IP Library Granted Patent US 9,844,993
Granted Patent B2
US 9,844,993 · App. 14/923,777 · Granted Dec 19, 2017

Two-piece adjustable strut spacer

Inventors: Richard A. Botello (Lomita, CA); Jason M. Miyamoto (San Diego, CA)
Assignee: TAP Worldwide, LLC
B60G17/021B60G2202/312B60G2204/124B60G2204/4402B60G2204/61B60G2500/30
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,844,993
App. No.
14/923,777
Granted
Dec 19, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Strut spacers are described that include at least a male component comprising an externally threaded surface and a female component comprising an internally threaded surface. Rotation of the male component or the female component adjusts the height of the strut spacer prior to installation within the motor vehicle. The strut spacer can optionally include a locking ring to lock the height of the strut spacer before installation.

Claims (41)

1. A strut spacer for use with a strut assembly and a frame of a motor vehicle comprising:

a first component comprising an externally threaded surface and a first set of holes configured to align with the pre-fabricated holes in the strut assembly;

a second component comprising an internally threaded surface, wherein the internally threaded surface of the second component is configured to engage the externally threaded surface of the first component, wherein the second component has a second set of holes configured to align with pre-fabricated holes in the frame; and

wherein rotation of the first component or the second component adjusts the height of the strut spacer prior to installation within the motor vehicle;

wherein the first component has a longitudinally extending line;

wherein the second component has a marking, wherein aligning the longitudinally extending line with the marking aligns the first set of holes and the second set of holes.

2. The strut spacer of claim 1 , wherein the first component comprises an outward extending flange.

3. The strut spacer of claim 1 , wherein the second component comprises an outward extending flange.

4. A strut spacer for use with a strut assembly and a frame of a motor vehicle comprising:

a first component comprising an externally threaded surface and a first set of holes configured to align with the pre-fabricated holes in the strut assembly;

a second component comprising an internally threaded surface, wherein the internally threaded surface of the second component is configured to engage the externally threaded surface of the first component, wherein the second component has a second set of holes configured to align with pre-fabricated holes in the frame; and

wherein rotation of the first component or the second component adjusts the height of the strut spacer prior to installation within the motor vehicle,

wherein a distance between a mounting surface of the first component and a mounting surface of the second component is the height of the strut spacer.

5. The strut spacer of claim 4 , wherein the strut spacer comprises aluminum.

6. The strut spacer of claim 4 , wherein all the external threads have the same diameter and all the internal threads have the same diameter.

7. A strut spacer comprising:

a first component comprising a threaded surface and a set of holes configured to align with pre-fabricated holes in a strut assembly;

a second component comprising a threaded surface, wherein the threaded surface of the second component is configured to engage the threaded surface of the first component, wherein the second component has a set of holes configured to align with prefabricated holes in a frame of a motor vehicle, wherein rotation of the first component or the second component adjusts the height of the strut spacer;

a third component comprising a threaded surface, wherein rotation of the third component locks the relative movement between the first component and the second component, wherein at least one of the first component and the second component has a marking; and

a cover, wherein the cover can engage the first component or the second component to cover the holes in the first component or the second component.

8. The strut spacer of claim 7 , wherein the threaded surface of the third component comprises an internally threaded surface.

9. The strut spacer of claim 7 , wherein one of the threaded surface of the first component and the threaded surface of the second component is externally threaded and the other one of the threaded surface of the first component and the threaded surface of the second component is internally threaded.

10. The strut space of claim 7 , wherein the first component comprises a through lumen and the second component comprises a through lumen.

11. The strut spacer of claim 7 , wherein a distance between a mounting surface of the first component and a mounting surface of the second component is the height of the strut spacer.

12. The strut spacer of claim 7 , wherein a side surface of the first component comprises a plurality of recesses and a side of the second component comprises a plurality of recesses.

13. A strut spacer comprising:

a first component comprising a threaded surface and a set of holes configured to align with pre-fabricated holes in a strut assembly;

a second component comprising a threaded surface, wherein the threaded surface of the second component is configured to engage the threaded surface of the first component, wherein the second component has a set of holes configured to align with prefabricated holes in a frame of a motor vehicle, wherein rotation of the first component or the second component adjusts the height of the strut spacer; and

a third component comprising a threaded surface, wherein rotation of the third component locks the relative movement between the first component and the second component,

wherein the first component has a first marking and the second component has a second marking, wherein the first marking is configured to align with the second marking when the first set of holes aligns with the second set of holes.

14. The strut spacer of claim 13 , wherein the first component comprises a through lumen and the second component comprises a through lumen.

15. The strut spacer of claim 13 , further comprising a cover, wherein the cover can engage the first component or the second component to cover the holes in the first component or the second component.

