CA2046115C - Interlocking panel building construction - Google Patents

Abstract

INTERLOCKING PANEL BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

This invention is directed to a novel interlock-ing panel building construction. More particularly, this invention pertains to a novel structure building which is formed of walls and doors formed of unique interlocking modular panels which can be snap-locked together to form a combined reinforcing frame and membrane construction. An interlocked structure comprising: (a) at least two separ-ate first and second planar panels each having at one side thereof an interlockable connection means, and at the opposite side thereof, an interlockable engaging means adapted to mate with a connection means of another panel:
(b) at least one panel constructed similarly to one of the panels (a) above, but bent in the interior region thereof between the connection means and the engaging means, the bent panel being interspersed between the first and second planar panels (a), the interlockable connection means at one side of the bent panel interlocking with a mating interlockable engaging means of an adjacent first planar panel (a), and the interlockable engaging means at the opposite side of the bent panel interlocking with a mating interlockable connection means of an adjacent second planar panel (a).

Description

2~46~5 INTERLOCRING PANEL ~BUILDI~G CON~TRUCTION

FIELD OF THE INVEN~ION

This invention is directed to a novel interlock-ing panel building construction. More particularly, this -invention pertains to a novel structure building which is formed of walls and doors formed of unique interlocking modular panels which can be snap-locked together to form a combined reinforcing frame and membrane construction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INV:E~NTION

Conventionally, when six-sided cube or rectangu-lar-cube hollow structural buildings are constructed, a ~rame of ribs and joists are first constructed, and then an external skin of metal, plastic or wood material sheet is ~-nailed, screwed, riveted, or bolted to the ~rame. This construction of cube or rectangular-cube envelope is expensive and labour-intensive. Moreover, after a time, particularly with structural building envelopes formed of ~- -aluminum ribs and skin, the rivets or bolts move or loosen over time, due to jostling, and the like, and accordingly ~-~
leaks develop, or the structure weakens. Structural cube ~ -25 or rectangular-cube building envelopes are commonly used `
for truck bodies, trailers, mobile buildings and prefabri-cated building structures.

To minimize assembly time, and to cut costs, 30 various designs of interlocking panels and modular struc- ~-tural envelope constructions have been developed. The following are patents which illustrates various interlock- -ing panel constructions. ~ -United States -~
Patent Number Inventor 3,085,367 De Ridder et al.
3,111,203 De Ridder ~ -3,420,028 Barker . ,~ - --'-;' .
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- 2 - ~ ~4~15 An inherent disadvantage of structural building envelopes formed of interlocking panels of the type dis-closed in some of the above patents is that the panels can shift longitudinally with respect to adjacent panels. To prevent such shifting, a separate per:ipheral frame is usually required, not only to provide dimensional stabil-ity, but also to provide additional supporting strength.

U.S. Patent No. 4,099,358, Compaan, discloses a design of interlocking pan~l which can be used to construct structural envelopes. However, it has been found with the interlocking panel design disclosed in Compaan that the connections between adjacent panels do not hold permanently under variable load conditions and accordingly, the panels are prone to separating, particularly when stressed in certain directions. A problem with the panels is that once they are snapped together, and subsequently separated due to various forces, they cannot be reliably snapped together again. Also, the panels have a tendency to have a domino effect, in that once one joint separates, adjacent joints are also likely to separate.

Canadian Patent No. 1,089,172, granted November 11, 1980, which is a reissue of Canadian Patent No.
1,021,129, granted November 22, 1977, Compaan, is a coun-terpart of U.S. Patent No. 4,099,358. That reissued patent discloses an interlocking construction panel which is subject to the limitations discussed above regarding the U.S. patent. When interlocked with an identical panel, a smooth flat surface is presented on one side, while a plurality of longitudinal integral channels project from the opposite face. There is no teaching in the patent of bending the panels longitudinally in order to form corners.
Moreover, the interlocking panels are fastened over a frame network. There is no disclosure of using the panels to form single or double doors in the walls of the structural envelope formed by the interlocking panels.

