Clip System for Forming a Construction Surface

The present description relates generally to construction surface products, for example, construction panels and connectors adapted to form a construction surface.

Construction panels, such as gypsum plasterboard, commonly known as drywall, are often used to construct construction surfaces. The construction surface can be a wall or a ceiling. Construction panels are attached to a support structure, such as the wood or metal studs of a wall or ceiling frame. Once the construction panels are attached to the support structure, the construction surface can be finished with a joint compound or other material to create a smooth surface. The construction surface can then be painted or wallpapered.

Construction panels are attached to the supporting structure using screws, nails or other suitable fasteners.

When construction panels are also used to construct a ceiling, the support structure is usually a metal frame comprising metal frame elements. Metal hangers are used and attached to the solid ceiling of the building. Metal frame elements are connected to these metal hangers so that several metal frame elementsare parallel to one another and thus form a series of frame elements. Additional frame elements can be connected perpendicularly to the frame elements to form a frame grid. The construction panels are attached to the frame grid.

One problem with these systems in the prior art is that removal of the construction panels is not easy, since the fasteners generally cannot be removed, so that the construction panel has to be broken in order to be removed. This means that neither the construction panel nor the fasteners can be reused. Removing construction panels can also damage the frame. It is becoming increasingly important to reduce waste and create reusable products. There is therefore a need for construction surfaces that can be dismantled to reduce waste.

In addition, attaching construction panels to the frame can be time-consuming and physically demanding, particularly when attaching construction panels to ceilings, where the construction panel must be supported vertically during attachment. Attachment in the frame elements can damage and weaken the frame. In addition, attachment through plasterboard leaves the end of the fastener (e.g. the screw head) visible after installation. As a result, finishing compounds usually must be applied to cover it and produce a smooth monolithic surface. There is therefore also a need for construction surface systems that are faster and easier to install.

The present invention relates to a device, a system and an installation method which remedy the aforementioned disadvantages.

To this end, the present invention relates to an attachment device for attaching a construction panel to a frame element, said attachment device comprising a first attachment means and a second attachment means, the first attachment means being used to attach the device to the frame element, the second attachment means being used to attach the device to the construction panel, wherein the second attachment means comprises a first connector element configured to engage with a corresponding second connector element located on the construction panel.

According to one example, said first connector element is a plug and the second connector element is a receptacle so that the plug and receptacle form a male-female connector, the first attachment means comprising at least one hook.

According to one example, said first connector element is a receptacle and the second connector element is a plug so that the plug and receptacle form a male-female connector, the first attachment means comprising at least one hook.

According to one example, said attachment device comprises a main plate element from which first attachment means and the second attachment means extend.

According to one example, the second attachment means comprise at least one secondary plate element from which the first connector element extends.

According to one example, the first attachment means comprise at least one arm from which at least one hook extends.

According to one example of the invention, the second attachment means comprises at least one projection which projects from the main plate.

According to one example, said at least one secondary plate element extends from the main plate element perpendicularly or at an angle, said secondary plate element being straight or curved or at a right angle.

According to one example, said at least one arm extends from the main plate element perpendicularly, said arm being straight or curved.

According to one example, the second attachment means comprise two secondary plate elements, said secondary plate elements being symmetrical.

According to one example, the first attachment means comprises two arms, each these arms being fitted with a hook, said arms being symmetrical. Alternatively, the first attachment means may comprise an arm equipped with two hooks on either side of the arm.

According to one example, said device is arranged so that the frame element is arranged between the construction panel and the main plate.

The invention also relates to a construction surface system comprising a frame structure, said frame structure comprising at least one frame element, the construction surface system further comprising at least one construction panel attached to said frame structure, wherein said construction surface system further comprises at least one attachment device according to the invention for supporting said construction panel and wherein each construction panel comprises at least one connector element configured to engage with the first connector element of the attachment device.

According to one example, each construction panel is supported by at least two attachment devices.

According to one example, the frame structure comprises at least two frame elements, said frame elements being parallel or perpendicular to one another.

According to one example, the attachment device comprises at least two first connector elements, each of said first connector elements being inserted into a second connector element of a different construction panel.

The invention further relates to a method for mounting a construction surface system according to the invention, said method comprising the following steps:

depicts a construction surface systemaccording to the invention. This construction surface system is used vertically to cover a wall or horizontally to form a ceiling, as shown in.

This construction surface systemcomprises at least one frame elementto which at least one construction panelis attached. The construction panelis attached to this frame elementby means of an attachment device.

The construction panelused is a gypsum-based construction panel, the panel comprising more gypsum by mass than any other constituent. For example, the construction panel may be plasterboard (also known as drywall) or gypsum fiber board. The construction panel includes a body comprising a front face, a rear face and a thickness between the front face and the rear face.

The frame elementcan be a C-shaped profile or an element of other suitable shapes, such as an open circle. A C-shaped frame element is defined as a metallic or non-metallic sheet comprising a pair of flanges substantially parallel to one another and connected substantially perpendicularly to their base by a core, the pair of flanges having inwardly directed return edges substantially parallel to the core.

When the frame elementhas the shape of an open circle, the shape of the frame elementmay be used as flanges.

This frame structurecomprises a plurality of frame elements. In this case, the frame elementsmay extend parallel to one another. However, it is possible to have a first set of frame elementsextending parallel to one another and a second set of frame elementsextending perpendicular to the first set of frame elementsso as to form a network, as shown in.

