BACKGROUND ART A conventional home ceiling is flat with a standard height of eight feet, although specialty ceilings may be constructed in a variety of shapes and sizes to appeal to a particular buyer.

Unfortunately, specialty ceilings, such as gabled or vaulted ceilings, are often much more expensive than a conventional ceiling, and the price is even higher when replacing an existing conventional ceiling with a specialty ceiling. The present invention teaches the use of ceiling forms to create the look of a particular type of specialty ceiling known in the trade as a tray ceiling, without the associated costs or need for construction expertise as is ordinarily required.

The present invention pertains to tray ceilings. A room with a tray ceiling has a vertical or angled edge soffit around its ceiling's perimeter and a flat ceiling above that. Some have described a tray ceiling as resembling a room covered by an upside down tray. Presently, tray ceilings are created by cutting wallboard into shaped pieces and attaching the pieces with nails and plaster around the perimeter of an existing traditional ceiling. Molding pieces would then have to be placed along the internal edges of the wallboard to finish the look. The problem with this system is that cutting, shaping and hanging wallboard is a difficult and time consuming process.

The average homeowner often lacks the skill and tools necessary to create a presentable tray ceiling with these traditional methods. Also, many homeowners do not have the strength to lift and handle large pieces of uncut wallboard.

There are a number of patents which disclose a variety of material which may be used as suspended ceiling tiles or as moldings attached to ceilings. None of the following patents disclosed the use of preformed, light weight, foam pieces to create a tray ceiling.

For example, U. S. Pat. No. RE37, 436 to Santarossa teaches a method of manufacturing an elongated decorative molding having a decorative surface and a desired cross-sectional profile. The Santarossa patent describes moldings and does not suggest a system of interlocking foam tiles for creating a tray ceiling.

U. S. Pat. No. 6,197, 235 to Miller et al. discloses a method of manufacture for textured surface panels and panel products made from gypsum fiberboard. This patent teaches forming shaped panels for ceilings but does not show a system of decorative edges and interconnecting pieces that allow for the easy assembly of a tray ceiling as in the present invention. In addition, elongated strips of gypsum fiberboard would be too heavy for convenient, one-person assembly to a ceiling to form a tray ceiling.

U. S. Pat. No. 6,117, 514 to Herrmann discloses a ceiling tile system for providing a light-weight and easy-to-form interlocking plastic ceiling tile system for covering a ceiling.

The tile in this patent are made of a very thin plastic sheeting capable of thermal vacuum forming to define reliefs in the sheeting. As such, the ceiling tiles described by Herrmann are not suitable to form a faux tray ceiling with a decorative interior edge, nor are they constructed of light weight foam.

None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant inven- tion as claimed.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION The present invention is a foam faux tray ceiling system.

The tray ceiling system comprises a plurality of prefabricated, elongated ceiling tiles. Each ceiling tile is sized and dimensioned for forming a rectangular border about a ceiling defining a tray. Each ceiling tile includes a decorative face and an opposing face adapted for attachment to the ceiling. The ceiling tiles are made from lightweight polymer foam.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of the foam faux tray ceiling system according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevation view of the tray ceiling system in its unassembled form.

Fig. 3A sectional view of a ceiling tile.

Fig. 3B sectional view of a ceiling tile.

Fig. 3C sectional view of a ceiling tile.

Fig. 4 is an environmental, perspective view of a second embodiment of the foam faux tray ceiling system according to the present invention.

Fig. 5 is an elevation view of the second embodiment of the foam faux tray ceiling system in its unassembled form.

Fig. 6A is an elevation view of the attachment surface of a ceiling tile.

Fig. 6B is an elevation view of the attachment surface of a ceiling tile.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention is a tray ceiling system comprising a plurality of elongated, prefabricated, polymer foam ceiling tiles. Each tile has a decorative surface, an opposing attachment surface, a inside edge, and outside edge, and two connecting edges. The inside edges face the interior of the ceiling and are smoothly finished into a decorative shape (bevel, cove, etc. ), while the outside edge faces the wall and may either be a decorative bevel or be adapted for abutment to a wall. The connecting edges may be orthogonal to the length of the tile to form butt joints, or may be at a forty-five degree angle to the length of the tile to form miter joints. The tiles are elongated, preferably between eight and sixteen feet in length, and range in width preferably between six to eighteen inches. The tiles are made from a lightweight foam material, e. g. , polyurethane, polystyrene, etc. , so that the tiles may be easily installed on the ceiling.

When in use construction adhesive is applied to the attachment surface and the tiles are positioned around the perimeter of a ceiling. The mitered connection edges are positioned adjacent to one another thereby forming right angles that fit into the corners of the ceiling. The light weight of the tiles allows them to be easily manipulated and attached to the ceiling by one person. The smoothly finished inside and outside edges would eliminate the need for molding or for drywall tape and joint compound required to finish edges of drywall or wallboard ceiling tiles. Narrower tiles may be attached to wider tiles to create a stepped look.

The foam faux tray ceiling system 10, consists of at least four tiles 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d preferably precut into lengths designed to form a rectangular soffit around the perimeter of a ceiling C. The soffit is formed by placing the tiles 12a-12d around the perimeter of a ceiling with the tiles being connected at several joints 14. The joints 14 are preferably sealed with joint compound and painted to match the tiles. The tiles 12a- 12d are made of a lightweight polymer foam material, such as polyurethane or polystyrene, are preferably glued and/or screwed to the ceiling C.

