Patent ID: 7959225

Claim:
A vehicle seat having a back rest for supporting the back of a seat occupant, the backrest comprising: a seat back support assembly; a cushion attached to the seat back support assembly; a back panel that is movable between a flush position in which the back panel is secured flush to the seat back support assembly and a spaced position in which the back panel is retained in a spaced relationship relative to the seat back support panel; a torsion bar operatively connected between the back panel and the seat back support assembly, wherein the torsion bar extends generally vertically across the back panel and is secured to the seat back support assembly adjacent first and second spaced portions of the seat back support assembly that are located near a top and a bottom of the seat back support assembly, respectively, and wherein forces applied by an occupant in a collision move the back panel from the flush position to the spaced position and against the force of the torsion bar, and wherein the torsion bar resets the back panel to the flush position after the collision.