Spare tire carrier device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9718505-B2
Application number	US-201514946599-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2015
Priority date	Mar 2, 2015
Publication date	Aug 1, 2017
Grant date	Aug 1, 2017

Abstract

The present invention involves a spare tire carrier and handling device for mounting on a vehicle. The device is adapted for moving a spare tire between a stored position under a vehicle to an accessible position. The device may be mounted so as to be accessible from the rear, side, or front of a vehicle as desired.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A spare tire handling system configured to be mounted on a vehicle, comprising:
a channel;
a fixed block mounted within said channel;
a sliding block slidably contained within said channel;
a threaded rod disposed within said channel, said rod threadably passing through said sliding block, rotatably engaged with said fixed block, and having one end accessible from outside said channel;
a cable passing over and contacting said fixed block and having two ends, one end secured to said sliding block and the other end secured to a tire retaining device located outside of said channel;
wherein turning said threaded rod in a first direction moves said sliding block towards said fixed block;
wherein turning said threaded rod in a direction opposite said first direction moves said sliding block away from said fixed block.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the channel is configured to be mounted to the underside of a vehicle.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein said accessible end of said threaded rod is positioned within said channel so as to be accessible from a side of the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein said accessible end of said threaded rod is positioned within said channel so as to be accessible from the rear of the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein said threaded rod passes through said fixed block.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one tire stabilizer mounted to said channel.

7. A spare tire handling system configured to be mounted on a vehicle and adapted for moving a spare tire between a stowed and a deployed position relative to the vehicle, the system including:
a threaded rod member;
a threaded block movably connected to said threaded rod member;
a fixed block member rotatably connected to said threaded rod member;
a cable member secured at one end proximate to said fixed block member such that it contacts said fixed block member and slidably engaged with said threaded block member;
a tire retaining member operably connected to said cable and configured to engage a spare tire;
wherein turning the threaded rod member in one direction moves the threaded block towards the fixed block member thereby lowering the tire retaining member to a deployed position;
wherein turning the threaded rod member in the opposite direction moves the threaded block away from the fixed block member thereby raising the tire retaining member to a stowed position.

8. The spare tire handling system of claim 7 , wherein the threaded rod member is configured for engagement with a hand crank, wherein the hand crank may be removably mounted to the rod on the side of the vehicle to turn the threaded rod.

9. The spare tire handling system of claim 7 , wherein the threaded block is positioned such that a tire mounted to said tire retaining member when in the stowed position is completely under the vehicle and when in the deployed position is only partially under the vehicle.

10. The spare tire handling system configured to be of claim 7 , wherein the threaded rod member is configured to be engageable by a hand crank from the rear of the vehicle.

11. A spare tire handling system mounted on a vehicle, comprising:
a threaded rod member;
a threaded block movably connected to the threaded rod member;
a fixed block member rotatably connected to the threaded rod member;
a flexible member secured at one end to one block member and slidably engaged with the other block member;
a tire retaining device operably connected to the flexible member;
wherein turning the threaded rod member in one direction moves the threaded block member towards the fixed block member thereby lowering the tire retaining device to a deployed position;
wherein turning the threaded rod member in the opposite direction moves the threaded block member away from the fixed block member thereby raising the tire retaining device to a stowed position.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the flexible member is selected from the group including a cable, a chain, a belt, and a rope.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the flexible member is secured to the fixed block and slidably engaged with the threaded block.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the flexible member is secured to the threaded block and slidably engaged with the fixed block.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the threaded rod member, the threaded block, and the fixed block are disposed within a channel which is configured to be mounted to the underside of a vehicle.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the channel is mounted to the vehicle such that one end of the threaded rod may be engaged by a hand crank and turned by the hand crank from the side of the vehicle.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the channel is mounted to the vehicle such that one end of the threaded rod may be engaged by a hand crank and turned by a hand crank from the rear of the vehicle.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the fixed block member is configured so that a tire mounted to the tire retaining device when in the stowed position is completely under the vehicle and when in the deployed position is only partially under the vehicle.

Assignees

• Norco Ind Inc

Inventors

• Goss Thomas Michael
• Schultz Timothy D
• Krobot Borivoj

Classifications

• B62D43/045 Primary

  the wheel or its cradle being attached to one or more chains or cables for handling · CPC title

• B62D43/002

  Handling devices, mainly for heavy wheels (via cables and chains B62D43/045) · CPC title