Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
32~2
"INSULATED METAL SKI~NED PANEL ASSEMBL~"
BACKGROU~D OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to new and useful
improvements in metal panel construction used for walls,
partitions, and the like and particularly such metal
panels which are insulated.
Conventionally, inner and outer skin panels are
secured together with screws, bolts or by welding, with a
rigid panel of foam plastic sandwiched therebetween.
Such panels are relatively expensive and labour intensive
to manufacture and difficulty is encountered in joining
adjacent panels together in a sealed relationship in
order to prevent heat transfer through air leakage.
The present invention overcomes these disadvan-
tages by providing a pair of identical skin panels, an
outer panel and an inner panel, which may be interlocked
together either around a sheet of rigid plastic or, in
the preferred embodiment, injected with a foam urethane
plastic or the like and which furthermore include over-
lapping flanges when assembled which facilitate the seal-
ed engagement of one panel with another.
In accoraance with the invention there is
provided a substantiall~ rectangular insulated panel
comprising in combination a pair of metal skin panels, an
~26~
-- 2
outer skin panel and an inner skin panel, said skin
panels being identical and each having one edge counter-
angulated to define a flange extending from the plane of
said skin panel, a wall portion extending pe~pendicular
to the plane of the skin panel but spaced inwardly from
the outer edge of said flange, a wall portion formed
perpendicular to the plane of the skin on the opposite
edge of said skin panel, means formed on said wall por-
tions to secure said skin panels together to form said
panel and insulation between said skin panels.
Another advantage of the invention is that the
overlapping flanges provided along the two longitudinal
edges may also be provided along the shorter edges if
desired thus facilitating the junction of panels in end
to end relationship although, because the panels can be
made any reasonable length, they can usually be secured
to vertical studs by the shorter ends.
Another advantage of the invention is that the
panels can be made of any desired length and that the
skin panels forming the assembled panel can easily be
formed by conventional bending or breaking techniques
well-known in the art of metal forming.
Yet another advantage of the invention is to
provide a device of a character herein described in which
~63~Z
thermal breaks may be provided between adjacent panels if
desired.
A still further advantage of the invention is
to provide a panel assembly of a character here within
described which is simple in construction, economically
manufactured and otherwise well-suited to the purpose of
which it is designed.
With the foregoing in view, and other advan-
tages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art
to which this invention relates as this specification
proceeds, the invention is herein described by reference
to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which
includes a description of the best mode known to the
applicant and of the preferred typical embodiment of the
principles of the present invention, in which:
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a fragmentary isometric view of an
assembled panel.
Figure 2 is a fragmentary end view of a pair of
panels connected together.
Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged section
along the line 3-3 of Figure 8.
Figure 4 is a fraymentary enlarged section
along the line 4-4 of Figure 8.
~2~32~2
Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view along
the line 5-5 of Figure 3.
Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view
along the line 6-6 of Figure 4.
Figure 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view
showing the interlocking action of the inner and outer
panels.
Figure 8 is a fragmentary enlarged exploded
view of the inner and outer panels ready for assembly one
with the other.
Figure 9 shows a pair of similar skin panels in
end elevation but reversed one from the other, of a
modified construction.
Figure 10 shows the panels of Figure 9 in the
assembled position.
Figure 11 showns the junction between a pair of
assembled panels of Figure 10, connected together.
In the drawings like characters of reference
indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
~,
Proceeding therefore to describe the invention
in detail, reference should be made first to Figure 1
which shows an assembled wall panel 10 including an upper
skin panel collectively designated 11 and a lower skin
~63Z~2
panel collectively designated 12.
It should be appreciated that both the inner
and outer panels 11 and 12 are formed identically from
sheet metal but are reversed one with the other for
assembly purposes.
In the preferred embodimen-t, each panel is
substantially rectangular and includes a flange 13
extending from the plane 1~ of the panel and counter-
angulated as clearly shown in Figure 8.
The counter-angulated under portion 14 is then
extended perpendicular to the plane 14 to form a wall
portion collectively designated 15 and a pocket collec-
tively designated 16 is formed upon the distal edge 17 of
this wall portion 15 by counter-angulating the free edge
upwardly towards the plane of the panel 14 and then down-
wardly towards the edge 17, the downwardly extending
portion 18 being spaced from the counter-angulated
portion 19 to form the aforementioned pocket 16 parallel
to the wall portion 15 but spaced inwardly therefrom.
r~n the opposite longitudinal edge of the panels
ll and 12, a further wall portion 20 is formed perpen-
dicular to the plane of 14 of the panel and which is
adapted to engage in nesting relationship within the
pocket 16 when the inner and outer panels are assembled
to form the assembled panel ll.
