Heated windscreens

[bozothenutter]

Hi,
I have been seeing heated windscreens on several motorsports sites...this got me wondering.
- Are these like the ford ones with a very fine mesh running in them?
- How are the fitted (just two wires and a switch?)

with the winters we've been getting lately it seems like a worthwhile upgrade.

 

[bozothenutter]

nobody?

 

[Gally]

They must be replica of the Ford ones because iirc Ford still has the patent for them.

Yes they have fine elements running through the window, I think someone on here mentioned yesterday that they were installing a screen in their track car as they stripped the heaters out.

 

[Sparky]

They must be replica of the Ford ones because iirc Ford still has the patent for them.

Yes they have fine elements running through the window, I think someone on here mentioned yesterday that they were installing a screen in their track car as they stripped the heaters out.

But Mini Coopers come standard with them...

 

[Gally]

Must be a new thing then mate, not sure when the patent ended.

 

[bozothenutter]

for the prize it does look like a worthwhile upgrade, gonna be looking closely at ford's for a while to see if i can live with the fine elements

 

[Skeeter]

Ford have a patent on the technology they use. No reason why any other company couldn't develop their own way of doing it.

Cant say my GF's Mini Cooper has a heated screen though... just the usual 'clear screen' button that whacks the heaters on full and opens just the vents onto the screen.

For a while it has only been Ford and Ford owned companys that have had it. I used to love it in my Mondeo.

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

How far does the design have to be from the patented design ?

I mean .. every car has a wing mirror for instance... no one's got the patent for them as a whole, if you see what I mean ? They're all doing the same job, just designed slightly differently.


Last posts came in between me opening the tab and reading it !

 

[Gally]

Funnily enough the patent was water tight mate, like seriously tight. No one tried to use it until recently.

Look back even till mid 00's no Ford family cars had it. Maybe it's only recently others have designed something new.

 

[mace¬]

I found this.....

I do not believe that Ford patented heated front screens. These were being fitted to Opel Monzas in 1978 if I recall correctly, well before Ford latched onto the idea. They were very expensive and were not offered on the Vauxhall-badged Monza (Vauxhall Royale Coupe) for that reason.

If there was a Ford patent on heated screens, this was probably for an improvement on what had gone before, not for the idea itself. For example, the patent might have been for a heated screen with improved clarity, or more economical manufacture. Such a patent might have slowed down competitors but I doubt if it would have stopped them finding an alternative if they felt that there would be a strong enough demand from car buyers.

In any case, heated *rear* screens have been about for a very long time and simply transferring the construction from the rear of the car to the front would definitely fail to meet the 'inventive step' that is required for a patent to be granted.

 

[Alexjfinch]

Such a quality tool, I had it in my ST.

 

[Sparky]

I should imagine that it is dependunt upon how they are done, I had a 59 plate Mini cooper last year and you would press the button and it would demist without any heaters, there was lots of thin lines going vertically, you couldn't really see them but if you look hard FOR THEM then you can see them, but they always gave me a headache if I looked at them in particular.

If you can get it done I would highly recommend it

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[The Chubby Pirate]

Its an awesome thing to have with extreme winters getting worse!

 

[Sparky]

From the Mini2 Forum (havn't been on it in ages)
http://www.mini2.com/forum/second-generation-interior-ice/135700-heated-front-windscreen.html

 

[Alexjfinch]

I should imagine that it is dependunt upon how they are done, I had a 59 plate Mini cooper last year and you would press the button and it would demist without any heaters, there was lots of thin lines going vertically, you couldn't really see them but if you look hard FOR THEM then you can see them, but they always gave me a headache if I looked at them in particular.

If you can get it done I would highly recommend it

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Yeh thats the heated screen element.

You'd find the edges of the screen would have big blocks of condensation on.

I think the older cars had thicker elements and its more noticeable - in my ST I didn't notice it at all, however my old mans 2000 plate Focus its quite noticeable on.

 

[kerry-w]

My mates 1999 focus has this and it really annoys me when im sitting in the front, a zig zag type mesh in the windscreen. My heater will defrost the screen in under 5 minutes anyway so I dont see the need for it myself.

 

[Derelict-UK]

my first car, a 1996 Monedo LX had this, it was a true godsend on many mornings!

 

[Missing Link]

Does it work well in a track car with the heater box binned though ?

I need to replace mine because of a chip thats just about to crack and might go that route if it works.

 

[dave_rudabar]

Well the Ford ones don't use the heater matrix, they use an electrical charge passed into the wires.

 

[Jay Payne]

My old Orion had one 1988 1.6i Ghia.

Also had a focus, fiesta and transit with them.

 

[Missing Link]

Has anybody ever tried it in a stripped out clio though, I think i found a place that can supply for £250.

But if it going to be just all right , then i might just give it a miss.

Knockhill on a rainy Sunday can be a bugger with the car misting up.................

Also, Do these have to be fitted with a timer relay or can be left on full time whilst in use.

You know what hot rear screens can be like when left on and hitting a bumps..........

 

[Jay Payne]

judging by the factory fitted one in my Transit, they fine when used in conjunction with a heater. ie ok for ice on the screen first thing in the morning but if you get in with wet clothes they just can demist well enough.

All the race cars ive seen with them fitted have a small fan heater on the dash too

 

[Gally]

You need it in a rally car. We just fitted a new one to an Evo IX. All rally cars have them when the heater is removed.

 

[Missing Link]

Cheers Jay, I look into that.

Cheers Gally, Does make sense, just trying to work out how effective they are having never used one ( even a road car )

I'm just going for lightness ( Hence binning the heater ) rather than spending on go faster bits, The side windows will be next and i'm guessing misting on plastic won't be much of a problem as it is on cold glass.