Recessed ceiling fixture enclosure

Abstract

An enclosure for use in conjunction with a recessed ceiling fixture is provided which includes a substantially rectangular housing defining a top wall and side walls constructed from a single piece of fire-resistant gypsum wallboard. The housing is fastened to continuous stamped metal support flange depend inwardly from bottom edges of side walls of the housing to facilitate mounting of the housing between spaced apart building joists. The recessed fixture is mounted to the interior of the support flange after installation of the housing between the building joists.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE [0001] This nonprovisional patent application claims priority to the provisional patent application having Ser. No. 60 / 797,311, which was filed on May 3, 2006.FIELD OF INVENTION [0002] The current invention relates to an apparatus for preventing the spread of heat, fire and hot gases in buildings that require a fire rate separation between floors of a building. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] In residential, commercial, apartment, condominium and assisted living buildings it is commonplace to install recessed fixtures such as lighting fixtures, loudspeakers and security cameras in ceilings where a portion of these devices extend through the ceiling and into the cavity between the floor joists of the adjacent floor and or roof structure. A typical multi-family residential condominium building can have several hundred recessed devices of these types. [0004] In the building trade it is well know that a creating an opening in the ceiling plane to accommodate a recesse...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0017] The subject invention is wrapped with a continuous tape with an inwardly facing pressure-sensitive adhesive coating which applies pressure to the open joints and forms a

Problems solved by technology

In the building trade it is well know that a creating an opening in the ceiling plane to accommodate a recessed device the fire-rated barrier is compromised.

Two layers of wallboard are often required to give the box structural stability resulting in longer construction time and the additional expense of materials.

The assembly and finishing processes are time consuming and very inefficient when performed in the field.

As a result of the inefficiencies of the process, the finished product is higher in price and lower in quality than an enclosure produced off-site in a regulated environment.

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