Ford Motor Company has filed a patent for a heated windshield camera viewing zone, Ford Authority has learned.
The patent was filed on December 1st, 2020, published on June 2nd, 2022, and assigned serial number 0174792.
The Ford Authority Take
Over the past few months, Ford has filed a number of heating element-related patents, including one for a heated steering wheel equipped with multiple heaters, a heated side window system, heated windshield wiper blades, and an enhanced anti-fogging window system. Now, this new Ford patent continues to expand those offerings by presenting an idea for windshield heating systems for induction heating windshield camera viewing zones.
The system outlined in this patent would utilize an inductive heating element embedded within the thermoplastic layer of a windshield, as well as another inductive heating element mounted between the glass layer of the windshield and camera bracket, with both elements able to communicate with each other by using a wireless connection and subsequently heat the camera viewing zone of the windshield.
The purpose of such a system is rather simple and straightforward – to keep snow, ice, and fog clear from the camera viewing area. Many modern vehicles employ windshield-mounted cameras not only for viewing purposes, but also for various driver-assist and safety features that rely on a clear image to function properly. Condensation can negatively affect the operation of these features, which this special heated zone aims to prevent.
While many pieces of intellectual property seem a bit far-fetched, this particular Ford patent looks like a pretty viable solution to a problem that only figures to grow moving forward as more and more cameras and driver-assist features are implemented into new vehicles. As such, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see it come to fruition at some point in the near future.
We’ll have more on this and all Ford patents soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford trademark news, Ford business news, and ongoing Ford news coverage.
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