Abstract:
An animal exercise wheel is illuminated by LEDs connected to a battery via a reed switch. A magnet actuates the reed switch when an animal begins to rotate the wheel. The LEDs flash with the frequency of rotation of the animal wheel or continuously. As long as the wheel rotates, the magnet continues to actuate the reed switch, which resets a counter. When the wheel stops and the reed switch is no longer actuated, the counter counts a predetermined time, and terminates the illumination of the LEDs.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/784,189 filed May 20, 2010 now U.S. Pat. No. 8,191,511. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates in general to small animal exercise devices, such as mouse exercise wheels, and more particularly to such devices that include electrical lights. 
     2. Background of the Invention 
     Exercise wheels that small animals, such as mice or hamsters, can climb into and turn by themselves are well known and are sold in nearly every pet store. The invention was created because the inventor, who is currently twelve years old, has a twin sister who raises mice. One evening, while the inventor watched his sister&#39;s mice spin their exercise wheels, he thought it would be nice if the turning of the wheel generated electricity while spinning the wheel. He told his idea to his father, who is a patent attorney with many clients who are inventors. The inventor&#39;s father and one of the clients, who is an expert in LED lighted devices, tried to design a mouse wheel with a small electrical generator that would generate enough electricity to light several LEDs. This attempt was not successful, because every device that could be imagined cost too much to build to make it a viable commercial product. Some time later, the inventor found on the Internet several examples of mouse wheels that turned an electrical generator. All of these were so complex that they would tend to be unreliable; in fact, one example failed during tests in a You-tube video. In addition, all of the animal wheels with electrical generators would cost so much to manufacture that they would have to be sold at a price at which parents would balk and which would not be acceptable in pet stores. This is likely the reason that no lighted pet wheels are presently commercially available. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The inventor was not deterred by the lack of success of his father and his father&#39;s client as well as the adults who built lighted mouse wheels and displayed them on the Internet. He was determined to make a lighted mouse wheel for his sister. He reasoned that by using a battery, LEDs, and some kind of switch, he could fool his sister into thinking that her mice were generating electricity when they turned their wheels. He searched the Internet for switches, but found mechanical switches he did not think would work well. He has always been fascinated by the ability of magnets to move magnetic materials at a distance without physical contact. He searched the Internet for magnetic switches and discovered reed switches. His father contacted a company that made reed switches and obtained several samples. The inventor got a battery pack and some LEDs at Radio Shack, soldered together a simple circuit, put some magnets on one of his sister&#39;s mouse wheels, and it worked remarkably well on first try. The parts that he used cost a total of approximately $4.00 at Radio Shack, so it was clear that, if parts were bought wholesale and built in volume, the cost would be under a dollar; and a commercial product could be manufactured at a cost that was acceptable by parents and at pet stores. 
     The invention provides an animal wheel that is simple, reliable, and can be built at a cost that makes it commercially useful. With the animal wheel according to the invention, we have discovered that most children, and, in fact, most people are amused, if not fascinated, by an animal wheel that lights up when the animal turns it. Most think that, because the lights light up only when the wheel turns, and go out when the wheel stops, the electricity that lights the wheel is generated by the animal turning the wheel. 
     The inventor has found that it is not necessary that the animal actually generate electricity when turning the wheel, but only that it is evident that the action of the animal turning the wheel activates the light or lights. The animal wheel according to the invention includes a power source, such as a battery, and one or more lights that are illuminated by the power source. The lights are switched on by the action of the animal turning the wheel, and switched off when the wheel stops. Preferably, the light or lights are LEDs. Preferably, the lights turn on and off with a frequency that depends on the speed of the wheel. This assists in creating the illusion that the mouse is generating the electricity to turn the wheel. However, the inventor has also discovered that an embodiment in which the lights stay lighted continuously as long as the wheel turns, and turns off quickly when the wheel stops, also strongly creates the illusion that the wheel is generating the electricity that lights the lights. This illusion, in any of the embodiments, that the animal is generating electricity by turning the wheel, greatly increases the enjoyment of the animal owner. 
