Patent ID: 6918614

Claim:
An air bag assembly for cushioning restraint of an occupant in a vehicle during an impact event, the air bag assembly comprising: a gas emitting inflator, the inflator including a first selectively activatable initiator adapted to activate the release of a first volume of inflation gas and at least a second selectively activatable initiator, the first initiator being activatable either independently from the second initiator or in conjunction with activation of the second initiator such that upon activation of both the first initiator and the second initiator a second volume of inflation gas is released which is greater than the first volume of inflation gas; an inflatable air bag cushion in fluid communication with the inflator such that upon discharge of inflation gas from the inflator the air bag cushion is inflated to a deployed state; at least one profile restraining tethering element operatively connected to the air bag cushion, a restraint assembly operatively coupled to the profile restraining tethering element remote from the air bag cushion such that the profile restraining tethering element is held in a shortened operative condition, said restraint assembly remaining coupled to the profile restraining tethering element in response to activation of the first initiator, and adapted to release the profile restraining tethering element in response to activation of both the first initiator and the second initiator.