Air handling system including shroud and grille, and method of use

Abstract

An air handling system adapted especially for drop ceiling gridwork employs a shroud and a grille. The grille is made of a material meeting UL Standard 94 or 181 and rests on the drop ceiling gridwork. The shroud is made of a material meeting at least UL Standard 94HB, and at least its inner surface is non-reflective to hide the shroud structure when viewed through openings in the grille. The shroud interconnects the grille openings to an air handling duct above the gridwork using the appropriate fasteners.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . In an air handling system positioned above a drop ceiling grid system and having an air handling header, the improvement comprising: 
 a) a grille sized to rest on grid sections forming an opening in the drop ceiling, the grille being made of a material meeting UL standard 181 or at least UL standard 94HB; and    b) a shroud having a shroud body forming a first opening sized to mate with the grille, and a second opening sized to mate with the air handling header, the shroud body being made of a material meeting at least UL standard 94HB and wherein an inner surface of the shroud disposed between the first and second openings is non-reflective.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the shroud is made of one of a polystyrene, a high impact polystyrene, and an ABS.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the grille is made of glass-fiber reinforced polypropylene.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the grille is made of glass-fiber reinforced polypropylene.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the shroud and grille are attached to each other.  
     
     
         6 . An air handling shroud comprising: 
 a) a shroud body having a first inlet opening and a second outlet opening smaller in size than the first opening, the second outlet opening sized to mate with an air handling header, the shroud body being made of a material meeting at least UL standard 94HB; and    b) wherein an inner surface of the shroud disposed between the first inlet opening and the second outlet openings is non-reflective.    
     
     
         7 . The shroud of  claim 6 , wherein the shroud is made of one of a polystyrene, a high impact polystyrene, and an ABS.  
     
     
         8 . The shroud of  claim 6 , wherein walls of the shroud forming the first inlet opening allow for nesting of a plurality of shrouds of storage purpose.  
     
     
         9 . In a method of handling air in a drop ceiling employing an air handling system header disposed in a space between the drop ceiling gridwork and a ceiling, the improvement comprising: 
 providing a grille having a number of air inlet openings therein within a section of the drop ceiling gridwork, the grille made of a material meeting at least UL standard UL 94HB or UL standard 181; and    connecting the air inlet openings to an opening in the air handling system header using a shroud, the shroud having a shroud body with a first inlet opening, and with a second outlet opening smaller in size than the first opening, the first inlet opening mating with the grille, and the second outlet opening sized to mate with an opening in the air handling header, the shroud body being made of a material meeting UL standard 94HB, an inner surface of the shroud disposed between the first inlet opening and the second outlet openings being non-reflective.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the drop ceiling gridwork does not require extra support to support the grille and shroud.  
     
     
         11 . The shroud of  claim 6 , wherein the entire shroud is non-reflective.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the entire shroud is non-reflective.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the shroud is made of one of a polystyrene, a high impact polystyrene, and an ABS.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the grille is made of a glass-fiber reinforced polypropylene.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the grille is made of a glass-fiber reinforced polypropylene.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the shroud has a section forming the second opening, an outer surface of the section having a one or more number protrusions acting as a stop for travel of a portion of the air handling header when or after being attached to the section.  
     
     
         17 . The shroud of  claim 6 , wherein the shroud has a section forming the second outlet opening, an outer surface of the section having one or more protrusions acting as a stop for travel of a portion of the air handling header when or after being attached to the section.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the shroud is provided with a section forming the second outlet opening, an outer surface of the section having one or more protrusions acting as a stop for travel of a portion of the air handling header when or after being attached to the section.