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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is directed to an interlocked structure comprising: (a) at least two separate first and second planar panelis each having at onf side thereof an interlockable connection means, and at the opposite side thereof, an interlockable engaging means adapted to mate with a connection means of another panel; (b) at least one panel constructed similarly to one of the panels (a) above, but bent in the interior region thereof between the connec-tion means and the engaging means, the bent panel being interspersed between the first and second planar panels (a), the interlockable connection means at one side of the bent panel interlocking with a mating interlockable engag-ing means of an adjacent first planar panel (a), and the interlockable engaging means at the opposite side of the bent panel interlocking with a mating interlockable connec-tion means of an adjacent second planar panel (a).
The combination of the planar panels (a) and four alternating bent panels (b) can be in sufficient number to form an enclosed configuration. There may be at least two adjoining planar panels (a) along each linear side of the enclosure, the planar panels (a) being interconnected with one another in pairs, and the planar panels (a) at the corners of the four sides of the enclosure being intercon~
nected with the respective bent panels (b).
~ .' ' A door can be formed in at least one side there-of. The door can be constructed of planar panels which can be arranged in parallel, or at an angle, or in an orienta-tion perpendicular to the orientation of the panels forming the surface adjacent the door. The door can have a door frame surrounding the panels of the door and a door opening frame can be formed in` the panels forming a wall of the structure, the door opening frame receiving the door frame.

The interlockable engaging means on one side of the panel can form a reinforcing rib and can be adapted to engage with the reinforcing rib on the opposite side of an adjacent panel. Tlle reinforcing rib can have a channel formed therein, one side of the channel being formed to have a first fish-hook type connection, and the opposite side of the channel being formed to have therein a cylin-drical groove and overhanging lip which is adapted to receive a rounded rail with a protrusion along one side thereof.

The interlockable engaging means on the opposite side of the panel can have formed therein a protrusion which has formed in the end thereof a second fish-hook type connection adapted to mate with the first fish-hook type connection of the channel reinforcing rib, and in congruent configuration therewith, a rounded rail with a square-shaped protrusion at the side thereof, the rounded rail and square-sided protrusion being adapted to interlock and engage with a channel-like groove, and overhanging lip of the reinforcing rib of an adjacent panel.

The planar panels and the bent panels can have a longitudinal construction, and the interlockable means can be formed along the elongated sides of the panel. The planar and bent panels forming the enclosure can be inter-locked in adjacent relationship with one another in a vertically or horizontally extending configuration, while the panels forming the door in a wall of the envelope can be arranged adjacent to one another in a horizontal, vertical or angled configuration.

An elongated paneI for interlockable connection with an adjacent panel of similar configuration comprising:

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(a) An elongated planar member having an interl-ockable connection means and a first linear side along one longitudinal side thereof, and an interlockable engaging means and a second linear side along a second longitudinal side thereof;

(b) The interlockable connection means compris-ing an elongated channel with a bottom, an interior wall adjacent the planar member and an exterior wall removed from the planar member formed in the planar member along and adjacent to the first longitudinal linear side of the planar member, the top of the exterior wall of the channel being formed to have a first longitudinal fish-hook type connection, extending into the interior of the channel, with a connecting under-edge which is parallel to the plane of the planar member, and a groove on the underside of the under-edge of the first fish-hook type connection, and the interior wall of the channel opposite the exterior wall being formed to have therein a longitudinal partial cylin-2~ drical cross-section groove extending along at least part of the interior wall and parallel with the longitudinal side of the main body of the planar member, and a rounded edge lip extending from the top of the interior wall into ~he interior of the channel and partially above and over the partial cylindrical groove, the partial cylindrical groove and edge lip being adapted to receive a partially circular cross-section rail with a blunt square-shaped cross-section protrusion from an adjacent panel;

(c) The interlockable engaging means being formed in the second linear side of the planar member and extending along the longitudinal side of the panel member parallel with and opposite to the channel, the in~erlockab-le engaging means comprising at a distance from the edge of the second linear side commensurate with the width of the channel and a protrusion which extends from the planar member on the same side and in the same direction as the ~ . , .

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channel, which protrusion has formed in the end thereof a second longitudinal fish-hook type connection with a connecting under-edge which is parallel to the plane of the planar member and the corresponding under-edge of the first fish-hook type connection, adapted to abut with the under-edge of the first fish-hook type connection of an adjacent panel, and at the second linear side of the planar member, a partially circular cross-section thick-necked longitudi-nal rail with a squara cross-section shaped protrusion lo extending from the second linear side thereof parallel to the planar ~ember and away from the channel, the rail extending from the planar member on the same side and in the same direction as the channel and the second fish-hook type connection, the rail and square cross-section shaped protrusion being adapted to interlock and engage with a corresponding partial cylindrical cross-section groove, and the rounded overhanging edge lip of an adjacent panel.

