Ford by no means mentions certain automobile names in patent apps, but when it relates to detachable doorways, that narrows it down quite a little bit. Early past 7 days, the Dearborn automaker applied for a patent about a collection of extras that could be mounted on a vehicle’s door strikers. Of study course, these strikers are only accessible when a door is left open up or taken off, and as these, all of these devices are made for when a rig like the Bronco is in adventure manner.
Indeed, adhering to up on Ford’s seemingly obsessive behavior of making use of for patents on what can only be described as frivolous—but admittedly interesting—gizmos for off-roading and entertaining, it has recently devised a series of extras like ladders, tables, and lights that may well be superior to mount from a doorway striker. They’ll go properly with the complicated leisure process in the frunk of an F-150 Lightning, the chair the automaker seems to want to set on the roof of the Bronco, and of study course, the screen doorways it could increase to the truck.
The patent application, appropriately titled “Components SUPPORTED BY Doorway STRIKERS OF MOTOR Cars,” describes a whole lot of diverse stuff. It explicitly mentions ladders, storage containers, cupholders, tables, and lights, nevertheless the whole scope of what could be hooked up is even a lot more in depth. The document also claims some of these merchandise are dual-objective, noting that they “are useable as a phase when mounted to the auto, and are also useable as a software (i.e., as a shovel, flashlight, bit driver, socket wrench, and/or hex wrench) when eradicated from the automobile.” So not only is Ford offering you a practical gadget, but it is really also advertising you a set of equipment.
The previously mentioned visuals clearly show a few of the extras. Merchandise like the table are described as having adjustable legs to assistance them selves further than just being held on by the striker, as properly as retailers and USB ports to demand gadgets that would be run from the doorway harness plug. Similarly, you’ll detect the ladder has serrations. The files assert these are provided for “de-scaling fish or as a shoe scraper.”
If you haven’t caught on however, all of these items are intended for the form of hardcore tailgating Ford is encouraging with the Bronco. The lighting in figure 26 is also a nice touch, but I will not like how you will find just a set of disembodied legs placing on the roof. I extra the relaxation of the individual in the illustration down below to take care of this issue. This person is correctly wearing Blue Oval-branded merchandise.
As significantly as no matter if or not these components will actually be produced, which is up in the air. Patent purposes usually are not a statement of generation intent. But the actuality that Ford needs to shield the strategy from staying mimicked by other businesses is anything, at least.
It could be that this and a selection of other concepts that Ford is on the lookout to protect are component of a merchandising force. Stellantis is already doing something identical with its assortment of Direct Relationship overall performance elements for Dodge vehicles.
Even if these striker-mounted include-ons really don’t occur to fruition, they’re nonetheless attention-grabbing. Related to the Maverick’s Fits slots, it’s a very simple way to connect a wide variety of beneficial accessories to a vehicle that increases its performance, and a further imaginative option from Ford.
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