阅读说明：本技术 用于结构元件的加强件 (Reinforcement for structural elements ) 是由 K·萨米纳坦 V·思 R·艾哈迈德 于 2020-04-20 设计创作，主要内容包括：公开了一种用于结构元件的提供抗挠曲性和抗开裂性的加强件50,加强件50包括U形横截面,具有腹板10和从腹板10横向延伸的两个凸缘20a、20b,并具有平行、垂直或斜向于凸缘20a、20b立起的肋30。加强件50被构造为固定在结构元件内。还公开了设置有本公开的多个加强件50的干墙支柱和天花板型材,这些加强件50沿着干墙支柱和天花板型材的长度在期望的位置处间隔开。包括本公开的加强件50的这种干墙支柱和天花板型材分别将干墙隔板和悬挂式天花板系统的挠曲减少了多达50％。(A stiffener 50 for a structural element providing flex and crack resistance is disclosed, the stiffener 50 comprising a U-shaped cross-section with a web 10 and two flanges 20a, 20b extending transversely from the web 10, and with ribs 30 rising parallel, perpendicular or oblique to the flanges 20a, 20 b. The stiffener 50 is configured to be secured within the structural member. Also disclosed are drywall studs and ceiling profiles provided with a plurality of stiffeners 50 of the present disclosure, these stiffeners 50 being spaced apart at desired locations along the length of the drywall studs and ceiling profiles. Such drywall standoffs and ceiling profiles, including the stiffeners 50 of the present disclosure, reduce the deflection of drywall partitions and suspended ceiling systems, respectively, by as much as 50%.)

1. A stiffener 50 for a structural element, the stiffener 50 for providing flex and crack resistance, the stiffener 50 comprising a U-shaped cross-section and having a web 10 and two flanges 20a, 20b extending transversely from the web 10 at an angle X of greater than or equal to 90 degrees and one or more ribs 30 rising from each of the flanges 20a, 20b and extending towards each other, wherein the stiffener 50 is configured to be secured within the structural element.

2. A stiffener 50 according to claim 1, wherein the height H of at least one rib 30 is equal to or less than the height H' of the flanges 20a, 20 b.

3. A stiffener 50 according to claim 1, wherein the length L of at least one rib 30 is equal to or less than the length L' of the web 10.

4. A stiffener 50 according to claim 1, wherein the length L of at least one rib 30 is greater than the length L' of the web 10.

5. A stiffener 50 according to claim 4, wherein the length L of at least one rib 30 is equal to the distance D between the flanges 20a, 20 b.

6. A stiffener 50 according to claim 1, wherein the ribs 30 on flange 20a correspond to or alternate with the ribs 30 on flange 20 b.

7. A stiffener 50 according to claim 1, wherein the flanges 20a, 20b project inwardly to form a rib 30.

8. A stiffener 50 according to claim 1, the stiffener 50 optionally including one or more ribs 30' rising from the web 10.

9. A stiffener 50 according to claim 1 or 8, wherein the one or more ribs 30, 30' are arranged perpendicular or parallel or oblique to the flanges 20a, 20b or the web 10, respectively.

10. A stiffener 50 according to claim 1 or 8, wherein the ribs 30, 30' are arranged in a tuft.

11. The stiffener 50 of claim 1, the stiffener 50 being made of a material selected from aluminum or low carbon steel coated with Galvanized Iron (GI).

12. The stiffener 50 of claim 1, the thickness of the stiffener 50 being in a range of 0.4mm to 2 mm.

13. The reinforcement 50 of claim 1, wherein the structural element is selected from a drywall pillar 100 or a ceiling profile 200.

14. A drywall spacer that provides structural integrity to resist destructive forces, the drywall spacer comprising:

a plurality of vertical drywall posts retained between the floor channel and the ceiling channel, wherein each vertical drywall post includes a plurality of stiffeners 50 as set forth in claim 1 spaced at desired intervals, wherein the webs and flanges of the stiffeners 50 abut the webs and flanges, respectively, of the drywall posts.

15. The suspended drywall ceiling of claim 14, wherein the drywall studs reduce the base metal thickness by 10% to 40% as compared to conventional drywall studs.

16. A suspended drywall ceiling providing structural integrity to resist destructive forces, the suspended drywall ceiling comprising:

a grid suspended from a structural ceiling, the grid having intermediate beams interlocked with a ceiling profile, the ceiling profile including a plurality of stiffeners 50 as set forth in claim 1 spaced at desired intervals, wherein the webs and flanges of the stiffeners 50 abut the webs and flanges, respectively, of the ceiling profile.

