US Patent 7559345 Inflatable curtain with variable seam pattern

An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle (12) includes strands of material woven together to form both (a) overlying woven panels (40 and 42) and (b) single layer first and second woven seams (120 and 150) that include strands of material from each of the overlying panels. The first and second seams (120 and 150) help define an inflatable volume (60) of the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) between the overlying panels (40 and 42). The first seam (120) has a weave pattern different than the weave pattern of the second seam (150).