Reinforcement components for vehicles

Abstract

The present disclosure discloses a reinforcement member (10) for a vehicle. The member includes a first component (1) made of steel and a second component (2) secured to a portion of the first component. The second component is made of a reinforced polymer. The reinforcement member having the combination of the second component and the first component is configured to absorb impact energy. The reinforcement member (10) of the present disclosure differs from conventional reinforcement members in that it is light in weight and is configured to absorb / attenuate significantly higher impact energy than conventional beams.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The following specification particularly describes the nature of the present invention and the manner in which the present invention is to be implemented.

[0002] This disclosure relates to the field of automobiles. This disclosure particularly, but not exclusively, relates to components for absorbing impact energy in a vehicle. Further embodiments of the present disclosure disclose the configuration of a reinforcement member for absorbing impact energy during a side collision of a vehicle.

Background Art

[0003] Vehicles are generally configured to include various support structures for an engine, wheels, suspension, bumpers, doors, and other related components. These support structures can include members that are generally aligned with the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and these members can extend substantially transverse to the longitudinal members or at an oblique angle to these axes. The support structures surrounding and supporting the engine compartment can ultimately be connected to various structures that define the vehicle cabin. These cabin support structures can generally include a vertical door hinge pillar, an A pillar extending from the door hinge pillar to the roof of the vehicle, a cross beam extending laterally, a floor pan extending across the width of the vehicle, and a rocker member extending rearward from the bottom of the hinge pillar.

[0004] The support structures described above provide support for various vehicle components as well as for external structures attached thereto. Examples of vehicle components include an engine, a transmission, a radiator, a suspension, wheels, etc. Examples of external structures include a door, a roof, a front glass, a floor panel, a hood, etc. In addition to providing support for various vehicle parts, the support structures also act to protect vehicle occupants in the event of a collision such as a frontal collision, a rear collision, a side collision, an oblique collision, etc.

[0005] In ongoing efforts to improve passenger safety in vehicles, impact beams have been developed for use in various parts of the vehicle, such as side doors. Typically, the beams include structural steel members that extend longitudinally within the vertically extending wall of the vehicle door. Traditionally, these structural steel members have been made from sheet metal in various cross-sectional configurations, most commonly hat-shaped cross-sections. Straight tubular beams with various end fittings are also used as structural steel members. Despite efforts to improve impact absorption, weight and cost considerations are also important in maintaining the efficiency and economics of the vehicle.

[0006] Furthermore, vehicle safety standards specify that impact beams must meet specific load or energy absorption criteria for designated lateral displacements of components within the vehicle. Such criteria include door displacement in response to a side impact on the vehicle. Known side door impact beam assemblies used in vehicles are satisfactory in use and meet these safety criteria, but ongoing efforts are being made to reduce the weight and / or cost of these impact beam assemblies without sacrificing protection or energy absorption. In addition to the hat-shaped and straight-tubular beam configurations most commonly used in vehicles, various configurations have been experimented with to improve side impact beams. Modifications to the hat-shaped and straight-tubular shapes have not been commonly used due to cost and manufacturing difficulties.

[0007] This disclosure is intended to overcome one or more of the above limitations or any other limitations relating to the prior art.

[0008] The information disclosed in the Background section of this disclosure is intended solely to enhance understanding of the general background of the present invention and should not be construed as an acknowledgment or any form of proposal forming prior art already known to those skilled in the art. [Overview of the project]

[0009] One or more drawbacks of conventional assemblies are overcome by the claimed assembly and method, and further advantages are provided by the provision of the claimed assembly and method in this disclosure.

[0010] Further features and advantages are realized by the technology of this disclosure. Other embodiments and aspects of this disclosure are described in detail herein and are considered to be part of the claimed disclosure.

