Louver ceiling device and method for installing the louver ceiling device

Abstract

The present invention provides a louver ceiling device and a method for installing the louver ceiling device that can improve ease of installation. [Solution] The louver ceiling device 1 comprises a hollow cylindrical louver material 10, a pin-shaped member 4 that is attached to the mounting target 2 on the ceiling side in a state that it protrudes downward and is inserted through a through hole 11a provided in the upper wall portion 11 of the louver material, and a louver holding member 14 that is inserted into the louver material from an opening at the longitudinal end of the louver material and has a locking portion 15 that engages with the pin-shaped member and a holding portion 18 that abuts against the upper wall portion of the louver material when the locking portion is engaged with the pin-shaped member.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a louver ceiling device and a method for installing the louver ceiling device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a louver ceiling configured by arranging louver materials in parallel on the ceiling side is known. For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a decorative rib material (louver material) that is constructed to form a louver structure on the field edge as a base material for the ceiling portion of a building. The decorative rib material includes a core member that is fixed to the field edge by screws penetrating the bottom in the thickness direction with the back surface abutting on the field edge, and a decorative member that is externally fitted so as to cover the entire core member and is fixed by nails driven through each side portion and into each side wall portion of the core member.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the decorative rib material described in Patent Document 1 above, it is necessary to fix a long core member and further assemble and fix a decorative member in an externally fitted state to the core member with nails, and further improvement is desired from the viewpoint of workability.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a louver ceiling device and a method for installing the louver ceiling device that can improve workability.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above objective, the louver ceiling device according to the present disclosure is characterized by comprising: a hollow cylindrical louver material; a pin-shaped member that is attached to the ceiling-side mounting object in a manner that protrudes downward and is inserted through a through hole provided in the upper wall portion of the louver material; and a louver holding member that is inserted into the louver material from an opening at the longitudinal end of the louver material and has a locking portion that engages with the pin-shaped member and a holding portion that abuts against the upper wall portion of the louver material when the locking portion is engaged with the pin-shaped member.

[0007] To achieve the above objective, the method for mounting a louver ceiling device according to the present disclosure is a method for mounting a louver ceiling device in which a hollow cylindrical louver material is attached to a mounting target on the ceiling side, characterized in that a pin-shaped member attached in a state that protrudes downward from the mounting target is inserted through a through hole provided in the upper wall portion of the louver material, a locking portion of a louver holding member inserted into the louver material from an opening at the longitudinal end of the louver material is locked to the pin-shaped member, and the holding portion of the louver holding member is brought into contact with the upper wall portion of the louver material to mount the louver material. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The louver ceiling device and the method for installing the louver ceiling device described herein can be configured as described above to improve ease of installation. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a schematic, partially broken perspective view showing an example of a louver ceiling device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a schematic disassembled perspective view of a partially broken section of the louvered ceiling device. [Figure 3] A schematic front view of a partially broken section of the louver ceiling device. [Figure 4] (a) is a partially broken schematic cross-sectional view corresponding to the view along line XX in Figure 3, and (b) is a partially broken schematic side view of the same louver ceiling device. [Figure 5]Figures (a) to (c) schematically show an example of a method for installing a louver ceiling device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, where (a) and (b) are partially broken schematic side views, and (c) is a partially broken schematic cross-sectional view corresponding to Figure 4(a). [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In some of the figures, some of the detailed symbols used in other figures have been omitted. In the following embodiments, directions such as the vertical direction will be described based on the state in which the louver ceiling device according to this embodiment is installed. Figures 1 to 5 schematically show an example of a louver ceiling device according to this embodiment and an example of a method for installing the louver ceiling device according to this embodiment.

[0011] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the louver ceiling device 1 comprises a hollow cylindrical louver material 10 and a pin-shaped member 4 that is attached to the ceiling mounting target 2 in a state that protrudes downward and is inserted through a through hole 11a provided in the upper wall portion 11 of the louver material 10. The louver ceiling device 1 also includes a louver holding member 14 that is inserted into the louver material 10 from an opening at the longitudinal end of the louver material 10. This louver holding member 14 has a locking portion 15 that engages with the pin-shaped member 4 and a holding portion 18 that abuts against the upper wall portion 11 of the louver material 10 when the locking portion 15 is engaged with the pin-shaped member 4. With this configuration, the louver material 10 can be easily installed compared to a configuration in which a long core member is fixed and a decorative member is assembled and fixed to it in an external fitting state. In other words, the pin-shaped member 4, which is easier to handle than a long member, can be easily installed on the ceiling mounting target 2. Furthermore, by engaging the locking portion 15 of the louver holding member 14 with the pin-shaped member 4, the louver material 10 can be held by the holding portion 18 of the louver holding member 14. This improves workability compared to a configuration in which the relatively long louver material 10 is fixed with fasteners such as screws. In addition, it eliminates the need to drive fasteners diagonally from the side of the louver material 10, and makes it possible to reduce the spacing between adjacent louver materials 10. Also, it eliminates the need to perform fixing work from above the louver material 10, and makes it possible to bring the louver material 10 into direct contact with or close proximity to the mounting target 2 on the ceiling side.