     In a simple embodiment, the invention provides a power source, such as a battery; one or more lights, such as LEDs; a switch connecting the battery and the power source; and a switch activator that activates the switch when the wheel turns. Preferably, the switch is a reed switch and the switch activator is a magnet. 
     The invention provides an animal exercise wheel comprising: a rotatable cage having an opening that can be entered by an animal weighing five pounds or less; the cage capable of being rotated by the animal; one or more lights; a battery; a switch connecting the one or more lights and the battery; and a switch actuator; wherein one of the switch and the switch actuator is mounted on the rotatable cage and the other one of the switch and the switch actuator is located on a non-moving surface adjacent to the animal cage and sufficiently close to the rotatable cage that the switch can be actuated by the switch actuator. Preferably, the switch is a reed switch and the switch actuator is a magnet. Preferably, the magnet is mounted on the animal wheel and the reed switch is in or on housing adjacent to the animal wheel. Preferably, the reed switch is mounted on the animal wheel and the magnet is located adjacent to the animal wheel. Preferably, the animal exercise wheel further includes housing and the battery; the switch and the lights are enclosed by or supported on the housing. Preferably, the housing fits under the animal wheel and the switch actuator is mounted on the animal wheel. Preferably, the housing is attached to the animal wheel. Preferably, the lights are mounted on the animal wheel. Preferably, weight is distributed on the rotatable cage so that it tends to stop in a position wherein the switch and switch actuator are sufficiently separated so the switch actuator cannot actuate the switch. 
     The invention also provides a method of lighting a rotatable animal wheel, the method comprising: providing one or more lights; triggering the illumination of the one or more lights by the rotation of an animal wheel; and stopping the illumination of the one or more lights when the animal wheel stops rotating. Preferably, the illumination begins within two seconds of the animal wheel beginning to rotate. Preferably, the illumination stops within two seconds of the animal wheel ceasing rotating. Preferably, the triggering comprises switching a reed switch with a magnet, and the stopping comprises turning off the illumination with a second switch when the reed switch fails to open within a predetermined time. Preferably, the illumination is continuous between the triggering and the stopping. Preferably, the illumination comprises flashing the lights at a frequency determined by the speed of rotation of the animal wheel. 
     The invention also provides a kit for lighting a rotatable animal wheel, the kit comprising: a magnet; a housing; a plurality of battery contacts; one or more LEDs; a reed switch connected between one of the battery contacts and the one or more LEDs; the plurality of battery contacts, the one or more LEDs, and the reed switch are contained in or supported by the housing; and an attachment device for attaching either the magnet or the housing to a rotatable animal wheel. Preferably, the attaching device attaches the magnet to the animal wheel. Preferably, the attaching device attaches the housing to the animal wheel. 
     In addition to providing, for the first time, a battery-powered lighted animal wheel, the invention provides several other innovative features. For example, it provides a lighted animal wheel in which the lighting is triggered when an illumination switch is adjacent to a switch actuator, which also turns off the lights if the wheel stops in a position in which the switch actuator is adjacent the switch actuator and thus would otherwise keep the light(s) illuminated. As another example, it provides a lighted animal wheel in which the lighting is triggered when an illumination switch is adjacent to a switch actuator, which holds the light(s) continuously activated until the wheel stops, which is determined by the fact that the switch stops sending triggering signals for a predetermined time, such as two seconds, or more preferably a second, and most preferably a half-second. 
