Airbag with a strategically placed recess

An airbag comprising:

• a main panel having a top portion, a front portion and a bottom portion wherein ends of the top and bottom portions form a portion of a gas inlet passageway for inflation gases;
• a pair of side panels, each connected to the main panel along lateral edges, and having an end, the combination of ends of the side panels and the two ends of the main panel form the gas inlet passageway;
• a diffuser element located in the gas inlet passageway and being generally centered and attached to the two ends of the main panel;
• a pair of internal tethers each extending from the gas inlet passageway adjacent or anchored to the diffuser element to locations on the main panel, one upper tether being inclined upwardly the other lower tether extending outwardly at or below a horizontal location of the gas inlet passageway;
• and wherein the main panel has a lower vertical recessed portion defined by center recess panel, a pair of side recess panels, the side recess panels being attached or integrally connected along side edges of an opening in the main panel at a location extending from the front portion to the bottom portion, the recess center panel being attached the side recess panel along edges internal of the main panel and wherein the center recess panel is attached to an end of the lower tether.

An airbag module comprising;

• a module housing,
• an inflator internal of the module housing;
• and
• an airbag attached to the module housing, the airbag comprising:
• a single inflatable chamber defined by a main panel and pair of side panels integral to or otherwise attached along edges of the main panel wherein the main panel has a top portion, a front portion and a bottom portion and the inflatable chamber has a gas inlet passageway anchored at an end for allowing inflation gases to enter to fill the inflatable chamber;
• a vertically oriented recessed portion on the main panel located only in a lower portion of the airbag dividing the inflatable chamber into two lower lobe portions;
• and
• at least one internal tether attached to the recessed portion and anchored at the gas inlet passageway, thereby limiting forward movement of the recessed portion upon inflation of the inflatable chamber.