Ceiling tiles

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a ceiling tile may provide for suspending and stiffening leading to the following performance characteristics: ( 1 ) ease of suspension and seismic compliance; ( 2 ) ability to suspend thin and low internal bond strength materials, in addition to standard materials; ( 3 ) accommodation of wood movement while maintaining panel flatness; ( 4 ) stiffening of panels to panel edge; ( 5 ) alignment of panels within concealed suspension T-Grid without additional components; and ( 6 ) ease of fabrication.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for securing ceiling panels to an array of suspended bars, the system comprising:
 a ceiling panel defining a front face and an opposed back face and a first edge and an opposite second edge, the first and second edges configured to be aligned with the suspended bars;   a first clip coupled to the panel adjacent the first edge of the panel, the first clip defining a channel; and   a first stiffener bar inserted in the channel of the first clip, the channel allowing relative movement of the first stiffener bar and the first clip.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a first plurality of clips, each clip defining a channel, the first plurality of clips distributed along the first edge of the panel, and further wherein the first stiffener bar extends through the channels of each of the clips in the first plurality of clips. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  further comprising a second plurality of clips, each clip defining a channel, the second plurality of clips distributed along the second edge of the panel, and further including a second stiffener bar extending through the channels of each of the clips in the second plurality of clips. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a second clip coupled to the panel adjacent the second edge of the panel, the second clip defining a second channel; and
 a second stiffener bar inserted in the channel of the second clip, the second channel allowing relative movement of the second stiffener bar and the second clip.