[0011] In one non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure, a reinforcing member for a vehicle is disclosed. The member comprises a first component made of steel and a second component fixed to a portion of the first component. The second component is made of a reinforcing polymer. The reinforcing member having a combination of the second component and the first component is configured to absorb impact energy.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the steel is a hot-stamped boron steel. The hot-stamped boron steel is a 22MnB5 grade boron steel. In another embodiment of the present invention, the steel is an advanced high-strength steel selected from the group of advanced high-strength steels such as DP780, DP980, or composite phase steels having suitable formability.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the reinforcing polymer is at least one of glass fiber-reinforced polymers and carbon fiber-reinforced polymers. The reinforcing polymer is formed by orienting the fibers to a predetermined orientation. The predetermined orientation of the fibers is one of 0 / 0 orientation, 0 / 90 orientation, 30 / -30 orientation, 90 / 90 orientation, and 60 / -60 orientation.

[0014] In one embodiment, the second component is fixed to a substantially central portion of the first component. The second component is fixed to the first component so as to cover an area ranging from 60% to 90% of the first component. The second component is fixed to a portion of the first component by a joining process.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a first component is defined by flanges at both ends. The flanges are configured to secure the first component to a part of a vehicle.

[0016] In one embodiment of this disclosure, the reinforcing member is a door intrusion beam of a vehicle.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the shape of the first component complements the shape of the second component. The shapes of the first and second components are corrugated.

[0018] In another non-limiting embodiment, a method for manufacturing a reinforcing member is disclosed. This method includes fixing a first component made of steel of predetermined dimensions to a second component made of a reinforcing polymer by a bonding process.

[0019] In yet another non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure, a vehicle door is disclosed. The vehicle door includes an inner panel and an outer panel, the outer panel being connectable to the inner panel such that the inner panel and the outer panel define a door well between the inner panel and the outer panel. The vehicle door includes a door intrusion beam connectable to at least one of the inner panel and the outer panel and extending into the door well. The door intrusion beam includes a first component made of steel and a second component fixed to a portion of the first component. The second component is made of a reinforced polymer. The door intrusion beam having the combination of the second component and the first component is configured to absorb impact energy.

[0020] It should be understood that the aspects and embodiments of this disclosure described above may be used in any combination. Some of the aspects and embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of this disclosure.

[0021] The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be limiting in any way. In addition to the exemplary aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] The novel features and characteristics of the present disclosure are set forth in the appended claims. However, the present disclosure itself, as well as its preferred modes of use, further objects, and advantages, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Here, one or more embodiments are described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, and like reference numerals represent like elements. [Figure 1] A perspective view of a vehicle door showing a reinforcement member according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 2] An exemplary schematic view of the reinforcement member of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 3] An exemplary view of the reinforcement member of FIG. 2 analyzed using an impactor is shown. [Figure 4] An exemplary view of the deformed reinforcement member after being analyzed using the impactor of FIG. 3 is shown.

[0023] The drawings show embodiments of the present disclosure for purposes of illustration only. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods shown herein may be used without departing from the principles of the present disclosure described in the following description.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0024] The above provides a general overview of the features and technical advantages of the Disclosure so that the detailed description of the Disclosure below may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the Disclosure that form the subject matter of the claims of the Disclosure are described below. Those skilled in the art will understand that the concepts and specific embodiments disclosed may be readily used as a basis for modifying or designing other structures to accomplish the same objectives of the Disclosure. Those skilled in the art will also understand that such equivalent processes will not deviate from the intent and scope of the Disclosure as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features that are considered to be features of the Disclosure will be better understood from the following description when considered in relation to the appended drawings, along with further objectives and advantages, both in terms of their configuration and operation. However, it should be clearly understood that each of the drawings is provided for illustrative and explanatory purposes only and is not intended to define the limitations of the Disclosure. The aspects of the Disclosure generally described herein and shown in the drawings may be arranged, substituted, combined, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are expressly intended herein and form part of the Disclosure.

[0025] Embodiments of this disclosure disclose structural members (also referred to herein as reinforcement members) for use in vehicles. Structural members may be used to reinforce critical zones of a vehicle to improve occupant safety in the vehicle. Critical zones of a vehicle may include the front and rear portions of the vehicle (also known as impact absorption (crumple) zones) and the side portions (including doors). Reinforcement members may be configured to absorb / attenuate impact energy in the event of a collision. Furthermore, reinforcement members of the present invention may be manufactured in accordance with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS). For example, structural members may be manufactured to meet / exceed the guidelines specified in FMVSS No. 214. Unlike conventional reinforcement members, structural members of the present disclosure may be lightweight. The lightweight nature of structural members reduces the overall weight of the vehicle, thereby ensuring better efficiency. Furthermore, the impact absorption / attenuation of reinforcement members of the present disclosure may be significantly higher than that of conventional reinforcement structures.

