IP Library Granted Patent US 8,827,518
Granted Patent B2
US 8,827,518 · App. 13/419,131 · Granted Sep 9, 2014

Universal trailer light unit

Inventors: Thomas Smith (Winfield, IL); Steve Rovtar (West Chicago, IL); Chris Riley (Madison, IN)
Assignee: Tiger Accessory Group, LLC
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,827,518
App. No.
13/419,131
Granted
Sep 9, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

A universal automotive light includes a main housing constructed and arranged for accommodating a stop/tail/turn light assembly, a pair of opposed side marker apertures disposed on either side of stop/tail/turn light assembly, and a side marker light assembly constructed and arranged for engagement in a selected one of the side marker apertures.

Claims (27)

1. A universal automotive light, comprising:

a main housing constructed and arranged for accommodating a stop/tail/turn light assembly, a pair of opposed side marker apertures disposed on either side of said stop/tail/turn light assembly; and

a side marker light assembly constructed and arranged for engagement in a selected one of said side marker apertures; and

said main housing is further provided with a license plate aperture on a wall located between said side marker apertures and adjacent said first aperture.

2. The light of claim 1 wherein said side marker light assembly is modular.

3. The light of claim 1 further including a license plate light assembly associated with said license plate aperture.

4. The light of claim 1 wherein said main housing is constructed and arranged such that a user can disengage the side marker light assembly from either of said side marker apertures, and move said light assembly for engagement in the other of said side marker apertures, effectively changing a first sided light into a second sided light without the use of tools.

5. The light of claim 1 wherein said side marker light assembly is provided with at least one arm having an engagement in said side marker aperture.

6. The light of claim 1 further including a cover engaged in the one of said side marker apertures not engaged by said side marker light assembly.

7. The light of claim 6 wherein said cover is engageable in either of said side marker apertures using a snap-fit connection.

8. A universal automotive light, comprising:

a main housing constructed and arranged for accommodating a stop/tail/turn light assembly, a pair of opposed side marker apertures disposed on either side of said stop/tail/turn light assembly;

a side marker light assembly constructed and arranged for engagement in a selected one of said side marker apertures;

at least one arm having an engagement in said side marker aperture; and

a gripping rib extending from said at least one arm for positively engaging said side marker aperture.

9. The light of claim 8 wherein said at least one arm extends parallel to slots formed by corresponding edges of said side marker aperture.

10. A universal automotive light, comprising:

a main housing constructed and arranged for accommodating a stop/tail/turn light assembly, a pair of opposed side marker apertures disposed on either side of said stop/tail/turn light assembly;

a side marker light assembly constructed and arranged for engagement in a selected one of said side marker apertures; and

said main housing further includes at least one tab extending into said side marker aperture for supporting said side marker light assembly in position in said side marker aperture.

11. The light of claim 10 wherein said side marker assembly has at least one notch corresponding to said at least one tab for engaging said tab as said assembly is engaged in said side marker aperture.

12. A universal automotive light, comprising:

a main housing defining an interior chamber having a first aperture constructed and arranged for accommodating a stop/tail/turn light assembly, a pair of opposed side marker apertures disposed on either side of said first aperture;

a side marker light assembly constructed and arranged for engagement in a selected one of said side marker apertures, said light assembly being provided with at least one arm for engaging a corresponding one of said side marker apertures; and

a cover engaged in the one of said side marker apertures not engaged by said side marker light assembly,

said interior chamber being constructed and arranged so that said side marker light assembly is disengageable from a corresponding one of said side marker apertures, and is passable through said chamber to the other of said side marker apertures for engagement therein.

13. The light of claim 12 wherein said engagement and said disengagement of said side marker light assembly in said side marker apertures is accomplished without the use of tools.

