Patent ID: 8196365
Filing Date: 2012-06-12
Classification: E04B

Abstract:
1. A panel construction having a series of upright panel units which abut one another end to end to provide a single line joint therebetween, each of the panel units comprising a pair of spaced facing sheet members located symmetrically on either side of a vertical central plane through the panel unit, with at each end of the panel unit each of an inner bracket member and an outer bracket member, each facing sheet member having a facing sheet portion and vertical edge portions at each end of the panel unit, each facing sheet portion disposed in a plane parallel to the central plane, each vertical edge portions including a first end portion perpendicular to the central plane, a second end portion and a third end portion perpendicular to the central plane, the first end portion extending laterally inwardly from the facing sheet portion toward the central plane to the second end portion which extends away from the end of the panel unit to the third end portion which extends laterally inwardly toward the central plane, the inner bracket member having a U-shaped central portion with a central bight member from which two arm portions extend, the central bight member of the inner bracket member extending perpendicular to the central plane bridging the central plane with the two arm portions of the inner bracket member extending towards the end of the panel unit defining a bight cavity open toward the end of the panel unit, the outer bracket member having a U-shaped central portion with a central bight member from which two arm portions extend, the central bight member of the outer bracket member extending perpendicular to the central plane bridging the central plane with the two arm portions of the outer bracket member extending parallel the central plane towards the end of the panel unit, the outer bracket member received in the bight cavity of the inner bracket member with the second end portion and the third end portion of each facing sheet member received in the bight cavity of the inner bracket member intermediate the inner bracket member and outer bracket member, the central bight member of the outer bracket member coupled to the central bight member of the inner bracket member with the third end portion of each facing sheet member in between the central bight member of the outer bracket member and the central bight member of the inner bracket member to securely join the facing sheet members with the first end portions of the facing sheet members at each end of the panel disposed in a common end vertical plane, the arm portions of the outer bracket member extending from the central bight member of the outer bracket member past the first end portion of each facing sheet members for engagement with arm portions of an outer bracket member of a complementary modular panel unit in end to end abutting engaged relation therewith, one arm portion of each outer bracket member comprising a male arm and the other arm portion of each outer bracket member comprising a female arm, wherein a male arm of each outer bracket member engages a female arm of another outer bracket member, the male arm and female arm engagable and disengagable merely by respective movement of the panel units relative one another towards, or away from, each other with their central planes disposed in a common center plane, each of the panel units further comprising a compression member, the compression member drawing the central bight member of the outer bracket member into the central bight member of the inner bracket member in a direction parallel the central plane so as to clamp the third end portion of each facing sheet member between the central bight member of the outer bracket member and the central bight member of the inner bracket member to securely join the facing sheet members with the first end portion of the facing sheet members at each end of the panel unit disposed in a common end vertical plane, each second end portion is parallel the central plane and the two arm portions of each inner bracket member extend parallel the central plane, the inner bracket member having a fair of lateral flange portions, each lateral flange portion extending from an end of a respective one of the arm portions of the inner bracket member remote from the bight member away from the other of the arm portions of the inner bracket member perpendicular to the central plane.