Patent ID: 7686335

Claim:
A rollover protection system for a vehicle having a body, the rollover protection system comprising: a first rollover protection device allocated to a first vehicle seat within a row of seats; and a second rollover protection device, separate from the first rollover protection device and allocated to a second vehicle seat within the row of seats, each of the rollover protection devices including: a first module mounted to the vehicle body; a second module having a rollover element which is movable between a lowered rest position and an elevated support position; a guide device provided on the first module and operable to allow the second module to translate with respect to the first module; a selectively releasable holding device operable to hold the second module in the rest position; a locking device operable to automatically support the second module in a position deviating from its rest position against a force acting in the direction of the rest position; and a drive system having a spring force accumulator operable to move the second module from the rest position in the direction of the support position; wherein the rollover elements of the first and second rollover protection devices are arranged directly on the first and second vehicle seats respectively, and each of the first and second rollover devices are arranged in opposite directions, off-center on an outboard side of the first and second seats respectively relative to the corresponding vehicle seat, wherein top ends of each rollover element are not connected to each other and are spaced apart from each other in a manner to enable a pass through opening between the first and second rollover protection devices.