Apparatus with actuatable tether for resisting rearward movement of a backrest portion of a seat

An apparatus comprising:

• a seat for an occupant of a vehicle, the seat including a cushion portion having a cushion frame that is mounted to the vehicle and a backrest portion having a backrest frame that is supported relative to the cushion frame;
• and
• a tether having opposite ends attached to the cushion frame and the backrest frame, respectively, the tether having a first condition extending along a first route between the cushion frame and the backrest frame and a second condition extending along a second route between the cushion frame and the backrest frame, the tether in the second condition resisting rearward movement of the backrest frame relative to the cushion frame resulting from a rearward force applied to the backrest portion, the tether being movable from the first condition to the second condition without the backrest portion moving significantly relative to the cushion portion, wherein said tether does not bias a part of the apparatus.

An apparatus comprising:

• a seat for an occupant of a vehicle, the seat including a cushion portion having a cushion frame that is mounted to the vehicle and a backrest portion having a backrest frame that is supported relative to the cushion frame;
• and
• a tether having opposite ends attached to the cushion frame and the backrest frame, respectively, the tether having a first condition extending along a first route between the cushion frame and the backrest frame and a second condition extending along a second route between the cushion frame and the backrest frame, the tether in the second condition resisting rearward movement of the backrest frame relative to the cushion frame resulting from a rearward force applied to the backrest portion, the tether being movable from the first condition to the second condition without the backrest portion moving significantly relative to the cushion portion, structure for supporting the tether in the first condition along the first route, the structure adapted to release the tether in response to the tether applying a predetermined force to the structure.

An apparatus comprising:

• a seat for an occupant of a vehicle, the seat including a cushion portion having a cushion frame that is mounted to the vehicle and a backrest portion having a backrest frame that is supported relative to the cushion frame;
• and
• a tether having opposite ends attached to the cushion frame and the backrest frame, respectively, the tether having a first condition extending along a first route between the cushion frame and the backrest frame and a second condition extending along a second route between the cushion frame and the backrest frame, the tether in the second condition resisting rearward movement of the backrest frame relative to the cushion frame resulting from a rearward force applied to the backrest portion, the tether being movable from the first condition to the second condition without the backrest portion moving significantly relative to the cushion portion, a deflection mechanism that is responsive to the rearward force applied to the backrest portion for moving the tether from the first condition to the second condition.

An apparatus comprising:

• a seat for an occupant of a vehicle, the seat including a cushion portion having a cushion frame that is mounted to the vehicle and a backrest portion having a backrest frame that is supported relative to the cushion frame;
• and
• a tether having opposite ends attached to the cushion frame and the backrest frame, respectively, the tether having a first condition extending along a first route between the cushion frame and the backrest frame and a second condition extending along a second route between the cushion frame and the backrest frame, the tether in the second condition resisting rearward movement of the backrest frame relative to the cushion frame resulting from a rearward force applied to the backrest portion, the tether being movable from the first condition to the second condition without the backrest portion moving significantly relative to the cushion portion, wherein the seat is free of a pivot mechanism between the backrest portion and the cushion portion.

An apparatus comprising:

• a seat for an occupant of a vehicle, the seat including a cushion portion having a cushion frame that is mounted to the vehicle and a backrest portion having a backrest frame that is supported relative to the cushion frame;
• and
• a tether having opposite ends attached to the cushion frame and the backrest frame, respectively, the tether having a first condition extending along a first route between the cushion frame and the backrest frame and a second condition extending along a second route between the cushion frame and the backrest frame, the tether in the second condition resisting rearward movement of the backrest frame relative to the cushion frame resulting from a rearward force applied to the backrest portion, the tether being movable from the first condition to the second condition without the backrest portion moving significantly relative to the cushion portion, wherein the backrest portion of the seat is fixed relative to the cushion portion of the seat, the tether, when in the second condition, resisting bending of the backrest frame.