Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/USPTO
Sun visors have already become must-have accessories in any car on the road, but Ford is ready to turn them into lifesaving components.
The carmaker has recently patented a new sun visor design that includes one extra tool compared to the existing models. The proposed sun visor uses a new metal rod design with a special end that allows drivers to break the windshield.
The existing sun visor designs use the metal rod specifically to let the driver or the passenger operate the sun visor, adjust its position and angle, and remove it from its default place whenever you want to block sunlight coming through the side windows.
Ford believes the metal rod can be replaced with a new L-shaped design that makes it easy for drivers to pull it out. One of the ends integrates a glass breaker, meaning drivers can use it to hit the windshield in case of emergency.
Window breaker tools are becoming lifesaving accessories for the modern driver, as they help break the window or the side windows in the worst possible moments. If you're trapped in the car following an accident, or when the vehicle submerges into water, your only way out might be through the windshield. Having a window breaker close to your hands could save your life, and Ford believes its new sun visor design would address this need.
Ford's proposal isn't by any means complex, but the carmaker says it leaves enough space for other accessories, such as a mirror. The company doesn't want to change anything except for the metal rod that keeps the sun visor into place, using the new design specifically to allow for easy removal and window breaking during an emergency.
The idea is still in the patent stage, meaning you shouldn't hold your breath for Ford to begin mass production. Carmakers sometimes patent new ideas just to be covered if they want to build something in the future, but I wouldn't expect the company to pursue this idea despite the obvious benefits.
Ford has come up with several unusual ideas lately, including a driving position that would allow the driver to stand up when the vehicle is moving. While it may sound awkward, Ford believes this concept would make sense when off-roading, as the driver could see what happens in front of the vehicle and adjust the direction accordingly. As I said, carmakers don't always push all these crazy ideas to mass production, and this proposal to let the driver stand up while off-roading is living proof that some systems wouldn't leave the drawing board.
You can see the new sun visor patent after the jump if you want more information about the design and how it works.
The existing sun visor designs use the metal rod specifically to let the driver or the passenger operate the sun visor, adjust its position and angle, and remove it from its default place whenever you want to block sunlight coming through the side windows.
Ford believes the metal rod can be replaced with a new L-shaped design that makes it easy for drivers to pull it out. One of the ends integrates a glass breaker, meaning drivers can use it to hit the windshield in case of emergency.
Window breaker tools are becoming lifesaving accessories for the modern driver, as they help break the window or the side windows in the worst possible moments. If you're trapped in the car following an accident, or when the vehicle submerges into water, your only way out might be through the windshield. Having a window breaker close to your hands could save your life, and Ford believes its new sun visor design would address this need.
Ford's proposal isn't by any means complex, but the carmaker says it leaves enough space for other accessories, such as a mirror. The company doesn't want to change anything except for the metal rod that keeps the sun visor into place, using the new design specifically to allow for easy removal and window breaking during an emergency.
The idea is still in the patent stage, meaning you shouldn't hold your breath for Ford to begin mass production. Carmakers sometimes patent new ideas just to be covered if they want to build something in the future, but I wouldn't expect the company to pursue this idea despite the obvious benefits.
Ford has come up with several unusual ideas lately, including a driving position that would allow the driver to stand up when the vehicle is moving. While it may sound awkward, Ford believes this concept would make sense when off-roading, as the driver could see what happens in front of the vehicle and adjust the direction accordingly. As I said, carmakers don't always push all these crazy ideas to mass production, and this proposal to let the driver stand up while off-roading is living proof that some systems wouldn't leave the drawing board.
You can see the new sun visor patent after the jump if you want more information about the design and how it works.
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