[0012] The louver ceiling device 1 may be installed on the ceilings of relatively small buildings such as residences and offices, or on the ceilings of various relatively large buildings such as gymnasiums, halls, shopping malls, schools, and welfare facilities. The mounting target 2 for this louver ceiling device 1 may be a ceiling substrate that constitutes a so-called system ceiling, such as furring strips held by furring strip hangers, or it may be a ceiling slab, etc. In the illustrated example, an example using a ceiling panel is shown. Such a ceiling panel may be gypsum board or calcium silicate board, or it may be a lightweight board containing a fibrous or foamed resin base material, or it may be a wood-based board, etc.

[0013] The louver material 10 is elongated in the first direction. This louver material 10, along with other louver materials 10 arranged at appropriate intervals in a second direction perpendicular to the first and vertical directions, constitutes a louver ceiling. By constructing a louver ceiling with multiple louver materials 10 in this manner, various devices such as air conditioning equipment, lighting equipment, and sound equipment installed above the louver material 10 can be made less conspicuous. The length of the louver material 10 may be set to an appropriate dimension from the standpoint of reducing weight or ease of handling, for example, it may be approximately 1000mm to 4000mm or approximately 1500mm to 2500mm. The width and height dimensions of the louver material 10 along the second direction may be set to an appropriate dimension from the standpoint of reducing weight or aesthetics, depending on the shape of the louver material 10 when viewed in the longitudinal direction, for example, it may be approximately 20mm to 200mm or approximately 30mm to 100mm. The louver material 10 is provided with peripheral walls (11, 12, 12, 13) that define the hollow portion that penetrates in the longitudinal direction. In this embodiment, the louver material 10 is a rectangular tube shape having four peripheral walls including an upper wall portion 11 in which through holes 11a are provided.

[0014] This louver material 10 comprises an upper wall portion 11 that constitutes the four-sided wall, side wall portions 12, 12 that hang down from both ends in the width direction (second direction) of the upper wall portion 11, and a lower wall portion 13 that is provided to span between the lower ends of these side wall portions 12, 12. The upper wall section 11 and the lower wall section 13 are sheet-like, arranged so that their thickness direction is vertical. The side wall sections 12, 12 are sheet-like, arranged so that their thickness direction is a second direction. In the illustrated example, the width dimension of these side wall sections 12, 12 along the vertical direction is larger than the width dimension of the upper wall section 11 and the lower wall section 13, that is, the louver material 10 is shown as a vertically elongated rectangular tube, but it is not limited to this configuration. Also, in the illustrated example, the width dimensions of the upper wall section 11 and the lower wall section 13 are approximately the same, and the side wall sections 12, 12 are parallel to each other, but instead of this configuration, the width dimension of one of the upper wall section 11 and the lower wall section 13 may be larger than the other. In other words, the louver material 10 may be approximately trapezoidal when viewed in the longitudinal direction.

[0015] The thickness dimensions of the upper wall portion 11, the side wall portions 12, 12, and the lower wall portion 13 depend on the materials that make them up, but for example, they may be about 0.5 mm to 3 mm or about 1 mm to 2 mm. The upper wall portion 11, the side wall portions 12, 12, and the lower wall portion 13 may be made of metal or synthetic resin, or they may be made of paper from the viewpoint of reducing weight or improving processability. In this case, the upper wall portion 11, the side wall portions 12, 12, and the lower wall portion 13 may include a flame-retardant paper layer or a non-combustible paper layer. Such a flame-retardant paper layer or non-combustible paper layer may be appropriately configured so that the louver material 10 meets the technical standards for the performance required for flame-retardant materials and non-combustible materials as stipulated in the Building Standards Act. The outer surfaces of the upper wall portion 11, the side wall portions 12, 12, and the lower wall portion 13 may be covered with a decorative layer such as kraft paper, or they may be covered with a decorative base layer that can be painted or to which decorative sheets can be attached. The louver material 10 may be formed in a cylindrical shape by integrally forming the upper wall portion 11, the side wall portions 12, 12, and the lower wall portion 13, which are made of the paper layers described above.

