Composite wall panel

Claim 1

A structural, insulating, insect-resistant, dimensionally stable composite wall panel for building construction comprising: a rectangular, tetragonal body of polymer foam having two opposing primary wall surfaces bounded on its side by two parallel side walls and on its end by two parallel end walls; at least two light metal gauge studs in the body, each stud having a hollow central cavity, a squared cross-section with a wide back wall extending the width of the studs, two parallel side walls, two narrow front walls parallel to the back wall separated by an open slot extending into the central cavity of the stud, each light metal gauge stud extending at least from one end wall to the other end wall and parallel to the side walls of said body, the width of the wall panel between the two primary wall surfaces being greater than the width of the studs, the polymer foam extending into the central cavity of the stud to secure the stud to the body, at least one side wall of each stud forming a portion of the same primary wall surface of the body, one stud positioned at one of the parallel side walls with its open slot extending outwardly from the side wall, the distance between each of the studs, from the center to center of the studs being a standard building construction center-to-center distance for studs, the rectangular tetragonal body of polymer foam having a tongue portion at each of its two parallel end walls, the tongue portion having a width equal to the width of the studs and adapted to be and received by and secured in the open channel of light metal gauge building construction track to form a structural wall.