US 12,459,321 B1
Threaded cap for upper strut mount
Zachary Scott Wiedyke, Trenton, MI (US); Andrew Robert Wolf, Northville, MI (US); and Ryan Jacob Gardner, Woodhaven, MI (US)
Assigned to Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed by Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US)
Filed on Aug. 23, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/813,872.
Int. Cl. B60G 13/00 (2006.01)
CPC B60G 13/003 (2013.01) [B60G 13/005 (2013.01); B60G 2204/128 (2013.01); B60G 2204/129 (2013.01); B60G 2204/41 (2013.01); B60G 2204/43 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A strut assembly for a vehicle, the strut assembly comprising:
a damper to absorb compression and rebound loading along a longitudinal axis of the damper;
a lower strut mount to operably couple the strut assembly to a control arm of the vehicle, and
an upper strut mount to operably couple the strut assembly to a body of the vehicle,
wherein the upper strut mount comprises:
a mounting bracket to operably couple the upper strut mount to the body,
a threaded cap operably coupleable to an aperture of the mounting bracket, and
a bushing disposed within the aperture of the mounting bracket to operably couple the damper to the mounting bracket,
wherein the threaded cap comprises a first thread which operably couples to the mounting bracket at a second thread disposed at the aperture of the mounting bracket,
wherein the threaded cap comprises a non-circular drive feature to enable the threaded cap to be driven into and out of operable coupling with the mounting bracket,
wherein the bushing is operably coupled to the damper via a fastener and a washer, and
wherein a first diameter of the non-circular drive feature is larger than a second diameter of the fastener by an amount that enables a drive tool to be inserted through the non-circular drive feature to drive the fastener without engaging the non-circular drive feature of the threaded cap.