Patent ID: 8684449

Claim:
B-pillar for a vehicle including a main section ( 20 ) with a hat-shaped section ( 21 ) comprising a central flange ( 22 ), two web portions ( 23 , 24 ) extending from opposed ends of said central flange, and two side flanges ( 25 , 26 ) extending, respectively, a predetermined length from respective opposed ends of said two web portions, wherein said B-pillar has at least one section oriented subtantially transversely to the longitudinal direction of extension of said B-pillar in which the central flange and at least portions of said web portions of said hat-shaped section ( 21 ) are press-hardened and have a breaking strength in excess of 1400 MPa, and in which the side flanges ( 25 , 26 ) of the hat-shaped section ( 21 ) have a breaking strength below 1100 MPa along at least part of the length of the side flanges ( 25 , 26 ).