A spacer

Abstract

A spacer 100, for positioning between a battery assembly (900-Fig.9) and a vehicle body component (902-Fig.9), e.g., vehicle load floor (706-Fig.7), comprises: an external threaded surface 106 for engaging with a corresponding threaded surface on the battery assembly; and a bore 204 comprising an internal threaded surface 208 for engaging with a corresponding threaded surface 308 of a fastener 302. A method of using the spacer comprises aligning a second part 104 of the spacer with a threaded aperture on the battery assembly. The external threaded surface of the spacer is engaged with the corresponding threaded surface on the battery assembly to secure the spacer to the battery assembly. The vehicle body component is positioned over the spacer to align an aperture of the vehicle body component with the bore of the spacer, wherein a first part 102 of the spacer maintains the vehicle body component and battery assembly at a spaced-apart distance determined by a length 108 of the first part of the spacer. The threaded fastener is inserted through the aperture of the vehicle body component, into the bore of the spacer, to engage the threaded surface of the fastener with the internal threaded surface of the bore.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to an improved spacer. Aspects of the invention relate to a spacer, to a vehicle body component, to a battery assembly, to a method of using a spacer, and to a vehicle. BACKGROUND It is known to use spacers to bridge a gap between two adjacent components in a vehicle to maintain the two components at a fixed distance apart when fasteners, such as bolts, are used to secure the two components together. Known spacers typically include a central bore through which the fastener can pass to screw into the vehicle component (e.g. a battery rail) positioned underneath the spacer. This means that an appropriate length of threaded bolt must be selected in order to pass through the spacer to the extent that the threads on the fastener pass through the spacer and are available to establish a reasonable thread engagement with corresponding threads on the vehicle component, in order to secure the spacer and the vehicle components together. The selection of an appropriate length of threaded bolt to achieve this may slow down an assembly process and may also risk an incorrect bolt being selected which may result in either an insufficient thread engagement between the fastener and the spacer screwed into the vehicle component, or, if an excessively long bolt is selected, the protrusion of the head of the fastener above the surface of the spacer and / or uppermost component instead of being generally flush with it once installed. In some environments, it is necessary to use the same size of bolt across sections where there are varying distances between components, due to manufacturing constraints and vehicle component geometry, which can also result In the aforementioned problems of the bolt either being insufficiently long as to threadingly engage with the underlying vehicle component, or be too long so as to excessively protrude from the surface of the uppermost component. It is an aim of the present invention to address one or more of the disadvantages associated with the prior art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Aspects and embodiments of the invention provide a spacer, a vehicle body component, a battery assembly, a method of using a spacer, and a vehicle.as claimed in the appended claims. According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a spacer for positioning between two components for securing the two components together in a spaced apart relationship, the spacer comprising an external threaded surface for engaging with a corresponding threaded surface on one of the two components, and a bore comprising an internal threaded surface for engaging with a corresponding threaded surface of a fastener for securing one of the two components to the spacer. By providing an internal threaded surface on the bore of the spacerand an external threaded surface, the threads on the bolt can engage with the internal threaded surface on the bore of the spacer, and the external threaded surface can engage with the threads on the battery assembly. This configuration allows the spacer to be forged with different heights and different lengths of threads so that a common bolt can be used with different heights of spacer instead of needing to select a longer / shorter bolt depending on the height of the spacer. This provides advantages which include simplifying and speeding up assembly processes using the spacer since it eliminates the requirement to select a particular bolt size to fit a particular size of spacer. The internal threaded surface of the spacer enables a bolt to be secured to the spacer itself, and not merely passed through the bore in the spacer and into a threaded aperture on the underlying vehicle component, thus eliminating the requirement to select an appropriate size of bolt for a particular spacer. According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a spacer for positioning between a battery assembly and a vehicle body component, the spacer comprising an external threaded surface for engaging with a corresponding threaded surface on the battery assembly, and a bore comprising an internal threaded surface for engaging with a corresponding threaded surface of a fastener. By providing an internal threaded surface on the bore of the spacer and an external threaded surface, the threads on the bolt can engage with the internal threaded surface on the bore of the spacer, and the external threaded surface can engage with the threads on the battery assembly. This means the same size of bolt can