Patents by Inventor Paul D. LaLonde
Paul D. LaLonde has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 8485835Abstract: A suspended ceiling grid tee of conventional cross-sectional shape having a plurality of generally planar parallel and orthogonal surfaces and at least two electrically isolated conductor strips attached to the planar areas of the tee surfaces extending along substantially the full length of the tee, a connector for supplying low voltage electrical power to or from the conductors, the connector having a configuration complementary to the cross-sectional shape of the grid tee and including at least two electrical contacts for energizing each of said conductor strips when said connector is positioned on said grid tee.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2009Date of Patent: July 16, 2013Assignee: USG Interiors, LLCInventors: Ying (Lora) Liang, Daniel Boss, Paul D. LaLonde, Peder Gulbrandsen
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Patent number: 8056294Abstract: A suspended ceiling system comprising metal grid members and rectangular composite acoustical panels, the panels having edges at their peripheries, the grid members having a cross section generally like an inverted T such that they provide oppositely extending flanges adapted to support the panels at their edges, a resilient element at a juncture between a support on the grid member flanges and at least one edge of each panel, the resilient element being arranged to temporarily deflect to permit a panel to be raised from below the grid member into an installed position and to extend itself to hold such panel in position on the grid.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2008Date of Patent: November 15, 2011Assignee: USG Interiors, Inc.Inventor: Paul D. LaLonde
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Patent number: 7946089Abstract: Manufacture of roll formed one piece sheet metal grid tees that affords different load ratings with the same gauge and quality of sheet stock and the same overall cross-section dimensions by varying the width of the strip used to make the tees and disposing material added for increased load rating at the area of the hollow reinforcing bulb of the tees.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2008Date of Patent: May 24, 2011Assignee: USG Interiors, Inc.Inventor: Paul D. LaLonde
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Patent number: 7874116Abstract: A clip for attaching the end of a grid tee to a wall angle. The clip, in various forms, is arranged to frictionally lock between the hem of the horizontal leg of the wall angle and the vertical leg. The clip, typically, has a pair of opposed open hems forming channels in which the flange of the tee end is received to join the tee to the clip. The clip can be elongated horizontally to accommodate movement of the grid during seismic activity. The clip can be used to trim the edges of a ceiling island and can be made to accommodate angular intersections of the grid with a wall or island edge.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2010Date of Patent: January 25, 2011Assignee: USG Interiors, Inc.Inventor: Paul D. LaLonde
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Patent number: 7770349Abstract: A clip for bridging a longitudinal gap between a pair of grid tee lengths, the clip having a cruciform shape in plan view formed by a set of four integral arms, one pair of the arms extending along a first line in opposite directions from a center of the clip, and another pair of arms extending along a line perpendicular to said first line in opposite directions from the center of the clip, said arms when oriented for installation having an inverted U-shape cross-section proportioned to fit over a respective one of four intersecting lengths of grid tees having an inverted T-shape with a reinforcing hollow bulb at its upper edge, at least one of said arms having a longitudinally extending fastener receiving slot and other of said arms having locations for receiving respective fasteners, said slot and receiving locations each being arranged to receive a fastener and allow the fastener to be anchored into the bulb of an associated tee, said slot being arranged to allow its respective grid tee length to telescopeType: GrantFiled: July 14, 2008Date of Patent: August 10, 2010Assignee: USG Interiors, Inc.Inventors: Lee M. Tedesco, Paul D. LaLonde, Ilya Lerner
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Publication number: 20100154341Abstract: A clip for attaching the end of a grid tee to a wall angle. The clip, in various forms, is arranged to frictionally lock between the hem of the horizontal leg of the wall angle and the vertical leg. The clip, typically, has a pair of opposed open hems forming channels in which the flange of the tee end is received to join the tee to the clip. The clip can be elongated horizontally to accommodate movement of the grid during seismic activity. The clip can be used to trim the edges of a ceiling island and can be made to accommodate angular intersections of the grid with a wall or island edge.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2010Publication date: June 24, 2010Applicant: USG INTERIORS, INC.Inventor: Paul D. LaLonde
