Patent ID: 6941802

Claim:
A vehicle spare tire pressure detection assembly comprising: a stationary tire support structure configured and arranged to be coupled to a vehicle; a tire hoisting device configured and arranged to lower a spare tire relative to the stationary tire support structure and raise the spare tire against the stationary tire support structure to apply an initial compression force to deflect a wall of the spare tire, the tire hoisting device including a detecting device configured and arranged to detect a change in the initial compression force, and an adjustment device configured to raise the spare tire and maintain the initial compression force in response to the change in the initial compression force detected by the detecting device; a tire pressure detection unit operatively coupled to the tire hoisting device and configured to determine a change in spare tire pressure of the spare tire based on the change in the initial compression force detected by the detecting device; and a signaling device configured to produce a human detectable signal upon a determination of a decrease in the spare tire pressure below a predetermined threshold amount.