be used with different depths of spacer, instead of needing to select a longer / shorter bolt depending on the depth of the spacer which provides advantages which include simplifying and speeding up assembly processes using the spacer since it eliminates the requirement to select a particular bolt size. The internal threaded surface of the spacer enables a bolt to be secured to the spacer itself, and not merely passed through the bore in the spacer and into a threaded aperture on the underlying vehicle component. Optionally, the spacer comprises a first part and a second part. Optionally, the first part comprises a head. Optionally, the first part (the “head”) comprises a wider diameterthan the diameter of the second part. This configuration allows a surface, for example, an underside of the first part of the spacer, to extend radially outward of the second part of the spacer to provide a surface which can abut an underlying component, such as a battery frame. In embodiments, the first part defines a “spacer element” which advantageously maintains two components at a spaced apart distance when they are positioned on the top of the head and underneath the head, respectively. In embodiments, the second part defines a “post” that screws into the battery frame which secures the spacer to the battery frame (or other component in one or more other embodiments). Optionally, the first part is adapted to bridge a gap between battery assembly and the vehicle body component. This enables the battery assembly and the vehicle body component to be secured together using a spacer which corresponds in size to the gap meaning that the gap between the battery assembly and vehicle body component is maintained to prevent the battery assembly and / or vehicle body component rattling or excessively moving during movement of the vehicle. In embodiments, the first part defines a “spacer element” which maintains two components at a spaced apart distance when they are positioned on the top of the head and underneath the head, respectively. The first part may be different sizes in different embodiments, to provide a particular spacing requirement as determined by the depth by the depth of the first part (i.e. the “head”) of the spacer. Optionally, the second part comprises the external threaded surface. Providing a threaded surface on the second part of the spacer enables the spacer itself to be secured to the battery assembly, instead of relying on a suitably sized fastener to pass through the bore of the spacer and into the battery assembly to secure the spacer into position. Optionally, the second part comprises an unthreaded shank between the first part of the spacerand the external threaded surface. An unthreaded shank portion provides benefits such as increasing shearing capacity but also accommodates the fastener within a bore in the shank if necessary due to spacer size requirements. Optionally, the bore extends at least part way along a central axis of the first part of the spacer. This arrangement allows at least part of the shank of the fastener to be accommodated within the first part (the head) of the spacer. This arrangement also allows a fastener bolt to be secured directly into the spacer, and not necessarily into a component underlying the spacer. Optionally, the bore extends continuously between the first and the second part of the spacer, and at least part way along a central axis of the second part of the spacer. This arrangement allows the threaded bolt to be engaged with threads on the second part (shank) of the spacer, meaning that more of the fastener can be accommodated within the (second part of the) spacer, eliminating the requirement to select a specific length of fastener for a specific length of spacer. Optionally, a radial thickness of a wall of the second part is between 2mm and 6mm, for example, between 3mm and 5mm, for example, 4mm. Said wall of the second part may be referred to as the shank wall. The aforementioned radial thickness of a wall of the second part of the spacer allows the threads to be formed on both the internal and external surfaces of the second part of the spacer without compromising the strength and rigidity of that wall. In the present embodiments described herein, a radial thickness of 4mm for the wall of the second part of the spacer has been found to be of advantage in terms of providing a wall having rigidity after the threads have been formed on both the internal and external surfaces of the wall. It will be appreciated that other radial thicknesses may be used for the wall of the second part in one or more embodiments of the spacer. “Radial thickness” defines the thickness of the wall of the spacer which extends perpendicularly relative to the underside of the head (first part) of the spacer towards a (distal) end wall of the spacer, the radial thickness being the measured thickness of the wall in a direction parallel to the plane of the underside of the head. Optionally, an axial thickness of a wall of the second part of the spacer is between 5mm and 9mm, for example between 6mm and 8mm, for example 8mm. Said wall may be the end wall of the spacer furthest away from the head (first part) of the spacer. Said wall may be tapered to assist with insertion of the spacer into an aperture and / or to bevel the first thread on the adjacent perpendicular wall of the spacer which extends between the end wall and the head (first part) of the spacer. The aforementioned axial thickness allows the fastener to be secured into the bore without the fastener extending beyond the end wall of the spacer which is screwed into the battery assembly. In the present embodiments described herein, an axial thickness of 8mm for the end wall of the second part of the spacer has been found