A vehicle seat includes a seat base and a seat back which together define a first outboard seating section, a second outboard seating section, and a center seating section. A center seat back of the center seating section is defined by a service door and a removable panel provided beneath the service door in a height direction of the vehicle seat. The service door is connected to one of the seat base and the seat back at a first hinged connection. The center seat back is configured to have a fold down, service position where the service door pivoted at the first hinged connection is located above the seat base to provide access to an area rearward the seat back in a front-rear direction of the vehicle seat. The service door is prevented from moving to the fold down, service position with the panel located beneath the service door.

A seat mounting structure for at least one seat in a vehicle having a vehicle structure is provided. The seat mounting structure may have a seat rib cage configured as a universal solitary mounting bracket to which at least one seat can be affixed. The seat rib cage may have a plurality of rib cage elements connected with each other to form the seat rib cage. The seat rib cage may also have a plurality of seat mounting points for mounting the at least one seat to the seat rib cage. The seat rib cage may also have a plurality of vehicle structure mounting points for mounting the seat rib cage to the vehicle structure.

In some embodiments, an airbag module may comprise an airbag cover configured to be positioned within a vehicle seat and comprising an opening. The opening may be configured to receive a structural element of the vehicle seat therethrough, such as an armrest mount. The module may further comprise an airbag cushion positioned within the airbag cover and configured to deploy from the airbag cover such that forces from deployment of the airbag cushion are directed applied to the structural element, in some cases directing these forces to the seat frame.

An example embodiment of a system and methods for detecting and reporting whether passengers are seated and secured in their seats within a vehicle may include a passenger sensor configured to provide an output indicative of a presence of a passenger in a seat in a vehicle, a restraint sensor configured to provide an output indicative of a status of a passenger safety restraint associated with the seat, a transmitter configured to be in electronic communication with the passenger sensor and the restraint sensor and to wirelessly transmit data indicative of the presence of a passenger in the seat and the status of the restrain, and a reporting module configured to be disposed proximate a driver of the vehicle. The reporting module may be configured to receive the data from the transmitter, and output a respective status for each of a plurality of seats.

Disclosed is an armrest for a seat, which is accommodated at a lateral side of a seat cushion at a standby position and adjusted in height with respect to the seat cushion at an operation position. The armrest includes: a base disposed adjacent to the seat cushion; a first module rotatably connected to the base and configured to rotate about a first rotation axis so that a height of the first module with respect to the seat cushion is adjusted; and a second module rotatably connected to the first module and configured to rotate about a second rotation axis traversing the first rotation axis so that the second module is disposed horizontally or vertically with respect to the seat cushion.

An occupant protection apparatus includes: a vehicle seat arranged in an inner space of a side wall of a vehicle; a side airbag device provided in the side wall or the vehicle seat and including a side airbag to be inflated and deployed between the side wall and the vehicle seat. The vehicle seat includes: a pressure-receiving portion to receive a load from an occupant seated on the vehicle seat; and a frame to support the pressure-receiving portion. The occupant protection apparatus further comprising an electronic control circuit configured to perform moving the pressure-receiving portion so that the occupant is pushed away from the side wall before the occupant comes into contact with the side airbag at an activation time when the side airbag device is activated by an impact acting on the side wall from an outside of the vehicle and the side airbag is inflated and deployed.

An armrest assembly for a vehicle seat may have at least one rest element and a support element which is connected to the rest element. The rest element may be adjustable relative to the support element between at least one resting position, one stowage position and/or a plurality of comfort positions. At least one first adjustment unit may be provided and configured to hold the rest element so as to be movable in at least two degrees of freedom in each assumable and/or assumed position on the support element. A seat having the armrest assembly is also provided.

An automotive seat has a self-folding armrest to facilitate automated and complete folding of the armrest upon folding the seat. As such, at least one armrest is pivotally coupled to one side of the backrest, wherein the at least one armrest has a bottom surface. The seat comprises at least one guiding member adapted to be coupled to each side of a seat bottom where there is an armrest. The guiding member comprises an upper surface, such that folding of the backrest towards the seat bottom results in sliding of the bottom surface of the armrest over the upper surface of the guiding member. This facilitates automated folding of the armrest with respect to the backrest, without requiring any additional mechanism, and restricting contact of the armrest with a floor of the vehicle.

A forklift includes a cabin and a seat for use by a driver arranged in the cabin. The cabin has a lateral opening to enter and exit the cabin, and the seat is mounted rotatably relative to the cabin. There is a safety bracket for preventing the driver from involuntarily exiting the cabin through the lateral opening, and for providing lateral impact protection. The safety bracket is mechanically connected to the seat to be rotatable together with the seat.

The invention relates to an armrest with a support (15) for a vehicle seat (10), the support being movable by a side mechanism (27), relative to a base between a proximal and a distal position and is pivotable by a pivot assembly (28), between a first pivot position and a second pivot position, wherein the side mechanism (27) comprises a first part (16) of the base and a second part (18) on the support (15), wherein the first part (16) is connected to the second part (21) by an articulation (37).