Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to suspended ceilings and in particular to a bracket for providing restraint against earthquake loads for suspended ceilings and components, and to assemblies using the bracket.

Background

[0002] Suspended ceilings may include a lateral seismic restraint that is typically attached either to a structure above the ceiling such as a soffit or concrete slab forming the floor above, or to supports (such as perimeter channels) attached to the walls of the room. The first option is generally known as plenum bracing and the second option is known as perimeter fixing.

[0003] In perimeter fixing, a series of rails known as furring channels extend from one support (perimeter channel) on one wall to the support on the opposite wall. They are fixed to one support and typically float (slide) at the support on the opposite wall to allow for relative movement of the opposed walls, during seismic events or the like. The sheeting material forming the ceiling, typically plasterboard, is fixed to the furring channels. A further series of rails knows as top cross rails are fixed to and located above the furring channels and extend perpendicular to the furring channels between the other two opposed walls of the room. The top cross rails support the furring channels. Again, the top cross rails are fixed to one wall and float at the other. Other arrangements for perimeter fixing are possible in which the furring channels and top cross rails are fixed to more than two walls and either the furring channels or the top cross rails or both, extending from one wall to an opposed wall comprise two longitudinally connected components connected by a sliding joiner that provides a seismic gap (also known as a separation j oint) which allows the joined components to move relative to one another along the longitudinal axis. [0004] In plenum braced suspended ceilings, the top cross rails are supported from the plenum by a series of evenly distributed braces in the plenum space, typically laid out in a square or regular grid arrangement. The braces typically comprise a vertical post and splayed wires or a vertical post and diagonal struts (steel channels). The top cross rails are fixed to the furring channels to which the sheeting material is attached. The ceiling- to-wall connection is floating/sliding type around the entire perimeter in plenum braced suspended ceilings.

[0005] The present invention aims to improve on the performance of suspended ceilings and in particular to provide components suitable for forming suspended ceiling in locations where seismic events are possible.

[0006] Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present disclosure as it existed before the priority date of each of the appended claims.

Summary

[0007] In a first aspect the present invention provides a ceiling bracket, for use in forming a brace assembly in a suspended ceiling connecting a furring channel to a stud, the ceiling bracket having a protrusion shaped to slidably engage with a furring channel and a pair of spaced tabs extending away from the protrusion, the tabs spaced apart to receive one end of a vertical brace and a diagonal brace so the ceiling bracket is secured to the braces.

[0007a] According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a ceiling bracket, for use in forming a brace assembly in a suspended ceiling connecting a furring channel to at least one brace, the ceiling bracket having a depending protrusion shaped to slidably engage with a furring channel and a pair of spaced tabs extending away from the protrusion, the tabs spaced apart to receive an end of the at least one brace to allow the ceiling bracket to be secured to the at least one brace.

[0008] Typically, the protrusion depends from a floor or base extending between the spaced tabs. [0009] It is preferred that the protrusion is shaped to locate inside a furring channel and defines two channels which are arranged to support upper flanges of the furring channel.

[0010] In a preferred feature, the two channels correspond to two internal comers at the top of the depending protrusion. [0011] A related aspect provides a ceiling including a frame comprising a plurality of furring channels and a plurality of cross-rails connected to the channels to form a grid for supporting ceiling panels; and one or more brace assemblies, an assembly comprising: a plurality of braces, typically including a vertical brace and at least one diagonal brace, and a plurality of brackets, each bracket configured to secure one of the braces to a ceiling slab; and a ceiling bracket having a protrusion shaped to slidably engage one of the furring channels and a pair of spaced tabs extending away from the protrusion, the tabs spaced apart to receive ends of two braces to allow securing of the ceiling bracket to the braces, and wherein an end of the vertical brace is secured to one of the cross-rails.

[0012] The vertical brace is typically secured to one of the cross-rails at a location adjacent the ceiling bracket.

[0013] Typically, the ceiling panels comprise sheets of plasterboard. [0014] Preferably, each brace assembly includes threes braces and one ceiling bracket.

[0015] Advantageously, the bracket allows the components of the system to be secured to each other with fasteners to form a vibration-resistant structure which is less complex than prior art approaches and generally requires fewer components. Brief Description of Drawings

[0016] A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of a bracket for use in a suspended ceiling;

Figure 2 is an end view of the bracket of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an isometric view of the bracket of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged view of part A shown in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the use of the bracket of Figure 1 to form a two- way plenum brace connection;

Figure 5a shows an alternative diagonal soffit/slab brace connection; Figure 6 is a perspective view of part of a suspended ceiling illustrating the use of the bracket to form a non-fire rated suspended ceiling with four floating sides;

Figure 7 is a similar perspective view to Figure 5 but showing a fire rated ceiling;

Figure 8 shows a section through a two-way brace connection similar to that shown in Figure 5, using the bracket; Figure 9 shows an elevation of the connection shown in Figure 8;

Figure 10 shows atop cross rail floating connection;

Figure 11 shows a furring channel floating connection;

Figure 12 shows atop cross rail floating connection for a fire rated ceiling; and Figure 13 shows a furring channel floating connection for a fire rated ceiling.

Description of Embodiments

[0017] Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a ceiling bracket 10 for use in forming a brace assembly in a suspended ceiling connecting a furring channel to a vertical brace 30 formed from a length of track (refer to Figure 5). The ceiling bracket includes two generally planar opposed tabs 12, 14, spaced apart by a floor or base 16 extending perpendicular to the tabs. A depending protrusion 18 in the form of a channel or recess 18 is defined in the centre of the base 16. The tabs 12, 14 each define two holes 20 for receiving fasteners such as screws for fixing the tabs to opposite sides/flanges of the vertical brace (explained in more detail below with reference to Figure 5) to secure the ceiling bracket to the vertical brace and an associated diagonal brace. The tabs 12, 14 are spaced apart by the floor 16 at a distance so that the tabs engage the outside edges/flanges of the stud 30.