[0016] The through-hole 11a in the upper wall portion 11 is provided so as to penetrate the upper wall portion 11 in the thickness direction so that the pin-shaped member 4 can be inserted. The diameter of this through-hole 11a may be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the pin-shaped member 4. This through-hole 11a is provided so as to be located at the central portion of the upper wall portion 11 in the second direction. As shown in FIG. 3, this through-hole 11a may be provided at both longitudinal ends of the louver material 10. That is, the louver material 10 may be attached to the attachment target 2 by louver holding members 14, 14 in which both longitudinal ends are arranged within each end in the longitudinal direction. This through-hole 11a may be formed in the louver material 10 in a factory or the like in advance, or may be formed at the processing site or construction site of the louver material 10. In the illustrated example, the through-hole 11a is in the shape of a round hole, but as long as the pin-shaped member 4 described later can be inserted, it may be a square hole or the like.

[0017] The pin-shaped member 4 is in the shape of a pin arranged so that the axial direction is the vertical direction. This pin-shaped member 4 includes a cylindrical member 5 through which a fixture 3 fixed to the attachment target 2 is inserted and held between the support portion 3a at the lower end of the fixture 3 and the attachment target 2. With such a configuration, by attaching the cylindrical member 5 to the attachment target 2 via the fixture 3, the protruding dimension from the attachment target 2 can be regulated by the cylindrical member 5, and it is difficult for a difference to occur in the protruding dimensions between the plurality of pin-shaped members 4, 4. Instead of the fixture 3, a columnar member fixed to the attachment target 2 may be inserted into the cylindrical member 5, or the fixture 3 may constitute the columnar member. This cylindrical member 5 has a central portion 6 with a smaller diameter than its upper and lower sides. The locking portion 15 of the louver holding member 14 includes a pair of clamping pieces 16, 16 that hold the central portion 6 of the cylindrical member 5 so as to sandwich it. With such a configuration, the central portion 6 of the cylindrical member 5 can be easily locked by receiving the central portion 6 of the cylindrical member 5 between the pair of clamping pieces 16, 16 of the louver holding member 14 and sandwiching the central portion 6 with the pair of clamping pieces 16, 16. Also, these clamping pieces 16, 16 can be positioned between the large-diameter portions (7, 8) on the upper and lower sides of the cylindrical member 5, making it easier to keep the gap between the mounting target 2 and the louver material 10 constant.

[0018] Specifically, the fixture 3 may be a screw, bolt, nail, etc. fixed to the mounting target 2. In this case, the support portion 3a at the lower end of the fixture 3 may be the head of the fixture 3. The fixture 3 may have an appropriate configuration according to the mounting target 2. For example, when the mounting target 2 is a board with low fixture holding strength such as a gypsum board, the fixture 3 may be a so-called board anchor having a locking portion or the like that expands and locks to the back of the board on the back side of the board (ceiling back side) by screwing in the fixture 3. The fixture 3 may be included in the pin-shaped member 4 (louver ceiling device 1) or may be arranged on site as appropriate. The cylindrical member 5 is provided as a hollow cylindrical shape with a hollow portion through which the shaft portion of the fixture 3 is inserted extending throughout the axial direction. The cylindrical member 5 may be a polygonal cylinder, but in the illustrated example, it is a cylindrical shape.

[0019] The inner diameter of this cylindrical member 5 only needs to allow the shaft portion of the fixture 3 to be inserted, and it may be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the shaft portion of the fixture 3. As shown in Fig. 5(a), in the state where the cylindrical member 5 is attached to the mounting target 2 by the fixture 3, the upper end abuts against the mounting target 2 and the lower end abuts against the support portion 3a of the fixture 3. The axial dimension and outer diameter of the cylindrical member 5 may be appropriately sized so as not to interfere with the lower wall portion 13 and the side wall portions 12, 12 on both sides of the louver material 10 in the state of being inserted into the through hole 11a of the louver material 10 as shown in Fig. 5(b). The cylindrical member 5 comprises a central portion 6, an upper large-diameter portion 7 located above the central portion 6 and having a larger diameter than the central portion 6, and a lower large-diameter portion 8 located below the central portion 6 and having a larger diameter than the central portion 6. These central portion 6, upper large-diameter portion 7, and lower large-diameter portion 8 are provided coaxially and integrally.

[0020] The central portion 6 is cylindrical with a uniform outer diameter throughout its entire axial direction. The axial dimensions and outer diameter of this central portion 6 may be set to appropriate dimensions from the viewpoint of enabling the locking portion 15 (described later) to be stably locked, as well as from the viewpoint of miniaturization and weight reduction. For example, the axial dimensions of the central portion 6 may be about 10 mm to 50 mm. For example, the outer diameter of the central portion 6 may be about 5 mm to 15 mm. Similarly, the upper large-diameter section 7 and the lower large-diameter section 8 are cylindrical with a uniform outer diameter throughout their entire axial direction. The axial dimensions and outer diameters of these upper large-diameter section 7 and lower large-diameter section 8 may be set to appropriate dimensions from the viewpoint of achieving compactness and weight reduction, as described above.