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Publication number: 20100139189Abstract: A suspended ceiling system comprising metal grid members and rectangular composite acoustical panels, the panels having edges at their peripheries, the grid members having a cross section generally like an inverted T such that they provide oppositely extending flanges adapted to support the panels at their edges, a resilient element at a juncture between a support on the grid member flanges and at least one edge of each panel, the resilient element being arranged to temporarily deflect to permit a panel to be raised from below the grid member into an installed position and to extend itself to hold such panel in position on the grid.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2008Publication date: June 10, 2010Applicant: USG Interiors, Inc.Inventor: Paul D. LaLonde
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Publication number: 20100130055Abstract: A suspended ceiling grid tee of conventional cross-sectional shape having a plurality of generally planar parallel and orthogonal surfaces and at least two electrically isolated conductor strips attached to the planar areas of the tee surfaces extending along substantially the full length of the tee, a connector for supplying low voltage electrical power to or from the conductors, the connector having a configuration complementary to the cross-sectional shape of the grid tee and including at least two electrical contacts for energizing each of said conductor strips when said connector is positioned on said grid tee.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2009Publication date: May 27, 2010Applicant: USG INTERIORS, INC.Inventors: Ying (Lora) Liang, Daniel Boss, Paul D. LaLonde, Peder Gulbrandsen
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Patent number: 7703258Abstract: A main tee with separate clips affixed on its ends for splicing the tee with identical tees in end-to-end butt joints. The tee and clip form a pocket for receiving the projecting end of an opposing clip with a uniform low insertion force. The clip is self-aligning with the pocket and when interconnected the clips precisely align the coupled tees both vertically and horizontally. The clips, formed of relatively strong material, have mutually engageable locking surfaces that ensure a strong joint.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2005Date of Patent: April 27, 2010Assignee: USG Interiors, Inc.Inventors: Paul D. LaLonde, James J. Lehane, Daniel J. Coyne
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Patent number: 7690168Abstract: A clip for attaching the end of a grid tee to a wall angle. The clip, in various forms, is arranged to frictionally lock between the hem of the horizontal leg of the wall angle and the vertical leg. The clip, typically, has a pair of opposed open hems forming channels in which the flange of the tee end is received to join the tee to the clip. The clip can be elongated horizontally to accommodate movement of the grid during seismic activity. The clip can be used to trim the edges of a ceiling island and can be made to accommodate angular intersections of the grid with a wall or island edge.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2005Date of Patent: April 6, 2010Assignee: USG Interiors, Inc.Inventor: Paul D LaLonde
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Patent number: 7677004Abstract: A wide wall angle useful in locations of seismic activity to support ceiling tile and grid tees of a suspended ceiling comprising an assembly of an elongated base angle and an elongated extension strip, the base angle having generally perpendicular legs integral with one another and intersecting at a longitudinally extending corner, one leg being adapted to be fixed against a wall with the corner down, and the other adapted to project horizontally from the wall, the extension strip having a face with greater than the width of the horizontal leg, the extension strip having a multiple layer construction, two layers of the extension strip being held together in close parallel relation by an intermediate web integral with the layers, at least portions of the two layers being arranged to frictionally engage at least a part of the horizontal leg of the base angle spaced from the corner such that the strip can be assembled on and frictionally retained on the horizontal leg of the base angle, the horizontal leg of thType: GrantFiled: November 29, 2007Date of Patent: March 16, 2010Assignee: USG Interiors, Inc.Inventor: Paul D. LaLonde
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Publication number: 20100005747Abstract: A clip for bridging a longitudinal gap between a pair of grid tee lengths, the clip having a cruciform shape in plan view formed by a set of four integral arms, one pair of the arms extending along a first line in opposite directions from a center of the clip, and another pair of arms extending along a line perpendicular to said first line in opposite directions from the center of the clip, said arms when oriented for installation having an inverted U-shape cross-section proportioned to fit over a respective one of four intersecting lengths of grid tees having an inverted T-shape with a reinforcing hollow bulb at its upper edge, at least one of said arms having a longitudinally extending fastener receiving slot and other of said arms having locations for receiving respective fasteners, said slot and receiving locations each being arranged to receive a fastener and allow the fastener to be anchored into the bulb of an associated tee, said slot being arranged to allow its respective grid tee length to telescopeType: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2008Publication date: January 14, 2010Applicant: USG INTERIORS, INC.Inventors: Lee M. Tedesco, Paul D. LaLonde, Ilya Lerner
