Patent ID: 8020736

Claim:
A spare tire cover supporting structure, comprising: a transverse door, provided on a vehicle; a spare tire cover, including a first end and a second end, the first end supported on the transverse door, the spare tire cover operable to cover a spare tire held on the transverse door; a mounting member attached to the second end of the spare tire cover, the mounting member detachably mounting the second end on the transverse door; a supporting member, provided on one of the transverse door and the second end of the spare tire cover; an engagement portion, provided on the other of the transverse door and the second end of the spare tire cover, configured to engage with the supporting member, such that when the engagement portion engages the supporting member, the supporting member positions the spare tire cover relative to the transverse door; and a lock mechanism that selectively fixes the spare tire cover against the transverse door and releases the spare tire cover from the transverse door, wherein the supporting member has a projecting portion that makes contact with the engagement portion when the lock mechanism releases the spare tire cover from the transverse door and the spare tire cover moves in an opening direction by a predetermined amount, such that movement of the spare tire cover in the opening direction is restricted within the predetermined amount.