Sealing System for Suspended Ceilings

Abstract

A seal for a suspension ceiling. The seal has a bottom leg is for attaching to a flange of a ceiling beam and top leg for engaging a ceiling panel and compressing between the ceiling panel and the bottom leg. The top leg is resiliently biased away from the bottom leg to form a V-shape when the seal is in an uncompressed state. The top leg of the seal may have one or more slits, cuts, or weakened areas that separate a plurality of segments of the top leg.

1 . A seal for a suspension ceiling comprising:
 a bottom leg for attaching a ceiling beam;   a top leg for engaging a ceiling panel and compressing between the ceiling panel and the bottom leg;   the top leg is connected to the bottom leg; and   the top leg is compressible against the bottom leg.   
   
   
       2 . The seal of  claim 1 , wherein the top leg is resiliently biased away from the bottom leg. 
   
   
       3 . The seal of  claim 1 , wherein the top leg comprises one or more slits that separate a plurality of segments of the top leg. 
   
   
       4 . The seal of  claim 1 , wherein the top leg comprises one or more slits for separating a plurality of segments; the slits also for allowing an intersecting ceiling beam to lay substantially flush on an intersected beam that has said seal. 
   
   
       5 . The seal of  claim 1 , wherein the top leg comprises one or more slits that separate a plurality of segments of the top leg; said slits being at substantially regular intervals along a length of the top leg. 
   
   
       6 . The seal of  claim 1 , wherein the top leg comprises one or more slits that separate a plurality of segments of the top leg; and wherein the segments have a longitudinal length of about 6 inches (15.24 centimeters); wherein the seal has a transverse width of about 0.5 inches (1.27 centimeters). 
   
   
       7 . The seal of  claim 1 , wherein the top leg comprises one or more weakened areas that separate a plurality of segments of the top leg. 
   
   
       8 . The seal of  claim 1 , wherein the top leg and the bottom leg are connected to form a V-shape when the seal is in an uncompressed state. 
   
   
       9 . The seal of  claim 1 , wherein a bottom surface of the bottom leg comprises an adhesive layer. 
   
   
       10 . The seal of  claim 1 , comprising a protruding end portion for extending into a flange area of an intersecting ceiling beam at a place of intersection between more than one ceiling beams. 
   
   
       11 . The seal of  claim 10 , wherein the protruding end portion extends longitudinally for a distance of about at least 0.13 inches (0.34 centimeters) 
   
   
       12 . The seal of  claim 1  comprising an end portion;
 the top leg has a connected edge and a nonconnected edge;   the bottom leg has a connected edge and a nonconnected edge;   the connected edge of the bottom leg connects to the connected edge of the top leg;   the seal extends in a longitudinal direction along the nonconnected edge; and   the end portion comprises a portion of the seal wherein the nonconnected edge of the top leg extends farther in the longitudinal direction than the connected edge of the top leg.   
   
   
       13 . The seal of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom leg attaches to a horizontal flange of a ceiling beam, and the top leg connects along a connection edge to a corresponding connection edge of the bottom leg; the top leg resiliently biased away from the bottom leg and compressible toward the bottom leg by a ceiling panel, thereby creating an air-tight seal between the flange and the ceiling panel when the ceiling panel is placed on the seal. 
   
   
       14 . The seal of  claim 1 , wherein the top leg is also for engaging a wall when compressed between a wall and the bottom leg, wherein the bottom leg is attached to a ceiling beam. 
   
   
       15 . The seal of  claim 1 , wherein the seal comprises a silicone or rubber based material that is pre-sized or customizable to fit a particular application. 
   
   
       16 . A method of sealing the intersection between a ceiling beam and a ceiling panel of a suspension ceiling, comprising the steps of:
 attaching a bottom leg of a seal to a horizontal flange of a ceiling panel;   repeating the attaching for each flange that will support a given ceiling panel; and   placing the ceiling panel on the supporting horizontal flanges thereby compressing a top leg of the seal against the bottom leg of the seal.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of attaching is further defined in that the bottom leg of the seal is attached so that the top leg of the seal extends upward and toward a vertical web of the ceiling beam. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of attaching is further defined in that the bottom leg of the seal is attached so that the top leg of the seal extends upward and away from a vertical web of the ceiling beam.