Patent ID: 7448658

Claim:
An elongated vehicle bumper beam which is formed of a metal sheet and which is to be attached at longitudinally opposite end portions thereof to respective side members of a vehicle through respective impact absorbing members, the bumper beam comprising: a pair of protruding portions protruding to define an inverted U-shape and elongated in a longitudinal direction of the bumper beam, and spaced apart from each other in a width direction of the bumper beam; a pair of flange portions formed at opposite portions in the width direction of the pair of protruding portions to extend outwardly; and a connecting portion interposed between the protruding portions and connecting the protruding portions, such that the connecting portion cooperates with the protruding portions to define a M-shaped configuration in a cross section of the bumper beam that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the bumper beam, wherein a first width in the connecting portion is larger at adapting portions in longitudinally opposite ends to be fixed to the impact absorbing member than a second width at the longitudinally central portion, wherein the connecting portion has a third width as measured substantially in the width direction of the bumper beam, such that the third width gradually increases as viewed in a direction away from a longitudinally central portion of the bumper beam toward each of the longitudinally opposite end portions, and wherein each of the protruding portions has a height as measured substantially in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal and width directions of the bumper beam, such that the height gradually reduces as viewed in a direction away from the longitudinally central portion toward each of the longitudinally opposite end portions.