Patent ID: 6435579
Filing Date: 2002-08-20
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
A bumper beam for a vehicle comprising:a C-shaped first channel member, the first channel member including a vertically oriented first web portion, the first web portion having opposing front and back sides the first channel member further including flanges extending rearwardly from upper and lower edges of the back side of the first web portion frame, the first channel member having a significant curvature in a horizontal plane; a C-shaped second channel member, the second channel member including a second web portion, the second web portion having opposing front and back sides, the second channel member further including flanges extending forwardly from upper and lower edges of the front side of the second web portion, the first and second channel members being at least partially spaced apart and being directly opposite each other, with the first channel member back side facing the second channel member front side, the second channel member having less curvature in a horizontal plane than the first channel member, such that the longitudinal spacing between the web portions of the channel members differs over the length of the beam, with the spacing between the channel members being greater at the center of the bumper beam than the ends of the bumper beam; and at least one plate connecting the first web and the second web portions so as to hold the channels in a predetermined horizontally spaced relationship.