The overhanging lip can have a bevelled edge, the groove can be connected to the inner interior wall of the channel by a pivot stem, and the square-sided protru-sion can extend longitudinally along the rounded rail on the side of the rail opposite to the second fish hook connection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE_DRAWINGS

In drawings which illustrate various embodiments of the invention, but which should not be regarded as restricting the spirit or scope of the invention in any way:

Figure l illustrates an isometric view of a structural envelope formed of interlocking wall and corner - 35 panels.

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Figure 2 illustrates an enlarged isometric view of a section taken from the upper right corner of the structural envelope illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 illustrates an isometric view of a cube van truck body formed o~ interlocking corner and side panels.
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Figure 4 illustrates an isometric view of the 10 reverse side of the cube van truck body, as illustrated in ~-~
Figure 3.

Figure 5 illustrates a front view of a single door formed of interlocking panels and a door frame.
Figure 6 illustrates a front view of a double door formed of interlocking panels and a door frame.

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Figure 7 illustrates an end view of an interlock-ing panel.

Figure 8 illustrates an enlarged end view of the right side of the interlocking panel as illustrated in Figure 7.
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Figure 9 illustrates an enlarged view of the left side o~ the interlocking panel illustrated in Figure 7. ~
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Figure 10 illustrates an end view of the right -side of the panel illustrated in Figure 9, snapped into place with the left side of a similar adjacent panel formed according to the configuration illustrated in Figure 9.

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: -: -- 7 ~ 4~ 5 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A SPECIFIC
EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Referring to Figure 1, which illustrates an isometric view of an interlocked structural envelope 2, the planar walls of the envelope 2 are constructed of a series of longitudinal interlocking panels 4, which are connected at the corners by 90 bent interlocking panels 6. When the interlocking panels 4 and 6 are interconnected, adjacent to one another, in the form illustrated in Figure 1, a strong self-reinforced structural envelope i5 providedO As can be seen in Figure 1, the interior of the structural envelope 2 consists of a parallel series of vertically extending reinforcing frames 16, with a planar membrane 14 extending between each of the reinforcing frames 16. This construc-tion is sufficiently strong that no separate reinforcing network, or construction frame, is required.

As shown in Figure 1, the longitudinal side of the structural envelope 2 has built therein a side door 8 which is constructed of horizontally disposed interlocking panels 4. It is preferable that the panels 4, which form the door, are horizontally disposed in order to provide additional structural strength, particularly diagonal, to the overall structural envelope construction. The horizon-tal interlocking panels 4, comprising the door 8, are enclosed in a reinforcing frame 34. This frame is prefer-ably formed of extruded aluminum, but it can be *ormed of steel, wood or some other material as required~ in ordPr to comply with accepted construction standards, or to :: provide the required dimensional strength to the overall structural envelope construction 2. A door opening frame 38 is built into an opening formed in the interconnecting vertically disposed panels 4, forming the body of the side wall of the structural envelope 2. The door opening frame ~ 38 can al~so be preferably formed of extruded aluminum, but ; steel or wood, or the like, can be used as required to meet ~;

2114~ .5 structural requirements. The door 8 is connected to the door opening frame 38 by commercially available hinges 36, the number and type being determined by door size and weight~

Figure 1 also illustrates a double rear door 12, built into the end of the structural envelope 2. The douhle rear door 12 is formed of horizontally disposed interlocking panels ~, each of the double doors having 10 rectangular door frames 34 around the exterior thereo~. -It will be r~cognized that the door panels can be arranged vertically, or even at an angle, if desired. The pair of doors 12, and the door frames 34, are hingedly connected to a rectangular door opening frame 38 built into the encl of the structural envelope 2. Interlocking panels 4 and 6 can be constructed of various lengths, and cut ko slze, in order to form structural envelopes 2 of various heights.
Likewise, the horizontal panels 4, making up the doors 8 and 12, can be cut to length in order to form doors of 20 prescribed widths. ~
' . -Figure 2 illustrates an enlarged isometric view -of the top right corner of the structural envelope 2 illustrated in Figure 1. As illustrated in Figure 2, the interlocking corner panel 6 is formed by bending a planar interlocking panel 4 into a curved corner interlocking panel 6 utilizing hydraulic presses, dies, and the like.
As can be seen also in Figure 2, there are a pair of reinforcing ribs 16 adjacent to and parallel with the corner. These reinforcing ribs 16 provide structural strength to the corner panel 6.
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The manner in which the inner "fish-hook" connec-tion 18 and outer "fish-hook" connection 46 connect to gether on one side of reinforcing rib 16, and the rounded rail and socket groove connection 20 connect at the oppo- --site side, is clearly illustrated in Figure 2.
. - '~ - . ., '"- ' , ' '" ' 9 2~6~5 Figure 3 illustrates an isometric view of a cube van truck body formed of interlocking corner and side panels. The van illustrated in Figure 3 has a cube trucX
body formed by an interlocking series of vertically dis-posed interlocking panels 4, with int~erlocking corner panels 6 at each of the corners. The side and end walls formed thereby, are covered on the top surface by a flat roof panel 28, which can be constructed of aluminum sheet-ing, with reinforcing bows or ribs underneath. If necess-ary, the roof 28 can be constructed of a series of inter-locking panels 4. The roof 28 is peripherally connected around the four sides to the side and rear walls by a roof rail 24 which aIso can be formed of extruded aluminum or steel, as required. Normally, the roof 28 is formed of aluminum sheeting, since interlocking panels 4 and the inherent strength therein, is not required for the roof.

