Inflatable curtain with anchor device

The present invention relates to an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle in the event of a side impact to the vehicle and/or a vehicle rollover. An apparatus () for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle () comprises an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device () inflatable away from a vehicle roof () between a vehicle side structure () and a vehicle occupant. The apparatus () further comprises an anchoring device () that comprises a track () and an element () that is slidable along the track. The track () is connected to the side structure () and has a wall () comprising a smooth uninterrupted surface (). The element () is connected to the device () and has a surface () that is in continuous engagement with the surface () of the wall (). The device () applies a first force to the element () which causes the element to slide in a first direction along the track (). The element () is urged to slide along the track () in a second direction, opposite the first direction, when a second force is applied to the element. The surface () of the element () engages the surface () of the wall () to block the element from sliding in the second direction.