Insulated Box Beam Framing Member

Abstract

A fabricated framing member constructed primarily of wood products that is used as a stud, joist, or rafter to construct walls, floors, or ceilings. Lumber is normally used for these purposes, however, the thermal performance, dimensional accuracy, and dimensional stability of lumber is not as good as desired. The invention improves these and other qualities by strategically minimizing the amount of wood products used and by the addition of insulation. The shape of the structural portion of the member is similar to the shape of an elongated box and insulation fills the inside of that box.

The invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. These embodiments are exemplary of a plurality of possible sizes, shapes, dimensions and materials that will yield the same general features and characteristics. Modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description and design principles. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations. Having thus described the preferred embodiments, the invention is now claimed to be: 
     
         1 . A fabricated framing member for use in building a structure and that is comprised of:
 a) a first elongate flange component extending from one end of the member to the other end, having an inward face, an outward face, a pair of side faces which extend between the inward and outward faces, two end faces, and being formed from a structural material;   b) a second elongate flange component, oriented substantially parallel to the first elongate flange component, spaced some distance from the first elongate flange component, extending from one end of the member to the other end, having an inward face, an outward face, a pair of side faces which extend between the inward and outward faces, two end faces, and being formed from a structural material;   c) a pair of elongate web components, each affixed to and extending from a side face of the first elongate flange component and extending to the cooresponding side face of the second elongate flange component, and affixed thereto, oriented substantially parallel to the elongate flange components, having an inward face, an outward face, two edge faces, two end faces, and being formed from a structural material other than oriented strand board (OSB) and from a material which is substantially solid and which provides substantial compressive, tensile, and shear strength;   wherein the first and second elongate flange components and the pair of elongate web components assume the shape of a rectangular tube the length of the member where:
 a) the inward faces of the flange components and the exposed portion of the inward faces of the web components define an elongated interior rectangular surface of a rectangular tube, and 
 b) the outward faces of the flange components and the outward and edge faces of the web components define the outer surface of a rectangular tube 
   wherein the elongated interior rectangular surface extends from one end of the member to the other and defines an oblong box shaped cavity within the member,   wherein the oblong box shaped cavity within the member is substantially filled with insulative material of any kind, and   wherein the insulative material is either formed against, or assembled into and optionally adhered to, the elongated interior rectangular surface defining the oblong box shaped cavity within the rectangular tube shaped member.   
     
     
         2 . The insulated member of  claim 1 ;
 wherein end connection blocks made of solid structural material are affixed between the flange and web components at each end of the member displacing a portion of the interior insulation of the member;   wherein the end connection blocks have an inward face, an outward face, a top face, a bottom face, and two side faces;   wherein the inward face of each end connection block borders on, and may be affixed to, the interior insulation;   wherein the outward face of each end connection block is flush with the end of the member;   wherein the top face of each end connection block is affixed to the inward face of the first elongate flange component;   wherein the bottom face of each end connection block is affixed to the inward face of the second elongate flange component; and   wherein the side faces of each end connection block are affixed to the inward faces of the elongate web components.   
     
     
         3 . The insulated member of  claim 1  wherein one or more apertures are formed into the web components such that the aperture space within the thickness of the web component may or may not be filled with insulation. 
     
     
         4 . The insulated member of  claim 1  wherein reinforcing material is affixed to the elongate flange and elongate web components where they contact each other and/or against the inside face of each flange component or in a portion of the spaces described. 
     
     
         5 . The insulated member of  claim 1 ;
 wherein plate blocks are affixed between the flange and web components at each end of the member and at either 12, 16, or 24 inch centers along the length of the member, and displacing portions of the interior insulation of the member;   wherein the plate blocks have two longitudinally oriented faces, a top face, a bottom face, and two side faces;   wherein the two longitudinally oriented faces of the plate blocks border on the interior insulation of the member or may be flush with the end of the member;   wherein the top face of each plate block is affixed to the inward face of the first elongate flange component;   wherein the bottom face of each plate block is affixed to the inward face of the second elongate flange component;   wherein the side faces of each plate block are affixed to the inward faces of the elongate web components, and   wherein the plate blocks are made of a solid structural material.   
     
     
         6 . The insulated member of  claim 1 ;
 wherein end connection blocks are affixed between the flange and web components at each end of the member displacing a portion of the interior insulation of the member;   wherein the end connection blocks have an inward face, an outward face, a top face, a bottom face, and two side faces;   wherein the inward face of each end connection block borders on, and may be affixed to, the interior insulation;   wherein the outward face of each end connection block is flush with the ends of the member;   wherein the top face of each end connection block is affixed to the inward face of the first elongate flange component;   wherein the bottom face of each end connection block is affixed to the inward face of the second elongate flange component;   wherein the side faces of each end connection block are affixed to the inward faces of the elongate web components;   wherein the end connection blocks are made of a solid structural material, and   wherein one or more apertures are formed into the web components such that the aperture space within the thickness of the web component may or may not be filled with insulation.   
     
     
         7 . The insulated member of  claim 1 ;
 wherein end connection blocks are affixed between the flange and web components at each end of the member displacing a portion of the interior insulation of the member;   wherein the end connection blocks have an inward face, an outward face, a top face, a bottom face, and two side faces;   wherein the inward face of each end connection block borders on, and may be affixed to, the interior insulation;   wherein the outward face of each end connection block is flush with the end of the member;   wherein the top face of each end connection block is affixed to the inward face of the first elongate flange component;   wherein the bottom face of each end connection block is affixed to the inward face of the second elongate flange component;   wherein the side faces of each end connection block are affixed to the inward faces of the elongate web components;   wherein the end connection blocks are made of a solid structural material, and   wherein reinforcing material is affixed to the elongate flange and elongate web components where they contact each other and optionally affixed to the end connection blocks and elongate web components where they contact each other and optionally against the inside face of each flange component or in a portion of the spaces described.   
     
     
         8 . The insulated member of  claim 1 ;
 wherein one or more apertures are formed into the web components such that the aperture space within the thickness of the web component may or may not be filled with insulation; and   wherein reinforcing material is affixed to the elongate flange and elongate web components where they contact each other and/or against the inside face of each flange component or in a portion of the spaces described.   
     
     
         9 . The insulated member of  claim 1 ;
 wherein end connection blocks are affixed between the flange and web components at each end of the member displacing a portion of the interior insulation of the member;   wherein the end connection blocks have an inward face, an outward face, a top face, a bottom face, and two side faces;   wherein the inward face of each end connection block borders on, and may be affixed to, the interior insulation;   wherein the outward face of each end connection block is flush with the end of the member;   wherein the top face of each end connection block is affixed to the inward face of the first elongate flange component;   wherein the bottom face of each end connection block is affixed to the inward face of the second elongate flange component;   wherein the side faces of each end connection block are affixed to the inward faces of the elongate web components;   wherein one or more apertures are formed into the web components such that the aperture space within the thickness of the web component may or may not be filled with insulation, and   wherein reinforcing material is affixed to the elongate flange and elongate web components where they contact each other, and optionally between the end connection blocks and the elongate web components where they contact each other, and optionally against the inside face of each flange component or in a portion of the spaces described.