Insulated panel assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10316516-B2
Application number	US-201715413031-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2017
Priority date	Jan 23, 2017
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

Insulated panel assemblies can be used to construct an insulating enclosure and the like. The insulated panel assemblies can have the same configuration and fit together to form a substantially sealed, insulated enclosure. The insulated panel assemblies themselves are particularly constructed for ease of formation and construction of the panel assemblies. Methods of forming an insulated panel assembly and using the panel assemblies to construct an insulated disclosure are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An insulated panel assembly for use in forming a thermally insulated enclosure, the insulated panel assembly comprising a housing having inner and outer major surfaces and edge surfaces extending between the inner and outer major surfaces, an interior cavity defined by the housing, a injected, monolithic insulating core within the interior cavity of the housing, an elongate slot in at least one of the edge surfaces of the housing extending inward of the edge surface toward the interior cavity, the housing including a first panel member formed of one piece of material having a front portion, first and second side portions extending from the front portion, and first and second side mounting flanges extending from the respective first and second side portions, a second panel member formed of one piece of material having a front portion, first and second side portions extending from the front portion, and first and second side mounting flanges extending from the respective first and second side portions, the slot being located between the first mounting flange of the first panel member and the first mounting flange of the second panel member and comprising an open space, the slot being defined by boundary surfaces exposed to the open space of the slot, at least a portion of the boundary surface defining a closed end of the slot being on the insulating core, the insulating core extending in a direction transverse to a lengthwise extent of the slot from the first side portions of the first and second panel members to the second side portions of the first and second panel members, the insulating core engaging the first mounting flange of the first panel member and engaging the first mounting flange of the second panel member.

2. The insulated panel assembly as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a slat sized and shaped to fit edgewise into the elongate slot with an interference fit in the elongate slot.

3. The insulated panel assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein the slat is made of a thermoplastic polymer material.

4. The insulated panel assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein the slat has a length substantially the same as a length of the edge surface including the slot.

5. The insulated panel assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the slot extends from the edge surface into the insulating core.

6. The insulated panel assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the edge surface has a length, the slot extending the full length of the edge surface.

7. The insulated panel assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the edge surface including the slot constitutes a first edge surface, the insulated panel assembly further comprising an elongate slot in a second of the edge surfaces of the housing.

8. The insulated panel assembly as set forth in claim 7 wherein a third of the edge surfaces has a thermally insulating gasket therein.

9. The insulated panel assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first panel member further comprises top and bottom portions extending from the front portion of the first panel member, and mounting flanges extending from the respective top and bottom portions, and wherein the second panel member further comprises top and bottom portions extending from the front portion of the second panel member, and first and second mounting flanges extending from the respective top and bottom portions, a gasket being located between the mounting flanges of the top and bottom portions of the first panel member and between the mounting flanges of the top and bottom portions of the second panel member.

10. The insulated panel assembly as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a stiffener located in the housing adjacent to the edge surface including the slot.

11. The insulated panel assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the housing has an exterior surface including the inner and outer surfaces and the edge surfaces of the housing, the exterior surface defining a rectangular parallelepiped.

12. The insulated panel assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein the exterior surface of the housing is free of outwardly projecting structure.

13. The insulated panel assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first and second panel members each define at least a portion of one of the boundary surfaces exposed to the open space of the slot.

14. A method of assembling an insulated panel assembly for use in forming a thermally insulated enclosure, the method comprising:
locating a first panel member relative to a second panel member such that the first panel member opposes the second panel member and is spaced apart from the first panel member;
positioning insulation between the first and second panel members, the located first panel member and second panel member defining a housing having inner and outer major surfaces and edge surfaces extending between the inner and outer major surfaces and an interior cavity in which the insulation is positioned;
providing a slot in the housing extending inward from at least one of the edge surfaces of the housing toward the interior cavity wherein providing the slot in the housing comprises cutting away a spacer between the first and second panel members along said one edge surface of the housing.

15. The method as set forth in claim 14 further comprising providing another slot in the housing by cutting away the spacer between the first and second panel members along another of the edge surfaces of the housing.

16. The method as set forth in claim 14 further comprising providing a slat sized for an interference fit in the slot of the housing and to project laterally outward from said one edge surface of the housing when fully seated in the slot.

17. A method of assembling a thermally insulated enclosure comprising:
providing a first thermally insulated panel assembly having inner and outer major surfaces and edge surfaces extending between the inner and outer major surfaces and an interior cavity in which insulation is disposed;
inserting a slat into a slot in one of the edge surfaces of the panel assembly, the slot having an open mouth at the edge surface of the panel assembly and an opposite closed end in the interior cavity of the panel assembly, the slot extending along the majority of a length of the edge surface, the slot defining a volume extending between the open mouth and the closed end, the volume being sized and shaped to receive the slat and being everywhere free of obstruction;
providing a second thermally insulated panel assembly having inner and outer major surfaces and edge surfaces extending between the inner and outer major surfaces and an interior cavity in which insulation is disposed next to the first panel assembly so that the slat is received in a slot in one of the edge surfaces of the second thermally insulated panel assembly thereby connecting the first and second panel assemblies together.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the slat is inserted into the slot of the first panel assembly before it is inserted into the slot of the second panel assembly.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the first and second panel assemblies are arranged with a third and other panel assemblies to form the thermally insulated enclosure, the enclosure having an exterior surface defined by the panel assemblies, at least a majority of the exterior surface defined by the first and second panel assemblies between upper and lower ends of the enclosure being free of fasteners connecting the first panel assembly to the second panel assembly.

20. The method of

Assignees

• Mitek Holdings Inc

Inventors

• Carlyon Zeke

Classifications

• E04C2/384

  with a metal frame · CPC title

• E04B1/80

  slab-shaped · CPC title

• E04C2/292 Primary

  composed of insulating material and sheet metal · CPC title

• F25D23/063

  formed by an assembly of panels · CPC title

• E04B1/14

  the elements being composed of two or more materials (of reinforced concrete E04B1/04) · CPC title