Secondary latch for a tire carrier

Details Secondary latch for a tire carrier Secondary latch for a tire carrier

2000-03-31

2001-07-31

Krizek, Janice L. (Department: 3652)

Material or article handling

Vehicle attached auxiliary carriers

For rim, tire, or wheel

C254S323000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06267546

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to a tire carrier for a vehicle and, more particularly, to a secondary latch for maintaining the tire carrier in a stowed position.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Vehicles with inflatable tires such as passenger cars, light and heavy duty trucks, tractor trailers, buses, commercial delivery vehicles, among other motorized forms of transportation and trailers pulled by such vehicles are conventionally equipped with spare tires. Some spare tires are stored under the vehicle using a tire carrier which includes a tire winch for raising and lowering the spare tire between a raised or stored position and a lowered or accessed position. The winch typically raises and lowers the spare tire using a flexible member such as a cable or cord which is wound and unwound on a spool or reel. A secondary latch is often provided to secure the spare tire in the stored position. If the flexible member or winch fails while the spare tire is in the stored position, the secondary latch ensures that the spare tire remains in the stored position.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,341, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety, discloses a secondary latch for a tire carrier. The secondary latch includes a latch member which is pivotably mounted to swing a pair of arcuate fingers between a locked position and an unlocked position. The lock member is biased to the locked position by gravity. The lock member is selectively pivoted to the unlocked position by a lever which is activated by a cranking member when engaging the winch.
While these secondary latches may effectively retain the spare tire in the stored position under some conditions, they have numerous shortcomings. For example, loads are transmitted through a relatively small contact area, a relatively large number of parts are required, they are relatively difficult to assemble, and relatively large number of high tolerance components are required. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a secondary latch which has improved load distribution, reduced weight, ease of assembly, and a reduced number of total parts and high tolerance parts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a latch mechanism for a vehicle which overcomes at least some of the above-noted problems of the related art. According to the present invention, a tire carrier assembly comprising, in combination a tire carrier having a shank portion and a head portion along the shank portion, a winch assembly operably connected to the tire carrier to raise and lower the tire carrier between upper and lower positions, a housing assembly, and a latch assembly. The latch assembly is secured to the housing assembly and includes a latch member and an actuator adapted to selectively move the latch member along a linear path between a locking position and an unlocking position. The latch member is adapted to permit passage of the of the shank portion but not the head past the latch member when the latch member is in the locking position and to permit passage of both the shank portion and the head portion past the latch member when the latch member is in the unlocking position.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a tire carrier assembly comprises, in combination, a tire carrier having a shank portion and a head portion along the shank portion, a winch assembly operably connected to the tire carrier to raise and lower the tire carrier between upper and lower positions, a housing assembly forming a support surface, and a latch assembly. The latch assembly includes a latch member supported by the support surface and an actuator adapted to selectively move the latch member between a locking position and an unlocking position. The latch member and the support surface are adapted to permit passage of the of the shank portion but not the head portion past the latch member when the latch member is in the locking position and to permit passage of both the shank portion and the head portion past the latch member when the latch member is in the unlocking position.
From the foregoing disclosure and the following more detailed description of various preferred embodiments it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention provides a significant advance in the technology and art of latching mechanisms. Particularly significant in this regard is the potential the invention affords for providing a light weight, high quality, feature-rich, low cost assembly. Additional features and advantages of various preferred embodiments will be better understood in view of the detailed description provided below.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5188341 (1993-02-01), Greaves
patent: 6079932 (2000-06-01), Boucher
patent: 6092790 (2000-07-01), Dobmeier et al.

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