Patent ID: 8240758

Claim:
A metallic seat pan comprising: a rear buttocks supporting portion; and a front femoral supporting portion including a deformable anti-submarining beam extending laterally across the front femoral supporting portion from a first lateral side of the front femoral supporting portion to a second lateral side of the front femoral supporting portion opposite the first lateral side, the deformable anti-submarining beam being configured and arranged relative to the rear buttocks supporting portion to restrict movement of an occupant's buttocks in a longitudinal direction from the rear buttocks supporting portion towards the front femoral supporting portion, the deformable anti-submarining beam having a prescribed rigidity that resists deformation, the prescribed rigidity being set to a prescribed deformation limit that reduces spinal compression of an occupant by deforming when the occupant's buttocks applies a deformation force in the longitudinal direction that exceeds the prescribed deformation limit, the deformable anti-submarining beam including at least one cut-out that facilitates deformation, the at least one cut-out being centered between and spaced apart from the first and second lateral sides of the front femoral supporting portion.