Patent ID: 7543847

Claim:
A vehicle seat assembly with a frame, a trim cover extending at least partially over a seat pad and including a first and a second end portion to form a release seam, a brace extending between the first and second end portions of the trim cover at the release seam to maintain the release seam in a closed position before air bag deployment, an air bag assembly at least partially within the trim cover, the air bag assembly being in a spaced relationship from the air bag release seam, the air bag assembly housing an inflator and an air bag that is inflated by the inflator to unfold and project outwardly from the seat through the air bag release seam when the air bag seam is at least partially ruptured, the vehicle seat assembly comprising: a spinnaker-shaped reinforcement panel with an anchored edge portion secured to the frame and a leading nose portion attached to the release seam, the spinnaker-shaped reinforcement panel passing at least partially around a side of the air bag assembly, and around a padded region positioned adjacent to a side of the air bag assembly, the leading nose portion of the spinnaker-shaped reinforcement panel being movable in response to inflation of the air bag with sufficient force to rupture the release seam, thereby opening the release seam and allowing the air bag to pass therethrough.