Ford Bronco: automaker can now install screen doors
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The Ford Bronco continues to be one of the most popular SUV models on the market, and Ford is committed to equipping this SUV with all the amenities that will make you feel ready for adventure. The new patent indicates that the Bronco may include doors with screens or screens to protect drivers from objects on the road.
Ford has had a lot of interesting off-road patents lately, from one to counter the GMC Hummer EV's Crab Walk to a camping and reversing rooftop seat. Now Ford is showing a patent application that includes screen doors.
Ford calls this a "roll-out screen."
Yes, it looks like the Dearborn automaker has taken more than a cursory look at adding retractable screens to its vehicles with removable doors and roof panels like the Bronco. The system, as its name suggests, "Drop-down screen through the hole in the car body", is quite simple. With the doors and roof panels removed, the driver can press a button on the touch screen and the screens, stored on spring-loaded drums, quickly pop out with the help of multiple chains and an electric motor. Easy, right?
The patent application notes that the system must have logic to determine if the roof and door panels have been removed before the screens are available for deployment. As soon as it is clear that the system is ready for use, the chains located on the racks pull them down through the doorways.
What are these doors for?
As for why someone might want screen doors on a truck like the Bronco, Ford lists only one real reason: safety. It may be good for other purposes, but the document states that in the event of an off-road accident, the screen drums are equipped with pyrotechnic devices that allow them to be pulled out very quickly through doorways.
This is to keep passengers inside the vehicle and ensure that loose limbs are not endangered. They'll probably be relatively easy to cut or remove after they've done their job so they don't just lock people in a vehicle, but the document doesn't really address that.
What other uses could these folding screens have?
Other nicer uses of screens aren't explicitly stated, though an Everglades Bronco with this system might avoid some bugs and keep doors locked. Similarly, a screen could prevent kicked-up gravel or other loose objects on a trail from impacting passengers in a vehicle while keeping the majority of the experience outdoors.
Somewhat similar systems are already being used in luxury cars as window blinds. However, these curtains apparently do not cover the entire doorway and are not primarily intended for security, as stated in Ford's patent application for this system.
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