Patent ID: 6837540
Filing Date: 2005-01-04
Classification: B60N

Abstract:
1. A vehicle occupant restraint system provided in association with a vehicle seat for preventing a vehicle occupant from slipping forward under a seat belt in an impact situation such as a vehicle crash, comprising: a pair of fixed support members attached to either side of a seat frame at a front part of a seat bottom; an arm pivotally attached to a front end of each of said fixed support members; a cross member extending between free ends of said arms; and a power unit provided in association with at least one of said support members for actuating said arms and cross member upward so as to selectively raise a front part of said seat bottom in an impact situation such as a vehicle crash; wherein said cross member comprises a pipe member including a feature for controlling a mode of deformation of said pipe member as said pipe member is actuated upward to restrain the vehicle occupant in an impact situation.