Ceiling Support Member with Bulb Apertures for Hanger Threading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ceiling support members have apertures that are either too wide, making it difficult to thread hangers and improperly distribute stress, leading to unstable suspension systems.
Innovation Solution
A support member design with a bulb having narrower lower and wider upper portions, featuring a series of spaced, rounded apertures that facilitate hanger threading and even stress distribution, reducing interference with other ceiling components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If rectangular apertures are included in the reinforcing bulb of conventional support members, then the support members can be suspended from a structure, but threading a hanger through such apertures is difficult and stress distribution is improper
Solution Approach 1:
The aperture shape is changed from rectangular to rounded, and the aperture is positioned in the lower portion of the bulb where the width is optimized. This parameter change makes the aperture easier to thread while maintaining proper stress distribution through the rounded geometry that avoids stress concentration at corners.
Solution Approach 2:
The aperture is pre-positioned in the lower portion of the bulb at an optimal location before installation. This preliminary positioning ensures that the hanger can be easily threaded through the aperture while the aperture location is designed to properly distribute stress during suspension.
2Ease of operation
If rounded apertures are provided low on the structure near the flanges, then the support members can be suspended, but the hanger interferes with other ceiling system components
Solution Approach 1:
The aperture location is moved from the lower web area near flanges to the upper portion of the bulb. This spatial repositioning in a different dimensional zone of the support member allows hanger suspension while clearing the path of other ceiling system components that operate in the lower spatial region.
Solution Approach 2:
The bulb structure serves as an intermediary element that positions the aperture in its upper portion, acting as a mediator between the suspension requirement and the need to avoid interference with other components. The bulb's geometry provides the necessary spatial separation.
3Reliability
If the lower portion of the bulb is made narrower than the upper portion, then apertures can be properly positioned for stress distribution, but the bulb geometry becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The bulb is designed with different local qualities: the lower portion has a narrower width optimized for aperture positioning and stress distribution, while the upper portion has a wider width providing structural reinforcement. This local differentiation allows the aperture to be positioned at the optimal location for stress distribution while maintaining overall structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The bulb is segmented into distinct portions: a lower portion with narrower width containing the aperture, and an upper portion with wider width for structural support. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized for its specific function while together they form an integrated structure that balances complexity with performance.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to support members for ceiling systems, such as those that can be formed into an interconnected grid to be suspended from a ceiling and support ceiling tiles. One aspect of the disclosure is a linearly-extending support member for a ceiling tile. The support member has a cross-sectional shape that includes a substantially vertical central web with a top end and a bottom end; at least one flange extending substantially horizontally from the bottom end of the web, the flange having an upper surface and a lower surface; and a bulb extending from the top end of the web, the bulb having a first side and a second side with a cavity therebetween, the bulb having an upper portion and a lower portion adjacent the top end of the web, wherein the entire lower portion of the bulb is narrower than the upper portion of the bulb and wider than the central web, the bulb comprising a series of spaced apertures formed therein through both the first side and the second side of the bulb, each aperture being disposed at least partially in the lower portion of the bulb, each aperture having an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the upper portion of the aperture is rounded.