Patent ID: 6409454
Filing Date: 2002-06-25
Classification: B62D

Abstract:
A spare wheel holding apparatus adapted to prevent breakage of a suspending member, said apparatus comprising:a wheel support member for supporting a wheel; a suspending member having a falling end that connects to the wheel support member; a winding device for winding up the suspending member, said winding device comprising: a case; a main shaft that is supported on the case; a winding drum rotatably fitted to the main shaft, the winding drum being adapted to wind-up the suspending member; and a planetary gear mechanism comprising: an internal gear comprising a plurality of internal gear teeth arranged concentrically with the main shaft on a side of the winding drum; an eccentric cam formed as a single body with the main shaft and being eccentrically disposed with respect to the main shaft said cam having an external gear rotatably fitted concentric with the eccentric cam and intermeshing with the internal gear, the external gear having a plurality of teeth less than the number of internal gear teeth so that a large reduction ratio is obtained; a rotation restricting plate joined to the winding drum and having a circumferential surface that is concentric with the main shaft; and a rotation restricting pin adapted to be placed through the case so the rotation restricting plate abuts the rotation restricting pin, thereby preventing movement of the winding drum when the rotation restricting pin is placed through the case, and permitting the winding drum to rotate when the rotation restricting pin is removed from the case; wherein the rotation restricting pin is adapted to break and allow rotation of the winding drum and payout of the suspending member, thereby preventing breakage of the suspending member, when a winding-off force in excess of a predetermined force is applied to the suspending member.