IP Library Granted Patent US 12,258,756
Granted Patent B2
US 12,258,756 · App. 18/216,731 · Granted Mar 25, 2025

Ceiling system having a plurality of different panels

Inventors: Nathan J Baxter (Lancaster, PA); Samuel D Pawlak (Lancaster, PA); Scott D Harnish (Lancaster, PA); Ryan D Hanuschak (Lancaster, PA); Nicholas J Friez (Lancaster, PA); Nathan H Canfijn (Lancaster, PA); Marie A DePAUL (West Chester, PA); Kain A Place (Lancaster, PA)
Assignee: AWI Licensing LLC
E04B9/003E04B9/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,258,756
App. No.
18/216,731
Granted
Mar 25, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A ceiling system is provided for use in a building space having a plurality of walls. The ceiling system includes a grid system that extends to at least two of the plurality of walls and separates the building space into an occupiable space below the grid system and a plenum space above the grid system; and a plurality of ceiling tiles that are supported by the grid system and, with the grid system, create a barrier between the occupiable space and the plenum space, the plurality of ceiling tiles including three different polygonal non-rectangular ceiling tiles.

Claims (44)

1. A grid system for use installing a ceiling system within a building space having a plurality of walls, the grid system comprising:

a plurality of main beams configured to be supported within the building space in parallel manner to one another;

a plurality of cross members configured to extend between and be supported by adjacent ones of the plurality of main beams;

a plurality of unitary brackets, each of the brackets comprising:

a central portion comprising a central vertical wall extending upward from a central bottom flange;

a first tab extending outward from the central portion and configured to connect to the plurality of cross members, the first tab comprising a first tab vertical wall and a first tab bottom flange, the first tab vertical wall extending upward from the first tab bottom flange; and

a second tab extending outward from the central portion and configured to connect to the plurality of cross members, the second tab comprising a second tab vertical wall and a second tab bottom flange, the second tab vertical wall extending upward from the second tab bottom flange, and an acute first bracket angle defined between the first tab and the second tab.

2. The grid system according to claim 1 wherein, for each of the brackets, the first tab bottom flange, the second tab bottom flange, and the central bottom flange is a monolithic structure.

3. The grid system according to claim 1 wherein, for each of the brackets, the central portion forms an apex of the acute first bracket angle.

4. A ceiling system for use in a building space having a plurality of walls, the ceiling system comprising:

a grid system comprising:

a first main beam comprising a first main beam vertical web extending from a first main beam bottom flange;

a second main beam parallel to the first main beam;

a first cross member comprising a first cross member vertical web extending upward from a first cross member bottom flange;

a second cross member comprising a second cross member vertical web extending upward from a second cross member bottom flange;

a unitary first bracket comprising:

a central portion comprising a central vertical wall extending upward from a central bottom flange;

a first tab extending outward from the central portion, the first tab comprising a first tab vertical wall;

a second tab extending outward from the central portion so as to define an acute first bracket angle between the first and second tabs, the second tab comprising a second tab vertical wall; and

the first bracket connected to the first main beam so that the central bottom flange overlaps with the first main beam bottom flange in a vertical direction; and

a plurality of ceiling tiles supported by the grid system.

5. The ceiling system according to claim 4 wherein the first cross member bottom flange and the second cross member bottom flange are coplanar.

6. The ceiling system according to claim 4 wherein the central portion of the first bracket forms an apex of the acute first bracket angle.

7. The ceiling system according to claim 4 further comprising:

a second bracket comprising:

a central portion connected to the second main beam;

a first tab extending outward from the central portion of the second bracket; and

a second tab extending outward from the central portion of the second bracket and connected to the first cross member; and

an acute second bracket tab angle measured between the first tab of the second bracket and the second tab of the second bracket;

wherein, the acute first and second bracket tab angles are equal.

8. The ceiling system according to claim 7 wherein

the central portion of the second bracket comprises a central vertical wall extending upward from a central bottom flange;

the first tab of the second bracket comprises a first tab bottom flange, the first tab vertical wall of the second bracket extending upward from the first tab bottom flange of the second bracket; and

the second tab of the second bracket comprises a second tab bottom flange, the second tab vertical wall of the second bracket extending upward from the second tab bottom flange of the second bracket.

9. The ceiling system according to claim 4 further comprising:

the first tab comprising a first tab bottom flange, the first tab vertical wall extending upward from the first tab bottom flange; and

the second tab comprising a second tab bottom flange, the second tab vertical wall extending upward from the second tab bottom flange.

10. The ceiling system according to claim 9 wherein the first tab bottom flange and the first cross member bottom flange extend parallel to one another.

11. The ceiling system according to claim 9 wherein the second tab bottom flange and the second cross member bottom flange extend parallel to one another.

12. The ceiling system according to claim 9 wherein the first tab bottom flange, the second tab bottom flange, and the central bottom flange of the first bracket is a monolithic structure.

13. The ceiling system according to claim 4 wherein the first cross member has a first end connected to the first tab of the first bracket and second end supported by the second main beam.

14. The ceiling system according to claim 13 wherein the first cross member vertical web and the first tab vertical wall are parallel.

15. The ceiling system according to claim 13 wherein the second cross member has a first end connected to the second tab of the first bracket and second end supported by the second main beam.

16. The ceiling system according to claim 15 wherein a portion of the first main beam, a portion of the second main beam, the first cross member, and the second cross member form a non-rectangular opening, a non-rectangular one of the plurality of ceiling tiles positioned within the opening.

Assignments (3)
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 May 15, 2025
From: ARMSTRONG WORLD INDUSTRIES, INC.
To: AWI LICENSING LLC
Reel/Frame 071131/0238 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 30, 2023
From: BAXTER, NATHAN J.; PAWLAK, SAMUEL D.; HARNISH, SCOTT D.; HANUSCHAK, RYAN D.; FRIEZ, NICHOLAS J.; CANFIJN, NATHAN J.; DEPAUL, MARIE A.; PLACE, KAIN A.
To: ARMSTRONG WORLD INDUSTRIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 064125/0483 →
Continuity (5)
Continuation 17223313 · Apr 6, 2021
Continuation 16876651 · May 18, 2020
Continuation 16359481 · Mar 20, 2019
Provisional Application 62645990 · Mar 21, 2018
Related Publication 20230340783A1 · Oct 26, 2023
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