Patent ID: 7823971

Claim:
A vehicle seat comprising: a seatback frame for supporting a back of an occupant, the seatback frame having a lower cross member extending transversely across the seatback, a pair of transversely spaced upright side members extending from the lower cross member, and an upper cross member extending transversely between the side members; a pair of transversely spaced ramp modules mounted with an interference fit to the lower cross member, each ramp module having a slot inclined in a rearward direction relative to the seatback frame and an aperture spaced apart from the slot; a first link having a transverse portion pivotally received within the ramp module apertures, the first link having a pair of upright members extending from the transverse portion; a pair of second links each pivotally connected to a distal end of a respective one of the first link upright members; a pair of third links each pivotally connected to one of the second links and one of the side members; an armature extending from the seatback frame upper cross member, pivotally connected to the pair of third links and connected to the upper cross member for pivotal and linear translation relative to the upper cross member; a head restraint mounted to the armature above the seatback frame upper cross member for supporting a head of the occupant; an axle extending laterally into the slots corresponding to each of the ramp modules for translation rearward and upward relative to the seatback frame; and a torso support mounted to the axle and having a translatable connection with at least one of the links and the armature, for supporting a torso of the occupant, for receiving an input force from the occupant during an impact condition, and for distributing the input force to drive the links and the armature so that the head restraint pivots forward relative to the seatback frame and translates upward relative to the seatback frame to an actuated position.