Surface covering systems and methods of installing the same

Abstract

A ceiling system comprising a ceiling tile comprising a backer panel and a plurality of ceiling components assembled to the backer panel is disclosed. The ceiling components include connectors that pass through openings in the backer panel and protrude from a top surface of the backer panel and are configured to mount the ceiling tile to a ceiling hanger system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A ceiling system comprising:
 a backer panel comprising:
 a top surface; 
 a bottom surface opposite the top surface; and 
 a plurality of openings extending from the top surface to the bottom surface; 
   a plurality of ceiling components, each of the plurality of ceiling components comprising:
 a main body; and 
 a first end connector protruding upward from the main body and comprising a first end recess facing a first direction and configured to receive a flange portion of a first ceiling hanger; 
 a second end connector protruding upward from the main body and comprising a second end recess facing a second direction opposite the first direction and configured to receive a flange portion of a second ceiling hanger; 
 at least one ancillary connector protruding upward from the main body between the first and second end connectors, the least one ancillary connector comprising a first ancillary recess facing the first direction and a second ancillary recess facing the second direction, the first ancillary recess configured to receive a first portion of a flange portion of a third ceiling hanger and the second ancillary recess configured to receive a second portion of the flange portion of the third ceiling hanger; 
   the plurality of ceiling components assembled to the backer panel to form a ceiling tile in which: (1) the main bodies of the plurality of ceiling components are below the backer panel; and (2) the first end connectors, the second end connectors, and the ancillary connectors of the plurality of ceiling components pass through the plurality of openings and protrude from the top surface of the backer panel.   
     
     
         2 . The ceiling system according to  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of ceiling components comprises a plurality of the ancillary connectors arranged between the first and second end connectors in an equi-spaced manner from one another. 
     
     
         3 . The ceiling system according to  claim 2  wherein the spacing between plurality of the ancillary connectors is selected so that the plurality of the ancillary connectors align with route holes in a tee grid that allow for cross-tees to be mounted. 
     
     
         4 . The ceiling system according to  claim 1  wherein the backer panel and each of the plurality of ceiling components are formed of acoustic absorbing material. 
     
     
         5 . The ceiling system according to  claim 4  wherein the backer panel and each of the plurality of ceiling components are formed of felt. 
     
     
         6 . The ceiling system according to  claim 1  wherein the ceiling tile comprises the plurality of ceiling components assembled to the backer panel so that the main bodies of the plurality of ceiling components extend substantially parallel to one another. 
     
     
         7 . The ceiling system according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 for each the plurality of ceiling components, the main body comprising a panel; and 
 the ceiling tile comprising the plurality of ceiling components assembled to the backer panel so that the panels of the main bodies of the plurality of ceiling components extend orthogonal from the bottom surface of the backer panel; and 
 for each of the plurality of ceiling components, the panel of the main body, the first end connector, the second end connector, and the at least one ancillary connector is a monolithic component. 
 
     
     
         8 . The ceiling system according to  claim 1  wherein for each the plurality of ceiling components, the main body is formed by a folded piece of felt. 
     
     
         9 . The ceiling system according to  claim 1  wherein, for each of the plurality of ceiling components, the at least one ancillary connector further comprising:
 at least one pair of tabs comprising:
 a first tab comprising a first inner edge, the first ancillary recess formed in the first inner edge; and 
 a second tab spaced from the first tab and comprising a second inner edge that opposes the first inner edge of the first tab to form a channel therebetween, the second ancillary recess formed in the second inner edge. 
 
 
     
     
         10 . The ceiling system according to  claim 9  wherein, for each of the plurality of ceiling components, the first and second ancillary recesses are horizontally aligned. 
     
     
         11 . The ceiling system according to  claim 9  wherein, for each of the plurality of ceiling components, the channel has an entry section above the first and second ancillary recesses that has a width that decreases with distance from an opening of the entry section. 
     
