Patent ID: 7350803

Claim:
A side airbag system for a vehicle, comprising: a seatback frame having a front side and a rear side both in a lengthwise direction of the vehicle, said seatback frame further including an outboard side in a widthwise direction of the vehicle; an airbag module disposed adjacent to said outboard side of said seatback frame and extending substantially outboard therefrom, said airbag module including an airbag and an inflator device positioned for deploying said airbag substantially forward; and a rear cover panel coupled to said seatback frame, said rear cover panel having a panel portion for covering said rear side of said seatback frame, said rear cover panel further including a flange portion for covering both said airbag module and said outboard side of said seatback frame, wherein said seatback frame has a mounting bracket coupled thereto for attaching said airbag module to said seatback frame, with said inflator device being coupled to said mounting bracket and positioned so as to deploy said airbag substantially forward.