Patent ID: 6892993

Claim:
A load bearing article comprising: (a) a plurality of elongated shells residing substantially within a common plane, each of said elongated shells being separated one from the other and having exterior surfaces, interior surfaces which define a hollow interior, and a plurality of perforations having edges; (b) a plurality of internal reinforcing ribs of plastic material located within the hollow interior of each elongated shell, a portion of said internal reinforcing ribs being in abutting relationship with the interior surfaces of each elongated shell; (c) an external molded structure of plastic material residing between said elongated shells, a portion of said external molded structure being in abutting relationship with at least a portion of the exterior surfaces of said elongated shells; and (d) a load bearing surface comprising said external molded structure, wherein, (i) a portion of the plastic material of said internal reinforcing ribs extends through at least some of said perforations of each elongated shell, the edges of said perforations being embedded in the plastic material of said internal reinforcing ribs extending therethrough, thereby attaching fixedly said internal reinforcing ribs to each elongated shell, and (ii) a portion of the plastic material of said external molded structure extends through at least some of said perforations of said elongated shells, the edges of said perforations being embedded in the plastic material of said external molded plastic structure extending therethrough, thereby attaching fixedly said external molded plastic structure to said elongated shells and attaching fixedly said elongated shells to each other.