[0021] The axial dimension of the upper large-diameter portion 7 may be set to an appropriate dimension from the viewpoint of suppressing excessive interference between the mounting object 2 and the upper wall portion 11 of the louver material 10, as well as depending on the gap between them, the thickness of the upper wall portion 11, and the vertical dimension from the upper wall portion 11 to the locking portion 15. The axial dimension of the upper large-diameter portion 7 is preferably larger than the thickness of the upper wall portion 11, for example, it may be about 3 mm to 15 mm. The outer diameter of the lower large-diameter portion 8 may be set to an appropriate size so that the locking portion 15 can be locked and held in place by the step formed by the difference in diameter between it and the central portion 6. The outer diameter of the lower large-diameter portion 8 may be about 1.1 to 2 times the outer diameter of the central portion 6. In the illustrated example, the axial dimensions of the upper large-diameter section 7 and the lower large-diameter section 8 are approximately the same, and the outer diameter of the upper large-diameter section 7 and the outer diameter of the lower large-diameter section 8 are approximately the same. However, the example is not limited to this.

[0022] The upper and lower ends of the cylindrical member 5, specifically the upper surface of the upper large-diameter portion 7 and the lower surface of the lower large-diameter portion 8, are flat surfaces perpendicular to the axial direction, that is, flat surfaces facing directly upwards and directly downwards. The annular upper surface of the lower large-diameter portion 8, which forms a step surface between the central portion 6 and the lower large-diameter portion 8, is a flat surface perpendicular to the axial direction, that is, a flat surface facing directly upwards, so that the locking portion 15 can be locked and held in place. The annular lower surface of the upper large-diameter portion 7, which forms a step surface between the central portion 6 and the upper large-diameter portion 7, may be a flat surface parallel to the annular upper surface of the lower large-diameter portion 8, but it is a tapered surface that decreases in diameter towards the central portion 6, that is, an inclined surface that faces diagonally downward on the radially outward side. With this configuration, this tapered surface can also function as a guide when locking the locking portion 15 to the central portion 6. This cylindrical member 5 may be formed from an appropriate metallic material.

[0023] As shown in Figures 4(a) and 4(b), the louver retaining member 14 is designed to be insertable into the louver material 10. The holding portion 18 of the louver holding member 14 includes an upper plate portion 18a that is positioned along the upper wall portion 11 of the louver material 10. The locking portion 15 of the louver holding member 14 is positioned below the upper plate portion 18a. With this configuration, the louver holding member 14 can be inserted into the louver material 10 with the upper plate portion 18a aligned along the upper wall portion 11 without interfering with the upper wall portion 11, and the louver material 10 can be easily held by locking the locking portion 15 with the pin-shaped member 4. The retaining portion 18 has both ends 18d, 18d in the width direction (second direction), which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (first direction) and vertical direction of the louver material 10, that abut against or are close to the side walls 12, 12 on both sides of the louver material 10. With this configuration, the louver retaining member 14 can be inserted into the louver material 10 while aligning the upper plate portion 18a along the upper wall portion 11 and bringing both ends 18d, 18d in the width direction abut against or are close to the side walls 12, 12 on both sides. This makes it easy to align the locking portion 15 with respect to the pin-shaped member 4 in the second direction.

[0024] Specifically, the upper plate portion 18a of the retaining portion 18 is plate-shaped and arranged so that its thickness direction is vertical. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the retaining portion 18 includes an intermediate plate portion 18b hanging down from one end of the upper plate portion 18a in the first direction (towards the longitudinal center of the louver material 10). The retaining portion 18 also includes a lower plate portion 18c extending from the lower end of the intermediate plate portion 18b toward the other side in the first direction (outward in the longitudinal direction of the louver material 10). In other words, the retaining portion 18 is roughly U-shaped (or C-shaped) when viewed in the second direction. The intermediate plate portion 18b is a plate-like shape arranged so that its thickness direction is the first direction. The width dimension of this intermediate plate portion 18b along the second direction is the dimension corresponding to the distance between the side wall portions 12, 12 of the louver material 10. In other words, both ends 18d, 18d in the width direction of this intermediate plate portion 18b abut against or are close to the side wall portions 12, 12 on both sides of the louver material 10.

[0025] The width dimension of the intermediate plate portion 18b may be approximately the same as the dimension between the side wall portions 12, 12 so that both ends 18d, 18d in the width direction can abut against or come close to the respective side wall portions 12, 12 of the louver material 10, or it may be slightly smaller than the dimension between the side wall portions 12, 12. The intermediate plate portion 18b may be configured such that at least both ends 18d, 18d in the width direction at both the upper and lower ends abut or are close to the respective side walls 12, 12 of the louver material 10. With such a configuration, the intermediate plate portion 18b makes it easier to maintain the shape of the louver material 10. In other words, the louver holding member 14 can also function as a reinforcing member to maintain the shape of the louver material 10. In the illustrated example, the intermediate plate portion 18b is shown to have a uniform width dimension throughout the entire vertical direction, but it is not limited to this example.

