Ceiling system

Abstract

A ceiling system comprising a plurality of ceiling tiles each comprising a plurality of felt slats. The plurality of felt slats are arranged parallel to one another and include first and second recesses configured to receive and engage a ceiling hanger system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A ceiling system comprising:
 a ceiling hanger system comprising a plurality of ceiling hangers arranged in a grid defining a plurality of grid openings, each of the ceiling hangers comprising horizontal flange portions;   a plurality of ceiling tiles comprising:
 a first spacer bar; 
 a second spacer bar; 
 a plurality of felt linear ceiling components coupled to the first and second spacer bars, the felt linear ceiling components being parallel to one another and orthogonal to each of the first and second spacer bars, the first and second spacer bars being spaced from one another, each of the felt linear ceiling components extending from a first end to a second end and comprising:
 a first recess at least partially defined by a first floor below the first recess and a first roof above the first recess; and 
 a second recess at least partially defined by a second floor below the second recess and a second roof above the second recess; and 
 
   each of the ceiling tiles mounted to the ceiling hanger systems that: (1) one of the horizontal flange portions of a first one of the ceiling hangers extends into the first recesses of the felt linear ceiling components and engages the first roofs of the first recesses; and (2) one of the horizontal flange portions of a second one of the ceiling hangers extends into the second recesses of the felt linear ceiling components and engages the second roofs of the second recesses.   
     
     
         2 . The ceiling system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 wherein the grid formed by the ceiling hangers lies in a first plane; and 
 for each of the ceiling tiles, the felt linear ceiling components comprising a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface, each of the first and second major surfaces being orthogonal to the first plane. 
 
     
     
         3 . The ceiling system of  claim 1  wherein for each of the ceiling tiles, end portions of the felt linear ceiling components extend beneath and partially conceal the horizontal flange portions of the first and second ones of the ceiling hangers. 
     
     
         4 . The ceiling system of  claim 1  wherein, for each of the ceiling tiles, each of the felt linear ceiling components extend below a bottom side of each of the first and second spacer bars. 
     
     
         5 . The ceiling system of  claim 1  wherein one of the grid openings is at least partially defined by the first and second ones of the ceiling hangers. 
     
     
         6 . The ceiling system of  claim 1  wherein for each of the ceiling tiles:
 each of the felt linear ceiling components extend along a length from the first end to the second end and have a top side, a bottom side, and a width measured from the bottom side to the top side; and 
 at least some of the felt linear ceiling components have a height that varies along the length. 
 
     
     
         7 . The ceiling system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 wherein each of the ceiling hangers is an inverted T-beam; 
 wherein each of the ceiling tiles is mounted to the ceiling hanger system in one of the grid openings to collectively form a ceiling pattern; 
 wherein the grid formed by the ceiling hangers lies in a first plane; 
 wherein for each of the ceiling tiles, the felt linear ceiling components comprising a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface, each of the first and second major surfaces being orthogonal to the first plane; 
 wherein for each of the ceiling tiles, end portions of the felt linear ceiling components extend beneath and partially conceal the horizontal flange portions of the first and second ones of the ceiling hangers; 
 wherein for each of the ceiling tiles, each of the felt linear ceiling components extend along a length from the first end to the second end and have a top side, a bottom side, and a width measured from the bottom side to the top side, and at least some of the felt linear ceiling components have a height that varies along the length; and 
 wherein, for each of the ceiling tiles, each of the felt linear ceiling component is a felt slat. 
 
     
     
         8 . A ceiling system comprising:
 a plurality of ceiling tiles, each of the plurality of ceiling tiles comprising:
 at least one member; 
 a plurality of felt slats coupled to the at least one member so as to be maintained parallel to one another, each of the felt slats comprising:
 a main body; 
 a first tab comprising a first base portion extending upward from a top side of the main body and a first arm portion extending from the first base portion in a first direction toward a first end of the main body to form a first open recess, the first open recess having a first floor formed by a first portion of the top side of the main body and a first roof formed by an undersurface of the first arm portion; 
 a second tab comprising a second base portion extending upward from a top side of the main body and a second arm portion extending from the second base portion in a second direction opposite the first direction toward a second end of the main body to form a second open recess, the second open recess having a second floor formed by a second portion of the top side of the main body and a second roof formed by an undersurface of the second arm portion; and 
 each of the first and second recesses configured to receive a flange portion of ceiling hangers of a ceiling hanger system to mount the ceiling tile to the ceiling hanger system. 
 
