Patent ID: 7275763

Claim:
An air bag system comprising: an inflator operable to release gas; an inflatable air bag having releasable tether elements connected thereto, wherein said air bag is inflatable upon release of gas from said inflator; a housing substantially surrounding said inflator and said air bag prior to inflation thereof, wherein the housing is formed with a first vent therein for venting gas released by said inflator; a tether release/vent-modifying mechanism operatively connected to said housing, wherein said tether release/vent-modifying mechanism has a plurality of walls and a movable member, wherein the movable member has a cap portion and a generally elongated rod portion extending longitudinally from an underside of said cap portion, wherein a first broad portion extends from said cap portion opposite said rod portion, wherein said plurality of walls and said cap portion cooperate to partially form a pressurizable chamber; wherein said tether release/vent-modifying mechanism further includes an actuator operable to selectively emit gas into said pressurizable chamber for moving said movable member from a first position to a second position, said actuator further defining said pressurizable chamber; wherein said tether elements are restrained by said rod portion when said movable member is in the first position, thereby restricting inflation of said air bag by said inflator to a first profile, wherein said tether elements are released from said rod portion when said movable member moves to said second position, thereby permitting inflation of said air bag by said inflator to a second profile; wherein said first broad portion covers said vent when said movable member is in one of said first position and said second position, and wherein said first broad portion uncovers said vent when said movable member is in the other of said first position and said second position.