Composite insulating panel

1. A composite insulating panel, comprising:

a backing member including a front face, a rear face, a top face, and a bottom face comprising a front section and a rear section, wherein a groove is defined in the bottom face between the front section and the rear section; and

a siding member including a tongue at an upper end, a veneer, a lower end including a bottom lip, and a nailing divot located proximate the upper end;

wherein the bottom lip extends from a bottom edge of the veneer across the front section of the bottom face of the backing member to a free edge, and does not extend into the groove or across the rear section of the bottom face of the backing member;

wherein at least a substantial portion of the front face of the backing member is bonded to the rear face of the siding member; and

wherein the tongue extends beyond the top face of the backing member, and the tongue is adapted to engage in a groove of a backing member of an associated adjacent composite insulating panel; and

wherein the siding member extends from a top edge to the free edge of the bottom lip.

2. The composite insulating panel of claim 1 , wherein the nailing divot is formed of at least two layers of different materials.

3. The composite insulating panel of claim 2 , wherein the at least two layers of different materials are formed by co-extrusion.

4. The composite insulating panel of claim 1 , wherein the siding member further comprises a top lip extending rearward from above the nailing divot, the top lip being located adjacent the top face of the backing member.

5. The insulating panel of claim 1 , wherein an angle J is present between the tongue and a plane which is parallel to the rear face of the backing member, and the angle J is greater than 0°.

6. The composite insulating panel of claim 1 , wherein the tongue terminates in a bulbous tip or a rollover end.

7. The composite insulating panel of claim 1 , wherein the composite insulating panel can pass ASTM D3679 surface distortion standards when tested at 170° F.

8. An insulated siding system comprising a first composite panel and a second composite panel;

wherein the first composite panel and the second composite panel both comprise:

a backing member including a front face, a rear face, a top face, and a bottom face comprising a front section and a rear section, wherein a groove is defined in the bottom face between the front section and the rear section; and

a siding member including a tongue at an upper end, a front veneer, a rear face, a lower end including a bottom lip, and a nailing divot located proximate the upper end, wherein the siding member extends from a top edge to a free edge of the bottom lip;

wherein the bottom lip extends from a bottom edge of the veneer across the front section of the bottom face of the backing member to the free edge, and does not extend into the groove or across the rear section of the bottom face of the backing member;

wherein at least a substantial portion of the front face of the backing member is bonded to the rear face of the siding member, and the tongue extends beyond the top face of the backing member; and

wherein the tongue of the first composite panel engages the groove of the second composite panel; and

wherein (a) back-to-front air movement through the system is reduced by at least 40%, or (b) the system has a windload resistance of at least 60 lbs per square inch when tested according to ASTM D5206 with the backing members having a thickness of 1.25 inches or less.

9. A composite insulating panel, comprising:

a backing member including a front face, a rear face, a top face, and a bottom face comprising a front section and a rear section, wherein the front face is angled with respect to the rear face, and wherein a groove is defined in the bottom face between the front section and the rear section; and

a siding member including an upper end, a tongue, a lower end including a bottom lip, and a nailing divot located proximate the upper end, wherein the siding member extends from a top edge to a free edge of the bottom lip;

wherein the front face of the backing member is bonded to a rear face of the siding member;

wherein the bottom lip extends rearward from the lower end of the siding member and is located adjacent to only the front section of the bottom face of the backing member, and does not extend into the groove of the backing member; and

wherein the tongue extends beyond the top face of the backing member, and the tongue is adapted to engage in a groove of a backing member of an associated adjacent composite insulating panel.

10. The composite insulating panel of claim 9 , wherein the backing member front face includes a recessed area located adjacent the backing member top face.

11. The composite insulating panel of claim 9 , wherein the front face of the backing member forms an acute angle in relation to the front section of the bottom face of the backing member.

12. The composite insulating panel of claim 9 , wherein the front section of the bottom face of the backing member extends downward beyond the rear section of the bottom face of the backing member.

13. The composite insulating panel of claim 9 , wherein the groove defined in the bottom face between the front and rear sections thereof includes generally parallel front and rear walls.

14. The composite insulating panel of claim 9 , wherein the siding member further comprises a top lip extending rearward from above the nailing divot, the top lip being located adjacent the top face of the backing member.

15. The composite insulating panel of claim 9 , wherein the tongue terminates in a bulbous tip or a rollover end.

16. The composite insulating panel of claim 9 , wherein the nailing divot is formed of at least two layers of different materials.

17. The composite insulating panel of claim 16 , wherein the at least two layers of different materials are formed by co-extrusion.

18. The insulating panel of claim 9 , wherein an angle J is present between the tongue and a plane which is parallel to the rear face of the backing member, and the angle J is greater than 0°.

19. The composite insulating panel of claim 9 , wherein the tongue terminates in a bulbous tip or a rollover end.

20. The composite insulating panel of claim 9 , wherein the siding member is made by profile extrusion or by post-forming.