     The invention not only provides a lighted animal wheel that is much more attractive to children and other people than any previous animal wheel, but also provides a lighted animal wheel that is not very complex and, thus, lends itself to manufacturing. Numerous other advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a combination of an animal wheel with an aftermarket kit according to the invention for lighting the system responsive to the animal turning the wheel; 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of an integrated animal wheel and illumination system according to the invention that is illuminated by an animal turning the wheel; 
         FIG. 3  is an electronic diagram of a preferred embodiment of a system according to the invention for lighting an animal wheel; 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart showing a preferred embodiment of a process according to the invention for turning off the lights of an animal wheel according to the invention if the animal stops turning the wheel while the lights are on; 
         FIG. 5  is a front perspective view of an alternative embodiment of an animal wheel according to the invention that can be illuminated by the action of an animal turning the wheel; 
         FIG. 6  is a back perspective view of another preferred embodiment of an animal wheel according to the invention that can be illuminated by the action of an animal turning the wheel; 
         FIG. 7  is a cut-away plan view of a lighting module of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is an electronic circuit diagram of a preferred embodiment of a circuit according to the invention that turns lights on when the sensor senses movement of an actuator, and automatically turns itself off when movement is no longer sensed; and 
         FIG. 9  is another preferred embodiment of an integrated animal wheel and illumination system according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment  10  of a combination of an animal wheel  15  with a lighting system  12 . The lighting system  12  includes a lighting circuit module  40  and actuators  30  which, in this embodiment, are magnets. System  12  is an example of an after-market lighting system according to the invention that can be added to almost any animal wheel  15 . Lighting system  10  illuminates lights  45  responsive to the animal turning the wheel  15 . Lights  45  are preferably LEDs. It is understood that this embodiment and other embodiments described in this disclosure are exemplary. It is not intended that the invention be limited to the specific embodiments. Rather, the description is intended to fulfill the disclosure requirements of the patent law. It is also understood that the drawings do not in all cases represent the relative sizes of the various parts, but that adjustments have been made to better explain the invention. For example, the housing  42  in  FIG. 2  is much larger as compared to the size of wheel  15  than an actual commercial housing so that it can contain the various circuit elements without lack of clarity due to crowding and/or small print. 
     Continuing with the description of  FIG. 1 , wheel  15  includes support beams  20 , rims  21 , and mesh structure  23 . Wheel  15  is supported by wheel support  25 , which includes arms  31 , foot  32 , and axle  29 , which in this embodiment comprises the distal end of arm  31  bent at right angles to the arm. Holes  28  are formed in beams  20 , and axels  29  rotatably fit in holes  28 . Brace  37  is preferably a little wider than foot  32  to provide lateral support and is welded to the foot at  33 . In this embodiment, wheel support  25  and brace  37  comprise a heavy wire. Wheel  15 , in this embodiment, is a conventional mouse wheel that currently can be found in most pet stores that sell mice. Any other suitable mouse, rat, hamster, or other small animal wheel may be substituted. In this disclosure, “small animal wheel” means an animal wheel suitable for an animal weighting three pounds or less, preferably less than a pound, and most preferably less than half a pound. 
     Animal wheel  15  is converted to a lighted animal wheel by lighting system  12 . Lighting circuit module  40  is placed in the foot cavity  17 , and magnets  30  are affixed to wheel mesh  23 , preferably by epoxy or other strong glue. Lighting circuit module  40  includes a circuit  143 , such as shown in  FIG. 2 , enclosed in a plastic enclosure  42 , with the LEDs  45  of the circuit extending through the top of the enclosure. In a more preferred embodiment, the magnets are manufactured with a built-in clasp that mechanically attaches them to the wheel mesh  23 . The magnets may also be attached to one of the rims  21 , one of the arms  20 , or any other moving part of the wheel  15 . As will be described in  FIG. 2 , when wheel  15  is spun by the animals, magnets  30  move across lighting circuit module  40 . 
     A problem that can occur with the lighted animal wheel system  10 ,  100  and the circuit  143  of  FIG. 2  is that when the mouse or other animal stops spinning the wheel, the wheel can stop with one of the magnets directly over lighting module  40 ,  140 . This will cause the light to stay on, which wastes battery power, but also negatively affects the illusion that the mouse is generating the power to light the lights. This illusion has been found to be an important part of the attraction of the device. The illusion can be maintained by applying a small weight  35 ,  135  to a portion of the wheel between magnets  30 ,  130 . This causes the wheel to always stop with the weight down, which is a lights off position. Alternatively, magnets  30 ,  130  can be attached slightly asymmetrically, so that for balance, the wheel always stops with the magnets away from module  40 ,  140 . As another alternative, a few extra cross-pieces of the mesh  23  can be placed in one area of the mesh spaced from the magnets, so that portion of the mesh is slightly heavier. As another example, the hole  28  and axel  29  can be formed with a flat or other shaped area that causes the wheel  15  to stop with the magnets away from the lighting module. Any other suitable method or apparatus to cause the animal wheel to stop with the magnets away from lighting module  40 ,  140  may be used. 