[0026] The lower plate portion 18c is a plate-like structure with its thickness oriented vertically. In other words, the lower plate portion 18c and the upper plate portion 18a are arranged parallel to each other. The lower plate portion 18c is configured to contact or be close to the lower wall portion 13 of the louver material 10 when the upper plate portion 18a is in contact with the upper wall portion 11 of the louver material 10. With this configuration, the vertical positioning of the holding portion 18 relative to the louver material 10 can be easily performed. At least the upper plate portion 18a of these upper plate portion 18a and lower plate portion 18c is configured such that both ends in the width direction (second direction) abut against or are close to the side walls 12, 12 on both sides of the louver material 10. With this configuration, the second-direction alignment of the locking portion 15 with respect to the pin-shaped member 4 can be easily performed. In the illustrated example, both ends in the width direction (second direction) of the lower plate portion 18c are also configured to abut against or be close to the side walls 12, 12 on both sides of the louver material 10. With this configuration, as described above, it is easier to maintain the shape of the louver material 10 with these upper plate portion 18a and lower plate portion 18c.

[0027] The dimensions of the upper plate portion 18a and the lower plate portion 18c along the first direction may be set to appropriate dimensions from viewpoints such as the alignment of the locking portion 15 with respect to the pin-shaped member 4 in the second direction, the maintenance of the shape of the louver material 10, and the viewpoint of making it compact. The dimensions of the upper plate portion 18a and the lower plate portion 18c along the first direction may be, for example, about 10 mm to 50 mm. The width dimensions of the upper plate portion 18a and the lower plate portion 18c may be approximately the same as the dimension between the side wall portions 12, 12 of the louver material 10, similar to the intermediate plate portion 18b described above, or they may be slightly smaller than the dimension between the side wall portions 12, 12. In the illustrated example, the upper plate portion 18a and the lower plate portion 18c are shown as having a uniform width dimension over substantially the entire first direction. That is, the upper plate portion 18a, the intermediate plate portion 18b, and the lower plate portion 18c each have a uniform width dimension over substantially the entire length. Alternatively, the width dimension of one of the upper plate portion 18a, the lower plate portion 18c, and the intermediate plate portion 18b may be smaller than the other. Even with such a configuration, the upper plate portion 18a and the lower plate portion 18c or the intermediate plate portion 18b can be easily aligned in the second direction with respect to the pin-shaped member 4, and the shape of the louver material 10 can be easily maintained. The retaining portion 18 may be formed from an appropriate metallic material. The retaining portion 18 is not limited to the configuration described above, and may have various other configurations.

[0028] The locking portion 15 is provided so as to protrude from the intermediate plate portion 18b of the holding portion 18 toward one side in the first direction (towards the longitudinal center of the louver material 10). As shown in Figures 2 and 5(c), the pair of clamping pieces 16, 16 of the locking portion 15 are spaced apart in the second direction. These clamping pieces 16, 16 are located at an intermediate point in the first direction so as to communicate with a receiving opening that opens toward one side in the first direction, and are positioned to define a holding space 17 that receives the central portion 6 of the cylindrical member 5. These clamping pieces 16, 16 are plate-shaped and arranged so that their thickness direction is generally in the second direction.

[0029] These clamping pieces 16, 16 are configured to receive the central portion 6 with their respective elastic deformations. In other words, these clamping pieces 16, 16 are shaped like leaf springs. These clamping pieces 16, 16 are symmetrical in shape with respect to a line passing through the second directional center between them when viewed in the vertical direction (plan view). These clamping pieces 16, 16 each have a tip portion 16a, 16a that demarcates the receiving opening, and intermediate portions 16b, 16b that are connected to each of these tip portions 16a, 16a and demarcate the holding space 17. These clamping pieces 16, 16 each have a base portion 16c, 16c that are connected to each of these intermediate portions 16b, 16b.

[0030] The tip portions 16a, 16a are formed to be spaced apart from each other as they move from the base end (intermediate portion 16b, 16b side) towards the tip. In other words, these tip portions 16a, 16a are formed to widen as they move from the base end towards the tip. With this configuration, it becomes easier to accept the central portion 6 of the cylindrical member 5 between the pair of clamping pieces 16, 16. The distance between the tips of these tip portions 16a, 16a (dimension along the second direction) is greater than the outer diameter of the central portion 6. The distance between the base ends of these tip portions 16a, 16a (dimension along the second direction) is smaller than the outer diameter of the central portion 6. These tip portions 16a, 16a are formed in the shape of inclined pieces that are inclined outward in the second direction as they move from their base ends towards the tips. The inclination angle of these tip portions 16a, 16a (the angle they make with a virtual plane perpendicular to the second direction that is tangent to their base ends) can be as low as 30 to 60 degrees, and the example shown in the figure is approximately 45 degrees.

