Press forming method and vehicle component

1. A press forming method press forming a workpiece between a die and a punch, while pushing the punch into the die by means of a relative motion of the die and the punch, the method comprising:

producing an intermediate molding having a ridge formed in a predetermined part of the workpiece, wherein the ridge is formed on a ceiling between vertical walls of the intermediate molding of the workpiece; and

press forming the intermediate molding into a final shape in order to flatten and thicken the predetermined part having the ridge formed therein, to thereby thicken and work-harden the predetermined part of the workpiece and to thin and work-harden the vertical walls.

2. The press forming method of claim 1 , comprising:

producing the intermediate molding having the ridge provided in the workpiece, and then press forming the intermediate molding to thereby flatten the predetermined part having the ridge provided therein between the die and the punch.

3. The press forming method of claim 1 , comprising:

producing the intermediate molding having the ridge provided in the workpiece, after or at the same time with press forming of the workpiece, and then press forming the intermediate molding to thereby flatten the predetermined part having the ridge provided therein between the die and the punch.

4. The press forming method of claim 1 ,

wherein the intermediate molding, produced from the workpiece so as to have an intermediate shape with a section line length 2% or more larger than a section line length of the final shape, is stamped once or more, to thereby shape the workpiece into the final shape.

5. The press forming method of claim 1 , wherein a ridge is also formed on an angular part of the intermediate molding of the workpiece.