The construction panel is attached to at least one frame elementby means of an attachment device. Said attachment deviceis made of a material selected from the list comprising metal or an alloy thereof, plastic, wood or ceramic. The attachment devicecomprises attachment means. More specifically, the attachment devicecomprises first attachment meansand second attachment means. The first attachment meansare used to attach the device to the frame element, the second attachment meansare used to attach the device to the construction panelas shown in.

The first attachment meanscomprise a clip to attach the attachment deviceto the frame element. The clip comprises at least one hook or projectiondesigned to engage with the frame element.

The second attachment meansuses complementary means to attach the attachment deviceto the construction panel. To this end, the second attachment meanscomprises at least one complementary connector, such as a male-female connector. This complementary connectorcomprises a first connector elementconfigured to engage with a corresponding second connector element. In particular, second attachment meansare provided so that the first connector element is located on the attachment deviceand so that the second connector element is located on the construction panels. In the case of a male-female connector, the male component, called plug, is located on the attachment deviceand the female component, called receptacle, is located on the construction panel. The plugand the receptacleare designed to be clipped together. Alternatively, the plugcould be placed on the construction panel as a second connector element and the receptaclecould be placed on the attachment deviceas a first connector element.

In one embodiment of the invention, the plugis a spherical end and the receptacleis a hole equipped with a clipping system. Said hole may be a through hole, which is a hole with two open ends. Alternatively, said hole can be a blind hole, which is a hole with a single open end. When the spherical end is inserted into the hole, the spherical end activates the clipping system to hold said spherical end in said hole or blind hole.

The attachment devicefurther comprises a main plate elementwhereupon the first attachment meansand the second attachment meansare placed.

In a first embodiment, the attachment deviceis intended to be positioned so that the frame elementis placed between the construction paneland the attachment device. In this first embodiment, the attachment device, via the main plate element, rests on the frame element. In this way, the frame elementis interposed between the attachment deviceand the construction panel.

In said first embodiment shown in, the attachment devicecomprises a main plate elementfrom which the first attachment meansextend. Said first attachment meanscomprises hooksused to engage with the frame element. In particular, the hooksof the first attachment meansare designed to engage with the flanges of the frame elementto clip the attachment deviceto the frame element.

The second attachment meansincludes at least one secondary plate element. Said secondary plate elementextends from the main plate element. The secondary plate elementextends toward the construction panel. The secondary plate elementcan be perpendicular to the main plate elementor inclined with respect to the main plate element.

The secondary plate elementhas a free end wherein at least one plug, the first connector element, of the second attachment meansis arranged. Alternatively, a receptaclecan be attached to the free end of the secondary plate element.

The secondary plate elementcould be a straight plate or a plate with an inclined or right-angled portion or a curved plate.

In the case of a straight plate, the plug is placed on the free end of this straight plate, and in the case of an inclined or right-angled part, the plug is placed on this inclined or right-angled part as shown in.

In a preferred embodiment, the second attachment meanscomprises two secondary plate elementsextending on either side of the main plate element. In this case, the secondary plate element envelops the frame elementsupporting the attachment device.

These two secondary plate elementscould be symmetrical, but it is also possible for the two secondary plate elementsto extend non-symmetrically. Indeed, it is possible to have one secondary plate element which is a straight element extending perpendicularly to the main plate element and the other secondary plate element extending from the main plate element at an angle.

It is also possible to have a single secondary plate elementdesigned to present two plugs, these plugs being spaced apart from one another.

In a second embodiment shown in, the attachment deviceis intended to be placed between the construction paneland the frame element. In this second embodiment, the attachment device, via the main plate element′, is retained, supported by the frame element. In this way, the attachment deviceis interposed between the frame element and the construction panel.

In a second embodiment, the attachment devicecomprises a main plate element′ from which the first attachment means extend. Said first attachment meanscomprises two arms, extending in parallel. Preferably, the end of each armcomprises hooks, said hooksbeing configured to engage with the frame element. Preferably, the hooksof the first attachment meansare designed to engage with the flanges of the frame elementto clip the attachment deviceto the frame element. The armscould have a shape adapted to the frame element, such as a curved shape as shown in. The armscan be configured to deform so as to be positioned on the frame elementand so as to engage the flanges of the frame elementand to attach the attachment device to the frame element. In examples of the invention comprising hooks, the hookscan be configured to deform so as to engage with the flanges of the frame elementand to attach the attachment device to the frame element.

The main plate element′ further comprises at least one plugof the second attachment means. This at least one plug extends from the main plate element from the face opposite that from which the arms of the first attachment meansextend. Indeed, the position of the attachment devicebetween the construction paneland the frame element requires that the first attachment meansand the second attachment meansare not on the same edge of the main plate′.

If the second attachment meanscomprise two plugs, these plugs are spaced apart.

In this second embodiment, the main plate could have a length equal to or greater than the width of the frame element. A length of the main plate element greater than the width of the frame element is useful for increasing the stability of the construction panel attachment, as shown in.

In a third embodiment, it is possible to combine the previous embodiments. In this case, the attachment devicecomprises arms extending from one side of the main plate element, the hook(s) being positioned on said arms. The attachment devicefurther comprises at least one secondary plate element whereupon the first connector element, such as the plug, is placed.