Architectural fixture connection system

Abstract

An architectural fixture assembly includes a first beam and a second beam which are configured to be coupled together. The first beam includes a bottom side and first and second sides extending from the bottom side. The first and second sides of the first beam include notches extending upwardly from a bottom end of the first beam. The second beam includes a bottom side and first and second sides extending from the bottom side. The first and second sides of the second include notches extending downwardly from a top end of the second beam. The first and second beams may be coupled together by engagement of the notches of the first beam with the notches of the second beam.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An architectural fixture assembly comprising:
 a first beam comprising a bottom side, a first side extending from a first proximal end that is connected to the bottom side to a first distal end, and a second side extending from a second proximal end that is connected to the bottom side to a second distal end, the first side comprising at least one first notch that extends from the first proximal end towards the first distal end, and the second side comprising at least one second notch that extends from the second proximal end towards the second distal end;   a second beam comprising a bottom side, a first side extending from the bottom side to a first distal end, and a second side extending from the bottom side to a second distal end, the first side comprising at least one third notch that extends from the first distal end towards the bottom side, and the second side comprising at least one fourth notch that extends from the second distal end towards the bottom side;   wherein the first and second beams are configured to be coupled together via engagement between: (1) the at least one first notch of the first side of the first beam and at least one of the at least one third notch and the at least one fourth notch of the second beam; and (2) the at least one second notch of the second side of the first beam and at least one of the at least one third notch and the at least one fourth notch of the second beam.   
     
     
         2 . The architectural fixture assembly according to  claim 1  wherein each of the first and second beams is generally U-shaped such that an upper surface of the bottom side and inner surfaces of the first and second sides of each of the first and second beams defines an interior portion of the first and second beams. 
     
     
         3 . The architectural fixture assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the bottom side of the first beam comprises at least one aperture, wherein the at least one first notch in the first side of the first beam and at least one second notch in the second side of the first beam are open to the at least one aperture in the bottom side of the first beam. 
     
     
         4 . The architectural fixture assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one first notch in the first side of the first beam comprises a pair of the first notches, wherein the at least one second notch in the second side of the first beam comprises a pair of the second notches, wherein the at least one third notch in the first side of the second beam comprises a pair of the third notches, and wherein the at least one fourth notch in the second side of the second beam comprises a pair of the fourth notches, and wherein the first and second beams are configured to be coupled together via engagement between: (1) a first one of the pair of the first notches in the first side of the first beam with a first one of the pair of the third notches in the first side of the second beam; (2) a second one of the pair of the first notches in the first side of the first beam with a first one of the pair of the fourth notches in the second side of the second beam; (3) a first one of the pair of the second notches in the second side of the first beam with a second one of the pair of the third notches in the first side of the second beam; and (4) a second one of the pair of the second notches in the second side of the first beam with a second one of the pair of the fourth notches in the second side of the second beam 
     
     
         5 . The architectural fixture assembly according to  claim 4  wherein the bottom side of the first beam comprises at least one aperture, wherein the first and second ones of the pair of the first notches in the first side of the first beam and the first and second ones of the pair of the second notches in the second side of the first beam are open to the at least one aperture in the bottom side of the first beam, wherein the first side of the second beam comprises a first wall portion located between the pair of the third notches and wherein the second side of the second beam comprises a second wall portion located between the e pair of the fourth notches, and wherein each of the first and second wall portions extends through the at least one aperture in the bottom side of the first beam and into an interior space of the first beam when the first and second beams are coupled together. 
     
     
         6 . The architectural fixture assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one first notch of the first side of the first beam terminates in a first end wall that is located between the bottom side of the first beam and the first distal end of the first side of the first beam, and wherein the at least one second notch in the second side of the first beam terminates in a second end wall that is located between the bottom side of the first beam and the second distal end of the second side of the first beam. 
     
     
         7 . The architectural fixture assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the at least one third notch and the at least one fourth notch terminate in an end wall that is elevated above the bottom side of the second beam. 
     
     
         8 . The architectural fixture assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the first beam extends from a first end to a second end along a longitudinal axis, wherein the at least one first notch on the first side of the first beam comprises a pair of the first notches that are axially spaced apart from one another and wherein the at least one second notch on the second side of the first beam comprises a pair of the second notches that are axially spaced apart from one another, and wherein a first one of the pair of first notches and a first one of the pair of second notches are axially aligned with one another and wherein a second one of the pair of first notches and a second one of the pair of second notches are axially aligned with one another. 
     
     
         9 . The architectural fixture assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the second beam extends from a first end to a second end along a longitudinal axis, and wherein the at least one third notch on the first side of the second beam comprises a pair of the third notches that are axially spaced apart from one another and wherein the at least one fourth notch on the second side of the second beam comprises a pair of the fourth notches that are axially spaced apart from one another, wherein a first one of the pair of third notches and a first one of the pair of fourth notches are axially aligned with one another, and wherein a second one of the pair of third notches and a second one of the pair of fourth notches are axially aligned with one another. 
     
