Tire carriers for use with vehicles are disclosed herein. An example tire carrier, includes a frame including telescopically coupled tubes; and a lock carried by one of the tubes, the lock structured to mechanically engage another one of the tubes to fix the tubes relative to one another to prevent the tire carrier from inadvertently moving toward a lowered position, the lock structured to reduce the mechanical engagement with the other one of the tubes to enable the tire carrier to be moved toward a raised position.

A lifting system for generating a lifting force on a portion of a vehicle includes a vehicle wheel and a force-generating mechanism structured to be received inside a rim cavity of the wheel. The force-generating mechanism is also structured to be operably connected to a frame of a vehicle. A bearing member is operably connected to the force-generating mechanism. The bearing member is structured to transmit a force generated by the force-generating mechanism to a surface in physical contact with the bearing member. The bearing member is also structured for operably connecting the wheel to the force-generating mechanism. Force applied by the force-generating mechanism may be sufficient to lift a portion of the vehicle off of a ground surface, or the force may only be sufficient to apply a parking brake force without lifting the vehicle.

A spare wheel assembly for a vehicle is provided. The spare wheel assembly includes a wheel rim including a first side and a second side, wherein the wheel rim further includes a first valve stem opening defined within the first side and a second valve stem opening defined within the second side. The spare wheel assembly also includes a pneumatic tire mounted on the wheel rim.

A tire carrier assembly is provided and includes a bracket, a tire carrier, a carrier support and a hoist. The carrier support is lockable and unlockable and is configured to support the tire carrier in a stowed position when locked and to swing the tire carrier toward a deployed position when unlocked. The hoist is coupled to the bracket and the carrier support and is configured to normally lock the carrier support and to be selectively actuatable to unlock the carrier support.

Tire carriers for vehicles and related methods are disclosed. An example tire carrier includes a hinge to be pivotally coupled to a vehicle. A support arm has a first end to be pivotally coupled to the hinge and a second end to receive a tire. A jack including a beam and running gear. The beam to be pivotally coupled to the hinge and the running gear to be coupled to the second end of the support arm.

Height-adjustable spare tire carriers having Chebyshev linkages are described. An example spare tire carrier is to be coupled to a vehicle. The spare tire carrier includes a Chebyshev linkage having an output shaft to carry a spare tire of the vehicle. The output shaft is movable between a raised position and a lowered position.

The present invention is directed to a device for use on a vehicle including a bumper body assembly, the bumper body assembly, a swing arm assembly, the swing arm assembly including a rack providing a front-side carrier and a rear-side carrier; and a post kit, the post kit corresponding to the first cavity in the bumper body assembly. The swing arm assembly is detachably attached to the bumper body assembly with the post kit and the swing arm assembly is swingable about the post kit and swingable away from the bumper body assembly. The device of the present invention can further include a retraction mechanism and/or a locking mechanism for moving the swing arm assembly in a controlled manner. The front-side carrier can be an auxiliary gasoline can holder, and the rear-side carrier can be a spare tire holder.

A spare tire mount for the rear of a motor vehicle has a first outer support frame with a second, inner support frame nested inside and releasably connected to the first frame. Both frames extend laterally across the back of the vehicle and extend upward at an angle. Both frames rotate about a vertical joint at the rear bumper so the frames rotate toward and away from the vehicle. The second frame holds the spare tire and rotates about a horizontal axis. A wire rope winds around a reel on the first frame with the rope connected to the second frame to raise and lower the second frame and tire as they rotate about the first horizontal axistoward and away from the first frame and ground. The reel is rotated by a worm screw and worm wheel.

A tire carrier and vehicle lift apparatus is disclosed. A scissor jack includes a first bracket fixed to the jack, the first bracket to removably mount the jack to a vehicle. The apparatus also includes a second bracket fixed to the jack opposite the first bracket, the second bracket to hold a wheel for the vehicle, wherein operation of the jack while the bracket is mounted to the vehicle is to lower the wheel toward the ground.

Height-adjustable spare tire carriers having Chebyshev linkages are described. An example spare tire carrier is to be coupled to a vehicle. The spare tire carrier includes a Chebyshev linkage having an output shaft to carry a spare tire of the vehicle. The output shaft is movable between a raised position and a lowered position.