INTEGRATED CEILING AND LIGHT SYSTEM
An integrated ceiling and light system that incorporates a light module into a ceiling tile or vertical panel. In certain embodiments, the light module may be coupled directly to the ceiling tile. The light module may have a weight per unit exposed surface area that is less than a weight per unit exposed surface area of the ceiling tile. The ceiling tile may have a first weight per unit volume that is greater than a second weight per unit volume of the light module coupled thereto, thereby preventing sagging of the ceiling tile. The ceiling tile may have a recess formed therein with the light module disposed within the recess. In such embodiment, a weight of the light module may be equal to or less than three times the weight of the portion of the ceiling tile that was removed to form the recess.
1 . An integrated ceiling and light system comprising:
a ceiling tile having an exposed surface;
a light module coupled directly to the ceiling tile and having an exposed surface; and
wherein a weight per unit exposed surface area of the light module is equal to or less than a weight per unit exposed surface area of the ceiling tile.
2 . The integrated ceiling and light system of claim 1 further comprising:
a grid support system suspended from an overhead building support structure within an interior space; and
the ceiling tile with the light module coupled thereto mounted to the grid support system.
3 . The integrated ceiling and light system of claim 2 further comprising a plurality of the ceiling tiles mounted to the grid support system to form a suspended ceiling, one or more of the ceiling tiles having one or more of the light modules coupled directly thereto.
4 . The integrated ceiling and light system of claim 2 wherein the weight per unit exposed surface area of the ceiling tile and the weight per unit exposed surface area of the light module are selected to ensure that the ceiling tile does not sag.
5 . The integrated ceiling and light system of claim 2 wherein the exposed surface of the light module is flush with the exposed surface of the ceiling tile, and wherein the exposed surfaces of the ceiling tile and the light module are aligned on a plane that is parallel to a floor of the interior space within which the suspended ceiling is located.
6 . The integrated ceiling and light system of claim 2 wherein the ceiling tile has four edges and at least two of the edges of the ceiling tile are supported by the grid support system, and wherein the light module is centrally coupled to the ceiling tile so that a perimeter of the light module is spaced from each of the four edges of the ceiling tile.
7 . The integrated ceiling and light system of claim 1 further comprising a recess formed into a front surface of the ceiling tile, and wherein the light module is disposed within the recess.
8 . The integrated ceiling and light system of claim 7 wherein a front surface of the light module is a common light and heat emitting surface of the light module.
9 . The integrated ceiling and light system of claim 8 wherein the exposed surface area of the ceiling tile is a surface area of the front surface of the ceiling tile minus a surface area of an opening in the front surface of the ceiling tile that forms a passageway into the recess.
10 . The integrated ceiling and light system of claim 8 wherein the front surface of the light module is flush with the front surface of the ceiling tile.
11 . An integrated ceiling and light system comprising:
a ceiling tile having a first weight per unit volume;
a light module having a second weight per unit volume coupled directly to the ceiling tile; and
wherein the first weight per unit volume is greater than the second weight per unit volume, thereby preventing the ceiling tile from sagging when the light module is coupled thereto.
12 . The integrated ceiling and light system of claim 11 further comprising:
a grid support system suspended from an overhead building support structure within an interior space; and
the ceiling tile with the light module coupled thereto mounted to the grid support system.
13 . The integrated ceiling and light system of claim 12 further comprising a plurality of the ceiling tiles mounted to the grid support system to form a suspended ceiling, one or more of the ceiling tiles having one or more of the light modules coupled directly thereto.
14 . The integrated ceiling and light system of claim 11 wherein the ceiling tile comprises a front surface and an opposing rear surface, wherein the light module comprises a front surface and an opposing rear surface, the front surface of the light module being both a light and heat emitting surface of the light module and being flush with the front surface of the ceiling tile.
15 . An integrated ceiling and light system comprising:
a ceiling tile having a front surface and an opposite rear surface, a portion of the ceiling tile removed to form a recess in the front surface of the ceiling tile;
a light module coupled directly to the ceiling tile and disposed within the recess of the ceiling tile; and
wherein the light module has a weight that is equal to or less than three times a weight of the removed portion of the ceiling tile.
16 . The integrated ceiling and light system of claim 15 wherein the weight of the light module is equal to or less two times the weight of the removed portion of the ceiling tile.
17 . The integrated ceiling and light system of claim 15 wherein the weight of the light module is equal to or less than the weight of the removed portion of the ceiling tile.
18 . The integrated ceiling and light system of claim 15 further comprising:
a grid support system suspended from an overhead building support structure within an interior space; and
the ceiling tile with the light module coupled thereto mounted to the grid support system.
19 . The integrated ceiling and light system of claim 18 further comprising a plurality of the ceiling tiles mounted to the grid support system to form a suspended ceiling, one or more of the ceiling tiles having one or more of the light modules coupled directly thereto.
20 . The integrated ceiling and light system of claim 15 wherein the light module comprises a front surface and an opposing rear surface, the front surface of the light module being a light and heat emitting surface of the light module and being flush with the front surface of the ceiling tile.
21 .- 138 . (canceled)