Insulated panel structure

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a kit for a cold storage room includes the following steps: determining one or more dimensions of the cold storage room; providing continuously manufactured insulation panels, cut to have a length based on the dimensions of the cold storage room, and having alignment structures formed thereon; cutting one or more of the continuously manufactured insulation panels to have a width based on the dimensions of the cold storage room and to form one or more joints; forming connecting structures on one or more of the continuously manufactured insulation panels, the connecting structures configured to form one or more joints; and providing connection hardware configured to mate with the connecting structures and to form one or more joints.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An insulated panel lateral connector for connecting two side-by-side insulated panels, said insulated panels comprising foam sandwiched between sheeting material, said connector comprising:
 a body having a flange and a cylindrical aligning shaft extending from said flange, said cylindrical aligning shaft being insertable into a hole in said sheeting material of one of said insulated panels until said flange engages said sheeting material of said one of said insulated panels; and   a rotatable locking member connected to said body and configured for one of: (1) engaging with said sheeting material of another one of said two side-by-side insulated panels; and (2) engaging with a rotatable locking member of a connector of another one of said two side-by-side insulated panels.   
     
     
         2 . The connector according to  claim 1 , wherein said rotatable locking member comprises a cam surface for engaging with an aperture in said sheeting material of another one of said two side-by-side insulated panels. 
     
     
         3 . The connector according to  claim 1 , wherein said rotatable locking member is configured for engaging with a rotatable locking member of a connector of another one of said two side-by-side insulated panels. 
     
     
         4 . The connector according to  claim 3 , comprising two said bodies interconnectable by a shaft for mounting on opposed sides of said insulated panels, said rotatable locking member comprising a locking arm mountable to said shaft. 
     
     
         5 . A method of forming an in-line wall-to-wall joint connection, the method comprising:
 determining one or more dimensions of the insulated panel structure;   providing insulation panels having an interior metal sheet and an exterior metal sheet, and a foam layer disposed between the interior metal sheet and the exterior metal sheet providing flat surfaces and a tongue and groove alignment structure formed on opposed side edges of said insulation panels;   cutting one or more of the insulation panels to have a width based on the determined dimensions of the insulated panel structure and to form one or more joints; and   forming at least one first hole through a tongue of at least a first one of said insulation panels; and   forming at least one second hole through a sidewall defining a groove of at least a second one of said insulation panels to be registered with said at least one first hole of said some of said insulation panels;   providing a plurality of connectors as defined in  claim 1 ;   wherein the first hole, the second hole and the connector are configured such that rotating the rotatable locking member can align the first hole with the second hole and lock said first and second insulation panels together to form an in-line wall-to-wall joint connection between insulation panels.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising forming a corner wall-to-wall joint between two continuously manufactured insulated panels modified to be a first wall panel and a second wall panel. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 cutting an edge of the first wall panel at a forty-five degree angle to form a first angled edge;   cutting an edge of the second wall panel at a forty-five degree angle to form a second angled edge;   forming a first hole in an interior side of the first wall panel proximate the first angled edge;   forming a second hole in an interior side of the second wall panel proximate the second angled edge;   forming a first notch and a first groove in an exterior side of the first wall panel proximate the first angled edge; and   forming a second notch and a second groove in an exterior side of the second wall panel proximate the second angled edge.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , comprising providing the following components:
 an exterior corner rail, configured to engage the first and second notches and the first and second grooves;   a Y-bracket, configured to engage the exterior corner rail and to extend between the first angled edge and the second angled edge;   a first sleeve configured to be disposed in the first hole and a second sleeve configured to be disposed in the second hole;   a first of said plurality of connectors configured to be disposed in the first hole and a   second of said plurality of connectors configured to be disposed in the second hole; and   an interior pin configured to lock to the Y-bracket.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein rotating the rotatable locking member of the first connector and the second connector and locking the interior pin to the Y-bracket locks the first wall to the second wall. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , comprising forming a wall-to-ceiling joint between two continuously manufactured insulated panels modified to be a wall panel and a ceiling panel. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 forming a top edge of the wall panel to form a notched edge; and   forming an edge of the ceiling panel to form an angled edge corresponding to the notch.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising:
 forming a hole in an interior side of the wall panel proximate the notched edge; and   forming two grooves in the interior side of the ceiling panel proximate the angled edge.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising providing the following components:
 a ceiling rail disposed in the two grooves;   an alignment moulding attached to the wall panel;   a wall sleeve disposed in the hole;   a first screw configured to extend from the ceiling rail through a wall insert; and   a second screw configured to extend from the wall sleeve through the ceiling rail.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising modifying at least one continuously manufactured insulated panel to be a floor panel and providing a protective covering and a rigid panel configured to be disposed over each floor panel. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising forming a wall-to-floor joint between two continuously manufactured insulated panels modified to be a wall panel and a floor panel. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 forming a bottom edge of the wall panel to form a notched edge; and   forming an edge of the floor panel to form an angled edge corresponding to the notched edge.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising:
 forming a hole in an interior side of the wall panel proximate the notched edge; and   forming two grooves in the interior side of the floor panel proximate the angled edge.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein providing one or more attachment components comprises providing the following components:
 a floor rail disposed in the two grooves;   an alignment moulding attached to the wall panel;   a wall sleeve disposed in the hole; and   a second screw configured to extend from the wall sleeve through the floor rail.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said insulated panel structure is a cold storage room. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said plurality of second holes comprise holes through one of said flat surfaces of one of said exterior metal sheet and said interior metal sheet.