# US 8,540,125 B2 · Spare tire carrier assembly

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- Number: US 8,540,125 B2
- Document ID: US8540125B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/863,178
- Filed: 2007-09-27
- Published: 2008-01-17
- Granted: 2013-09-24
- Earliest claimed: 2004-02-23
- Applicants: Anthony J. Newbill
- Inventors: Anthony J. Newbill
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8540125B2

## CPC

- B62D 43/02: external to the vehicle body
- B60Q 1/0088: {Details of electrical connections (B60Q1/305 takes precedence; electrical connection of the light source itself F21S41/192, F21S43/195)}
- B60Q 1/2661: {mounted on parts having other functions (on wheels B60Q1/326)}
- B60Q 1/302: {mounted in the vicinity, e.g. in the middle, of a rear window}
- B60Q 1/56: for illuminating registrations or the like {, e.g. for licence plates}
- Y10T 29/49826: Assembling or joining
- B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M)
- B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## 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

### Claim 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.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

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.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

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.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

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

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

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

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

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

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

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.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

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

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

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

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

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.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

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

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

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

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

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

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

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

### Claim 15 (depends on 5)

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.

### Claim 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.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

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

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

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.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

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

### Claim 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.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

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.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

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.

### Claim 23 (depends on 20)

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

### Claim 24 (depends on 21)

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.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

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

### Claim 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.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

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.

### Claim 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.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

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.

### Claim 30 (depends on 28)

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

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

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.

### Claim 32 (depends on 29)

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.

### Claim 33 (depends on 29)

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