17. The suspended drywall ceiling of claim 16, wherein the ceiling profile has a base metal thickness that is reduced by 10% to 40% as compared to a conventional ceiling profile.

18. The suspended drywall ceiling of claim 16, which has a reduction in deflection of up to 50% as compared to conventional ceiling systems.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to structural elements for partition and ceiling structures of buildings, and more particularly to structural elements provided with reinforcements for improving the rigidity, partition height and crack resistance of partition and ceiling systems; and drywall studs and ceiling profiles (ceiling sections) provided with stiffeners.

Background

Wall structures, such as drywall panels, are typically constructed of a series of spaced apart studs disposed between a floor channel and a ceiling channel and drywall surface material, such as gypsum panels secured to the stud surfaces. Typically, these columns are non-load bearing and allow for rapid construction. However, conventional metal struts for non-load bearing applications are not structurally stable to withstand horizontal loads along the length of the strut due to wind and other forces. It is therefore known to arrange reinforcing structures at the points where building components such as panels or frames are connected to the columns. Such reinforcing structures are generally U-shaped and are mounted within the stud or as bridge members extending between a series of stud members.

Reference is made to us patent No. 3,624,694 which discloses a reinforced stud structure for a building panel. Reference is made to european publication No. 0,096,675 which discloses a device in a wall stud which provides a reinforcing insert structure. Yet another U.S. patent No. 3,425,159 describes a snap-fit reinforcement member for a door closure or other operating device. Similarly, references to U.S. patent No. 7,836,657, U.S. patent No. 7,559,519, and 6,164,028 all describe reinforcement members disposed between respective struts as bridging members.

The above-described structure in the reference patent document has certain disadvantages even in the presence of the reinforcing member. The reinforcement members are typically U-shaped profiles attached to the strut webs. This involves additional material and work costs for connecting the struts with the reinforcement members. Secondly, placing these reinforcement members is tedious and time consuming, especially if the reinforcement members are sufficiently secured to the post. Third, these reinforcement members are not designed to be installed in a practical and economical manner. Finally, none of the cited prior art provides a solution applicable to the construction of internal partitions and ceiling systems.

Thus, while all of these past improvements have been made to improve the structural stability and durability of the studs used in drywall construction, there is still room for improved designs to achieve a more inflexible bulkhead and ceiling system; providing support for the flanges of the channel to allow for screwing or nailing without bending the flanges; simple and inexpensive stiffeners are provided that prevent the individual columns from twisting and/or buckling under load and reduce cracking in the ceiling system if the cracks were caused by an out-of-compliance installation procedure. Furthermore, it is indispensable to achieve all the above parameters without increasing the complexity of the manufacture, installation and transport of the reinforcement.

The present disclosure achieves all of the above technical details by providing a reinforcement with an optimized design that increases the stiffness of the bulkhead and ceiling system with a 50% reduction in deflection level compared to conventional drywall structures. Furthermore, the stiffeners of the present disclosure do not increase material costs because the thickness of the stiffeners is comparable to the reduced thickness of the bulkhead strut and ceiling profile where the stiffeners are disposed. Furthermore, the stiffener design has the flexibility of being manufactured by the various methods outlined in the present disclosure and allows easy and efficient transportation of the pillars and ceiling profiles to which these stiffeners are affixed. Alternatively, a simple design of the reinforcement is suitable for the field fixing of the reinforcement to the pillar and ceiling profile.

Disclosure of Invention

In one aspect of the present disclosure, a stiffener for a structural element for providing flex resistance and crack resistance is disclosed. The stiffener comprises a U-shaped cross-section having a web, two flanges extending transversely from the web at an angle X of greater than or equal to 90 degrees and one or more ribs rising (rise) from each of the flanges and extending towards each other. The reinforcement is configured to be secured within the structural element.

In another aspect of the disclosure, a drywall stud fitted with one or more stiffeners is disclosed. The web and flange of the stiffener abut the web and flange of the drywall stud.

In yet another aspect of the disclosure, a ceiling profile fitted with one or more stiffeners is disclosed. The web and flange of the stiffener abut the web and flange of the ceiling profile.

In yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a drywall partition system is disclosed that provides structural integrity against destructive forces, and includes a plurality of vertical drywall braces fitted with a plurality of stiffeners at desired intervals and retained between a floor channel and a ceiling channel.

In another aspect of the disclosure, a suspended ceiling system is disclosed that provides structural integrity against destructive forces, the suspended ceiling system comprising a grid suspended from a structural ceiling, the grid having intermediate beams interlocked with ceiling profiles, the ceiling profiles fitted with a plurality of stiffeners at desired intervals.

