Patent ID: 7862074

Claim:
A vehicle comprising: a vehicle body defining a passenger compartment; a first seat assembly mounted with respect to the vehicle body, said first seat assembly including a first seatback portion having a frame; a second seat assembly mounted with respect to the vehicle body rearward of the first seat assembly; an energy absorber mounted with respect to the first seatback portion and being positionable between the frame of the first seatback portion and the second seat assembly; wherein the energy absorber is a selectively inflatable restraint cushion mounted with respect to the vehicle body; wherein the cushion is selectively inflatable from a stowed configuration to a deployed configuration; wherein the cushion in the deployed configuration is between the first seatback portion and the second seat assembly; wherein the vehicle includes a third seat assembly forward of the second seat assembly and laterally positioned with respect to the first seat assembly; wherein the third seat assembly includes a second seatback portion; and wherein the cushion in the deployed configuration extends laterally such that a first portion of the cushion is directly rearward of the first seatback portion and a second portion of the cushion is directly rearward of the second seatback portion.