Trw Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

Kim S Young

Kurt F Fischer

Rico Scott Bertossi

An apparatus () for helping to protect an occupant () of a vehicle () includes an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device () configured to be inflated and deployed between a side structure () of the vehicle and the vehicle occupant. A deployment sleeve () encircles a portion of the protection device. The deployment sleeve () includes a rupturable tear seam () that absorbs the initial break-out forces of the protection device () during the initial stages of inflation and deployment. The tear seam () is adapted to rupture after the deployment sleeve () absorbs the break-out forces and release the protection device () to inflate and deploy to a fully inflated and deployed condition.

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Rochester Hills, MI, United States of America

Kim S Young