     
         12 . The ceiling system according to  claim 11  wherein, for each of the plurality of ceiling components, the entry section has a maximum width that is greater than a width of the flange portion of the third ceiling hanger and a minimum width that is less than the width of the flange portion of the third ceiling hanger. 
     
     
         13 . The ceiling system according to  claim 9  wherein for each of the plurality of ceiling components, the first inner edge of the first tab comprises a first chamfered portion and the second inner edge of the second tab comprises a second chamfered portion opposing the first chamfered portion. 
     
     
         14 . The ceiling system according to  claim 9  wherein, for each of the plurality of ceiling components, the at least one ancillary connector comprises two of the at least one pair of tabs, a first one of the pair of tabs aligned with the second one of the pair of tabs in a third direction that is orthogonal to the first and second directions. 
     
     
         15 . The ceiling system according to any one of  claims 9  further comprising:
 a ceiling hanger system comprising the first, second, and third ceiling hangers, each of the first, second, and third ceiling hangers being a tee grid beam; and 
 the ceiling tile mounted to the ceiling hanger system due to a portion of a horizontal flange of the first ceiling hanger nesting within the first end recess, a portion of a horizontal flange of the second ceiling hanger nesting within the second end recess, and first and second end portions of a horizontal flange of the third ceiling hanger nesting within the first and second ancillary recesses respectively. 
 
     
     
         16 . The ceiling system according to  claim 1  wherein, for each of the plurality of ceiling components, the at least one ancillary connector further comprising:
 a tab comprising a first outer edge and a second outer edge opposite the first outer edge; and 
 the first ancillary recess formed in the first inner edge and the second ancillary recess formed in the second outer edge. 
 
     
     
         17 . The ceiling system according to  claim 16  wherein, for each of the plurality of ceiling components, the at least one ancillary connector further comprising:
 the first outer edge comprising a first chamfered portion above the first ancillary recess; and 
 the second outer edge comprising a second chamfered portion above the second ancillary recess. 
 
     
     
         18 . The ceiling system according to any one of  claim 16  further comprising:
 a ceiling hanger system comprising the first, second, and third ceiling hangers, the third ceiling hanger being a C-channel beam; and 
 the ceiling tile mounted to the ceiling hanger system due to the flange portion of the first ceiling hanger nesting within the first end recess, the flange portion of the second ceiling hanger nesting within the second end recess, and first and second portions of the flange portion of the C-channel beam nesting within the first and second ancillary recesses respectively. 
 
     
     
         19 . A ceiling system comprising:
 a backer panel comprising:
 a top surface; 
 a bottom surface opposite the top surface; and 
 a plurality of openings extending from the top surface to the bottom surface; 
   a plurality of ceiling components, each of the plurality of ceiling components comprising:
 a main body; and 
 a first end connector protruding upward from the main body and comprising a first end recess facing a first direction and configured to receive a flange portion of a first ceiling hanger; 
 at least one ancillary connector protruding upward from the main body, the at least one ancillary connector comprising a first ancillary recess facing the first direction and a second ancillary recess facing the second direction, the first ancillary recess configured to receive a first portion of a flange portion of a second ceiling hanger and the second ancillary recess configured to receive a second portion of the flange portion of the second ceiling hanger; 
   the plurality of ceiling components assembled to the backer panel to form a ceiling tile in which: (1) the main bodies of the plurality of ceiling components are below the backer panel; and (2) the first end connector and the ancillary connectors of the plurality of ceiling components pass through the plurality of openings and protrude from the top surface of the backer panel to allow mounting of the ceiling tile to a ceiling hanger system via the ancillary connectors engaging the second ceiling hanger and the first end connectors engaging the second ceiling hanger.   
     
     
         20 . The ceiling system according to  claim 19  further comprising:
 a ceiling hanger system comprising the first and second ceiling hangers; and 
 the ceiling tile mounted to the ceiling hanger system due to the flange portion of the first ceiling hanger nesting within the first end recess and the first and second portions of the flange portion of the second ceiling hanger nesting within the first and second ancillary recesses respectively.