   
     
     
         9 . The ceiling system according to  claim 8  wherein the at least one member is a backer panel. 
     
     
         10 . The ceiling system according to  claim 8  wherein the at least one member comprises first and second spacer bars. 
     
     
         11 . The ceiling system according to  claim 8  wherein, for each of the plurality of ceiling tiles, the first and second tabs of each of the plurality of felt slats comprises a tapered upper edge that slopes downward outwardly. 
     
     
         12 . The ceiling system according to  claim 8  wherein, for each of the ceiling tiles, the main body of each of the felt slats comprises a first vertical major surface and a second vertical major surface opposite the first vertical major surface. 
     
     
         13 . The ceiling system according to  claim 8  further comprising:
 the ceiling hanger system comprising a plurality of ceiling hangers arranged in a grid defining a plurality of grid openings; 
 each of the ceiling tiles mounted to the ceiling hanger system so that: (1) the flange portion of a first one of the ceiling hangers extends into the first recesses of the felt slats and engages the first roofs of the first recesses; and (2) a flange portion of a second one of the ceiling hangers extends into the second recesses of the felt slats and engages the second roofs of the second recesses. 
 
     
     
         14 . The ceiling system according to  claim 13  wherein for each of the ceiling tiles, end portions of the felt slats extend beneath and partially conceal the flange portions of the first and second ones of the ceiling hangers. 
     
     
         15 . A ceiling system comprising:
 a ceiling hanger system comprising a plurality of ceiling hangers arranged in a grid defining a plurality of grid openings, each of the ceiling hangers comprising flange portions;   a plurality of ceiling tiles comprising:
 a first spacer bar; 
 a second spacer bar; and 
 a plurality of felt slats coupled to the first and second spacer bars, the first and second spacer bars spaced from one another, each of the felt slats comprising:
 a first tab comprising a first undersurface; and 
 a second tab comprising a second undersurface; 
 
   the ceiling tiles mounted to the ceiling hanger system in a side-by-side arrangement so that the ceiling tiles collectively form a ceiling pattern, each of the ceiling tiles mounted to the ceiling hanger system by the flange portions of opposing ones of the ceiling hangers engaging the first and second undersurfaces of the felt slats.   
     
     
         16 . The ceiling system of  claim 15  wherein, for each of the ceiling tiles, each of the felt slats further comprises a main body, the first tab comprises a first arm portion extending in a first direction, and the second tab comprising a second arm portion extending in a second direction opposite the first direction, the first arm portion comprising the first undersurface and the second arm portion comprising the second undersurface; and wherein the ceiling hangers are inverted T-beams. 
     
     
         17 . The ceiling system of  claim 15  wherein, for each of the ceiling tiles the felt slats are parallel to one another and orthogonal to each of the first and second spacer bars. 
     
     
         18 . The ceiling system of  claim 15  further comprising:
 wherein the grid formed by the ceiling hangers lies in a first plane; and 
 wherein for each of the ceiling tiles, the felt slats comprise a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface, each of the first and second major surfaces being orthogonal to the grid plane. 
 
     
     
         19 . The ceiling system of  claim 15  wherein for each of the ceiling tiles, bottom sides of the first and second spacer bars are offset above bottom sides of the felt slats. 
     
     
         20 . The ceiling system of  claim 15  further comprising:
 wherein the flange portions of the ceiling hangers lie within a support plane; wherein, for each of the ceiling tiles, the first and second spacer bars are located above the support plane; and 
 wherein, for each of the ceiling tiles, the felt slats are parallel to one another and orthogonal to each of the first and second spacer bars.