EP3428360B1

EP3428360B1 - Multifunctional false ceiling system for the partitioning and lighting of a space

Info

Publication number: EP3428360B1
Application number: EP18182154.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ruggero Grandi
Original assignee: C&g Sas
Current assignee: C&g Sas
Priority date: 2017-07-11
Filing date: 2018-07-06
Publication date: 2020-07-22
Anticipated expiration: 2038-07-06
Also published as: EP3428360A1

Description

The present invention generally applies to the field of interior furnishing and it regards a multifunctional system installable in a space at a ceiling, in particular for offices, museums, shops and the like.

State of the Art

Systems for obtaining false ceilings in a space, for example the so-called "open space" office, a shop, a museum or the like, are known. Such systems generally included a plurality of beams or longitudinal profiles connected to a ceiling. In case there is a false ceiling, a plurality of panels are coupled to the beams.
The bearing beams are multifunctional, i.e. suitable to concealingly house a plurality of accessories such as alarms, lighting lights, electric cables, data cables, ducts for air conditioning, partitioning walls or the like.
Such accessories can be removably inserted into the bearing beam so as to enable a user to change the configuration of the environment whenever required.
When the accessory is not inserted, the bearing beam remains exposed or concealed by means of special finishing elements. Such characteristic jeopardises the aesthetic aspect of the system.
Furthermore, the solutions of known multifunctional systems which comprise lighting accessories for spaces can be improved from different points of view.
From DE202006002567 a system is known having all the features of the preamble of the independent claim 1.

Summary of the invention

An object of the present invention is to at least partly overcome the drawbacks illustrated above, by providing a multifunctional system installable in a space at a ceiling, that is highly functional and inexpensive.
An object of the invention is to provide a multifunctional system that enables to change the configuration of the space in which it is mounted in a simple and quick manner.
An object of the invention is to provide a multifunctional system that enables to mount a particularly versatile lighting accessory.
An object of the invention is to provide a multifunctional system that enables to mount partitioning walls in an entirely integrated manner.
An object of the invention is to provide a multifunctional system that enables to mount the panels of the false ceiling in a simple and quick manner.
An object of the invention is to provide a multifunctional system that minimises the installation times.
An object of the invention is to provide a multifunctional system of high aesthetic appeal.
These objects, as well as others that will be clearer hereinafter, are attained by a multifunctional system according to claim 1.
The dependent claims 2 to 14 define advantageous embodiments of such invention.

Brief description of the drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be more apparent in light of the detailed description of a preferred but non-exclusive embodiment of a system 1, illustrated by way of non-limiting example with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1A and 1B are schematic views of embodiments of a system 1;
FIG. 1C is a schematic view of the electric power supply of a lighting device 40;
FIGS. 1D and 1E are axonometric views of some details of the system 1, in particular FIG. 1D illustrates a beam 10 and FIG. 1E illustrate a lighting device 40;
FIGS. 2 , 3A and 4 are a sectional schematic view of different embodiments of some details of the partitioning system 1, with FIG. 4B showing some enlarged details of FIG. 4;
FIG. 3B is an exploded lateral view of the system 1.

