Integrated side airbag and inflatable belt

A vehicle seat and integrated side impact protection system comprising:

• a seat comprising a seat bottom, a seat back movably attached to the seat bottom, and a folding mechanism disposed within a lower portion of the seat back for enabling movement of the seat back relative to the seat bottom between a seating configuration and a fold-flat configuration, the seat having an outboard side and an inboard side;
• an airbag module disposed within an upper portion of the seat back adjacent the outboard side thereof and comprising a side airbag and an inflator supplying gasses to inflate the side airbag;
• a lap belt extending between the inboard and the outboard sides of the seat and having a belt airbag adjacent an outboard end of the lap belt disposed adjacent the outboard side of the seat;
• and
• a gas conduit extending between the airbag module and the lap belt for conducting gasses supplied by the inflator to the belt airbag, the gas conduit having at least one flexible portion to permit movement of the seat back between the seating configuration and the fold-flat configuration.

A side-impact protection system for use in combination with a vehicle seat comprising a seat bottom and a seat back attached to the seat bottom for movement between a seating configuration and a fold-flat configuration, the system comprising:

• an airbag module mountable to the seat back adjacent an outboard side thereof and comprising a side airbag and an inflator supplying gasses to inflate the side airbag;
• a lap belt usable in combination with the seat and having a belt airbag adjacent a first end of the lap belt adapted to be secured to the vehicle adjacent an outboard side of the seat;
• and
• a gas conduit conducting a portion of the gasses supplied by the inflator to the belt airbag, the gas conduit having at least one flexible portion to permit folding movement of the seat back between the seating configuration and the fold-flat configuration.