[0026] In one embodiment, the reinforcement member of the present disclosure can be configured to attenuate collision energy and improve the safety of the occupant. The reinforcement member of the present disclosure can include a first component made of steel. In one embodiment, a metal forming process such as a hot stamping process can be used to form the steel into a pre-defined structure. The steel used in the present disclosure can be hot-stamped boron steel of grade 22MnB5. In another embodiment, the steel used can be an advanced high strength steel [AHSS] such as, but not limited to, DP780 steel and DP980 steel (DP-dual phase). Further, the first component may have a corrugated shape, and both ends of the first component may be defined by flanges. The flanges can help fix the first component to a part of the vehicle body. The reinforcement member can further include a second component fixed to a part of the first component. The second component can be made of a material such as a reinforced polymer. The second component of the present disclosure can be made of a glass fiber reinforced polymer. In one embodiment, the second component may also be made of a carbon fiber reinforced polymer. The second component can be fixed to the first component by a joining process. Thus, the combination of the first component and the second component can be configured to attenuate / absorb collision energy when the vehicle is involved in a collision.

[0027] As used herein, the terms "comprises...a", "comprising", or any other variation thereof, is intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that an assembly including a list of components or steps does not include only those components or steps but may include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such construction or method. In other words, one or more elements in an assembly following "comprises...a" do not, without further limitation, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the assembly.

[0028] Hereafter, this disclosure will be described using one or more figures of exemplary embodiments. However, such exemplary embodiments should not be construed as limiting this disclosure.

[0029] The following paragraphs describe the present disclosure with reference to Figures 1 and 3. In the figures, elements that are the same or have a similar function are indicated by the same reference numerals. For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the principles of the present disclosure, specific embodiments shown in the drawings are then described with reference to them using specific language. Nevertheless, it should be understood that this is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, and such modifications and further alterations in the exemplary methods, as well as such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated herein, are intended to be as commonly conceived by those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

[0030] The following detailed description is essentially illustrative and not intended to limit its use or application. Furthermore, it is not intended to be bound by any theories presented in the preceding “Background Art” or “Summary of the Invention” or in the following detailed description. It should be understood that various alternative orientations and steps may be assumed in this disclosure unless expressly otherwise specified. It should also be understood that certain devices or components shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the following specification are merely illustrative embodiments of the concept of the invention as defined in the accompanying “Claims.” Accordingly, certain dimensions or other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments that may be disclosed should not be considered limiting unless expressly stated otherwise in the “Claims.” Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. There are several specific terms, such as “top,” “bottom,” “right,” or “left,” “vertical,” or “horizontal,” and other terms, including these specific terms and directed to certain orientations of assemblies shown in the drawings, but the purpose of using these terms or words is solely to facilitate understanding of this disclosure with reference to the drawings. Therefore, it should be noted that the meanings of these terms or words are not intended to unduly limit the technical scope of this disclosure.

[0031] Representative reinforcing members [alternatively also called structural members] [as shown in Figure 1] that embody the concepts of this disclosure are generally indicated by the number (10) in the accompanying drawings. The following description may be made in reference to a vehicle door (100) employing the reinforcing member (10) [hereinafter also referred to as the door intrusion beam (10)]. However, this should not be construed as a limitation of this disclosure, as those skilled in the art can employ it to reinforce other important and non-important zones within a vehicle. Furthermore, for illustrative and simplified purposes, the figures show a passenger car door. However, this should not be construed as a limitation, as it can be employed in the doors of any vehicle, including passenger cars, commercial vehicles, etc.

