Metal stud

Abstract

A steel wall stud has a rear wall, two parallel side walls, each side wall having a front end wall that projects away from interior cavity formed by the rear and side walls.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wall panel assembly, comprising:
 a top beam;   a bottom beam;   a pair of side frames connected to the top beam and the bottom beam; and   an interior portion of the wall panel assembly having a plurality of metal wall studs consisting of a singular row of metal wall studs, each metal wall stud of the plurality of metal wall studs comprising:
 a rear wall; 
 opposing side walls, each opposing side wall comprising a first end connected to the rear wall; 
 a cavity defined between the opposing side walls and the rear wall; and 
 a flange connected to a second end of the opposing side walls, the flange projecting away from the cavity. 
   
     
     
         2 . The wall panel assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flange comprises two front walls that are substantially parallel to the rear wall. 
     
     
         3 . The wall panel assembly of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the rear wall comprises a first length dimension; and   the two front walls in combination comprise a second length dimension that is greater than the first length dimension.   
     
     
         4 . The wall panel assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the opposing side walls form a channel depth dimension for each metal wall stud of the plurality of metal wall studs, the channel depth dimension being about the same as the second length dimension. 
     
     
         5 . The wall panel assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the channel depth dimension is greater than the first length dimension. 
     
     
         6 . The wall panel assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flange comprises galvanized steel. 
     
     
         7 . The wall panel assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the wall panel assembly is fire rated. 
     
     
         8 . A wall panel assembly, comprising:
 a plurality of metal wall studs joined together, the plurality of metal wall studs consisting of a singular row of metal wall studs spaced apart by a stud spacing interval, each metal wall stud of the plurality of metal wall studs comprising:
 a rear wall; 
 opposing side walls, each opposing side wall comprising a first end connected to the rear wall; 
 a cavity defined between the opposing side walls and the rear wall; and 
 a flange connected to a second end of the opposing side walls, the flange projecting away from the cavity. 
   
     
     
         9 . The wall panel assembly of  claim 8 , further comprising an interior wall sheathing oriented towards the rear wall. 
     
     
         10 . The wall panel assembly of  claim 8 , further comprising an exterior wall sheathing oriented towards the flange. 
     
     
         11 . The wall panel assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the flange is connected to the exterior wall sheathing at spatial intervals less than the stud spacing interval. 
     
     
         12 . The wall panel assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the exterior wall sheathing comprises:
 at least one layer of gypsum sheathing; and   an outer layer of galvanized steel sheathing.   
     
     
         13 . The wall panel assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of metal wall studs are joined together via a top beam, a bottom beam, and a pair of side frames connected to the top beam and the bottom beam. 
     
     
         14 . The wall panel assembly of  claim 8 , wherein each metal wall stud of the plurality of metal wall studs is rated for seismic loads corresponding to a seismic design category C or less. 
     
     
         15 . A wall panel assembly, comprising:
 a first beam;   a second beam; and   a plurality of metal wall studs consisting of a singular row of metal wall studs positioned between the first beam and the second beam, each metal wall stud of the plurality of metal wall studs comprising:
 a rear wall; 
 opposing side walls, each opposing side wall comprising a first end connected to the rear wall; 
 a cavity defined between the opposing side walls and the rear wall; and 
 a flange connected to a second end of the opposing side walls, the flange projecting away from the cavity. 
   
     
     
         16 . The wall panel assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the opposing side walls are substantially perpendicular to the rear wall and the flange. 
     
     
         17 . The wall panel assembly of  claim 15 , further comprising mineral wool positioned inside the cavity. 
     
     
         18 . The wall panel assembly of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 an interior wall sheathing abutting the rear wall; and   an exterior wall sheathing positioned within close proximity to the flange.   
     
     
         19 . The wall panel assembly of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the plurality of metal wall studs comprises a stud spacing of about 24-inch centers between the first beam and the second beam; and   the exterior wall sheathing is connected to the flange via one or more fasteners at a fastener spacing less than the stud spacing.   
     
     
         20 . The wall panel assembly of  claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of each metal wall stud of the plurality of metal wall studs comprises galvanized steel.