Patent ID: 8544880

Claim:
An inflatable side bolster for mounting on a side of a vehicle, the inflatable side bolster comprising: an expansible hollow interior comprising a first expansible chamber and a second expansible chamber; an inflator module for inflating the expansible hollow interior; an inner wall for projecting inwardly into the vehicle and away from a side of the vehicle upon inflation of the expansible hollow interior; an outer wall located between the expansible hollow interior and the side, the outer wall having an attachment portion comprising at least one attachment for attaching the outer wall to a portion of the side of the vehicle, and having a peripheral portion bordering the attachment portion; and a relatively non-expansible component located between the first expansible chamber and the second expansible chamber; wherein the attachment portion is located between a first peripheral portion and a second peripheral portion, wherein the first expansible chamber is located above the non-expansible component and the second expansible chamber is located below the non-expansible component, and wherein the outer wall is mountable to the portion of the side by the at least one attachment such that the outer wall remains attached to the portion of the side by the at least one attachment during inflation, and the peripheral portion of the outer wall is free to move relative to the portion of the side of the vehicle to facilitate expansion of the expansible hollow interior during inflation.