[0032] Referring to Figure 1, a vehicle door (100) adapted to be hinged to the vehicle body is shown. The vehicle door (100) [hereinafter referred to as the door (100)] includes an outer panel [not shown], an inner panel (101), and metal front and rear end walls to which the outer panel and inner panel (101) are joined by a thermal bonding process such as welding. In one embodiment, the inner panel (101) and the outer panel may be made of a metallic material. The outer panel, inner panel (101), and end walls define a door well (102) between them. To structurally reinforce the door (100) against side impacts, a reinforcing member (10) may be mounted substantially horizontally within the door well (102) and fixed to the end wall to form a protective barrier across the door (100). The reinforcing member may also be referred to as a side impact door intrusion beam (10) designed to absorb impact energy acting on the vehicle door (100). According to this disclosure, the door intrusion beam (10) provides a reduction in the weight of the door assembly and a reduction in manufacturing costs by using less expensive materials while maintaining vehicle safety standards.

[0033] The door intrusion beam (10) of the present disclosure generally includes a first component (1) having a predetermined cross-sectional configuration and flanges (3) fixed to or integrally formed with both ends of the first component (1). The flanges (3) facilitate the connection of the reinforcing beam (10) to the door (100). Specifically, the flanges (3) are thermally or mechanically joined to the end walls of the door (100) such that the reinforcing member (10) extends substantially horizontally across the door well (102) [as shown in Figure 1].

[0034] The first component (1) of the reinforcing member (10) [as shown in Figure 2] may be made of steel. The steel used in the manufacture of the first component (1) may be advanced high-strength steel [AHSS] or hot-stamped boron steel. In one embodiment, the AHSS may be at least one of DP780 steel, DP980 steel, etc. In a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the steel used in the manufacture of the first component (1) may be hot-stamped boron steel. The hot-stamped boron steel used in the manufacture of the first component (1) may be of 22MnB5 grade. In one embodiment, the shape of the first component (1) may be corrugated. In another embodiment, the shape of the first component (1) may resemble an M shape. However, the shape of the first component (1) should not be construed as a limitation of the present disclosure, and any modification to the shape of the first component (1) may form part of the present disclosure.

[0035] Furthermore, the reinforcing member (10) may include a second component (2). The second component (2) may be fixed to a portion of the first component (1). In one embodiment, the second component (2) may be fixed to the first component (1) by a bonding process, but is not limited thereto. The adhesive used in the bonding process may be an industrial-grade adhesive such as betamate2096, but is not limited thereto. Any such adhesive may also be used in the bonding process, and the adhesives described or illustrated above should not be construed as limitations of this disclosure. In one embodiment, the second component (2) may be fixed to the first component (1) in a substantially central portion. In some embodiments, the first component (1) and the second component (2) may be stacked in a predetermined order to achieve the desired result. The second component (2) may cover 60% to 90% of the first component (1). In one embodiment, the shape of the second component (2) complements the shape of the first component (1). The shape of the second component (2) may also be a waveform.

[0036] The second component (2) may be made of a reinforcing polymer. In preferred embodiments, the reinforcing polymer used in this disclosure may be a glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP). In some embodiments, the second component (2) may be made of a carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP). Table 1 shows the materials for producing the second component (2) of the reinforcing member (10) and combinations thereof of the first component (1) and the second component (2). In one embodiment, the reinforcing polymer [i.e., GFRP and CFRP] may be formed by orienting fibers (i.e., glass fibers / carbon fibers) to a predetermined orientation. In some embodiments, the forming method includes, but is not limited to, thermosetting or vacuum injection processes. The predetermined orientation of the fibers can significantly alter the energy absorption of the reinforcing member (10). Various fiber orientations and their combinations may be provided in Table 2 of this disclosure. The predefined orientations of fibers for forming the reinforcing polymer include 0 / 0 orientation, 0 / 90 orientation, 30 / -30 orientation, 90 / 90 orientation, and 60 / -60 orientation.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment, a first component (1) made of hot-stamped boron steel and a second component (2) made of glass fiber reinforced polymer [GFRP] may be configured as a reinforcing member (10) to dampen / absorb impact energy in the event of a vehicle collision. The combination of the first component (1) and the second component (2) satisfies the guidelines of FMVSS214.

[0038] To further understand this disclosure, exemplary experimental analyses of the reinforcing member (10) may be shown below.

