Category: Possible inventions

Apparently, some people are reluctant to fasten their seat belts in cars because they live in dread of being trapped in a vehicle when it catches fire or is submerged in water.

This results in surprising numbers of fatalities which might be avoided.

Today’s invention is a simple device which allows someone to cut their safety belt in the unlikely event that they are trapped inside.

It takes the form of a guide which is bonded across the width of the belt in the factory.

Between the sides of the guide a small, ultra-sharp blade can be drawn, using a ringpull arrangement as shown.

The ringpull would normally be held in place with a blob of wax so that any tampering with, or accidental movement of, the blade would be obvious.

Today’s invention is another new steering wheel.

This consists of a circular disc, bonded to the dashboard so that it can’t turn.

Two flexible handgrips, linked by a bar, clip onto the outer rim of the wheel. The grips would be coded so as to be usable only in one vehicle.

These are wirelessly connected to the steering mechanism of the vehicle so that their rotational position directs the car.

Steering would thus be inertia-free and the wheel, being stationary, could accommodate all manner of extra interfaces.

The driver would remove the grips on leaving the car, making stealing it impossible.

Imagine a new form of tracked vehicle.

Today’s invention is a track which naturally forms a circle and which, if displaced from this shape, will attempt to spring back.

Now wrap this track around the wheels of a vehicle, as shown.

This allows it to be driven forward by the large sprocket wheels as usual, but instead of having road wheels which run at ground level, the whole system is held well above the ground and supported on the sprung tracks.

The special track could actually be made of a conventional track, inverted and shortened somewhat.

This approach provides extra suspension over very rough terrain as well as some additional protection from IEDs and mines.

Airlines are very sensitive to the costs of their operations, so reducing the weight of aircraft is important.

Today’s invention is therefore a hammock-like seat for airlines with a much smaller mass than a conventional seat.

This would be made of a netting bag with a fold-down seat unit built-in.

A passenger could carry this aboard themselves and attach it to a hook in the roof.

The attachment might include a spring/damper/hinge unit to limit the amount of motion during eg turbulence. There might also be an elasticated cord between seat and floor.

Such a design would also speed boarding and egress, since the seats are easy to move past, automatically reverting to a narrow rope shape when not in use.

3D printing is exciting, but it’s never going to revolutionise the world of manufacture on its own.

Today’s invention is a niche application of this technology.

Bracelets and other items of jewellery are often hard to fit precisely.

Imagine if you could place your arm on a pad within a machine and have it print eg a close-fitting, solid bracelet around your wrist, while you waited.

The semi-permanence of this kind of approach could substitute for tattoos. Also, engaged couples could wear rings that were physically irremovable (or at least tamper-evident).

Today’s invention is a driverless car -for a learner driver.

Since autonomous vehicles are now being licensed for use all over the US, one way to make some use of these is in teaching people to drive.

(I don’t for a moment think that robot vehicles will stop people wanting their own licences).

These vehicles have a fine safety record, thus far: any accidents they have been involved in seem to have resulted from human drivers crashing into them.

So imagine a learner driver free to operate a vehicle on their own. He or she would be accompanied only by an autonomous vehicle system.

This would monitor the condition and location of the vehicle and take control if the driver’s choice of gears, speed, indicators, road position etc was outside the envelope which it would have chosen at that moment.

Repeated out of control situations would result in a smooth, machine driven return home and a detailed report about the errors made.

Today’s invention is an extra defence for vehicles against mines.

Instead of relying on a specially shaped hull design, a screen made of articulated plates would be attached to any vehicle about to be used in a dangerous area.

This would normally be carried flat to the hull base, so that ground clearance was maximised.

When approaching an insecure area, the screen would be deployed from inside the vehicle. The hinges would slide rapidly along heavy-duty slideways and lock into place, forming an extra strong triangulated shield, resistant to blast waves.

These waves would also be channeled axially, so that much of the energy could escape without significantly damaging the vehicle above.