[0031] The intermediate sections 16b, 16b are formed to allow the central section 6, which is received in the holding space 17, to be locked and held in place. These intermediate sections 16b, 16b are formed to be closer to each other as they move outward from their central section in the first direction. In other words, these intermediate sections 16b, 16b are spaced farthest apart at their central section in the first direction, and the tips that become the tip sections 16a, 16a and the base sections that become the base sections 16c, 16c are formed to be close to each other. The distance between the base ends of these intermediate sections 16b, 16b (dimension along the second direction) is set to be smaller than the outer diameter of the central section 6. The illustrated example shows an example where the distance between the base ends of these intermediate sections 16b, 16b and the distance between the tips (distance between the base ends of the tip sections 16a, 16a) are approximately the same dimension. The illustrated example shows an example where the distance between the base ends of the intermediate sections 16b, 16b is slightly smaller than the distance between their tips.

[0032] Furthermore, in the illustrated example, these intermediate sections 16b, 16b are formed with a bent portion at their central part in the first direction, and inclined pieces on both sides of these bent portions that slope toward the central part in the second direction as they move away from the respective bent portions. In other words, each of the inclined pieces on both sides of these intermediate sections 16b, 16b in the first direction abuts against the annular upper surface of the lower large-diameter portion 8 of the cylindrical member 5 (see Figure 4(a)). The dimensions of each inclined piece of these intermediate sections 16b, 16b along the extension direction (each dimension from the bent portion to the outer end in the first direction) are approximately the same as the dimensions of the tip portions 16a, 16a along the extension direction (the dimension from the base end to the tip). In the illustrated example, an example is shown in which the dimensions of the inclined piece on the base end 16c, 16c side of the intermediate sections 16b, 16b along the extension direction are slightly larger than the dimensions of the inclined piece on the tip end 16a, 16a side of the intermediate sections 16b, 16b along the extension direction. Furthermore, the intermediate portions 16b, 16b are not limited to having inclined pieces on both sides of the bent portion, but may also be curved in a way that corresponds to the outer circumference shape of the central portion 6 of the cylindrical member 5.

[0033] The base ends 16c, 16c are formed to spread apart from each other as they move away from the intermediate portions 16b, 16b. In other words, these base ends 16c, 16c are formed as inclined pieces that slope outward in a second direction as they move from the tip on the intermediate portion 16b, 16b side towards the base end on the holding portion 18 (intermediate plate portion 18b) side. With this configuration, compared to a configuration in which these base ends 16c, 16c are parallel, the pair of clamping pieces 16, 16 are less likely to deform in the expanding direction, and the holding (locking) strength to the cylindrical member 5 can be improved. The inclination angle of these base ends 16c, 16c (the angle they make with a virtual plane perpendicular to the second direction tangent to their tips) can be around 30 to 60 degrees, and the example shown in the figure is approximately 45 degrees. Furthermore, the dimension of these base ends 16c, 16c along the extension direction (the dimension from the base end to the tip) is set to be larger than the dimension of each inclined piece of the intermediate section 16b, 16b along the extension direction.

[0034] The dimensions of the pair of clamping pieces 16, 16 along the vertical direction are such that they can engage with the central portion 6 of the cylindrical member 5. At least the dimensions of the intermediate portions 16b, 16b along the vertical direction may correspond to the dimensions of the central portion 6 along the vertical direction (axial dimension). The dimensions of the intermediate portions 16b, 16b along the vertical direction may be slightly smaller than the axial dimension of the central portion 6. In the illustrated example, the dimensions of the pair of clamping pieces 16, 16 along the vertical direction are uniform throughout the first direction. That is, the example shows that the dimensions of the tip portions 16a, 16a, intermediate portions 16b, 16b, and base portions 16c, 16c along the vertical direction are the same, but the example is not limited to this.

[0035] In the illustrated example, the locking portion 15 includes a connecting plate portion formed to connect the base ends 16c, 16c of a pair of clamping pieces 16, 16. The pair of clamping pieces 16, 16 may be integrally formed via the connecting plate portion. In the illustrated example, this connecting plate portion is shown to be fixed to the intermediate plate portion 18b of the holding portion 18 by fasteners such as rivets. The locking portion 15 (a pair of clamping pieces 16, 16) may be formed from a suitable spring material such as metal to have an appropriate elastic force. The locking portion 15 is not limited to the configuration described above, and may have various other configurations. The through-hole 11a in the upper wall portion 11 of the louver material 10 described above may be provided at an appropriate location so that the locking portion 15 of the louver holding member 14 inserted from the opening at the end of the louver material 10 can be locked to the pin-shaped member 4 (cylindrical member 5).

