Patent ID: 8635820

Claim:
In combination with a building having a wood-frame structure comprising spaced-apart studs, at least one sill plate, at least one footing, and a plurality of spaced-apart ceiling and floor joists, at least one structural reinforcing panel comprising: a rectangular back panel having a top, bottom, longitudinal sides and at least one cutout, a pair of rectangular side panels each having a longitudinal edge, said pair of rectangular side panels each attached along said longitudinal edge to one of said longitudinal sides of said rectangular back panel, an first anchor plate secured to said top of said rectangular back panel and a top edge of each of said pair of rectangular side panels, a second anchor plate secured to said bottom of said rectangular back panel and a bottom edge of each of said pair of rectangular side panels forming an open upright box, each of said rectangular side panels having a plurality of apertures receiving fasteners therethrough securing said at least one structural reinforcing panel to the wood-frame structure, one or more cutouts for utility access in each of said pair of rectangular side panels, said first anchor plate having a plurality of apertures receiving fasteners therethrough said second anchor plate having a plurality of apertures receiving fasteners therethrough, and first and second pairs of gussets secured in opposing upper and lower corners of said open upright box to reinforce said upright box, wherein said at least one structural reinforcing panel is constructed of steel plate, wherein said at least one structural reinforcing panel forms an open rectangular box, and wherein said at least one structural reinforcing panel is adapted to be fitted between and fastened to a pair of said plurality of spaced-apart ceiling joists, and first and second sill plates of the building thereby increasing the shear force and uplift force load values for the building.