Composite panel for a trailer wall

1. A composite panel for use in a trailer wall comprising:

inner and outer metal skins, each said skin having a top and bottom end; and

core material positioned between and secured to said inner and outer skins, said core material having a predetermined height extending from a top end of said core material to a bottom end of said core material, a plurality of voids provided between said core material and at least one of said inner and outer skins, each said void extending generally vertically along the height of said core material such that each said void is open to said top end of said inner skin and said bottom end of said outer skin;

wherein at a plurality of points in a cross-section taken along the height of said core material, said core material is secured to both said inner and outer skins.

2. The composite panel as defined in claim 1 , wherein each said void continuously extends between said inner and outer skins.

3. The composite panel as defined in claim 1 , wherein said core material continuously extends along a length of said composite panel, thereby providing discontinous voids between said inner and outer skins.

4. The composite panel as defined in claim 3 , wherein said discontinuous voids include a first void which is provided between said inner skin and said continuous core material and a second void which is provided between said outer skin and said continuous core material.

5. A composite panel for use in a trailer wall comprising:

inner and outer metal skins, each said skin having a top and bottom end; and

core material positioned between and secured to said inner and outer skins, said core material having a predetermined height extending from a top end of said core material to a bottom end of said core material, a plurality of voids provided in said core material, each said void extending generally vertically along the height of said core material such that each said void is open to said top end of said inner skin and said bottom end of said outer skin;

wherein at any point in a cross-section taken along the height of said core material, said core material is secured to at least one of said inner and outer skins.

6. The composite panel as defined in claim 5 , wherein at least one of said plurality of voids is provided between said core material and said inner skin.

7. The composite panel as defined in claim 5 , wherein at least one of said plurality of voids is provided between said core material and said outer skin.

8. A wall for a trailer comprising:

a top rail having an L-shaped wall including a vertical wall portion and a horizontal wall portion, said horizontal wall portion of said top rail extending outwardly from said vertical wall portion of said top rail to an interior of the trailer;

a base rail having an L-shaped wall including a vertical wall portion and a horizontal wall portion, said horizontal wall portion of said base rail extending outwardly from said vertical wall portion of said base rail to an exterior of the trailer; and

at least one composite panel, each said composite panel comprising,

inner and outer metal skins having upper and lower ends and upper and lower end portions, said lower end portion of said inner skin being secured to said vertical wall portion of said base rail, said upper end portion of said outer skin being secured to said vertical wall portion of said top rail, said lower end of said outer skin being separated from said horizontal wall portion of said base rail such that a first gap is provided therebetween, said upper end of said inner skin being separated from said horizontal wall portion of said top rail such that a second gap is provided therebetween,

core material positioned between and secured to said inner and outer skins, said core material having a predetermined height extending from a top end of said core material to a bottom end of said core material, a plurality of voids provided between said core material and at least one of said inner and outer skins, each said void extending generally vertically along the height of said core material such that each said void is open to said upper end of said inner skin and said lower end of said outer skin and such that each said void is in communication with said first and second gaps, thereby providing a vent path from the interior of the trailer to the exterior of the trailer,

wherein at a plurality of points in a cross-section taken along the height of said core material, said core material is secured to both said inner and outer skins.

9. The wall as defined in claim 8 , wherein a pair of composite panels are provided, and further comprising means for joining said pair of composite panels together.

10. The wall as defined in claim 8 , wherein each said void continuously extends between said inner and outer skins.

11. The wall as defined in claim 8 , wherein said core material continuously extends along a length of said composite material, thereby providing discontinuous voids between said inner and outer skins.

12. The wall as defined in claim 11 , wherein said discontinuous voids include a first void which is provided between said inner skin and said continuous core material and a second void which is provided between said outer skin and said continuous core material.

13. A wall for a trailer comprising:

a top rail having an L-shaped wall including a vertical wall portion and a horizontal wall portion, said horizontal wall portion of said top rail extending outwardly from said vertical wall portion of said top rail to an interior of the trailer;

a base rail having an L-shaped wall including a vertical wall portion and a horizontal wall portion, said horizontal wall portion of said base rail extending outwardly from said vertical wall portion of said base rail to an exterior of the trailer; and

at least one composite panel, each said composite panel comprising,

inner and outer metal skins having upper and lower ends and upper and lower end portions, said lower end portion of said inner skin being secured to said vertical wall portion of said base rail, said upper end portion of said outer skin being secured to said vertical wall portion of said top rail, said lower end of said outer skin being separated from said horizontal wall portion of said base rail such that a first gap is provided therebetween, said upper end of said inner skin being separated from said horizontal wall portion of said top rail such that a second gap is provided therebetween,

core material positioned between and secured to said inner and outer skins, said core material having a predetermined height extending from a top end of said core material to a bottom end of said core material, a plurality of voids provided in said core material, each said void extending generally vertically along the height of said core material such that each said void is open to said upper end of said inner skin and said lower end of said outer skin and such that each said void is in communication with said first and second gaps, thereby providing a vent path from the interior of the trailer to the exterior of the trailer,

wherein at any point in a cross-section taken along the height of said core material, said core material is secured to at least one of said inner and outer skins.

14. The wall as defined in claim 13 , wherein a pair of composite panels are provided, and further comprising means for joining said pair of composite panels together.

15. The wall as defined in claim 13 , wherein at least one of said plurality of voids is provided between said core material and said inner skin.

16. The wall as defined in claim 13 , wherein at least one of said plurality of voids is provided between said core material and said outer skin.