Drawings

Embodiments are shown by way of example and not limitation in the figures.

FIG. 1A illustrates a three-dimensional view of an exemplary stiffener for a drywall stud in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 1B illustrates a three-dimensional view of an exemplary stiffener for a drywall stud, in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates a three-dimensional view of an exemplary stiffener for a ceiling profile according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 illustrates a drywall stud including exemplary stiffeners, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 illustrates a ceiling profile including an exemplary stiffener according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 5A-5G illustrate exemplary stiffeners for drywall studs, according to various alternative embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 illustrates a drywall partition system in accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 7 illustrates a suspended ceiling system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; and

figure 8 shows the arrangement of two drywall pillars provided with stiffeners during transportation.

Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure.

Detailed Description

Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts. Embodiments disclosed herein relate to stiffeners for drywall studs and ceiling profiles that correspondingly improve the deflection, bulkhead height, and crack resistance of the bulkhead and ceiling systems.

FIG. 1A illustrates an exemplary stiffener 50 for a drywall stud, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the stiffener 50 has a U-shaped cross-section and includes: a web 10; a pair of side flanges 20a, 20b standing vertically (angle X equal to 90 degrees) with respect to the web 10; and a rib 30 rising from each of the flanges 20a, 20 b. The ribs 30 shown in fig. 1A are perpendicular to the flanges 20a, 20 b. There are three ribs 30 on the flange 20a, the three ribs 30 corresponding to the three ribs 30 on the flange 20 b. In this embodiment of the present disclosure, the ribs 30 on the flange are arranged to correspond to each other. Alternatively, the ribs 30 on the flanges 20a, 20b may be arranged to alternate with each other. In addition, the stiffener 50 is provided with one or more rivet holes 40 for riveting the stiffener 50 to the drywall stud. These rivet holes 40 may be provided on the web 10 or on the flanges 20a, 20b or on both in embodiments of the present disclosure.

The stiffeners 50 are configured to be secured within the drywall posts, spaced along the length of the drywall posts as needed, to provide reinforcement to the flanges 20a, 20 b. The stiffeners 50 support the flanges 131a, 131b of the drywall stud 100 to hold it in place as screws are driven into the flanges 20a, 20b to secure the drywall panels to the flanges 131a, 131b for forming a wall structure to be described later. Without these reinforcements, the flanges of drywall studs may bend inward during the threading process and there may be no way for screws to penetrate the flanges, thereby affecting the fastening process. Such bending of the flanges can be prevented by providing stiffeners along the length of the drywall strut to hold the flanges in place for threading.

Thus, additional strength and rigidity is imparted to the drywall stud by providing the reinforcement 50 of the present disclosure, which in turn results in structural stability of the drywall structure constructed therefrom. Although stiffeners similar to the U-shaped configuration shown in fig. 1A are known in the art, these stiffeners are never disclosed as ribs 30 projecting inwardly from the flanges 20a, 20 b. Such tabs have never been considered due to the complexity associated with their manufacture, the inconvenience during transportation of the drywall columns to which these stiffeners are affixed, the additional material cost and labor requirements for their production and manufacture. However, the inventors of the present disclosure have designed the stiffeners 50 described herein with one or more ribs 30 to provide uniform load distribution to the stiffeners and to increase resistance to longitudinal wind forces that may affect the stability of the drywall system. The stiffener 50 of the present disclosure also has a simple design that is easy to manufacture, does not require changes to the transport mechanisms in current practice, optimizes the material cost of its production and allows flexible assembly of the stiffener 50 on site both at the production site and during installation.

The ribs 30 of the stiffener 50 may be designed at various angles to the flanges 20a, 20 b. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A, the ribs 30 are at a 90 degree angle to the flanges 20a, 20 b. In alternative embodiments, the ribs 30 may be designed to be at an acute or obtuse angle to the flanges 20a, 20 b. In yet another alternative embodiment, each rib 30 in the stiffener 50 may be designed at a different angle to the flanges 20a, 20 b. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the height H of the ribs 30 is equal to or less than the height H' of the flanges 20a, 20 b. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1A, the height H of all ribs 30 of the stiffener 50 is equal to the height H' of the flanges 20a, 20 b. However, the stiffener may also be designed with a plurality of ribs 30, wherein the height H of some ribs 30 is less than H 'and the height of some other ribs 30 is equal to H'. In yet another embodiment, the ribs 30 may be designed to be intermittently disposed on the flanges 20a, 20 b. However, the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A shows that the ribs 30 are of a continuous design, extending from the bottom edge of the flanges 20a, 20b to the top edge of the flanges 20a, 20 b.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the length L of the rib 30 is less than the length L' of the web 10. In the exemplary embodiment, the length of the ribs 30 is 2 mm. This is of particular interest, as shown in fig. 8, because drywall posts fitted with stiffeners 50 of the present disclosure can still be transported by placing one drywall post atop another. Fig. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of two drywall studs 100 provided with stiffeners 50 of the present disclosure arranged for transport. The gap provided between the rib 30 rising from the flange 20a and the rib 30 rising from the flange 20b allows the top of the drywall support column at the bottom to accommodate another drywall support column, thereby enabling efficient use of space. Thus, the conventional arrangement for transporting drywall studs remains unaffected by the introduction of the stiffeners 50 of the present disclosure.

