Illuminated rotating object

• US 5,876,108 A
• Filed: 08/03/1995
• Issued: 03/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tseng L.U. Chien
• Original Assignee: Tseng L.U. Chien
• Inventors: Chien, Tseng Lu
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US08/510,701
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• Field of Search: 365/84, 365/103, 365/800, 365/276, 365/802, 365/806, 365/35, 365/190, 365/191, 365/184, 365/249, 365/251, 365/252, 365/250, 446/242, 446/219, 446/485, 446/47, 362/464, 362/500
• US Class Current: 362/35
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/326 on or for wheels

Abstract

A rotating object such as a wheel, wheel cover, or hubcap includes a lighting arrangement in the form of a super-thin lighting element such as an electro-luminescent or photo-luminescent strip or panel. In the case of an electro-luminescent strip or panel, the power supply is positioned on the rotating object so as not to interfere with rotation of the object, and may include a specially designed spring-based motion sensitive switch which can be deactivated by inserting a straw-like member between the poles of the switch.

Claims

1. A rotating object, comprising:

a disc-shaped main body arranged to rotate;

at least one flexible super-thin electro-luminescent lighting element arranged to luminesce in response to application of an electrical current;

means including a power source positioned within said disc-shaped main body and circuitry arranged to supply said electrical current from said power source to said electro-luminescent element at a voltage and frequency sufficient to cause said electro-luminescent element to luminesce;

a circuit board located at a center of the main body, said circuit board having mounted thereon at least a portion of said circuitry;

means for electrically connecting the power source to the circuitry on said circuit board;

means including wires for electrically connecting the circuitry on said circuit board to said lighting element; and

means for attaching the lighting element directly to a surface of the main body at a position away from said circuit board.

2. A rotating object as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuitry includes a motion sensitive switch.

3. A rotating object as claimed in claim 2, wherein the motion sensitive switch comprises a conductive cylinder and a conductive spring positioned inside the cylinder to contact the cylinder and complete a circuit when the rotating object is in motion.

4. A rotating object as claimed in claim 3, wherein the spring is a coil spring.

5. A rotating object as claimed in claim 3, wherein the motion sensitive switch is mounted in a housing having an opening, and further comprising an insulating cylinder arranged to be inserted through the conductive cylinder and to fit between the spring and the conductive cylinder in order to prevent contact between the spring and the conductive cylinder.

6. A rotating object as claimed in claim 5, wherein the insulating cylinder is attached to a rubber plug which seals said opening when the insulating cylinder is inserted through the opening to isolate the spring and the conductive cylinder.

7. A rotating object as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotating object is an object selected from the group consisting of a wheel, a wheel cover, and a hubcap.

8. A rotating object as claimed in claim 7, wherein the circuit board is positioned centrally inside the rotating object.

9. A rotating object as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power supply is connected to the lighting element via an electronic switch.

10. A rotating object as claimed in claim 1, wherein the attachment means comprises a means selected from the group consisting of glue, tape, welding.

11. A rotating object as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lighting element has a surface at least partially silk-screened.

12. A rotating object as claimed in claim 11, wherein the silk-screened surface includes varying transparencies of ink.

13. A rotating object as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power supply and circuitry are positioned in a separate housing attached to a surface of the rotating object.

14. A rotating object as claimed in claim 1, wherein the power supply is connected to the lighting element via a mechanical switch.