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US 5,957,346 AGranted
Spare tire stowage system for sport utility vehicle
AssigneeChrysler Corporation
InventorsJohn Schambre, Liliana Neag, Raymond C. Deyonker, Karl M. Lindh, David L. Garber
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for stowing a spare tire on the exterior of a sport utility vehicle includes a carrier that holds the spare tire and that can pivoted between a highway configuration, wherein the spare tire is positioned beneath the chassis to thereby provide unimpeded access to the vehicle's rear lift door, and an off-road configuration, wherein the tire is positioned against the rear lift door, to thereby provide ample clearance beneath the vehicle.
Claims9
A system for stowing a spare tire on a vehicle, the system comprising:
- a pair of guide rails adapted to be attached to an underside of the vehicle;
- and
- a carrier configured for holding the tire, said carrier having first and second legs each having a distal end interconnected to said pair of guide rails for pivotal movement about a common pivot axis, said carrier operable in a first position in which the spare tire is oriented generally horizontal and in a second position in which the spare tire is oriented generally vertical, said first and second legs also being slidably interconnected with said pair of guide rails;
- wherein said carrier is linearly translatable relative to said pair of guide rails between said first position and an intermediate position;
- and
- wherein said carrier is upwardly pivotable about said common pivot axis between said intermediate position and said second position.
3 more elements
A vehicle comprising:
- an underside;
- a vertically oriented rear surface;
- a pair of guide rails attached to said underside;
- a spare tire;
- and
- a generally U-shaped carrier holding said spare tire, said carrier having first and second legs each having a distal end interconnected to said pair of guide rails for pivotal movement about a common pivot axis;
- wherein said carrier is operable in a first position in which the spare tire is oriented generally horizontal and in a second position in which the spare tire is oriented generally vertical, said first and second ends further being slidably interconnected with said pair of guide rails;
- wherein said carrier is linearly translatable relative to said pair of guide rails between said first position and an intermediate position;
- and
- wherein said carrier is upwardly pivotable about said common pivot axis between said intermediate position and said second position.
7 more elements
A vehicle comprising:
- an underside;
- a vertically oriented rear surface;
- a pair of guide rails attached to said underside;
- a spare tire;
- and
- a generally U-shaped carrier holding said spare tire, said carrier having first and second legs each having a distal end interconnected to said pair of guide rails for pivotal movement about a common pivot axis;
- wherein said carrier is operable in a first position in which the spare tire is oriented generally horizontal and in a second position in which the spare tire is oriented generally vertical, said first and second ends further being slidably interconnected with said pair of guide rails;
- wherein said carrier is upwardly pivotable about said common pivot axis between said intermediate position and said second position;
- and
- wherein said vehicle includes means for releasable engaging the carrier in said first and second positions.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.