Point-to-point interlocking panels

A panel, comprising:

• a foam core having a top and a bottom surface and a first and a second core edge;
• a first metallic skin for covering said top surface and a second metallic skin for covering said bottom surface;
• said first metallic skin having a first end and a second end;
• said first metallic skin first end having a first part that is unbent and which overlies a portion of said top surface;
• said first metallic skin first end having an unbent second part coplanar with said first part, said unbent second part extending in cantilevered relation to said first edge of said panel;
• said first metallic skin first end having a third part integral with said second part, said third part bent toward said first core edge slightly more than ninety degrees, thereby forming an included angle with said second part that is slightly less than ninety degrees;
• said first metallic skin first end having a fourth part integral with said third part, said fourth part being bent toward said first core edge at a predetermined angle;
• said first metallic skin first end having a fifth part integral with said fourth part and bent toward said top surface of said core and said first core edge at a predetermined angle of about ninety degrees relative to said fourth part;
• said second metallic skin having a first end and a second end;
• said second metallic skin first end having five parts that correspond to said five parts of said first metallic skin first end in mirror image relation thereto;
• said first metallic skin second end having five parts that cooperate with the five parts of said first metallic skin first end to facilitate interlocking of contiguous panels when laid in edge to edge relation to one another;
• said first metallic skin second end having a first unbent part that overlies a portion of said top surface of said foam core;
• said first metallic skin second end having a second bent part integral with said first part that is bent slightly more than ninety degrees relative to said first part toward said center of said core, an included angle between said first and second parts being slightly less than ninety degrees;
• said first metallic skin second end having a third part integral with said second part bent at an obtuse angle with respect to said second part so that it extends toward said center of said core and away from said second core edge;
• said first metallic skin second end having a fourth part integral with said third part, said fourth part being bent at an obtuse angle with respect to said third part and being disposed generally parallel to said top and bottom surfaces of said core in a direction away from said second core edge;
• said first metallic skin second end having a fifth part integral with said fourth part, said fifth part being bent about ninety degrees relative to said fourth part in a direction toward said top surface of said core;
• said fifth part having a predetermined extent;
• whereby said fourth part of said first metallic skin first end slides over said fifth part of said first metallic skin second end when contiguous panel edges are brought into interlocking relation to one another;
• and
• whereby the predetermined angular orientation of said fourth part of said first metallic skin first end and the predetermined height of said fifth part of said first metallic skin second end determine the amount of force required to place contiguous panels into interlocking relation to one another, such that said first metallic skin first end and said first metallic skin second end abut one another along a first point-like line of contact when contiguous panels are disposed in interlocking relation to one another, said point-like line of contact being where said first metallic skin first end second part abuts said first metallic skin second end second part.