Patent ID: 7431332

Claim:
A side impact restraint system ( 20 ) for restraining an occupant comprising: an air bag of sufficient length to extend from a seat surface to at least a shoulder of the occupant, the air bag ( 22 ), upon inflation, of sufficient height to extend from a vehicle to a location generally adjacent the shoulder of the occupant when seated such that the inflated air bag will lie between the occupant and a side portion of the vehicle; the air bag ( 22 ) including a main panel having a center fold line and a first panel part and a second panel part ( 24 a , 24 b ) lying on either side of the fold line, the main panel including an insertion aperture ( 44 ) generally symmetrically aligned with the center fold line and configured to receive an inflator at a mounting region proximate an interior of the air bag generally along the center fold line of the air bag; and an internal tether ( 30 ) for forming at least one bridge between predetermined regions of each of the first panel part and second panel part such that upon inflation of the air bag these regions are spaced from one another by the internal tether to create a pair of inflatable volumes ( 36 , 38 ), said internal tether being coupled to portions of the air bag to form an acute angled surface with respect to an intersection of the first panel part and second panel part, the tether extending downwardly in a generally planar manner, from the location of the mounting region for the inflator.