Well, I'm shocked.

Huh? get a proper HVAC system.

--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
116 Giulietta 3.0l Sprint 1.7 GTV TS 156 V6 2.5 S2
Triumph Sprint ST 1050: It's blue, see.
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

took a blunt brush and painted...

I *think* that Ford own the copyright and completely refuse to license it to
anyone else.

So no one else can use heated elements inside glass.

(wouldn't be suprised if Ford subsidiaries can use them though, Jag, Lada,
etc)

 

Because Ford patented the very fine wiring inside the glass - normal
printed-on thick demister wires would be too distracting (I find the Ford
ones bad enough). AIUI, that patent is about to expire, though - anyway,
decent aircon used properly should render them damn near redundant.

 

Aircon doesn't defrost the screen, though - at least not as quickly as a
Quick Clear screen does.

 

By the time the 156 is warm enough for me to want to drive 60 miles, the
screen has demisted.

--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
116 Giulietta 3.0l Sprint 1.7 GTV TS 156 V6 2.5 S2
Triumph Sprint ST 1050: It's blue, see.
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

 

(SteveH) gurgled happily, sounding much like they
were saying:

It won't shift _frost_, no. But pouring water from the hot tap over the
screen will. It'll do the side windows, too - and not even Ford put
heating elements on them...

 

I use the water method, but it does turn the drive into an ice rink.

 

I've heard that too, but recent VWs also have them. Dunno if that's
just a patent (not copyright) expiry, a distinctly different system,
or if the Ford story's wrong.

 

My R36 (VW) uses something of a belt & braces approach, in that it
does have an electrically-heated windscreen, but also a programmable
car pre-heater that uses a little fuel and some electrickery (with a
2nd battery fitted) to heat the whole vehicle up, blowing warm air
throughout, but especially onto the windscreen and side windows. Takes
about ten minutes to defrost, maybe twenty if it's -20c and there's a
lot of snow on the windows.

If that's not been preset, the heated windscreen will clear it in
about 60 seconds.

 

Just blagged me new Uvex off Ebay (65ukp), which comes with the fiendish
double glazed visor. Works, no need to arse about with a demister

 

I had an early XJ6 with a heated rear screen like that (a '68 I think)

 

Well a quick google confrims that Ford do indeed hold such a patent
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4743741.html, so either VW's version
is different enough in operation, or they've licenced it from Ford.

 

I took my Arai into the nice bird in Douglas IOM, and she fitted it
for me.

She was also using a Shoei helmet bag as a polishing cloth, and I
ended up with it 'up me jumper' whilst she 'turned the other way',
when I asked if I could have it

Paul.

 

Ace posted:

Ford and VW did have some kind of agreement fairly recently, viz. the
Ford Galaxy/VW Sharan mash-up. There could have been overspill.

 

So how did I manage to buy a Triplex heated windscreen for a Vauxhall in 1984?

 

took a blunt brush and painted...

I'm suprised, seeing as how Ford have refused to license it upto the point VW
got it.

I wonder what Ford got from VW in return? Reliability?

 

took a blunt brush and painted...

Maybe because whoever came up with the idea back then didn't bother to patent
it? Or maybe it was invented by a little company and Ford bought them up and
inherited all their patents and IP?

AKA fucktifIknow!

 

I recall late '60s Morris Minors having a heated front screen, so it's
far from a new idea. IIRC a single strip at the bottom that would
flatten the battery PDQ if the engine was off.

That being the unique bit the IP lawyers latched onto then?

 

Lada?

 

ITYM "one". That was ginge you replied to, you know.