The reinforcement 50 is made of a material selected from aluminum or low carbon steel coated with zinc plated iron (GI). The thickness of the stiffener 50 ranges between 0.4mm and 2 mm. In a particular embodiment, the thickness of the stiffener 50 is 1 mm. It is desirable that the base metal thickness of the drywall stud to which the stiffener 50 of the present disclosure is secured may have a reduced base metal thickness as compared to conventional drywall studs. Such drywall braces thus impart improved stiffness and performance to the wall system structure when fitted with the reinforcement 50 of the present disclosure, even with reduced base metal thickness. In this way, the additional material cost for manufacturing the reinforcement can be controlled, since the reduced thickness of the base metal compensates for the material cost for the reinforcement.

In an alternative embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in fig. 1B, a rib 30' may be provided on the web 10 of the stiffener 50. Here, the rib 30' is provided on the web 10 in a space between the ribs 30 rising from the flanges 20a and 20 b. Also, the number, design and angle of the ribs 30' rising from the web 10 may vary, and all such variations are within the scope of the present disclosure. The U-shaped cross-section of the stiffener 50 is sized slightly smaller than a conventional U-shaped drywall stud so that the stiffener 50 fits inside the drywall stud. Although in the embodiment depicted in fig. 1A and 1B, the stiffeners 50 are provided with rivet holes 40 for riveting them to the drywall studs, the teachings of the present disclosure also include other ways of securing the stiffeners within the drywall studs. For example, the stiffener 50 may be bonded to the drywall stud by providing a foam backing on the drywall web and flange at the location where it is desired to attach the stiffener 50.

Fig. 2 shows a stiffener 50' for a ceiling profile according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. The main difference between the stiffener 50 for drywall studs shown in fig. 1A and 1B and the stiffener 50 ' for ceiling profiles shown in fig. 2 is that the flanges 20a ', 20B ' rising from the web 10 ' of the stiffener 50 ' have an angle X of more than 90 degrees. This is of practical significance due to the shape of the ceiling profiles used for drywall ceiling construction. Furthermore, the length L of the rib 30 'of the stiffener 50' is greater than the length L 'of the web 10'. In a particular embodiment, the length L of the ribs 30' is in the range of 2mm to 35 mm. Furthermore, the length L of the rib 30 'of the stiffener 50' is equal to the distance D between the flanges 20a 'and 20 b'. The flanges 20a ', 20 b' are provided with two rivet holes 40 'for riveting the stiffener 50' to the ceiling profile. Alternatively, the rivet hole 40 ' can also be provided on the web 10 ' of the reinforcement 50 ' for riveting purposes.

Fig. 3 illustrates a drywall stud 100 fitted with the reinforcement 50 of the present disclosure, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The drywall pillar 100 comprises a web 130 at the bottom and has two flanges 131a, 131b, which flanges 131a, 131b have edge portions 132a, 132b at their outer ends that are bent inwardly towards each other. The stiffener 50 fits into the drywall stud 100 with the web 10 and flanges 20a, 20b of the stiffener 50 abutting the web 130 and flanges 131a, 131b, respectively, of the drywall stud 100. The dimensions of the stiffener 50 are adjusted so that the stiffener 50 is snap-fit into the drywall stud 100 and held in place to absorb the force required to drive the screws in the flanges 131a, 131b of the drywall stud 100 during fastening of the drywall panels. Typically, gypsum panels are used for this purpose. Two gypsum panels will be secured to the flanges 131a, 131b of drywall strut 100 by a threaded connection. During compression, the strengthening ribs 30 add strength to the flanges 20a, 20b of the stiffener 50 and thus provide solid support for the flanges 131a, 131b of the drywall stud 100 during the threaded connection.

