Toyota Patents Device to Catch Items that Fall Between the Seats

Toyota has patented a new device that can catch items which fall between seats. Many of us have spent hours looking for things that fall in the space between the driver’s seat and the center console like wallets or smartphones. Normally, you will need to contort yourself badly to retrieve the items that have fallen. When you are already running late, this can be an added hassle, especially if you have big hands and find it difficult to retrieve stuff from small spaces.

Toyota has now filed a patent application with the US Patent & Trademark Office for what it has chosen to term an ‘under seat capture device’.

The device comprises a chute that will be located between the seat and center console. It will use an actuator that has the capability to change the angle of the chute. This allows the objects that fall into the chute to slide into a compartment that is located directly under the seats, saving motorists a lot of time and hassle. The patent application includes designs for manual and automatic versions of the device. The automated system can sense items when they fall and shoot them out to make retrieval easier.
Toyota has not mentioned when this device is likely to be produced or if it will ever reach the market in production models, but it would be truly handy if it did.