Detailed description of some preferred embodiments

With reference to the mentioned figures, herein described is a system 1 installable in a space E, generally an open space, at a ceiling C or a false ceiling.
The system 1 may essentially include one or more longitudinal profiles 10 that can be connected to the ceiling C in a per se known manner. The longitudinal profiles 10 may be structural, in which case they are referred to as "beams", or not.
Even though beams will be referred to hereinafter, it is clear that the profiles may be structural or not, without departing from the scope of protection of the attached claims.
A plurality of panels 20 of the false ceiling and a plurality of elements 26 for the mutual connection of the panels 20 and the beams 10 may be possibly present.
Once the panels 20 and the beam 10 are connected, the latter may cooperate to define a main extension plane of the false ceiling π.
The beam 10 may have a substantially longitudinal extension defining an axis X and it may comprise a pair of lateral walls 11, 12 facing each other and an upper wall 13 designated to be faced towards the ceiling C.
The lateral walls 11, 12 may extend in respective planes substantially perpendicular to the false ceiling, i.e. they may be substantially perpendicular to the upper wall 13 so as to cooperate in a manner such that the beam 10 is substantially C-shaped.
It is clear that the lateral walls 11, 12 may be divided into two or more portions, without departing from the scope of protection of the attached claims.
The lateral walls 11, 12 and the upper wall 13 may thus mutually cooperate to define a compartment 14 open at the bottom part to removably, selectively and alternatively receive one or more accessories that perform one or more functions in the space E, for example a lighting device 40 or an accessory 30 for sustaining one or more partitioning walls or similar accessories. Furthermore, a protection element 50 operatively coupled with the lighting device 40 may possibly be provided for.
Each of the lateral walls 11, 12 of the beam 10 may include an upper edge 1100', 1200' facing towards the ceiling C and an upper edge 1100", 1200" opposite thereto and faced downwards.
The lateral walls 11, 12 may have inner surfaces 110', 120' and outer surfaces 110", 120", the latter being designated to remain facing the panels 20.
Elements 16 for connection with corresponding connection elements 26 of the panels 20 may be arranged externally to the beam 10. For example, the connection elements 16 may be seats or female elements 16' arranged at the outer surfaces 110", 120", while the connection elements 26 may be male elements 26'.
The connection elements 16 and the connection elements 26 may possibly be snap-coupled to each other.
For example, as illustrated in the attached figures, the lateral walls 11, 12 may comprise a pair of guides 17', 17" facing each other and a step 18 cooperating with the former to define the guide rail 16'.
It is clear that the aforementioned male and female elements may also be inverted without departing from the scope of protection of the attached claims. For example, the connection elements 26 may include the female element and the connection elements 16 may include the male element.
The beam 10 and the panel 20 may be coupled so as to enable the mutual sliding along a direction substantially parallel to the axis X and prevent the mutual sliding thereof along a direction substantially perpendicular with respect to the axis X, i.e. they may prevent the de-coupling of the beam 10 and of the panel 20.
Thus, the panels 20 and the beam 10 may be connected in a simple and quick manner, without using screws, bolts or similar fixing elements. Furthermore, thanks to such characteristic, the positioning of the panel 20 may be varied slightly even when it is already connected with the beam 10.
The maximum distance d1 between the inner surfaces 110', 120' of the walls 11, 12 may be particularly large with respect to the general overall dimensions of the beam 10. For example, such distance d1 may be about 100 mm.
The distance d2 between the upper edge 1100', 1200' and the lower edge 1100", 1200" of the respective walls 11, 12 may be particularly small, for example lesser than 100 mm, preferably about 60 mm.
Such distance d2 may thus define the height h of the beam 10.
Thus, the beam 10 may suitably have particularly small overall dimensions and it may be particularly suitable to be installed in ceilings or false ceilings having low thickness. For example, such system 1 may use panels 20 having thicknesses comprised between 15 mm and 45 mm.
Furthermore, as shown in the attached figures, the panel 20 and the lower edge 1100", 1200" may be substantially flushed so as to confer a high aesthetic appeal to the system 1.
The beam 10 may suitably comprise one or more portions 19 to be coupled with the ceiling C. Such type of coupling may be of the per se known type.
On the other hand, the inner surfaces 110', 120', 130' of the walls 11, 12, 13 may thus define the inner surface 140' of the compartment 14.
Furthermore, according to a particular aspect of the invention, the inner surface 140' of the compartment 14 may be configured so as to have a low reflection, for example it may be substantially black, it may be painted black or it may be treated and/or covered with a high light absorption material.
Thus, the inner surface 140' may appear as substantially dark to the user.
The space E may thus be captivating in that when the beam 10 is without accessories 30, 40 or covering elements, the user inside the space E can see the dark, substantially black, beams 10 only.
Thus, there may be obtained a stark difference between the panels, generally light-coloured (white or grey) and the dark beam 10 so as to confer a particular aesthetic appeal to the system 1.
