US20160101744A1 - Quick release license plate holder - Google Patents
Quick release license plate holder Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20160101744A1 US20160101744A1 US14/968,185 US201514968185A US2016101744A1 US 20160101744 A1 US20160101744 A1 US 20160101744A1 US 201514968185 A US201514968185 A US 201514968185A US 2016101744 A1 US2016101744 A1 US 2016101744A1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- license plate
- support plate
- bolt assembly
- quick release
- vehicle
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 239000011159 matrix material Substances 0.000 description 9
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 3
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000005452 bending Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000001960 triggered effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000005406 washing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000013585 weight reducing agent Substances 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60R13/00—Elements for body-finishing, identifying, or decorating; Arrangements or adaptations for advertising purposes
- B60R13/10—Registration, licensing, or like devices
- B60R13/105—Licence- or registration plates, provided with mounting means, e.g. frames, holders, retainers, brackets
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16M—FRAMES, CASINGS OR BEDS OF ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS, NOT SPECIFIC TO ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; STANDS; SUPPORTS
- F16M11/00—Stands or trestles as supports for apparatus or articles placed thereon ; Stands for scientific apparatus such as gravitational force meters
- F16M11/02—Heads
- F16M11/04—Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand
- F16M11/06—Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand allowing pivoting
- F16M11/12—Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand allowing pivoting in more than one direction
- F16M11/14—Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand allowing pivoting in more than one direction with ball-joint
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F16M—FRAMES, CASINGS OR BEDS OF ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS, NOT SPECIFIC TO ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; STANDS; SUPPORTS
- F16M13/00—Other supports for positioning apparatus or articles; Means for steadying hand-held apparatus or articles
- F16M13/02—Other supports for positioning apparatus or articles; Means for steadying hand-held apparatus or articles for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T29/00—Metal working
- Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
- Y10T29/49826—Assembling or joining
- Y10T29/49947—Assembling or joining by applying separate fastener
- Y10T29/49963—Threaded fastener
Definitions
- Mechanized car washes can snag a license plate attached to a vehicle or the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) license plate bracket, bending the license plate or causing damage to the license plate bracket and/or the vehicle, or both. It is known that an OEM license plate bracket may be removed from a vehicle prior to washing the vehicle using the mechanized car wash. Removal and reattachment of known OEM license plate bracket may require a specific tool or may be time intensive, or both.
- OEM license plate bracket may be removed from a vehicle prior to washing the vehicle using the mechanized car wash. Removal and reattachment of known OEM license plate bracket may require a specific tool or may be time intensive, or both.
- Aftermarket equipment to replace the OEM license plate bracket is known. Aftermarket equipment may be marketed as more resistant to damage associated with mechanized car washes. However, aftermarket equipment may be installed differently on the vehicle than the OEM license plate bracket, which can create compatibility issues with other vehicle equipment, such as parking sensors. For example, if the aftermarket equipment extends too far from the vehicle, the parking sensor could be erroneously triggered; however, this is only one example of possible compatibility issues (other compatibility issues may involve interference with cruise control or other sensors, radiator operation, etc.).
- a quick release license plate holder with a low and/or compact profile includes a bolt assembly having a first end to attach to a vehicle and a second end to quick release a support plate for holding the vehicle license plate.
- the quick release and re-attachment may be tool-less and/or may not require a re-leveling (e.g. may not require re-leveling after removal and reattachment for, say, utilizing a mechanized car wash).
- the quick release may not require the same specific tool as a typical OEM license plate bracket and/or may require less application of the same specific tool.
- the support plate slidingly engages with the second end of the bolt assembly.
- the support plate includes a front surface to engage with the vehicle license plate and a back surface having a shoe.
- the shoe forms an enclosure with a portion of the back surface of the support plate to provide a low and/or compact profile.
- the second end of the bolt assembly comprises a cleat having at least one edge structured to be removeably inserted into the enclosure.
- FIG. 1 illustrates license plate holder with a quick release feature.