to be of particular advantage in terms of providing an end wall having rigidity capable of securely retaining an end of a fastener positioned in the bore and withstanding any forces arising from fastening the spacer into position within a component. It will be appreciated that other axial thicknesses may be used for the end wall of the second part in one or more embodiments of the spacer. The “axial thickness” defines the measured thickness of the end wall of the spacer in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the underside of the head (first part) of the spacer, the end wall being the most distal (furthest away) wall of the spacer relative to the head (first part). Optionally, an opening of the bore on the first part comprises a hexagonal shape. The hexagonal shaped opening allows the spacer to be screwed into the battery assembly or other component using an Allen key, for ease of assembly. Optionally, the spacer comprises a sealing medium for sealing the spacer to the battery assembly and / or the vehicle body component. The sealing medium provides a means of sealing the battery assembly and / or vehicle component against water ingress. According to further aspect of the invention, there is provided a vehicle body component comprising a spacer according to an aspect of the invention. The aforementioned benefits of the spacer according to embodiments of the invention apply to the vehicle body component comprising such spacers. According to a further still aspect of the invention, there is provided a battery assembly comprising a spacer according to an aspect of the invention. The aforementioned benefits of the spacer according to embodiments of the invention apply to the battery assembly comprising such spacers. According to a yet further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of using a spacer according to an aspect of the invention, comprising: aligning a second part of the spacer with a threaded aperture on the battery assembly; engaging the external threaded surface of the spacer with the corresponding threaded surface on the battery assembly to secure the spacer to the battery assembly; positioning the vehicle body component overthe spacer such that an aperture of the vehicle body component is aligned with the bore of the spacer and the first part of the spacer maintains the vehicle body component and battery assembly at a spaced apart distance determined by a first length of the first part of the spacer; and inserting a threaded fastener through the aperture of the vehicle body component and into the bore of the spacer such that the threaded surface of the fastener engages with the internal threaded surface of the bore. The method according to embodiments of the invention provides the advantage of being able to use a common size of fastener to secure a vehicle body component, spacer and battery assembly together even when the spacing between the battery assembly and vehicle body component differs across different sections of the battery assembly / vehicle body component such that usually the selection of different size fasteners would be required to suit the different spacings. According to yet further aspect of the invention, there is provided a vehicle comprising a spacer according to an aspect of the invention. The aforementioned benefits of the spacer according to embodiments of the invention apply to the vehicle comprising such spacers. Within the scope of this application it is expressly intended that the various aspects, embodiments, examples and alternatives set out in the preceding paragraphs, in the claims and / or in the following description and drawings, and in particular the individual features thereof, may be taken independently or in any combination. That is, all embodiments and / or features of any embodiment can be combined In any way and / or combination, unless such features are incompatible. The applicant reserves the right to change any originally filed claim or file any new claim accordingly, including the right to amend any originally filed claim to depend from and / or incorporate any feature of any other claim although not originally claimed in that manner. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS One or more embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a spacer according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a cross sectional view of the spacer shown in FIG. 1; Figure 3 shows a cross sectional view of the spacer in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 with a fastener secured into a bore of the spacer; Figure 4 shows a plan view of the first part of the spacer shown in FIG. 1, showing an opening into a central bore of the spacer; Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a spacer according to another embodiment of the invention; Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view of a spacer according to a further embodiment of the invention; Figure 7 shows a cross sectional view of the spacer shown in FIG. 1 secured into a part of a battery assembly, with a first part of the spacer bridging a gap between the battery assembly and a vehicle component; Figure 8 shows a cross sectional view of the spacer shown in FIG. 6 secured into a part of a battery assembly, with a first part of the spacer bridging a gap between the battery assembly and a vehicle component; Figure 9 shows a battery assembly for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention, the battery assembly comprising a spacer in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Figure 10 shows a method of using a spacer according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 11 shows a vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION A spacer according to an embodiment of the