- Jeep is leaning in to its off-roading roots with a new pair of patents it filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office earlier this year.
- The first patent is for a rooftop tent designed to attach directly to the top of the Jeep Wrangler.
- The second patent focuses on a Jeep-specific off-road-capable trailer that uses the same suspension as the Jeep pulling it.
Stellantis has filed two new patents for the Jeep brand, both of which focus strongly on the brand’s off-roading personality. The first patent relates to a rooftop tent designed specifically for the Jeep Wrangler, while the second patent pertains to an off-road-capable trailer that uses production Jeep parts.
While most third-party rooftop tents require additional hardware such as additional roof racks, the tent shown in Jeep’s new patent features a more elegant solution: Rather than bolting to the top of the roof, the tent replaces the Wrangler’s removable roof panels and reuses their mounting points.
The slick design keeps the tent from adding excessive height and means campers can access the tent directly from the car without having to get out and clamber onto the roof. The compact design should also keep the tent from harming fuel economy too much as well.
When it’s fully deployed, the tent features an optional awning to provide more cover from the weather outside the car. There’s also additional floor space that can be cantilevered over the edge of the car, extending the tent’s footprint.
Jeep’s second patent appears to be more focused on the Gladiator pickup, though the documents allow for other Jeep models. The patent focuses on an “Off-Road Capable Trailer” that includes components carried over directly from the production vehicle.
Patent publication documents on the USPTO website explain that the trailer could include suspension and body components that correspond to a production Jeep. The patent documents also show that at least in some instances, the trailer would use the same axle and the same tires found on the production truck. Under the “Background” section, Jeep references how trailers typically have lower ground clearance and are designed for paved or smooth road surfaces.
How soon would we potentially see these products? That is impossible to tell from the patents, but they’re intriguing.
Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.
Source: Motor - aranddriver.com