       FIG. 2  is a plan view of another preferred embodiment of an animal wheel system  100  according to the invention. The system  100  is similar to system  10  of  FIG. 1 , except that it is mounted on top of lighting module case  142  via legs  125  and  126 , the distal ends, such as  129 , of which are attached to case  142  of housing module  140  with studs  127 . Lighting module case  142  preferably is made of plastic. Lighting circuit  143  comprises lights  145 , sense switch  150 , power source  155 , logic  160 , counter  170 , and reset switch  175 . Preferably, lights  145  are LEDs, sense switch  150  is a reed switch, power source  155  is a battery pack, and logic  160  is a pulse generator suitable to generate pulses in response to the circuit turning on, which pulses can be counted by counter  170 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , logic  160  also includes a divider that divides the number of times the circuit turns on by three, so that one pulse is generated for each revolution of wheel  115 . Preferably, counter  170  is an electronic counter, and reset switch  175  is a switch which applies a reset pulse to counter  170 . Logic  160 , counter  170 , and reset switch  175  all are powered by source  155 , though the connections are conventional and, therefore, are not expressly shown. Preferably, reed switch  150  is a normally open reed switch, though, from this disclosure, one skilled in the art would also know how to use a normally closed reed switch for this application. In one preferred embodiment, battery pack  155  is a 3V battery pack using two AA batteries. In the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , reed switch  150 , LEDs  145 , source  155 , and logic  160  are connected in series; and a pulse output of logic  160  is connected to counter  170 . However, in the more preferred embodiment, the LEDs are connected in parallel as in  FIG. 3 . Switch  175  is connected across the reset input  172  and the ground  173  of counter  170 . 
       FIG. 3  is an electronic diagram of another preferred embodiment of a circuit  240  according to the invention for lighting an animal wheel. Circuit  240  includes a sensor  250 , which is preferably a reed switch, lights  245 , which are preferably LEDs, resistors  247 , system on/off switch  267 , which is preferably a mechanical switch, power source  65 , which is preferably a battery, revolution counter and display  270  having a reset input  275 , a circuit on control circuit  280 , and an open sensor pulse circuit  285 . The circuit on control circuit  280  includes a timer comprising oscillator  290  and counter  292  having a reset input  293 . The circuit on control circuit  280  also includes logic switch  294 . LEDs  245  preferably are connected in parallel between sensor  250  and battery  265 , which are connected in series with logic switch  294 . Oscillator  290  provides oscillator pulses which are counted with counter  292 , which preferably is adjustable. Counter  292  is preferably set so that it provides a pulse to logic switch  294  after a predetermined time, such as two seconds. When logic switch  294  receives a pulse from counter  292 , it turns off and also provides a pulse on line  295  to reset input  293  of counter  292  to reset the counter and a pulse on line  297  to reset the open sensor pulser  285 . Open sensor pulser  285  provides a pulse on line  297  whenever sensor  250  opens, which pulse closes logic switch  294 . Counter  292  also provides a pulse to revolution counter and display  270 , which advances one unit for each revolution of the wheel, such as  15 . System on/off switch  267  can be used to manually turn circuit  240  on and off. Together, the circuit on sensor circuit  280  and open sensor pulser  285  turn off the circuit  240  if sensor switch  250  is on for the predetermined period, and then turn it back on again after the sensor switch opens. This process flow is shown in  FIG. 4 . Sensor actuator  230  preferably is attached to animal wheel  15 ,  215  and is preferably a magnet. 
       FIG. 4  is a flow chart showing a preferred embodiment of a process according to the invention for turning off the lights of an animal wheel according to the invention if the animal stops turning the wheel while the lights are on. The process  300  starts at  305 . At  310 , the timer, e.g. counter  292 , is reset. The time is counted at  315  as long as the current through the sensor switch is on, which is determined at  320 , which cycles the process to  315  if the current is on, and cycles the process to  330  when the time reaches the predetermined time, such as two seconds. At  330 , the logic switch  294  switches the circuit  240  off. The Open sensor pulser  285  checks the sensor switch  250  at  235 , and as long as it is closed, cycles via  340  and  335 . When sensor switch  250  is opened, such as when the animal starts turning the wheel again, the process returns to  310  via  345 , the timer  288  is reset, and the count begins again. 
