Patent ID: 7162847

Claim:
A foam panel connector system for securing adjacent foam panels, comprising: a Z-shaped stud for securing and aligning adjoining foam panels, further comprising a first side wall having a first edge and a second edge; a second side wall having a first edge and a second edge, the second side wall substantially parallel to the first side wall; a connecting wall having a first edge and a second edge; the first and second side walls are substantially planar from the first edge to the second edge, having no end lip to enable smooth lateral insertion of foam panels; the first edge of the connecting wall attached to an edge of the first side wall at a non-perpendicular angle, and the second edge of the connecting wall attached to an edge of the second side wall attached such that the connecting wall extends from the first side wall to the second side wall at a non-perpendicular angle; the angle at which the connecting wall is attached to the first side wall defining a first cavity between the connecting wall and the first side wall, and the angle at which the connecting wall is attached to the second side wall defining a second cavity between the connecting wall and the second side wall; the first and second cavities located on opposite sides of the connecting wall such that two adjacent foam panels, each foam panel having at least one edge suitable for insertion into the first or second cavities, can be connected together by inserting the edges of the foam panels into the first and second cavities, the first and second cavities aligned with one another and overlapping, the first cavity configured to receive a first foam panel with an angled edge configured to snugly fit within the first cavity, the second cavity configured to receive a second foam panel with an angled edge configured to snugly fit within the second cavity such that their edges overlap one another; the first side wall having an attachment point to the connecting wall that is rounded; the second side wall having an attachment point to the connecting wall that is rounded such that when the Z-shaped stud secures foam panels with angled edges together, the edges to the foam panels overlap one another; a foam wall panel having a first side, a second side, and a side edge; and the side edge of the foam wall panel extending from the first side to the second side at an angle such that it substantially conforms to the first or second cavity in the Z-shaped stud.