IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,209,412
Granted Patent B2
US 12,209,412 · App. 17/234,983 · Granted Jan 28, 2025

Ceiling panel

Inventors: Mark Partridge (Huddersfield, GB); Richard Drew (Huddersfield, GB)
Assignee: Orangebox Limited
E04B9/003A62C2/241E04B1/343E04B1/82E04B1/8218E04B1/941E04B2/74E04B7/163E04B9/001E04B9/02E04F10/02E04F10/10E04H1/125
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,209,412
App. No.
17/234,983
Granted
Jan 28, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

There is provided a ceiling panel for a pod room. The ceiling panel comprises one or more cover components movable between an open configuration and a closed configuration; and an actuation mechanism configured to move the one or more cover components from the closed configuration to the open configuration in response to a trigger. The ceiling panel may provide a specified percentage open area in the open configuration. The ceiling panel may be adapted to acoustically insulate the pod room in the closed configuration.

Claims (26)

1. A pod room comprising:

a ceiling panel, the ceiling panel comprising:

a frame; and

one or more cover components movable relative to the frame between an open configuration and a closed configuration and wherein in the closed configuration, the pod room comprises an acoustically insulated, self-contained room,

wherein, together with the frame, the one or more cover components in a fully open configuration define at least a 70% open area through the ceiling panel,

wherein the one or more cover components comprise a plurality of pivotable, self-supporting louvres which are fixed at intervals relative to one another, each louvre being configured to pivot about its central axis between a contacting position in which the louvres contact one another to define the closed configuration, and a non-contacting position which defines the open configuration, wherein the central axis is located within a body of the louvre; and

an actuation mechanism configured to automatically move the one or more cover components from the closed configuration to the fully open configuration in response to a trigger.

2. The pod room of claim 1 , wherein the ceiling panel further comprises a connection element pivotably connected to each louvre to effect synchronous movement of the louvres.

3. The pod room of claim 1 , wherein the louvres comprise any one or more of fire-rated board, foam or fabric.

4. The pod room of claim 1 , wherein the cover components comprise a composite of a higher density material and a lower density material.

5. The pod room of claim 4 , wherein the higher density material forms a core and the lower density material forms a cladding around at least a portion of the higher density material.

6. The pod room of claim 5 , wherein the core is substantially planar.

7. The pod room of claim 6 , wherein the cladding extends around the core.

8. The pod room of claim 6 , wherein the cladding further comprises a flange.

9. The pod room of claim 4 , wherein the higher density material has a density of at least 500 kg/m 3 .

10. The pod room of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the higher density material and the lower density material comprises a sound insulating material.

11. The pod room of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the higher density material and the lower density material comprises a sound absorbent material.

12. The pod room of claim 11 , wherein the absorbent material has a fractional absorption coefficient of at least 0.6.

13. The pod room of claim 11 , wherein the absorbent material has a thickness of between 5 mm and 25 mm.

14. The pod room of claim 11 , wherein the absorbent material has a thickness of about 15 mm.

15. The pod room of claim 1 , wherein the louvres have a louvre pitch of between 30 mm and 500 mm.

16. The pod room of claim 1 , wherein the louvres have a louvre pitch of between 150 and 250 mm.

17. The pod room of claim 1 , wherein the louvres have a louvre thickness of between 6 mm and 70 mm.

18. The pod room of claim 1 , wherein the louvres have a louvre thickness of between 25 mm and 50 mm.

19. The pod room of claim 1 , wherein the actuation mechanism is further configured to move the one or more cover components towards the closed configuration when a passive infrared sensor senses movement of people entering the pod room.

20. The pod room of claim 1 , further comprising a detection unit configured to provide the trigger to the actuation mechanism in response to detection of a predetermined condition, wherein the predetermined condition comprises a failure of the detection unit or removal of the detection unit.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 19, 2022
From: PARTRIDGE, MARK; DREW, RICHARD
To: ORANGEBOX LIMITED
Reel/Frame 058686/0810 →
Priority Claims (1)
GB 1302991 · Feb 20, 2013 · national
Continuity (4)
Continuation 16875696 · May 15, 2020
Continuation 15870369 · Jan 12, 2018
Continuation 14769329
Related Publication 20210310243A1 · Oct 7, 2021
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