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Publication number: 20090139158Abstract: A wide wall angle useful in locations of seismic activity to support ceiling tile and grid tees of a suspended ceiling comprising an assembly of an elongated base angle and an elongated extension strip, the base angle having generally perpendicular legs integral with one another and intersecting at a longitudinally extending corner, one leg being adapted to be fixed against a wall with the corner down, and the other adapted to project horizontally from the wall, the extension strip having a face with greater than the width of the horizontal leg, the extension strip having a multiple layer construction, two layers of the extension strip being held together in close parallel relation by an intermediate web integral with the layers, at least portions of the two layers being arranged to frictionally engage at least a part of the horizontal leg of the base angle spaced from the corner such that the strip can be assembled on and frictionally retained on the horizontal leg of the base angle, the horizontal leg of thType: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2007Publication date: June 4, 2009Applicant: USG INTERIORS, INC.Inventor: Paul D. LaLonde
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Publication number: 20080289280Abstract: Manufacture of roll formed one piece sheet metal grid tees that affords different load ratings with the same gauge and quality of sheet stock and the same overall cross-section dimensions by varying the width of the strip used to make the tees and disposing material added for increased load rating at the area of the hollow reinforcing bulb of the tees.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2008Publication date: November 27, 2008Applicant: USG INTERIORS, INC.Inventor: Paul D. LaLonde
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Publication number: 20080120941Abstract: Manufacture of roll formed one piece sheet metal grid tees that affords different load ratings with the same gauge and quality of sheet stock and the same overall cross-section dimensions by varying the width of the strip used to make the tees and disposing material added for increased load rating at the area of the hollow reinforcing bulb of the tees.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2006Publication date: May 29, 2008Applicant: USG INTERIORS, INC.Inventor: Paul D. LaLonde
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Patent number: 6523314Abstract: A grid tee for a suspended ceiling system having integral centering tabs to prevent misalignment of the tee in the space between adjacent ceiling tiles that could otherwise allow the edge of a tile to slip off a flange of the tee. The centering tabs are cut out of the web of the tee with a cantilevered free length that is sufficient to enable the tabs to deflect a relatively large fraction of the width of a flange portion without permanently bending whereby variations in the widths of tiles are accommodated without development of excessive forces which could otherwise cause the tabs to impale themselves into the edges of the tiles.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2000Date of Patent: February 25, 2003Assignee: USG Interiors, Inc.Inventors: Paul D. LaLonde, Brock Kavanagh, Dennis Alvarez
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Patent number: 5761868Abstract: An end connector for a ceiling grid runner that interlocks with an identical connector when assembled in a common slot of a through runner. Problems associated with interference between a lock lance stamped laterally out of the plane of the connector and the opposing connector when the second connector is being inserted in the slot are reduced by a relief zone in the forward portion of the connector that is in the form of a concave area that clears the opposing lock lance until the second connector is nearly fully received in the slot.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 1996Date of Patent: June 9, 1998Assignee: USG Interiors, Inc.Inventors: Paul D. LaLonde, Gerald L. Koski, James J. Lehane
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Patent number: 5761869Abstract: A suspension ceiling grid for supporting rectangular panels. The grid members are elongated runners with a generally inverted T-shaped cross-section. Flanges on the lower side of the runners have inclined exposed portions and vertical portions concealed by rabbeted edges of the panels. The flange portions are configured with respect to the proportions of the rabbeted panels, to appear as beveled edges of the panels whereby the finished ceiling appears to be gridless. The runners are specially notched and trimmed to provide a strong but attractive faux miter joint at their intersections.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 1996Date of Patent: June 9, 1998Assignee: USG Interiors, Inc.Inventors: William J. Tinen, William E. Kirsop, James J. Lehane, Paul D. LaLonde
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Patent number: D592487Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2008Date of Patent: May 19, 2009Assignee: USG Interiors, Inc.Inventors: Lee M. Tedesco, Paul D. LaLonde, Ilya Lerner
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Patent number: D611332Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2008Date of Patent: March 9, 2010Assignee: USG Interiors, Inc.Inventors: Lee M. Tedesco, Paul D. LaLonde, Ilya Lerner