Patent ID: 8641088

Claim:
A side curtain air bag module for a motor vehicle, comprising: an inflatable cushion having an inlet and an inflatable portion, the inflatable portion including an inboard layer and an outboard layer; an inflator in fluidic communication with the inlet and configured to provide inflation gas to the inflatable cushion; and a tether having a first end coupled to the inflatable cushion at a first coupling location of the inflatable cushion, and having a second end coupled to the inboard layer of the inflatable cushion at a second coupling location of the inflatable cushion, the second coupling location being positioned between an upper end and a lower end of the inflatable cushion and being positioned closer to the upper end than the lower end of the inflatable cushion; wherein a length of the tether between the first end and the second end is less than an upper portion of the inboard layer between the first coupling location and the second coupling location; wherein during inflation, the tether is configured to be in tension prior to the upper portion of the inboard layer being in tension, the upper portion of the inboard layer extending generally upward from the second coupling location; wherein after inflation, the first coupling location is above the second coupling location; and wherein after inflation, the inboard layer and the outboard layer are separated at the second coupling location.