- FIG. 2 illustrates a process for installing the license plate holder of FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 3 illustrates a front view of an example bolt assembly and a rear view of an example support plate for a low and/or compact license plate holder.
- FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the bolt assembly of FIG. 3 .
- FIG. 5 illustrates another example of a license plate holder.
- FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the license plate holder of FIG. 5 .
- FIG. 7 illustrates an exploded view of the bolt assembly of the license plate holder of FIG. 5 .
- FIG. 8 illustrates a quick release the support plate of the license plate holder of FIG. 5 from the bolt assembly.
- FIG. 1 illustrates license plate holder with a quick release feature.
- the bolt assembly 100 includes a first end 8 and a second end 11 .
- the first end 8 may be threaded for installation in a threaded hole of a motor vehicle.
- the second end 11 may be rotatable relative to a remainder of the bolt assembly 100 , e.g. the first end 8 .
- the second end 11 may be rotatable and pivotable relative to a remainder of the bolt assembly 100 .
- the support plate 101 includes a first surface to which a license plate may be attached and a second surface.
- the second surface may correspond to a connector 12 to mate with the second end 11 of the bolt assembly 100 .
- the connector 12 may be structured to releasably couple, e.g. slidingly engage, to the second end 11 .
- the support plate 101 may be manufactured using sheet metal.
- the first end 8 may include at least one prong
- the second end 11 may include an opening to mate with the prong.
- a support plate manufactured using sheet metal includes at least one tongue to form an opening to receive a prong of the first end 8 .
- the support plate manufactured using sheet metal may include an indented portion with an opening on the top or bottom, e.g. a slit cut on the top or bottom of the indented portion.
- FIG. 2 illustrates a process for installing the license plate holder of FIG. 1 onto a vehicle.
- support plate 101 is attached to the end 11 of the bolt assembly 100 , e.g. slidingly engaged with the end 11 of the bolt assembly 100 .
- the support plate 101 may be used as a wrench to drive the threaded end 8 of the bolt assembly 100 into a motor vehicle.
- the support plate 100 may be detached, e.g. released, from the end 11 of the bolt assembly 100 .
- a user may partially rotate the end 11 of the bolt assembly 100 relative to the threaded end 8 of the bolt assembly 100 for leveling.
- a component of the bolt assembly 100 may be loosened, released, removed, etc., in order to partially rotate the end 11 .
- a tool such as a hex key may be used to loosen at least one fastener to allow the partial rotation, and the fastener(s) may be tightened once the leveling is complete.
- the support plate 101 may be re-attached to the bolt assembly 101 .
- the re-attachment may include slidingly engaging the support plate 101 with the bolt assembly 100 .
- FIG. 3 illustrates a front view of an example bolt assembly and a rear view of an example support plate for a low and/or compact profile license plate holder.
- the bolt assembly 310 includes a cleat 31 .
- the support plate 311 includes a back surface having a plurality 36 of holes arranged in a matrix.
- the matrix is a 2 ⁇ 5 matrix in the illustrated example, although in other examples the matrix may be greater or smaller than the illustrated matrix, for example a 2 ⁇ 8 matrix, a 3 ⁇ 11 matrix, etc.
- the cleat has at least one member 32 .
- a shoe 38 is mounted on a selected subset of the holes of the plurality 36 .
- the exposed surface of the shoe 38 has a u-shape.
- the subset of the plurality 36 may be selected for compatibility in regard to positioning the license plate on the vehicle and/or user preference.
- the shoe 38 is mounted as an upside down “U”.
- the shoe 38 may be mounted as a forwards or backwards “C” to maximize compatibility in regard to positioning the license plate on the vehicle and/or user preference, which may address compatibility concerns with regard to sensors, radiator operation, etc.
- the opposite surface of the shoe 38 i.e. a surface that makes contact with the back surface of the support plate 311 , has a smaller footprint (illustrated by the dashed line 39 ).
- the shoe 38 forms an enclosure with a portion of the back surface of the support plate 311 .
