Patent attributes
A vehicle seat and integrated side impact protection system includes a seat bottom, a seat back movably attached to the seat bottom, and a fold-flat mechanism within a lower portion of the seat back for permitting movement of the seat back between a seating configuration and a fold-flat configuration. An airbag module is located within an upper portion of the seat back adjacent the outboard side thereof and includes a side airbag and an inflator supplying inflation gasses. A lap belt extends between inboard and outboard sides of the seat and has an inflatable portion adjacent the outboard side of the seat. A gas conduit extends between the airbag module and the lap belt for conducting gasses released by the inflator to the inflatable portion of the lap belt. The gas conduit has a flexible portion permitting folding movement of the seat back.