Patent ID: 6997490

Claim:
In an end-forming component for a motor vehicle, the component having an energy-absorbing section and a fascia-supporting beam section, the energy-absorbing section being adapted to engage a face of a reinforcement beam and absorb energy upon a vehicle crash, and the beam section being adapted to support a vehicle fascia for aesthetics, an improvement comprising: at least one connecting section connecting the energy-absorbing section to the fascia-supporting beam section and being formed from material extending integrally and continuously from the energy-absorbing section and the beam section; the at least one connecting section retaining the energy-absorbing section and the fascia-supporting beam section together during assembly of the one-piece component onto a vehicle, but being flexible in a horizontal direction and extensible in a vertical direction to allow movement and collapse of the energy-absorbing section during the vehicle crash without forcing concurrent movement of the fascia-supporting beam section and without causing undesired damage to other vehicle components.