Patent ID: 7178826

Claim:
A vehicle seat comprising a back rest having an upper end and a lower end and a gas bag module integrated into said back rest, said back rest extending in an upward direction and having an upward length measured between the upper and lower ends of said back rest, said gas bag module including a gas bag and an inflator, said gas bag when installed being arranged within said back rest so as to extend in said upward direction of said back rest throughout substantially the entire height of said back rest, said gas bag when arranged within said back rest being one of folded and rolled up transversely to said upward direction, said gas bag having an upper end and a lower end, said gas bag, when arranged within said back rest and uninflated, comprising a flexible package, the flexible package extending from said inflator along i) said inflator, ii) said upward direction of the back rest from said inflator and terminating adjacent the upper end of the back rest, and iii) from an opposite lower end of said inflator opposite said upward direction of the back rest and terminating adjacent the lower end of the back rest, and said gas bag, when inflated, extending along the upward length of the back rest between the lower end of the back rest and the upper end of the back rest, a height of said gas bag when inflated corresponding substantially to said upward length of said back rest, said gas bag when inflated having a portion facing in the direction transversely to said upward direction of said back rest, said portion terminating at the gas bag upper end adjacent the back rest upper end and terminating at the gas bag lower end adjacent the back rest lower end.