The stiffener 50 of the present disclosure may also fit within a drywall stud 100 that does not have edge portions 132a, 132 b. In the embodiment shown in fig. 3, the stiffener is riveted to the web 130 of the drywall stud 100 by rivet holes 40 provided in the web 10 of the stiffener 50. In one embodiment, the diameter of the rivet hole 40 is in the range of 1mm to 3mm, and the rivet hole 40 is provided at the edge of the web 10 of the stiffener. Alternative means of securing the stiffener 50 within the drywall stud 100 are also possible. In an alternative embodiment, the stiffener 50 may also be riveted to the flanges 131a, 131b of the drywall strut 100 by rivet holes provided on the flanges 30a, 30b of the stiffener 50. A plurality of stiffeners 50 may be secured within the drywall stud 100 depending on where the drywall stud will be threaded. In the exemplary embodiment, stiffeners 50 are secured in the drywall columns at 2 foot intervals. In another exemplary embodiment, stiffeners 50 are secured in the top and bottom edges of the drywall columns.

Fig. 4 shows a ceiling profile 200 fitted with a stiffener 50' of the present disclosure, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The ceiling profile 200 comprises a web 230 at the bottom and has two flanges 231a, 231b, which flanges 231a, 231b have at their outer ends edge portions 232a, 232b which are bent outwards away from each other. The flanges 231a, 231b extend from the web 230 of the ceiling profile 200 at an angle of more than 90 degrees. It is the angle X formed between the flanges 20a ', 20 b' and the web 10 'of the stiffener 50' that corresponds to this angle. The stiffener 50 ' fits inside the ceiling profile 200, the web 10 ' and the flanges 20a ', 20b ' of the stiffener 50 ' abutting against the web 230 and the flanges 231a, 231b, respectively, of the ceiling profile 200.

The dimensions of the stiffener 50 'are adjusted so that the stiffener 50' snap fits into the ceiling profile 200 and is held in place to absorb the force required to drive the screw in the web 230 of the ceiling profile 200 during fastening of the drywall panels. Typically, gypsum panels are used for this purpose. The gypsum panels are typically secured to the web 230 of the ceiling profile 200 by a threaded connection. The stiffening ribs 30 ' make the flanges 20a ', 20b ' and the web 10 ' of the stiffener 50 ' very inflexible when under compression and thus provide a solid support for the web 230 of the ceiling profile 200 during screwing. In addition, the stiffeners 50' reduce the formation of cracks in the ceiling structure, particularly due to installation non-compliance.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in fig. 4, the stiffener 50 'is fitted within the ceiling profile 200 by slits 240, the slits 240 being provided in the flanges 231a, 231b at locations where it is desired to secure the stiffener 50'. The slits 240 are rectangular cuts provided on the flanges 231a, 231b of the ceiling profile 200, which are slightly bent inwards to allow insertion of the flanges 20a ', 20b ' of the stiffener 50 '. Alternatively, rivet holes similar to those provided on the stiffener 50 for the drywall pillar 100 may be provided on the stiffener 50 'for securing the stiffener 50' within the ceiling profile 200. It should be understood that the drywall stiffeners 50 and ceiling stiffeners 50 'may be manufactured with rivet holes or lanced features, and the present application is intended to describe drywall stiffeners 50 with rivet holes 40 and ceiling stiffeners 50' secured to ceiling profiles by lanced features for teaching purposes only. In yet another embodiment, the ceiling stiffener 50 'may be secured within the ceiling profile 200 (as shown in fig. 1A, 1B, 2, etc.) using both the slits present on the flanges 231A, 231B (shown in fig. 4) and the rivet holes 40' provided on the web 10 'of the stiffener 50'.

Depending on where the ceiling profile is to be screwed, a plurality of stiffeners 50' may be fixed within the ceiling profile 200. In the exemplary embodiment, the stiffeners 50' are secured in the ceiling profile at 2 foot intervals. Usually, the ceiling profiles are transported by stacking them on top of each other. Thus, in the most preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the stiffener 50' is secured within the ceiling profile 200 at the installation site. However, the stiffener 50' may also be fixed within the ceiling profile 200 by riveting or slitting at the manufacturing site prior to shipping.

It is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the accompanying drawings, since the disclosure is capable of embodiments and of being practiced in various ways. Further, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing and teaching the present disclosure, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any sense.

Fig. 5A-5G illustrate a stiffener 50 for a drywall stud, according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig. 5A shows a stiffener 50 for a drywall stud, the stiffener 50 having ribs 30 arranged parallel to the flanges 20a, 20b and ribs provided on the web 10 of the stiffener 50. The ribs 30 on the flange 20a correspond in position to the ribs 30 on the flange 20b and extend along the entire length of the flanges 20a, 20 b. Fig. 5B shows a stiffener 50 for a drywall stud with ribs 30 disposed on the edges of the flanges 20a, 20B.

