Patent ID: 7850235

Claim:
A vehicle seat comprising: a frame for supporting a back of an occupant and adapted to be mounted within a vehicle, the frame having a first side member and a second side member spaced apart from the first side member and interconnected by a cross member; a head restraint supported by the frame, the head restraint being moveable relative to the frame to an extended position to provide support to a head of the occupant during an impact condition; an active head restraint system operatively connected to the head restraint for moving the head restraint to the extended position when the active head restraint system is actuated; a sheath fixed at a first end proximate the active head restraint system and at a second end upon the second side member; an inner cable within the sheath, connected to the active head restraint system to translate within the sheath; and an impact member extending substantially across the space between the first and second side members and having a first end pivotally connected to the first side member, an intermediate portion extending across a lumbar region and a second end attached to the inner cable and supported thereby to translate relative to the second side member upon receiving an input force from the occupant in response to the impact condition for consequently displacing the inner cable and actuating the active head restraint system.