Spare tire carrier

• US 5,186,371 A
• Filed: 05/02/1991
• Issued: 02/16/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Madill, Kent W., Jozefczak, Thadius F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JACYNA, J CASIMER
• Application Number:
  US07/694,599
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 414/463-466, 296/37.2, 224/42.21, 224/42.24, 224/42.25, 224/42.06, 224/42.12, 224/42.13, 224/42.03 R, 224/42.03 A
• US Class Current: 224/42.21
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 43/002 Handling devices, mainly for heavy wheels via cables and chains B62D43/045
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 43/02 external to the vehicle body

Abstract

A spare tire carrier for a vehicle with a tailgate or other rear access assembly characterized in that the spare tire carrier is adapted to swing away outwardly from the vehicle and is provided with a swing-down device which allows a spare tire to be lowered into ground contact for easy removal of the spare tire. The swing-down device includes a tire support plate and an assist arm is pivotally coupled to the tire support plate for controlling the movement of the tire support plate when the latter is unlatched from the spare tire carrier.

Claims

1. A spare tire carrier for a vehicle, the spare tire carrier adapted to swing from a latched position wherein the carrier is located adjacent to a rear closure member of the vehicle to an open position wherein the carrier extends outwardly from the rear portion, the spare tire carrier comprising:

a generally U-shaped tubular frame member pivotally attached to the vehicle by a pair of hinge members located to one side of the closure member;

a first latching mechanism for latching the frame member to the closure member when the former is in the latched position;

a bracket fixedly connected to the frame member;

a swing-down device having a pivot arm pivotally attached to the bracket and supporting a spare tire for movement between a raised position wherein the spare tire is located above the ground and a lowered position wherein the spare tire contacts the ground;

a tire support plate fixedly connected to the pivot arm for mounting the spare tire;

the tire support plate having a second latching mechanism for maintaining the spare tire in the raised position relative to the frame member;

an assist arm pivotally coupled to the tire support plate for movement between a stowed position and an open position;

the assist arm having means engaging the tubular frame member when in the stowed position;

the support plate having stop means for preventing the assist arm from pivoting past a predetermined point;

the second latching mechanism serving to unlatch the support plate from the frame member to allow the spare tire to swing-downward from the raised position under the control of the assist arm when in the open position so that the tire can abut the ground and can be removed from the tire support plate.

2. A spare tire carrier for a vehicle, the spare tire carrier adapted to move from a latched position wherein the carrier is located adjacent a rear portion of the vehicle to an open position wherein the carrier extends outwardly from the rear portion, the spare tire carrier comprising:

a frame member;

a hinge means pivotally connecting the frame member to a rear corner of the vehicle so as to pivot about a vertical axis when moving the carrier between the latched position and the open position;

a bracket fixedly connected to the frame member;

a swing-down device pivotally attached to the bracket and supporting a spare tire for movement between a raised position wherein the spare tire is located above the ground and a lowered position wherein the spare tire contacts the ground;

the swing-down device having a pivot arm pivotally attached to the bracket so as to pivot about a horizontal axis when moving the spare tire between the raised position and the lowered position;

the swing-down device having a tire support plate fixedly connected to the pivot arm for removably mounting the spare tire;

a first latching mechanism carried by the tire support plate for maintaining the spare tire in the raised position;

an extendible assist arm pivotally connected to the tire support plate and extending outwardly beyond the circumference of the spare tire for moving and controlling the movement of the spare tire from the raised position to the lowered position so as to facilitate removal of the spare tire;

the extendible assist arm being pivotally movable between a stowed position and an open position; and

the extendible assist arm engaging the frame member when in the stowed position.

3. A spare tire carrier for a vehicle, the spare tire carrier adapted to move from a latched position wherein the carrier is located adjacent a rear portion of the vehicle to an open position wherein the carrier extends outwardly from the rear portion, the spare tire carrier comprising:

a frame member;

a hinge means pivotally connecting the frame member to a rear corner of the vehicle so as to pivot about a vertical axis when moving the carrier between the latched position and the open position;

a bracket fixedly connected to the frame member;

a swing-down device pivotally attached to the bracket and supporting a spare tire for movement between a raised position wherein the spare tire is located above the ground and a lowered position wherein the spare tire contacts the ground;

the swing-down device having a pivot arm pivotally attached to the bracket so as to pivot about a horizontal axis when moving the spare tire between the raised position and the lowered position;

the swing-down device having a tire support plate fixedly connected to the pivot arm for removably mounting the spare tire;

a first latching mechanism carried by the tire support plate for maintaining the spare tire in the raised position;

an extendible assist arm pivotally connected to said tire support plate and extending outwardly beyond the circumference of the spare tire for moving and controlling the movement of the spare tire from the raised position to the lowered position so as to facilitate removal of the spare tire;

the extendible assist arm being pivotally movable between a stowed position and an open position;

the extendible assist arm being secured in the stowed position through a tab on the assist arm that operatively engages the frame member;

said support plate having stop means for preventing the assist arm from pivoting beyond a predetermined position; and

said first latching mechanism serving to unlatch the support plate to allow the spare tire to swing-downward from the raised position under the control of the assist arm until the spare tire abuts the ground and is in the lowered position.