16. The strut spacer of claim 13 , wherein a distance between a mounting surface of the first component and a mounting surface of the second component is the height of the strut spacer.

17. The strut spacer of claim 13 , wherein a side surface of the first component comprises a plurality of recesses and a side of the second component comprises a plurality of recesses.

18. A strut spacer comprising:

a first component comprising an externally threaded surface and a first set of holes configured to align with pre-fabricated holes in a strut assembly or a frame of a vehicle;

a second component comprising an internally threaded surface, wherein the internally threaded surface of the second component is configured to engage the externally threaded surface of the first component, wherein the second component has a second set of holes configured to align with pre-fabricated holes in the strut assembly or the frame of the vehicle; and

wherein rotation of the first component or the second component adjusts the height of the strut spacer,

wherein the first component comprises a bolt extending through one of the holes of the first set of holes, and a cover, wherein the cover reduces the likelihood of the bolt backing out.

19. The strut spacer of claim 18 , further comprising a third component configured to lock the relative movement between the first component and the second component.

20. The strut spacer of claim 18 , wherein the first component comprises a bolt configured to extend through a hole of the first set of holes and a pre-fabricated hole of the prefabricated holes in the strut assembly or the frame of the vehicle.

Assignments (12)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 12, 2026
From: TAP WORLDWIDE, LLC
To: WHEEL PROS, LLC
Reel/Frame 075619/0890 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 69147/0123 Recorded Dec 31, 2024
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: WHEEL PROS, LLC; TAP WORLDWIDE, LLC; TAP MANUFACTURING, LLC; JUST WHEELS & TIRES LLC; TERAFLEX, INC.; MOBILE HI-TECH WHEELS, LLC; 43 RACING, LLC; MORIMOTO LIGHTING, LLC; MF IP HOLDING, LLC
Reel/Frame 069796/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 069206/0381 Recorded Dec 30, 2024
From: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
To: 43 RACING, LLC; JUST WHEELS & TIRES LLC; MF IP HOLDING, LLC; MOBILE HI-TECH WHEELS, LLC; MORIMOTO LIGHTING LLC; TAP MANUFACTURING, LLC; TAP WORLDWIDE, LLC; WHEEL PROS, LLC
Reel/Frame 069795/0277 →
FIRST LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 4, 2024
From: 43 RACING, LLC; JUST WHEELS & TIRES LLC; MF IP HOLDING, LLC; MOBILE HI-TECH WHEELS, LLC; MORIMOTO LIGHTING LLC; TAP MANUFACTURING, LLC; TAP WORLDWIDE, LLC; WHEEL PROS, LLC; HOONIGAN, LLC
To: GLAS USA LLC [COLLATERAL AGENT]
Reel/Frame 069508/0487 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 3, 2024
From: WHEEL PROS, LLC; TAP WORLDWIDE, LLC; MORIMOTO LIGHTING LLC; MOBILE HI-TECH WHEELS, LLC; MF IP HOLDING, LLC; TAP MANUFACTURING, LLC; JUST WHEELS & TIRES, LLC; 43 RACING, LLC; WPM HOLDINGS, LLC
To: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 069475/0757 →
SUPERPRIORITY DEBTOR IN POSSESSION INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 18, 2024
From: 43 RACING, LLC; JUST WHEELS & TIRES LLC; MF IP HOLDING, LLC; MOBILE HI-TECH WHEELS, LLC; MORIMOTO LIGHTING LLC; TAP MANUFACTURING, LLC; TAP WORLDWIDE, LLC; WHEEL PROS, LLC
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 069206/0381 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 27, 2024
From: WHEEL PROS, LLC; TAP WORLDWIDE, LLC; TAP MANUFACTURING, LLC; JUST WHEELS & TIRES LLC; TERAFLEX, INC.; MOBILE HI-TECH WHEELS, LLC; 43 RACING, LLC; MORIMOTO LIGHTING, LLC; MF IP HOLDING, LLC
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 069147/0123 →
FIRST LIEN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 23, 2022
From: TAP WORLDWIDE, LLC; TAP MANUFACTURING, LLC
To: DEUTSCHE BANK AG NEW YORK BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 061994/0617 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 23, 2022
From: TAP WORLDWIDE, LLC; TAP MANUFACTURING, LLC
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 061994/0454 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 2, 2022
From: POLARIS INDUSTRIES, INC.
To: TAP WORLDWIDE, LLC
Reel/Frame 061876/0003 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 21, 2022
From: POLARIS INDUSTRIES INC.
To: TAP WORLDWIDE LLC
Reel/Frame 060261/0275 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2015
From: BOTELLO, RICHARD A.; MIYAMOTO, JASON M.
To: TAP WORLDWIDE, LLC
Reel/Frame 036894/0176 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62073781 · Oct 31, 2014
Related Publication 20160121686A1 · May 5, 2016