Illuminating caster

An illuminating caster includes an at least translucent tire, a rim for supporting the wheel, a hub including slits defined therein, spokes extending to the rim from the hub, illuminating elements located in the vicinity of the tire and a generator. The generator includes a ring disposed in the hub, rods each extending to a related one of the illuminating elements from the ring through a related one of the slits, a circuit board disposed in the ring and connected to the illuminating elements, an annular shell disposed in the ring, a coil disposed in the annular shell and connected to the circuit board, a permanent magnet disposed in but separated from the coil and a lining provided between the permanent magnet and an axle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an illuminating caster for a buggy, a walker, a toy, a sports gear, a wheeled chair or a trolley and, more particularly, to a reliable illuminating caster.

2. Related Prior Art

A buggy, a walker, a toy, a sports gear, a wheeled chair or a trolley needs casters. Conventional casters are plain.

Some roller skaters are equipped with illuminating casters for decorative and signaling purposes. An illuminating caster includes illuminating elements and a small generator for energizing the illuminating elements. The small generator includes a coil, a permanent magnet and a circuit board. When the illuminating caster is rotated, there is relative rotation between the coil and the permanent magnet. Thus, electricity is generated to energize the illuminating elements.

The illuminating casters cold easily fail to illuminate after some time of use. The failure could be attributed to slacking of the elements relative to one another or breaking of some of the elements. The slacking or breaking could be attributed to vibration during the use of the roller skaters.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a buggy, a walker, a toy, a sports gear, a wheeled chair or a trolley with a reliable illuminating caster.

To achieve the foregoing objective, the illuminating caster includes an at least translucent tire, a rim for supporting the wheel, a hub including slits defined therein, spokes extending to the rim from the hub, illuminating elements located in the vicinity of the tire and a generator. The generator includes a ring disposed in the hub, rods each extending to a related one of the illuminating elements from the ring through a related one of the slits, a circuit board disposed in the ring and connected to the illuminating elements, an annular shell disposed in the ring, a coil disposed in the annular shell and connected to the circuit board, a permanent magnet disposed in but separated from the coil and a lining provided between the permanent magnet and an axle.

Other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following description referring to the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIG. 4, there is shown an illuminating caster according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring toFIGS. 2 and 3, the illuminating caster includes a rim10, a tire17provided on the rim10, illuminating elements203disposed in the tire17and a generator20disposed in the rim10and used to energize the illuminating elements203. Spokes26are extended to the rim10from a hub13. An annular rib11is formed between the rim10and the hub13. Slits28are defined in the annular rib11. The spokes26intersect with the annular rib11. Slits14are defined in the hub13. Cylinders12are formed around the hub13. Apertures16are defined in the rim10.

The tire17is made of a transparent or translucent material so that light emitted from the illuminating elements203can be seen through the tire17. The tire17includes cavities171defined in an internal side thereof. The illuminating elements203are disposed in the cavities171.

The illuminating elements203are preferably light-emitting diodes. However, the illuminating elements203can be any other proper illuminating elements.

Referring toFIG. 1, the generator20includes a ring201, an annular shell21disposed in the ring201, a coil22located in the annular shell21, a permanent magnet23located in the coil22, an annular lining24provided between the permanent magnet23and an axle, and a circuit board25provided between the illuminating elements203and the coil22. A rod202is extended to each of the illuminating elements203from the ring201.

The annular shell21includes an annular space210for containing the coil22. The annular shell21includes two halves211joined together. Each half211of the annular shell21includes teeth212provided along an internal edge, a wall213formed along an external edge and two cutouts214defined therein. The teeth212of a half211of the annular shell21are engaged with the teeth212of the other half211of the annular shell21. The annular shell21is made of metal. The magnetic polarity of the teeth212of a half211of the annular shell21is opposite to the magnetic polarity of the teeth212of the other half211of the annular shell21.

The coil22is wound around a reel220. The reel220includes two cutouts221defined therein.

The permanent magnet23is an annular element formed with two planar facets231on an internal side. The lining24is an annular element formed two planar facets241on an external side. The planar facets231are in contact with the planar facets2412hen the permanent magnet23is mounted on the lining24, thus preventing relative rotation between the permanent magnet23and the lining24.

A first cover15includes rods151extended from a side thereof. Each of the rods151is inserted in a related one of the cylinders12, thus preventing relative rotation between the first cover15and the rim10. That is, the first cover15is rotational together with the rim10.

A second cover18includes projecting elements extending from a side thereof. The projecting elements of the second cover18is fit in a recess defined in the rim10, thus avoiding relative rotation between the second cover18and the rim10. That is, the second cover18is rotational together with the rim10.

Referring toFIG. 3, the hub13is rotationally provided on the axle with a bearing, and the first cover15is rotationally provided on the axle with another bearing. The permanent magnet23is not rotational on the axle while the coil22is rotational relative to the axle. Thus, the coil22can be rotated relative to the permanent magnet23to generate electricity for energizing the illuminating elements203.

Each of the rods202is inserted through a related one of the slits14and a related one of the slits28as the ring201is disposed in the hub13so that the generator20is rotational together with the rim10. Each of the illuminating elements203is inserted in a related one of the cavities171via a related one16of the apertures16.

Referring toFIG. 5, there is shown an illuminating caster according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is like the first embodiment except including a second cover19instead of the second cover18. The second cover19includes apertures191defined therein so that the light emitted from each of the illuminating elements203can be seen through a related one of the apertures191. The cavities171are omitted since there are not needed.

The illuminating caster of the present invention is robust and hence reliable for at least two reasons. Firstly, the ring201protects the other elements of the generator20. Secondly, the insertion of the rods202through the slits14and the slits28keep many of the elements in position relative to one another.

The present invention has been described via the detailed illustration of the embodiments. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims.