IP Library Granted Patent US 11,753,822
Granted Patent B2
US 11,753,822 · App. 17/750,357 · Granted Sep 12, 2023

Ceiling system

Inventor: Daniel M. Holdridge (Ephrata, PA)
Assignee: AWI Licensing LLC
E04B9/26E04B9/0478E04B9/06E04B9/068E04B9/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,753,822
App. No.
17/750,357
Granted
Sep 12, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Described herein is a spring clip for mounting ceiling panels equipped with torsion springs to a ceiling support grid. The spring clip includes a body including a mounting portion defining a downwardly open receptacle configured for receiving a portion of a ceiling grid support member of the ceiling support grid, the downwardly open receptacle extending along a receptacle axis from a first side open end to a second side open end; and a pair of lateral flanges extending transversely outwards from the mounting portion and terminating in lateral edges, at least one of the flanges includes a slot extending parallel to the receptacle axis and configured to receive arms of a torsion spring, and a lateral opening extending from the lateral edge to the slot to allow lateral insertion of the arms of the torsion spring into the slot.

Claims (46)

1. A spring clip for mounting ceiling panels equipped with torsion springs to a ceiling support grid, the spring clip comprising:

a body including a mounting portion defining a downwardly open receptacle configured for receiving a portion of a ceiling grid support member of the ceiling support grid, the downwardly open receptacle extending along a receptacle axis from a first side open end to a second side open end;

a pair of lateral flanges extending transversely outwards from the mounting portion and terminating in lateral edges;

wherein at least one of the lateral flanges includes:

a slot extending parallel to the receptacle axis and configured to receive arms of a torsion spring; and

a lateral opening extending from the lateral edge to the slot to allow lateral insertion of the arms of the torsion spring into the slot; and

at least one locking tab configured to engage the ceiling grid support member to couple the spring clip to the ceiling grid support member, the at least one locking tab extending from the at least one of the lateral flanges and into the downwardly open receptacle.

2. The spring clip according to claim 1 , wherein the lateral opening extends perpendicular to the receptacle axis.

3. The spring clip according to claim 1 , wherein the slot includes opposing ends defined by walls that are configured to engage and retain the arms of the torsion spring.

4. The spring clip according to claim 1 , wherein the mounting portion of the body comprises a top wall, a first sidewall extending downwardly from the top wall to a first terminal end, and a second sidewall extending downwardly from the top wall to a second terminal end in spaced relation to the first sidewall, wherein a first lateral flange of the pair of lateral flanges extends transversely outwardly from the first terminal end of the first sidewall and a second lateral flange of the pair of lateral flanges extends transversely outwardly from the second terminal end of the second sidewall.

5. The spring clip according to claim 1 , wherein a bottom surface of the pair of lateral flanges and a bottom surface of the locking tab collectively form a bottom-most surface of the spring clip.

6. The spring clip according to claim 1 , wherein the body of the spring clip is formed of an elastically deformable resilient material.

7. The spring clip according to claim 4 , further comprising a first aperture formed into the first sidewall, wherein the at least one locking tab extends through the first aperture and into the downwardly open receptacle.

8. A spring clip for mounting ceiling panels equipped with torsion springs to a ceiling support grid, the spring clip comprising:

a body including a mounting portion comprising a top wall, a first sidewall extending downwardly from the top wall, and a second sidewall extending downwardly from the top wall in spaced relation to the first sidewall to define a downwardly open receptacle configured for receiving a portion of a ceiling grid support member;

a first lateral flange extending transversely outwards from a distal end of the first sidewall and terminating in a first lateral edge and a second lateral flange extending transversely outwards from a distal end of the second sidewall and terminating in a second lateral edge, wherein at least one of the first and second lateral flanges comprises a slot configured to receive arms of a torsion spring;

an aperture formed into the first sidewall and extending from the distal end of the first sidewall towards the top wall of the mounting portion; and

a locking tab extending through the aperture in the first sidewall and into the downwardly open receptacle of the mounting portion of the body.

