US 6,601,979 B1 · Wheel illumination device

Abstract

An illumination device and system for illuminating wheels of a motorized vehicle comprising of a wheel-mounted illumination source and a movable contact electrical connector assembly. The movable contact electrical connector assembly comprises of a concentric set of conductive rings insulatedly mounted on the back of the wheel to be in constant movable contact with a corresponding set of electrical contact brushes insulatedly mounted to the vehicle suspension. The concentric conductor rings are connected to the wheel mounted illumination source while the electrical contact brushes are connected to the vehicle's stationary electrical power system. The use of diodes in conjunction with capacitors or by themselves in the electrical circuit of the invention are used to prevent arcing between the brushes and rings during high speed revolutions of the wheel to allow for constant energization and illumination of the invention during high speed operation of the vehicle.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A vehicle wheel illumination apparatus for mounting on the wheel of a vehicle that is comprised of a tire mounted on rim, the wheel being rotatable with respect to a non-rotating portion of the vehicle, one wheel hub and a source of electrical power stationarily mounted to the vehicle, said apparatus comprising of:

a wheel rim having an outer and central portions in said outer portion attaches to the tire to form an airtight compartment that supports the inflation of the tire and is attached to the central portion that supports the outer portion while mounting the rim onto the wheel hub, both the outer and central portions of the rim having a backside that is adjacent to the wheel hub and a front side that is remote from the wheel hub;
a plurality of electrically conductive rings which are rotatable with the wheel;
a mounting device for insulatedly attaching the plurality of electrically conductive rings to the backside of the wheel rim so that the plurality of ring are generally coaxial with the wheel rim;
an illumination device electrically connected to the plurality of electrically conductive rings;
and
a plurality of stationary electrical contacts mounted on the vehicle frame, with the at least two stationary electrical contacts connected to the power source and in continuous contact with the plurality of conductive rings.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Wheel illumination device

Life of this patent

Wheel illumination device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12