As a matter of fact, the systems generally available in the market use covering elements coupled to the beam so as to be substantially aligned with the panels. Such covering elements are of the same colour as the light colour of the panels so as to have chromatic continuity.
Such covering elements have a plurality of holes to ensure an appropriate sound insulation performance. In particular, the presence of the latter holes slightly varies the chromaticity of the covering element so as not to jeopardising aesthetic aspect of the entire system.
The beam 10 may comprise at least one portion 15 to enable the coupling of the accessory 30, 40 with the beam 10. Such coupling may preferably be of the removable type.
For example, male or female elements 15' susceptible to snap-receive the partitioning accessory 30 may be provided for as illustrated in FIG. 3.
The system 1 may thus be multifunctional, i.e. it may be suitable to house a plurality of accessories in a removable manner so as to guarantee to the user the possibility of changing the configuration of the space E whenever required
For example, the accessories may be the lighting device 40 and/or the system 30 for sustaining one or more partitioning walls or further accessories may be provided for. The accessories may be of different type, for example, they may be service accessories such as lights, fire safety alarms, cable ducts and/or the like. Data cables, telephone cables or the like may be possibly inserted into the cable ducts.
The protection element 50 which may preferably be more or less transparent and/or reflecting to enable the light beams of the lighting device 40 to pass through, may possibly be provided for.
It is clear that the system 1 may comprise a plurality of beams 10 having the characteristics described above, each one of which may comprise one or more accessories 30, 40.
Should the need to vary the configuration of the system 1 arise, the appropriate accessory 30, 40 may be suitably mounted upon removing the accessory 30, 40 present, if present, from one or more of the beams 10.
For example, should there arise the need to partition the space E of the open space type into a plurality of compartments, it may be sufficient to mount the accessory 30 for sustaining one or more partitioning walls, which for example may be made of glass or plasterboard, or mount one or more lighting devices 40.
The beams 10 may possibly comprise several accessories simultaneously. However, the accessories 30, 40 may preferably be selectively alternatively mountable on a beam 10. In other words, the latter may receive the partitioning accessory 30 or one or more lighting devices 40.
The latter may comprise conductive means 41 and at least one light source 40'. In particular, an electric power supply line, for example the domestic power mains, electrically connected with the conductive means 41 may be provided for so that the latter power-supplies the light source 40'.
The latter may for example comprise one or more LED lights, possibly a spot of LED lights, i.e. a plurality of of LEDs 40' mounted on a special support structure of the known type. In particular, the LED lights 40' may be electrically connected with the conductive means 41 so as to be power-supplied by the latter.
More in detail, the conductive means 41 may comprise a longitudinal guide rail 41' and the LED lights 40' may be coupled with the longitudinal guide rail 41' so that the latter power-supplies the former.
Each device 40 may be substantially modular, i.e. it may be formed by two or more LED spots 40'. For example, the device 40 may have a length of 600 mm (one spot), 1200 mm (two spots) or 1800 mm (three spots).
Each spot may comprise a high number of LEDs. For example, a spot measuring 600 mm long may comprise 294 LEDs 40' arranged in 7 rows.
According to a particular aspect of the invention, the guide rail 41' may be power-supplied at low voltage. Thus, the LED lights 40' may too be power-supplied at low voltage.
The electronic devices are divided into electrical insulation classes as defined by the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission). In particular, the device 40 may meet the insulation class III requirements according to the IEC.
Thus, the device 40 may be particularly safe, it may not be hazardous in case of contact with the human body, and thus does not require the earthing of the device.
For example, the voltage of the guide rail 41' may be about 48 volts in direct current.
The electric power supply line may suitably be at low voltage (electricity generated by a low voltage battery) or there may be provided for at least one low voltage transformer 42 connected to the electric power supply line and arranged upstream of the of the guide rail 41' so that the latter is power-supplied in low voltage (FIG. 1C).
There may be provided for a transformer 42 at each beam 10 so that it is connected with a guide rail 41', or the transformer 42 may be simultaneously connected electrically with a plurality of guide rails 41'.
Furthermore, there may be possibly connected a plurality of consecutive guide rails 41' connected to the same beam 10 with the same transformer 42.
It is clear that the dimensioning and configuration of the transformer 42 may vary depending on the need, materials, length of the guide rail, or the current of the power mains that supply it with power.
In other words, the domestic mains (220 V in alternating current) may define the electric power supply line, while - due to the presence of the transformer - the guide rail 41' and thus the LED lights 40' may be power-supplied at low voltage (48 V in direct current).
This may allow avoiding the high number of cables and transformers which can generally be observed in such devices. Furthermore, the use of low voltage electric current makes the device particularly safe, with low risks for the users and operators and without requiring earthing.