present invention is described herein with reference to the accompanying Figs. 1 to 4 and 7. A spacer according to another embodiment of the present Invention is described herein with reference to the accompanying FIG. 5 and a spacer according to a further embodiment of the present invention is described herein with reference to FIG. 6 and Fig. 8. A battery assembly according to an embodiment of the invention is described herein with reference to FIG. 9. A method of using a spacer according to an embodiment of the invention is described with reference to FIG. 10. A vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention is described with reference to FIG. 11. The vehicle in the present embodiment is an automobile, such as a wheeled vehicle, but it will be understood that the spacer according to embodiments of the invention may be used in other types of vehicle. FIG. 1 shows a spacer 100 according to an embodiment of the invention. The spacer 100 comprises a first part 102 and a second part 104. The first part 102 comprises a head 102 of the spacer 100 and the second part 104 comprises a shank 104 of the spacer 100. The first part 102 and the second part 104 of the spacer 100 are contiguous with one another. The diameter of the first part 102 is greater than the diameter of the second part 104 of the spacer. Hereinafter, the first part 102 will be referred to as the head 102 and the second part 104 will be referred to as the shank 104. The head 102 comprises a circular profile with a generally planar first surface 102a comprising a centrally located opening 202 into a bore located within the body of the spacer 100. The head 102 comprises a second surface 102b which is underneath the first surface but spaced apart from it by a first length 108. The second surface 102b defines an “underhead” part of the head 102 and provides a flange 102b extending radially beyond the diameter of the shank 104 for retaining the head 102 of the spacer 100 on top of a surface into which the shank 104 is secured. Although the present embodiment relates to a head 102 having a circular profile, it will be appreciated that other shapes of head 102 may be provided in other embodiments, such as but not limited to hexagonal. The shank 104 comprises an elongate circular shaft having an external threaded surface 106 for engaging with a corresponding threaded surface on a separate component, such as a vehicle battery frame. The upper part of the shank 104 is contiguous with the central portion of the second surface 102b of the head 102. The external threaded surface 106 may or may not extend the entire length of the shank 104. In the present embodiment, the external threaded surface 106 is provided on the distal % of the shank 104, i.e. the part of the shank 104 which is furthest from the head 102. The most proximal % of the shank 104, i.e. the part of the shank 104 closest to the head 102, is unthreaded in the present embodiment. The distal end of the shank 104 comprises a chamfer 110 to reduce the likelihood of the first thread on the external threaded surface 106 from becoming damaged during installation of the spacer 100 on the separate component. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the external threaded surface 106 may be provided along a different proportion of the shank 104, for example, the entire length of the shank 104, or halfway along the length of the shank 104 as measured from the proximal end to the distal end relative to the head 102. FIG. 2 shows a cross sectional view of the above-described spacer 100. The spacer 100 comprises a bore 204 which extends from a central opening 202 in the first surface 102a of the head 102 and, in the present embodiment, into the shank 104 of the spacer 100, along a central axis 206 of the spacer 100. The bore 204 comprises an internal threaded surface 208 which is configured to engage with a corresponding threaded surface on a fastener. The distal part of the bore 204, i.e. The part furthest away from the head 102, comprises a chamfered edge 204a for accommodating a correspondingly shaped distal tip of the fastener, in use. The shank wall 210 between the bore 204 and the external threaded surface 106 has a radial thickness 210a which is of a thickness as to maintain rigidity of the spacer 100 when being installed in a component. In the present embodiment, the radial thickness 210a of the shank wall 210 is 4mm. The shank 104 comprises an end wall 212 between the chamfered edge 204a of the bore 204 and the distal end of the shank 104. The end wall 212 has an axial thickness 212a which is of a thickness so as to maintain rigidity of the end wall 212 of the spacer 100 when being installed in a component. In the present embodiment, the axial thickness 212a of the end wall 212 is 7mm. FIG. 3 shows the cross-sectional view of the spacer 100 shown in FIG. 2 with a fastener 302 secured part way into the bore 204 of the spacer 100. Some reference numerals shown in Fig.2 are omitted in FIG. 3, for clarity purposes. In the present embodiment, a proximal part 304 of the shank of the fastener 302, i.e. the part closest to a head 306 of the fastener 302, protrudes above the first surface 102a of the head 102 of the spacer 100, even when the fastener 302 is fully secured into the bore 204 of the spacer 100. The fastener 302 is secured into the bore 204 via a threaded portion 308 on a distal part of the shank 104 of the fastener 302 which engages with corresponding threads 208 on the internal surface of the bore 204. The protrusion of the proximal part 304 of the fastener 302 above the first surface 102a of the spacer 100 is useful in environments in which it is necessary for the fastener 302 to bridge a significant gap between adjacent components before reaching the bore 