[0036] The louver ceiling device 1 may include an end cover 9 that is attached to cover the opening at the end of the louver material 10, as shown in Figure 1. With this configuration, the louver holding members 14 and the like inside the hollow cylindrical louver material 10 are not visible from the outside, improving the appearance. The end cover 9 may be configured as a cover body that is generally plate-shaped and arranged so that the thickness direction is the first direction, with a fitting portion on the louver material 10 side that fits into the louver material 10. In this case, fasteners such as screws may be attached to the fitting portion of the end cover 9 through insertion holes 11b (see Figure 2) provided in the upper wall portion 11 of the louver material 10, thereby fixing the end cover 9 to the end of the louver material 10.

[0037] In this embodiment, the installation method for the louver ceiling device may involve attaching the hollow cylindrical louver material 10 to the mounting target 2 on the ceiling side as follows. As shown in Figures 5(a) and 5(b), this mounting method involves inserting a pin-shaped member 4, which is attached to the mounting target 2 in a state protruding downward, into a through hole 11a provided in the upper wall portion 11 of the louver material 10. The pin-shaped member 4 may include a cylindrical member 5 that is fixed to the mounting target 2 by a fastener 3 as described above. Then, as shown in Figures 5(c) and 4(a), this mounting method involves locking the locking portion 15 of the louver holding member 14, which is inserted into the louver material 10 from the opening at the longitudinal end of the louver material 10, into the pin-shaped member 4, and attaching the louver material 10 by bringing the holding portion 18 of the louver holding member 14 into contact with the upper wall portion 11 of the louver material 10. With this configuration, the ease of installation can be improved as described above. Furthermore, an end cover 9 may be attached to the end of the louver material 10 as appropriate.

[0038] <Other Embodiments> In the example described above, the lower end of the fastener 3, which is fixed to the mounting target 2 on the ceiling side, is shown as a support portion 3a that supports the cylindrical member 5. However, instead of this example, the following configuration may be used. A support portion 3a supporting the cylindrical member 5 may be formed by a female threaded member, such as a nut, which is screwed onto the lower end of the male threaded portion of a columnar member that hangs down from the mounting target 2. Alternatively, the cylindrical member 5 may be fixed by screwing the cylindrical member 5, which has a female threaded groove on its inner circumference, onto the male threaded portion of the columnar member. In these cases, the columnar member having the male threaded portion may be a suspension bolt that is pre-installed in an embedded manner, or a bolt (T-bolt) whose head is held by a runner on the ceiling side that is installed to fix the upper end of a partition panel or the like. Furthermore, the columnar member having the male threaded portion may be a so-called IT hanger, which has a rotating body at one end of the bolt that locks to the ceiling side. The columnar member that holds the cylindrical member 5 may have various other configurations.

[0039] In the example described above, each end of the louver material 10 in the longitudinal direction is held by the louver holding members 14, 14. However, if, for example, multiple louver materials 10, 10 are installed butted together in the longitudinal direction, the following method may be used. The end of one of the longitudinally adjacent louver members 10, 10 may be held by the louver holding member 14, and the end of the other louver member 10 may be connected to and held by the end of the other louver member 10 by an appropriate connecting plate or the like. In the example described above, the holding portion 18 of the louver holding member 14 is provided with an upper plate portion 18a that is positioned along the upper wall portion 11 of the rectangular tubular louver material 10. However, if the louver material 10 is cylindrical or the like, the shape of the upper plate portion 18a may be a curved shape or the like.

[0040] In the example described above, the holding portion 18 of the louver holding member 14 is shown to be provided with an upper plate portion 18a, an intermediate plate portion 18b, and a lower plate portion 18c, but it is not limited to such an example. The holding portion 18 of the louver holding member 14 only needs to be able to be inserted into the louver material 10 and to be able to hold the louver material 10, and it is also possible to have a configuration in which at least one of these upper plate portion 18a, intermediate plate portion 18b, and lower plate portion 18c is not provided. In the example described above, the holding portion 18 of the louver holding member 14 is configured such that both ends 18d, 18d in the width direction are in contact with or close to the side wall portions 12, 12 on both sides of the louver material 10, but the example is not limited to this.

