Patent Publication Number: US-2023159116-A1

Title: Spare tire cover systems for motor vehicles

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This disclosure relates generally to motor vehicles, and more particularly to spare tire cover systems that include features for assisting with raising/lowering a spare tire to/from its vehicle mounted position. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Some motor vehicles are equipped with spare tire covers. The spare tire covers may cover a spare tire to protect the spare tire from exposure to environmental conditions. 
     SUMMARY 
     A spare tire cover system for a vehicle according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, 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 deployed position relative to the carrier portion. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of the foregoing spare tire cover system, a mounting portion is configured to mount the base portion to a door panel of the vehicle. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of either of the foregoing spare tire cover systems, the carrier portion includes a lug mount that is slidable relative to an inner sleeve of the base portion. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing spare tire cover systems, the spare tire is mountable to the lug mount. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing spare tire cover systems, the deployable ramp is received against a wheel catcher of the carrier portion when in the stowed position and is located closer to a ground surface when in the deployed position. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing spare tire cover systems, the wheel catcher is an integral component of a pivotable top panel of the carrier portion. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing spare tire cover systems, a light source is secured to the carrier portion. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing spare tire cover systems, a control module is configured to control a lighting effect emitted by the light source. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing spare tire cover systems, the deployable ramp includes a wheel stop. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing spare tire cover systems, the deployable ramp includes a deployable step. 
     A vehicle according to another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a door panel and a spare tire cover system mounted to the door panel. 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. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of the foregoing vehicle, a strut assembly is configured to guide the deployable ramp between the stowed position and the deployed position. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of either of the foregoing vehicles, the strut assembly includes a fixed strut, a slotted link, and an assist spring. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing vehicles, the deployable ramp is received against a wheel catcher of the spare tire cover system when in the stowed position and is displaced from the wheel catcher when in the deployed position. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing vehicles, the wheel catcher includes a deployable step. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing vehicles, the deployable ramp includes a wheel stop. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing vehicles, the deployable ramp includes a deployable step. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing vehicles, the spare tire cover system includes a top panel adapted to move between a stowed position and a deployed position. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing vehicles, the top panel includes a deployable handrail. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing vehicles, the deployed position of the deployable ramp is closer to a ground surface and the deployed position of the top panel is further from the ground surface. 
     The embodiments, examples and alternatives of the preceding paragraphs, the claims, or the following description and drawings, including any of their various aspects or respective individual features, may be taken independently or in any combination. Features described in connection with one embodiment are applicable to all embodiments, unless such features are incompatible. 
     The various features and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a rear perspective view of a motor vehicle equipped with a spare tire cover system. 
         FIG.  2    is a side view of the spare tire cover system of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  3    illustrates a first partially deployed position of the spare tire cover system of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  4    illustrates a second partially deployed position of the spare tire cover system of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  5    illustrates a fully deployed position of the spare tire cover system of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  6    illustrates an exemplary strut assembly of a spare tire cover system. 
         FIG.  7    illustrates exemplary step and handrail features of a spare tire cover system. 
         FIG.  8    illustrates additional features of a spare tire cover system. 
         FIG.  9    illustrates additional features of a spare tire cover system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     This disclosure details exemplary spare tire cover systems for motor vehicles. Exemplary spare tire cover systems 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. These and other features of this disclosure are described in greater detail below. 
       FIG.  1    illustrates select portions of a motor vehicle  10  (hereinafter referred to simply as “the vehicle”). In an embodiment, the vehicle  10  is a sport utility vehicle (SUV). However, the vehicle  10  could alternatively be configured as a car, a truck, a van, or any other type of vehicle within the scope of this disclosure. The vehicle  10  could also be a conventional motor vehicle, a battery powered hybrid or electric vehicle, or an autonomous vehicle (i.e., a driverless vehicle). 
     Although a specific component relationship is illustrated in the figures of this disclosure, the illustrations are not intended to limit this disclosure. In other words, the placement and orientation of the various components of the vehicle  10  are shown schematically and could vary within the scope of this disclosure. In addition, the various figures accompanying this disclosure are not necessarily drawn to scale, and some features may be exaggerated or minimized to emphasize certain details of a particular component. 
