Spare-wheel carrier for a motor vehicle

• US 7,389,898 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2003
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Burnus, Oliver, Riemer, Holger, Babel, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Newhouse; Nathan J
• Assistant Examiner(s): LARSON, JUSTIN MATTHEW
• Application Number:
  US10/671,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20040124223A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,733 Days
• Field of Search: 224/509, 224/502, 224/488, 224/511, 224/42.28, 224 4212- 13, 307/10.3, 180275-279, 180/286, 340/426.34, 340/438, 340/426.28, 296/37.2
• US Class Current: 224/509
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 43/02 external to the vehicle body

Abstract

A spare-wheel carrier for a motor vehicle is pivotable at a body of the motor vehicle and arranged in a region of a tailgate of the motor vehicle. The spare-wheel carrier includes at least one sensor configured to detect at least one position of the spare-wheel carrier and to transmit the at least one position to a control unit. The control unit is configured to enable and block at least one function of the motor vehicle in accordance with the position of the spare-wheel carrier.

Claims

1. A spare-wheel carrier for a motor vehicle, the spare-wheel carrier pivotable at a body of the motor vehicle and arranged in a region of a tailgate of the motor vehicle, comprising:

at least one sensor configured to detect at least one position of the spare-wheel carrier and to transmit the at least one position to a control unit, the control unit configured to enable and block functions of the motor vehicle in accordance with the position of the spare-wheel carrier,

wherein the sensor includes a lock having a touch-sensitive switch configured to detect the position of the spare wheel carrier, the lock configured to retain the position of the spare-wheel carrier;

wherein the lock includes at least one locking element, including a striker having a ball and a pin, and at least one complementary locking element, including at least two swivelable ball sockets, one of the at least one locking element and the at least one complementary locking element attached to the body of the motor vehicle, another one of the at least one locking element and the complementing locking element attached to the spare-wheel carrier; and

wherein the lock includes an emergency release device configured to manually release the spare-wheel carrier, the emergency release device including an emergency release lock including a striker having at least one rotatable actuator rotatable into at least one unlocked position and a locked position, in the unlocked position, at least one first lever arranged to release the spare-wheel carrier movable in accordance with displacement of the striker, in the locked position, the at least one first lever not movable in accordance with displacement of the striker.

2. The spare-wheel carrier according to claim 1, further comprising an actuator assigned to the lock, the actuator operable in accordance with a grip switch.

3. The spare-wheel carrier according to claim 1, wherein the ball supports the striker.

4. The spare-wheel carrier according to claim 1, wherein the complementary locking element includes a movable blocking part configured to block swivel of the ball sockets from a closed position into an open position and configured to release the locking element in accordance with at least one of displacement and tilt of the blocking part.

5. The spare-wheel carrier according to claim 1, further comprising a catch hook configured to hold the ball sockets in a closed position in accordance with a weight of the catch hook.

6. The spare-wheel carrier according to claim 1, wherein the locking element includes at least one lever arranged as a release mechanism.

7. The spare-wheel carrier according to claim 1, wherein the emergency release device includes at least one second lever positioned to operate the at least one first lever.

8. The spare-wheel carrier according to claim 1, further comprising:

an arrangement configured to block operation of a rear window in accordance with the lock.

9. The spare-wheel carrier according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit configured to represent the position of the spare-wheel carrier.

10. The spare-wheel carrier according to claim 9, wherein the display unit is arranged in an instrument cluster.

11. The spare-wheel carrier according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one bearing arranged on the body; and

an end switch assigned to the at least one bearing.

12. The spare-wheel carrier according to claim 11, further comprising a grip switch assigned to the tailgate, the tailgate operable as a function of the position of the spare-wheel carrier detected by the end switch.