204 of the spacer 100. Such an arrangement is shown in FIG. 7. It will be appreciated that the appropriate diameter of fastener 302 will be selected to fit the bore 204 of the spacer 100. As a non-limiting example, a standard M18 sized fastener 302 may be used in a spacer 100 according to an embodiment of the invention. In such an embodiment, the bore 204 of the spacer 100 will be sized to receive the M18 fastener 302 in a threaded engagement between the threads of the fastener 302 and the internal threaded surface 208 of the bore 204. The diameter of the shank 104 of the spacer 100 may also be varied depending on requirements. As non-limiting examples, the shank 104 of the spacer 100 may comprise a 14mm diameter, ora 16mm diameter. The diameter of the shank 104 of the spacer 100 may also be varied such that it is customised to fit a particular spacer aperture on a component so as to provide a fail-safe or “poka-yoke" mechanism which prevents the incorrect selection of a spacer during the installation process. By matching the diameter of the spacer 100 to the fastener aperture it is intended to go into, correct selection of the appropriate spacer 100 is ensured, since if an incorrectly sized spacer 100 is selected, it will not fit into the spacer aperture in such a way as to engage the external threaded surface 106 of the spacer 100 with corresponding threads on the spacer aperture. FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of the first surface 102a of the head 102 of the spacer 100. The centre of the first surface 102a comprises an opening 202 to the bore 204 within the centre of the spacer 100 which accommodates the fastener 302. In the present embodiment, the opening to the bore 204 comprises a hexagonal profile which allows a correspondingly hexagonal shaped Allen key (or similar implement) to be inserted into the opening 202 of the bore 204 and to engage with the hexagonal profile of the opening 202 such that the spacer 100 can be screwed into a threaded aperture on a component, such as a vehicle body component 902. FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a spacer 500 according to another embodiment of the present invention. As with the embodiment of spacer 100 shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, the spacer 500 comprises a first part 502 (the head) and a second part 504 (the shank), and a centrally located bore 508. The bore 508 is the same size and configuration as the bore 204 of the spacer 100 shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, and is adapted to receive a fastener (not shown) for securing a component to the spacer 500. Advantageously, since the bore 508 is the same size as other embodiments of the spacer such as the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the same size of fastener can be used in the present FIG. 5 embodiment as is used in the FIG. 1 embodiment. However, in contrast to the embodiment of spacer 100 shown in FIG. 1, the first part 502 of the present embodiment of spacer 500 has a greater first length 510 as compared to the embodiment of spacer 100 shown in FIG. 1., and the second part 504 of the present spacer 500 has a greater second length 512 than the corresponding length of the second part (shank) 104 of the spacer 100 shown in FIG. 1. The effect of this is that the bore 508 of the present spacer 500 extends through the first part 502 to just over halfway along the length of the second part 504 of the spacer 500. Since the first length 510 of the spacer 500 of this embodiment is greater than the corresponding first length 108 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and because the second length 512 of this spacer 500 is longer than that of the FIG. 1 spacer 100, more of the bore 508 is accommodated within the first part 502 of the spacer 500 and therefore does not extend substantially the length of the second part 504 of the spacer 500 as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. The greater first length 510 of the present spacer 500 allows the spacer 500 to bridge a greater gap between adjacent components as compared to the spacer 100 shown in FIG. 1, said greater gap being commensurate with the first length 510 of the spacer 500. The increased second length 512 associated with the shank 504 in this embodiment offers the possibility for greater engagement with a corresponding bore of a component and / or the possibility for the shank 504 of the spacer 500 to extend through more than one underlying component during installation. It will be appreciated that customization of each of the first length 510 and the second length 512 of the spacer 500 in one or more embodiments can be independently varied to suit the installation requirements of the environment in which the spacer is used. In this embodiment, the spacer 500 comprises an optional clip 506 for retaining a sealing medium (not shown) on top of the head 502 of the spacer 500. The optional clip 506 is a friction modifier on this embodiment of spacer. FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a spacer 600 according to another embodiment of the present Invention. In this embodiment, the spacer 600 is of a similar general construction to the spacers 100, 500 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 5 in that it comprises a first (head) part 602, a second (shank) part 604 and a centrally located bore 606. The distal part of the shank 604 comprises a threaded portion 608 on its external surface. The first part 602 of the spacer 600 has a greater first length 612 as compared to the spacer 100 of FIG. 1, which, in use, means that the spacer 600 provides a greater spacing between a first component positioned on a first surface 602a of the spacer 600 and a second positioned adjacent a second