Ford Aims to Patent Conveyer Load Floor

Ford Motor Co. has filed a U.S. patent application for a system that uses conveyer belts to help motorists access items stored in the cargo area of a large SUV when the rear seats are folded down.

The design integrates a folding conveyer mechanism within the rear power seats. Ford’s patent calls for the motor that folds the rear seats to double as a drive for the conveyer system.

The application describes several possible configurations including conveyers built into the underside of a seat bottom or into the back side of the seat back.