Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E04—BUILDING
  • E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
  • E04B9/00—Ceilings; Construction of ceilings, e.g. false ceilings; Ceiling construction with regard to insulation
  • E04B9/02—Ceilings; Construction of ceilings, e.g. false ceilings; Ceiling construction with regard to insulation having means for ventilation or vapour discharge

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an arrangement for mounting devices, such as air supply appliances, lighting units, etc., in the ceilings of clean rooms with the aid of a grating formed by a bar or beam construction which is designed to define at least one polygonal, preferably square opening in the grating, said opening being slightly larger than the device to be supported in said opening, wherein the arrangement includes a supporting construction which can be inserted through said opening and which is designed to be supported by said bar construc- tion and therewith limit the size of said device supporting opening.
• the invention also relates to a method of mounting such devices in the ceilings of clean rooms.
• Ceiling-mounted devices such as air supply units, lighting equipment, etc.
• a grating comprised of a bar construction and sus- pended from the upper ceiling of the room or from the roof of the building; see Figure 1 which shows a fan-filter unit supported in a grating which, in turn, is supported from the ceiling 1 through the medium of a pendulous system 3.
• the fan-filter unit includes a pre-filter and inlet sound dampening module 5, a fan 7 that includes a fan casing 9 and has sound dampening, and a following docking module 11 equipped with an HEPA filter 13.
• the fan-filter unit shown in Figure 1 When installing bulky equipment, such as the fan-filter unit shown in Figure 1 , it is desirable to be able to fit the unit from below. In this case, it is very difficult to secure or hang the units from the ceiling, since it is first necessary to lift up the units diagonally or to "conjure" the units up through the grating opening in some way or another, by virtue of the fact that this opening cannot be allowed to be large enough for the unit to be lifted straight up into its mounting position.
• the opening-defining edges must include support surfaces on which the units can rest when mounted in position.
• a fan-filter unit of the kind shown in Figure 1 will typically weigh about 70 kg.
• U.S. 5,024,034 teaches a solution for suspending ceiling panels from beneath.
• Catch hooks are pivotally attached to the panel.
• the catch hooks are de- signed to swing under their own weight to a position of engagement with a supportive construction in the form of an inverse T-beam, after having lifted the panel into position in the ceiling.
• a ceiling construction of this kind cannot be used in clean rooms, because of the gaps that are formed between the edges of the panels and the T-beams and because of the openings provided in the panels for in- sertion of appropriate tools used to tilt and therewith loosen the catch hooks when removing the panel.
• the object of the present invention is to eliminate the aforesaid problems associated with mounting, shifting and replacing units mounted in the ceilings of clean rooms in accordance with techniques known hitherto. This object is achieved with an arrangement and with a method of the kind defined in the introductory portion and having the characterizing features set forth in said Claims 1 and 14 respectively.
• the invention enables the device or equipment that is to be supported in the opening in said grating to be lifted readily through said opening when mount- ing said device and to be lowered down through said opening essentially vertically when removing said device for replacement purposes for instance.
• the unit forming said device can thus be mounted comfortably even in the case of limited ceiling heights.
• the supportive construction includes at least two flange sections which each extend over at least one corner of the polygon, extremely heavy units can be supported securely by the support construction in close juxtaposed relationship to form a generally continuous ceiling surface.
• the flange sections also function as sealing means between device and bar construction, which is highly beneficial in respect of this type of application.
• the flange sections have conveniently a rectangular cross-section and each flange section is angled to conform to the corner or corners over which it extends.
• the flange sections of the support construction are preferably designed to form a continuous support flange-surround which extends around the opening and slightly inwards over the opening delimited by the bar construction, and the flange sections of said support construction are adapted to rest on bar construction support surfaces that when fitted extend around said opening.
• the support construction may include two, three or four flange sections.
• each flange section is angled to conform to the corner or corners over which it extends, so that one leg of the angled flange section will extend from each corner of the rectangle along one side thereof, and another leg of the flange section will extend along the other side of the rectangle.
• the mutually opposing ends of respective flange sections have mutually engaging, complementary forms, such as complementary V-forms, complementary U-forms, and so on.
• the flange sections are guided in this way relative to one another in a manner to prevent relative movement of the flange sections.
• the complementary forms are such as to prevent the ends of mutually fitted and mutually opposing ends of respective flange sections from being drawn apart. This further improves the stability of the support construction.
• the flange sections of the support construction can be locked to said bar construction with the aid of locking pins and/or the support surfaces of the bar construction can include one or more upstanding projections which, when said flange sections rest on said support surfaces, lie in one or more complementary grooves or recesses provided on the underside of the flange sections.
• the ends of the flange sections may optionally be smooth and devoid of said complementary forms, so as to obtain a simple straight join between mutually adjacent flange sections without jeopardising the reliability of the support construction, owing to the fact that the support construction is fixated relative to the bar construction in this particular case.
• Figure 1 illustrates a fan-filter unit suspended from the ceiling of a clean room by a pendular system in accordance with known technology
• Figure 2 illustrates part of a grating structure fitted in a clean room ceiling with the aid of an inventive mounting arrangement
• Figure 3 is a more detailed illustration of the application of a flange section of the support construction of the bar construction forming said grating in an arrangement constructed in accordance with the invention
• Figure 4 illustrates schematically the arrangement of a unit in the grating fitted in the ceiling of a clean room with the aid of an inventive mounting arrangement
• Figure 5 illustrates part of the unit in Figure 1 suspended from said ceiling with the aid of a modified inventive mounting arrangement
• Figures 6-8 illustrate different embodiments of mutually engaging complementary forms of mutually connected ends of said flange sections
• Figure 9 illustrates another embodiment of one end of a flange section in the inventive arrangement, for fixating flange sections relative to one an- other;
