Patent ID: 7152710
Filing Date: 2006-12-26
Classification: B60Q,F01N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A self-powered, heat-activated LED vehicle exhaust tip assembly comprising: a) a cylindrical enclosure having an inner surface, an outer surface, a front edge and a rear edge, wherein the front edge is dimensioned to accept and to be attached to a vehicle exhaust pipe by an exhaust pipe attachment means, and the rear edge has attached a set of LEDs that are viewable from the rear and sides of said exhaust tip, b) a heat conducting sub-assembly having a heat conductive horizontal structure that is positioned at the substantial center of said cylindrical enclosure, and that via a heat conductive vertical rod is attached to a heat conductive plate located external to said enclosure, c) a peltier device that interfaces with the heat conductive plate, wherein when said plate is heated by the passing exhaust gases the heat is transferred from the plate to said peltier device, which then produces a first d-c output voltage, d) a DC to DC converter that is applied and converts the first d-c voltage from said peltier device to a higher level second d-c voltage, and e) an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that is applied the d-c voltage from said DC to DC converter and produces a set of LED control signals that are connected to and control the operation of said set of LEDs.