DESC:SPARE TIRE HANDLING MECHANISM
Field of the invention:
The present invention relates to a mechanism for storing/locking/parking and deploying a spare tire mounted on a vehicle and more particularly, to a spare tire handling mechanism for automotive vehicles.
Background of the invention:
Spare tire removal and its transportation to the place of tire change is a routine for a person driving heavy commercial vehicle in case of a flat tire or tire replacement. The spare tire is usually seen mounted on vehicle bodies like chassis, load/tipper body, tail gate etc. It has been observed that in Indian commercial vehicle segment the kind of mechanism used to fix the spare tire on the chassis is a combination of steel wire, ratchet, locking bolts and carrier bracket with locator which mounts on a wheel rim. Such kind of mechanism is prevalently seen in lower, intermediate, medium and heavy load commercial vehicles. While some vehicle models in heavy commercial segment, as well as off road vehicle segment, especially like tippers, use a kind of mechanism which has a combination of locking bolts, steel wire, pulleys and pivoted arm like members on which the spare tire is mounted.
The spare tire locking mechanism with steel wire and ratchet requires lots of physical efforts. To unload the spare tire mounted on the vehicle, the person needs to go under the vehicle to untighten lock-nuts and access the spare tire. There is a high risk that the nuts and the heavy equipment used to untighten the lock-nuts will fall on the person seriously injuring them.
Additionally, the vehicle and payload body has many sharp components at the bottom side. Thus, going under the vehicle becomes a safety issue. Once the lock-nuts are removed, the spare tire is taken down from the vehicle. It is physically exhausting to drag out the spare tire from its position due to its high weight – around 100 kg and more. Commonly, two or more persons are needed to carry out the whole process. It becomes a problem if the driver is alone and does not have any help in case of a flat tire (punctured, burst tire etc.).
Accordingly, there exists a need to provide a spare tire handling mechanism for automotive vehicles that is easily accessed and operated by a single person, thereby overcoming the above mentioned drawbacks in the prior art.
Objects of the invention:
An object of the present invention is to slide, tilt and unlock a spare tire from a case thereof easily.
Another object of the present invention is to reduce efforts of a person while removing the spare tire from the case thereof.
Yet, another object of the present invention is to improve safety of the person while removing and loading the spare tire from the case thereof.
Summary of the invention
The present invention provides a spare tire handling mechanism for holding, sliding, tilting and easy unlocking of a spare tire. The mechanism is fixed on vehicle chassis and comprises of two guiding slots fixed across the chassis. Each guiding slot is provided with a resting bracket inside chassis and locking means outside chassis. In an embodiment, the locking means is a latch provided one guiding slot and a hook arrangement provided on other guiding slot. A cantilever support structure is mounted on the chassis as well as on the guiding slots for strengthening the overhang of the guiding slots. A slider is fixed on the guiding slots to slide between a resting position inside chassis and a slid out position outside chassis. The guiding slots facilitate tilting of the slider in the slid out position. The resting brackets hold the slider in resting position while locking means lock the slider in vertically tilted position. The slider is formed with a handle at one end and a bucket at the other end. The spare tire is clamped on the locking plate using an adapter bracket and a locking bolt and the locking plate is fixed on the slider. In an embodiment, the adapter bracket has two locators for a wheel rim and a central mounting provision for the locking bolt. The bucket holds the spare tire at center of the locking plate. Two locking bolts are provided outside the frame for locking the slider with the guiding slots when the slider is in resting position. The slider holding the spare tire is unlocked by unlocking the locking bolts, pulled out of the chassis and tilted to vertical position wherein the slider gets auto latched with the locking means and the spare tire can be easily removed by unlocking the locking bolt. The tire can be easily taken off from the bucket in standing position and rolled to the place needed. The mechanism provides safe tilting and lock so that the spare tire clamp can be easily and safely removed without having to hold the tire.
Brief description of drawings
The objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent when the disclosure is read in conjunction with the following figures, wherein
Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a spare tire handling mechanism in its resting/storing/parking position, in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the spare tire handling mechanism with the spare tire in slid out position (pulled out of the chassis from its parking position) mentioned in the figure 1);
Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the spare tire handling mechanism in deployed vertical position of the figure 2;
Figure 4 shows a perspective view of unlocking a spare tire from the spare tire handling mechanism of the figure 3; and
Figure 5 shows a schematic view of removal of the spare tire from the spare tire handling mechanism of the figure 3.