In the drawings, the length of the wall portion
15 is greater than the length of the wall portion 20 but
of course they may be equal if desired.
Means are provided to interlock the wall por-
tions together and to retain them in the assembled posi-
tion shown in Figure 1, said means taking the form of a
plurality of projections 21 formed on the inner surface
22 of the wall portion 20 as shown in Figures 3 and 5,
these projections being spaced from the free edge 23 of
this wall portion 20 and having the leading surface 24
slightly rounded or sloping to facilitate engagement with
matching projections 25 formed adjacent the free edge 26
of the wall 18 oE the pocket l9 as clearly shown in
Figures 4 and 6. These projections 25 which line up with
projections 21 when assembled, may have a sloping surface
27 on the trailing side thereof so that when the panels
are assembled as shown in Figure l, the sloping leading
sides 24 of the projections 21 -Eacilitate the engagement
thereof wich the projection 25 and lock into place once
the free edge 26 of the wall 18 of the pocket engages the
inner surface 14A of the mating skin panelO
If desired, and prior to assembly, a sheet of
rigid foamed plastic may be engaged between the skin
~2~3~
panels but in the preferred embodiment, foamed plastic
such as polyurethane, is injected into the cavity defined
by the upper and lower panels. In this connection, the
shorter opposite edges of the assembled panel should be
filled with a fi11er such as a wooden or plastic strip 28
which may be secured in place by metal screws (not illus-
trated).
Foam may then be injected through injection
apertures 29 one of which is shown in Figure 1.
After assembly and filling, thermal breaks may
be provided through the overlapping vertical wall por-
tions by forming elonyated slots 30 through both wall
portions and between adjacent mating projections 21 and
25.
When one panel is being assembled to another as
shown in Figure 2, the overlapping flanges of one panel
overlap the opposite skin wall of the adjacent panel as
clearly shown and these may be secured together by means
of metal screws 31 or the like engaging through the
flange of one panel and through the skin over which the
flange enc3ages, silicon caulXing or the like 32 being
provided between the mating panel edges as clearly shown
in Figure 2.
As mentioned previously, the extending flanges
~Gi32~2
13 are preferably formed only along the opposing longitu-
dinal edges of the panels but of course may be extended
along the shorter edges if desired, the junction of pan-
els in longitudinally extending formation being accom-
plished in the manner illustrated and described relative
to Figure 2.
Figures 9, 10 and 11 show a modified construc-
tion in which the two skin panels ].lA and 12A are shown
in the spaced apart position reversed one from the other
ready for assembly into the finished panel as shown in
Figure 10 by reference character lOA.
Each skin panel llA and 12A is substantially
rectangular as hereinbefore deqcribed and includes a
counter-angulated flanged pocket 33 along one edge and
which extends beyond the sides 34 of the panels when
assembled.
A wall portion 34 i9 formed perpendicular to
the plane of the panel and upon the opposite edge thereof
and this wall portion then angulates outwardly in the
form of a flange 35 ~ormed on the distal edge 3~ of this
wall portion, flange 35 being parallel to but spaced from
the plane of the panel llA.
When reversed, as shown at 12A, the flange 35
engages the counter-angulated pocket 33 on one edge and
,4
- 9 -
the flange 35 on the upper panel llA engages the flanged
pocket 33 of the opposite edge of the lower skin panel thus
forming the assembled panel shown in Figure 10, it being
understood that the two skin panels are assembled by engaging
one lengthwise with the other and sliding the flanges 35
along the pockets 33.
The remainder of the construction of the finished
panel is similar to that hereinbefore described for the other
embodiment and includes thermal breaks similar to 32 but
modified to suit the specific configuration of the panel
connections~
Figure 11 shows the junction between the longitudinal
edges of adjacent panels lOA with the pocket 33 of one panel
overlying the upper surface of the adjacent panel and with
the vertical walls 34 being in substantially interfacial
relationship.
Metal screws 37 engage through the pocketed flange 33
of one panel and into the skin of the adjacent panel as
clearly shown~
Since various modifications can be made in my
in~ention as hereinabove described, and many apparently
widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit
and scope of the claims without departing from such spirit
and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the
accompanying specification shall be interpreted as
illustrative only and not in a limiting
-- 10 --
sense.