surface 602b of the first part 602. The second part 604 has a shorter second length 614 as compared to the spacer 500 shown in FIG. 5. The bore 606 is sized to accommodate the same type and size of fastener as can be accommodated by the spacers 100, 500 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 5, respectively. Since the first length 612 of this embodiment of spacer 600 is greater than the first length of the spacer 100 shown in FIG. 3 and the first length 510 of the spacer 500 shown in FIG. 5, the depth of the bore 606 within this spacer 600 can be accommodated entirely within the first part 602 of the spacer 600 without extending into the second part 604 of the spacer 600, in contrast to the spacer 100 shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 and the spacer 500 shown in FIG. 5. It will therefore be appreciated that by modifying the first length 612 of the head 602 of the spacer 600, different spacings can be bridged by the spacer 600 according to embodiments of the present invention, between adjacent component whilst still using the same size and type of fastener 302 since the size of the bore 606 is the same irrespective of the first length of the spacer. This improves ease of assembly of the spacers and adjacent components since it eliminates the need to carefully select the appropriate size of fastener to bridge a particular space. Instead, the dimensions of the spacer are altered so as to allow use of common bolts across a variety of spacing requirements. In this embodiment, the spacer 600 comprises an optional clip 614 for retaining a sealing medium (not shown) on first surface of the spacer 600. FIG. 7 illustrates the spacer 100 of FIG. 1 used in a vehicle environment to bridge a gap between a battery assembly lid 702 and an overlying vehicle component, which in the present example is a casing 704 which sits atop the battery assembly lid 702 and underneath a load floor 706 of a vehicle. As shown in FIG. 7, the battery assembly comprises a crossmember 700 which defines part of a frame of the battery assembly. The lid 702 is positioned over the frame to provide a cover for one or more battery cells (not shown in FIG. 7) contained within the battery assembly. A peripheral edge of the lid 702 abuts at least a part of the crossmember 700 of the battery assembly. In the present example, the peripheral edge of the lid 702 comprises a plurality of spaced apart apertures, each ofwhich is configured to allow the shank 104 of the spacer 100 to pass through so that the shank 104 can be secured into the underlying crossmember 700 to connect the spacer 100 to the battery assembly. The second surface 102b of the spacer 100 abuts an upper-most (“cabin-facing”) surface of the battery assembly lid 702. In other embodiments, the periphery of the lid 702 is shaped to conform around the spacers 100 inserted into the crossmember 700 to allow the second surface 102b of the spacers 100 to be in direct contact with the crossmember 700. The shank 104 of the spacer 100 has been secured into the crossmember 700 of a battery assembly in the vehicle environment by engaging the external threaded surface 106 of the shank 104 of the spacer 100 with corresponding threads on an aperture in the crossmember 700. The head 102 of the spacer 100 is positioned between a (“cabin-facing”) surface of the battery lid 702 and an underside of the casing 704 such that the first surface 102a of the head 102 of the spacer 100 abuts an underside of the casing 704 and the second surface 102b of the head 102 of the spacer 100 abuts the (“cabin-facing”) surface of the battery lid 702. The head 102 of the spacer 100 therefore maintains a fixed distance, as defined by the first length (not identified on FIG. 7) of the head of the spacer 100, between the periphery of the battery assembly lid 702 and the casing 704. In the illustrated arrangement, a load floor 706 overlies the casing 704. A fastener 302 is passed through a fastener aperture in the load floor 706, through a corresponding aperture in the peripheral edge of the casing 704 and into the bore of the spacer 100. This ensures that the battery assembly is secured to the vehicle. FIG. 8 illustrates the spacer 600 shown in FIG. 6 in use in a vehicle to secure a battery assembly to a part of the vehicle, and bridging a gap between a lid 702 of the battery assembly and a load floor 706 of the vehicle. As explained with reference to FIG. 6, this embodiment of spacer comprises a first part (head) 602 and a second part (shank) 604, and the distal part of the shank 604 comprises an external threaded surface 608 for engaging with corresponding threads on an aperture in a crossmember 700 of the battery assembly. The head 602 of the spacer 600 comprises a first surface 602a and a second surface 602b. As shown in FIG. 8, the battery assembly comprises a crossmember 700 which defines part of a frame of the battery assembly, and a lid 702 which is positioned over the frame to provide a cover for one or more battery cells (not shown in FIG. 8) contained within the battery assembly. A peripheral edge of the lid 702 abuts at least a part of the crossmember 700 of the battery assembly. In the present example, the peripheral edge of the lid 702 comprises a plurality of spaced apart apertures, each of which are configured to allow the shank 604 of the spacer 600 to pass through so that the shank 604 can be secured into the underlying crossmember 700 to connect the spacer 600 to the battery assembly 600. The second surface 602b of the spacer 600 abuts an upper-most (“cabin-facing”) surface 702a of the battery assembly lid 702. In other embodiments, the periphery of the lid 702 is shaped to conform around the spacers 600 inserted into the crossmember 700 to allow the second surface 