Metal construction member

Abstract

A metal construction member is disclosed in which the main body is fabricated from a high yield steel sheet which has a thickness dimension of about 0.015 inches to about 0.045 inches, and a yield strength of about 57 ksi to about 65 ksi, and has a cross sectional shape which imparts increased strength to the metal construction member.

1 . A metal construction member, comprising:
 a main body fabricated from a high yield strength steel sheet which has a reduced thickness dimension, and a cross sectional shape which imparts increased strength to the metal construction member.   
   
   
       2 . A metal construction member as claimed in  claim 1 , and wherein the high yield strength steel sheet has a yield strength of greater than about 57 ksi. 
   
   
       3 . A metal construction member as claimed in  claim 2 , and wherein the high yield strength steel sheet has a yield strength of less than about 65 ksi. 
   
   
       4 . A metal construction member as claimed in  claim 1 , and wherein the reduced thickness dimension of the high yield strength steel sheet lies in a range of about 0.015 to about 0.045 inches. 
   
   
       5 . A metal construction member as claimed in  claim 1 , and wherein the high yield strength steel sheet comprises a steel having a yield strength of greater than about 57 ksi, and a thickness dimension of less than about 0.045 inches. 
   
   
       6 . A metal construction member, as claimed in  claim 1 , and wherein the main body of the metal construction member has a substantially C-shaped cross section which is defined, at least in part, by a web portion. 
   
   
       7 . A metal construction member as claimed in  claim 6 , and wherein the web portion of the main body is corrugated, at least in part. 
   
   
       8 . A metal construction member as claimed in  claim 7 , and wherein the main body of the metal construction member further comprises a pair of flange members which are made integral with the web portion and which extend normal upwardly relative thereto, and which are disposed in predetermined spaced relation, one relative to the other, and wherein the main body of the metal construction member further comprises a pair of return members which are individually made integral with respective flange members and which are oriented in substantially perpendicular relation relative to the individual flange members, and are further disposed in substantially parallel spaced relation relative to the web portion. 
   
   
       9 . A metal construction member as claimed in  claim 8 , and wherein the web portion of the main body has a width dimension of about 1 and ⅝ inches to about 12 inches; the flange members of the main body have a width dimension of about 1 and 7/16 inches; and the return members of the main body have a width dimension of less than about 7/16 inches. 
   
   
       10 . A metal construction member as claimed in  claim 9 , and wherein the main body is fabricated from a high yield strength steel sheet having a yield strength of greater than about 57 ksi, and a thickness dimension of less than about 0.045 inches. 
   
   
       11 . A metal construction member as claimed in  claim 10 , and wherein the corrugated web portion is defined, at least in part by a pair of longitudinally oriented channels which are formed therein, and which have a width dimension which lies in a range of about 0.05 inches to about 4 inches. 
   
   
       12 . A metal construction member as claimed in  claim 11 , and wherein the corrugated web portion has opposite longitudinally oriented peripheral edges, and wherein the respective longitudinally oriented channels are located adjacent to the respective longitudinally oriented peripheral edges, and wherein the corrugated web portion has an intermediate region located between the longitudinally oriented channels, and which has a width dimension of about 0.5 inches to about 11 inches. 
   
   
       13 . A metal construction member as claimed in  claim 12 , and wherein the respective longitudinally oriented channels each have a depth dimension of about 0.05 inches to about 0.5 inches. 
   
   
       14 . A metal construction member, comprising:
 a main body having a substantially C-shaped cross section and which is defined, at least in part, by a longitudinally elongated and corrugated web portion, and wherein the main body is fabricated from a high yield strength steel sheet which as a thickness dimension of less than about 0.045 inches, and wherein the corrugated web portion of the main body further defines a pair of longitudinally disposed channels and which impart strength to the main body.   
   
   
       15 . A metal construction member as claimed in  claim 14 , and wherein the thickness dimension of the high yield strength steel sheet is greater than about 0.015 inches. 
   
   
       16 . A metal construction member as claimed in  claim 14 , and wherein the high yield strength steel sheet has a yield strength of about 57 ksi to about 65 ksi. 
   
   
       17 . A metal construction member as claimed in  claim 14 , and wherein the thickness dimension of the high yield strength lies in a range of about 0.015 inches to about 0.045 inches; and the yield strength of the high yield strength steel sheet lies in a range of about 57 ksi to about 65 ksi, and wherein as the yield strength of the high yield strength steel sheet decreases the thickness dimension of the high yield strength steel sheet increases. 
   
   
       18 . A metal construction member as claimed in  claim 14 , and wherein the respective longitudinally disposed channels have a width dimension of about 0.05 to about 4 inches, and a depth dimension of about 0.05 to about 0.5 inches. 
   
   
       19 . A metal construction member as claimed in  claim 14 , and wherein the yield strength of the high yield steel sheet is about 65 ksi when the thickness dimension of the high yield strength steel sheet is about 0.015 to about 0.030 inches, and wherein the yield strength of the high yield strength steel sheet is 57 ksi when the thickness dimension of the high yield strength steel sheet is about 0.030 to about 0.045 inches. 
   
   
       20 . A metal construction member for non load bearing construction applications, comprising:
 a C-shaped main body which is defined by a web portion which has opposite, longitudinally extending peripheral edges, a pair of flange members which are made integral with the web portion and which individually extend substantially normally upwardly relative to the opposite, longitudinally extending peripheral edges of the web portion, and a pair of return members which are individually made integral with the respective flange portions and which are oriented in substantially parallel spaced relation relative to the web portion, and wherein the main body is fabricated from a high yield steel sheet which has a thickness dimension of about 0.015 inches to about 0.045 inches, and a yield strength of about 57 ksi to about 65 ksi, and wherein as the yield strength of the high yield strength steel sheet increases the thickness dimension of the high yield steel sheet decreases.   
   
   
       21 . A metal construction member as claimed in  claim 20 , and wherein web portion has a length dimension of about 1 and ⅝ inches to about 12 inches. 
   
   
       22 . A metal construction member as claimed in  claim 21 , and wherein the respective flanges have a width dimension of at least about 1 and 7/16 inches. 
   
   
       23 . A metal construction member as claimed in  claim 22 , and wherein the respective return members have a width dimension of about ⅜ inches to about 7/16 inches. 
   
   
       24 . A metal construction member as claimed in  claim 23 , and wherein the web portion of the main body is corrugated. 
   
   
       25 . A metal construction member as claimed in  claim 24 , and wherein the corrugated web portion has at least one longitudinally disposed channel formed therein which has a width dimension of about 0.05 inches to about 4 inches; and a depth dimension of about 0.05 inches to about 0.5 inches.