Wheel with a generator

• US 6,396,178 B1
• Filed: 01/04/2001
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Meng-Yu Liu
• Original Assignee: Meng-Yu Liu
• Inventors: Chiu, Chun-Chen
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Nestor
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lam, Thanh
• Application Number:
  US09/753,606
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 310/67 R,71,90,67 A,75 C,75 B,168
• US Class Current: 310/67.00R
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1846 structurally associated with wheels or associated parts dynamos arranged in the wheel hub of cycles B62J6/12

Abstract

A wheel has two wheel halves, a generator, two bearings and two metal rings. The wheel halves are detachably connected to each other. The generator is composed of an annular coil seat and an annular permanent magnet. The coil seat is securely mounted between the wheel halves and has a winding wound around the coil seat. The permanent magnet is rotatably mounted between the wheel halves. Each bearing is received in one of the wheel halves and electrically connects with one end of the winding. Each ring is securely attached to one of the wheel halves to abut the bearing. Consequently, the coil seat will rotate with the wheel bodies and relative to the permanent magnet and generate electricity. The electricity will be transmitted to a lighting device or a sounding device. The enjoyment of a roller skate or a skateboard with the wheel is improved.

Claims

1. A wheel comprising:

two wheel halves detachably connected to each other;

a generator received between the wheel halves and composed of;

an annular coil seat securely mounted between the wheel halves and having a winding wound around the coil seat;

an annular permanent magnet rotatably mounted between the wheel halves and in a center of the coil seat; and

a gap defined between an outer periphery of the permanent magnet and an inner periphery of the coil seat;

a bearing received in each wheel half and electrically connecting with one end of the winding; and

a metal ring securely attached to each wheel half and abutting the bearing received in the wheel half to which the metal ring attaches.

2. The wheel as claimed in claim 1, wherein a metal cover is securely attached to each side of the coil seat and connected with one end of the winding;

a base is defined in each wheel half to hold one of the bearings; and

a wire extends into the base and has two ends respectively abutting the bearing mounted in the base into which the wire extends and one of the covers.

3. The wheel as claimed in claim 2, wherein tabs are formed on an outer periphery of each cover;

and each tab is connected to one end of the winding.

4. The wheel as claimed in claim 3, wherein recesses are defined in each wheel half to receive one of the tabs.

5. The wheel as claimed in claim 2, wherein multiple teeth extend perpendicularly from an inner periphery of each cover and abut the inner periphery of the coil seat.

6. The wheel as claimed in claim 1, wherein a nonconductive sleeve is mounted between the bearings and has two ends respectively extending into one of the bearings;

and

the permanent magnet is pressed onto the nonconductive sleeve between the bearings.

7. The wheel as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the wheel halves has multiple holes defined in the wheel half;

and

the other wheel half has stubs extending from the wheel half and engaging the holes.

8. The wheel as claimed in claim 1, wherein a tab is formed on an outer periphery of each metal ring;

and

a wire is connected to the tab of each metal ring.

9. The wheel as claimed in claim 8, wherein a sheath is mounted on the tab of each ring to enclose the junction between the tab and the wire.

10. The wheel as claimed in claim 8, wherein a cap is attached to each wheel half to securely hold each ring against the wheel half;

and

the cap includes a tube extending into the ring and the bearing and a flange abutting the ring.

11. The wheel as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a tire mounted around the wheel halves to enclose the outer peripheries of the wheel halves.