Insulated Engineered Structural Member

Abstract

An engineered structural member for use as, for example a stud, and a method for producing an engineered structural member, includes producing two flange members, preferably from nominal dimension solid lumber, providing slots in the flange members to receive opposite edges of a thin web, and assembling the edges of the web into the flange member slots to form an assemble engineered structural member. Preferably, an adhesive is used to bond the flange members to the web. An insulating material such as a rigid foam also may be arranged in the open spaces between the flange members at the exposed sides of the web to increase insulating capacity. The engineered structural member provides increased insulation capacity to a structure while reducing structure weight, improving strength and improving dimensional instability.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A structural member, comprising:
 two flange members;   a web member; and   an insulation material, wherein 
 each of the two flange members has a slot, 
 each of the slots has a width corresponding to a thickness of the web member, 
 the web member engages each of the slots in the two flange members such that the two flange members are separated by the web member and a space between the two flange members contains the insulation material. 
   
     
     
         2 . A structural member, comprising:
 two flange members; and   at least one web member, wherein 
 each of the two flange members has at least one longitudinal slot arranged at a first face, 
 each of the at least one longitudinal slot has a width corresponding to a thickness of the at least one web member, 
 the at least one web member engages a corresponding one of the at least one longitudinal slots of each of the two flange members such that the first faces of the two flange members are facing one another. 
   
     
     
         3 . The structural member of  claim 2 , wherein 
 the two flange members are separate by the at least one web member at a predetermined spacing determined by a width of the at least one web member.   
     
     
         4 . The structural member of  claim 3 , wherein 
 the at least one web is secured by one or more of an adhesive and a mechanical fastener in a corresponding one of the at least one longitudinal slots of each of the two flange members.   
     
     
         5 . The structural member of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 an insulation material located in a space between the first faces of the two flange members.   
     
     
         6 . The structural member of  claim 5 , wherein 
 a width of the at least one web member in a direction between the two flange members and a depth of each of the at least one longitudinal slots are sized such that the structural member has a size corresponding to an industry-standard nominal lumber size.   
     
     
         7 . The structural member of  claim 5 , wherein 
 the at least one web member includes a plurality of web members spaced apart along a longitudinal direction of the structural member.   
     
     
         8 . The structural member of  claim 5 , wherein 
 the at least one longitudinal slot is a plurality of longitudinal slots in the first face of each of the two flange members,   the at least one web member includes a plurality of web members spaced apart from one another in a direction perpendicular to a direction between the two flange members, and   each of the plurality of web members engages corresponding ones of the plurality of longitudinal slots opposing one another at the first faces of the two flange members.   
     
     
         9 . A structural member, comprising:
 three flange members;   two web members; and   an insulation material, wherein 
 a first flange member of the three flange members has a first slot, 
 a second flange member of the three flange members has a second slot, 
 a third flange member of the three flange members has a third slot on a first face and a fourth slot on a second face, 
 each of the slots has a width corresponding to a thickness of the web members, 
 a first one of the two web members engages the first slot of the first flange member and the third slot of the third flange member such that the first and third flange members are separated by the first web member, and 
 a second one of the two web members engages the second slot of the second flange member and the fourth slot of third flange member such that the second and third flange members are separated by the second web member. 
   
     
     
         10 . The structural member of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 an insulation material located in one of both of a first space between the first and third two flange members and a second space between the second and third flange members.   
     
     
         11 . The structural member of  claim 10 , wherein 
 the first and second web members are arranged parallel to one another.   
     
     
         12 . The structural member of  claim 10 , wherein 
 the first and second web members are arranged at an angle to one another.   
     
     
         13 . The structural member of  claim 12 , wherein 
 the first and second web members are arranged at a 90° angle to one another.   
     
     
         14 . A method of production of a structural member, comprising the steps of:
 providing two flange members and a web member, each flange member having at least one longitudinal slot on at least one face;   inserting a first edge of the web member into the at least one longitudinal slot of a first flange member of the two flange members;   inserting a second edge of the web member at a side of the web member opposite the first edge into the at least one longitudinal slot of a second flange member of the two flange members; and   inserting an insulation material into a space between the two flange members adjacent to the at least one web member,   wherein each of the at least one longitudinal slots has a width corresponding to a thickness of the at least one web member.   
     
     
         15 . The method of production of a structural member of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of:
 securing the first and second edges of the web member in the respective first and second flange members with one or both of an adhesive and mechanical fasteners.   
     
     
         16 . The method of production of a structural member of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of:
 forming the two flange members by dividing lumber having an industry-standard nominal lumber size.   
     
     
         17 . The method of production of a structural member of  claim 14 , wherein 
 the two flange members are lumber having an industry-standard nominal lumber size.