Patent ID: 7604374

Claim:
An illuminated alternator for a motor vehicle, the alternator including a shaft, a pulley attached to the shaft, a rotor attached to the shaft, and a stator, the rotor rotating within the stator and being driven by an engine belt that drives the pulley, the illuminated alternator comprising: an alternator case including one or more vents defining an opening in the alternator case; the alternator disposed within and circumferentially surrounded by the alternator case, the alternator further including one or more electrical components; and an illumination device electrically connected to the one or more electrical components of the alternator and disposed adjacent to the one or more vents of the alternator case, the illumination device being disposed within the alternator case, wherein the illumination device generates light when activated, light from the illumination device being visible through the one or more vents of the alternator case.