Patent ID: 7374205

Claim:
An air bag system comprising: an inflator operable to release inflation fluid; an inflatable air bag, said air bag being inflatable upon release of inflation fluid from said inflator; an air bag housing substantially surrounding said air bag; a tether extending from said air bag through said housing, wherein said tether includes a tether loop; and a mechanism operatively connected to said housing and selectively retaining said tether loop to thereby selectively retain said tether, said mechanism including: a movable member selectively movable from a first position to a second position to thereby break said tether and thereby detach said tether loop from said mechanism; and a sacrificial tether protecting element disposed between said tether and said moveable member for protecting said tether from said moveable member while said moveable member is in said first position; wherein said air bag inflates to a first profile when said mechanism retains said tether and to a second profile when said tether loop is detached from said mechanism.