An occupant protection apparatus for protecting a front seat passenger of a vehicle. The apparatus includes an airbag module configured to be mounted in a instrument panel of a vehicle in front of the front seat passenger. The module includes an airbag and a gas generator. The airbag includes left and right inflatable lobes separated by a central gap. Each of the inflatable lobes is bounded by an outer panel forming an outer surface of the lobe and an inner panel forming an inner surface of the lobe.
1. An occupant protection apparatus for protecting a front seat passenger of a vehicle, wherein the protection apparatus includes an airbag module configured to be mounted in an instrument panel of a vehicle in front of the front seat passenger, wherein the module comprises an airbag and a gas generator, and the airbag includes a central panel and left and right inflatable lobes separated by a central gap;
wherein each of the inflatable lobes is bounded by an outer panel forming an outer surface of the lobe and an inner panel forming an inner surface of the lobe;
wherein a lower edge portion of each of the outer panels is connected to a lower edge portion of one of the inner panels;
wherein the inner panels face each other and are connected together along upper edge portions to define the central gap, wherein the central gap is positioned between lower portions of the left and right inflatable lobes; and
wherein the central panel is connected to upper edge portions of the outer panels and is configured to extend to a leading-most end of the airbag when deployed.
2. The protection apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a lateral tether extending across one of the left and right inflatable lobes between the inner and outer panels.
3. The protection apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a substantially vertical tether positioned in the airbag between the gap and the gas generator.
4. The protection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the inner panels is oblong-shaped.
5. The protection apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the inner panels is D-shaped.
6. An occupant protection apparatus comprising:
an airbag including a pair of outer panels and a pair of inner panels;
wherein each of the outer and inner panels includes an upper edge portion and a lower edge portion;
wherein the upper edge portion of each of the outer panels is connected to a central panel spanning between the outer panels;
wherein the lower edge portion of each of the outer panels is connected to the lower edge portion of one of the inner panels;
wherein the upper edge portion of each of the inner panels is connected to the upper edge portion of the other inner panel and to the central panel to thereby form a downward facing central gap between the inner panel, and wherein the central panel is configured to extend to a leading-most end of the airbag when deployed.
7. The protection apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising a lateral tether extending between the inner and outer panels.
8. The protection apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising a vertical tether extending between the upper edge portions of the inner panels and the central panel.
9. The protection apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising:
a first lateral tether positioned in a cross-car direction between one of the outer panels and the inner panel to which the one of the outer panels is connected.
10. The protection apparatus of claim 6 , wherein each of the inner panels is oblong-shaped.
11. The protection apparatus of claim 6 , wherein each of the inner panels is D-shaped.