described and represented, but includes any variant as described in the claims.

Claims (5)

1. A bearer structure for a dismantleable ceiling of the kind comprising, for supporting ceiling panels (12), a squared grid system of shaped support members (14P, 14S) formed on the one hand by main shaped support members (14) which are intended to be suspended from a floor slab (10) and on the other hand secondary shaped support members (14S) which, level with the main shaped support members (14P), are disposed at spaced positions between said main shaped support members (14P) perpendicularly thereto, characterised in that for suspension of the main shaped support members (14P), it comprises on the one hand at least one framework blocking member (22) which has a central web (25) and, along the lower edge of said central web (25), lateral limbs (26), and which locally comprises at spaced positions along its lower edge cut-out (23), by means of each of which there is formed at least one shoulder (24) which is directed towards its upper edge, said cut-outs (23) involving both the central web (25) in the lower part thereof and the lateral limbs (26) and each having in back-to-back relationship and parallel to said lateral limbs (26) two blind-bottomed slots (29), and said shoulder (24) being formed by the lower lip of one of said blind-bottomed slots (29) and, on the other hand, for joining a main shaped support member (14P) to such a framework blocking member (22), a suspension adapter (31) comprising in its upper part at least one lug (35) by way of which it is capable of being hooked onto a shoulder (24) of said framework blocking member (22) and, in its lower part, a head (36) by means of which it is adapted to come into engagement with said main shaped support member (14P) to be suspended.
2. A bearer structure according to claim 1 characterised in that, for its hooking engagement on a shoulder (24) of the framework blocking member (22), the lug (35) of the suspension adapter (31) is intended to be bent in the direction of its head (36).
3. A bearer structure according to either one of claims 1 and 2 characterised in that the suspension adapter (31) comprises two lugs (35) which are generally in mutually parallel relationship at a spacing from each other.
4. A bearer structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterised in that the head (36) of the suspension adapter (31) forms in generally mutually parallel relationship two fingers (41) which, by means of bend portions (42) which are directed towards each other, are intended to embrace an enlarged portion (18) disposed along the upper edge of the main shaped support member (14P).
5. A bearer structure according to claim 4 characterised in that the two fingers (41) of the head (36) of the suspension adapter (31), when they embrace said enlarged portion (18), are displaced relative to each other along the main shaped support member (14P).

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