- a portion of an edge of the cleat 31 may be removably inserted into the enclosure that is formed by portion of the back surface of the support plate 311 and the shoe 38 to mount the support plate 311 on the bolt assembly 310 .
- the front surface of the cleat 31 is adjacent to the back surface of the support plate 311 .
- the opposite surface of the shoe 38 may also be u-shaped with at least one cutout. Each cutout may correspond to a member of the at least one member 32 . In an example, the cutout only partially defines an opening for at least one member 32 of the cleat 31 (the opening is defined by the opposite surface of the shoe 38 and the back surface of the support plate 311 ). In an example, the member 32 extends through the opening defined by the opposite surface of the shoe 38 and the back surface of the support plate 311 .
- the protruding portion of the member 32 may have a pinhole (not illustrated) through which a pin, e.g. a cotter pin, may be inserted in order to secure the support plate 311 to the bolt assembly 310 . In the example including the pinhole, the pin when inserted may be oriented parallel to the back surface of the support plate 311 .
- the demarking of the dashed line 39 applies to this particular example.
- the footprint of the back surface of the shoe 38 is larger than the footprint of the opposite surfaces in order to form the enclosure with a portion of the back surface of the support plate 311 , but neither footprint necessarily need to have the same shape or dimensions shown.
- the overhang may correspond to only a portion of the interior edge of the shoe 38 , e.g. the oppositely facing interior edges.
- FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the bolt assembly of FIG. 3 .
- a portion of a stud 401 of the bolt assembly 310 is shown (the end for securing to the vehicle, e.g. a threaded end, is not shown).
- An end of the stud 401 includes a cup having an inner sidewall to mate with a partial sphere 406 .
- the partial sphere 406 may be constructed from a different material than the stud 401 , e.g. plastic.
- a collar 408 having a curved interior surface slips over the stud 401 to mate with an outer sidewall of the cup.
- the collar 408 may have one or more openings (not illustrated) by which a plurality 409 of fasteners such as hex end screws may be used to connect the cleat 31 and the collar 408 .
- the cleat 31 When the fasteners of the plurality 409 are inserted but not tightened, e.g. loosened, the cleat 31 may be pivoted relative to the stud 401 for leveling and/or other adjustment.
- the surfaces of the fasteners of the plurality 409 may be flush or recessed with respect to the front surface of the cleat 31 when tightened.
- the collar 408 and the cleat 31 When tightened, the collar 408 and the cleat 31 operate as a clamp to fix a position of the collar 408 , the partial sphere 406 , and the cleat 31 relative to the stud 401 .
- the quick release license plate holder has a low and/or compact profile, which may reduce compatibility concerns with certain vehicles such as vehicles with parking sensors.
- a portion of the front surface of the cleat 31 may make contact with a portion of the back surface of the support plate 35 .
- the thickness of the cleat 31 may be determined based on numerous application specific variables, including but not limited to application requirements, the size of the front surface of the cleat 31 , the material used for the cleat 31 , operating environment, etc. However, when the cleat 31 is removably inserted into the enclosure formed by the back surface of the support plate 311 and the shoe 38 , a distance between the back surface of the support plate 311 and a front surface of a component of the bolt assembly 310 corresponds to the thickness of the cleat 31 . In the illustrated example, the distance between the back surface of the support plate 311 and the front surface of the collar 408 corresponds to the thickness of the cleat 31 .
- FIG. 5 illustrates another example of a license plate holder.
- the license plate holder 500 includes a 3 x 11 matrix of holes for mounting a shoe.
- the license plate holder 500 also includes larger openings 510 , e.g. larger holes, for weight reduction.
- the remaining holes 512 are for attaching a license plate to a front of the support plate 516 of the license plate holder 500 .
- FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the license plate holder of FIG. 5 .
- the license plate 515 is shown attached to the front of the support plate 516 .
- the front of the support plate 516 has a shape to mate with a shape of a back of the license plate 515 .
- FIG. 7 illustrates an exploded view of the bolt assembly of the license plate holder of FIG. 5 .
- the cleat 531 includes two members 532 .
