Abstract: A side panel for a motor vehicle includes a bottom sill member, a roof panel portion, and a plurality of pillars extending between the sill member and the roof panel portion. The sill member forms with the pillars and the roof panel portion a single-piece structure from a sheet metal blank made of high-strength steel and has at least one region which is partly hardened and subject to increased load in the event of a crash of the motor vehicle.

Abstract: Apparatus for shaping metal sheets including a shaping tool having an forming space for receiving a metal sheet. At least one heating element is disposed in a recess of the shaping tool for heating at least a portion of the metal sheet, whereby an insulation layer is provided to insulate the heating element from neighboring walls of the shaping tool.

Abstract: Apparatus for shaping metal sheets including a shaping tool having an forming space for receiving a metal sheet. At least one heating element is disposed in a recess of the shaping tool for heating at least a portion of the metal sheet, whereby an insulation layer is provided to insulate the heating element from neighboring walls of the shaping tool.

Abstract: A side panel for a motor vehicle includes a bottom sill member, a roof panel portion, and a plurality of pillars extending between the sill member and the roof panel portion. The sill member forms with the pillars and the roof panel portion a single-piece structure from a sheet metal blank made of high-strength steel and has at least one region which is partly hardened and subject to increased load in the event of a crash of the motor vehicle.

Abstract: A side impact beam for a passenger vehicle, particularly for a vehicle door, includes a hat-shaped profiled section which is open toward the external panelling of the passenger vehicle and has at least one web facing away from the external panelling, two legs connected to the web and directed toward the external panelling and two flanges connected to the ends of the legs and facing away from each other, wherein, starting from the transverse plane in the middle of the beam, the height of the profiled section decreases continuously toward the ends of the beam provided with increased width flanges serving for securing the beam to the vehicle chassis. The height of the profiled section may decrease in accordance with a uniform or non-uniform curve pattern.

Abstract: The tubular reinforcement member (2) has a circular cross section. Compared to the end portions serving for fastening the reinforcement member to the inner side of the door, the middle portion (1) in longitudinal direction of the reinforcement member has a greater resistance against bending loads. For this purpose, at least one sheet steel strip (4) extending parallel to the longitudinal axis (3) of the reinforcement member is tangentially fastened to the periphery of the middle portion (1) in a plane extending parallel to the impact direction (5). The width (B) of the sheet steel strip (4) is overall smaller than the thickness (D) of the reinforcement member. The width (B) decreases in accordance with the bending moment pattern toward the ends of the sheet steel strip (4). The decrease in width may be linear or parabolical.