Assignments (7)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 30, 2026
From: HOPKINS MANUFACTURING CORPORATION
To: SELAH HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 075875/0498 →
FIRST LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 18, 2025
From: AIRTEX INDUSTRIES, LLC; AIRTEX PRODUCTS, LP; APC INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS, LLC; APC PARENT, LLC; ASC INDUSTRIES, INC.; AUTOLITE OPERATIONS LLC; AVM EXPORT, INC.; BPI ACQUISITION COMPANY, LLC; BPI EC, LLC; BPI HOLDINGS INTERNATIONAL, LLC; BRAKE PARTS INC CHINA LLC; BRAKE PARTS INC INDIA LLC; BRAKE PARTS INC LLC; CARDONE INDUSTRIES, INC.; CARRAND COMPANIES, INC.; CARTER CARBURETOR HOLDINGS, LLC; CARTER CARBURETOR, LLC; CARTER FUEL EXPORT, INC.; CARTER FUEL SYSTEMS, LLC; CHAMPION LABORATORIES, INC.; CWD HOLDING, LLC; CWD INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS I, LLC; CWD INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS II, LLC; CWD, LLC; DALTON CORPORATION; DALTON CORPORATION, KENDALLVILLE; MANUFACTURING FACILITY DALTON CORPORATION, ASHLAND; MANUFACTURING FACILITY DALTON CORPORATION, STRYKER MACHINING FACILITY CO.; DALTON CORPORATION, WARSAW MANUFACTURING FACILITY; EAGLE CASTING, LLC; EAGLE MACHINING, LLC; FIRST BRANDS GROUP INTERMEDIATE, LLC; FIRST BRANDS GROUP, LLC; FRAM GROUP IP LLC; FRAM GROUP OPERATIONS LLC; FRAMAUTO HOLDINGS, LLC; FUEL FILTER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; GLOBAL REMAN VENTURES, LLC; HEATHERTON HOLDINGS, LLC; HOPKINS ACQUISITION, INC.; HOPKINS MANUFACTURING CORPORATION; HORIZON EURO FINANCE LLC; HORIZON GLOBAL AMERICAS INC.; HORIZON GLOBAL COMPANY LLC; HORIZON GLOBAL CORPORATION; HORIZON INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LLC; IBI INTERNATIONAL HOLDING COMPANY, INC.; INTERNATIONAL BRAKE INDUSTRIES, INC.; JASPER ACQUISITION CORP.; JASPER RUBBER PRODUCTS, INC.; KTRI HOLDINGS, INC.; KTRI OFFSHORE HOLDINGS, LLC; LONGMAN ENTERPRISES, INC.; PHNX ACQUISITION CORP.; PREMIER MARKETING GROUP, LLC; PYLON MANUFACTURING CORP.; PYLON SOUTH BEND, INC.; QUALIS AUTOMOTIVE, L.L.C.; QUALIS ENTERPRISES, LLC; QUALITOR ACQUISITION INC.; QUALITOR AUTOMOTIVE, LLC; QUALITOR SUBSIDIARY H, INC.; QUALITOR SUBSIDIARY S, INC.; QUALITOR, INC.; REMAN MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL LLC; SDC TX, LLC; SMART CHOICE, LLC; SPECIALTY PUMPS GROUP, INC.; STRONGARM, LLC; TAE BRAKES, LLC; TAE CHINA HOLDINGS, INC.; TMD INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS LLC; TMD MEXICO LLC; TOLEDO MOLDING & DIE, LLC; TRANSPORTATION AFTERMARKET ENTERPRISE, LLC; TRICO HOLDING CORPORATION; TRICO PRODUCTS CORPORATION; TRICO TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; TRIDONEX USA LLC; UCI ACQUISITION HOLDINGS (NO. 4) LLC; UCI INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS PARENT, INC.; UCI INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; UCI INTERNATIONAL, LLC; UCI PENNSYLVANIA, INC.; UCI-AIRTEX HOLDINGS, INC.; UNITED COMPONENTS, LLC; UNIVERSAL AUTO FILTER LLC; VIPER ACQUISITION I, INC.; VIPER ACQUISITION, INC.; WALBRO LLC; WALBRO MIDCO LLC; WEM US CO.
To: GLAS USA LLC
Reel/Frame 071674/0688 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 22, 2018
From: HOPKINS MANUFACTURING CORPORATION
To: THE BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA
Reel/Frame 045417/0116 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 6, 2018
From: TIGER ACCESSORY GROUP, L.L.C.
To: HOPKINS MANUFACTURING CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 044845/0103 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 10, 2018
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: TIGER ACCESSORY GROUP, L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 044585/0555 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 3, 2014
From: TIGER ACCESSORY GROUP, L.L.C.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 033680/0685 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 23, 2012
From: SMITH, THOMAS; ROVTAR, STEVE; RILEY, CHRIS
To: TIGER ACCESSORY GROUP, LLC
Reel/Frame 028259/0674 →
Continuity (1)
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