Tire, Wheel Or Brake Backing Plate Movement Turns Lamp Patents (Class 362/42)
  • Patent number: 7790982
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an electrical wiring device that includes a housing having a plurality of line terminals and a plurality of load terminals. A cover assembly includes a first set of receptacle openings and a second set of receptacle openings. A plurality of receptacle terminals are disposed in the housing and coupled to the plurality of load terminals. A first protective shutter assembly is disposed in the cover assembly between the first set of receptacle openings and the first set of receptacle terminals and a second protective shutter assembly disposed in the cover assembly between the second set of receptacle openings and the second set of receptacle terminals. A light assembly is disposed in a central portion of the cover assembly between the first set of receptacle openings and the second set of receptacle openings. The light assembly has a light transmission region occupying a substantial portion of a width of the cover assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Pass & Seymour, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Weeks, Jeffrey C. Richards, Gary O. Wilson, Gerald R. Savicki, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7753572
    Abstract: An illuminating device installed on a truck's wheels includes a hubcap having a positioning base and at least one fixing base. The positioning base is provided with a chamber and two notches formed in its one side wall. The fixing base has a recess, a through hole bored in the recess to communicate with an outside of the hubcap, and two recessed slot. A generator is fixed at an inside center of the hubcap, provided with two conducting blades extending into the chamber of the positioning base. At least a light is fitted in the through hole of the hubcap and connected with the conducting blades by conducting lines. By means of rotation or vibration of the wheels, the generator can create electromotive force to supply the light with power to make rotary brilliant brightness so as to achieve a warning effect for traffic security.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Inventor: Ming-Cheng Wang
  • Patent number: 7617671
    Abstract: A motor exhaust ozonator adapter is connected with the end of a motor vehicle exhaust pipe for receiving and passing exhaust gas. One arm of the adapter is connected with the end of the exhaust pipe and another arm of the adapter houses a powerful ozone light for ozonating intake air. The ozonated air thereby converts carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and oxidizes other noxious chemicals therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Inventor: Richard Menelly
  • Patent number: 7507007
    Abstract: A power-generating illumination device for the bicycle comprises comprising at least one permanent magnet disposed onto wheel spokes so as to form a rotor, an induction coil assembly mounted onto a fork for forming a stator, such that during the rotation of the rotor, the induction coil assembly may be cut by magnetic lines of force to generate electrical energy for being outputted to a light-emitting unit, characterized in between the induction coil assembly and the light-emitting unit is provided with a control unit at least including a wave detector, a wave filter, and a current limiting resistor so that the wave detector, the wave filter, and the current limiting resistor are connected together to form a loop, thereby detecting and filtering polarity of voltage of the generated electrical energy and lowering the resonating frequency to maintain the service life and illuminative brightness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Inventor: Yin Jhong Jhao
  • Patent number: 7246021
    Abstract: The directions of optical axes of headlights of a vehicle are adjusted based on a steering angle by switching filters of different response speed characteristics. The filters are provided with hystereses along boundaries neighboring to each other. The filters are switched depending upon the steering angle and a steering angular velocity to vary the response of swivel control. Therefore, the start of swiveling is not quickened, the filter is not frequently switched, quick motion is suppressed and, hence, smooth motion is realized making it possible to execute a swivel control without causing discomfort.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventor: Masahiko Morishita
  • Patent number: 7220031
    Abstract: An automobile wheel lighting system, for use in an automobile having a battery, wheels, and a wheel well associated with each wheel. A fixed connector is mounted within each wheel well and is electrically connected to the battery. At least one lighting assembly is used to selectively illuminate one of the wheels. Each lighting assembly includes a mating connector, a lighting head having an LED and a reflector assembly, and a flexible cord extending between the mating connector and lighting head. The mating connector is secured within the fixed connector in the wheel well adjacent to the wheel to be illuminated, and the cord extended outwardly from the automobile and flexed to direct the lighting head toward the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Inventors: Jason Lowman, Randal Williams, Scott Mongeon
  • Patent number: 7001051
    Abstract: A plurality of lighting structures is provided for enhancing the visibility of a human powered vehicle at night. The visibility enhanced human powered vehicle has a frame with attached wheels having tires including sidewalls. The safety lighting structures include at least one photo-luminescent section and at least one reflective section being located on at least one of the wheels. A light source is attachable to the human powered vehicle to direct light against the photo-luminescent sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Heli, LLC
    Inventors: Jesse N. Palmer, Barry L. Allen
  • Patent number: 6798140
    Abstract: A tire having an electroluminescent device includes an electroluminescent lamp, a driver, and a power supply including a piezoelectric fiber matrix for pulsing the device to flash and for generating power to energize the device. The device may be integrated in a rubber patch that is mounted to the tire sidewall, cured to the tire sidewall, or mounted in a recess or other prepared location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Michelin Recherche et Technique S.A.