Thus, the installation thereof will also be particularly simple, safe and quick.
A longitudinal profile 44 which may comprise one or more portions 46 for coupling with the beam 10, for example at the upper wall 13 thereof, may be suitably provided for. Such coupling may be of any type of the per se known type.
The longitudinal profile 44 may have a shape similar to the shape of the beam 10, with a pair of respective opposite lateral walls 47, 48 and an upper wall 49 interposed therebetween so as to define a substantially C-shaped section.
The walls 47, 48 may have a respective upper 4700', 4800' and opposite lower 4700", 4800" edge.
Once coupled, the longitudinal profile 44 may remain inside the compartment 14. The former may preferably be coupled so that the lower edge 4700", 4800" may remain substantially facing the lower edge 1100", 1200" of the respective wall 11, 12 and preferably flushed with the same.
The LED lights 40' may suitably be coupled to the guide rail 41' in any position so that the lighting device 40 and thus the system 1 adapts to the various needs for lighting the space E.
Furthermore, the LED lights 40' may be removably coupled with the guide rail 41' so as to enable to easily configure the arrangement of the former. More in particular, the LED lights 40' may be coupled with the profile 44 in a per se known manner, while the latter may be coupled with the beam 10 as better outlined hereinafter.
The device 40 may suitably comprise at least one adapter 43 for coupling the profile 44 with the beam 10. Each device 40 may preferably comprise an adapter 43 in proximity of an end 44' and an adapter 43 in proximity of the opposite end 44' of the longitudinal profile 44.
The adapter 43 may be coupled with the profile 44 in a per se known manner. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, by means of a screw-bolt system.
The guide rail 41' may suitably comprise at least one magnet, for example a magnetic longitudinal bar, while the adapter 43 may be configured to be attracted by the magnet so as to couple the latter to the guide rail 41'.
In other words, the adapter 43 is coupled at the upper part with the guide rail 41' by means of the mutual magnetic attraction action, and - at the lower part - with the longitudinal profile 44 by means of the screw-bolt system.
The magnetic coupling may for example be obtained so that the guide rail 41' can sustain a weight of 5 Kg per linear metre, i.e. the configuration and characteristics of the magnetic bar and the adapter 43 may be such that the mutual attraction is substantially equal to or greater than such force.
The guide rail 41' may be integrally coupled with the upper wall 13 of the beam 10 in a per se known manner, for example by means of self-tapping screws or screw-bolt systems.
As known, given that the lighting device 40 is under class III, there is no need for particular solutions for the safety or insulation of one or more parts thereof.
The LED lights 40' may be all identical to each other or not. In any case, each LED light 40' may be coupled with the guide rail 41' by means of the adapters 43 described above in any position of any beam 10.
It is clear that the electrical connections between each LED 40' and the guide rail 41' may be of the per se known type, for example by means of suitable cables passing through the adapter 43.
As shown in FIG. 3, the system 1 may suitably comprise the lighting device 40 and the protection element 50 which may be at least partly optically transparent to enable the light beams to pass through.
The protection element 50 may comprise a pair of opposite longitudinal walls 51, 52 and a horizontal wall 53 interposed therebetween so as to have a substantially C-shaped section. In particular, the latter horizontal wall 53 may be optically transparent and remain faced to the LED lights 40'.
The protection element 50 may suitably be removably coupled with the snap-coupled lighting device 40. For example, the protection element 50 may comprise a portion 55 for snap-coupling with the lighting device 40 (FIG. 3A).
In particular, the lateral walls 51, 52 may have male or female elements defining such coupling portions while the longitudinal profile 44 may comprise coupling portions 45 comprising corresponding female or male elements 45' configured to be snap-coupled with the former.
As described above, the same beam 10 may be coupled with different types of accessories. For example, in FIG. 4 there is shown a partitioning accessory 30 removably snap-coupled with the beam 10.
In a per se known manner, the partitioning accessory 30 may also comprise a longitudinal profile 34 which may comprise, similarly to the longitudinal profile 44, a pair of respective faced 37, 38 and upper 39 lateral walls mutually interposed so as to define a substantially overturned C-shaped section. The longitudinal profile 34 may suitably comprise at least one portion 36 for coupling with the beam 10. Each lateral wall 37, 38 may for example comprise a male or female element 36' to be snap-coupled with the corresponding female or male element 15' of the beam 10.
The longitudinal profile 34 may thus be configured to define a longitudinal profile 32 for a partitioning wall W formed by a single panel, or - despite not being shown in the attached figures - a plurality of substantially parallel longitudinal seats for a partitioning wall formed by two or more panels.
Such accessory 30 may for example be particularly suitable for glass doors or partitioning walls.
The invention invention is susceptible to numerous modifications and variants, all falling within the scope of protection of the attached claims. All details can be replaced by other technically equivalent elements, and the materials can be different depending on the technical needs, without departing from the scope of protection defined by the attached claims.

