Spare tire cover systems for motor vehicles
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsStuart C. Salter, David Brian Glickman, Jeffrey Robert Seaman, Annette Lynn Huebner, Paul Kenneth Dellock
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Exemplary spare tire cover systems for motor vehicles may include features for assisting in raising/lowering a spare tire to/from a vehicle mounted position. Exemplary system features may include, but are not limited to, a deployable ramp, a wheel stop, a wheel catcher, and a strut assembly for moving the deployable ramp between stowed and deployed positions. The spare tire cover systems may additionally include features designed for increasing the functionality of the system, including but not limited to integrated deployable steps and handrails, lighting, sensors, etc.
Claims18
A spare tire cover system for a vehicle, comprising:
- a base portion;
- a carrier portion slidable toward and away from the base portion and configured to support a spare tire;
- and
- a deployable ramp configured to move between a stowed position and a deployed position relative to the carrier portion,
- wherein the carrier portion includes a lug mount that is slidable relative to an inner sleeve of the base portion.
A spare tire cover system for a vehicle, comprising:
- a base portion;
- a carrier portion slidable relative to the base portion and configured to support a spare tire;
- and
- a deployable ramp configured to move between a stowed position and a deployed position relative to the carrier portion,
- wherein the deployable ramp includes a deployable step.
A vehicle, comprising:
- a door panel;
- and
- a spare tire cover system mounted to the door panel,
- wherein the spare tire cover system includes a deployable ramp adapted to move between a stowed position and a deployed position for assisting in raising/lowering a spare tire to/from a mounted position,
- wherein the deployable ramp moves toward either a passenger side or a driver side of the vehicle when moved from the stowed position to the deployed position,
- wherein the spare tire cover system includes a top panel adapted to move between a stowed position and a deployed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.