GB2202557A

GB2202557A - Suspendable ceiling element

Info

Publication number: GB2202557A
Application number: GB08724638A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin Cooke
Original assignee: ADD LOUVRE SALES Ltd
Current assignee: ADD LOUVRE SALES Ltd
Priority date: 1986-11-06
Filing date: 1987-10-21
Publication date: 1988-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 2007-10-21
Also published as: FR2606439A1; ATE108850T1; GB8724638D0; FR2606439B1; DE3750251D1; GB2202557B; EP0269486B1; EP0269486A1

Abstract

The element is formed from the combination of longitudinal elements (2) and transversal elements (4) together defining open cells (6) arranged in rows of longitudinal cells and transversal cells which are substantially aligned. The cells of the same transversal row lie in the same plane, whereas the cells of the same longitudinal row lie in different planes, or conversely. In particular, the longitudinal elements (2) have a stepped form. This element enables cornices or pipework lying below ceilings to be concealed. <IMAGE>

Description

SUSPENDABLE-CEILING-ELEMENT 2 '. '1' 0 2 5 by- 7 This invention relates to

a suspendable ceiling element having open cells situated in separate planes.

GB-B-1,472,285 discloses suspended ceiling elements having open cells formed by a combination of longitudinal elements and transverse elements which define open cells between them. The open cells are disposed in rows of longitudinal cells and transverse cells which are substantially in alignment, as is clearly apparent particularly from Fig. 1 of GB-1,472, 285.

Thus the individual elements which are formed by multiple open cells are substantially planar This planar arrangement is completely satisfactory for substantially flat ceilings.

However, cornices are often provided towards the edges of ceilings to hide piping, or else piping alone may be provided in such areas and break up the flatness.

In such cases, planar suspendable elements cannot be used.

The object of this invention, therefore, is to solve the new technical problem comprising the provision of suspendable elements which enable cornices or piping which break up the flatness particularly of ceilings to be concealed, such concealment to be simple with easy manufacture of the individual suspended structure elements.

The technical problem as defined above is solved satisfactorily for the first time by this invention.

The present invention, therefore, provides a suspendable element comprising open cells formed by the combination of longitudinal elements and transverse elements which between them define the said open cells disposed in rows of longitudinal cells and transverse cells substantially in alignment, characterised in that the cells of a given transverse row are situated in the same plane while the cells of a given longitudinal row are situated in different planes, or vice-versa.

- 3 According to a specific feature, the longitudinal elements are in the form of steps. Advantageously, the longitudinal elements are connected to the transverse elements at the step treads.

According to another characteristic of the suspendable element according to the invention, the longitudinal elements comprise notches on each tread for assembly of the transverse elements which have corresponding notches.

According to another special feature, the transverse elements have cutouts between the adjacent notches for the assembly of the longitudinal elements of adjacent cells.

The result is a suspendable element having cells of a given longitudinal row situated in different planes, so that cornices or piping situated beneath the ceiling can be concealed, and the same applies to any element that is required to conceal.

In addition, the simplicity Of manufacture of the supendable elements according to the invention enables them to be produced at very low cost. They can, for - 4 example, be made very simply by cutting out metal sheeting or metal plates, or by moulding, assembly simply comprising inserting the transverse elements by their notches into the notches of the longitudinal elements.

It will thus be seen that the invention satisfactorilv solves the above technical problem and gives all the said advantages and those which will be apparent to the skilled addressee.

Other objects, chacteristics and advantages of the invention will be clearly apparent from the following explanatory description with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view in perspective of a suspendable element according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic section of the suspendable element in the suspended position beneath the corner of a room to conceal piping.

Fig. 3 is a side view of a longitudinal element showing, in section, how the transverse element can be assembled.

Fig. 4 is a diagram showing how the transverse element is assembled on the longitudinal elements.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, a suspendable element according to the invention is denoted by the general reference 1. It is formed by the combination of longitudinal elements 2 and transverse elements 4 which define between them open cells 6 which are disposed in rows of longitudinal cells and rows of transverse cells which are substantially in alignment as will be clearly visible and understandable from a study of Fig. 1.

According to the invention, this element is characterised in that the cells of a given transverse row are situated in the same plane, while the cells of a given longitudinal row are situated in different planes. of course the opposite structure can be obtained by having the cells of a given longitudinal row situated in the same plane while the cells of a given transverse row are then situated in different planes, and this depends only on the definintion of the longitudinal or transverse direction ofthe structural element, and this is generally arbitrary.

is According to the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the suspendable element being longer than it is wide, the elements 2 being disposed in the direction of the length are therefore referred to as longitudinal elements. In the example illustrated, these longitudinal elements 2 are in form of steps which will be visible in Fig. 1 and even clearer in Figs. 2 and 3.

