Electric generator for use with a vehicle wheel

• US 6,765,324 B1
• Filed: 07/22/2003
• Issued: 07/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Long-Chen Chien
• Original Assignee: Long-Chen Chien
• Inventors: Chien, Long-Chen
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DANG D
• Application Number:
  US10/624,176
• Time in Patent Office: 364 Days
• Field of Search: 310/75.C, 310/75.R, 290/44, 290/55, 180/2.2
• US Class Current: 310/75.00C
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/326 on or for wheels
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/00 Structural association of dynamo-electric machines with electric components or with devices for shielding, monitoring or protection casings, enclosures or supports H02K5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1846 structurally associated with wheels or associated parts dynamos arranged in the wheel hub of cycles B62J6/12

Abstract

In an electric generator, a housing mounted on a vehicle wheel has a surrounding wall extending from a periphery of a base wall and cooperating with the base wall to confine a receiving space. An air impeller is disposed in the receiving space, has a spindle coupled rotatably to the base wall, and is formed with multiple radial impeller blades such that flow of air into the receiving space through an inlet vent hole and out of the receiving space through an outlet vent hole when the vehicle wheel rotates results in rotation of the air impeller in the receiving space. A magnet ring is disposed in the receiving space around a stator coil, which is mounted securely in the receiving space, and is coupled co-rotatably to the air impeller such that rotation of the magnet ring results in an induced electrical current in the stator coil.

Claims

1. An electric generator adapted for use with a vehicle wheel, comprising:

a housing adapted to be mounted on the vehicle wheel and having a base wall and a surrounding wall that extends from a periphery of said base wall and that cooperates with said base wall to confine a receiving space, said surrounding wall being formed with inlet and outlet vent holes that are in spatial communication with said receiving space;

an air impeller disposed in said receiving space and having a spindle that extends in an axial direction transverse to said base wall and that is coupled rotatably to said base wall, said air impeller being formed with a plurality of radial impeller blades such that flow of air into said receiving space through said inlet vent hole and out of said receiving space through said outlet vent hole when the vehicle wheel rotates results in rotation of said air impeller in said receiving space;

a stator coil mounted securely in said receiving space; and

a magnet ring disposed in said receiving space around said stator coil and coupled co-rotatably to said air impeller such that rotation of said magnet ring with said air impeller results in an induced electrical current in said stator coil.

2. The electric generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base wall is formed with a spindle sleeve that extends into said receiving space, said spindle being mounted rotatably in said spindle sleeve, said stator coil being secured on said spindle sleeve.

3. The electric generator as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a circuit board mounted on said housing, and a charging and regulating unit mounted on said circuit board and coupled electrically to said stator coil.

4. The electric generator as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a light emitting module mounted on said circuit board and coupled to and driven by said charging and regulating unit.

5. The electric generator as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a light sensor coupled to said charging and regulating unit and said light emitting module for selectively enabling and disabling operation of said light emitting module in accordance with ambient light conditions.

6. The electric generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing is formed with a plurality of mounting lugs, each of which is formed with a lug hole that permits extension of a corresponding fastener therethrough so as to permit fastening of said housing on the vehicle wheel.

7. The electric generator as claimed in claim 6, the vehicle wheel being formed with a plurality of fastener holes, said electric generator further comprising a plurality of anchor members, each of which is adapted to be disposed in and fastened to the vehicle wheel at a respective one of the fastener holes, each of said anchor members having a rim flange adapted to be seated against the vehicle wheel outwardly of the respective one of the fastener holes, each of said mounting lugs being disposed to lie against and being fastened by the corresponding fastener to said rim flange of a respective one of said anchor members.

8. The electric generator as claimed in claim 7, wherein each of said anchor members includes an outer positioning tube formed with said rim flange, and an inner anchoring seat disposed in said positioning tube and adapted to be fastened to the vehicle wheel.

9. The electric generator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said inlet vent hole tapers in a direction toward said receiving space.