Ford seems to be pretty open when it comes to ideas. Just in the past few months we've seen a Ford-designed self-adjusting bed, and SUV cargo conveyor belts. So it's not surprising to hear that Jalopnik dug up a new Ford patent that transforms a pickup truck bed into a theater-like setup with a movie projector screen.
Plucked from Google Patents, US10207623B1 was filed by Ford Global Technologies LLC. in 2017 and was finally published in February 2019. The abstract reads as such:
An entertainment support system is attached to a pickup truck having a plurality of receptacles in sidewalls of a truck box spaced above a truck bed. The entertainment support system includes a first mount having a first horizontal arm extending between opposing sidewalls of the truck box, and a vertical arm extending orthogonal to the first horizontal arm. The entertainment support system further includes a second mount including a second horizontal arm extending between the opposing sidewalls parallel to and spaced from the first horizontal arm.
In the patent, Ford says it's well aware pickup trucks don't just haul cargo and are frequently used for recreational purposes. Ford also knows that customers often drill holes into their truck beds or inappropriately use various parts of truck beds as tie-down points in order to meet their recreational demands. So, Ford figured it might as well create a built-in system of supports.
As an example, Ford created the patent with a movie theater setup in mind, complete with a gigantic projector screen. Essentially, two bars fit into designated slots in the truck bed. The bar closest to the tailgate acts as a mount for the projector and a sound system. The bar closer to the cabin attaches to a crossbar in the shape of a T, which is used to mount the screen, or a TV. Again, the theater is just an example, as the bars and supports could be used for other activities.