9. The spring clip according to claim 8 , wherein the locking tab extends directly from an inner edge of the first lateral flange, and wherein a bottom surface of the locking tab and a bottom surface of the first lateral flange form portions of a bottommost end of the spring clip.

10. The spring clip according to claim 8 , wherein each of the first and second lateral flanges comprises the slot and the lateral opening.

11. The spring clip according to claim 8 , wherein the slot extends to a lateral opening formed into a respective one of the first and second lateral edges of the at least one of the first and second lateral flanges to allow lateral insertion of the arms of the torsion spring into the slot.

12. The spring clip according to claim 8 , further comprising:

a second aperture formed into the second sidewall and extending from the distal end of the second sidewall towards the top wall of the mounting portion; and

a second locking tab extending through the second aperture in the second sidewall and into the downwardly open receptacle of the mounting portion of the body.

13. The spring clip according to claim 12 , wherein the second locking tab extends directly from an inner edge of the second lateral flange, and wherein a bottom surface of the second locking tab and a bottom surface of the second lateral flange form portions of a bottommost end of the spring clip.

14. The spring clip of claim 8 , wherein the spring clip is configured to be slidable along the ceiling grid support member when locked onto the ceiling grid support member by the locking tab.

15. A ceiling system comprising:

a longitudinally extending grid support member defining a longitudinal axis;

a ceiling panel;

a torsion spring mounted on the ceiling panel; and

a spring clip slideably mounted on the grid support member and movable in opposing axial directions, the spring clip comprising:

a body including a mounting portion defining a downwardly open receptacle configured for receiving a portion of the grid support member, the downwardly open receptacle extending along the longitudinal axis from a first side open end to a second side open end; and

a pair of lateral flanges extending transversely outwards from the mounting portion and terminating in lateral edges;

wherein at least one of the lateral flanges includes:

a slot extending parallel to the longitudinal axis and configured to receive arms of a torsion spring; and

a lateral opening extending from the lateral edge to the slot to allow lateral insertion of the arms of the torsion spring into the slot;

at least one locking tab configured to engage the grid support member to mount the spring clip to the ceiling grid support member, the at least one locking tab extending from the at least one of the lateral flanges and into the downwardly open receptacle; and

wherein the ceiling panel is configured to be supported from the grid support member by the torsion springs.

16. The ceiling system according to claim 15 , further comprising:

wherein the mounting portion comprises a top wall, a first sidewall extending downwardly from the top wall to a first distal end, and a second sidewall extending downwardly from the top wall to a second distal end;

an aperture formed into the first sidewall and extending form the distal end of the first sidewall towards the top wall of the mounting portion; and

wherein the locking tab extends directly from the at least one of the lateral flanges and through the aperture.

17. The ceiling system according to claim 15 , wherein the body of the spring clip is formed of an elastically deformable resilient material.

18. The ceiling system according to claim 15 , wherein the slot extends parallel to the ceiling grid support member.

19. The ceiling system according to claim 15 , wherein each of the pair of lateral flanges comprises the slot and the lateral opening.

20. The ceiling system according to claim 15 , wherein the lateral opening extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

Assignments (5)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 11, 2025
From: AWI LICENSING LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS THE COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 073939/0866 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 10, 2023
From: ARMSTRONG WORLD INDUSTRIES, INC.
To: AWI LICENSING LLC
Reel/Frame 064548/0123 →
CORRECTIVE NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS TO REMOVE APPL. NO. 17894024 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 062081 FRAME 0523. ASSIGNOR HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Jul 31, 2023
From: ARMSTRONG WORLD INDUSTRIES, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS THE COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 064655/0563 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Dec 7, 2022
From: ARMSTRONG WORLD INDUSTRIES, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS THE COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 062081/0523 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 22, 2022
From: HOLDRIDGE, DANIEL M.
To: ARMSTRONG WORLD INDUSTRIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 059977/0812 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 17124097 · Dec 16, 2020
Continuation 16853630 · Apr 20, 2020
Continuation 16421139 · May 23, 2019
Continuation 14945515 · Nov 19, 2015
Continuation 14264868 · Apr 29, 2014
Related Publication 20220282483A1 · Sep 8, 2022