Occupant restraint passenger seat assembly with load-sensing energy absorption feature

1. A passenger seat for a bus, the bus having a body with a seat-mounting surface, comprising:

a seat frame mountable to the seat-mounting surface;

a rear seat frame engaged with the seat frame, the rear seat frame being pivotable with respect to the seat frame;

a front frame engaged to the seat frame and located forward of the rear seat frame, the front frame having a back resting portion, the front frame is configured for translational movement with respect to the seat frame, wherein the seat frame, the rear seat frame and the front frame form the passenger seat of the bus, wherein when the front frame translates, the back resting portion does not pivot with respect to a lower portion of the front frame; and

a passenger restraint member engaged to the front frame;

wherein in a first position, the rear seat frame is generally parallel to the back resting portion in a reclined position, and in a second position, the rear seat frame pivots to an inclined position that is generally not parallel to the back resting portion such that the rear seat frame contacts the back resting portion only at an upper surface of the back resting portion;

wherein a predetermined load causes the rear seat frame to pivot forward and push the front frame to translate forward;

wherein the front frame is adapted to be a fixture of the bus.

2. The passenger seat of claim 1 further comprising a stop disposed on said seat frame, wherein said stop prevents the rearward pivoting of said rear frame.

3. The passenger seat of claim 1 further comprising an absorption device mounted on the seat frame and connected to the front frame, the absorption device having an absorption member configured to extend under rapid deceleration events.

4. The passenger seat of claim 3 wherein the absorption device comprises a spring member, an air actuator or a hydraulic actuator.

5. The passenger seat of claim 1 further comprising a stop member on the seat frame configured to engage with the front frame and impede the translational movement of the front frame.

6. The passenger seat of claim 5 wherein the stop member includes a ramped portion for impeding the translational movement of the front frame, and a recessed portion for positively receiving the front frame to prevent the reverse translational movement of the front frame.

7. A passenger seat for a bus, the bus having a body with a seat-mounting surface, comprising:

a seat frame, mountable to the seat-mounting surface;

a pivotable rear seat frame engaged with the seat frame, the rear seat frame forming a rear surface of the passenger seat, and the rear seat frame being pivotable with respect to the seat frame;

a front frame engaged to the seat frame and located forward of the rear seat frame, the front frame having a back resting portion that contacts the rear seat frame, the front frame configured for translational movement with respect to the seat frame, wherein when the front frame translates, the back resting portion does not pivot with respect to a lower portion of the front frame; and

a passenger restraint member engaged to the front frame;

wherein when the front frame translates forward, the rear frame pivots from a reclined position towards the front frame and contacts the front frame in an inclined position only at an upper surface of the back resting portion;

wherein a predetermined load causes the rear seat frame to pivot forward and push the front frame to translate forward; and

wherein the front frame is adapted to be a fixture of the bus.