Fig. 5C to 5F show a stiffener 50 slightly different from the stiffener 50 described so far in the present disclosure. This is because the stiffeners 50 described so far are designed to have ribs protruding from their flanges. While the stiffener 50 depicted in fig. 5C-5F is designed such that the flanges of the stiffener protrude inward to form a rib structure perpendicular, parallel, or diagonal to the flanges. Fig. 5C shows a stiffener 50 with flanges 20a, 20b bent to form a rib 30 extending parallel to the flanges. Furthermore, the web 10 of the stiffener 50 is also bent to form a rib-like structure at the bottom of the stiffener 50. Fig. 5D shows a stiffener 50 with its flanges 20a, 20b bent to form a rib 30 extending in a direction perpendicular to the flanges. Furthermore, the web 10 of the stiffener 50 is also bent to form a rib-like structure at the bottom of the stiffener 50. The reinforcement 50 shown in fig. 5E is provided with two ribs 30 extending obliquely to the flanges 20a, 20b and intersecting at the central portions of the flanges 20a, 20 b. Similarly, the reinforcing member 50 shown in fig. 5F includes a rib 30, and the rib 30 is a combination of ribs extending parallel and oblique to the flanges 20a, 20b to form a cluster-like shape (cluster-shape).

Fig. 5G again shows a stiffener 50 for a drywall stud having a rib 30, the length L of the rib 30 being equal to the length L' of the web, and the rib 30 extending vertically between the flanges 20a, 20b of the stiffener 50.

All of the variations shown for the drywall stiffener 50 are understood to be applicable to the ceiling stiffener 50' of the present disclosure. The drywall reinforcement 50 shown in fig. 1A, 1B, 5A, and 5B may be manufactured by die casting, while the drywall reinforcement 50 shown in fig. 5C through 5F may be manufactured by embossing. Furthermore, the depth of the ribs 30 in these stiffeners may be optimized for manufacturing the stiffeners by cold working. Thus, the drywall stiffener 50 and ceiling stiffener 50' have flexibility in manufacturing.

Fig. 6 shows a drywall partition 300 constructed from drywall studs 100 that extend between floor channels 310 and ceiling channels 320. The drywall strut 100 is retained at its bottom by a floor channel 310 and at its top by a similar ceiling channel 320. Gypsum panels 330a, 330b are secured to opposite sides of drywall stud 100 by nails or screws 340. Drywall posts 100 may be secured to floor channels 310 and ceiling channels 320 with screws 340 or by other means.

Drywall studs 100 are secured with a plurality of stiffeners 50 of the present disclosure at locations where a threaded connection on drywall stud 100 is desired for gypsum panels 330a, 330b to be fastened on either side of drywall stud 100. The stiffeners 50 may be secured within the drywall stud 100 in a variety of ways, such as, but not limited to, riveting or slitting. Thus, when screws are driven into the flanges 131a, 131b to secure the gypsum panels 330a and 330b to the flanges 131a, 131b, the stiffener 50 prevents the flanges 131a, 131b from bending and allows the screws to penetrate the flanges 131a, 131b relatively easily. Similarly, in the event that a nail is driven into the flanges 131a, 131b instead of a screw being driven into the flanges 131a, 131b, then the reinforcement 50 holds the flanges 131a, 131b in place. The stiffeners 50 also provide additional structural strength to the drywall strut 100 for overall structural strength.

The additional structural strength provided by the stiffeners 50 of the present disclosure supports higher spacer heights, which would not otherwise be possible. Typically, drywall panels made from 48mm drywall studs are constructed to have a standard height of 2.5 meters. When the stiffeners 50 of the present disclosure are in place, the height achieved by drywall panels made of 48mm drywall studs can increase to 3.3 meters. This is made possible by the stiffness and stiffening provided by the stiffener 50 of the present disclosure.

Fig. 7 shows a suspended drywall ceiling 400 that includes a grid 410 formed by interlocking center beams 420 with vertically extending ceiling profiles 200. The grid 410 is suspended from the structural ceiling by a suspension wire or the like, which is a known way of suspending ceilings. The center sill 420 and ceiling profile 200 are connected together by a conventional clamping mechanism. The construction of suspended drywall ceilings is known. First, the grid 410 is constructed of center beams 420 and is suspended from the structural ceiling by suspension wires. The large sheet of gypsum panel 430 is then secured to the grid 410 from below by the installer inserting self-tapping screws with a powered screwdriver through the gypsum panel 430 and into the ceiling profile 200. The gypsum panel 430 can be sized to correspond to the distance between the centerlines of the ceiling profiles 200 in the grid 410. In fig. 7, two gypsum panels 430a, 430b are connected together at point 450, which forms the centerline of the ceiling profile 200.