- FIG. 8 illustrates that each of the members 532 is removed from an enclosures that is formed by portion of the back surface of the support plate 516 and the shoe 538 (after the cotter pins 599 are removed), which releases the support plate 516 from a vehicle.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Vehicle Waterproofing, Decoration, And Sanitation Devices (AREA)
Abstract
In an example, a quick release license plate holder with a low and/or compact profile is provided. In an example, the holder includes a bolt assembly having a first end to attach to a vehicle and a second end to quick release a support plate for holding the vehicle license plate. In an example, the quick release and re-attachment may be tool-less and/or may not require a re-leveling. In another example, the quick release may not require the same specific tool as a typical OEM license plate bracket and/or may require less application of the same specific tool.
Description
- This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/203,283, filed Mar. 10, 2014, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
- ©2014 US Mill Works LLC. A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 37 CFR §1.71(d).
- Mechanized car washes can snag a license plate attached to a vehicle or the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) license plate bracket, bending the license plate or causing damage to the license plate bracket and/or the vehicle, or both. It is known that an OEM license plate bracket may be removed from a vehicle prior to washing the vehicle using the mechanized car wash. Removal and reattachment of known OEM license plate bracket may require a specific tool or may be time intensive, or both.
- Aftermarket equipment to replace the OEM license plate bracket is known. Aftermarket equipment may be marketed as more resistant to damage associated with mechanized car washes. However, aftermarket equipment may be installed differently on the vehicle than the OEM license plate bracket, which can create compatibility issues with other vehicle equipment, such as parking sensors. For example, if the aftermarket equipment extends too far from the vehicle, the parking sensor could be erroneously triggered; however, this is only one example of possible compatibility issues (other compatibility issues may involve interference with cruise control or other sensors, radiator operation, etc.). In addition, as the configuration/condition of the mechanized car washes can vary from one location or another, it is still possible to have damage when using a mechanized car wash with the aftermarket equipment installed, and removal/reattachment of some known aftermarket license plate equipment may require the same specific tool or may still be time intensive, or both.
- The following is a summary of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not intended to identify key/critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
- In an example, a quick release license plate holder with a low and/or compact profile is provided. In an example, the holder includes a bolt assembly having a first end to attach to a vehicle and a second end to quick release a support plate for holding the vehicle license plate. In an example, the quick release and re-attachment may be tool-less and/or may not require a re-leveling (e.g. may not require re-leveling after removal and reattachment for, say, utilizing a mechanized car wash). In another example, the quick release may not require the same specific tool as a typical OEM license plate bracket and/or may require less application of the same specific tool.
- In an example, the support plate slidingly engages with the second end of the bolt assembly. The support plate includes a front surface to engage with the vehicle license plate and a back surface having a shoe. In an example, the shoe forms an enclosure with a portion of the back surface of the support plate to provide a low and/or compact profile. In an example, the second end of the bolt assembly comprises a cleat having at least one edge structured to be removeably inserted into the enclosure.
