T-bar for suspended ceiling with heat dissipation system for LED lighting

What is this patent about?

’805 is related to the field of suspended ceiling systems, specifically focusing on structural T-bars that integrate lighting fixtures. In commercial architecture, dropped ceilings typically utilize a grid of T-shaped supports to hold acoustic tiles, with separate, bulky troffer units inserted into the grid for illumination. This invention reimagines the T-bar itself as the primary light fixture, addressing the thermal management challenges inherent in placing high-intensity light sources within a confined ceiling assembly.

The underlying idea behind ’805 is to transform the structural skeleton of a suspended ceiling into a high-efficiency thermal bridge. By integrating a light housing directly into the bottom of the T-bar and extending a finned heat sink into the plenum space above the tiles, the invention uses the entire metal spine of the grid to pull heat away from sensitive electronics. This allows for the use of high-output LEDs without the risk of premature failure, while simultaneously freeing up the ceiling grid to be filled entirely with uniform tiles rather than interrupted by traditional light bays.

The claims of ’805 focus on a T-bar assembly featuring a central spine with lateral rest shelves that define a unitary light housing on the underside. The independent claims specify a structure where the light source is positioned entirely below the ceiling tiles, protected by a covering, while the upper portion of the spine is configured as a heat sink. Furthermore, the claims cover a modular power supply system that uses a specialized bracket to clamp directly onto the upper heat sink, ensuring the electrical components are securely mounted and thermally coupled to the cooling fins.

In practice, the invention works by utilizing a monolithic extrusion—typically aluminum—to serve as both the structural support for ceiling tiles and the primary cooling mechanism for the lighting. The lower portion of the T-bar features downward-extending side walls that create a protected channel for LED modules. Above the rest shelves, the spine transitions into a series of lateral fins. This design exploits the temperature differential between the conditioned room below and the unconditioned plenum above, using natural convection to dump heat into the upper air space.

This approach differs from prior solutions by eliminating the need for separate, heavy lighting enclosures that occupy tile gaps. Unlike standard T-bars that are purely structural, this invention incorporates an adjustable anchor system at the terminal ends, allowing individual illuminated segments to be swapped or reconfigured within an existing grid without dismantling the entire ceiling. By moving the light source to the grid line itself, the system achieves a cleaner aesthetic and improved HVAC efficiency by maintaining a continuous thermal barrier of ceiling tiles.