An article of manufacture for providing a leak resistant facemask according to the present invention is an automated accessory for a spare tire hoist for an automotive vehicle having a direct current power source and a spare tire stored in a horizontal orientation beneath the underside of a vehicle body and including a hoist with a rotatable drive input for raising and lowering said spare tire. The automated spare tire hoist includes a bidirectional direct current motor for mounting beneath said underside of the vehicle body proximate the spare tire hoist and having a motor output drive shaft and electrical input leads, speed reduction gearing coupled to the motor output drive shaft and having a gear output drive shaft, a coupler extending from the gear output drive shaft for engagement with said hoist drive input, a load-actuated circuit breaker coupled in circuit with the electrical input leads to said motor and having accessory power leads for connection to the direct current power source of the vehicle; and an actuating electrical switch coupled in circuit with the accessory power leads and located remotely from the motor for alternatively driving the motor in opposite directions and for cutting power to the motor entirely.

An apparatus for stowing and deploying a vehicle tire from a rear portion of a vehicle, the apparatus including: a raising and lowering mechanism for moving the tire a stowed position to a deployed position, wherein the tire when in the deployed position is lowered and extended laterally in order to provide access to the tire. An apparatus for stowing and deploying a vehicle tire from a rear portion of a vehicle, the apparatus including: a raising and lowering mechanism for moving the vehicle tire a stowed position to a deployed position, wherein the raising and lowering mechanism has a feature that is configured to be engaged by an adapter of a hand held power driver so that the vehicle tire can be stowed and deployed via the hand held power driver. An apparatus for stowing and deploying a vehicle tire from a rear portion of a vehicle, the apparatus including: a raising and lowering mechanism for moving the vehicle tire between a stowed position and a deployed position, wherein the raising and lowering mechanism has a fixture that releasably engages a rim of the vehicle tire, the feature having a first configuration where the fixture engages opposite sides of the rim of the vehicle tire and a second configuration where portions of the fixture can pass through an opening in the rim of the vehicle tire.

A tire hoist system mounted beneath a vehicle body and supporting a spare tire for raising and lowering. The tire hoist system comprises a take-up reel rotatable about a reel axis; a flexible support member; and a tire support for a spare tire. The flexible support member is coupled to the take-up reel. A reduction gear system includes a plurality of meshed gears, including a reduction input gear. An input gear system has (a) an output gear coupled to the reduction input gear of the reduction gear system such that rotation of the output gear drives the reduction input gear, (b) a driving input gear meshed with the output gear, and (c) an input element fixed with the driving input gear and engageable by a drive tool. The output gear is rotated about an output axis parallel or coincident with the reel axis and the input element and the driving input gear is rotatable about an input axis oriented at an angle to the reel axis. The input gear system is an adapter input gear system comprising an input gear system housing, and is assembled separately from the reduction gear system and mounted by the input gear system housing being mounted to an exterior surface of the reduction gear system housing. A method for adapting a tire hoist system is also disclosed.

A cable hoist system for a spare tire carrier in a vehicle includes a housing; a drive cable; a reel assembly; and a drive mechanism. A first gear assembly of the drive mechanism includes a control plate member connected to a first gear using at least two frangible connectors. The at least two frangible connectors connecting the control plate member and the first gear provides a frangible connection in the first gear assembly such that, when the first gear assembly is subject to a force exceeding a predetermined value caused by momentum of a spare tire applied through the reel assembly and a second gear of a second gear assembly, the at least two frangible connectors break to allow the first gear to move relative to the control plate member such that the second gear and the reel assembly can rotate to allow for pay out of the drive cable.

A device for raising and lowering a spare wheel of a vehicle includes a body to be mounted to the vehicle in a fixed position. The body includes a first indented surface defining an aperture, A lifter mechanism for raising and lowering the spare wheel includes a rotatable element capable of rotating relative to the body. The rotatable element is at least partly housed in the aperture and has a second indented surface. The first and second indented surfaces are configured to mutually interfere, in order to hinder the rotation of the rotatable element relative to the body.

A hose reel system, comprising a housing, a hose reel disposed within the housing, and a bracket receiving element. The bracket receiving element is configured to receive a spare tire mounting bracket. The bracket receiving element is configured to retain the spare tire mounting bracket when tension is applied to a cable associated with the spare tire mounting bracket to secure the hose reel system within a spare tire cavity of a vehicle.

A spare tire winch mechanism which performs the steps of lowering the spare tire from its location and locating the flat tire on this location via a rope winding assembly. A worm gear and a threaded drum prevent the rope from winding onto the threaded drum in an overlapping and irregular manner which results in locking of the parts and the damage to the parts due to the application of extreme force during the winding. The spare tire performs free fall movement with its own weight as a result of the tire wrench being activated with a pulling force applied perpendicular to the floor axis and the worm gear disconnects from the drum body, in case one of the tires of the motor vehicle needs to be changed.

An automated hoist for a vehicle spare tire includes a linear bracket mounted beneath the vehicle chassis, proximal the rear bumper. A motorized housing can be automatically propelled backward or forward along the bracket. A retractable cable extending from the housing has a lifting plate at a distal end that is connected to the spare tire. When a driver engages a switch, the cable partially lowers the spare tire and the housing moves toward the rear of the vehicle. The cable is then completely lowered until the tire is at ground level and the lifting-plate automatically releases the tire.

An assembly for connecting a spare wheel to a motor vehicle with a tether, the spare wheel having at least one bolt hole, includes an eyelet bracket having a first member angled with respect to a second member, the first member connectable to the tether and the second member defining an eyelet, a rod that defines an axis and is connected to the first member, the rod configured to be disposed in the bolt hole of the spare wheel, and a clip connected to the second member, the clip having a retaining feature extended towards the rod and a tab extended through the eyelet. The second member of the eyelet bracket prevents the eyelet bracket from rotating about the axis and the retaining feature of the clip prevents the eyelet bracket from moving in one direction along the axis.

A unit for picking up a spare wheel. According to one implementation the unit includes a drum which rotates for winding or unwinding a cable, the drum having a body with a side surface wherein which is formed a helical groove that receives the cable, one end of the cable being attached to a terminal, the terminal being pivotal with respect to the body of the drum. The pivotal movement of the terminal being blocked by at least one turn of the cable when the cable is at least partially wound on the drum.