Decorative cover for motor vehicle wheels having active lighting

Abstract

A decorative cover for motor vehicle wheels, which is detachably arranged in the space between spokes of a motor vehicle rim, wherein the decorative cover has active lighting, the electrical energy of which can be generated by an energy module fastened to the rear of the decorative cover, wherein the energy generation thereof works independently of the fixed components of the motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A decorative cover for motor vehicle wheels, the decorative cover being detachably arranged in a space between spokes of a rim of a motor vehicle in a radially outward position on the rim, the decorative cover comprising: at least one light element for providing active lighting, an energy module comprising a generator for generating electrical energy for the at least one light element using centrifugal forces generated during a driving operation of the motor vehicle, wherein the energy module is fastened to a rear of the decorative cover and provides the electrical energy from the centrifugal forces to the at least one light element autonomously and independently of non-rotating components of the motor vehicle.

2. The decorative cover according to claim 1, further comprising a plate-shaped diffusing element arranged in the decorative cover, and wherein the light of the at least one light element acts on the plate-shaped diffusing element.

3. The decorative cover according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor arranged in the energy module in electrical connection with the generator, and a power-storing battery arranged in the energy module and electrically connected to the generator and the sensor.

4. The decorative cover according to claim 3, further comprising a contactless communication link for providing communication between the sensor and electronic modules of the motor vehicle.

5. The decorative cover according to claim 1, wherein the non-rotating components include the energy module, and the energy module is configured to generate energy independently.

6. The decorative cover according to claim 1, further comprising: a control module arranged in the motor vehicle; a sensor arranged in the energy module; and a communication link connected between the control module and the sensor configured to supply communications between the control module and the energy module adjacent to the decorative cover.

7. The decorative cover according to claim 1, further comprising a weight arranged in the generator that is configured to use centrifugal force acting on the weight to generate energy.

8. The decorative cover according to claim 1, wherein the at least one light element is arranged inside or outside the energy module.

9. The decorative cover according to claim 1, further comprising a battery, and a communication link connected between the battery and the generator to supply power to the energy module.

Description

(1) In the following, the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to drawings that show only one embodiment. Further features and advantages of the invention which are essential to the invention emerge from the drawings and their description.

(2) In the drawings:

(3) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a motor vehicle rim having a built-in decorative cover with active lighting;

(4) FIG. 2 shows the rear view of the arrangement of FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 3 is an enlarged representation of the rear view of the decorative panel;

(6) FIG. 4 shows a modified version compared to FIG. 3;

(7) FIG. 5 shows a modified version compared to FIG. 4;

(8) FIG. 6 shows a first exemplary embodiment of an energy generating generator based on the piezoelectric effect;

(9) FIG. 7 schematically shows a block diagram of the circuit of the decorative panel having active lighting in connection with the communication modules adjacent to the motor vehicle;

(10) FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of the energy generation by means of centrifugal forces.

(11) FIG. 1 schematically shows a decorative cover 1, which is approximately sector-shaped and has a luminous area 9 on the front side 3, via which light beams 10 are emitted to the front (perpendicular to the plane of the decorative cover).

(12) The decorative cover 1 is releasably clamped in the space 5 between spokes 4 of the motor vehicle rim 2, wherein FIG. 2 shows that this releasable connection is made with the aid of clamping elements 7, which are displaceable and lockable in the arrow directions 13 and which are clamped with flaps (not shown in detail) behind the respective spoke 4 and thus hold the decorative cover 1 in the assembly position shown in FIG. 2.

(13) In the interior of the decorative cover 1, there is essentially an electronic circuit board 8 which, according to FIGS. 3 to 5, consists of a light-absorbing scattering element 11, into which the light is received by one or more light elements 19 which, for example, are designed as LEDs.

(14) In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the light element 19 is arranged in the energy module 12 and guides the light via a light guide 15 a into the scattering element 11, which is illuminated over the entire area by light scattering.

(15) Thus, in a first embodiment, it can be provided that the entire front side 3 of the decorative cover is designed as a light scattering element 11, and in a second embodiment it can be provided that the front side 3 of the decorative cover 1 is opaque as a whole and, according to FIG. 1, only one light-emitting, small-area luminous area 9 is pierced.

(16) While the light element 19 is arranged in the energy module 12 in FIG. 3, FIG. 4 shows that the light element 19 can also be arranged directly in the scattering element 11 in a light-conducting manner, and it is shown as an alternative embodiment that the light beams 10 emanating from the light element 19 illuminate the luminous area 9.

(17) As previously mentioned, the light beams 10 can also illuminate the entire diffusing element 11, as a result of which the luminous area 9 then extends over the entire diffusing element 11.

