Patent ID: 7695015

Claim:
A vehicle including a system for preventing injury to an occupant's head and/or neck during a rear impact, comprising: a support structure which supports the occupant including an upper body support portion for supporting the occupant's head and/or neck, said upper body support portion being movable relative to a remaining portion of said support structure and in a direction toward a rear of the occupant, said support structure having a plurality of different positions, said upper body support portion being partially deformable to support a neck and/or head of the occupant during the rear impact, said upper body support portion having an outer surface facing a rear of the occupant's head and neck and which is adapted to come into contact with the occupant's head and/or neck, said upper body support portion including a pre-inflated bag that is pre-inflated with fluid during normal use and is configured or arranged to enable movement of the fluid within or out of said pre-inflated bag after contact by the occupant's head and/or neck against said upper body support portion, and a positioning system which adjusts the position of said upper body support portion of said support structure prior to movement of the occupant toward said support structure arising from the rear impact such that said outer surface of said upper body support portion is closer to the occupant's head and neck during the rear impact to thereby reduce the distance between the rear of the occupant's head and neck and said outer surface of said upper body support portion, wherein said positioning system is arranged to adjust the position of said support structure based on a determined position of the occupant's head and/or neck.