Patent ID: 7930866

Claim:
A lightweight structural building element suitable for use in supporting loads comprising: a glass reinforced polyurethane inner structural core constructed from a substantially solid layer of glass reinforced polyurethane that is shaped to form a hollow structure having a hollow inner space; a plurality of continuous hollow arms formed from said substantially solid layer of glass reinforced polyurethane that extend outwardly from a center portion of said glass reinforced polyurethane inner structural core, said continuous hollow arms shaped to form a plurality of lobes that enclose areas between said lobes; a thermoplastic layer that is extruded over an outer surface of said glass reinforced polyurethane inner structural core and said plurality of continuous hollow arms, said thermoplastic layer substantially surrounding said glass reinforced polyurethane inner structural core and said plurality of continuous hollow arms, said thermoplastic layer filling said areas between said plurality of continuous hollow arms and said plurality of lobes so that said plurality of continuous hollow arms and said lobes mechanically capture and partially enclose a portion of said thermoplastic layer to secure said thermoplastic layer to said glass reinforced polyurethane inner structural core and said plurality of continuous hollow arms, and so that said thermoplastic layer substantially surrounds said glass reinforced polyurethane inner structural core and said plurality of continuous hollow arms to provide a protective layer that protects said glass reinforced polyurethane inner structural core and said plurality of continuous hollow arms.