- Additional aspects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
-
FIG. 1 illustrates license plate holder with a quick release feature. -
FIG. 2 illustrates a process for installing the license plate holder ofFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 3 illustrates a front view of an example bolt assembly and a rear view of an example support plate for a low and/or compact license plate holder. -
FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the bolt assembly ofFIG. 3 . -
FIG. 5 illustrates another example of a license plate holder. -
FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the license plate holder ofFIG. 5 . -
FIG. 7 illustrates an exploded view of the bolt assembly of the license plate holder ofFIG. 5 . -
FIG. 8 illustrates a quick release the support plate of the license plate holder ofFIG. 5 from the bolt assembly. -
FIG. 1 illustrates license plate holder with a quick release feature. - The
bolt assembly 100 includes afirst end 8 and asecond end 11. Thefirst end 8 may be threaded for installation in a threaded hole of a motor vehicle. In an example, thesecond end 11 may be rotatable relative to a remainder of thebolt assembly 100, e.g. thefirst end 8. In another example, thesecond end 11 may be rotatable and pivotable relative to a remainder of thebolt assembly 100. - The
support plate 101 includes a first surface to which a license plate may be attached and a second surface. The second surface may correspond to aconnector 12 to mate with thesecond end 11 of thebolt assembly 100. Theconnector 12 may be structured to releasably couple, e.g. slidingly engage, to thesecond end 11. - In an example, the
support plate 101 may be manufactured using sheet metal. In one such example, thefirst end 8 may include at least one prong, and thesecond end 11 may include an opening to mate with the prong. In an example, a support plate manufactured using sheet metal includes at least one tongue to form an opening to receive a prong of thefirst end 8. The support plate manufactured using sheet metal may include an indented portion with an opening on the top or bottom, e.g. a slit cut on the top or bottom of the indented portion. -
FIG. 2 illustrates a process for installing the license plate holder ofFIG. 1 onto a vehicle. - In
block 201,support plate 101 is attached to theend 11 of thebolt assembly 100, e.g. slidingly engaged with theend 11 of thebolt assembly 100. Inblock 202, thesupport plate 101 may be used as a wrench to drive the threadedend 8 of thebolt assembly 100 into a motor vehicle. - In
block 203, after driving the threadedend 8 of thebolt assembly 100 into the motor vehicle, thesupport plate 100 may be detached, e.g. released, from theend 11 of thebolt assembly 100. Inblock 204, a user may partially rotate theend 11 of thebolt assembly 100 relative to the threadedend 8 of thebolt assembly 100 for leveling. In an example, a component of thebolt assembly 100 may be loosened, released, removed, etc., in order to partially rotate theend 11. For example, a tool such as a hex key may be used to loosen at least one fastener to allow the partial rotation, and the fastener(s) may be tightened once the leveling is complete. - In
block 205, thesupport plate 101 may be re-attached to thebolt assembly 101. In an example, the re-attachment may include slidingly engaging thesupport plate 101 with thebolt assembly 100. -
FIG. 3 illustrates a front view of an example bolt assembly and a rear view of an example support plate for a low and/or compact profile license plate holder. - The
bolt assembly 310 includes acleat 31. Thesupport plate 311 includes a back surface having aplurality 36 of holes arranged in a matrix. The matrix is a 2×5 matrix in the illustrated example, although in other examples the matrix may be greater or smaller than the illustrated matrix, for example a 2×8 matrix, a 3×11 matrix, etc. In an example, the cleat has at least onemember 32. - A
shoe 38 is mounted on a selected subset of the holes of theplurality 36. In an example, the exposed surface of theshoe 38 has a u-shape. The subset of theplurality 36 may be selected for compatibility in regard to positioning the license plate on the vehicle and/or user preference. In the illustrated example, theshoe 38 is mounted as an upside down “U”. In other examples where the matrix includes at least three rows of holes, theshoe 38 may be mounted as a forwards or backwards “C” to maximize compatibility in regard to positioning the license plate on the vehicle and/or user preference, which may address compatibility concerns with regard to sensors, radiator operation, etc. - The opposite surface of the
shoe 38, i.e. a surface that makes contact with the back surface of thesupport plate 311, has a smaller footprint (illustrated by the dashed line 39). Theshoe 38 forms an enclosure with a portion of the back surface of thesupport plate 311. A portion of an edge of thecleat 31 may be removably inserted into the enclosure that is formed by portion of the back surface of thesupport plate 311 and theshoe 38 to mount thesupport plate 311 on thebolt assembly 310. When thecleat 31 is removably inserted into the enclosure that formed by portion of the back surface of thesupport plate 311 and theshoe 38, the front surface of thecleat 31 is adjacent to the back surface of thesupport plate 311. - The opposite surface of the