If need be, the interlocking panels 4 can be reversed from that shown in Figure 3, so that the reinforc-ing ribs 16, which normally are on the interior of the structural envelope 2, are on the exterior. The advantage of this reversed construction is that the walls in the interior of the structural envelope 2 are smooth. This type of construction may be required for moving vans, cattle liners, grain boxes, and the like, where smooth interior walls are advantageous when loading and unloading cargo in the interior of the structural envelope 2. The exterior reinforcing rib is not unattractive and need not be covered over by exterior aluminum sheeting. Howeverl this can be done if required. The exterior aluminum or steel sheeting can be riveted or bolted to the exterior reinforcing ribs 16. The cube van illustrated in Figure 3 has a sliding window 22 built into the side wall. A rub rail 26 is also fastened to or built into the lower periph-ery of the interlocking panels 4 and corner panels 6.
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Figure 4 illustrates an isometric view of the reverse side of a cube van truck body, as illustrated in Figure 3. Figure 4 illustates a double rear door 30, built into the rear wall of the structural envelope 2. The construction of the doors will be discussed in more detail below. Figure 4 illustrates also a pair of small single rear doors 32, built into the rear wall on either side of the double rear door 30. A pair of smaller double doors 32 are also built into the side wall of the envelope 2.
Figure 5 illustrates a front view of a single rear or side door 32. The central body of the door is formed of a series of adjacent interlocked horizontally disposed panels 4. If desired, the panels 4 could be vertically disposed, or even at an angle. However, as a general rule, it is preferable to dispose the interlocking panels 4 horizontally in order to provide lateral strength to the door, while the vertical disposed panels 4 of the end or side walls of ~he envelope 2 provide vertical 20 strength. The combination provides diagonal strength. The ~ ;
series of horizontally disposed panels 4 are framed by a door frame extrusion 34. This door frame e~trusion is preferably formed of aluminum, but steel, wood or any other suitable construction material, can be used as required.
A door opening frame 38 is built into the wall of the envelope 2. The door frame 34 is connected to the door opening frame 38 by hinges 36. The door 8 can be con-structed according to virtually any size, but normally the door is sized according to accepted building or construc- i -tion requirements.
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Figure 6 illustrates a front view of a double door formed of interlocking panels and a door frame.
Fiyure 6 illustrates a doub~e door comprising a bu~per door 42, and a swing door 44. Both the bumper door 42 and the swing door 44 are ~ramed independently with rectangular door frames 34. The bumper door 42 and swing door 44 are .
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mounted in a rectangular door opening frame 38, which is connected to the end or side wall of the structural envel-ope. Again, the dimensions of the bumper door 42 and swing door 44 can be of virtually any size, but in most cases, the size of the doors will be according to standardized building or vehicle requirements.

