Decorative ceiling panel

Abstract

A decorative ceiling panel comprises a transparent front cover, a rear cover and a sheet of material. The rear cover is superimposed on the front cover so as to cooperate with the front cover to form a sheet receiving space. The sheet of material has a decorative design formed on at least one side. The sheet of material is disposed between the front cover and the rear cover in the sheet receiving space. The decorative design of the sheet of material faces the front cover so as to be viewable through the front cover. The front cover and the rear cover engage the sheet of material to maintain the sheet of material between the front cover and the rear cover.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A decorative ceiling panel in combination with a ceiling grid for supporting a plurality of ceiling panels within a room, the decorative ceiling panel comprising: 
 a transparent front cover having a first end, a second end, an interior surface and an exterior surface;    a rear cover having a first end, a second end, an interior surface and an exterior surface, the rear cover superimposed on the front cover so as to cooperate with the front cover to form a sheet receiving space; and    a sheet of material having a decorative design formed on at least one side thereof, the sheet of material disposed between the front cover and the rear cover in the sheet receiving space formed by the front cover and the rear cover with the decorative design of the sheet of material facing the front cover so as to be viewable through the front cover and the front cover and the rear cover engaging the sheet of material to maintain the sheet of material between the front cover and the rear cover,    wherein the decorative ceiling panel is supported in a selected position of the ceiling grid such that the decorative design of the sheet of material is viewable from within the room.    
     
     
         2 . The decorative ceiling panel of  claim 1 , wherein the ceiling grid is a T-grid support system.  
     
     
         3 . The decorative ceiling panel of  claim 1 , wherein the front cover and the rear cover are formed as a single piece.  
     
     
         4 . The decorative ceiling panel of  claim 3 , wherein the front cover may be separated from the rear cover sufficiently to permit the sheet of material to be selectively inserted into and removed from the sheet receiving space formed by the front cover and the rear cover.  
     
     
         5 . The decorative ceiling panel of  claim 4 , wherein the front cover and the rear cover are formed of acrylic.  
     
     
         6 . The decorative ceiling panel of  claim 1 , wherein the front cover is flat.  
     
     
         7 . The decorative ceiling panel of  claim 1 , wherein the sheet of material is supported in a substantially coplanar relationship with respect to adjacent ceiling panels supported by the ceiling grid.  
     
     
         8 . A decorative ceiling panel in combination with a T-grid ceiling grid for supporting a plurality of ceiling panels within a room, the decorative ceiling panel comprising: 
 a transparent, flat front cover having a first end, a second end, an interior surface and an exterior surface;    a rear cover having a first end, a second end, an interior surface and an exterior surface, the rear cover superimposed on the front cover so as to cooperate with the front cover to form a sheet receiving space, the front cover and the rear cover being formed from a single, folded piece of acrylic; and    a sheet of material having a decorative design formed on at least one side thereof, wherein the front cover may be separated from the rear cover sufficiently to permit the sheet of material to be selectively inserted into and removed from the sheet receiving space formed by the front cover and the rear cover, the sheet of material disposed between the front cover and the rear cover in the sheet receiving space formed by the front cover and the rear cover with the decorative design of the sheet of material facing the front cover so as to be viewable through the front cover and the front cover and the rear cover engaging the sheet of material to maintain the sheet of material between the front cover and the rear cover, wherein the decorative ceiling panel is supported in a selected position of the ceiling grid such that the decorative design of the sheet of material is viewable from within the room.    
     
     
         9 . A method of decorating a ceiling of a room which includes a ceiling grid for supporting a plurality of ceiling panels, the method comprising the steps of: 
 inserting a sheet of material having a decorative design between a transparent front cover and a rear cover with the decorative design facing the transparent front cover thereby forming a decorative ceiling panel; and    positioning the decorative ceiling panel in a selected position of the ceiling grid such that the decorative design of the sheet of material is viewable from within the room.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising the step of maintaining the sheet of material between the front cover and the rear cover by engaging the front cover and the rear cover against the sheet of material.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising the step of positioning the decorative ceiling panel in the selected position so that the front panel is supported by the ceiling grid in a substantially coplanar relationship with respect to the ceiling panels.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the front cover is attached to the rear cover and wherein the inserting step further comprises separating the front cover from the rear cover sufficiently to permit the sheet of material to be inserted between the front cover and the rear cover while the front cover and the rear cover remain attached to one another.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising the steps of: 
 removing the decorative ceiling panel from the ceiling grid;  
 removing the sheet of material from between the transparent front cover and a rear cover;  
 inserting a second sheet of material having a different decorative design between the transparent front cover and the rear cover with the decorative design facing the transparent front cover thereby forming a decorative ceiling panel; and  
 positioning the decorative ceiling panel in the selected position of the ceiling grid such that the decorative design of the second sheet of material is viewable from within the room.  
 
     
     
         14 . A method of decorating a ceiling of a room which includes a ceiling grid and a plurality of ceiling panels supported by the ceiling grid, the method comprising the steps of: 
 removing at least one of the ceiling panels from a selected location of the ceiling grid;    inserting a sheet of material having a decorative design between a transparent front cover and a rear cover with the decorative design facing the transparent front cover thereby forming a decorative ceiling panel; and    positioning the decorative ceiling panel in a selected position of the ceiling grid such that the decorative design of the sheet of material is viewable from within the room.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising the step of maintaining the sheet of material between the front cover and the rear cover by engaging the front cover and the rear cover against the sheet of material.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising the step of positioning the decorative ceiling panel in the selected position so that the front panel is supported by the ceiling grid in a substantially coplanar relationship with respect to the ceiling panels.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the front cover is attached to the rear cover and wherein the inserting step further comprises separating the front cover from the rear cover sufficiently to permit the sheet of material to be inserted between the front cover and the rear cover while the front cover and the rear cover remain attached to one another.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising the steps of: 
 removing the decorative ceiling panel from the ceiling grid;  
 removing the sheet of material from between the transparent front cover and a rear cover;  
 inserting a second sheet of material having a different decorative design between the transparent front cover and the rear cover with the decorative design facing the transparent front cover thereby forming a decorative ceiling panel; and  
 positioning the decorative ceiling panel in the selected position of the ceiling grid such that the decorative design of the second sheet of material is viewable from within the room.