shoe 38 may also be u-shaped with at least one cutout. Each cutout may correspond to a member of the at least onemember 32. In an example, the cutout only partially defines an opening for at least onemember 32 of the cleat 31 (the opening is defined by the opposite surface of theshoe 38 and the back surface of the support plate 311). In an example, themember 32 extends through the opening defined by the opposite surface of theshoe 38 and the back surface of thesupport plate 311. The protruding portion of themember 32 may have a pinhole (not illustrated) through which a pin, e.g. a cotter pin, may be inserted in order to secure thesupport plate 311 to thebolt assembly 310. In the example including the pinhole, the pin when inserted may be oriented parallel to the back surface of thesupport plate 311. - It is noted that the demarking of the dashed
line 39 applies to this particular example. In other examples, the footprint of the back surface of theshoe 38 is larger than the footprint of the opposite surfaces in order to form the enclosure with a portion of the back surface of thesupport plate 311, but neither footprint necessarily need to have the same shape or dimensions shown. In another example, the overhang may correspond to only a portion of the interior edge of theshoe 38, e.g. the oppositely facing interior edges. -
FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the bolt assembly ofFIG. 3 . - A portion of a
stud 401 of thebolt assembly 310 is shown (the end for securing to the vehicle, e.g. a threaded end, is not shown). An end of thestud 401 includes a cup having an inner sidewall to mate with apartial sphere 406. In an example, thepartial sphere 406 may be constructed from a different material than thestud 401, e.g. plastic. - A
collar 408 having a curved interior surface slips over thestud 401 to mate with an outer sidewall of the cup. Thecollar 408 may have one or more openings (not illustrated) by which aplurality 409 of fasteners such as hex end screws may be used to connect the cleat 31and thecollar 408. - When the fasteners of the
plurality 409 are inserted but not tightened, e.g. loosened, thecleat 31 may be pivoted relative to thestud 401 for leveling and/or other adjustment. The surfaces of the fasteners of theplurality 409 may be flush or recessed with respect to the front surface of thecleat 31 when tightened. When tightened, thecollar 408 and thecleat 31 operate as a clamp to fix a position of thecollar 408, thepartial sphere 406, and thecleat 31 relative to thestud 401. - Referring now to
FIGS. 3 and 4 , it can be seen that the quick release license plate holder has a low and/or compact profile, which may reduce compatibility concerns with certain vehicles such as vehicles with parking sensors. A portion of the front surface of thecleat 31 may make contact with a portion of the back surface of thesupport plate 35. - The thickness of the
cleat 31 may be determined based on numerous application specific variables, including but not limited to application requirements, the size of the front surface of thecleat 31, the material used for thecleat 31, operating environment, etc. However, when thecleat 31 is removably inserted into the enclosure formed by the back surface of thesupport plate 311 and theshoe 38, a distance between the back surface of thesupport plate 311 and a front surface of a component of thebolt assembly 310 corresponds to the thickness of thecleat 31. In the illustrated example, the distance between the back surface of thesupport plate 311 and the front surface of thecollar 408 corresponds to the thickness of thecleat 31. -
FIG. 5 illustrates another example of a license plate holder. - The
license plate holder 500 includes a 3x11 matrix of holes for mounting a shoe. Thelicense plate holder 500 also includeslarger openings 510, e.g. larger holes, for weight reduction. The remainingholes 512 are for attaching a license plate to a front of thesupport plate 516 of thelicense plate holder 500. -
FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the license plate holder ofFIG. 5 . - In
FIG. 6 , thelicense plate 515 is shown attached to the front of thesupport plate 516. The front of thesupport plate 516 has a shape to mate with a shape of a back of thelicense plate 515. -
FIG. 7 illustrates an exploded view of the bolt assembly of the license plate holder ofFIG. 5 . - The cleat 531 includes two members 532.
FIG. 8 illustrates that each of the members 532 is removed from an enclosures that is formed by portion of the back surface of thesupport plate 516 and the shoe 538 (after the cotter pins 599 are removed), which releases thesupport plate 516 from a vehicle. - It will be obvious to those having skill in the art that many changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. The scope of the present invention should, therefore, be determined only by the following claims.
- Having described and illustrated the principles of the invention in a preferred embodiment thereof, it should be apparent that the invention may be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principles. We claim all modifications and variations coming within the spirit and scope of the following claims.
