Patent ID: 8133424

Claim:
A method of fabricating a structural element ( 2 ) comprising a hollow elongate first body ( 4 ) made of metal and of closed cross-section, and a continuous second body ( 6 ) of plastics material overmolded on the metal first body ( 4 ), the second body ( 6 ) being an upright; in which the plastics material second body ( 6 ) is connected to the metal first body ( 4 ) by overmolding at least two longitudinally spaced-apart rings ( 24 ) of the plastics material second body ( 6 ) onto the metal first body, each ring ( 24 ) surrounding the metal first body ( 4 ), wherein, in any cross-section of the metal first body ( 4 ), the plastics material second body ( 6 ) is situated entirely outside the outline of the metal first body ( 4 ), and the ratio of the axial length (l) of each ring ( 24 ) over the longitudinal distance between the rings (e, e 1 ) is less than 1, and wherein said structural element ( 2 ) fabricated is a structural member for an automotive vehicle front face comprising a metal cross-member and two plastic uprights.