Method of joining metal sheets and metal laminate assembly, in particular made with this method

A method of joining metal sheets, comprising the following operating steps:

• (a) providing at least a first metal sheet and a second metal sheet intended to be joined together in the vicinity of a first and a second straight edge, respectively, to form a metal laminate assembly, each metal sheet having a respective upper surface and a respective lower surface opposite each other in the direction of the thickness;
• (b) bending said first metal sheet parallel to said first edge so as to obtain a first edge flap forming a bending angle with respect to the lower surface of a sheet body of said first metal sheet and having a predefined extension perpendicular to said first edge;
• (c) bending into a U- or V-shape a portion of said second metal sheet parallel to said second edge to obtain a longitudinal pocket extending in depth at an angle from a sheet body of said second metal sheet and having a predetermined minimum width transversely to said second edge, wherein said pocket is obtained at a predefined distance from said second edge in such a way that between said second edge and said pocket a second edge flap of said second metal sheet is defined having an upper surface placed parallel to the upper surface of the sheet body of said second metal sheet, and wherein said pocket forms with a lower surface of said second edge flap an angle substantially equivalent to said bending angle, the minimum width of said pocket not being less than a thickness of said first metal sheet and the depth of said pocket not being less than the extension of said first edge flap, wherein said predefined distance between said pocket and said second edge is at least equal to an extension in depth of said pocket;
• (d) coupling said first metal sheet with said second metal sheet by inserting said first flap inside said pocket to bring the lower surface of the sheet body of said first metal sheet to rest on the upper surface of said second flap;
• and
• (e) bending said pocket and the first flap inserted therein against said second flap so as to create an irreversible mechanical joint between the two metal sheets at said two edge flaps and said pocket, thereby forming a metal laminate assembly wherein the upper surfaces of the sheet bodies of said two metal sheets are arranged parallel to each other.