Claims (5)
1. An apparatus, comprising:
means for forming an enclosure with a back surface of a support plate for holding a vehicle license plate; and
means for mounting the support plate to a bolt assembly of a motor vehicle using the enclosure.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
means for rotatably attaching the mounting means to a stud of the bolt assembly.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising means for pivotably attaching the mounting means to a stud of the bolt assembly.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising means for fixing a position of the mounting means relative to the stud.
5. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising means for fixing a position of the mounting means related to the stud.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US14/968,185 US20160101744A1 (en) | 2014-03-10 | 2015-12-14 | Quick release license plate holder |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US14/203,283 US9242610B2 (en) | 2014-03-10 | 2014-03-10 | Quick release license plate holder |
US14/968,185 US20160101744A1 (en) | 2014-03-10 | 2015-12-14 | Quick release license plate holder |
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Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US14/203,283 Continuation US9242610B2 (en) | 2014-03-10 | 2014-03-10 | Quick release license plate holder |
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US20160101744A1 true US20160101744A1 (en) | 2016-04-14 |
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US14/203,283 Active 2034-04-04 US9242610B2 (en) | 2014-03-10 | 2014-03-10 | Quick release license plate holder |
US14/968,185 Abandoned US20160101744A1 (en) | 2014-03-10 | 2015-12-14 | Quick release license plate holder |
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US14/203,283 Active 2034-04-04 US9242610B2 (en) | 2014-03-10 | 2014-03-10 | Quick release license plate holder |
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Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
USD910492S1 (en) * | 2017-10-30 | 2021-02-16 | Mark Triebold | License plate support with removable blade |
Families Citing this family (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US10529260B2 (en) * | 2015-12-29 | 2020-01-07 | Christie Digital Systems Usa, Inc. | System for mounting a plurality of display units |
US10081315B2 (en) * | 2017-02-20 | 2018-09-25 | Yao-Huang Liu | Positioning device for fixing vehicle registration plate on vehicle |
JP6770491B2 (en) * | 2017-08-02 | 2020-10-14 | 株式会社クボタ | License plate support mechanism and work vehicle equipped with it |
US20200101908A1 (en) * | 2018-10-02 | 2020-04-02 | Camisasca Automotive Manufacturing, Inc. | Tow eye license plate mounting system |
US20200408238A1 (en) * | 2019-06-26 | 2020-12-31 | Stratos Meccanica LLC | Quick connect vehicle attachment |
CN110203152B (en) * | 2019-06-27 | 2024-04-09 | 奇瑞汽车股份有限公司 | Automatic disassembly and assembly and anti-theft system for automobile license plate and control method thereof |
Family Cites Families (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US6247257B1 (en) * | 1999-08-26 | 2001-06-19 | Jon R. Powell | Display plate attachable to a rear of an automobile |
US6553697B1 (en) * | 2000-10-05 | 2003-04-29 | David L. Pichan | Trailer hitch display apparatus |
US7818905B1 (en) * | 2006-10-25 | 2010-10-26 | Altec Products, Inc. | License plate transport mechanism |
JP5017048B2 (en) * | 2007-10-12 | 2012-09-05 | 株式会社村上開明堂 | Inner mirror mounting structure |
US9050938B2 (en) * | 2013-05-21 | 2015-06-09 | Kien Chi Tran | License plate retention system integrated with vehicle aperture |
-
2014
- 2014-03-10 US US14/203,283 patent/US9242610B2/en active Active
-
2015
- 2015-12-14 US US14/968,185 patent/US20160101744A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
USD910492S1 (en) * | 2017-10-30 | 2021-02-16 | Mark Triebold | License plate support with removable blade |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US20150251608A1 (en) | 2015-09-10 |
US9242610B2 (en) | 2016-01-26 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: US MILL WORKS LLC, WASHINGTON Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:DEGRAZIA, BRADLEY RICHARD;REEL/FRAME:037892/0046 Effective date: 20140306 |
|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO PAY ISSUE FEE |