Patent ID: 8262130

Claim:
An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having a deflated condition and an inflated condition; and tear stitching interconnecting overlying first and second fabric portions of the protection device, the tear stitching being rupturable to permit the interconnected portions to move relative to each other, the tear stitching comprising a break point and first and second segments that extend away from the break point, a non-stitched portion of the second fabric portion that is free from stitching being folded back to overlie a stitched portion of the second fabric portion, the folded back portion forming a fold positioned adjacent the break point, the first and second fabric portions being configured such that tension on the second fabric portion creates a peeling action whereby the folded back portion being free from stitching is free to move relative to and be pulled along the stitched portion so that the fold moves toward the break point in order to focus tension forces acting to rupture the tear stitching on the fold and primarily on the break point so that the tear stitching ruptures first at the break point and then along the first and second segments of the tear stitching.