Patent ID: 7152880

Claim:
An air bag ( 100 ) comprising: a main (face) panel ( 102 ) having an upper neck portion ( 124 ), lower neck portion ( 124 ) and cushion portion ( 126 ), the panel having: a left edge ( 134 ) and a right edge ( 134 a ); a left outside panel ( 104 a ) having a neck portion ( 120 ) and cushion portion ( 122 ) secured along the left edge of the main panel, a right outside panel ( 104 b ) having a neck portion ( 120 ) and cushion portion ( 122 ) secured along the right outside edge of the main panel; the main panel ( 102 ) having a face panel portion ( 103 ) that is configured to interact with an occupant ( 22 ) to be protected, the face panel portion having an opening ( 130 ) therein; the opening having an edge ( 140 a–d ); recess means secured about the edge of the opening configured to form an inwardly extending recess or pocket ( 110 ) in the face panel, the recess means having a left recess (or groove) panel portion ( 150 ) secured to a left portion of the edge ( 140 d ) of the face panel opening ( 130 ), and a right recess panel portion ( 152 ) secured to the right portion ( 140 c ) of the edge of the face panel portion; the recess means further including a center recess panel portion ( 160 ) secured to each of the right and left recess panel portions and to the main panel; a tether ( 180 ), secured to the central portion of the recess means, for limiting outward movement of the central portion of the recess means to cause the air bag when inflated to have an inflatable first lobe ( 112 a ) formed by one side of the recess means and by an inflatable second lobe ( 112 b ) on another side of the recess means and the face panel.