US Patent 7703820 Bumper reinforcing cross-member

The invention relates to a bumper cross-member including an elongated body having a three-dimensional configuration formed from several metal sheet elements joined together by welding and shaped. The three-dimensional configuration has a non-uniform open transversal section along the body. The method includes joining several metal sheet elements together by welding in order to produce a flat tailored blank and shaping the tailored blank to produce the body. Shaping is carried out by hot or cold stamping. The several metal sheet elements can be joined either mutually adjacent or overlaid by different welding techniques, they can be of different of identical thicknesses and of the same type or different types of steel.