Each tile 12a-12d in the system 10 is substantially the same with different tiles varying only by length. The length of the tiles 12a-12d are preferably between eight and sixteen feet, with widths preferably between six and eighteen inches. The tiles 12a-12d are preferably about one inch thick, so that when the tiles 12a-12d are applied to the ceiling C, the recess formed by the tiles 12a-12d resembles an inverted tray. The aforementioned dimensions produce tiles with a much higher length to width ratio than existing ceiling tiles. It will be understood that the afore going dimensions are by way of illustration, and actual dimensions may vary.

Fig. 2 shows the system 10 in an unassembled condition.

Due to the similarity of the tiles 12a-12d the following description of tile 12a applies generally to all tiles in the system. Tile 12a is trapezoidal in shape and has a decorative surface 20, an opposing attachment surface 22 (Fig. 3A), an inner edge 24 which faces towards the interior of the ceiling, an outer edge 26 which abuts the wall, and two opposing connection edges 28 which are joined to adjacent tiles 12b and 12d in the completed tray ceiling. Angles a and P, formed by the outer edge 26 and the connecting edges 28, are preferably forty-five degrees. The connection edges 28 are flat and form miter joints when positioned adjacent to the connection edges 28 of other tiles 12b-12d. One skilled in the art could alter the connection edges 28 so as to form butt joints or interlocking lap joints between adjacent tiles.

Fig. 3A is a sectional view of tile 12a. The tile 12a is approximately one inch thick and has a smooth finished decorative inner edge 24. The outer edge 26 is ordinarily flat and defines a ninety degree dihedral angle with the attachment surface 22.

Figs. 3B and 3C detail sectional views of two tiles 13,15 with possible variations of the outer 26 and inner 24 edges shown on tile 12a, in Fig. 3A. The outer edge 26 of tile 13, shown in Fig. 3B, is cove formed. Fig. 3C details a tile 15 which has symmetrically shaped outer 26 and inner edges 24.

The aforementioned variations are intended to show a sample of the wide variety of edge variations which could be created by one skilled in the art and are not intended to limit the present invention to any particular edge design. In particular, the inner edge 24 of the ceiling tiles may exhibit any of a variety of ornamental or decorative faux designs molded into the inner edge 24 during manufacture of the ceiling tile, e. g. , a tooth design with alternate teeth projecting towards the interior of the ceiling, an egg and dart design, etc. The ceiling tiles 12a-12d are manufactured as pre-formed, integral pieces by casting, molding, foam reservoir molding, elastic reservoir molding, or other plastic forming processes.

Fig. 4 details an environmental perspective of a second embodiment 40 of the foam faux tray ceiling system. This embodiment has at least eight pieces including, four edge tiles 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d and four corner tiles 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d.

The tiles are positioned to form a soffit around the perimeter of a ceiling and are preferably glued and/or screwed in place.

The soffit is created by placing the corner tiles 30a-30d in the corners of the ceiling C and disposing the edge tiles 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d between the corner tiles. The butt joints 14 formed between the tiles are preferably sealed with joint compound and painted.

Fig. 5 shows the second embodiment 40 of the foam faux tray ceiling system in its unassembled form. The four corner tiles 30a-30d are identical, therefore the following description of tile 30a applies to all the corner tiles. Corner tile 30a has a decorative surface 42, an opposing attachment surface 44, two connection edges 46, two outer edges 48, and two inner edges 49.

The two outer edges 48 and the two inner edges 49 may be beveled, coved or flat as described in Figs. 3A-3C herein above.

The connection edges 46, as with the connection edges 28,30 in the first embodiment, may be altered to form miter joints or interlocking joints with the edges of adjacent tiles.

The edge tiles 32a-32d differ from each other only by length, so the description of tile 32a is applicable to all edge tiles. Edge tile 32a is rectangular in shape and has a decorative surface 50, an opposing attachment surface 52, an inner edge 54, an outer edge 56, and two attachment edges 58.

The outer edge 56 and inner edge 54 may also be beveled, coved, or flat as described in Figs. 3A-3C herein above, and the inner edge 54 may have decorative faux designs molded therein during fabrication of the edge tiles 32a-32d. The tile 32a is preferably between eight and sixteen feet long and six to eighteen inches wide. These dimensions create a tile with a higher length to width ration that existing ceiling tiles.

Figs. 6A and 6B detail optional designs for the attachment surfaces for tiles 12a-12d and 32a-32d. Fig. 6A details several score lines 60 running along the attachment surface of the tile 12a. The score lines 60 may be marked by indicia to indicate the distance of the score line from the connection edge, and are aligned parallel to one connection edge 28. The score lines 60 serve as. reference lines for cutting the tiles for non-standard sized applications. Fig. 6B shows the score lines 60 for tiles 32a-32d for the second embodiment 40 of the present invention.

The score lines run parallel to the connection edges 58 (not shown).

It will be understood that the parts of the two embodiments may be joined into a single kit, and that the ceiling tiles may be made with one end mitered and the other end straight, so that the tray ceiling may have miter joints in the corners and a plurality of ceiling tiles placed end to end by but joints, depending upon the length of a side of the ceiling.

Accordingly, the preferred embodiments of the invention provide a tray ceiling system which is a lightweight alternative to existing tray ceiling construction systems. The tray ceiling system does not require more than an average amount of upper body strength to install and is easy to install by unskilled workers. The tray ceiling system can be installed without tools or with a minimum number of simple tools.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the sole embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.