[0039] Exemplary experimental analysis The following paragraphs may show exemplary experimental results illustrating a reinforcing member (10) and a test setup for testing the energy absorption of the reinforcing member (10). Referring to Figure 3, a test setup for testing the energy absorption efficiency of the reinforcing member (10) of the present disclosure is shown. The reinforcing member (10) for energy absorption analysis is formed by joining a first component (1) with a thickness of 0.7 mm and a second component (2) with a thickness of 2.64 mm. As shown in Figure 3, the simulation takes into account the cut-off end of the door edge, with the reinforcing member (10) firmly attached. An impactor (I) with a radius of 100 mm and a length of 200 mm is struck against the reinforcing member (10) at a speed of 55 km / h. As shown in Figure 4, the reinforcing member (10) may deform after being struck by the impactor. In Figure 4, the load distribution on the reinforcing member (10) when the impactor (I) strikes may be shown by simulation. The force and displacement of the reinforcing member (10) are measured and the energy absorption is calculated. To optimize energy absorption and reduce the weight of the reinforcing member, various combinations of its first component (1) and second component (2) were analyzed [as shown in Table 2]. For example, combinations of the first component (1) and second component (2) for the reinforcing member may include a combination of hot-stamped boron steel and GFRP. The energy absorption of the above combination for the reinforcing member (10) increased by only 16.6% to 1.45 kJ and the weight decreased by only 12% to 1.174 kg compared to a reinforcing member made entirely of hot-stamped boron steel.

[0040] [Table 1]

[0041] Table 1 shows a comparison of simulation study results for various combinations of the first component (1) and the second component (2). As can be seen from Table 1, fixing the entire first component (1) to the second component (2) can increase energy absorption but does not help reduce weight. In contrast, fixing only a portion of the first component (1) to the second component (2) significantly increases energy absorption and ensures that the weight of the combination of the first component (1) and the second component (2) can be reduced (by only about 12%). The table also shows the energy absorption for various combinations of the first and second components (1 and 2), such as steel-GFRP, GFRP-steel-GFRP, and steel-GFRP-steel-GFRP combinations that can be used to manufacture the beam. Similar results at thinner thicknesses can also be achieved using CFRP-steel combinations.

[0042] [Table 2]

[0043] [Table 3]

[0044] Tables 2 and 3 may show the effect of fiber orientation in the molding of the reinforcing polymer to form the second component (2). Table 2 shows an analysis of fiber orientation in the second component (2) having DP780 steel as the first component (1), and Table 3 shows an analysis of fiber orientation in the second component (2) having hot-stamped boron steel as the first component (1). Fiber orientation significantly affects the energy absorption of the reinforcing beam (10). Therefore, the second component (2) can be formed by selecting a fiber orientation that allows for optimal energy absorption. As can be seen from Tables 2 and 3, the 0 / 0 (longitudinal) orientation shows maximum energy absorption during bending, and the 60 / -60 orientation shows minimum energy absorption.

[0045] Unlike conventional reinforcing members, the reinforcing member (10) of this disclosure can be made lighter in weight. In one embodiment, the reinforcing member (10) may be configured to absorb / attenuate significantly higher energy than conventional systems. Advantageously, by employing the reinforcing member (10) of this disclosure, the total weight of the vehicle can be reduced without compromising occupant safety.

[0046] Those skilled in the art will understand that they can develop assemblies of similar configurations without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Such modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Accordingly, this disclosure is intended to encompass such modifications and variations if they fall within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0047] Equivalents With regard to the use of substantially any plural and / or singular terms herein, those skilled in the art can convert from plural to singular and / or singular to plural as appropriate to the context and / or use. Various singular / plural substitutions may be explicitly stated herein for clarity.

