SPARE TIRE STORAGE STRUCTURE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a spare tire storage structure that allows storage of a spare tire with a simple configuration while allowing sure and easy attachment/detachment operation of the spare tire and sure confirmation of the return of the spare tire after the attachment/detachment operation of the spare tire. SOLUTION: A coil spring 50 is freely telescopically arranged between the upper and lower support plates. When a winch device 3 is wound up as shown in Fig.9, a spare tire 2 engaged with a holding body 37 is dragged by a wire 4 so as to be drawn close to an opening part 33a of a base plate 33. Then, when the wire 4 is wound up, the spare tire is brought into contact with the upper support plate 48. When the wire 4 is further wound up, the coil spring 50 is expanded/contracted so that the lower side of a wheel of the spare tire 2 is pushed up upward by a spring force. Consequently, the spare tire 2 is stored while being elastically held in-between the base plate 33. COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT