Panel joining member

In a method of connecting a panel to a panel joining member employing a panel assembly of the type comprising, a panel having an inner surface, an outer surface, and at least one end, a panel joining member having opposed, spaced-apart inner and outer sidewalls which define therebetween a panel-receiving cavity, said inner sidewall of said panel joining member having an aperture formed therethrough,

• at least one stop member formed on said panel joining member adjacent to said panel-receiving cavity, and a fastener including a screw-thread, the method comprising the steps of:
• forming a fastener-receiving cavity within said panel which opens onto said inner surface, generally adjacent to said one end of said panel;
• inserting a receiver into said fastener-receiving cavity;
• forming an aperture in the open end of said fastener receiving cavity and inserting said one end of said panel into said panel-receiving cavity of said panel joining member;
• abutting said one end of said panel against said one stop member and aligning said fastener-receiving cavity of said panel with said aperture of said inner sidewall of said panel joining member;
• and
• inserting said fastener through said aperture of said inner sidewall of said panel joining member and screwing the fastener into a nut and into said fastener-receiving cavity of said panel to enable said fastener to engage said panel and urge the outer surface of said panel against the outer sidewall of said panel joining member, the nut and the panel joining member operating to lock the nut against the inner sidewall of the panel joining member.

A panel joint, comprising:

• a panel having an inner surface, an outer surface, at least one end and a fastener-receiving cavity formed within said panel which opens onto said inner surface, generally adjacent to said one end of said panel;
• a panel joining member having opposed, spaced-apart inner and outer sidewalls which define therebetween a panel-receiving cavity for receipt therein of said one end of said panel, said inner sidewall of said panel joining member having an aperture formed therethrough which is positioned to align with said fastener-receiving cavity when said one end of said panel is received with said panel-receiving cavity;
• at least one stop member formed on said panel joining member adjacent to said panel-receiving cavity against which said one end of said panel abuts when fully inserted into said panel-receiving cavity;
• a screw-threaded fastener removably insertable through said aperture of said inner sidewall of said panel joining member and into said fastener-receiving cavity to enable said fastener to engage said panel and urge the outer surface of said panel against the outer sidewall of said panel joining member, said fastener-receiving cavity including an aperture to receive a nut into which said fastener can be screwed, the panel joining member and the nut cooperatively engaging to lock the nut against the inner sidewall of the panel joining member;
• and
• an adapter having an open end located in said fastener-receiving cavity, the adapter having a shape complementary to that of said fastener-receiving cavity.

A panel joint, comprising:

• a panel having an inner surface, an outer surface, at least one end and a fastener-receiving cavity formed within said panel which opens onto said inner surface, generally adjacent to said one end of said panel;
• a panel joining member having opposed, spaced-apart inner and outer sidewalls which define therebetween a panel-receiving cavity for receipt therein of said one end of said panel, said inner sidewall of said panel joining member having an aperture formed therethrough which is positioned to align with said fastener-receiving cavity when said one end of said panel is received with said panel-receiving cavity;
• at least one stop member formed on said panel joining member adjacent to said panel-receiving cavity against which said one end of said panel abuts when fully inserted into said panel-receiving cavity;
• a screw-threaded fastener removably insertable through said aperture of said inner sidewall of said panel joining member and into said fastener-receiving cavity to enable said fastener to engage said panel and urge the outer surface of said panel against the outer sidewall of said panel joining member, said fastener-receiving cavity including an aperture to receive a nut into which said fastener can be screwed, the panel joining member and the nut cooperatively engaging to lock the nut against the inner sidewall of the panel joining member;
• an adapter located in said fastener-receiving cavity, the adapter having a shape complementary to that of said fastener-receiving cavity;
• and
• an adhesive disposed between the panel and at least one sidewall of the panel joining member to increase the strength of the joint.

A panel joint, comprising:

• a panel having an inner surface, an outer surface, at least one end and a fastener-receiving cavity formed within said panel which opens onto said inner surface, generally adjacent to said one end of said panel;
• a panel joining member having opposed, spaced-apart inner and outer sidewalls which define therebetween a panel-receiving cavity for receipt therein of said one end of said panel, said inner sidewall of said panel joining member having an aperture formed therethrough which is positioned to align with said fastener-receiving cavity when said one end of said panel is received with said panel-receiving cavity;
• at least one stop member formed on said panel joining member adjacent to said panel-receiving cavity against which said one end of said panel abuts when fully inserted into said panel-receiving cavity;
• and
• a screw-threaded fastener removably insertable through said aperture of said inner sidewall of said panel joining member and into said fastener-receiving cavity to enable said fastener to engage said panel and urge the outer surface of said panel against the outer sidewall of said panel joining member, said fastener-receiving cavity including an aperture to receive a nut into which said fastener can be screwed, the panel joining member and the nut cooperatively engaging to lock the nut against the inner sidewall of the panel joining member, and wherein said fastener is aligned along an axis which is at an angle inclined to the axis perpendicular to the surface of the panel.

In a method of connecting a panel to a panel joining member employing a panel assembly of the type comprising, a panel having an inner surface, an outer surface, and at least one end, a panel joining member having opposed, spaced-apart inner and outer sidewalls which define therebetween a panel-receiving cavity, said inner sidewall of said panel joining member having an aperture formed therethrough,

• at least one stop member formed on said panel joining member adjacent to said panel-receiving cavity, and a fastener including a screw-thread, the method comprising the steps of:
• forming a fastener-receiving cavity within said panel which opens onto said inner surface, generally adjacent to said one end of said panel, wherein the fastener-receiving cavity has an open end and narrows away from its open end;
• forming an aperture in the open end of said fastener receiving cavity and inserting said one end of said panel into said panel-receiving cavity of said panel joining member;
• abutting said one end of said panel against said one stop member and aligning said fastener-receiving cavity of said panel with said aperture of said inner sidewall of said panel joining member;
• and
• inserting said fastener through said aperture of said inner sidewall of said panel joining member and screwing the fastener into a nut and into said fastener-receiving cavity of said panel to enable said fastener to engage said panel and urge the outer surface of said panel against the outer sidewall of said panel joining member, the nut and the panel joining member operating to lock the nut against the inner sidewall of the panel joining member.