     The vehicle  10  includes a rear door panel  12  that may support a spare tire cover system  14 . The spare tire cover system  14  may support and cover a spare tire  16  at a height H above a ground surface  15 . The spare tire  16  may include both a wheel portion  18  and a tire portion  20  (see  FIG.  2   ) that is received on the wheel portion  18 . However, the specific configuration of the spare tire  16  is not intended to limit this disclosure. 
     Traditionally, spare tire covers have had limited functionality beyond simply covering the spare tire  16  to protect it from environmental conditions (e.g., rain, snow, ice, sunlight, etc.). Moreover, the height H at which the spare tire  16  is supported relative to the vehicle  10  could be high enough that some users may find it difficult to raise and lower the spare tire  16  to/from its mounted position. This disclosure therefore contemplates spare tire cover systems  14  that provide increased functionality and include various features for assisting users when raising/lowering the spare tire  16  to/from its mounted position. 
     Referring now to  FIG.  2   , with continued reference to  FIG.  1   , the spare tire cover system  14  may include a mounting portion  22 , a base portion  24 , and a carrier portion  26 . These and other subcomponents of the spare tire cover system  14  may be made of metallic materials, plastic materials, or a combination of metallic and plastic materials. The material make-up of each subcomponent of the spare tire cover system  14  is thus not intended to limit this disclosure. 
     The mounting portion  22  may mount the base portion  24  to the rear door panel  12 . The mounting portion  22  may include a mounting plate  28  that is mounted directly to the base portion  24 , and one or more rack mounts  30  that are mounted directly to the mounting plate  28  and the rear door panel  12 . 
     The carrier portion  26  may be movably mounted relative to the base portion  24  between a first position P 1  (shown in  FIG.  1   ) and a second position P 2  (shown in  FIG.  2   ). For example, the carrier portion  26  may include a lug mount  32  (e.g., a female part) that is adapted to receive an inner sleeve  34  (e.g., a male part) of the base portion  24 . Movement between the carrier portion  26  and the base portion  24  may therefore be guided by the interface between the inner sleeve  34  and the lug mount  32 . 
     The carrier portion  26  may be slid in a rearward direction D relative to the base portion  24 . In an embodiment, the rearward direction D is rearward relative to the vehicle  10 . Thus, the carrier portion  26  may be slid in a direction away from the rear door panel  12  in order to provide clearance relative to a bumper  36  of the vehicle  10  when unloading/loading the spare tire  16 . 
     The lug mount  32  of the carrier portion  26  may include one or more lugs  38  for securing the spare tire  16  to the carrier portion  26 . The spare tire  16  may be secured in place by positioning the lugs  38  through the wheel portion  18  of the spare tire  16  and then attaching lug nuts  40  to the lugs  38 . The carrier portion  26  may substantially surround an outer circumference of the spare tire  16  when the spare tire  16  is mounted thereto. 
     Access to the lug nuts  40  for either securing or removing the spare tire  16  may be achieved through an access cover  42  (see  FIG.  1   ). The access cover  42  may be removably secured to a center panel  44  of the carrier portion  26 . 
       FIGS.  3 ,  4 , and  5    illustrate various features of the carrier portion  26  that facilitate raising/lowering the spare tire  16  to/from its mounted position. For example, the carrier portion  26  may include a deployable ramp  46  that is pivotably connected to portions of the carrier portion  26 . The deployable ramp  46  may pivot between a stowed position (shown in  FIG.  1   ) and deployed position (shown in  FIG.  3   ). In the stowed position, the deployable ramp  46  may substantially cover and thus conceal a wheel catcher  48  of a top panel  50  of the carrier portion  26 . In the deployed position, the deployable ramp  46  may be located closer to the ground surface  15  and no longer conceals the wheel catcher  48 . The deployable ramp  46  may move in a direction that is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle  10  (e.g., toward either the passenger side or driver side of the vehicle  10 ) when moved from the stowed position to the deployed position. 