Detailed description of the embodiments:
The foregoing objects of the present invention are accomplished and the problems and shortcomings associated with the prior art, techniques and approaches are overcome by the present invention as described below in the preferred embodiments.
The present invention provides a spare tire handling mechanism for storing/locking/parking and deploying a spare tire from an automotive vehicle. The spare tire handling mechanism is easily accessed and operated by a single person. The spare tire handling mechanism enables a person to slide, tilt and easily unload a spare tire just by rolling it over the bucket provision in mechanism to the ground and the tire remains in standing position, ready to be rolled to the place it is needed. The mechanism provides safe tilting and lock so that the spare tire clamp can be easily and safely removed without having to hold the tire.
The present invention is illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings, throughout which reference numbers indicate corresponding parts in the various figures. These reference numbers are shown in bracket in the following description. Table 1 below enlists the reference numerals and corresponding description:
Table 1
Ref No Component Ref No Component
10 Guiding slots 80 Slider bucket
20 Slider 90
30 Spare tire 100a Latch
40 Locking plate 100b Hook
50 Adaptor bracket 110 Resting brackets
60 Locking bolt 120 Slider locking bolts
70 Slider handle 150 Spare tire handling mechanism

Referring to figures 1 to 5, a spare tire handling mechanism (150) (hereinafter referred as, “the mechanism (150)”), in accordance with the present invention is shown. The mechanism (150) is fixed on chassis of a vehicle, for holding, sliding, tilting and easy unlocking of a spare tire (30).
The mechanism (150) comprises of two guiding slots (10) arranged in parallel and fixed across the chassis, each guiding slot is provided with resting brackets (110) inside the chassis and locking means (100) outside the chassis. In an embodiment, the locking means (100) is a latch (100a) provided on one guiding slot (10) and a hook arrangement (100b) provided on other guiding slot (10). A cantilever support structure (80) is mounted on the chassis as well as on the guiding slots (10) for strengthening the overhang of the guiding slots (10).
A slider (20) is fixed on two guiding slots (10) to slide between a resting position inside the chassis as shown in figure 1 and a slid out position outside the chassis as shown in figure 2. The slider (20) having a handle (70) at one end and a bucket (80) at the other end. The guiding slots (10) facilitate sliding of the slider (20) as well as tilting of the slider (20) in the slid out position. When the slider (20) is in resting position, resting brackets (110) hold the slider (20) and when the slider (20) is in tilted position, it can be locked in tilted position. A locking plate (40) is fixed on the slider (20) for mounting the spare tire (30) thereon, wherein the spare tire (30) is clamped on the locking plate (40) using an adapter bracket (50) and a locking bolt (60). In an embodiment, the adapter bracket (50) has two locators (not numbered) for a wheel rim (not numbered) and a central mounting provision (not numbered) for the locking bolt (60).
The bucket (80) is an integrated part of the slider (20). The bucket (80) holds and locates the spare tire (30) after loading the spare tire (30) to match the mounting present at center of the locking plate (40). The resting brackets (110) allow resting of the slider (20), once the spare tire (30) is mounted and slid in to a desired storage/locking/parking position thereof. The resting brackets (110) take care of a weight of the spare tire (30) and avoid unnecessary vibrations.
Two slider locking bolts (120) are provided for locking the slider (20) with the guiding slots (10) when the slider (20) is in resting position.
When the spare tire (30) is to be used, the slider (10) holding the spare tire (30) is unlocked by removing the locking bolts (120 and pulled outside the chassis. It is then tilted to vertical position until the slider (20) gets auto latched with the locking means (100). The latch (100a) facilitates auto-latching of the slider (20), once the slider (20) is slid out and tilted. The hook (100b) is S-hook that locks the slider (20), once the slider (20) is tilted in a vertical position. At this position, it is hooked by the S type hook (100b) on other guiding slot (10). The spare tire (30) is then removed by unlocking the locking bolt (60). Thereinafter, the spare tire (30) is rolled over from the bucket (80) to the ground
The mechanism (150) eliminates the root causes in an existing spare tire carrier that make unloading and loading of spare tire difficult. The mechanism (150) is easily accessible and can be operated by a single person. The mechanism (150) enables the person to slide the spare tire (30) out of the vehicle body without going under the vehicle. The mechanism (150) enables the person to safely tilt and lock the mechanism (150) so that the spare tire clamp can be easily and safely removed without having to hold the spare tire (30). The mechanism (150) enables the person to easily unload the spare tire (30) just by rolling the spare tire (30) over the bucket (130) and the spare tire (30) remains in standing position, ready to be taken to the place it is needed. The mechanism (150) enables the person to easily load the spare tire (30) on the mechanism (150) by simply rolling the spare tire (30) over the bucket (130). The mechanism (150) enables the person to easily clamp the spare tire (30) on the mechanism (150) by means of a single central mounting bolt. The person does not need to align the spare tire (30) for clamping. The mechanism (150) enables the person to easily tilt and slide in the mechanism (150) to a mounting/storing/locking/parking place thereof on the vehicle.

