IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,428,803
Granted Patent B2
US 7,428,803 · App. 11/528,309 · Granted Sep 30, 2008

Ceiling panel system with non-woven panels having barrier skins

Assignee: Milliken & Company
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,428,803
App. No.
11/528,309
Granted
Sep 30, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

A ceiling system having panels suspended from a ceiling with a frame and suspension connections. The panels are a non-woven material including first effect fibers, first binder fibers, second binder fibers, and second effect fibers. The non-woven material has a first planar zone and a second planar zone. The first planar zone includes a greater concentration of first effect fibers and first binder fibers. The second planar zone includes a greater concentration of second effect fibers and second binder fibers. The first planar zone can include a first surface skin associated with the first planar zone on the exterior of the non-woven material, and a second surface skin associated with the second planar zone on the exterior of the non-woven material.

Claims (14)

1. A ceiling system comprising:

a suspension framework having a frame, the frame having a plurality of upper horizontal surfaces;

a plurality of panels, the panels comprising a non-woven material having:

first binder fibers,

first effect fibers,

second binder fibers, and,

second effect fibers;

wherein the non-woven material being a unitary material formed in a single process without joining together discrete separate layers having:

a first planar zone defined by a first boundary plane and a first zone inner boundary plane, the first planer zone including a portion of the first binder fibers, the first effect fibers, and the second binder fibers;

a second planar zone defined by a second boundary plane and a second zone inner boundary plane, the second planar zone including a portion of the first binder fibers, the first effect fibers, and the second binder fibers;

a first semi-rigid skin at the first boundary plane formed by melt bonding the first binder fibers on the first boundary plane of the first planar zone, the first skin comprising the first binder fibers;

wherein concentrations of said first binder fibers in said first planar zone being greater than concentrations of the first binder fibers in said second planar zone, and the concentration of the first binder fibers decreases in a gradient from the first boundary plane to the first zone inner boundary plane;

wherein concentrations of said second binder fibers being greater in said second planar zone than the concentration of the second binder fibers in second planar zone, and the concentration of the second binder fibers decreases in a gradient from the second boundary plane to the second zone inner boundary plane; and

wherein the first boundary plane of the non-woven material contact the upper horizontal surfaces of the frame in the suspension framework.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 26, 2007
From: WENSTRUP, DAVID E.; THOMPSON, GREGORY J.; STURM, RAYMOND C.; GODFREY, THOMAS E.
To: MILLIKEN & COMPANY
Reel/Frame 019070/0423 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation In Part 1113074900 · May 17, 2005
Related Publication 20070056234A1 · Mar 15, 2007