Abstract: A motor vehicle seat with a seat frame and a seat height adjustment device has two guide bars attached to the motor vehicle chassis. The guide bars are pivotable by a propulsion device about a horizontal axis to adjust the height of the seat in various positions of inclination. The guide bars are connected so as to resist torsion, and on the side of the seat opposite the propulsion device, a locking device which is sensitive to inertia is provided between the seat frame and the adjacent guide bar.

Abstract: The vehicle occupant protection system can significantly reduce the peak deceleration of the vehicle occupant even with a small vehicle body. The system comprises a seat fitted with a seat belt which is supported on a vehicle body so as to be slidable in a direction of an input crash load, a first actuator for applying an acceleration of a same direction as the crash load upon detection of the vehicle crash to the seat, and a second actuator for applying an acceleration of an opposite direction from the crash load with a prescribed time delay following the detection of the vehicle crash to the seat. Thus, in case of a vehicle crash or other high deceleration situations, the seat is accelerated rearward upon the occurrence of a vehicle crash by the first actuator so that the restraining capability of the seat belt is enhanced by applying to the seat a deceleration higher than the vehicle body deceleration during an early phase of the vehicle crash.

Abstract: The vehicle seat suspension system of the present invention provides an active seat suspension system responsive to conditions indicative of a collision or rollover for moving the seat downwardly to the limit of its vertical travel. The seat assembly comprises the seat, an active suspension system for maintaining an equilibrium position of the seat, sensors responsive to accident conditions for generating accident indication signals, and a seat positioning signal generator responsive to the accident indication signals for providing a seat relocation signal, where the active suspension system being responsive to the seat relocation signal for moving the seat to a retracted location.

Abstract: The vehicle occupant protection system can significantly reduce the peak deceleration of the vehicle occupant even with a small vehicle body. The system comprises a seat supported on a vehicle body so as to be slidable in a direction of an input crash load resulting from a vehicle crash; a first member connected to the seat and adapted to deform under the crash load upon occurrence of a vehicle crash; a second member connected to a main part of the vehicle body and adapted to deform under the crash load; and a stopper or an actuator for applying a forward force to the seat relative to the vehicle body with a certain time delay after the occurrence of the vehicle crash; the first member being adapted to substantially deform only after the forward force is applied to the seat upon occurrence of a vehicle crash.

Abstract: A vehicle occupant protection system (10) for helping to protect a vehicle occupant (33) during a vehicle rollover condition includes a rollover sensor (68) for sensing a vehicle rollover condition. The rollover sensor (68) provides a signal indicative of the vehicle rollover condition. The system also includes a vehicle body portion (14) defining a vehicle occupant compartment (16). The vehicle body portion (14) also includes at least one actuatable power device (44; 52; 56) for, when actuated, helping to protect the vehicle occupant (33) in a rollover condition by modifying a characteristic of the vehicle body portion (14). A controller (28) actuates the power device (44; 54; 56) in response to the rollover sensor signal.