GB2262548A

GB2262548A - Ceiling structure with heat transfer panel

Info

Publication number: GB2262548A
Application number: GB9126632A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Johan Willem Brak
Original assignee: Hunter Douglas Industries BV
Current assignee: Hunter Douglas Industries BV
Priority date: 1991-12-16
Filing date: 1991-12-16
Publication date: 1993-06-23
Also published as: GB9126632D0

Abstract

A ceiling panel system in which a plurality of parallel carriers 10 are securable to a ceiling and each have a plurality of groups of supporting lugs 20 to 24, spaced along their length, a plurality of channel section ceiling panels 28 each provided with inturned or out-turned rims 34, 36 engageable with two lugs of a group and at least one extruded heat transfer panel 40, said panel having at least one duct 58 therein for the passage of the heat transfer fluid, said extruded heat transfer panel having a lower surface of exactly the same width as that of said plurality of said ceiling panels, said extruded heat transfer panel also having at least one pair of flanges 48, 50 preferably each turned to the same side (at 52, 54), and engageable with the associated lugs of a group to hold the extruded heat transfer panel in place, and holding means 60 to retain the flanges in engagement with the associated lugs. <IMAGE>

Description

CEILING STRUCTURE The present invention relates to ceiling structures, and in particular ceiling structures which are used to transfer heat to or from the room space therebelow.

Various proposals have been made to provide for the passage of a heating or cooling fluid in a panelled ceiling. In a previous proposal in GB-A-1223182 the ceiling has associated with it a plurality of parallel inverted channel section supports provided with downwardly extending lugs to which are attached a plurality of parallel ceiling panels extending transversely, usually perpendicularly, to the longitudinal direction of the support channels. Mounted within some or all of the ceiling panels are pipes which touch a portion of the panel and through these pipes are passed a heating or cooling fluid such as water or oil.

Such structures find particular use as a way to cool a room space because the cooled panels are located at the ceiling level, thereby helping to induce convection currents.

However, such structures are not fully satisfactory although various attempts have been made to provide improved structures none of them is entirely satisfactory.

It is now proposed, according to the present invention, to provide a ceiling panel system comprising a plurality of parallel elongate support members securable to a ceiling, said support members having a plurality of groups of supporting lugs, spaced along their length, a plurality of channel section ceiling panels each provided with inturned or out-turned rims engageable with two lugs of a group and at least one extruded heat transfer panel, said extruded heat transfer panel having at least one duct therein for the passage of a heat transfer fluid, said extruded heat transfer panel having a lower surface of substantially the same width as that of said plurality of said ceiling panels, said extruded heat transfer panel also having at least one pair of flanges preferably each turned to the same side and engageable with associated lugs of a group to hold the extruded heat transfer panel in place, and holding means to retain said flanges in engagement with said associated lugs.

It will be appreciated that such a structure is very easy to fit and all that one does is omit one or more of the more conventional ceiling panels from a system and insert one or more of the extruded heat transfer panels, at the location where the other panels have been omitted, slide the panel sideways slightly to engage the flanges with the associated lugs, and then engage the holding means to retain the extruded transfer panel in place. Thereafter, one connects the duct within the extruded heat transfer panel to a source of heat transfer fluid.

The heat transfer panel in one particular embodiment comprises an extrusion, e.g. of aluminium or aluminium alloy, having a lower web, which has the full width of the panel, and two upstanding arms each with a flange at its free upper end, said flanges extending in the same lateral direction. The heat transfer duct may be centrally disposed between these upstanding arms and desirably, to provide added rigidity, an upper web may also extend between the two arms and be essentially tangential to the heat transfer duct.

The lower web may be provided with upstanding rims so that the overall appearance of the lower web with its upstanding rims is similar to that of the conventional ceiling panel.

The holding means may, in one particular construction, comprise a clip, e.g. of a resilient metal, which may have a hook portion engageable over the top of the carrier, a part extending downwardly over the front or rear of the carrier, and an inwardly directed holding portion which may be engaged in the space between the arm and an adjacent lug of the group to prevent the extruded heat transfer panel from moving so that its flanges come out of engagement with the associated lugs.

In an alternative arrangement the holding means may be formed integrally with the extruded heat transfer panel. For example, one or both of the flanges extending laterally from the upstanding arms may have a downturned bead which can be hooked over an upturned portion of the associated lug or lugs on the support members.

