Patents we need to see implemented in our vehicles

This content is brought to you by CarToq reader, Ibraheem Reza Khan.

Today, we talk about some patented ideas which we certainly need to be implemented in our vehicles, because of their benefits on both sides, OEMs as well as Customers. Check out Innovative intercooler, magnetic wiper and 2 in 1 cable gear shifting cable. These reduce the complexity of vehicle packaging and cut down excess cost by providing a wide freedom to the vehicle designer. If you are troubled viewing your side mirror during heavy rain, here we have a solution which does not affect your vehicle looks or structure.

Innovative Intercooler

Intercooler is used to increase the mass density of intake air before the intake manifold, the air after the turbocharger or supercharger expands because of increase in temperature and the same cannot be injected into the combustion chamber, which if done will cause abnormal combustion. So you have an intercooler under the hood which cools the air and results in higher density of air. Generally these intercoolers are aluminium casted and are then connected via rubber hoses with turbo/supercharger on one side and intake manifold on the other.

Now, if you have a slight change in the packaging of the components under the hood you may need to redesign the hoses and the intercooler inlet or outlet. This is because the hoses take away huge lot of space under the hood. Currently the companies are tackling with the accommodation of Urea tank into the vehicle which needs a lot of space, if placed under the hood.

To make it possible, complete new hose design and change in intercooler inlet and outlet are been made. Coming back to the innovative Intercooler Patent No- 303197, this design comes with a hollow ball socket joint at inlet and exhaust, with a 360 degree freedom in XY plane and up to 28 degree freedom in Z axis. Now with this you can eliminate the sharp bends which can cause loss in volumetric efficiency because of eddies formation. Also constrain of minimum radius of bend of hose, to be manufacture able is eliminated. Easy repackaging can be performed if there is just change in the nose of the vehicle.

Magnetic Wiper for your Car

Safety is one key area that is in focus. Be it safer cars for India from manufacturers or the rising demand of safety features from new car buyers. One safety concern which is overlooked every time is the visibility through the driver side window during heavy rain. Many previous retro fitments have been made in the driver side door so that it can accommodate a wiper with it, but its non popularity shows its failure.

On the other hand if car owners are provided with a small, compact magnetic wiper, which when required can be detached, will be a game changer. The magnetic wiper which is been Patented No- 298379, which works on the opposite magnetic pole attraction principle. So, basically Electric motor (which can be powered by USB charging port) inside the cabin has a magnet which oscillates, (magnetic field can pass through glass) it attracts the other magnet which is coupled with the wiper.

Both the sets are placed right opposite to each other with the help of a vacuum cup (circumferential ring of vacuum). Motor moves Magnet (‘A’-which is coupled with the motor shaft), Magnet (A) moves Magnet (‘B’-which is coupled with the wiper shaft), Magnet (B) moves the wiper. Benefit is when you don’t need it just pluck it off the glass and put it in boot, (best recommended use is during heavy rain when side view mirror is not visible). There are possibilities that the same can be used on the rear glass of your car, which will eliminate any hole operation in glass or in the tail gate metal sheet.

‘2 in 1, Gear Shifting Cable’

Earlier we had mechanical linkage for gear shifting which now have been replaced by cables which make the system more compact and Vehicle Designers got a free hand over the placement of gear shifting lever. Today we introduce an upgrade, compact version of the cable gear shifter, the ‘two in one gear shifting cable’ Patent No- 303198. Designers have to package two separate cables through the vehicle body to the gear box, which require more space than the 2 in 1 cable gear shifter.

This is because unlike two different cables the new design can accommodate one cable into the other, and at the ends the cable pops as like the present cable for gear shifting. Benefit on Designer side, by reducing the clearance requirement from other aggregates of the vehicle. Sometimes there is a requirement of certain minimum radius of bend so that the cable does not rub the cover too hard which creates wall friction. Also while packaging the present cable, Designer has to clamp both the cables and the clamp is wide, which can be reduced in case of ‘2 in 1 Gear Shifting Cable’. On the customer side the new design eliminate one covering of cable thus reducing the cost on the long run.

Ibraheem Raza Khan, M.Tech IC Engine (1st Year) student of (VelTech + ARAI), 12 Design Patent (7 Registered), 1Utility Patent on Steering (Published in 2017).
Note. Article in no manner gives any property claim to the receiver of the same.