602b of the spacers 600 to be in direct contact with the crossmember 706. The head 602 of the spacer 600 is positioned between the “cabin-facing” surface 702a of the battery assembly lid 702 and an overlying vehicle body component 706 which in the present example is a load floor 706 of the vehicle. The head 602 of the spacer 600 comprises a first length 612 which corresponds to the required spacing between the battery assembly lid 702 and the load floor 706, to ensure that the required spacing between the battery assembly and load floor 706 is maintained. The spacer 600 comprises a bore 606 which comprises internal threaded surface 610 for engaging with threads on a fastener 302. When compared with the spacer 100 shown in FIG. 1, it can be seen that the head 602 of the present embodiment of spacer 800 comprises a greater first length 612 as compared to the first length 108 of the head 102 of the spacer 100 shown in FIG. 1. This is because in the present use illustrated in FIG. 8, it is necessary for the head 102 of the spacer 100 to bridge a greater gap between the battery assembly lid 702 and the overlying load floor 706, as compared to the gap intended to be bridged by the spacer 100 of FIG. 1. A fastener 302 is secured through an aperture 800 in a seat crossmember 802 positioned on a vehicle cabin-facing surface of the load floor 706, in the present example. The fastener 302 then passes through a corresponding aperture in the load floor 706 and into the bore 606 of the spacer 600 where the external threaded surface of the fastener 302 engages with the internal threaded surface 610 of the bore 606 to secure the battery assembly to the vehicle. FIG. 9 schematically illustrates a battery assembly 900 according to an embodiment of the invention, which comprises a spacer 100 according to an embodiment of the invention. The spacer 100 is positioned between a body component 902 and an underlying battery frame 904 of the battery assembly 900, such that the second surface 102b of the spacer 100 abuts a surface of the battery frame 904, and the first surface 102a ofthe spacer abuts an underside of the body component 902 such that the body component 902 and underlying battery frame 904 are spaced apart by a length commensurate with the first length 108 ofthe first part 102 ofthe spacer 100. The shank 104 (not visible in FIG. 9) of the spacer 100 is secured into a rail ofthe battery frame 904. The battery frame 904 comprises a cavity 906 which holds a plurality of battery cells 908. In a real-life vehicle environment, it will be appreciated that the spacing between the body component 902 and the underlying battery frame 904 may not be uniform along the length or width ofthe battery frame 904 as is shown in the schematic illustration of FIG. 9. In such cases, there may be more than one embodiment of spacer 100, 500, 600, used to separate the body component 902 and the battery frame 904 to accommodate different spacing requirements. FIG. 10 illustrates an example method 1000 of using a spacer to maintain a first component and a second component in a spaced apart configuration. Although the example method 1000 of using a spacer depicts a particular sequence of operations, the sequence may be altered without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, some of the operations depicted may be performed in parallel or in a different sequence that does not materially affect the function of the method 1000 of using a spacer. In other examples, different components of an example device or system that implements the method 1000 of using a spacer may perform functions at substantially the same time or in a specific sequence. According to an embodiment, the method 1000 includes aligning 1002 the second part 104 of the spacer 100 with a threaded bore on a first component, which may be, for example, a crossmember of a battery frame of a battery assembly. In step 1004, external threads on the second part 104 of the spacer 100 are engaged with the threaded bore on the first component to secure the spacer 100 into the bore of the first component. Steps 1002 and 1004 are repeated for each spacer 100 being positioned on the first component to join the spacer(s) 100 to the first component. In step 1006, a second component, which may be a vehicle body component, is arranged to overlie the spacer(s) 100 and the first component such that an aperture on the second component aligns with the bore in each of the spacers 100 attached to the first component. In step 1008, a fastener is inserted through each aperture on the second component and into each respective bore of each of the spacers 100 attached to the first component such that threads on the external surface of the fastener engage with the threaded bore on each spacer 100, to secure the first and second components together using the attached spacers 100, whilst maintaining a predetermined spacing between them, according to the first length 108 of the first part 102 of the spacer 100. FIG. 11 illustrates a vehicle 1100 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The vehicle 1100 comprises a battery assembly (not visible in FIG. 11) in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, and the battery assembly comprises a lid in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The battery assembly may be secured to the load floor (not visible in FIG. 11) of the vehicle 1100. It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A spacer for positioning between a battery assembly and a vehicle body component,the spacer comprising an external threaded surface for engaging with a corresponding threaded surface on the battery assembly, and a bore comprising an internal threaded surface for engaging with a corresponding threaded surface of a fastener.