[0018] The ceiling protrusion 18 has a cross section which is shaped and configured to slidably engage inside a furring channel 50 (refer to Figure 5) and in particular defines rounded comers 22 which protrude into the channel 18, and corresponding external channels 23, as is best shown in Figure 4, so that the exterior of the protrusion matches the interior shape of the furring channel. In use, the two channels 23 support the upper flanges of a furring channel. [0019] Figures 5 to 7, and 8 and 9 illustrate the use of the ceiling bracket to create braces for suspended ceilings. Figure 5 shows a two way plenum brace connection 28. The brace connection includes a vertical brace 30 which is fixed to the ceiling slab using a universal bracket 32 which is fixed to the ceiling using a screw anchor 34, and to the vertical brace 30 by at least three steel framing screws (typically lOg screws).

[0020] A diagonal bracing brace 36 formed from a length of stud material is fixed to the vertical brace 30 using three steel framing screws and extends at an angle of 45° to the vertical brace. The top of the diagonal brace 36 is also attached to the ceiling slab using a universal bracket 32 which is fixed to the ceiling using a further screw anchor

34.

[0021] A further diagonal brace 40 also formed from a length of stud material extends away from the vertical brace at 45° to the vertical brace 30 and is fixed to the vertical brace 30 and to the ceiling bracket 10 using two screws 42 on each side of the flanges which extend through the holes in the tabs of the ceiling bracket and the flanges of the vertical stud and of the diagonal brace 40. The top of the diagonal brace 40 is fixed to the ceiling slab using a 45° bracket 44 attached to the top of the brace using three steel framing screws.

[0022] The furring channel 50 slides over the protrusion 18 and is fixed to both sides of the protrusion 18 using steel framing screws 52. The top cross rail 60 is fixed to the base of the vertical brace 30 using two or more steel framing screws 62.

[0023] Figure 5a shows an alternative arrangement for attaching the diagonal brace 40 to the ceiling slab/soffit. In this arrangement, the brace 40 is attached to the slab using two universal brackets 32.

[0024] Figure 8 and Figure 9 are a section and an elevation of a fire rated ceiling suspended by a two-way plenum brace connection/assembly as shown in Figure 5. [0025] Figure 10 shows the perimeter detail of atop cross rail floating connection for a top cross rail 70. The Figures show a ceiling panel in the form of a sheet of material 100, typically plasterboard, attached to a furring channel 50 using a fastener. The furring channel 50 is attached to a top cross rail 60 using a locking key 70 located at the intersection of the furring channel and the top cross rail. The top cross rail is suspended from the slab using a spring adjustable top cross rail clip assembly 80. The assembly can be a maximum distance D of 300mm to the side wall. Figure 10 shows the minimum clearance CM _t from the side wall to the top cross rail of 1.5% of plenum height as per AS/NZS 2785 Clause 2.3.6.3 (a).

[0026] Figure 11 shows the perimeter detail of a furring channel floating connection. The Figure shows a sheet of plasterboard 100 attached to a furring channel using a fastener. The furring channel 50 is attached to a top cross rail 60 using a locking key 70 located at the intersection of the furring channel and the top cross rail. The top cross rail is suspended from the slab using a spring adjustable top cross rail clip assembly 80. Figure 11 shows the minimum clearance CM _f from the side wall to the furring channel of 1.5% of plenum height as per AS/NZS 2785 Clause 2.3.6.3 (a).

[0027] Figure 12 is a similar view to Figure 10, but with a fire rated ceiling and the same components have the same reference numerals. In the fire rated ceiling, three sheets 110 of fire rated plasterboard are attached to the furring channel 50 using screw fasteners at a distance D of 30 to 50mm from the side edge of the sheets 110. Again, Figure 12 shows the minimum clearance CM _t from the side wall to the top cross rail of 1.5% of plenum height as per AS/NZS 2785 Clause 2.3.6.3 (a). The gap between the side wall and the edge of the sheet material 110 is 20mm maximum and is covered by alength of 50x50mmx 1.15mmBMT steel backing angle 130 and the gap between the side edge of the sheet material 110 and the wall is filled with a suitable fire rated and acoustic sealant 120.

[0028] Figure 13 is a similar view to Figure 11, except it shows a fire rated ceiling and the same components have the same reference numerals. In a fire rated ceiling up to three sheets 110 of fire rated plasterboard are attached to the furring channel 50 at a distance of 30 to 50mm from the side edge of the sheets 110. Again, Figure 12 shows the minimum clearance CM _f from the side wall to the furring channel of 1.5% of plenum height as per AS/NZS 2785 Clause 2.3.6.3 (a). The gap between the side wall and the edge of the sheet material 110 is 20mm maximum and is covered by a length of 50x50mm x 1.15mm BMT steel backing angle 130 and the gap between the side edge of the sheet material 110 and the wall is filled with a suitable fire rated and acoustic sealant 120.

[0029] Figures 6 and 7 show a part of suspended ceiling of a building, the building including a concrete slab (not shown) from which the ceiling is suspended. Both Figures 6 and 7 show a suspended ceiling with four floating sides and the ceilings are generally similar, except that the ceiling of Figure 6 is non-fire rated and Figure 7 shows a fire rated ceiling.

[0030] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments, without departing from the broad general scope of the present disclosure. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

[0031] Where any or all of the terms "comprise", "comprises", "comprised" or "comprising" are used in this specification (including the claims) they are to be interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components, but not precluding the presence of one or more other features, integers, steps or components.