[0048] In general, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the terms used herein are generally intended to be “open” terms (for example, the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” and the term “includes” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” etc.). Where a particular number of claims introduced is intended, such intent will be explicitly stated in the claim, and where such statement is absent, it will be further understood by those skilled in the art that no such intent exists. For example, this may include the use of introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claims, as an aid to understanding the explanation. However, the use of such phrases should not be interpreted as meaning that the introduction of a claim by the indefinite article "a" or "an" limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim content to an invention containing only one such description (for example, "a" and / or "an" should typically be interpreted as meaning "at least one" or "one or more"), even if the same claim contains the introductory phrase "one or more" or "at least one" and an indefinite article such as "a" or "an"), and the same applies to the use of definite articles used to introduce claim content. In addition, even if a specific number of introduced claim content is explicitly stated, a person skilled in the art will recognize that such content should typically be interpreted as meaning at least the number stated (for example, the literal statement "two descriptions" without other modifiers typically means at least two descriptions or two or more descriptions). Furthermore, when a rule similar to “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, such a structure is generally intended in a sense that a person skilled in the art would understand the rule (for example, “a system having at least one of A, B, and C” includes, but is not limited to, a system having only A, only B, only C, both A and B, both A and C, both B and C, and / or a system having both A, B, and C).Where rules similar to “at least one of A, B, or C” are used, such structures are generally intended in a sense that a person skilled in the art would understand the rule (for example, “a system having at least one of A, B, or C” includes, but is not limited to, A only, B only, C only, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and / or a system having A, B, and C together). A person skilled in the art will further understand that virtually all disjunct words and / or disjunct phrases presenting two or more alternative terms in either a description or a drawing should be understood as contingent on the possibility of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both of the terms. For example, the phrase “A or B” will be understood to include the possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B”.

[0049] While various aspects and embodiments are disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit, and the true scope and spirit are set forth in the description. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] [Table 4]

Claims

1. A reinforcing member (10) for a vehicle, A first component (1) made of steel, The present invention comprises a second component (2) fixed to a portion of the first component (1), which is made of a reinforcing polymer, and the reinforcing polymer is formed by orienting the fibers to at least one of 0 / 0 orientation, 0 / 90 orientation, 30 / -30 orientation, 90 / 90 orientation, and 60 / -60 orientation, The reinforcing member (10), having a combination of the second component (2) and the first component (1), is configured to absorb impact energy.

2. The member (10) according to claim 1, wherein the steel is hot-stamped boron steel.

3. The member (10) according to claim 2, wherein the hot-stamped boron steel is 22MnB5 grade boron steel.

4. The member (10) according to claim 1, wherein the steel is an advanced high-strength steel [AHSS] selected from the group including DP780 steel and DP980 steel.

5. The member (10) according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing polymer is at least one of glass fiber reinforced polymer [GFRP] and carbon fiber reinforced polymer [CFRP].

6. The member (10) according to claim 1, wherein the second component (2) is fixed to the central portion of the first component (1).

7. The member (10) according to claim 1, wherein the second component (2) is fixed to the first component (1) such that it covers an area of ​​the first component (1) in the range of 60% to 90% of the first component (1).

8. The member (10) according to claim 1, wherein the second component (2) is fixed to the portion of the first component (1) by a joining process.

9. The member (10) according to claim 1, wherein the first component (1) is defined by flanges (3) at both ends, and the flanges (3) are configured to fix the first component (1) to a part of the vehicle.

10. The member (10) according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing member (10) is a door intrusion beam of a vehicle.

11. The member (10) according to claim 1, wherein the external shape of the first component (1) complements the external shape of the second component (2).

12. The member (10) according to claim 1, wherein the outer shapes of the first component (1) and the second component (2) are corrugated.

13. A method for manufacturing the structural reinforcing member (10) described in claim 1, A method comprising fixing a first component (1) made of steel of predetermined dimensions to a second component (2) of a reinforcing polymer by a bonding process.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the steel is an advanced high-strength steel [AHSS] selected from the group including boron steel, DP780 steel, and DP980 steel.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the steel is hot-stamped boron steel.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the hot-stamped boron steel is 22MnB5 grade boron steel.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the reinforcing polymer is at least one of glass fiber reinforced polymer [GFRP] and carbon fiber reinforced polymer [CFRP].

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein the reinforcing polymer is formed by orienting fibers to a predetermined orientation.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the predefined orientation is at least one of 0 / 0 orientation, 0 / 90 orientation, 30 / -30 orientation, 90 / 90 orientation, and 60 / -60 orientation.

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