Illuminated vehicle wheel
OwnerMark L. Beckerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lighting module has axial pins that extend axially rearwardly from a rearward surface of the module base and are respectively received in hollow pin guides formed in a module seating surface of a vehicle wheel. A wheel rim that receives the lighting module has an axially inwardly facing sidewall into which are formed plural bolt holes. A bolt is provided for each bolt hole. The bolt is operable to extend radially inwardly to a locked position affixing the module to the rim, and to be retracted radially outwardly to an unlocked position. The end of the bolt is received within a respective bolt receiver formed in a sidewall of the lighting module. The lighting module may have plural LEDs mounted on a forward face of a circuit board.
Claims17
An illuminated wheel comprising:
- a wheel rim having a front face and arranged around an axis, a sidewall of the rim inwardly facing the axis, a lighting module seating surface formed in the front face of the rim and at an angle to the axis and disposed radially inwardly from the sidewall of the rim, a plurality of hollow pin guides formed in parallel to the axis and axially rearwardly extending from the lighting module seating surface, the pin guides spaced apart from each other, a plurality of bolt holes formed in the sidewall of the rim to extend radially outwardly therefrom, for each bolt hole, a bolt slidably housed in the bolt hole and having an inner radial end, the bolt operable to extend in a radial direction toward the axis so that the end of the bolt assumes a locked position, the bolt retractable into the bolt hole in a radial outward direction so that the end of the bolt assumes an unlocked position;
- and
- a lighting module formed around the axis and having a base with a rear surface, a plurality of pins extending axially rearwardly from the rear surface of the base to be received in respective ones of the pin guides, at least one sidewall of the lighting module extending axially forwardly from the rear surface of the base, a plurality of hollow bolt receivers formed to extend radially inwardly from said at least one sidewall of the lighting module, the bolt receivers being angularly spaced apart from each other, each bolt receiver adapted to receive a respective one of an end of a bolt when the last said end is in the locked position.
A lighting module for attachment to a vehicle wheel, the lighting module comprising;
- a base formed at an angle to a wheel axis, the base having an axially rearward surface and a sidewall extending axially forwardly from the rearward surface;
- a plurality of mounting pins extending rearwardly from the rearward surface of the base in parallel to the axis, the mounting pins being spaced apart from each other;
- a plurality of hollow bolt receivers formed in the base sidewall, the bolt receivers being angularly spaced apart from each other;
- an electronic circuit board affixed to the base and having a rearward side and a forward side disposed in opposition to the base, a plurality of light emitting diodes affixed to the forward side of the electronic circuit board;
- and
- a transparent cover affixed to the base and to cover the forward side of the electronic circuit board.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.