Ford Files Patent for Console with Movable Table for Future Vehicles

According to foreign media reports, Ford Motor Company has filed a patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a console featuring a movable table, which may be used in future Ford vehicles. The patent was submitted on December 21, 2022, and will be published on July 1, 2025, with the serial number 12344148. In recent years, Ford has explored various potential new in-vehicle storage solutions through numerous patent applications, including expandable pillar-style tables, movable consoles with hidden storage, and console table components. The newly announced patent introduces a fresh idea in this field: a console equipped with a movable table that could also be utilized in future Ford vehicles. This vehicle console includes a base and a housing supported on the top surface of the base to provide storage space. The base features side walls and an access opening at the top, and it can be configured to cover the access opening of the housing with a table component that has a supporting column and an arm that can rotate to multiple positions. The vehicle console also features a connector component that connects the base to a bracket on the vehicle floor. This connector component includes multiple legs, each with a connector for attaching to the vehicle floor. This special modular console will add many functions to the common console found in new cars, which have primarily been used for storing small items, serving as armrests or cup holders. Ford envisions retaining these functionalities while adding a movable table that can double as an armrest when not in use. When a table is needed — whether for writing, placing a laptop, or serving as a tray — the table section can rotate outward. Thanks to the flexible connector component, the table can also move in various directions, making it very convenient if realized. Ford stated, 'Filing a patent application is a routine measure for companies to protect innovative achievements and build a system of intellectual property. The content of the patent application should not be seen as a basis for the company's business or product planning. Regardless of how the patent is described, our development and promotion decisions for new products and services always focus on customer needs.'