Patent ID: 8408584

Claim:
An inflatable airbag assembly, comprising: an inflatable airbag; an inflatable airbag housing coupled to the inflatable airbag; a tether release assembly mounting member attached to the airbag housing; a tether release assembly that is reversibly coupled to the tether release mounting member; wherein the tether release assembly comprises an interior chamber, an expandable membrane, a pyrotechnic squib, and a piston, wherein the membrane is located within the interior chamber and between the pyrotechnic squib and the piston, and wherein the expandable membrane receives heat and gas from the pyrotechnic squib, upon activation of the pyrotechnic squib, to act on the piston such that the piston acts on the mounting member to uncouple the tether release assembly from the mounting member; and, a tether reversibly coupled to the tether release assembly; wherein upon receipt of a signal from a vehicle sensor, the tether release assembly becomes uncoupled from the mounting member and the tether becomes uncoupled from the tether release assembly to release the tether.