We love diving into the vast database of the US Patent and Trademark Office, where automakers constantly unveil their ingenious and often complex ideas. However, every now and then, we stumble upon something incredibly simple that leaves us wondering why it took so long for someone to come up with it.
And that’s exactly what we have here with patent number 11,780,302 BS, dated October 10, 2023, courtesy of Ford. In a nutshell, this patent introduces a sun visor that has the remarkable ability to break glass. Of course, it’s a bit more intricate than that, but not by much.
The patent showcases various images of a conventional-looking sun visor that you would find in any vehicle. It is attached to a metal rod, allowing you to flip it up or down to block the sun. The unique aspect of this design is that the sun visor can be detached, revealing a sharp tip referred to as the “impact point” in the patent description. Moreover, the rod can also be removed from its roof mount, providing a handy tool that, in theory, can break a window. It really is that straightforward.
However, the question arises – is it practical? Most window-breaking tools are designed as small hammers or are incorporated into a gripable device. The patent does not specify the size of this built-in glass breaker, but it extensively discusses the L-shaped bend in the design. Whether it offers sufficient grip for effectively shattering a window is an uncertainty we hope never to witness.
But what about accidental breakage? After all, sun visors are mounted near windshields. Although the patent doesn’t explicitly address accidental contact, it does offer various legal-like phrases regarding the application of “vehicle-downward force” and the use of “lateral force that is opposite the terminal end” to detach the rod from the visor. From what we gather, it’s designed to snap into place securely.
This is one of those simple yet brilliant ideas that seems like a natural solution, potentially saving lives. However, it’s important to remember that many patents never progress beyond this stage, so it remains uncertain whether this concept will ever make its way into a production vehicle.
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