       FIG. 5  is a front perspective view of an alternative embodiment of an animal wheel system  400  according to the invention that includes an animal wheel  408  with a built-in lighting system  430  according to the invention that can be illuminated by the action of an animal turning the wheel. Wheel  408  includes a wheel body  410 , a stand  420 , and an axle mechanism  440 . Wheel body  410  is in the shape of a tub  412  having an open end  414 . Tub  412  has a cylindrical portion  413  having an inner cylindrical surface  416  with treads  418  and an outer cylindrical surface  419 . Stand  420  comprises an enclosed foot portion  422 , legs  424  and  426 , and an axel support  428  ( FIG. 6 ). Axel mechanism  440  includes an axel  442  and a bearing  444 . Wheel  408  is a type of animal wheel that is known in the art; therefore, it will not be described in more detail herein. Lighting system  430  comprises electronic parts located in tubes, such as  450 , attached to the outer cylindrical surface  419  and magnet  470  mounted on stand  420 . Four tubes  482  enclose a sense switch, indicated by “SS”, preferably a reed switch. Two tubes  484 , indicated by “L”, each have a pair of lights  486 , preferably LEDs, attached to either end. Two tubes  480  contain a battery, indicated by “B”. The electronic parts are connected into a lighting circuit  488  as shown in any of  FIG. 2 ,  3 , or  8 , by wiring  455  embedded in wheel  408 . If the circuit  488  also includes other elements, such as an oscillator, a counter, logic, etc., this will be included in tubes  482  and  484 . The various electronic parts are distributed in the tubes over surface  419  so that the wheel  408  is balanced, or preferably, slightly unbalanced so that the wheel tends to stop in a position in which a tube  482  including a sense switch is not over magnet  470 . 
       FIG. 6  is a back perspective view of a wheel system  500  similar to that of  FIG. 5  except that the lightings  530  is included in a plurality of tubes  520 , each of which contains all of the illumination elements (except the magnet  470 ) necessary to light the system. The structure of each such tube  520  and its contents is shown in  FIG. 7 , which is a cutaway drawing of a tube  520  showing the electronic elements  533  inside the tube. Each tube  520  contains a pair of lights  525  and  527 , preferably LEDs, a battery  530 , which is preferably a AAAA battery, a sense switch  535 , which is preferably a reed switch, battery contacts  540  and  543 , and connecting wiring  547 ,  548 ,  549 ,  551 , and  555 . Wire  547  is connected between positive contact  540  and the positive terminal of LED  525 , wire  548  is connected between the negative contact  543  and terminal  552  of reed switch  535 , wire  549  is connected between the terminal  553  of reed switch  535  and the negative terminal of LED  527 , wire  551  is connected between the positive battery contact  540  and the positive terminal of LED  527 , and wire  555  is connected between terminal  553  of reed switch  535  and the negative terminal of LED  525 . One side  522  of each tube  520  is flattened to fit snuggly against surface  419  of wheel  408 . Each tube  520  has a pair of studs  560  with an inner bore  563 . Each tube  520  is fastened to wheel surface  419  by screws  566  which pass through wheel cylinder  413  and screw into bores  563  in studs  560 . Other attachment systems, such as epoxy, glue, or any other suitable attachment mechanism may be used. Magnet  470  may be attached to the inside or outside of stand  420  using epoxy, glue, or other attachment mechanism. The lighting system  530  may be an after-market system that is sold separately from wheel  408  and attached to wheel  408 . 
