Patent ID: 7311325

Claim:
A vehicle seat assembly, comprising: a frame; a seat pad adjacent the frame; a trim cover extending over the seat pad and including a first and a second portion forming a release seam adjacent the seat pad; a connector extending between the first and second portions of the trim cover at the release seam to maintain the release seam in a first, closed position; an air bag assembly mounted on the frame within the trim cover in a spaced relationship from the release seam, the air bag assembly including an inflator and a folded air bag that is inflated by the inflator to unfold and project outwardly from the seat through the release seam of the trim cover, when the air bag seam is in a second, opened position; an air bag guide including an inner panel and an outer panel, each panel having an outer extremity, the outer extremity of the inner panel being secured to the first portion of the trim cover and the outer extremity of the outer panel being secured to the second portion of the trim cover; and a member comprising a first end portion secured to the outer panel and a second end portion secured to the connector, with the member being movable in response to inflation of the air bag with sufficient force to break the connector to allow the tear seam to move to the opened position.