Method and system of installing hvac equipment inlaid in a pre-existing suspended ceiling

Abstract

An installation system that embodies a method for installing HVAC equipment inlaid in suspended ceilings so that the cutting and trimming of pre-existing ceiling tiles is not required for a uniformed, presentable look to the room below is provided. The installation system may include at least one novel panel forming a cutout for slidably receiving inlaid HVAC equipment. Each novel panel may be dimensioned and adapted to replace at least one ceiling panel from a suspended ceiling so that each novel panel is supported along its edges by the pre-existing support grid of said suspended ceiling, presenting a uniform and clean look to the room below.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for installing HVAC equipment inlaid in suspended ceilings so that the cutting and trimming of pre-existing ceiling tiles is not required for a uniformed, presentable look to the room below, comprising:
 a pre-existing suspended ceiling comprising a plurality of removable ceiling tiles, wherein each ceiling tile is supported along their edges by a support grid;   at least one HVAC equipment having an inlaid portion providing a peripheral flange; and   a novel panel for each inlaid portion, the novel panel comprising:
 a peripheral body defining a peripheral edge; and 
 a cutout formed within the peripheral body, wherein the cutout is dimensioned to slidably receive the inlaid portion but not its peripheral flange, and wherein the at least one novel panel is dimensioned to be supported along its peripheral edge by a portion of the supporting grid. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral edge is an approximate 24 by 24 inch square. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral edge is an approximate 48 by 48 inch square. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral edge is an approximate 24 by 48 inch rectangle. 
     
     
         5 . A method for installing HVAC equipment inlaid in suspended ceilings so that the cutting and trimming of pre-existing ceiling tiles is not required for a uniformed, presentable look to the room below, comprising the steps of:
 providing at least one portion of HVAC equipment having an inlaid portion;   providing a peripheral flange along a periphery of the inlaid portion;   providing a novel panel having a peripheral edge sufficient to accommodate a cutout to slidably receive the relevant inlaid portion;   cutting the cutout from the novel panel, defining a peripheral body between the cutout and the peripheral edge;   removing at least one pre-existing ceiling tile from a support grid of the suspended ceiling, forming an installation opening defined by a portion of the support grid, wherein the installation opening is approximately the same dimensions of the peripheral edge; and   sliding the at least one portion of HVAC equipment through the cutout so that the peripheral flange abuts a portion of the peripheral body,   whereby the inlaid portion is inlaid with the peripheral body.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further including removing any portion of the support grid intersecting the installation opening. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , further including installing each portion of HVAC equipment. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , further including connecting the peripheral flange to the portion of the peripheral body.