2. A spacer according to claim 1, wherein the spacer comprises a first part and a secondpart, wherein the first part comprises a head.

3. A spacer according to claim 2, the first part is adapted to bridge a gap between thebattery assembly and the vehicle body component.

4. A spacer according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the second part comprises the externalthreaded surface.

5. A spacer according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the second part comprises anunthreaded shank between the first part of the spacer and the external threaded surface.

6. A spacer according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the bore extends at least partway along a central axis of the first part of the spacer.

7. A spacer according to claim 6, wherein the bore extends continuously between the firstand the second part of the spacer, and at least part way along a central axis of the second part of the spacer.

8. A spacer according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein a radial thickness of a wall ofthe second part is 4mm.

9. A spacer according to any one of claims 2 to 8, wherein an axial thickness of a wall ofthe second part of the spacer is 7mm.

10. A spacer according to any one of claims 2 to 9, wherein an opening of the bore on thefirst part comprises a hexagonal shape.

11. A spacer according to any one of claims 2 to 10, comprising a sealing medium forsealing the spacer to the battery assembly and / or the vehicle body component.

12. A vehicle body component comprising a spacer according to any of claims 1 to 11.

13. A battery assembly comprising a spacer according to any of claims 1 to 11.

14. A method of using a spacer according to any of claims 1 to 11, comprising;aligning a second part of the spacer with a threaded aperture on the battery assembly;engaging the external threaded surface of the spacer with the corresponding threaded surface on the battery assembly to secure the spacer to the battery assembly;positioning the vehicle body component over the spacer such that an aperture of the vehicle body component is aligned with the bore of the spacer and the first part of the spacer maintains 5 the vehicle body component and battery assembly at a spaced apart distance determined by a first length of the first part of the spacer; andinserting a threaded fastener through the aperture of the vehicle body component and into the bore of the spacer such that the threaded surface of the fastener engages with the internal threaded surface of the bore.10 15. A vehicle comprising a spacer according to any of claims 1 to 11, or a vehicle bodycomponent according to claim 12, or a battery assembly according to claim 13.15

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