As shown, the ceiling profile 200 is provided with a plurality of ceiling stiffeners 50 therein. In the embodiment shown in fig. 7, the stiffeners 50 'are provided at both edges of the ceiling profile 200, and one stiffener 50' is provided in the center. However, in alternative embodiments, the stiffeners 50' may be provided only at the top and bottom edges of the ceiling profile. The stiffener 50', especially the stiffener provided in the ceiling profile 200 with the points 450, is critical. This is because these stiffeners 50' provide support for the web 230 of the ceiling profile 200 so that the threaded connection of the gypsum panels 430 is effectively completed.

If no stiffener 50' is provided inside the ceiling profile 200, the point 450 may cause the ceiling profile 200 to break at that location, causing the suspended ceiling 400 to sag, eventually causing the ceiling to crack over time. Such cracking problems also exist for other ceiling profiles 200 adjacent to the point 450. According to the present disclosure, the development of cracks in the suspended ceiling 400 is reduced by providing stiffeners 50 'inside the ceiling profile 200, which stiffeners 50' support the web 230 of the ceiling profile 200 to hold it in place as the screws are driven into the ceiling profile 200, thereby ensuring that the screws penetrate the web 230 and further limiting the flanges 231a, 231b of the ceiling profile 200 from breaking or buckling over time.

Example comparative example 1

Deflection test of drywall separator

Drywall panels are constructed by erecting (house) between conventional floor and ceiling channels 48mm drywall studs of 0.4mm thickness provided with 3.8mm drywall stiffeners 50 of the present disclosure. The 48mm drywall posts are provided with two stiffeners 50, one attached to the top end of the drywall posts and the other attached to the bottom end of the drywall posts. The deflection of the drywall panels with the reinforcement was measured by simulation when a load of 200Pa was applied and compared to the deflection exhibited by the drywall panels without the reinforcement.

Conventional drywall insulation (without reinforcement) exhibits a maximum deflection of 7.74mm at 200Pa, while drywall insulation constructed from drywall studs provided with reinforcement of the present disclosure exhibits a maximum deflection of 3.81mm at 200 Pa. Thus, it was found that the deflection of the drywall separator including the reinforcement was improved by nearly 50%. This is because the ribs of the stiffener resist deflection of the flange by evenly distributing the load. In addition, the 50% increase in stiffness, stability and structural strength of the baffle system with the reinforcement enables higher baffle heights.

Comparative example 2

Deflection testing of suspended ceiling

A suspended ceiling is constructed by erecting ceiling profiles provided with the 3.8mm ceiling stiffeners 50' of the present disclosure to vertically placed intermediate channels suspended from a structural ceiling. Each ceiling profile is provided with two ceiling stiffeners 50 ', one ceiling stiffener 50' at each edge of the ceiling profile. The deflection of a suspended ceiling system with stiffeners was measured by simulation at loads between 50N and 75N applied and compared to the deflection exhibited by a conventional suspended ceiling system.

A conventional suspended ceiling (without stiffeners) showed a maximum deflection of 0.65mm at 75N, while a suspended ceiling system constructed from ceiling profiles provided with ceiling stiffeners of the present disclosure showed a maximum deflection of 0.0046 mm. Thus, it was found that the stiffness of a suspended ceiling system is greatly improved by the ceiling stiffener of the present disclosure, which is attributable to the presence of ribs in the ceiling stiffener, which resist bending of the ceiling profiles during bending loads.

Comparative example 3

Deflection testing of suspended ceiling systems

An 1800mm x 1200mm suspended ceiling was constructed by erecting ceiling profiles provided with the 3.8mm ceiling stiffeners 50' of the present disclosure to a vertically placed intermediate channel spanning 1700mm suspended from a structural ceiling, the suspended ceiling being fitted with gypsum panels of dimensions 1800mm x 1200 mm. Each ceiling profile is provided with three ceiling stiffeners 50', one at each edge of the ceiling profile and one centrally located. A total weight of 30kg was applied to the system from the top by applying 10kg on each ceiling profile provided with stiffeners, and the deflection caused by the load was measured from the bottom using a dial gauge.

