Vehicle seat having a side airbag deployment strap

A seat assembly for supporting an occupant in a passenger compartment of an automotive vehicle, said seat assembly comprising:

• a seat back for supporting the back of the occupant, the seat back comprising:
• an airbag module having an inflatable airbag;
• a foam pad;
• a frame supporting the airbag module and the foam pad;
• a bracket attached to the frame;
• a trim cover covering the airbag module, foam pad and frame, the trim cover having a first seam through which the airbag can deploy during operation of the airbag module, the trim cover having a second seam spaced apart from the first seam;
• a plurality of straps interconnecting the trim cover to the frame to prevent stretching of the trim cover during deployment of the airbag and to direct the energy associated with the deployment of the airbag toward the first seam, a first strap of the plurality of straps having a first end fixedly secured to the trim cover along one side of the first seam and a second strap of the plurality of straps having a first end fixedly secured to the trim cover along an opposite side of the first seam, the airbag module being disposed and operable to deploy between the first strap and the second strap and through the first seam, and a third strap of the plurality of straps having a first end fixedly secured to the trim cover along the second seam;
• wherein the first strap, the second strap and the third strap each have a second end fixedly secured to the bracket.