Vehicle wheel lighting system

• US 6,220,733 B1
• Filed: 04/17/1998
• Issued: 04/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ryan Lee Gordon
• Original Assignee: Ryan Lee Gordon
• Inventors: Gordon, Ryan Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Laura K.
• Application Number:
  US09/062,362
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 362/555, 362/500, 362/511, 362/543, 362/544, 362/545, 362/473
• US Class Current: 362/500
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/326 on or for wheels

Abstract

A light system for a vehicle wheel comprising at least one light source, at least one reflective body and an electrical power source operably coupled to the light source. The light source directs light toward the reflective body. In a preferred embodiment several spokes of a spoked wheel are replaced with reflective bodies, and a plurality of LEDs mounted in the inner hub of the spoked wheel direct light toward each reflective body spoke.

Claims

1. A light system for a vehicle wheel, comprising:

at least one light source for mounting proximate the center of the wheel;

plural, reflective bodies extending radially with respect to the wheel and, each having a light-receiving end disposed adjacent the center of the wheel and coupled to the at least one light source; and

an electric power source electrically connected to the at least one light source, the at least one light source directing light toward the light-receiving ends of the reflective bodies and through the reflective bodies to illuminate the reflective bodies.

2. The light system of claim 1 wherein the at least one light source and reflective bodies are attached to the wheel.

3. The light system of claim 1 wherein the light source comprises a plurality of lights.

4. The light system of claim 3 wherein at least one of the lights is a light-emitting diode.

5. The light system of claim 1 wherein the light source comprises a plurality of lights, each light directing light toward the light-receiving end of a respective reflective body.

6. The light system of claim 5 wherein the plurality of lights are light-emitting diodes.

7. The light system of claim 1, wherein the plural reflective bodies are made from a polymeric material.

8. The light system of claim 1, wherein the plural reflective bodies are glass.

9. The light system of claim 1, wherein the plural reflective bodies have cross-section profiles comprising flattened portions so as to form flattened surfaces along length portions of the reflective body.

10. The light system of claim 1, wherein the electrical power source comprises at least one battery.

11. The light system of claim 1 wherein a reflective body is a wheel spoke.

12. A light system for a vehicle wheel, comprising:

at least one light source;

plural reflective bodies operatively coupled to the at least one light source wherein the plural reflective bodies have cross-section profiles comprising flattened portions so as to form flattened surfaces along length portions of the reflective body and wherein a reflective tape is applied to the outside of a reflective body along the flattened surface; and

an electric power source electrically connected to the at least one light source which directs light toward the reflective bodies to illuminate the reflective bodies.

13. A light system for a vehicle wheel, comprising:

a spoked wheel having an inner hub and an outer rim, the inner hub connected to the outer rim by a plurality of removable spokes;

a light source;

at least one reflective body, the at least one reflective body being sized and shaped for replacing a removable spoke;

an electrical source electrically connected to the light source, wherein at least one of the removable spokes is removed and replaced with at least one respective reflective body, a first light receiving end of the at least one reflective body extending through the inner hub, a second cap end extending through the outer rim, the light source directing light toward the light-receiving end of the at least one reflective body, the light being reflected from within the at least one reflective body so as to illuminate the at least one reflective body.

14. The light system of claim 13 comprising a plurality of reflective bodies and wherein the light source comprises a plurality of lights circumferentially mounted in the wheel hub so as to direct light toward respective reflective bodies.

15. The lighted wheel of claim 14 wherein the lights are light-emitting didoes.

16. The lighted wheel of claim 13 wherein the electrical source is at least one battery mounted in the inner hub.

17. A light system for a vehicle wheel, comprising:

a light source;

at least one elongated reflective body operatively coupled to the light source, the reflective body having a cross-section profile comprising a flattened portion so as to form a flattened surface along a length portion of the reflective body;

a reflective tape applied to the outside of the reflective body along the flattened surface; and

an electric power source electrically connected to the light source, the light source directing light toward the reflective body to illuminate the reflective body.