Patent ID: 7597347

Claim:
An airbag comprising: an airbag body that is deployed for inflation thereof; a first, lateral portion of the airbag body for being deployed in a predetermined rearward deployment direction toward a vehicle occupant; a second, lateral portion of the airbag body for being deployed in the predetermined rearward deployment direction toward the vehicle occupant; the first and second lateral portions being of substantially the same configuration; rearward ends of the respective first and second lateral portions that are spaced from each other in a lateral direction transverse to the rearward deployment direction to present an open gap adjacent the vehicle occupant upon inflation of the airbag body including the lateral portions thereof; and a lateral opening in the airbag body that permits gas flow to both lateral portions for inflation thereof; wherein the lateral opening has a rearward end portion forwardly of the rearward ends of the airbag body lateral portions with the lateral portions interconnected at the rearward end portion of the lateral opening, and the rearward end portion curves rearwardly toward the rearward ends of the lateral portions.