Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
222 words
A self-supporting building structure, comprising: (a) a plurality of assembleable translucent outer strip panels extending along a longitudinal direction and forming an outer wall for the structure, each outer panel having opposite wall portions generally parallel to each other and a pair of longitudinally-extending flanges spaced apart of each other along a transverse direction which is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, each outer panel having an internal network of inclined walls between the wall portions and forming generally triangularly-shaped insulating chambers; (b) connector means for assembling the outer strip panels in a side-by-side relationship along the transverse direction with the flanges of adjacent outer strip panels being in confronting relationship, said connector means including a longitudinally-extending, generally U-shaped connector having an open top and connector walls bounding an interior in which the confronting flanges of adjacent outer strip panels are received with a snap-type action through the open top, to form a self-supporting, insulated assembly, one of the connector walls being a base wall opposite the open top, said base wall being formed with transversely spaced-apart, undercut grooves; and (c) translucent inner strip panels, each inner panel having a tongue receivable in a respective undercut groove, and an abutment engaging the base wall, said abutments of adjacent inner panels engaging each other to form a continuous inner wall for the structure.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
222 words
A self-supporting building structure, comprising: (a) a plurality of assembleable translucent outer strip panels extending along a longitudinal direction and forming an outer wall for the structure, each outer panel having opposite wall portions generally parallel to each other and a pair of longitudinally-extending flanges spaced apart of each other along a transverse direction which is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, each outer panel having an internal network of inclined walls between the wall portions and forming generally triangularly-shaped insulating chambers; (b) connector means for assembling the outer strip panels in a side-by-side relationship along the transverse direction with the flanges of adjacent outer strip panels being in confronting relationship, said connector means including a longitudinally-extending, generally U-shaped connector having an open top and connector walls bounding an interior in which the confronting flanges of adjacent outer strip panels are received with a snap-type action through the open top, to form a self-supporting, insulated assembly, one of the connector walls being a base wall opposite the open top, said base wall being formed with transversely spaced-apart, undercut grooves; and (c) translucent inner strip panels, each inner panel having a tongue receivable in a respective undercut groove, and an abutment engaging the base wall, said abutments of adjacent inner panels engaging each other to form a continuous inner wall for the structure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The structure as recited in claim 1, wherein the opposite wall portions of each outer panel are substantially planar, and wherein the flanges of a respective outer panel are curved inwardly toward each other.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The structure as recited in claim 5, wherein the opposite wall portions of each outer panel are curved along the longitudinal direction, and wherein the flanges of a respective outer panel are curved inwardly toward each other.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The structure as recited in claim 3, wherein the opposite wall portions of each outer panel are also curved along the transverse direction.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The structure as recited in claim 1, wherein each inclined wall of the internal network extends at an angle other than 90° relative to the wall portions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
The structure is recited in claim 1, wherein the outer and inner panels are spaced apart in a mutually parallel relationship and at a spacing from one another, and wherein the connector means are entirely accommodated between the outer and inner panels in said spacing.