Ceiling system with integrated equipment support structure

Abstract

A modular air-handling plenum for capable of supporting surgical apparatus or other objects is disclosed. The plenum is usually rectangular, may be formed of sheet metal, and features a truss spanning the width of the plenum to carry the weight of the apparatus. The plenum itself is attached to the ceiling of a room. An air handling component may be included to provide filtered and / or conditioned air in the vicinity of the suspended apparatus, or the plenum may be used strictly as an apparatus support, with no air-conditioning function. An ordinary suspended ceiling may also be mounted in the plenum for continuity with the remainder of the room.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference related patent applications [0002] This application claims priority to US Patent Application 12 / 589,475, filed on October 22, 2009, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. technical field Background technique [0003] Certain indoor environments, such as clean rooms and operating rooms, radiology rooms, and dental suites like those found in hospitals, often require clean air to protect the work performed within them. Such a room may also have different heating or cooling needs at different points within the room. For example, electronic equipment may generate excessive heat and therefore require cooling air to gather near it. Surgeons may also find it advisable to have additional heated or cooled air available in the vicinity of the operating table, so that the patient is kept at a stable temperature, or dissipated by lights or by doctors or nurses surrounding the patient Excessive heat generated by the team. However, th...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, this setup suffers from the same problems as hard-wired ventilation: it is expensive, requires custom installation during building construction, and can limit possible room configurations based on the nature of the underlying building frame

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