Patent ID: 7823350

Claim:
A structural stud comprising: a baseplate; first and second sidewalls projecting from opposite edges of the baseplate; and at least two tabs each punched out of the first sidewall, one of the tabs being a vertical tab and the other tab being a horizontal tab; the vertical tab comprising: a tab leg that is substantially planar and is connected to the first sidewall at one end of the tab leg, and that projects away from the second sidewall at an angle of less than ninety degrees to the first sidewall; and a tab foot having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the proximal portion extending from the tab leg of the vertical tab and curving away from a vertical hole in the first sidewall resulting from the vertical tab punched out of the first sidewall in a direction toward a plane, said plane being perpendicular to the first sidewall and passing through said one end of the tab leg, the distal portion spaced apart from the tab leg of the vertical tab and being farther away from the vertical hole than the proximal portion; and the horizontal tab comprising: a tab leg that is substantially planar and is connected to the first sidewall at one end of the tab leg, and that projects away from the second sidewall at an angle of less than ninety degrees to the first sidewall; and a tab foot extending from the tab leg of the horizontal tab and curving either away from or toward a horizontal hole in the first sidewall resulting from the horizontal tab punched out of the first sidewall; where the end of the vertical tab leg that is connected to the first sidewall is substantially perpendicular to the end of the horizontal tab leg that is connected to the first sidewall.