Vibration isolating ceiling hanger

Abstract

A device for suspending a ceiling from a building structure includes a first support wire with a first hoop portion and at least one first hook portion, a second support wire with a second hoop portion and at least one second hook portion, a first isolation cup, a second isolation cup, and a spring between the first and second isolation cups. The first and second support wires are positioned such that the first and second hoop portions are adjacent first and second ends of the spring, respectively, the first hook portion bears against the second isolation cup and the second hook portion bears against the first isolation cup.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device for suspending a ceiling from a building structure, comprising:
 a first support wire comprising a first hoop portion and at least one first hook portion;   a second support wire comprising a second hoop portion and at least one second hook portion;   a first isolation cup;   a second isolation cup; and   a spring disposed between the first and second isolation cups and having a first end and a second end, wherein at least a portion of the first support wire and at least a portion of the second support wire is positioned through a hollow inner portion of the spring;   wherein the first and second support wires are positioned such that the first and second hoop portions are adjacent the first and second ends of the spring, respectively, and the at least one first hook portion is adapted to bear against the second isolation cup and the at least one second hook portion is adapted to bear against the first isolation cup.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first isolation cup comprises:
 a first opening through which the first and second support wires pass; 
 a first bearing surface for receiving one of the first or second hook portions; and 
 a first annular shelf adjacent the first opening opposite the first bearing surface; and 
   the second isolation cup comprises:
 a second opening through which the first and second support wires pass; 
 a second bearing surface for receiving one of the first or second hook portions; and 
 a second annular shelf adjacent the second opening opposite the second bearing surface; 
   wherein the first and second ends of the spring are positioned against the first and second annular shelves, respectively.   
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the first isolation cup comprises a first surface opposite the first bearing surface and the second isolation cup comprises a second surface opposite the second bearing surface. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the first and second isolation cups comprises an annular notch between the first or second annular shelves and the first or second surface, respectively. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the first and second isolation cups comprise at least one trough on the first or second bearing surface into which the first or second hook portion is received. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second isolation cups are comprised of elastomeric material. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second support wires comprise two first or second hook portions. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first and second isolation cups comprise two corresponding troughs on the first or second bearing surface into which the two first or second hook portions are received. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the spring is a coil spring. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the spring is a linear spring. 
     
     
         11 . A suspended ceiling system comprising the device of  claim 1 , and further comprising:
 a first connector with a first end coupled to the first hook portion of the first support wire and a second end coupled a ceiling structure; and   a second connector with a first end coupled to the second hook portion of the second support wire and a second end coupled to a suspended ceiling structure.   
     
     
         12 . A device for suspending a ceiling from a building structure, comprising:
 a first support wire comprising a first hoop portion and two first hook portions;   a second support wire comprising a second hoop portion and two second hook portions;   a first isolation cup comprising:
 a first opening through which the first and second support wires pass; 
 a first bearing surface for receiving the two second hook portions; and 
 a first shelf surface adjacent the first opening; 
   a second isolation cup comprising:
 a second opening through which the first and second support wires pass; 
 a second bearing surface for receiving the first two hook portions; and 
 a second shelf surface adjacent the second opening; and 
   a spring disposed between the first and second isolation cups and having a first and second end positioned against the first and second shelf surfaces, respectively;   wherein the first and second support wires are positioned such that the first and second hoop portions are adjacent the first and second ends of the spring, respectively, and the two first hook portions are adapted to bear against the second isolation cup and the two second two hook portions are adapted to bear against the first isolation cup.   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the two first hook portions of the first support wire are positioned at about 90-degree angle relative to the two second hook portions of the second support wire. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the first isolation cup comprises two first opposing troughs on the first bearing surface for receiving the two second hook portions of the second support wire, wherein the second isolation cup comprises two second opposing troughs on the second bearing surface for receiving the two first hook portions of the first support wire. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the two first troughs of the first isolation cup are positioned at about 90-degree angle relative to the two second troughs of the second isolation cup. 
     
     
         16 . A method for suspending and isolating a floating ceiling from a ceiling structure comprising the steps of:
 providing a vibration isolating hanger comprising:
 a first support wire comprising a first hoop portion and at least one first hook portion; 
 a second support wire comprising a second hoop portion and at least one second hook portion; 
 a first isolation cup; 
 a second isolation cup; and 
 a spring disposed between the first and second isolation cups and having a first end and a second end; 
 wherein the first and second support wires are positioned such that the first and second hoop portions are adjacent the first and second ends of the spring, respectively, and the at least one first hook portion is adapted to bear against the second isolation cup and the at least one second hook portion is adapted to bear against the first isolation cup; 
   attaching a first end of a first connector to the first hoop portion of the first support wire and attaching a second end of the first connector to the ceiling structure; and   attaching a first end of a second connector to the second hoop portion of the second support wire and attaching a second end of the second connector to the floating ceiling.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second isolation cups are comprised of elastomeric material. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the spring is a coil spring. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the spring is a linear spring.