Suspended ceiling beam with a reinforced bulb

Abstract

A beam with a reinforced bulb for a suspended ceiling formed from a single sheet of rolled steel. This beam has a web with flanges attached to the bottom and a bulb attached at the top. The bulb includes a pleat that may increase the load-bearing capabilities of the beam.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A beam for a suspended ceiling comprising:
 a web having a first edge opposite a second edge;   a bulb, including a pleat, at the first edge of the web; and   two flanges opposite one another at the second edge of the web extending substantially perpendicularly out from the web.   
     
     
         2 . The beam of  claim 1 , wherein the beam is formed from a single sheet of material. 
     
     
         3 . The beam of  claim 2 , wherein the beam is formed from a material selected from a group consisting of metals, polymers, or carbon fiber. 
     
     
         4 . The beam of  claim 2 , wherein the material has a thickness of between about 0.008 inches and about 0.05 inches. 
     
     
         5 . The beam of  claim 1 , wherein the bulb contains two or more pleats. 
     
     
         6 . The beam of  claim 1 , wherein the web is comprised of a first surface substantially parallel to a second surface wherein the first surface and the second surface are joined together by a stitch. 
     
     
         7 . The beam of  claim 6 , wherein the stitch comprises a portion of the first surface which passes through a portion of the second surface creating an indentation in the first surface and a protuberance in the second surface. 
     
     
         8 . The beam of  claim 1 , further comprising a faceplate connecting the first flange and the second flange. 
     
     
         9 . A suspended ceiling comprising:
 a grid of beams below a structural framework, the beams comprising:
 a web having a first edge opposite a second edge, 
 a bulb, including a pleat, at the first edge of the web, and 
 two flanges opposite one another at the second edge of the web extending substantially perpendicularly out from the web; 
   a plurality of upper threaded hang rods above the grid of beams secured into the structural support, each of the upper threaded rods secured to the grid of beams by a hang clip;   a plurality of lower threaded load rods below the grid of beams, each of the lower threaded load rods secured to the grid of beams by a load clip; and   wherein the lower threaded load rods and the upper threaded hang rods enable tensile forces applied to the grid of beams by the load to pass through the grid of beams to the structural support without creating torsion or twisting forces in the grid of beams.   
     
     
         10 . The suspended ceiling of  claim 9  further comprising: a load below the grid of beams supported by the lower threaded load rods. 
     
     
         11 . The suspended ceiling of  claim 9 , wherein the suspended ceiling remains balanced, level, and intact even though the load below the grid of beams is not spread evenly over the grid of beams. 
     
     
         12 . The suspended ceiling of  claim 9 , wherein the hang clips and the load clips transmit the tensile forces to and from the grid beams without bending or twisting. 
     
     
         13 . The suspended ceiling of  claim 9 , wherein the load clips and the hang clips grip the beams without weakening the beams. 
     
     
         14 . The suspended ceiling of  claim 9 , wherein the beam is formed from a single sheet of material. 
     
     
         15 . The suspended ceiling of  claim 14 , wherein the beam is formed from a material selected from a group consisting of metals, polymers, or carbon fiber. 
     
     
         16 . The suspended ceiling of  claim 14 , wherein the material has a thickness of between about 0.008 inches and about 0.05 inches. 
     
     
         17 . The suspended ceiling of  claim 9 , wherein the bulb contains two or more pleats. 
     
     
         18 . The suspended ceiling of  claim 9 , wherein the web is comprised of a first surface substantially parallel to a second surface wherein the first surface and the second surface are joined together by a stitch. 
     
     
         19 . The suspended ceiling of  claim 18 , wherein the stitch comprises a portion of the first surface which passes through a portion of the second surface creating an indentation in the first surface and a protuberance in the second surface. 
     
     
         20 . The suspended ceiling of  claim 9 , wherein the beam includes a faceplate connecting the first flange and the second flange.