Ceiling system with replacement panels

Abstract

A panel for use in a drop ceiling system, or with appropriate modification, a wall, wherein the ceiling system includes stringers and cross-members defining areas therebetween for support of the panels wherein the panels include at least one planar sheet of material secured to a reinforcement member having channels formed therein to extend in at least one direction relative to the sheet material. When more than one sheet of material is used, the sheets of material are disposed on opposite sides of the reinforcement member. The panels are flexible for easy insertion into the openings between the stringers and cross-members of the support system and are readily compressed into a thinner profile for shipping purposes.

1 . A flexible ceiling panel that can be folded or flexed while being inserted into an opening in a supporting grid work of a ceiling of a building structure and subsequently unfolded above said grid work so that the panel can be positioned on said grid work; said panel comprising: 
 a planar upper sheet;    a planar lower sheet; and    a plurality of elongated resilient strips that are creased at predetermined locations where said strips are folded to form a plurality of parallel reinforcement members between said upper and lower sheets; each reinforcement member being folded to include an upper flap, a lower flap and an intermediate body; said upper flap of each reinforcement member being attached to said upper sheet, and said lower flap of each reinforcement member being attached to said lower sheet;    wherein said upper and lower sheets and said reinforcement members are each of a somewhat rigid material that can be flexed and that comprises heat-resistant fibers bound together by a resin.    
   
   
       2 . The panel of  claim 1  wherein said upper and lower sheets and said strips are of the same somewhat rigid material that can be flexed.  
   
   
       3 . The panel of  claim 1  wherein said flaps of each of said reinforcement members are adhesively bonded, heat welded or ultrasonically bonded to said upper and lower sheets.  
   
   
       4 . The panel of  claim 1  further including a decorative layer of material secured to said lower sheet with said lower flap of each reinforcement member being secured an upper face of said lower sheet and said decorative layer being secured to lower face of said lower sheet.  
   
   
       5 . The panel of  claim 4  wherein said decorative layer is an elastomeric polymer.  
   
   
       6 . The panel of  claim 5  wherein said elastomeric polymer is a thermoplastic or thermosetting polymeric film.  
   
   
       7 . The panel of  claim 1  wherein said material of said upper sheet, said material of said lower sheet, and said material of said reinforcement members are each a non-woven fabric of heat resistant fibers bound together by a heat moldable polymeric resin matrix or a thermal setting resin matrix.  
   
   
       8 . The panel of  claim 3  wherein said material of said upper sheet, said material of said lower sheet, and said material of said reinforcement members are each a non-woven fabric of heat resistant fibers bound together by a heat moldable polymeric resin matrix or a thermal setting resin matrix.  
   
   
       9 . The panel of  claim 8  wherein each of said materials of said upper sheet, said lower sheet, and said reinforcement members comprises glass fibers embedded in a resin.  
   
   
       10 . The panel of  claim 7  wherein each of said materials of said upper sheet, said lower sheet, and said reinforcement members comprises glass fibers embedded in a resin.  
   
   
       11 . The panel of  claim 10  wherein said material of said strips, forming said reinforcement members, is creased without damaging said glass fibers, to maintain resiliency in said material of said strips.  
   
   
       12 . The panel of  claim 10  or  11  wherein said resin is an acrylic resin.  
   
   
       13 . The panel of  claim 10  wherein the length of said glass fibers in each of said materials of said upper sheet, said lower sheet and/or said strips is in the range of one quarter of an inch to one inch.  
   
   
       14 . The panel of  claim 11  wherein the length of said glass fibers in each of said materials of said upper sheet, said lower sheet and/or said strips is in the range of one quarter of an inch to one inch.  
   
   
       15 . The panel of  claim 10  wherein the thickness of said glass fibers in each of said materials of said upper sheet, said lower sheet and/or said strips is in the range of seven to one-hundred microns.  
   
   
       16 . The panel of  claim 13  wherein the thickness of said glass fibers in each of said materials of said upper sheet, said lower sheet and/or said strips is in the range of seven to one-hundred microns.  
   
   
       17 . The panel of  claim 14  wherein the thickness of said glass fibers in each of said materials of said upper sheet, said lower sheet and/or said strips is in the range of seven to one-hundred microns.  
   
   
       18 . The panel of  claim 10  wherein each of said materials of said upper sheet, said lower sheet and/or said strips is of the same resin and glass fibers.  
   
   
       19 . The panel of  claim 16  wherein each of said materials of said upper sheet, said lower sheet and/or said strips is of the same resin and glass fibers.  
   
   
       20 . The panel of any one of claims  1 - 11  and  13 - 19  wherein the reinforcement members are each of a substantially S-shaped configuration.  
   
   
       21 . The panel of  claim 20  that is incorporated into a ceiling of a building structure.  
   
   
       22 . The panel of any one of claims  1 - 11  and  13 - 19  that is incorporated into a ceiling of a building structure.  
   
   
       23 . A ceiling system comprising, in combination, a support structure having a plurality of perpendicular support members defining openings therebetween, said support members being adapted to support ceiling panels in said openings, and a ceiling panel in each of said openings as defined in any one of claims  1 - 11  and  13 - 19 .  
   
   
       24 . A ceiling system comprising, in combination, a support structure having a plurality of perpendicular support members defining openings therebetween, said support members being adapted to support ceiling panels in said openings, and a ceiling panel in each of said openings as defined in  claim 20.