A fully similar suspended ceiling system without the stiffeners of the present disclosure was constructed and a load of 30kg was applied from the top and deflection was measured from the bottom. The suspended ceiling system provided with the stiffeners was found to deflect 15.1mm, while the suspended ceiling system without stiffeners was found to deflect 26.5mm, thus demonstrating an almost 43% reduction in deflection.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

By using and implementing the stiffeners of the present disclosure, channels such as drywall posts and ceiling profiles with improved stiffness can be obtained without complicating the post structure. The rigidity of the channel is improved by the reinforcement providing support to the flanges of the drywall posts and ceiling profiles, which allows screws or nails to be driven into the flanges without bending the flanges. The present disclosure provides a reinforcement that can be easily inserted into a channel and holds itself in place in a simple manner. The present disclosure provides a reinforced pillar structure using a reinforcement, which can be easily and economically manufactured from a plate material. The reinforcement may resist cracking/buckling of the suspended ceiling system, thereby delaying and reducing crack development.

The present disclosure also addresses the transportation of channels with manufactured stiffeners by designing stiffeners that do not alter the conventional way in which channels are transported. Furthermore, the design of the stiffener provides flexibility in its production by a variety of methods (e.g., die casting, embossing, and cold working). Furthermore, the design of the stiffener compensates for the additional material costs involved in producing the stiffener by allowing the use of channels of reduced thickness. Furthermore, the reinforcement is made of a simple construction, the reinforcement fitting complementarily in the channel with which it co-acts.

It should be noted that not all of the activities described above in the general description or the examples are required, that a portion of a specific activity may not be required, and that one or more additional activities may be performed in addition to the activities described. Still further, the order in which activities are listed is not necessarily the order in which they are performed.

Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described above with regard to specific embodiments. The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any feature(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced, however, are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features of any or all the claims.

The description and illustrations of the embodiments described herein are intended to provide a general understanding of the structure of the various embodiments. The description and drawings are not intended to serve as an exhaustive or comprehensive description of all the elements and features of apparatus and systems that utilize the structures or methods described herein. Certain features that are, for clarity, described herein in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in sub-combination. Further, reference to a value being expressed as a range includes each value within that range. Many other embodiments will be apparent to the skilled person only after reading this description. Other embodiments may be utilized and derived from the disclosure, such that structural substitutions, logical substitutions, or other changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. The present disclosure is, therefore, to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive.

The description taken in conjunction with the drawings is provided to assist in understanding the teachings disclosed herein, to assist in describing the teachings, and should not be construed as limiting the scope or applicability of the teachings. However, other teachings can of course be used in this application.

As used herein, the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," "including," "has," "having" or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of features is not necessarily limited to only those features but may include other features not expressly listed or inherent to such method, article, or apparatus. Furthermore, unless expressly stated to the contrary, "or" means an inclusive or, and not an exclusive or. For example, condition a or B is satisfied by any one of: a is true (or present) and B is false (or not present), a is false (or not present) and B is true (or present), and both a and B are true (or present).

Also, the use of "a" or "an" is used to describe elements and components described herein. This is done merely for convenience and to give a general sense of the scope of the invention. The description is to be understood as including one or at least one and the singular also includes the plural or the plural unless it is clearly stated otherwise. For example, when a single item is described herein, more than one item may be used in place of a single item. Similarly, where more than one item is described herein, a single item may be substituted for the more than one item.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting. To the extent that certain details regarding specific materials and processing methods are not described, such details can include conventional methods, which can be found in reference books and other sources within the field of manufacture.

While aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown and described with reference to the foregoing embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various other embodiments may be contemplated by modifying the disclosed machines, systems, and methods without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. It is intended that these embodiments fall within the scope of the present disclosure, which is determined based on the claims and any equivalents thereof.

Component list

Name: reinforcement for structural elements

50 Reinforcement for drywall studs

10 web

20a, 20b flange

30 Ribs

30' Rib

40 rivet hole

50' Reinforcement for ceiling profiles

10' web

20a ', 20 b' flange

40' rivet hole

100 dry wall support

130 web

131a, 131b flange

132a, 132b edge portions

200 ceiling section bar

230 web

231a, 231b flanges

232a, 232b edge portions

240 slitting

300 dry wall partition

310 floor channel

320 ceiling channel

330a, 330b gypsum panel

400 suspended ceiling system

410 grid

420 middle channel

430a, 430b gypsum panels

450 connection point

Angle between web and flange of X-stiffener

Length of rib of L-shaped reinforcing member

Length of web of L' stiffener

Height of rib of H-shaped reinforcing member

Height of flange of H' stiffener

Distance between flanges of D-stiffeners