A side support device in a seat back of an automotive seat, which is mounted at one lateral frame section of a seat back frame within the seat back, is of such a structure that a motor and associated transmissions are disposed adjacently along the inward side of that one lateral frame section of seat back frame, and that a drive mechanism is also disposed along the same one lateral frame section of seat back frame for causing a pair of side support frames to be moved inwardly toward and outwardly away from each other. The drive mechanism includes a lead screw and a nut member in threaded engagement therewith, such that both of them are disposed vertically relative to the seat back frame. Thus, the motor, drive mechanism and related elements are located in the seat back at a point free from contact with the body of a passenger on the seat.

Child seat of the type comprising a bucket 2 equipped with a sitting part and with a back part and intended to be placed on and fastened to an automobile seat 4, characterized in that two lateral frame elements 40 are mounted respectively on either side of the bucket 2 on upper 41 and lower 42 axles integral with the bucket 2 and arranged in a vertical plane, so as to define two armrest reinforcements pivoting between a position in which they are moved close to one another and a position in which they are moved away from one another, the pivoting of the two lateral frame elements being controlled simultaneously by a single control member 52 mounted on the front 5a of the sitting part 5.

A child seat apparatus such as a child safety seat for an automobile has head guards forwardly extending from both side edges of a backrest portion. The head guards are mounted on the backrest portion to be rotatable about axes extending substantially parallel to the direction of upward extension of the backrest portion or to be slideable or translatable in the width direction of the backrest portion. It is possible to reduce the spaceing distance between the pair of head guards for attaining a safe state when the child is asleep, and alternatively to increase the spacing distance between the head guards when the child is awake, to prevent the child from feeling cramped.

A seat frame assembly for supporting an occupant in an automotive vehicle includes a pair of spaced apart, longitudinally extending side members interconnected by at least one generally transverse cross member defining a horizontal plane therebetween. The seat frame assembly also includes a side bolster frame pivotally secured to at least one of the side members. The side bolster frame is movable between a support position extending laterally outwardly from the side member and angled upwardly from the horizontal plane, and a deflected position extending generally parallel to the horizontal plane. In addition, the seat frame assembly includes a resilient trim cover extending in tension between the side bolster frame and the opposing side member for automatically pivoting the side bolster frame from the support position to the deflected position in response to a load from the occupant on the side bolster frame, thereby facilitating ingress and egress to the occupant on the seat frame assembly.