Patent attributes
A molded plastic panel and a molded plastic panel assembly including at least two molded panels are described. Each panel includes a center portion (14) that is positioned between and which is continuous with a first external portion (17) and a second external portion (20). The center portion (14) has a plurality of plastic center reinforcing structures (31) that define a plurality of center portion apertures (34). Each of the first and second external portions include reinforcing structures (49, 79) having sidewalls (52, 82) having interior surfaces (55, 85) that define a plurality of external portion apertures (61, 94). The exterior surfaces (58, 88) of sidewalls of neighboring reinforcing structures together define a plurality of external portion recesses (64, 98) that are dimensioned to receive extensions from a separate article, thereby forming interlocks there-between. With the panel assembly (3) of the present invention, at least two molded panels (e.g., 1, 1a) are positioned such that one external portion (e.g., 17) of each panel overlaps with a portion of the center portion (14) of the other panel, and some of the center reinforcing structures (31) are received within at least some of the external portion recesses (e.g., 64) aligned therewith, and together form a plurality of interlocks (e.g., 101a, 101b) that together attach the panels together.
