A side airbag apparatus includes an inflator, an airbag having a main inflation portion and an auxiliary inflation portion, and a restriction portion. The main inflation portion is configured to be inflated by inflation gas supplied from the inflator and deployed forward in a space between a side wail of the vehicle and an occupant seated in a normal posture in a vehicle seat. The auxiliary inflation portion is configured to be inflated in a seat back by the inflation gas from the inflator, thereby pushing the occupant toward an inner side of the vehicle. The restriction portion restricts the auxiliary inflation portion from being inflated toward a gap that is between the rear end section in the outer side portion of the seat back and the rear end section in the middle portion of the seat back.

A seat assembly is provided with a seat back, and first and second actuators oriented in first and second regions of the seat back. A safety restraint is connected to the seat back. A controller is programmed to operate the first and second actuators to adjust the first and second regions of the seat back. The controller may adjust the safety restraint in response to the adjustment of the actuators to coordinate the adjustment of the safety restraint with the sequential posture alignment. The controller may also adjust a vehicle vision device concurrently with the actuators to coordinate the adjustment of the vehicle vision device with the sequential posture alignment. The controller may also adjust a vehicle drive control manual input device concurrently with the adjustment of the actuators to coordinate the adjustment of the vehicle drive control manual input device with the sequential posture alignment.

A vehicle includes a vehicle seat comprising a seat base structure and a seat back structure pivotally connected to the seat base structure. The seat back structure includes a central adjustable region, an inboard side adjustable region adjacent the central adjustable region and a outboard side adjustable region located adjacent the central adjustable region. The seat back structure includes a central proximity sensor located at the central adjustable region, an inboard side proximity sensor located at the inboard side adjustable region and an outboard side proximity sensor located at the outboard side adjustable region. A seat back structure adjustment apparatus includes a central region adjustable member that adjusts a configuration of the central adjustable region, an inboard side adjustable member that adjusts a configuration of the inboard side adjustable region and an outboard side adjustable member that adjusts a configuration of the outboard adjustable region.

A seat assembly is provided with a seat cushion adapted to be mounted for translation. A seat back is adapted to be pivotally mounted adjacent the seat cushion. At least one actuator is operably connected to at least one of the seat cushion and the seat back for adjustment of at least one of a plurality of settings of the seat assembly. A controller is in electrical communication with the at least one actuator and configured to: receive a data input indicative of occupant anthropometry data, receive a mode selection input indicative of a selected seat positioning mode, compare the data input with predetermined data ranges for the selected seat positioning mode, and adjust at least one of the plurality of settings of the at least one actuator to a predetermined setting based on the predetermined data range.

An actuator includes a first hinge assembly and a second hinge assembly. The actuator has a first dimension and a second dimension, the first dimension extending through the hinge assemblies. An outer skin is connected to the hinge assemblies. The outer skin defines a first actuator side, a second actuator side residing opposite the first actuator side, and a cavity. Shape-memory material (SMM) members are connected to the opposed hinge assemblies. At least one spring member is positioned within the cavity and structured to exert forces on the opposed first and second actuator sides tending to urge the sides away from each other along the second dimension. When an input is provided to the SMM members, the SMM members change their configurations and cause the actuator to morph into an activated configuration in which the first dimension decreases and the second dimension changes inversely to the first dimension.

A seating system is provided which comprises a seat movable between a standard seating position, in which the seat faces frontwards and the seat backrest is in an upright position for conventional driving mode, and at least one non-standard seating position in which the seat is rotated around a vertical axis with respect to the standard seating position and the backrest is reclined rearwards by rotation around a first transverse horizontal axis from the standard seating position. The seat is equipped with at least one passive safety device switchable between a working or active state, in which the device is able to protect an occupant of the seat in case of an impact of the vehicle, and a non-working or inactive state.

The invention relates to a vehicle seat having a backrest which comprises a backrest part and a backrest base element, the backrest part comprising a middle backrest element which is arranged pivotably on the backrest base element, wherein the backrest part comprises two lower backrest side elements and two upper backrest side elements, which are each mechanically coupled to the middle backrest element, wherein the two lower backrest side elements are arranged pivotably on the backrest base element, wherein at least one joint device is provided in each case between a lower backrest side element and an upper backrest side element, wherein a lower backrest side element and an upper backrest side element are each arranged at an angle α.sub.L, α.sub.R to one another, wherein pivoting of the middle backrest element causes a change in the angle α.sub.L, α.sub.R, wherein the joint device comprises at least one first elastic element.

The invention relates to a vehicle seat having a backrest which comprises a backrest part and a backrest base element, the backrest part comprising a middle backrest element which is arranged pivotably on the backrest base element, wherein the backrest part comprises two lower backrest side elements and two upper backrest side elements, which are each mechanically coupled to the middle backrest element, wherein the two lower backrest side elements are arranged pivotably on the backrest base element, wherein at least one joint device is provided in each case between a lower backrest side element and an upper backrest side element, wherein a lower backrest side element and an upper backrest side element are each arranged at an angle α.sub.L, α.sub.R to one another, wherein pivoting of the middle backrest element causes a change in the angle α.sub.L, α.sub.R.

A seat assembly may include a seat, a seat actuator, a sensor assembly, and an electrical control unit (ECU). The seat actuator may be configured to adjust the seat. The sensor assembly may be connected to the seat and may be configured to detect a pressure applied to the seat. The ECU may be operatively connected to the seat actuator and the sensor assembly. The ECU may be configured to reduce soft tissue stress in soft tissue of a user via adjusting the seat with the seat actuator.

A cover material, in particular a seat cover material, having an upper side and a lower side and at least one seam that runs over at least a part of the cover material and that is visible on the upper side. An electrically conductive element that generates an electric field is arranged on the lower side in the region where the seam runs.