Patent ID: 7240915

Claim:
A seating system for an automotive vehicle, comprising: a seat cushion attached to a frame mounted upon a vehicle floorpan; a seatback mounted to said seat cushion frame; and an airbag-based composite occupant reaction surface, comprising: a side airbag mounted to an outboard portion of said seatback, with said side airbag having an occupant reaction surface with a vertical midpoint, an uppermost portion and a lowermost portion; an upper reaction member comprising a fabric panel having a first linear edge attached to an upper portion of said seatback and a second linear edge attached to said reaction surface of said airbag at a location which is mediate said vertical midpoint and the uppermost portion of said airbag; and a lower reaction member comprising a fabric panel having a first linear edge attached to a lower portion of said seatback and a second linear edge attached to said reaction surface of said airbag at a location which is mediate said vertical midpoint and said lowermost portion of said airbag.