Bonded panel interlock device

• US 4,769,963 A
• Filed: 07/09/1987
• Issued: 09/13/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Barnett Bank of Pinellas County (Bank of America Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Structural Panels Incorporated
• Inventors: Meyerson, Steven C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ridgill, Jr., James L.
• Application Number:
  US07/071,245
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 52/588-595, 52/309.9, 52/309.11, 52/795, 52/802, 52/806, 52/404
• US Class Current: 52/309.9
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/6129 the connection made by expansion
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/80 slab-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: E04C 2/292 composed of insulating material and sheet metal
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2201/0115 with snap action of the edge connectors
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 5/10 Buildings forming part of cooling plants

Abstract

A building panel providing for structural and insulating integrity between adjacent modular construction panels is formed from two sheets of thin metal bonded to a styrofoam core. One longitudinal edge of the panel has a first pair of shaped ramp and groove interlock elements with a shaped wedge of core projecting outwardly between these first pair of elements. A second longitudinal opposite edge of the panel has a second pair of U-shaped interlock elements with a shaped cup-like edge of the core conforming to the wedge on the opposite side and overlapped by the second pair of U-shaped interlock elements. Adjacent panels are snapped together by moving the U-shaped interlock elements over the ramp and into the groove of the first pair of interlock elements to form a tight fit and causing the edges of the core to have a tight edge to edge insulating seal.

Claims

1. In a rigid building panel with substantially parallel planar front and rear metal sheets separated by an insulating rigid foam core bonded to the sheets and having a first pair of opposite parallel and substantially straight end edges, the improvements comprising

a second pair of opposite longitudinal edges having complimentary first and second interlocking elements forming the longitudinal edge of each metal sheet,

the first interlocking element forming a U-shaped projection along matching edges of the front and rear metal sheets with a first core edge between the first interlocking elements having an inwardly projecting dish-shaped geometric configuration,

the second interlocking element forming a ramp and a groove behind the ramp along matching edges of the front and rear metal sheets with a second core edge between the second interlocking elements having an outwardly projecting geometric shape conforming to the dish-shaped geometric configuration of the first core edge,

the first interlocking U-shaped projections on the second pair of edges of the metal sheets capable of sliding over the ramp of the second interlocking elements and snapping in place in the groove behind the ramp forming a tight interlock fit and forming an edge to edge insulating fit between the first and second core edges.

2. A rigid building panel according to claim 1 wherein the panel is snapped together with an adjacent panel in a channel affixed to a building overhead structure to form a ceiling.

3. A rigid building panel according to claim 1 wherein the panel is snapped together with an adjacent panel in a channel affixed to a building side wall structure to form an exterior wall.

4. A rigid building panel according to claim 1 wherein the metal sheets are light-weight aluminum.

5. A rigid building panel according to claim 1 wherein the core is an insulating styrofoam sheet.