According to foreign media reports, Ford Motor Company has applied to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a console with a movable table, which may be used in future Ford cars. The patent was filed on December 21, 2022 and published on July 1, 2025 under serial number 12344148.
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USPTO
In recent years, Ford has explored a variety of potential new in-car storage solutions through numerous patent applications, including unfoldable column tables, movable center consoles with hidden storage space, and console table components, among others. Now, this newly published patent brings new ideas in the field, namely a console with a movable table, which could also be used in future Ford vehicles.
A vehicle console consisting of a base, a housing supported on the top surface of the base to provide storage space. The base includes a side wall and access port located on the top side, as well as a table assembly that can be configured to cover the access port located on the top of the housing, which has a support column and an arm that can rotate it to multiple positions. This vehicle console also features a connector assembly to attach the base to a bracket on the vehicle’s floor. This connector assembly includes multiple legs, each with connectors for attaching to the vehicle’s floor.
This special modular console will add a lot of functionality to the consoles commonly found in new cars. These consoles used to be used to store small items, as armrests or cup holders. Ford envisioned retaining these features while adding a movable table that doubled as an armrest when not in use. This way, when a table is needed – whether it’s for writing, a laptop, or as a dinner plate – the part of the table can rotate outward. Thanks to the flexible connector assembly, the table can also be moved in all directions, which is very convenient if it is finally realized.
Ford said in a statement: “Filing patent applications is a routine measure for enterprises to protect their innovative achievements and build an intellectual property system. The content of the patent application should not be regarded as the basis for the business or product planning of the enterprise. Regardless of how the patent is described, we always focus on customer needs in our decisions on the development and promotion of new products and services. ”