An apparatus and a method for loading a spare tire of a vehicle are provided so that the spare tire does not appear on a bottom of a luggage compartment of the vehicle without interfering with a space or a structure for mounting a battery. The apparatus and the method for loading the spare tire of the vehicle includes: a jack-up device for providing a supporting force to support the spare tire positioned on an upper side thereof in a state of being stored in an accessory storage space of a vehicle body panel; and a support assembly installed in the accessory storage space of the vehicle body panel to support the spare tire loaded thereon.

A method of manufacturing a resin-laminated board by preparing a pair of first and second split molds each of which is provided with a cavity; positioning two sheet materials made of a thermoplastic resin between the first and second split molds with the cavities of the first and second split molds opposed to each other; forming a plurality of recesses by recessing a first sheet material toward a second sheet material with use of a plurality of protrusions provided to the first split mold; and welding bottoms of the recesses to the second sheet material by clamping the pair of first and second split molds to obtain a resin-laminated board with a hollow structure. A mold includes a plurality of piece members, disposed at the cavity of the first split mold; and includes the protrusions and male screws provided to base ends of the protrusions.

A method of manufacturing a resin-laminated board by preparing a pair of first and second split molds each of which is provided with a cavity; positioning two sheet materials made of a thermoplastic resin between the first and second split molds with the cavities of the first and second split molds opposed to each other; forming a plurality of recesses by recessing a first sheet material toward a second sheet material with use of a plurality of protrusions provided to the first split mold; and welding bottoms of the recesses to the second sheet material by clamping the pair of first and second split molds to obtain a resin-laminated board with a hollow structure. A mold includes a plurality of piece members, disposed at the cavity of the first split mold; and includes the protrusions and male screws provided to base ends of the protrusions.

A spare tire mounting structure includes: a well portion in a rear floor panel of a vehicle body; a jack device which is detachably mounted within the well portion, and is raised or lowered within the well portion; a plurality of support bars mounted across the well portion; and a mounting bracket coupled to the plurality of support bars, wherein a spare tire is detachably mounted on the mounting bracket by a clamp, and is supported by the jack device.

A spare tire mounting structure includes: a well portion in a rear floor panel of a vehicle body; a jack device which is detachably mounted within the well portion, and is raised or lowered within the well portion; a plurality of support bars mounted across the well portion; and a mounting bracket coupled to the plurality of support bars, wherein a spare tire is detachably mounted on the mounting bracket by a clamp, and is supported by the jack device.

An apparatus is provided for retaining a spare tire in a storage position on a motor vehicle. The apparatus includes a retainer assembly and a cooperating post. The retainer assembly includes a housing and a first actuator, a first retainer and a first biasing element carried by the housing. The post includes a retainer receiver wherein the first biasing element biases the first retainer into engagement with the retainer receiver. A related method of removing a spare tire from a storage position in a motor vehicle is also presented.

The invention concerns a rear part (4) of a vehicle (1) that comprises a rear structure (41) and a spare wheel (3), the rear structure (41) comprising a luggage compartment floor (43) in which a well (44) is formed in order for said spare wheel (3) to be positioned therein, the well (44) comprising a bottom (47) and at least one first wall positioned facing the spare wheel (3) and forming a rear wall or one of the two side walls of the well, the bottom of the well comprising attachment means (6) for securing the spare wheel (3) thereto, the well (44) comprising control means (7) positioned between said first wall (45) and the attachment means (6), said control means (7) being suitable for releasing the spare wheel (3) from the bottom (47) of the well (44) in the event of an impact against said rear part (4) of the vehicle, on the side of the first wall (45) of the well (44), in alignment with the control means (7).

The invention concerns a rear part (4) of a vehicle (1) that comprises a rear structure (41) and a spare wheel (3), the rear structure (41) comprising a luggage compartment floor (43) in which a well (44) is formed in order for said spare wheel (3) to be positioned therein, the well (44) comprising a bottom (47) and at least one first wall positioned facing the spare wheel (3) and forming a rear wall or one of the two side walls of the well, the bottom of the well comprising attachment means (6) for securing the spare wheel (3) thereto, the well (44) comprising control means (7) positioned between said first wall (45) and the attachment means (6), said control means (7) being suitable for releasing the spare wheel (3) from the bottom (47) of the well (44) in the event of an impact against said rear part (4) of the vehicle, on the side of the first wall (45) of the well (44), in alignment with the control means (7).

A vehicle rear structure includes rear side members, a lower back panel, and a rear floor panel. The lower back panel includes a wall plate panel, and is joined to the rear side members. The rear floor panel includes a joint flange, joint portions, and coupling plate portions. A rear end of a central portion of the rear floor panel in a vehicle width direction is provided behind, in a vehicle front-rear direction, rear ends of both of side portions of the rear floor panel in the vehicle width direction. A bent portion that is projected toward a front side of the vehicle is formed by the joint flange and each of the coupling plate portions.

A vehicle body rear structure includes: a cross member and a curvature portion each formed by a part of a floor panel, the part projecting downward at a rearward portion (spare tire pan) of the floor panel, wherein the cross member and the curvature portion each constitute a projected portion; and an underbody coating applied to the projected portions and having a first step and a second step which are oriented perpendicular to a front-rear direction.