Patent ID: 8240708

Claim:
An inflatable cushion for a side of a vehicle, the inflatable cushion, comprising: a first cushion section formed from a first layer of material secured to a second layer of material, the first cushion section having a plurality of separate inflatable cells each of which having an inlet opening for receipt of an inflation gas; an internal passageway formed in the first cushion section, the internal passageway linking and fluidly coupling to each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells via the inlet opening of each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells, the internal passageway being formed by an upper portion of the first layer of material and an upper portion of the second layer of material; a fabric diffuser member secured in the internal passageway, the fabric diffuser member being configured to supply the inflation gas to each of the plurality of separate inflatable cells; and means for restricting fluid flow between the plurality of inflatable cells by limiting fluid flow between an exterior portion of the fabric diffuser member and an interior surface of the internal passageway proximate to an edge of the inlet openings of the plurality of inflatable cells, wherein each of the plurality of inflatable cells are segmented from each other and only a limited amount of inflation gas is transferred from cell to cell.