Figure 7 illustrates an end view of an interlock-ing panel. The construction of interlocking panel 4 has been carefully designed and improved over time to ensure ease of interlocking and to ensure that once interlocked, the panels will not separate. The design illustrated in Figure 7 is typically formed by extruding aluminum through a high precision die. The design incorporates a number of very subtle but important features which enable adjacent panels 4 to be easily snapped together, while at the same time, ensuring that once snapped together, the panels will not separate, even when exposed to severe disruptive forces. As seen in Figure 7, the panel 4 has a flat, planar membrane 14, which has formed at each side thereof a specific construction. At the right side, inset from the end, there is formed an inner fish-hook connection 18, projecting downwardly as seen in Figure 7. At the extreme right side, as seen in Figure 7, there is formed a rounded rail connection 50, which has a sguare shaped snap rim 54 formed on the right side of rail connection 50.
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At khe left side of the membrane 14 of panel 4, there is ~ormed a channel shaped reinforcing rib 16. As seen in Figure 7, the left side of the channel shaped rein~orcing rib 16 is formed so that it ends with an upwardly projecting outer fish-hook connection 46. In the interior of the reinforcing rib 16 at the riyht side thereof, as seen in Figure 7, there is formed a socket groove 48. Formed in the panel above the socket groo~e 48 is a leftwardly projecting snap lip 52. - -~
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~0 4 Figure 8 illustrates an enlarged end view of the right side of the interlocking panel as illustrated in Figure 7. The right side of the panel 4, as seen in Figure 8l illustrates in detail the cylindrical lower face of rounded rail connection 50O At the riqht side of rail connection 50, the square shaped positive locking tab 54 is formed. The design of rounded rail connection 50 and positive locking rib 54 is carefully fashioned so that the combination can readily rotate into socket groove 48, with locking tab 54 locking into place underneath locking lip 52, of an adjacent panel. Similarly, downwardly extending inner fish-hook connection 18 is carefully designed to mate with outer fish-hook connection 46 of an adjacent panel.
Inner fish hook 18 is formed at the end of inner fish-hook -stem 60, which is designed to enable fish-hook 18 to move laterally a slight extent in order to facilitate its snapping into place in association with outer fish-hook connection 46.
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20The whole assembly comprising rounded rail ;-~
connection 50 and positive locking tab 54 acts as a "ball and socket union" with locking lip 52, socket groove 48 and pivot stem 56. It is designed to allow the panel 4 to rotate into position for assembly purposes while locking the unit together after assembly. At the same time, the various angles and extrusions act as lateral stiffeners to the rib assembly.

Figure 9 illustrates an enlarged view of the left ~ide of the interlocking panel illustrated in Figure 7.
Socket groove 48 is formed to have pivot stem 56 connecting it with the right wall of reinforcing frame 16. Pivot stem 56 is carefully designed to enable socket groove 48 to move -upwardly or downwardly a slight extent, in order to ~acili-tate engagement with rounded rail zonnection 50, and to enable square-shaped locking tab 54 to lock into place underneath locking lip 5~ of an adjacent panel. At the ':

- 13 - ~4~5 left side of reinforcing rib 16, outer fish-hook connec-tion 46 has formed immediately below it: on the interior face, inner fish-hook receiving notch 58. Inner fish-hook connection 18 and upwardly extending outer fish-hook connection 46 of adjacent panels 4 are designed to snap together readily, under construction conditions, but once snapped together, do not separate even when the adjoining panels 4 are exposed to considerable shaking and disruptive forces.
Figure 10 illustrates the configuration that is obtained when rounded rail connection 50 is rotated into place in socket groove 48 of an adjacent panel 4 while inner fish-hook connection 18 is snapped in place in receiving notch 58, underlying outer fish-hook connection ~6 of the adjacent panel. As can be seen, an extremely snug, dimensionally stable, readily assembled construction is obtained. Groove 48 is rounded so as to minimize friction bending, which can be severe for extruded aluminum and to facilitate sliding engagement with rounded rail connection 50. Square-shaped locking tab 54 fits securely under the flat face of locking lip 52, thereby retarding separation. If locking tab 54 was rounded, then the reliability of the connection between locking tab 54 and locking lip 52 would be reduced.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance with the substance defined by the following claims.

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Claims (16)

1. An elongated panel for interlockable connection with an adjacent panel of similar configuration comprising:

(a) An elongated planar member having an interl-ockable connection means and a first linear side along one longitudinal side thereof, and an interlockable engaging means and a second linear side along a second longitudinal side thereof;

(b) The interlockable connection means compris-ing an elongated channel with a bottom, an interior wall adjacent the planar member and an exterior wall removed from the planar member formed in the planar member along and adjacent to the first longitudinal linear side of the planar member, the top of the exterior wall of the channel being formed to have a first longitudinal fish-hook type connection, extending into the interior of the channel, with a connecting under-edge which is parallel to the plane of the planar member, and a groove on the underside of the under-edge of the first fish-hook type connection, and the interior wall of the channel opposite the exterior wall being formed to have therein a longitudinal partial cylin-drical cross-section groove extending along at least part of the interior wall and parallel with the longitudinal side of the main body of the planar member, and a rounded edge lip extending from the top of the interior wall into the interior of the channel and partially above and over the partial cylindrical groove, the partial cylindrical groove and edge lip being adapted to receive a partially circular cross-section rail with a blunt square-shaped cross-section protrusion from an adjacent panel;