       FIG. 8  is a circuit diagram of another preferred embodiment  600  of a lighting system according to the invention. System  600  mimics a system in which the spinning wheel turns a generator to light the wheel, but is less complex and more reliable than such a system. The magnet is not shown in  FIG. 8 . Lighting system  600  comprises a sensor  610 , preferably a reed switch, a timer circuit  616 , preferably including an oscillator  620  and a counter  626 , a logic switch  640 , a power source  60 , light circuit  642 , and system on/off circuit  670 . Counter  626  includes a reset input  627 , and logic switch  640  includes a switch  632 , the position of which is determined by a logic state of logic switch  640 . Power source  660  is preferably a battery. Light circuit  642  comprises lights  644  and  646 , which are preferably LEDs, and preferably includes resistors  648  and  649 . System on/of circuit  670  is connected across the voltage source and preferably includes a manual switch  672 , a ground terminal  674  and a system voltage terminal  676 . Ground  674  and the system voltage, V, are applied to each of the circuit elements  620 ,  627 , and  640 . Terminal  611  of sensor  610  is connected to the system voltage V, and terminal  612  is connected to the reset input  627  of counter  626 . The output  622  of oscillator  620  is connected to counter  426 , and the output  628  of counter  626  is applied to logic switch  640 . One terminal  634  of switch  632  is connected to the negative terminals of LEDs  644  and  646  via line  638  and resistors  648  and  649 , respectively. The other terminal  635  of switch  632  is connected to the negative terminal  661  of power source  660  via line  636 . The positive terminal  662  of power source  660  is connected to the positive terminals of LEDs  644  and  646 . 
     Lighting system  600  operates as follows. When the wheel it is associated with begins to move, sensor switch  610  closes when it is in the vicinity of a sensor actuator, such as a magnet. This pulses the reset input of counter  626 , causing it to output an “ON” logic state on its output  628  and to begin counting pulses from oscillator  620 . When the “ON” logic state is applied to logic switch  640 , switch  632  closes. This lights lights  644  and  646 . The lights stay on as long as the “ON” logic state is applied to logic switch  640 . As long as the wheel with which the circuit  600  is associated continues to turn, sensor  610  continues to reset counter  626 , and counter  626  continues to count and continues to apply the “ON” logic state to its output  628 . However, if counter  626  is not reset for a prescribed time, it counts out and outputs an “OFF” logic state on its output  628  which opens switch  632  and turns off lights  644  and  646 . The count at which counter  626  counts out is set to a suitably short time such that the lights  644  and  646  appear to go out as soon as, or shortly after, the wheel stops. This prescribed time is preferably less than two seconds, more preferably less than a second, and most preferably less than half a second. Small animals, such as mice, tend to turn their wheels fast enough so that, with just a couple of magnets mounted on the wheel, the time delay between the wheel stopping and the lights going out is not distinguishable by human beings, except by someone who understands what is driving the device and is carefully scrutinizing the timing. Three or four magnets make the time delay even shorter so even someone that knows the design of the device and is watching for time delays cannot tell that the movement of the wheel and the lighting of the lights are not perfectly synchronized. Further, all electrical generator circuits have some capacitance that causes the electricity to continue to flow for an instant after the generation stops, which the short delay between the stoppage of the wheel and the ceasing of the lighting mimics. Thus, the circuit  600  mimics the lighting produced by an animal wheel electrical generator circuit. 
       FIG. 9  is an alternative embodiment of a lighted animal wheel system  700  according to the invention. System  700  includes an animal wheel  408  and a stand  420  as in the embodiments of  FIGS. 5 and 6 , except for the differences noted below. However, the lighting system  750  is partially on the wheel  408  and partially in the enclosed foot portion  422  of stand  420 . Lights  720 , preferably LEDs, are mounted on surface  419  of wheel  408 . Sensor actuators, preferably magnets  760 , are also mounted on surface  419 . In this embodiment, preferably there are three LEDs and three magnets. The power source and a circuit  705 , such as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 , and  8 , without the lights, are enclosed in the foot portion  422  of stand  420 . Sensor  710 , preferably a reed switch, is located within foot  422 , so that magnets  760  pass over it. The circuit  705  and the lights  720  are electrically connected via a conductor  712  that passes through leg  714 , a metal spring arm  734 , contact  737 , and circular conductive trace  730  on the back  731  of wheel  408 . Trace  730  is connected via wire  725  to one terminal of light  720 . Preferably, wire  725  is covered with a brightly colored flat plastic strip  727  so that it acts as a decorative addition to wheel  408 . The return path for the electricity is via a second conductor  728  in or under strip  727  which connects to a metal portion of bearing  718  which connects to a conductor  710  in leg  716  which connects to circuit  705 . Bearing  718  and the terminal of conductors  710  and  712  are enclosed by enclosure  758 . 
