Tag Archives: patent

Motorsport

Ford Patents Car Sun Visors That Can Also Break Windows

We spend a fair amount of time nosing through the online files at the US Patent and Trademark Office. That’s because automakers file new ideas on a daily basis, and many of them are terrifically complicated. Every so often, however, we come across something exceedingly simple that leads us to wonder why someone didn’t think of it sooner.

That’s what we have here with patent number 11,780,302 BS, dated October 10, 2023. It comes from Ford, and to sum up a five-page description in five words or less, this sun visor breaks glass. Okay, it’s a bit more complicated than that, but honestly, not much.

Sun Visor Rod Patent

Several images in the patent show a normal-looking sun visor you’d find in any vehicle. It’s mounted onto a metal rod, which lets you flip the visor around as needed to block the sun. Instead of being permanently mounted on the rod, the sun visor can be removed to reveal a pointed end, or the impact point as mentioned in the patent description. The rod is also removable from its mount on the roof, giving you a small tool that, in theory, can shatter a window. It’s that simple.

But is it practical? Most glass shattering tools are in the shape of a small hammer, or are built into something a person can grip with some measure of strength. The patent doesn’t talk about the size of this built-in glass breaker, but it does make considerable mention of the L-shaped bend in the design. Whether that would offer enough grip for a person to shatter a window is, frankly, something we hope we never have to find out.

What about accidentally shattering windows? Sun visors are mounted near windshields after all, and while the patent doesn’t specifically address anything about accidental contact, it does give us all kinds of wonderful legal-esque phrases about using “vehicle-downward force” and applying “lateral force that is opposite the terminal end” to remove the rod from the visor. As far as we can tell, that means it snaps into place.

It’s one of those simple ideas that seems like a no-brainer, and it just could save a person’s life. Of course, we see many patents that never progress beyond this phase, so there’s no telling if this will ever see life in a production vehicle.

Motorsport

Ford Develops Floor Airbag Patent to Protect Occupants from Loose Cargo

Ford has recently filed a patent for a floor-mounted airbag that is positioned between the rear seats and the cargo space, designed to ensure the safety of occupants in the event of a collision. This innovative technology has the potential to be applied to both passenger cars and commercial vehicles.

The proposed airbag would be concealed underneath the floor in the cargo area, near the backs of the rear seats. At least one tether and retractor would be hidden behind a trim piece along the side pillar.

In the event of a collision, the airbag would rapidly inflate, and the retractor would pull the tether to deploy the airbag quickly and efficiently. The shape of the airbag would be C-shaped to provide protection along the seatback and the walls of the vehicle. The airbag curtain would be taller than the rear seats, potentially extending as high as the roof. This barrier would effectively prevent loose cargo in the cargo bay from striking passengers in the back seat.

Furthermore, Ford also describes an alternative version of this system, where a section of the airbag would extend over the seatback when deployed. This additional feature would provide protection for the heads of occupants during a collision.

The patent also outlines a configuration where the passenger area is open to the cargo space. In this scenario, the floor airbag system would prevent cargo from sliding forward in the event of a crash.

The activation of the airbag would follow the same mechanism employed for driver airbags. Sensors would be connected to a computer system, which, in the event of a crash, would send a signal to an inflator that would fill the airbag with gas.

It is important to note that the patent description does not provide specific details on how this technology would function in commercial vehicles, such as the Ford Transit van. However, one possible application could be to protect goods inside a delivery vehicle. The C-shaped airbag would cover the walls and prevent packages from falling during a collision.

As with any patent filing, there is no guarantee that Ford will actually introduce this airbag application into production. Companies often patent ideas to safeguard their concepts from being taken by competitors.

Technology

Why Meta’s Logo Could Cause Issues for Elon’s Twitter Rebrand

A trademark filing presented to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) suggests that Meta’s “X” design is a modified version consisting of two arrows. One arrow is blue and the other is white, and they face each other to form the letter X. In contrast, Twitter’s logo features a single line crossed by two parallel lines creating the silhouette of an “X.” The differences between the logos are apparent, even in terms of their background colors.

The potential legal dispute lies in the types of services the logo is meant to represent. Meta’s patent filing indicates that the logo could be used for various purposes such as game content, digital media, images, music, audio, video, movies, and animations. While this appears to cover a vast range of products, it’s the following sections that may lead to contention.

Meta states that the “X” logo could also be utilized for online social networking services, including facilitating social introductions or interactions among individuals. In simpler terms, it could be used for typical social media platforms like X, Threads, Instagram, and TikTok. Moreover, the trademark’s status is currently listed as “Active,” granting Meta the freedom to implement it for its own products whenever it deems fit. Nonetheless, it’s important to note that Meta does not exclusively own the rights to the letter X itself.

Motorsport

Ford Stand-Up Driving Patent Is Latest In A Year Of Interesting Ideas

Patent filings by automakers are not a guarantee that the ideas will become reality. This holds true for Ford as well, as they frequently file patents that may not materialize. However, a recent patent filing by Ford about a stand-up driving position has caught attention.

The patent, filed in 2021 and published recently, shows a depiction of a Bronco with a driver positioned at the windshield pillar. But the actual application of this system is not as extreme as it appears. The primary purpose is to control the vehicle from a standing position, using sensors on the windshield frame. In theory, controls could also be placed in other locations to provide better visibility for the driver in off-road situations. This system could be particularly useful when there is no spotter to assist the driver in navigating tricky obstacles.

The second aspect of this patent involves the use of sensors to detect whether a driver is present in the vehicle, not just sitting in the seat. This can affect the operation of convenience and safety systems in the vehicle, such as shifting to park if a driver is not detected. Safety measures are incorporated into the system, with certain functionality limited to specific modes and low speeds.

Ford Drive-In Movie Patent

This stand-up driving patent is just one of many interesting ideas Ford has filed in recent times. They have also filed patents for gullwing doors on SUVs, systems to detect oncoming trains, a drive-in movie mode that adjusts the rear suspension for a better view, and even a controversial patent that allows a third party to lock owners out of their vehicles if they fall behind on payments.

Whether any of these patents will become a reality in production vehicles remains to be seen. Only time will tell.