     The top panel  50  may also be pivotably connected to portions of the carrier portion  26 . The top panel  50  may pivot between a stowed position (see  FIG.  3   ) and a deployed position (see  FIG.  4   ). In the stowed position, the top panel  50  may substantially cover portions of the outer circumference of the spare tire  16 . In the deployed position, the top panel  50  is rotated slightly open to an ajar position that is further from the ground surface  15  to expose portions of the spare tire  16 . The top panel  50  may move in a direction that is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle  10  (e.g., toward either the passenger side or driver side of the vehicle  10 ) when moved from the stowed position to the deployed position. 
     In an embodiment, the wheel catcher  48  is an integral component of the top panel  50 . However, the wheel catcher  48  could alternatively be configured as a separate structure from the top panel  50 . 
     The spare tire  16  can be lowered from its mounted position as follows. First, the carrier portion  26  may be moved (e.g., slid rearwardly) from the first position P 1  to the second position P 2  (see  FIGS.  1  and  2   ). The deployable ramp  46  may then be moved to its deployed position (see  FIG.  3   ). The wheel catcher  48  may prevent premature movement of the spare tire  16  while removing the lug nuts  40 , for example, when the deployable ramp  46  is located in the deployed position. 
     Next, the top panel  50  may be moved to its deployed position (see  FIG.  4   ). The spare tire  16  may then be lowered (e.g., rolled) down the deployable ramp  46  (see  FIG.  5   ) to a position that is relatively close to the ground surface  15 . The reverse of the foregoing steps may be performed to raise the spare tire  16  back to the mounted position shown in  FIG.  1   . 
     The deployable ramp  46  may include a wheel stop  52  that is configured to prevent the spare tire  16  from unintentionally rolling off the deployable ramp  46  when raising/lowering the spare tire  16 . The wheel stop  52  may be accommodated within a slot  54  of the wheel catcher  48  when the deployable ramp  46  and the top panel  50  are located in their respective stowed positions. 
       FIG.  6    illustrates a strut assembly  56  of the spare tire cover system  14 . The strut assembly  56  may control the movement of the deployable ramp  46  between the stowed and deployed positions described above. In this embodiment, the stowed position of the deployable ramp  46  is illustrated using dashed lines, and the deployed position of the deployable ramp  46  is illustrated using solid lines. 
     The strut assembly  56  may include, among other things, a latch release  58 , a fixed strut  60 , an assist spring  62 , and a slotted link  64 . In a default configuration, the fixed strut  60  holds the deployable ramp  46  in the closed or stowed position by fully extending a cylinder  66  (in direction of arrow  68 ) of the fixed strut  60 . The fixed strut  60  may also serve as a closing assist when moving the deployable ramp  46  from the deployed position to the stowed position. 
     The latch release  58  may actuate the assist spring  62  and thus acts as an opening assist to help lower the deployable ramp  46  from the stowed position to the deployed position, such as when the weight of a user&#39;s foot is being applied to the deployable ramp  46 . For example, the assist spring  62  may be operably connected to the slotted link  64 , which is itself connected to the deployable ramp  46 , and may be configured to move the slotted link  64  in a direction of arrow  69  when actuated. The assist spring  62  may automatically reset upon moving the deployable ramp  46  back to the stowed position. 
       FIG.  7    illustrates a plurality of accessory features that may be included as part of the spare tire cover system  14 . As a first exemplary accessory feature, the spare tire cover system  14  may include a deployable step  70 . The deployable step  70  may be rotatably connected to the deployable ramp  46  and may be moved between a stowed position in which the deployable step  70  is received against a ramp surface  72  of the deployable ramp  46  and a deployed position in which the deployable step  70  is rotated outward of the deployable ramp  46  (see inset A of  FIG.  7   ). The deployable step  70  may include a cutout  71  for accommodating the wheel stop  52  when moving between the stowed and deployed positions. The deployable step  70  provides a surface for which a user may step, such as when reaching for items stowed on an upper surface of the vehicle  10 , for example. In some implementations, additional deployable steps could be provided at varying height levels of the spare tire cover system  14  to provide increased utility and convenience. 
