Patent Application
20060092621
The present invention relates generally to automotive ornaments, and, more particularly, to a decorative ornament for an automotive tailpipe.
Exhaust pipe mounted decorations have in the past included propellers and decorative signs. One example of a tail pipe mounted propeller is the device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,897,068 to Jackson. The propeller is free rotating and spins when the vehicle is in motion.
A second example of a tailpipe mounted propeller decoration is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,719,085 to Lee. The improved device includes a spring that automatically retracts the decoration into the tailpipe when not in use.
Other decorations such as decorative signs or supplemental taillight accessories have also been mounted on the tailpipe for decoration. Some decorative signs have included lighted messages. However, no prior art device teaches a tailpipe ornament that resembles a jet engine. Further, no prior art devices teach a self-illuminating decorative tailpipe ornament. The present invention accomplishes these objectives.
The present invention is a tailpipe-mounted turbine decoration. A first set of turbine blades is mounted on a first hub and a second set is mounted on a second hub, each set configured to rotate in opposite directions with respect to each other. The hubs are preferably circular with the blades extending radially therefrom. The first hub is preferably a circular element, preferably of conical or bullet shaped profile. Each hub rotates on a bearing mounted at the center of the hub and fixed to an axis. Because the device is a decoration, the blades may be constructed from a stamped circular metal sheet, or be plastic injection molded. The first set of turbine blades have sufficient space between the blades to allow viewing of the second set of blades through the first set of blades. This simulates the appearance of an aeronautic jet turbine engine. A generally hollow, cylindrical housing is mounted to the tailpipe with set screws or the like and includes an axis that is collinearly aligned with the longitudinal axis of the housing. The hubs are each mounted on the axle, which is in turn mounted to a set of frame struts that are fixed to the inside wall of the housing.
The motion of the turbine blades powers a plurality of electric generators that illuminate LEDs or incandescent light bulbs within the housing, creating a visual effect at night. The LEDs are preferably mounted behind the sets of blades so that the geometric interaction between the first and second set of turbine blades is easily observed when looking into the housing.
The electrical generators can be mounted between the turbine blade hubs so that a permanent magnet portion of the electric generator is mounted on either the first or second hub and the coil portion of the electric generator is mounted on the opposite hub. The magnetic force between the hubs can be tuned by adjusting the distance between the first and second hub. Adjusting the distance between the hubs also adjusts the light generated. Spacers in the form of small washers are used to adjust the distance between the hubs.
To more closely simulate an actual jet engine in appearance, metallic coated blades and a metallic coated hub can be used. The metallic coating provides an appearance more consistent with aeronautic jet engines than flat or even gloss paint. A metallic finish also allows light emitted by illumination elements within the housing to reflect outward as well as provide reflection of ambient illumination such as streetlights or the sun.
The blades and hub may also be partially or fully painted. For example, designs such as a flower may be painted on the blade sets. A sunflower may be painted on the blade sets with petal designs painted on the blades and perhaps seed designs painted on the hub. In this case, turbine blade motion moves the design painted on the blades and hub. Other circular patterns can also be painted onto the blades and hub for decoration.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.
An axle 130 is mounted inside the housing 110 on a plurality of frame struts 510 that traverse the inside the housing 110. The longitudinal axis of the axle 130 is co-aligned with the longitudinal axis of the housing 110 (
A first set 120 and a second set 220 of turbine blades 100 each comprise a hub 140,240 having a number of radially mounted blades 100 mounted thereon (
A first and second electric generator 170,270 may be included, each of which includes a coil portion and a magnet portion (
Electrical conductors (not shown) such as wires conduct electricity generated by the first generator 170 to either the LEDs 150,250 on the hubs 140,240, and wires conduct electricity generated by the second generator to the LEDs 250, 350 mounted on the second hub 240 or the frame struts 510, respectively. The sections of each generator 170, 270 are preferably interchangeably mounted in the hub positions 190, 290, 295 and the frame hub position 390 (
For example, in a first combination (
Alternately, the first combination can be reversed to form the second combination (
The third combination (
As such, when the first and second sets 120, 220 of blades are rotating in opposite directions about the axis 130, the coil sections and magnet sections of each generator 170, 270 are in close proximity so as to produce electricity in the coil sections, thereby causing a current to flow through the respective LEDs 150, 250, 350, thereby illuminating such LEDs 150, 250, 350 when the rotational speed of the first and second sets 120, 220 of blades 100 reach an electricity generating threshold speed. The coil sections of the first and second generators 170, 270 are interchangeable, thereby providing a variety of possible ornamental effects. Further, LEDs 150, 250, 350 may be tri-color LEDs, such that when current is flowing in a first direction each LED 150, 250, 350 is one particular color, while with current flowing in an opposite direction each LED 150, 250, 350 is of another color. Accordingly, the ornamental effect can be altered by having either combinations 1 and 3, 1 and 4, 2 and 3 or 2 and 4. The ornamental effect can be further increased and personalized by user by adding a third set of blades (not shown) that is identical to the second set 120, but mounted to the axle 130 in the opposite direction so that the blades are oriented oppositely to the blades of the second set 220. Indeed, any number of sets of blades may be added in this manner up to the available length of the axle 130.
While a particular form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the exact number of blades on each hub 140, 240 may be altered, or the style of the blades may be altered from those shown. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the appended claims.
