patent – All about car

Ford has filed patent documents for a removable roof and roll cage, apparently for the upcoming Bronco, giving us our best look yet at the new SUV.According to patent documents discovered by AutoGuide’s AllFordMustangs.com arm, the Bronco will have a removable hard top and a removable cage, allowing for a to provide an open-air driving experience.The Bronco is looking to compete directly with the Jeep Wrangler, which means it will have to offer a similar open-top experience. However, the Wrangler only has a removable roof, not a removable roll cage like these patents suggest the Ford might get.The documents show a cage that attaches to the B- and C-pillars behind the doors, and that can be removed with just a few bolts. The patent documents also give us a better look at the bodywork of the new truck, showing off the square styling the Bronco is known for.In order for the truck to comply with safety regulations with the roof and cage off, there will be smaller pillar posts to retain the third seatbelt mounting point. Ford calls these removable belt posts, and they attach to the pillars as well as the floor to offer more strength.The removable cage could offer some problems for off-roading fans, as the Bronco will undoubtedly be taken out on the trails. A cage is usually required to be completely attached to the frame to offer proper protection, but well just have to see if Ford can come up with a safe enough system for the final production
Origin: Bronco patent docs suggest even the roll cage will be removable

A chassis design patent filed last week by Mazda suggests the company is developing a successor to the rotary-powered RX-8 sports car. As reported by Japan’s Motor Magazine, the ‘Vehicle Shock Absorption Structure’ appears to show a spaceframe-style structure unlike that currently featured on Mazda’s range of hatchbacks, saloons and SUVs. The report also highlights the presence of a performance-oriented double-wishbone front suspension set-up, used primarily by sports cars, with a prominent crossmember suggesting a front-mid engine layout. The resulting engine bay is relatively small, leading the report to suggest Mazda could be developing a compact new rotary motor, in keeping with the tradition started by the company’s iconic RX-7 and carried into its RX-8 successor. Lightness appears to be a priority as well, with carbonfibre-reinforced plastic and aluminium featuring prominently throughout. A source at Mazda told Motor Magazine that the RX-9 will sit atop a newly developed bespoke platform, not intended for use elsewhere in the company’s line-up. Earlier this year, Mazda acquired a patent for a new type of turbocharger designed with rotary power in mind, enhancing intake efficiency, improving performance and keeping soot and water out of the combustion chamber. Mazda design boss Ikuo Maeda has previously confirmed to Autocar that a production version of the 2015 RX Vision concept was still on the table. “When it is decided as a brand that we need a sports car, that’s when we will produce the car,” he said. “As you know, we already have the MX-5. If we need a more premium sports car, then we need to have a serious think about
Origin: Mazda developing ‘RX-9’ sports car, new patent suggests