     As a second exemplary accessory feature, the spare tire cover system  14  may include a deployable handrail  74 . The deployable handrail  74  may be rotatably connected to the top panel  50  via one or more rail supports  76 . The deployable handrail  74  may be moved between a stowed position in which the deployable handrail  74  is received against a circumferential surface  77  of the top panel  50  and a deployed position in which the deployable handrail  74  is rotated outward of the top panel  50  (schematically illustrated by arrow  78 ). The deployable handrail  74  provides a fixed structure that may be grasped by the user, such as when reaching for items stowed on the upper surface of the vehicle  10 , for example. Additional deployable handrails could be provided on the top panel  50  or elsewhere as part of the spare tire cover system  14 . 
       FIG.  8    illustrates additional features that can be incorporated into the carrier portion  26  of the spare tire cover system  14  for assisting users, such as when attempting to access the upper surface of the vehicle  10 . In this embodiment, the deployable ramp  46  may include a first deployable step  70 A, the wheel catcher  48  may include a second deployable step  70 B, and the top panel  50  may include one or more rumble pads  75 . The various steps/rumble pads may be provided at different height levels of the spare tire cover system  14  for assisting users when stepping up to access the upper surface of the vehicle  10 . 
       FIG.  9    illustrates additional accessory features that may be included as part of the spare tire cover system  14 . As a further accessory feature, one or more light sources  80  may be provided for illuminating aspects of the spare tire cover system  14 . Each light source  80  may be a light emitting diode (LED), for example. However, other light sources could alternatively be utilized within the scope of this disclosure. 
     The light source  80  may be provided within the top panel  50  of the carrier portion  26 . The light source  80  may be recessed in a submarine configuration such that users cannot see the light source  80  when casually viewing the top panel  50 . The submarine configuration produces a downward projecting, narrow light beam B that may illuminate one or more of the deployable steps  70  or other desired features but does not shine directly into the eyes of bystanders. 
     A control module  82  may be operably linked to the light sources  80  and a sensor system  84  of the spare tire cover system  14 . The control module  82  may be equipped with executable instructions for interfacing with and commanding operation of various components of the spare tire cover system  14 . The control module  82  may include a processing unit  86  and non-transitory memory  88  for executing the various control strategies and modes of the spare tire cover system  14 . The processing unit  86  can be programmed to execute one or more programs stored in the memory  88 . The programs may be stored in the memory  88  as software code, for example. Each program stored in the memory  88  may include an ordered list of executable instructions for implementing logical functions associated with the spare tire cover system  14 . The processing unit  86  can be a custom made or commercially available processor, a central processing unit (CPU), or generally any device for executing software instructions. The memory  88  can include any one or combination of volatile memory elements and/or nonvolatile memory elements. 
     In an embodiment, the control module  82  may automatically command the light source  80  to illuminate based on feedback from the sensor system  84 . For example, the sensor system  84  may communicate a signal S 1  to the control module  82  in response to detecting that the deployable ramp  46  has been moved to the deployed position. In response to receiving the signal S 1 , the control module  82  may activate light source  80  for providing the light beam B. 
     The control module  82  may, in another embodiment, control the color and brightness of the light source  80 . The light source  80  may thus be configured to produce various lighting functions that are designed to enhance the user experience. 
     The control module  82  may, in another embodiment, command that an alert  85  be issued when the deployable ramp  46  is moved to the deployed position and/or when a key fob/passive entry device is not located within a predefined range of the vehicle  10  when a user is detected as attempting to access the spare tire  16 . The alert  85  may automatically be displayed on a human machine interface (i.e., passenger cabin infotainment system, linked smart device, etc.) associated with the vehicle  10 , for example. 
     The spare tire cover systems of this disclosure provide increased functionality compared to known spare tire covers. Furthermore, the exemplary spare tire cover systems described herein facilitate improved ease of use when raising/lowering a spare tire to/from a vehicle mounted position, thereby improving customer satisfaction. 
     Although the different non-limiting embodiments are illustrated as having specific components or steps, the embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to those particular combinations. Some of the components or features from any of the non-limiting embodiments may be used in combination with features or components from any of the other non-limiting embodiments. 
     It should be understood that like reference numerals identify corresponding or similar elements throughout the several drawings. Although a particular component arrangement is disclosed and illustrated in these exemplary embodiments, other arrangements could also benefit from the teachings of this disclosure. 
     The foregoing description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense. A worker of ordinary skill in the art would understand that certain modifications could come within the scope of this disclosure. For these reasons, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this disclosure.