(18) An energy-generating generator 16 is preferably provided in the interior of the energy module 12 and is in electrical connection with a sensor 18, the two elements being supplied with current by a battery 17.

(19) The energy module 12 is anchored to the rear of the decorative cover 1 with the aid of suitable holders 14 (see FIG. 3).

(20) FIG. 4 shows that the current generated by the energy module is passed on to the light element 19 via a cable 15.

(21) In an alternative embodiment compared to FIG. 4, FIG. 5 shows that the light element 19 can be arranged in the energy module 12 and that the light generated by the light element 19 is guided in a light-conducting manner onto the scattering element 11 by means of a light guide 15a.

(22) FIG. 6 shows, as the first exemplary embodiment, a generator 16 which works according to the piezoelectric effect, wherein a single-armed pendulum 22 is pivotably fastened to a pivot bearing 23 which is located radially to the outside of the motor vehicle rim 2 and can deflect in the arrow directions 25. The deflection in the respective arrow direction 25 takes place in accordance with the acceleration forces which arise in the forward direction 20 or the reverse direction 21 when the motor vehicle is traveling.

(23) The resulting reaction forces lead to an oscillating deflection of the pendulum 22, in such a way that the weight 24 optionally strikes the surface of two opposing generator surfaces 26 with a relatively high impulse force and, as a result, a voltage peak is generated in the respective generator surface 26 after the piezoelectric effect is taken up by the other switching components of the generator 16 and is temporarily stored in the battery 17.

(24) Accordingly, FIG. 7 shows a preferred circuit of such an active illumination of the decorative cover in the context of a motor vehicle installation.

(25) The parts shown only as a block diagram relate to the generator 16, which is connected to the light element 19 by means of a conduit 29 and to the battery 17 by means of a further conduit 30.

(26) The sensor 18 is connected by means of a wireless communication link 33 (see the antennas 31, 32) to a control module 27 on the motor vehicle 38. The motor vehicle 38 includes wheels 40 and non-rotating components 39. The control module 27 is in turn connected to the motor vehicle control unit 28.

(27) In this way, switching or control commands can be given to the sensor 18 via the wireless communication link 33 by means of the motor vehicle control unit, in such a way that either energy transfer takes place or the generator 16 is switched on or off or other control operations are carried out in the circuit on the decorative cover such as a change in light color, a change in light intensity, a change in light frequency and the like.

(28) With the given technical teaching, there is the advantage that an autonomously working and removable decorative cover 1 is created, which is easy to install and remove and which provides for self-sufficient energy generation without being connected to the motor vehicle energy supply. There is also no need for any built-in components on the vehicle that work together with the illuminated decorative cover.

(29) Due to the radially outward fastening of the decorative cover 1, the high centrifugal forces which arise during driving operation act on the generator 16, which, owing to these centrifugal forces, shows an essentially higher energy yield than, in comparison, a hub-side energy generation.

(30) FIG. 8 shows, as a further example, such energy generation by means of centrifugal forces, where in the vicinity of the hub there is a bearing 37 for a weight 24 which can be deflected in the centrifugal direction and which is held in a certain retracted position by means of a spring 34.

(31) There are no further construction details, such as, for example, longitudinal guides, which ensure that the weight 24 is always guided longitudinally only in the centrifugal direction, namely in the arrow direction 35.

(32) When a centrifugal force acts, the spring is thus stretched and the weight 24 is pressed in the arrow direction 35 against the inside of the piezoelectric generator surface 26, and this results in voltage peaks 36 which are picked up by the generator-side circuit and converted into associated, suitable currents.

(33) According to FIG. 8, it is possible to generate energy using the triboelectric effect in that the weight 24 is frictionally pressed against a generator surface 26 designed as a friction surface under the action of the centrifugal force, as a result of which electrical voltage pulses are generated in the generator surface 26, which are processed in a suitable circuit and stored in the battery 17.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

(34) 1 decorative cover 2 motor vehicle rim 3 front (of 1) 4 spoke 5 space (between 4) 6 rear (of 1) 7 clamping elements 8 electronic circuit board 9 luminous area 10 light beams 11 scattering element 12 energy module 13 arrow direction 14 holder 15 cable 15a light conductor 16 generator 17 battery 18 sensor 19 light element 20 forward direction 21 reverse direction 22 pendulum 23 pivot bearing 24 weight 25 arrow direction 26 surface area 27 control module 28 control unit 29 conduit 30 conduit 31 antenna 32 antenna 33 communication link 34 spring 35 arrow direction 36 voltage peak 37 bearing 38 motor vehicle 39 non-rotating components 40 wheels