In an alternative embodiment, the mechanism (150) can be altered / modified to achieve same functionality. Sliding and tilting process present in the mechanism (150) can also be achieved by means of roller or bearing or any other similar setup. The components present in the mechanism (150) can be altered in shape, size, material, joinery and manufacturing processes to achieve same functionality and to accommodate different sizes of spare tires.
Advantages of the invention:
• The mechanism (150) is easy to access and operate. The mechanism (150) is easily operated by a single person.
• The driver can access the locking bolts (120) and grab handle on the slider (20) from outside of the vehicle unlike in conventional spare tire locking mechanisms where the driver has to crawl under the vehicle to remove the locking bolts. So the mechanism (150) reduces total time of removal of the spare tire (30).
• As the spare tire (30) is pulled out through sliding and tilting, the efforts needed to drag out the spare tire in conventional methods of spare tire removal are eliminated.
• Reduction in parts /components: The mechanism (150) has less number of parts compared to conventional Spare tire Carriers (STC)
• Space management /Packaging: The mechanism (150) is easily and safely mounted on the vehicle in space provided for mounting the spare tire (30) without affecting any other vehicle components.
• Improvement in Safety: The mechanism (150) allows the spare tire (30) to come out of the vehicle and hence the person removing the spare tire (30) need not go under the vehicle. The vehicle underbody has many sharp components making it a safety issue to go under the vehicle without proper protection. Considering the kind of harsh environment the commercial vehicles work in, the mechanism (150) hence improves the safety of the person while removing the spare tire (30).
• Facilitates Serviceability (makes easy and faster): The mechanism (150) has less number of components and has simplicity in design making the mechanism (150) easy for serviceability.
• Customer Ratifications: As the driver’s opinion maters in the buying condition of a commercial vehicle, the mechanism (150) is sure to attract customer’s attention due to ease of operability thereof over existing mechanism.
The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but such omissions and substitutions are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the scope of the claims of the present invention.

,CLAIMS:CLAIMS
We Claim:
1. A spare tire handling mechanism (150) fixed on chassis of a vehicle, the mechanism (150) comprising:
two guiding slots (10) arranged parallel and fixed across the chassis, each guiding slot provided with resting brackets (110) inside the chassis and locking means (100) outside the chassis;
a cantilever support structure (80) mounted on the chassis as well as on the guiding slots (10) thereby strengthening the overhang of the guiding slots (10);
a slider (20) fixed on two guiding slots (10) to slide between a resting position inside the chassis and a slid out position outside the chassis; guiding slots (10) facilitating tilting of the slider (20) in the slid out position; the resting brackets (110) holding the slider (20) in resting position and locking means (100) auto locking the slider (20) in tilted position; the slider (20) having a handle () at one end and a bucket () at the other end;
a locking plate (40) fixed on the slider (20) for mounting the spare tire (30) thereon, wherein the spare tire (30) is clamped on the locking plate (40) using an adapter bracket (50) and a locking bolt (60) and the bucket (130) holds the spare tire (30) at center of the locking plate (40);
two slider locking bolts (120) provided for locking the slider (20) with the guiding slots (10) when the slider (20) is in resting position;
wherein the slider (10) holding the spare tire (30) is unlocked by unlocking the locking bolts (120), pulled outside the chassis and tilted to vertical position until the slider (20) gets auto latched with the locking means (100) and the spare tire (30) is removed by unlocking the locking bolt (60).
2. The spare tire handling mechanism (150) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking means (100) is a latch (100a) provided on one guiding slot (10) and a hook arrangement (100b) provided on other guiding slot (10).
3. The spare tire handling mechanism (150) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adapter bracket (50) has two locators for a wheel rim and a central mounting provision for the locking bolt (60).
Dated this 11th day of December 2018

Ashwini Kelkar
(Agent for applicant)
(IN/PA-2461)