Composite Pre-Formed Building Panels

Abstract

A composite building panel including a central body, substantially parallelepipedic in shape, comprised of an expanded polymer matrix, having a first surface and an opposing second surface; and one or more structural reinforcing elements longitudinally extending across the central body between said opposite faces, having a first side portion embedded in the expanded polymer matrix, and a second side portion extending away from the first surface of the central body and one or more expansion holes located in the reinforcing member between the first side portion of the reinforcing member and the first surface of the central body. The central body includes a polymer matrix that expands through the expansion holes.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A central body, substantially parallelepipedic in shape, comprised of an expanded polymer matrix, having a first surface and an opposing second surface; and
 one or more reinforcing structural elements longitudinally extending across the central body, the reinforcing structural elements comprising:
 a body having a length, a width, and a thickness, the body comprising: a first side portion; and an opposed second side portion, the first side portion and the second side portion being positioned along a longitudinal axis of the width of the body, 
   wherein the first side portion comprises a plurality of expansion holes spaced along the length of the body, the plurality of expansion holes comprising at least a first row of equally spaced, elongated holes, a second row of equally spaced, elongated holes, and a third row of equally spaced, elongated holes, each row extending longitudinally along a length of the first side portion, and the holes of the second row are offset with respect to the holes of the first and third rows, and   the expanded polymer matrix expands through the expansion holes such that the first side portion of the reinforcing structural element is embedded in the expanded polymer matrix.   
     
     
         2 . A composite building panel comprising:
 a central body, substantially parallelepipedic in shape, comprised of an expanded polymer matrix, having a first surface and an opposing second surface; and   one or more reinforcing structural elements longitudinally extending across the central body, the reinforcing structural elements comprising:
 a body having a length, a width, and a thickness, the body comprising: a first side portion; and an opposed second side portion, the first side portion and second side portion being positioned along a longitudinal axis of the width of the body, 
   wherein the first side portion comprises a plurality of expansion holes spaced along the length of the body and the second side portion comprises at least one utility hole along the length of the body, and   the expanded polymer matrix expands through the expansion holes such that the first side portion of the reinforcing structural element is embedded in the expanded polymer matrix.   
     
     
         3 . The composite building panel according to  claim 2 , wherein the structural reinforcing elements have a CC cross-sectional shape. 
     
     
         4 . The composite building panel according to  claim 2 , wherein
 a) the first side portion of the body comprises:
 i) a first web having a first end and a second end; 
 ii) a first flange extending generally perpendicularly from the first end of the first web, the first flange having a first end adjacent to the first web and a second opposing end; and 
 iii) a first return lip extending generally perpendicularly from the second end of the first flange; and 
   b) the second side portion of the body comprises:
 i) a second flange extending generally perpendicularly from the first web, the second flange having a first end and a second end; 
 ii) a second web extending generally perpendicularly from the second end of the second flange, the second web having a first end and a second end; 
 iii) a third flange extending generally perpendicularly from the second end of the second web; and 
 iv) a second return lip extending generally perpendicularly from the third flange. 
   
     
     
         5 . The composite building panel according to  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of expansion holes along the length of the body comprise at least a first row of equally spaced, elongated holes, a second row of equally spaced, elongated holes, and a third row of equally spaced, elongated holes, each row extending longitudinally along a length of the first side portion. 
     
     
         6 . The composite building panel of  claim 5 , wherein the holes of the second row are offset with respect to the holes of the first and third rows. 
     
     
         7 . The composite building panel according to  claim 2 , wherein the central body has a male end and a female end. 
     
     
         8 . The composite building panel according to  claim 2 , wherein the male end of the central body comprises a tongue edge and the female end of the central body comprises a female groove edge that facilitates a tongue and groove union between a first central body and a second central body to form one or more combined composite building panels. 
     
     
         9 . The composite building panel according to  claim 2 , wherein the expanded polymer matrix comprises one or more polymers selected from the group consisting of homopolymers of vinyl aromatic monomers; copolymers of at least one vinyl aromatic monomer with one or more of divinylbenzene, conjugated dienes, alkyl methacrylates, alkyl acrylates, acrylonitrile, and/or maleic anhydride; polyolefins; polycarbonates; and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The composite building panel according to  claim 2 , wherein the polymer matrix comprises carbon black, graphite, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The composite building panel according to  claim 2 , wherein the reinforcing structural elements comprise a material selected from the group consisting of construction grade plastics, composite materials, ceramics, and the like. 
     
     
         12 . The composite building panel according to  claim 2 , wherein the polymer matrix comprises an interpolymer of a polyolefin and in situ polymerized vinyl aromatic monomers. 
     
     
         13 . The composite building panel according to  claim 2 , wherein the reinforcing structural elements comprise a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, steel, stainless steel, tungsten, molybdenum, iron and alloys, and combinations of such metals. 
     
     
         14 . The composite building panel according to  claim 2 , wherein one or more surfaces of the reinforcing structural elements have a texturized surface. 
     
     
         15 . A composite building panel comprising:
 a central body, substantially parallelepipedic in shape, comprised of an expanded polymer matrix, having a first surface and an opposing second surface; and   one or more reinforcing structural elements longitudinally extending across the central body, the reinforcing structural being a CC-type stud having a first portion embedded in the expanded polymer matrix, a second portion extending away from the first surface of the central body, and a plurality of expansion holes located in the reinforcing structural element between the first side portion of the reinforcing structural element and the first surface of the central body,   wherein the expanded polymer matrix expands through the expansion holes and the expansion holes are arranged in at least two rows on the first side portion that are offset from each other.   
     
     
         16 . The composite building panel according to  claim 15 , wherein a space defined by the first surface of the central body and the second side portion of the reinforcing members is adapted for accommodating utilities through said space. 
     
     
         17 . The composite building panel according to  claim 15 , wherein the reinforcing structural element further comprises one or more utility holes located in the reinforcing structural element between the first surface of the central body and the second side portion of the reinforcing structural element and are adapted to receive utility lines in a transverse direction relative to the reinforcing structural element. 
     
     
         18 . The composite building panel according to  claim 17 , wherein the utility lines are one or more selected from the group consisting of water lines, waste lines, chases, telephone lines, cable television lines, antenna lines, electrical lines, ductwork, and gas lines. 
     
     
         19 . The composite building panel according to  claim 18 , wherein the at least two rows of expansion holes comprise a first row of equally spaced, elongated holes, a second row of equally spaced, elongated holes, and a third row of equally spaced, elongated holes, each row extending longitudinally along a length of the first side portion. 
     
     
         20 . The composite building panel of  claim 18 , wherein the holes of the second row are offset with respect to the holes of the first and third rows.