Patent ID: 7434786

Claim:
A spare tire carrier comprising, in combination: a drive shaft having a central rotational axis and a groove; a disk-shaped spring member secured to the drive shaft for rotation with the drive shaft about the central rotational axis; wherein the spring member has a plurality of axially extending detents formed at an outer edge of the spring member; a plate adjacent the spring member and rotatable about the drive shaft; wherein the plate has a plurality of grooves receiving the detents of the spring member; a retaining clip located within the groove of the drive shaft; wherein the drive shaft has an axially-facing abutment spaced apart and facing the groove and the plate and the spring member are located between the retaining clip and the axially-facing abutment with the spring member engaging the axially-facing abutment and the plate engaging the retaining clip to retain the plate in a longitudinal position relative to the spring member to obtain a predetermined pretension of the spring member; wherein engagement of the detents with the grooves causes rotation of the plate upon rotation of the drive shaft and the spring member when below a predetermined torque limit and deflection of the detents out of the grooves prevents rotation of the plate upon rotation of the drive shaft and the spring member when above the predetermine torque; a radial-facing abutment located outward of the retaining clip to prevent release of the retaining clip from the groove; a lift drum operatively connected to the cam plate for rotation therewith; an elongate flexible member which is wound onto and unwound off of the lift drum upon rotation of the lift drum; and rotational motion input device operatively connected to the drive shaft.