[0041] In the example described above, a pair of clamping pieces 16, 16 are provided on the locking portion 15 of the louver holding member 14 to hold the central portion 6 of the cylindrical member 5 in a clamping manner, but the example is not limited to this. For example, the locking portion 15 may be provided with an insertion piece that is inserted into an insertion hole provided in the pin-shaped member 4. In this case, the pin-shaped member 4 may not have the cylindrical member 5 described above. In other words, the pin-shaped member 4 may not have the cylindrical member 5 through which the columnar member or fastener described above is inserted. In this case, the pin-shaped member 4 itself may be attached to the mounting target 2 by an appropriate mounting method. The configuration of each component and part constituting the louver ceiling device 1 according to the above embodiment is not limited to the above configuration, and various other modifications are possible.

[0042] <Note> The following technologies are disclosed based on the above description of embodiments. <Technology 1> A louver ceiling device comprising: a hollow cylindrical louver material; a pin-shaped member attached to the ceiling surface projecting downward and inserted through a through-hole provided in the upper wall of the louver material; and a louver holding member inserted into the louver material from an opening at the longitudinal end of the louver material and having a locking portion that engages with the pin-shaped member and a holding portion that contacts the upper wall of the louver material while the locking portion is engaged with the pin-shaped member. <Technology 2> The louver ceiling device according to Technology 1, wherein the pin-shaped member includes a cylindrical member through which a fastener fixed to the mounting object is inserted and which is held between the support portion at the lower end of the fastener and the mounting object. <Technology 3> The louver ceiling device according to Technology 1 or Technology 2, wherein the pin-shaped member includes a cylindrical member through which a columnar member fixed to the mounting object is inserted, the cylindrical member having a smaller diameter at its central side than at its upper and lower sides, and the locking portion has a pair of clamping pieces that hold the central side of the cylindrical member by sandwiching it. <Technology 4> The louver ceiling device according to any one of the three techniques, wherein the holding portion comprises an upper plate portion arranged along the upper wall portion of the louver material, and the locking portion is provided to be located below the upper plate portion. <Technology 5> The louver ceiling device according to Technology 4, wherein the holding portion has both ends in the width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal and vertical directions of the louver material and is in contact with or close to the side walls on both sides of the louver material. <Technology 6> A method for installing a louver ceiling device, which involves attaching a hollow cylindrical louver material to a mounting target on the ceiling side, wherein a pin-shaped member, which is attached so as to protrude downward from the mounting target, is inserted through a through hole provided in the upper wall portion of the louver material, the locking portion of a louver holding member inserted into the louver material from an opening at the longitudinal end of the louver material is locked to the pin-shaped member, and the holding portion of the louver holding member is brought into contact with the upper wall portion of the louver material to install the louver ceiling device. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0043] 1. Louver ceiling device 4 Pin-shaped member 5. Cylindrical member 6. Central part 10 Louver material 11 Upper wall 11a Through hole 12 Side wall section 14 Louver retaining member 15 Locking part 16 Clamping piece 18 Holding part 18a Upper plate section 18d end 2. Target installation 3. Fasteners (columnar members) 3a Support part

Claims

1. A louver ceiling device comprising: a hollow cylindrical louver material; a pin-shaped member attached to the ceiling surface projecting downward and inserted through a through-hole provided in the upper wall of the louver material; and a louver holding member inserted into the louver material from an opening at the longitudinal end of the louver material and having a locking portion that engages with the pin-shaped member and a holding portion that contacts the upper wall of the louver material while the locking portion is engaged with the pin-shaped member.

2. In claim 1, The louver ceiling device is characterized in that the pin-shaped member includes a cylindrical member through which a fastener fixed to the mounting object is inserted and which is held between the support portion at the lower end of the fastener and the mounting object.

3. In claim 1 or 2, The louver ceiling device is characterized in that the pin-shaped member includes a cylindrical member through which a columnar member fixed to the mounting object is inserted, the central portion of the cylindrical member is smaller in diameter than its upper and lower sides, and the locking portion has a pair of clamping pieces that hold the central portion of the cylindrical member by sandwiching it.

4. In claim 1 or 2, The louver ceiling device is characterized in that the holding portion comprises an upper plate portion arranged along the upper wall portion of the louver material, and the locking portion is provided to be located below the upper plate portion.

5. In claim 4, The aforementioned holding portion is characterized in that both ends in the width direction, which are perpendicular to the longitudinal and vertical directions of the louver material, are in contact with or close to the side walls on both sides of the louver material.

6. A method for installing a louver ceiling device, which involves attaching a hollow cylindrical louver material to a mounting target on the ceiling side, A method for installing a louver ceiling device, characterized by inserting a pin-shaped member, which is attached to the object to be installed so as to protrude downward, through a through hole provided in the upper wall of the louver material, engaging the locking portion of a louver holding member, which is inserted into the louver material from an opening at the longitudinal end of the louver material, with the pin-shaped member, and attaching the louver material by bringing the holding portion of the louver holding member into contact with the upper wall of the louver material.

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