Patent ID: 7946613

Claim:
An airbag module comprising: an inflatable frontal airbag cushion comprising a cushion membrane that defines an interior of the inflatable airbag cushion, wherein the cushion membrane has a front region configured to be directed toward an occupant in a vehicle when the cushion is deployed, wherein the front region has an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the cushion membrane has a top region above the upper portion of the front region, and wherein the cushion membrane has a bottom region below the lower portion of the front region; and a partition that divides the interior of the inflatable airbag cushion into a back chamber and a front chamber; wherein the front chamber is at least partially defined by the upper portion of the front region and is positioned such that, when inflated, the back chamber is between the front chamber and a windshield of a vehicle to minimize contact between the front chamber and the windshield; wherein the back chamber is at least partially defined by the top region, the lower portion of the front region, and the bottom region; wherein the back chamber is sized to be inflated to a substantially larger volume than the front chamber such that, when the airbag cushion is inflated, the back chamber extends from the occupant's torso to a windshield of a vehicle; wherein the front chamber and the back chamber are positioned relative to each other such that when the airbag cushion is inflated and an occupant in a normal seated position, the front chamber is directed toward the occupant's head and the back chamber is directed toward the occupant's torso; and wherein the back chamber is positioned to receive inflation gas directly from an inflator while the front chamber receives inflation gas from the back chamber, whereby the front chamber inflates less rapidly than the back chamber for cushioning the head of an occupant in a vehicle with less force than the chest of an occupant is cushioned by the back chamber.