Spare tire carrier assembly

• US 8,540,125 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2007
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Anthony J. Newbill
• Original Assignee: Anthony J. Newbill
• Inventors: Newbill, Anthony J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Newhouse, Nathan J
• Assistant Examiner(s): SKURDAL, COREY NELSON
• Application Number:
  US11/863,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20080011793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,189 Days
• Field of Search: 224/502, 224/505, 224/506, 224/509, 224/42.21, 224/42.24, 224/42.28, 224512-519, 224/523, 224/529, 280/460.1, 280/461.1
• US Class Current: 224/42.21
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0088 Details of electrical connections B60Q1/305 takes precedence; electrical connection of the light source itself F21S41/192, F21S43/195
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2661 mounted on parts having other functions on wheels B60Q1/326
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/302 mounted in the vicinity, e.g. in the middle, of a rear window
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/56 for illuminating registrations or the like , e.g. for licence plates
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 43/02 external to the vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A vehicle includes a vehicle frame having D-ring latch and hinge assemblies coupled thereto. The D-ring latch and hinge assemblies include a latch and hinge sleeve, respectively. A tire carrier assembly is rotatably mounted to the D-ring hinge assembly, wherein the tire carrier assembly is repeatably moveable between raised and lowered positions.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle frame having a first mounting arm;

a D-ring hinge assembly attached to the first mounting arm; and

a tire carrier assembly, which includes

a bracket assembly having a mounting post rotatably coupled to the D-ring hinge assembly;

a swing arm coupled to the braket assembly;

an actuator coupled to the bracket assembly and swing arm, the tire carrier assembly being repeatably moveable between raised and lowered positions in response to actuating the actuator, wherein the actuator is coupled to the bracket assembly and swing arm in the raised and lowered positions.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the tire carrier assembly includes a pivot arm repeatably moveable between extended and retracted positions, the pivot arm being rotatably coupled to the swing arm.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, further including a D-ring latch assembly attached to a second mounting arm of the vehicle frame, wherein the D-ring latch assembly includes a latch.

4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the pivot arm is repeatably moveable between latched and unlatched conditions with the D-ring latch assembly.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, further including a vehicle accessory carried by the tire carrier assembly.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, further including a wiring harness connected between the vehicle accessory and an electrical system of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the tire carrier assembly includes a pivot arm rotatably coupled to the swing arm, the pivot arm being repeatably moveable between latched and unlatched positions with the latch.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the pivot arm is repeatably moveable between extended and retracted positions.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the tire carrier assembly includes a U-joint coupled with the actuator.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the tire carrier bracket assembly includes opposed arm plates carried by the swing arm, the U-joint being positioned between the opposed arm plates.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the actuator is coupled to the swing arm in the raised and lowered positions.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, further including a U-joint attached to the opposed arm plates and actuator.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the swing arm carries the opposed arm plates.

14. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the tire carrier assembly includes a pivot arm rotatably coupled with the swing arm.

15. The vehicle of claim 5, further including a wiring harness connected to the vehicle accessory and an electrical system of the vehicle so that an electrical signal can flow therebetween.

16. A vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle frame having first and second mounting arms;

D-ring latch and hinge assemblies which include a latch and hinge sleeve, respectively, the D-ring latch and hinge assemblies being attached to the first and second mounting arms, respectively; and

a tire carrier assembly, which includes

a bracket assembly rotatably coupled to the hinge sleeve;

a swing arm coupled to the bracket assembly;

opposed arm plates carried by the swing arm;

an actuator coupled to the bracket assembly and opposed arm plates, the swing arm being repeatably moveable between raised and lowered positions, wherein the actuator is coupled to the bracket assembly and swing arm in the raised and lowered positions.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the actuator moves the swing arm between the raised and lowered, positions in response to actuating the actuator.

18. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the tire carrier assembly includes a pivot arm repeatably moveable between extended and retracted positions, the pivot arm being pivotably coupled with the swing arm.

19. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the pivot arm is repeatably moveable between latched and unlatched positions with the D-ring latch assembly.

20. A method of providing a vehicle with a spare tire, comprising:

providing a vehicle having a vehicle frame with a first mounting arm;

attaching a D-ring, hinge assembly to the first mounting arm; and

mounting a tire carrier assembly to the D-ring hinge assembly, wherein the tire carrier assembly includes

a tire carrier bracket assembly coupled to the D-ring hinge assembly;

a swing area coupled to the tire carrier bracket assembly;

opposed arm plates carried by the swing arm; and

an actuator coupled to the bracket assembly and opposed arm plates, the swing arm being repeatably moveable between raised and lowered positions, wherein the actuator is coupled to the bracket assembly and swing arm in the raised and lowered positions.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the tire carrier assembly includes a pivot arm repeatably moveable between extended and retracted positions, the pivot arm being rotatably coupled to the swing arm.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of mounting the tire carrier assembly with the D-ring hinge assembly includes rotatably mounting the tire carrier bracket assembly with a hinge sleeve included with the D-ring hinge assembly.

23. The method of claim 20, further including positioning a vehicle accessory so it is carried by the tire carrier assembly.

24. The method of claim 21, further including attaching a D-ring latch assembly to a second mounting arm of the vehicle frame, wherein the D-ring latch assembly includes a latch.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the pivot arm is repeatably moveable between latched and unlatched conditions with the D-ring latch assembly.

26. A method of assembling a tire carrier assembly, comprising:

providing a tire carrier bracket assembly, wherein the tire carrier bracket assembly includes a downwardly extending mounting post;

coupling an actuator to the tire carrier bracket assembly;

coupling a swing arm to the tire carrier bracket assembly; and

coupling opposed arm plates to the actuator and swing arm and swing arm;

coupling the downwardly extending mounting post to a hinge sleeve of a D-ring hinge assembly, the D-ring hinge assembly being attached to a mounting arm of a vehicle frame;

wherein the tire carrier assembly is repeatably rotatable between raised and lowered positions in response to actuating the actuator, the actuator being coupled to the swing arm and tire carrier bracket assembly in the raised and lowered positions.

27. The method of claim 26, further including coupling the swing arm and the actuator together so that the swing arm moves between raised and lowered positions in response to actuating the actuator.

28. A vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle frame having a first mounting arm;

a D-ring hinge assembly attached to the first mounting arm; and

a tire carrier assembly, which includes

a bracket assembly having a mounting post rotatably coupled to the D-ring hinge assembly;

a swing arm with a proximal end coupled to the bracket assembly;

a pivot arm rotatably coupled to a distal end of the swing arm;

an actuator with a proximal end coupled to the bracket assembly;

an actuator handle operatively coupled to the actuator, the swing arm being repeatably moveable between raised and lowered positions in response to moving the actuator handle; and

a D-ring latch assembly attached to a second mounting arm of the vehicle frame, wherein the D-ring latch assembly includes a latch, and wherein a distal end of the pivot arm is repeatably moveable between latched and unlatched positions with the D-ring latch assembly.

29. The vehicle of claim 28, further including opposed arm plates carried by the swing arm, wherein a distal end of the actuator is coupled to the opposed arm plates.

30. The vehicle of claim 28, further including opposed arm plates carried by the swing arm, wherein the actuator extends between the opposed arm plates.

31. The vehicle of claim 30, further including a U-joint coupled with the opposed arm plates, wherein the distal end of the actuator is coupled to the opposed arm plates through the U-joint.

32. The vehicle of claim 29, wherein the distal end of the actuator is coupled to the opposed arm plates when the swing arm is in the raised and lowered positions.

33. The vehicle of claim 29, further including a hub unit coupled to one of the arm plates of the opposed arm plates.