• Figure 10 illustrates an example of how the flanges of the support construction are affixed to the grating bar on which said flange rests.
• Figure 2 illustrates from above part of the bar construction forming said grating structure.
• the bar construction delimits at least one opening 2 and a sup- port construction that comprises four flange sections 4 is disposed around the edges of said opening.
• the flange sections 4 rest on support surfaces 6 on the bars and form a continuous supporting flange-surround that extends around the opening 2 defined by said bar construction and slightly inwards over said opening.
• the flange sections 4 are generally L-shaped in cross-section, so that each flange section 4 will have two mutually perpendicular legs that extend from each corner along respective mutually perpendicular bars in the bar construction.
• Figure 3 is a perspective illustration of how a flange section 4 is mounted in one corner defined by two bars or beams 8, 10 in the bar construction, with the legs 12, 14 of the flange section resting on the supportive surface 6 of each bar.
• Figure 2 illustrates by way of example an embodiment which includes a rectangular opening 2 and a support construction that includes four flange sections. Despite being shown to include four flange sections, the embodiment may, however, alternatively include three or only two flange sections. For instance, if two of the flange sections in Figure 2 are replaced with a single-piece flange section that extends over two corners, only three flange sections will be required to form the continuous supportive flange-surround, whereas when the support construction includes two such flange sections that each extend over two corners, only two flange sections will be required.
• the number of flange sections in the support construction may, of course, be varied correspondingly.
• Figure 4 shows a device 16, for instance a fan-filter unit of the kind shown in Figure 1 , supported from the ceiling of the clean room with the aid of the inventive mounting arrangement.
• the bars 8 are supported by a pendular system 18 hanging from ceiling profiles 20.
• Reference numeral 22 identifies an adjuster screw for adjusting the height of the bars 8.
• a support construction Resting on the support surfaces of the bars 8 is a support construction which includes a support flange arrangement 24 that extends around said opening and that is comprised of flange sections as described above with reference to Figures 2 and 3.
• the support flange surround 24 extends slightly in over the opening between the bars 8, so that the unit 16 can rest on abutment surfaces 26 on the upper side of the support flange surround 24.
• the unit 16 is mounted in the following way:
• the opening between the bars 8 is large enough for the unit to be lifted up generally vertically without needing to be angled, turned or manipulated in any other way.
• the unit 16 is lifted to a position slightly above the bars 8 and the flange sections 4 are then moved up through said opening and combined to form the continuous support flange surround 24.
• the unit 16 is then lowered into abutment with the upper surface 26 of the flange surround 24.
• FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of the fan-filter unit 5, 7, 9 with HEPA filter 14 supported with the aid of an inventive mounting arrangement.
• This unit thus rests on a flange surround 24 via an intermediate seal 28, and the flange sur- round, in turn, rests on the support surface 6 of the bar 8, which is supported from the ceiling via the pendular system 3.
• the mutually facing ends of the flange sections are unable to move relative to one another after being fitted together, for instance by rotating or twist- ing relative to one another. Consequently, the mutually facing ends of the flange sections are given mutually engaging complementary shapes to this end.
• Figure 2 shows two examples of such complementary shapes.
• the mutually facing ends of the flange sections at joins 30 have a respective V-shaped recess and a complementary V-shaped point.
• the mutually adjacent ends of flange sections at joins 32 have respectively a U-shaped recess and a complementary rounded, projecting end.
• Figure 6 shows an embodiment in which the end of one flange section includes a generally rectangular recess 34 which receives a complementary, generally rectangular projection 36 when fitting the flange sections together.
• Figure 7 illustrates an embodiment in which the mutually opposing ends of mutually adjacent flange sections form a so-called finger joint 38 of the kind used when joining planks together.
• Reliable functioning of the support construction can be further ensured, by designing the complementary shapes of the mutually opposing ends of adjacent flange sections so that when fitting said sections together there will be obtained a locking engagement that prevents said ends from being pulled apart.
• An example of one such engagement means is shown in Figure 8.
• the recess 40 in one end of a flange section and the complementary projec- tion 42 in the end of the other flange section are configured so that said ends will be locked together and unable to be pulled apart and twisted subsequent to being fitted together.
• Figure 9 shows an embodiment in which one end of a flange section is provided with a pin or peg 44 that can be inserted into a corresponding hole in an opposing end of the adjacent flange section, so as to lock together the assembled flange sections.
• FIG. 10 illustrates another alternative embodiment in which the upwardly facing support surface 48 of respective bars 46 includes one or more upstanding projections 50 and the flange sections 52 have provided corresponding grooves 54 on their undersides in which the upstanding projections 50 will lie when the flange sections 52 are mounted on the bars 46.
• the resultant engagement be- tween flange section 52 and bar 46 prevents the flange section from moving on the support surface 48 of said bar.
• the flange sections can be prevented by dimensioning said sections so that the outer edge of the assembled support flange surround will lie against the web of the T-bars used in the bar construction (in Fig- ure 2 the flange sections are designed so as to provide a given clearance between the outer edge of the support flange and the web of the T-bars).
• the assembled support flange surround will be supported around the whole of its periphery and relative movement between the flange sections will be impossible even in those cases when the flange sections present fully straight joins in the absence of engagement means.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Architecture (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Electromagnetism (AREA)
• Civil Engineering (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Conveying And Assembling Of Building Elements In Situ (AREA)
• Ventilation (AREA)
• Filtering Of Dispersed Particles In Gases (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=20412711

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (1)

Citations (4)

• 1998
  • 1998-09-24 SE SE9803249A patent/SE512913C2/sv not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1999
  • 1999-09-23 WO PCT/SE1999/001677 patent/WO2000017462A1/en active Application Filing
  • 1999-09-23 AU AU64920/99A patent/AU6492099A/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (4)

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