System and method for fastening ceiling tiles

Abstract

According to the present invention, a rail assembly and method is provided that allows secure mounting of ceiling panels to the rails, while at the same time allows extraction of the ceiling panel from the room below without damaging the ceiling panels or the underlying frame.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rail assembly, comprising:
 at least one rail having an elongated body, a supporting edge protruding along the length of the body and a threaded cavity along the length opening adjacent to the supporting edge;   a clip having an outward spring bias, the clip including an adjacent pair of boundary faces;   at least one ceiling panel, the ceiling panel having a ceiling side and outer edges;   wherein the panel securely fits between the supporting edge and one of the pair of boundary faces of the clip and the other boundary face impinges on an edge of the panel applying a spring loaded compressive force to the edge of the panel.   
     
     
         2 . The rail assembly according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 at least four of the at least one rail mounted on a ceiling forming a substantially enclosed shape with the supporting edges, wherein the supporting edge of each of the rails has a width; and   wherein the outer edges of the ceiling panel overlap the enclosed shape by a length that is less than the width allowing the ceiling panel to be removed by compressing the clips in two dimensions.   
     
     
         3 . The rail assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the ceiling panel is a square.   
     
     
         4 . The rail assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the ceiling panel is a non-square, rectangle that when aligned with the shape of the supporting edges presents the overlap length between its outer edges and the corresponding supporting edge.   
     
     
         5 . The rail assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein the clip includes a hole for allowing a screw to hold the clip in place and screw into the threaded cavity. 
     
     
         6 . The rail assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein the body of the rail further comprises a second cavity that facilitates hanging the rail. 
     
     
         7 . The rail assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein the body of the rail further comprises a third cavity that facilitates attaching material to the rail. 
     
     
         8 . The rail assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein the third cavity is threaded. 
     
     
         9 . A method of using a rail assembly to hang a drop ceiling, comprising:
 installing at least one rail having an elongated body, a supporting edge protruding along the length of the body and a threaded cavity along the length opening adjacent to the supporting edge;   selecting at least one clip having an outward spring bias, the at least one clip including an adjacent pair of boundary faces;   attaching the at least one clip to the rail;   mounting a ceiling panel having a ceiling side and outer edges to the at least one rail;   wherein the panel securely fits between the supporting edge and one of the pair of boundary faces of the clip and the other boundary face impinges on an edge of the panel applying a spring loaded compressive force to the edge of the panel.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising
 installing at least four of the at least one rail mounted on a ceiling forming a substantially enclosed shape with the supporting edges, wherein the supporting edge of each of the rails has a width; and   wherein the outer edges of the ceiling panel overlap the enclosed shape by a length that is less than the width allowing the ceiling panel to be removed by compressing the clips in two dimensions.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , further wherein:
 the ceiling panel is a non-square, rectangle that when aligned with the shape of the supporting edges presents the overlap length between its outer edges and the corresponding supporting edge.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the clip includes a hole for allowing a screw to hold the clip in place and screw into the threaded cavity. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the body of the rail further comprises a second cavity that facilitates hanging the rail. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the body of the rail further comprises a third cavity that facilitates attaching material to the rail. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the body of each rail further includes a pair of adjacent edges allowing panels to be mounted on either side of each rail. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the third cavity is threaded. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the cutout of the adapter is offset in relation to it body.