Reinforced structural insulated panels with plastic impregnated paper facings

Abstract

A structural insulated panel for building construction includes a planar, rigid insulating core such as of lightweight plastic foam having opposed surfaces to which are bonded respective plastic impregnated paper (PIP) sheets. Disposed symmetrically either on the inner surfaces of the PIP sheets, and thus within the panel's insulating foam core, or on the outer surfaces of the PIP sheets are spaced reinforcing strips. The reinforcing strips may be flat or formed, such as in the shape of a channel, may be of metal, gypsum composites, or wood, and are provided with an adhesive coating for bonding to the insulating foam core and a PIP sheet. The spaced metal strips increase the panel's bending strength and serve as an attachment base for internal and external finished faces, while the PIP sheets provide the panel with high tensile strength. The adhesive coating on the metal reinforcing strips further increases panel strength. The metal strips may also be provided with an outer gypsum coating to protect the metal strip from heat and/or fire. The panels may be used in walls, roofs or floors. When used in a wall, top and bottom U-shaped metal channels may be respectively positioned on upper and lower edges of the panel and attached to respective upper and lower edges of the reinforcing strips within the panel by conventional means such as screws. Adjacent panels may be joined by metal strips attached such as by screws or clips to the panels' top and bottom edge channels.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.