Claims

A multifunctional system installable in a space (E) at a ceiling (C), comprising:
- at least one longitudinal profile (10) couplable with the ceiling (C);

- at least one first accessory and one second accessory (30, 40) that perform one or more functions in the space (E), said at least one first and one second accessory (30, 40) being alternatively and selectively removably couplable with said at least one longitudinal profile (10);
wherein said at least one profile (10) comprises a pair of lateral walls (11, 12) facing each other and an upper wall (13) designated to be faced towards the ceiling (C) cooperating with each other to internally define a compartment (14) open at the bottom for removably receiving said at least one first (30) or at least one second (40) accessory,
wherein said at least one first or one second accessory (40) comprises:
- at least one longitudinal conductive guide rail (41') susceptible to be powered by means of electric power supply means;

- at least one light source (40') removably coupled with said at least one longitudinal conductive guide rail (41') so that the latter power-supplies the former;
wherein said multifunctional system further comprises at least one low voltage transformer coupled or couplable with said at least one profile (10) and electrically connected with said at least one longitudinal conductive guide rail (41') and with the electric power supply means so that said at least one light source (40') is power-supplied at low voltage;
characterized in that said at least one second accessory (40) comprises at least one adapter element (43) operatively coupled with said at least one light source (40') and said adapter element (43) being susceptible to be removably coupled with said at least one longitudinal conductive guide rail (41'), the latter and said adapter element (43) being mutually coupled by means of magnetic attraction.
System according to the preceding claim, wherein said at least one light source (40') is operatively coupled with said at least one longitudinal conductive guide rail (41') at any position of the latter.
System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said at leastone light source (40') is rotationally coupled with said at least one longitudinal conductive guide rail (41').
System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said lightsource (40') is power-supplied at low voltage in direct current.
System according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said light source (40') is a LED or a spot of a plurality of LEDs, said light source (40') preferably comprising a plurality of modularly couplable spots of LEDs all identical to each other.
System according to one or more of the preceding claims, comprising a pluralityof longitudinal profiles (10) each one of which having a respective at least one longitudinal conductive guide rail (41'), said light source (40') or said plurality of light sources (40') being couplable to any one of said at least one longitudinal conductive guide rail (41') of said longitudinal profiles (10).
System according to one or more of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of longitudinal profiles (10) and a plurality of panels (20) couplable with said longitudinal profiles (10) to obtain a false ceiling, wherein said lateral walls (11, 12) and said upper wall (13) have each an inner surface (110', 120', 130') defining the inner surface (140') of said compartment (14), wherein when said at least one first and one second accessory (30, 40) are de-coupled from said at least one longitudinal profile (10), said inner surface (140') of said compartment (14) is designated to remain exposed, wherein said panels (20) are light-coloured, said inner surface (140') of said compartment (14) being configured or treated so as to be dark-coloured.
System according to the preceding claim, wherein said panels (20) are white or grey-coloured, said inner surface (140') of said compartment (14) being configured or treated to be black-coloured.
System according to claim 7 or 8, wherein when said at least one first and one second accessory (30, 40) are de-coupled from said at least one longitudinal profile (10), said inner surface (140') of said compartment (14) remains exposed without any covering element of said longitudinal profiles (10).
System according to claim 7, 8 or 9, wherein said lateral walls (11, 12) extend in respective planes substantially perpendicular to the false ceiling, said lateral walls (11, 12) having an upper edge (1100', 1200') faced towards the ceiling (C) and an opposite lower edge (1100", 1200") faced towards the space (E), the distance (d2) between said upper (1100', 1200') and lower (1100", 1200") edges defining the height (h) of said at least one longitudinal profile (10), the latter being lesser than 100 mm, preferably about 60 mm.
System according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein said at least one first and one second accessory (30, 40) comprise at least one respective first and second portion (36, 46) for the removable coupling with said longitudinal profiles (10) inside said compartment (14).
System according to the preceding claim, wherein said lateral walls (11, 12) comprise a respective third coupling portion (15), the latter and said first coupling portion (36) of said at least one first accessory (30) or said first and second coupling portions (36, 46) of said at least one first and one second accessory (30, 40) being mutually configured for snap-coupling.
System according to any one of claims 7 to 12, wherein said lateral walls (11, 12) have each an outer surface (110", 120") comprising first elements (16) for coupling with said panels (20), the latter comprising second elements (26) for coupling with said first coupling elements (16) of said lateral walls (11, 12), said first coupling elements (16) of said lateral walls (11, 12) and said second coupling elements (26) of said panels (20) being preferably mutually couplable in a removable manner.
System according to the preceding claim, wherein said longitudinal profiles (10) and said panels (20) are mutually configured so that upon mutually coupling said first and second coupling elements (16, 26), said panels (20) are substantially flushed with said lower edge (1100", 1200") of said lateral walls (11, 12) of said longitudinal profiles (10) so as to ensure a substantial view continuity for the user.