A vehicle seat provided with a seat cushion and a seat back, wherein the seat back is provided with: a urethane pad in which the surface is covered by a trim cover; and a pressure means in which a laterally extending shaft and a pair of pressing parts in the vertical direction relative to the shaft are formed on the reverse side of the urethane pad toward the side covered by the trim cover, and a configuration is adopted such that the shaft extending in the lateral direction of the pressure means rotates or swings, thereby causing the upper-side pressing part among the upper and lower pair of pressing parts to press the upper side of the urethane pad forward and the lower-side pressing part to press the lower side of the urethane pad forward.

A vehicle occupant protection device, that includes: a vehicle occupant protection control unit that, in a case in which a rear impact of the vehicle is predicted, effects control such that a seat of the vehicle approaches a rear impact protection attitude that protects a vehicle occupant from a rear impact, and that, in a case in which the vehicle is forcibly stopped, effects control such that a driver seat of the vehicle approaches closer to the rear impact protection attitude than in the case in which a rear impact of the vehicle is predicted.

A vehicle seating assembly includes a seating frame defined by a seatback frame and a seat frame. A plurality of distinct assembly modules are configured for attachment with the seating frame. The plurality of distinct assembly modules include a back cushion module, a hard back module, a seat cushion module, and a headrest module. The back cushion module and hard back module are operably coupled together. The headrest module extends over and operably couples the back cushion module with the seat cushion module to substantially encompass the seating frame. The seat cushion module is positioned on the seat frame in front of the seatback frame. First and second side trim pieces are configured to extend over the seat frame concealing side portions of the seat cushion module.

A vehicle seatback assembly includes an outer shell coupled to a seatback carrier via a releasable coupling arrangement. The releasable coupling arrangement can take various forms in order to securely couple the outer shell to the seatback carrier. A seatback frame is disposed between the seatback carrier and the outer shell in assembly. An airbag module is coupled to the seatback frame, and the releasable coupling arrangement is configured to release upon deployment of an airbag from the airbag module to define a peripheral gap between the outer shell and seatback carrier through which the airbag can be deployed.

An articulating chair and a method of using same, include at least one actuator, a programmable controller, and movable upper back, lower back and seat bottom sections. In another aspect, an articulating wheelchair and a method of using same, include a seat bottom section, a lower frame to which the seat bottom section is coupled, floor-contacting wheels rotatably coupled to the lower frame, an upper back section, a lower back section, a back frame to which the upper back section and the lower back section are movably coupled, electromagnetic actuators coupled to the back sections, a battery mounted to at least one of the frames, and a programmable controller connected to the actuators and the battery.

A method of assembling a vehicle seat assembly is provided. The method comprises the steps of providing a preassembled front seatback module and a seatback frame. The method further includes assembling a seatback assembly by coupling the front seatback module to a preassembled rear seatback module around and interconnected to the seatback frame. The method further includes providing a preassembled seat module and pivotally coupling the seat module to the seatback assembly. The assembly method further includes coupling the seat module to a seat frame, and further coupling a preassembled headrest module to an upper portion of the seatback assembly.

A mechanical lumbar system for vehicle seating. The lumbar system may be compact in size so as to require a smaller space within vehicle seating. The lumbar system may be adjustable in 4-ways. The lumbar system may be adjustable in an in and out fashion so as to decrease and increase, respectively, the amount of lumbar support. The lumbar system may be adjustable vertically so as to allow the vertical position of the lumbar support to be moved to accommodate the occupant. The lumbar system may utilize a U-shaped lower bridge member that allows the motors to be positioned vertically higher in the seat back while also allowing the lumbar support to be positioned below the motors. The legs of the lower bridge may extend below the lower frame cross member in the vehicle seat.

A vehicle seat includes seat back frame; and pressure-receiving member supported by the seat back frame. The pressure-receiving member includes pressure-receiving plate configured to receive load from back of an occupant. The seat back frame includes support hole disposed at an upper part of the seat back frame and extending through in upper-lower direction, and engagement portion disposed at a lower part of the seat back frame. The pressure-receiving member includes pressure-receiving member body including the pressure-receiving plate, upper restriction portion disposed at an upper part of the pressure-receiving member body and inserted through the support hole to restrict front-rear and lateral positions of upper portion of the pressure-receiving member body, and lower restriction portion disposed at a lower part of the pressure-receiving member body and engaged with the engagement portion to restrict upper-lower and lateral positions of a lower portion of the pressure-receiving member body.

A seat assembly having a seat back and a thoracic support mechanism. The thoracic support mechanism may have a flex plate that may be movably disposed on a support member of the seat back frame. A first actuator may flex the flex plate. A second actuator may actuate the flex plate along the support member.

In a vehicle seat, a seat back frame includes a support hole disposed at an upper part thereof and a support portion disposed at a lower part thereof, the support hole extending through the seat back frame in such a direction as to connect an upper side and a lower side thereof. A pressure-receiving member comprises a pressure-receiving member main body, an upper restriction portion, and a lower hook portion. The upper restriction portion is inserted in the support hole, thereby restricting a position of an upper part of the pressure-receiving member in front-rear and lateral directions. The lower hook portion includes a first portion extending from the lower part of the pressure-receiving member main body and protruding rearward over an upper side of the support portion, and a second portion extending from a rear end of the first portion and lying along a rear side of the support.