Toronto, Ontario – Ford has recently filed a patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a sun visor which contains a metal rod that doubles as an emergency glass breaker.
The patent, dated for October 10, highlights how instead of the sun visor being permanently mounted on a metal rod, as in traditional designs, Ford’s design would offer a visor that can be removed to reveal a pointed end—”the impact point”—as listed in the original description.
With the rod being removable, it is intended to act as a small tool to shatter windows in the event of an emergency.
Questions exist on whether or not the idea is practical. Concerns exist on if the sun visor could accidentally shatter a window since vehicle visors constantly sit closely to the windows and windshield when not in use.
To use the tool, “vehicle-downward force” is needed for removal, according to the patent and “lateral force that is opposite the terminal end.”
As with all patents, there is no guarantee that this idea will ever reach the manufacturing stage, however, the idea presents a potentially added way to create increased vehicle safety.