It will also be seen that the longitudinal elements 2 are advantageously connected to the transverse element at each step tread, which has been given the reference 2a to 2f in Fig. 1 and which will be seen more clearly in Fig. 3.

According to another special feature, the longitudinal elements 2 have normally identical notches 10, 12 on each tread as will be seen in Fig. 3 for the assembly of the transverse elements 4 which have corresponding notches, e.g. 14, 16, 18, 20, which 1 are visible on the transverse element part shown in Fig. 4.

is of course the number of notches can vary. If a single row of transverse cells is to be defined per longitudinal step element, only two notches will be provided per longitudinal element 2. The number of notches in the transverse elements depends solely on the number of longitudinal elements 2 used, and hence on the number of cells to be defined per structural element.

It should be noted that it is the distance between the notches of the transverse element which enables the general configuration of the cell to be defined.

Thus the distance D between the noches 14 and 16 allows the size of one side of the cells between two successive longitudinal elements 2 to be defined, while the distance d between the notches 16 and 18 allows the distance between the open cells to be defined. Thus the transverse elements have two successive notches spaced by the.distance D and then by the distance d. At the end of a transverse element 4, the last notch, e.g. 14 is situated at a distance 8 - d from the side edge 30 of the transverse element 4, and the same applies to the end notches of the longitudinal element (see Fig. 3). The distance d 1 is -usually substantially equal to or slightly less than half the distance d between two successive cells. Thus when the suspendable elements according to the invention are assembled, by suspending them edge to edge, it gives an apperance of general unity of the suspended structure, which does not appear to be formed from individual elements.

In the specific embodiment illustrated, the transverse elements 4 have cut-outs, e.g. 32, 34, 36 between adjacent notches, e.g. 16, 18, for the assembly of the longitudinal elements of adjacent cells. This allows complete differentiation of the wall parts of the transverse elements making up the wall of the open cells and the intermediate wall parts situated betwen the open cells.

Also, at least the longitudinal elements 2, or at least some of them, comprise suspension means 40. They may, for example, be in the form of ordinary holes, into which suspension elements will be 1 - 9 inserted, e.g. wires or cables like the cable 42 shown in Fig. 1.

10.

is It will also be seen that the longitudinal and transverse elements are substantially plane and are formed by ordinary sheets or plates which are cut out or moulded. The elements are therefore produced extremely simply while their assembly is within the knowledge of even unskilled people.

Fig. 2 shows the suspended position of the element 1 according to the invention, at the corner of a room beneath the ceiling 50, so that piping 60, for example, which breaks up the flatness of the ceiling 50 can be concealed.

The distance D' between the notches 10, 12 of a single step tread can be different from or identical to the distance D between the notches 14 - 16 or 18 - 20 of the transverse elements defining the cells, so that the geometry of the cells 6 can be varied.

Similarly, the distance between the cells 6 of the longitudinal rows can be identical to or different - 10 from the distance d between the cells 6 of transverse rows.

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Claims

1. A suspendable element comprising formed by the combination of longitudinal is open cells elements (2) and transverse elements (4) which between them define the said open cells (6) disposed in rows of longitudinal cells and transverse cells substantially in alignment, characterised in that the cells of a given transverse row are situated in the same plane while the cells of a given longitudinal row are situated in different planes, or vice-versa.

2. A suspendable element according to claim 1, characterised in that the longitudinal elements (2) are in the form of steps.

3. A suspendable element according to claim 2, characterised in that the longitudinal elements (2) are connected to the transverse elements (4) at each step tread (2a to 2f).

4. A suspendable element according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the longitudinal elements (2) comprise notches (10. 12) on each tread - 12 (2a, 2f) for assembily of the transverse elements (4) which have corresponding notches (14, 16, 18, 20).

5. A suspendable element according to claim 4, characterised in that the transverse elements (4) have cut-outs (32, 34, 36) between the adjacent notches (e.g. 16, 18) for the assembly of the longitudinal elements (2) of adjacent cells.

6. A suspendable element according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the end notches (e.g. 14) of the transverse and longitudinal elements are situated at a distance (d 1) from the side edge, such distance being sustantially equal to or slightly less than half the distance (d) between two successive cells.

7. A suspendable element substantially as herein before described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

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