     
         10 . The architectural fixture assembly according to  claim 1  wherein each of the first and second sides of each of the first and second beams comprises an inner surface and an outer surface, and wherein the at least one first notch extends from the inner surface of the first side of the first beam to the outer surface of the first side of the first beam, wherein the at least one second notch extends from the inner surface of the second side of the first beam to the outer surface of the second side of the first beam, wherein the at least one third notch extends from the inner surface of the first side of the second beam to the outer surface of the first side of the second beam, and wherein the at least one fourth notch extends from the inner surface of the second side of the second beam to the outer surface of the second side of the second beam. 
     
     
         11 . The architectural fixture assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the first beam has a first height measured from an outer surface of the bottom side to the first distal end of the first side and wherein the second beam has a second height measured from an outer surface of the bottom side to a first distal end of the first side, and wherein either the first height is greater than the second height or the second height is greater than the first height such that when the first and second beams are coupled together the first and second distal ends of the first and second sides of the first and second beams are planar and aligned while bottom ends of the first beam are spaced apart from bottom ends of the second beam by a distance. 
     
     
         12 . The architectural fixture assembly according to  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of the first beams arranged at a distance to one another and a plurality of the second beams arranged at a distance to one another, wherein each of the plurality of first beams intersects each of the plurality of second beams to form a lattice assembly. 
     
     
         13 . An architectural fixture assembly comprising:
 a plurality of first beams, each of the first beams being generally U-shaped and comprising a bottom side, a first side extending from the bottom side, and a second side extending from the bottom side and being spaced apart from the first side to define an interior portion of the first beam;   a plurality of second beams, each of the second beams being generally U-shaped and comprising a bottom side, a first side extending from the bottom side, and a second side extending from the bottom side and being spaced apart from the first side to define an interior portion of the second beam;   wherein the plurality of first beams and the plurality of second beams are configured to be arranged in a lattice configuration with the plurality of first beams being spaced apart from one another and the plurality of second beams being spaced apart from one another.   
     
     
         14 . The architectural fixture according to  claim 13  wherein the first and second sides of each of the plurality of first beams has a first height and wherein the first and second sides of each of the plurality of second beams has a second height, the first height being greater than the second height. 
     
     
         15 . The architectural fixture according to  claim 14  wherein when the plurality of first and second beams are arranged in the lattice configuration, outer surfaces of the bottom sides of the plurality of first beams lie in a first plane and outer surfaces of bottom sides of the plurality of second beams lie in a second plane that is offset from the first plane, and wherein the second plane intersects the first and second sides of each of the plurality of first beams at a location between the bottom sides of the plurality of first beams and distal ends of the first and second sides of the plurality of first beams. 
     
     
         16 . The architectural fixture according to  claim 13  further comprising:
 the first and second sides of each of the plurality of first beams comprising a plurality of notches; 
 the first and second sides of each of the plurality of second beams comprising a plurality of notches; and 
 wherein the plurality of notches in the first and second sides of the first beams are configured to engage with the plurality of notches in the first and second sides of the second beams to couple the first and second beams together to form the lattice configuration. 
 
     
     
         17 . The architectural fixture according to  claim 13  wherein the plurality of first beams are arranged parallel to one another, wherein the plurality of second beams are arranged parallel to one another, and wherein each of the plurality of second beams is orthogonal to each of the plurality of first beams in the lattice configuration. 
     
     
         18 . An architectural fixture assembly comprising:
 first and second beams each comprising a bottom side and first and second sides extending from the bottom side;   wherein each of the first and second sides of each of the first and second beams comprises at least one alignment notch;   wherein the alignment notches of the first and second sides of the first beam extend upward from the bottom side of the first beam towards a top side of the first beam;   wherein the alignment notches of the first and second sides of the second beam extend downward from a top side of the second beam towards the bottom side of the second beam;   wherein the alignment notches of the first beam engage the alignment notches of the second beam to couple the first beam to the second beam, and wherein the first and second beams give the appearance of intersecting each other.   
     
     
         19 . The architectural fixture assembly according to  claim 18  wherein the top side of the first beam is aligned with the top side of the second beam when the first and second beams are coupled together, and wherein the bottom side of the first beam is aligned with the bottom side of the second beam when the first and second beams are engaged. 
     
     
         20 . The architectural fixture assembly according to  claim 18  wherein each of the first and second beams is a U-shaped beam, wherein the alignment notches of the first and second sides of the first beam terminate at a first end wall that is recessed relative to a distal end of the first and second sides of the first beam, and wherein the alignment notches of the first and second sides of the second beam terminate at a second end wall that is elevated above the bottom side of the second beam.