In order that the present invention may more readily be understood, the following description is given, merely by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 is an end elevation of a portion of a ceiling according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a section taken on the line II-II of Figure 1.

Referring first to Figure 1 is illustrated therein one of a plurality of parallel carriers 10 each comprising an inverted channel section member having a web 12 (Figure 2) and two side flanges 14,16. The flanges each have several groups of lugs, and as shown each group consists of a first ceiling panel supporting lug 18, a second ceiling panel supporting lug 20, these respectively pointing to the left and to the right as seen in Figure 1. The group also includes a first and second heat transfer panel supporting lugs 22,24 which, as shown, each point to the left.

As seen on the right in Figure 1, a conventional channel section ceiling panel formed of rolled sheet metal is indicated by the general reference numeral 26 and consists of a web 28, first and second upstanding side walls 30,32, these having at their upper free edges inturned beads 34,36 respectively, said beads being engaged on the lugs 18,20 in a conventional manner.

On the left in Figure 1 there is illustrated, in place of the ceiling panel 26, an extruded heat transfer panel 40 formed, for example, as an extrusion from aluminium or the like. This extrusion is, of course, of a much heavier nature than the ceiling panel 26.

The heat transfer panel 40 includes a lower web 42 having at each of its free ends upturned rims 44,46.

Inwardly of these rims are upstanding arms 48,50 each with an inturned flange 52,54 at its free upper end, flanges 52,54 both extending to the right.

Also extending between the arms 48,50 is an upper web 56 which is tangent to a heat transfer duct 58 to which the lower web 42 is also a tangent. It will be appreciated that the webs 42,56 and the duct 58 provide the whole heat transfer extruded panel 40 with considerable rigidity.

In order to mount the heat transfer panel, the flanges 52,54 are passed upward to the left of the lugs 22,24 and then the whole panel is moved to the right so that the flanges 52,54 engage above the lugs 22,24.

Thereafter a clip 60 is engaged over the top of the carrier 10. As seen in Figure 2, the clip 60 includes a hook portion 62 which will engage over the top of the web 12 of the carrier 10, a downwardly extending portion 64 which, as shown, abuts the flange 16 of the carrier 10, and a holding portion 66 which protrudes into the gap between the arm 50 and the adjacent part 66 of the flange 16 of the carrier 10. An additional clip could be placed to the left of the arm 48 to provide further retention.

It is thought that many other means of holding the heat transfer extruded panel so that its flanges 52,54 do not disengage could be contemplated, such as screws, clamps or further deformable lug portions.

The resulting ceiling with one or more of the heat transfer extruded panels 40 located between or adjacent the conventional ceiling panels provides a structure which is easy to fit, cheap to manufacture and pleasing in appearance.

Claims

1. A ceiling panel system comprising a plurality of parallel elongate support members securable to a ceiling, said support members having a plurality of groups of supporting lugs, spaced along their length, a plurality of channel section ceiling panels each provided with inturned or out-turned rims engageable with two lugs of a group and at least one extruded heat transfer panel, said extruded heat transfer panel having at least one duct therein for the passage of a heat transfer fluid, said extruded heat transfer panel having a lower surface of substantially the same width as that of said plurality of said ceiling panels, said extruded panel also having at least one pair of flanges each turned to the same side and engageable with associated lugs of a group to hold the extruded panel in place, and separate holding means to retain said flange in engagement with said associated lugs.

2. A system according to Claim 1, wherein said heat transfer panel comprises an extrusion, e.g., of aluminium or aluminium alloy, having a lower web, which has the full width of the panel, and two upstanding arms each with a flange at its free upper end, said flanges extending in the same lateral direction.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the heat transfer duct is centrally disposed between said upstanding arms.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein an upper web extends between the two arms and is essentially tangential to the heat transfer duct.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the lower web is provided with upstanding rims.

6. A system according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the holding means comprises a clip having a hook portion engageable over the top of the carrier, a part extending downwardly over the front or rear of the carrier, and an inwardly directed holding portion which may be engaged in the space between the arm and an adjacent lug of the group to prevent the extruded heat transfer panel from moving so that its flanges come out of engagement with the associated lugs.

7. A ceiling panel system substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.