Patent ID: 7815247

Claim:
A reinforcing member for a vehicle center pillar, comprising: an upper reinforcing member portion; an elongate central reinforcing member portion welded to said upper reinforcing member portion; and a lower reinforcing member portion welded to said central reinforcing member portion; wherein said upper reinforcing member portion, lower reinforcing member portion and central reinforcing member portion define an integral reinforcing structure extending substantially an entire length of the vehicle center pillar; wherein the respective upper, central, and lower reinforcing member portions are constructed by separate steel plates mutually different in tensile strength, with the central reinforcing member portion comprising a high tensile steel plate with a tensile strength of no less than 780 MPa, and the upper reinforcing member portion comprising a high tensile steel plate with a tensile strength of less than 780 MPa, which is higher than the tensile strength of the steel plate of the lower reinforcing member portion; wherein the integral reinforcing structure comprises a predetermined pressed shape; and wherein the upper reinforcing member portion is connected to a roof side rail of the vehicle center pillar and the lower reinforcing member portion is connected to a side sill of the vehicle center pillar.