(c) The interlockable engaging means being formed in the second linear side of the planar member and extending along the longitudinal side of the panel member parallel with and opposite to the channel, the interlockab-le engaging means comprising at a distance from the edge of the second linear side commensurate with the width of the channel and a protrusion which extends from the planar member on the same side in the same direction as the channel, which protrusion has formed in the end thereof a second longitudinal fish-hook type connection with a connecting under-edge which is parallel to the plane of the planar member and the corresponding under-edge of the first fish-hook type connection, adapted to abut with the under-edge of the first fish-hook type connection of an adjacent panel, and at the second linear side of the planar member, a partially circular cross-section thick-necked longitudi-nal rail with a square cross-section shaped protrusion extending from the second linear side thereof parallel to the planar member and away from the channel, the rail extending from the planar member on the same side and in the same direction as the channel and the second fish-hook type connection, the rail and square cross-section shaped protrusion being adapted to interlock and engage with a corresponding partial cylindrical cross-section groove, and the rounded overhanging edge lip of an adjacent panel.

2. A panel as claimed in claim 1 wherein the round-ed-edge lip has a longitudinal bevelled edge on the side thereof adjacent the partial cylindrical cross-section groove, and an adjacent planar underside which is parallel with the planar member, and which is adapted to mate with the proximate edge of the square cross-section shaped protrusion of an adjacent panel.

3. A panel as claimed in claim 2 wherein the partial cylindrical cross-section groove is connected to the interior wall of the channel by a longitudinal stem which is parallel with the interior wall of the channel and holds the groove at a distance from the interior wall.

4. A panel as claimed in claim 3 wherein the longi-tudinal square cross-section shaped protrusion extends longitudinally along the length of the rail, the upper and lower sides thereof being parallel with one another and parallel with the planar member.

5. A panel as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bottom and the bottom underside of the elongated channel are planar and are parallel with the plane of the planar member.

6. An interlocked structure comprising:
(a) at least two separate first and second planar panels as claimed in claim 1, each having at one side thereof an interlockable connection means, and at the opposite side thereof, an interlockable engaging means adapted to mate with respective engaging means and connec-tion means of adjacent panels;

(b) at least one panel constructed similarly to one of the panels (a) above, but bent in the interior planar region thereof between and parallel to the connec-tion means and the engaging means of the panel, the bent panel being interspersed between the first and second planar panels (a), the interlockable connection means at one side of the bent panel interlocking with a mating interlockable engaging means of an adjacent first planar panel (a), and the interlockable engaging means at the opposite side of the bent panel interlocking with a mating interlockable connection means of an adjacent second planar panel (a).

7. A structure as claimed in claim 6 wherein two planar panels (a) and four bent panels (b), are connected together to form an enclosure.

8. A structure as claimed in claim 6 comprising four panels which are bent and connected together to form an enclosure.

9. A structure as claimed in claim 6 wherein four planar panels (a) and four bent panels (b), are connected together to form an enclosure.

10. A structure as claimed in claim 9 wherein at least two adjoining planar panels (a) are located along each linear side of the enclosure, the planar panels (a) being interconnected with one another in pairs, and the respective planar panels (a) proximate to the corners of the four sides of the enclosure being interconnected with the respective bent panels (b).

11. A structure as claimed in claim 10 wherein a door is formed in at least one side of the enclosure.

12. A structure as claimed in claim 11 wherein the door is constructed of planar panels (a) which are arranged in an orientation perpendicular to the orientation of the panels (a) forming the surface adjacent the door.

13. A structure as claimed in claim 12 wherein the door has a door frame surrounding the panels of the door.

14. A structure as claimed in claim 13 wherein a door opening frame is formed in the panels forming a wall of the enclosure, the door opening frame receiving the door frame.

15. A structure as claimed in claim 6 wherein the interlockable connection means on one side of each of the panels form reinforcing ribs.

16. A structure as claimed in claim 12 wherein the planar panels (a) and the bent panels (b) forming the enclosure are interlocked in adjacent relationship with one another in a vertically extending configuration, while the panels forming the door in a wall of the enclosure are interlocked in adjacent relationship to one another in a horizontally extending configuration.