     A feature of the invention is that the illumination of the lights is triggered by the animal turning the wheel. Another feature of the invention is that the lights are illuminated essentially only in the time that the animal is spinning the wheel. Here, “essentially only in the time that the animal is spinning the wheel” means that the difference between the time that the wheel begins to spin and the time the lights are illuminated is two seconds or less, more preferably a second or less, and most preferably a half-second or less. Preferably, this also means that the difference between the time the wheel stops spinning and the lights go out is two seconds or less, more preferably a second or less, and most preferably a half-second or less. This creates the illusion that the animal is generating the electricity that illuminates the lights. A prototype mouse wheel as in  FIG. 1  was demonstrated by the inventor in a confidential private test to approximately twenty witnesses. This prototype used a type HCH9216 6/9 reed switch manufactured by Hasco Components of New Hyde Park, N.Y. 11040. The witnesses uniformly thought that the mouse was generating the electricity by turning the wheel, and generated many different theories of how the device operated, such as the theory that the housing  40  enclosed an inductor in which the magnets generated a current. The test audience included a half-dozen children who were genuinely attracted by the device. The mouse seemed to enjoy the lights also, as it stayed spinning the wheel for nearly an hour. 
     Now that the value of imitating the functionality of an animal wheel that generates electricity with an animal wheel powered by a battery is presented, those not so skilled in the art can copy the device and try to get around the claims by substituting other switches and switch actuators. For example, a coil can be substituted for the reed switch, and an EMF generator can be substituted for the magnets, or even a mechanical switch can be devised that physically contacts the animal wheel, particularly with the circuit of  FIG. 8 . 
     A feature of the invention is that it provides, for the first time, a battery-powered lighted animal wheel. Another feature is that the invention provides a lighted animal wheel in which the lighting is triggered when an illumination switch is adjacent to a switch actuator, which lighted animal wheel also includes a circuit that turns off the lights if the wheel stops in a position in which the switch actuator is adjacent to the switch actuator and, thus, would otherwise keep the light(s) illuminated. Another feature of the invention is that it provides a lighted animal wheel in which the lighting is triggered when an illumination switch is adjacent to a switch actuator, which lighted animal wheel also includes a circuit that holds the light(s) continuously activated until the wheel stops. The fact that the wheel is stopped is determined by the fact that the switch stops sending triggering signals for a predetermined time, such as two seconds, or more preferably a second, and most preferably a half-second. 
     There has been described a novel lighted animal wheel that strongly enhances the attractiveness of such an animal wheel to children and other people. At the same time, the present lighted animal wheel has a much less complex design than previous lighted wheels. It should be understood that the specific formulations and methods described herein are exemplary and should not be construed to limit the invention, which will be described in the claims below. Further, it is evident that those skilled in the art may now make numerous uses and modifications of the specific embodiments described without departing from the inventive concepts. As one example, one or more batteries may be used; that is, the elements of the device may be incorporated with a coin type battery, a rechargeable type battery, a type A, type AA, type AAA, type AAAA, type C, or type D battery, camera batteries, watch batteries, and any other type of battery. This also may include any battery chemistry including, but not limited to, zinc-carbon batteries, alkaline batteries, and lithium ion batteries. Any of the embodiments, particularly that of  FIG. 7 , may be plugged into an AC circuit. Any of the parts of any one of the embodiments may be combined with any of the parts of any of the other embodiments. Equivalent structures and processes may be substituted for the various structures and processes described; the subprocesses of the inventive method may, in some instances, be performed in a different order; or a variety of different materials and elements may be used. Consequently, the invention is to be construed as embracing each and every novel feature and novel combination of features present in and/or possessed by the small animal exercise device described.