Edge connected three dimensional structures

A panel connector for multipanel structural shapes comprising at least two parallel channels, each channel including at least two substantially rigid sides and a substantially rigid bottom, a central integral hinge joining at least two parallel channels together lengthwise of the parallel chanels, a separate lateral integral hinge joining at least one side of one channel to the bottom of the same channel lengthwise of the same channel and one side of at least one channel being non-hinged to the channel bottom, said central integral hinge joining the channels together adjacent the juncture of the non-hinged channel side and the corresponding channel bottom of the one-channel.

A structural shape comprising a plurality of panels and a plurality of panel connectors joining pairs of panels together along mutually adjacent and parallel panel edges, said panel connectors including a plurality of parallel channels, each channel adapted to engage a panel edge,

• central integral flexible hinge means joining at least two channels of a panel connector together lengthwise of the channels, separate lateral integral flexible hinge means joining lengthwise of a channel at least one relatively rigid channel side to the corresponding relatively rigid channel bottom and one side of at least one channel being non-hinged to the channel bottom, said central integral hinge joining the channels together adjacent the juncture of the non-hinged channel side and the corresponding channel bottom of the one channel,
• and adhesive means affixing the panel edges to the corresponding channels.

A dome shaped structure comprising a plurality of triangular shaped flat panels and a plurality of panel connectors joining pairs of panels together along mutually adjacent and parallel panel edges, a plurality of alcoves extending from the dome shaped structure, said alcoves comprising a plurality of triangular shaped flat panels connected together and to dome panels along mutually adjacent and parallel panel edges, some of said panel and panel connectors being mutually unconnected at the juncture of more than two panels,

• at least some of said panel connectors comprising an extruded plastic double channel, an integral flexible plastic hinge joining said double channel together lengthwise of the double channel on the inside of the structure, at least one separate lateral hinge joining a channel side to a channel bottom, and a channel side being non-hingedly attached lengthwise to a channel bottom adjacent the hinge joining the double channel together lengthwise, the lateral hinge being spaced from the hinge joining the double channel together.

A room divider structure comprising a plurality of triangular shaped flat panels and a plurality of panel connectors joining pairs of panels together along mutually adjacent and parallel panel edges to form a partial enclosure, said panels and panel connectors being mutually unconnected at the juncture of more than two panels,

• at least some of said panel connectors comprising an extruded plastic double channel, an integral flexible plastic hinge joining said double channel together lengthwise of the double channel on the inside of the structure, at least one separate lateral hinge joining a channel side to a channel bottom, and a channel side being non-hingedly attached lengthwise to a channel bottom adjacent the hinge joining the double channel together lengthwise, the lateral hinge being spaced from the hinge joining the double channel together.

A "crystalline" shaped structure comprising a plurality of triangular shaped flat panels and a plurality of panel connectors joining pairs of panels together along mutually adjacent and parallel panel edges, at least some of said panels and panel connectors being mutually unconnected at the juncture of more than two panels,

• at least some of said panel connectors comprising an extruded plastic double channel, an integral flexible plastic hinge joining said double channel together lengthwise of the double channel on the inside of the structure, at least one separate lateral hinge joining a channel side to a channel bottom and a channel side being non-hingedly attached lengthwise to a channel bottom adjacent the hinge joining the double channel together lengthwise, the lateral hinge being spaced from the hinge joining the double channel together.