    Inventors: Kevin R. Reim, Jack H. Thiesen
  • Patent number: 6422725
    Abstract: A motor vehicle comprising a lighting device disposed on a motor vehicle; the lighting device configured to emit light and aim at least a portion of the light in the direction of and illuminate a wheel well of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: Textron Automotive Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Ching Fong
  • Patent number: 6168301
    Abstract: A system for illuminating a wheel on a vehicle, the wheel having a concave area adapted for mounting around a wheel hub attached to stationary structure on the vehicle, the vehicle having an electrical power source. The system includes a contact ring that includes a circular backing ring of an electrically insulating material and a layer of electrically conductive material over the backing ring. The contact ring is flexibly supported from the concave area of the wheel where a contact brush mounted from the stationary structure of the vehicle makes contact with the layer of electrically conductive material on the contact ring. At least one electrical light emitting device is electrically connected to the layer of electrically conductive material on the contact ring, so that electrical power from the power source reaches the light emitting device through the contact brush and through the contact ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Inventors: Marvin R. Martinez, Edward Martinez
  • Patent number: 6109759
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to enable to adequately adjust an optical beam axis of a lamp in response to an inclining angle of a main body of a vehicle in a back and forth direction in an optical beam axis adjustment apparatus of a head lamp for use in vehicle.Upward and downward movements of front and rear wheels are individually sensed by use of respective stroke sensors 1 and 2. An angular detecting unit 3a detects the inclining angle of the main body of the vehicle in the back and forth direction depending upon the output signals produced from the stroke sensors while a traveling sensing unit 3b senses a traveling status and a stopping status of the vehicle. A control unit 3 adjusts the optical beam axis of the head lamp 5 through an actuator 4 during stopping of the vehicle, corresponding to the detected angular data produced from the stroke sensors 1 and 2; and averaged during a certain specified period which precedes the adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Stanley Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Tanabe, Hideki Kitamura, Hirokazu Seki
  • Patent number: 4970906
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for determining a rotation center of a rotary body comprises a rotary body rotating in clockwise and counterclockwise directions in cooperation with the steering for a vehicle, and original position detecting circuit which detects a predetermined original angular position which the rotary body taken per each rotation, thus judging an original angular position taken when other original angular positions are not detected within a lapse of a predetermined time after the original angular position has been detected as rotation centers in the clockwise and counterclockwise directions of the rotary body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1990
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Shibata, Atsushi Toda, Kazuki Takahashi, Kiyoshi Wada
  • Patent number: 4860601
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining a rotation center of a rotary body comprises a rotary body rotating in clockwise and counterclockwise directions in cooperation with the steering for a vehicle, and original position detecting circuit which detects a predetermined original angular position which the rotary body taken per each rotation, thus judging an original angular position taken when other original angular positions are not detected within a lapse of a predetermined time after the original angular position has been detected as rotation centers in the clockwise and counterclockwise directions of the rotary body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1989
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Shibata, Atsushi Toda, Kazuki Takahashi, Kiyoshi Wada
  • Patent number: 4232232
    Abstract: A reclosing system for d-c feeder breakers in transit systems employing cars using a chopper type of regulated power is disclosed. The circuit includes voltage-sensing and load-measuring circuits which determine that there is no short circuit on the respective feeder line before the circuit breaker can be closed. The system operates in two sequential modes. The first is a voltage-sensing mode which, upon sensing a voltage on the feeder circuit greater than some given magnitude, will cause the closing of the feeder breaker. If this voltage is not sensed during the voltage-sensing mode, the circuit automatically goes into a load-measuring mode wherein a current is injected into the feeder circuit and the voltage drop caused by the injected current is monitored. If a sufficiently high voltage is produced, which indicates that the feeder circuit is free of a fault, the feeder breaker is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1979
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1980
    Assignee: Gould Inc.
    Inventors: James P. DeLacy, Robert H. Lechner