US3753000A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rechargeable lighting system for bicycles and the like
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-03-09
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Granted: 1973-08-14
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Expires: 1992-03-09
Abstract
Abstract A plastic housing or casing contains a generator, diode, battery and a miniature jack for connection to the head and tail lights of a bicycle or motor bike. By means of a curved resilient strip or plate attached to the front fork of the bicycle a drive cone on the projecting end of the generator shaft is biased against the rim of the bicycle''s front wheel. Two normally closed contacts in the jack connect the generator and diode through a current limiting resistor to the battery composed of two serially connected nickel-cadmium cells so that when the generator is rotated at a sufficient speed by the rim of the wheel, the battery is charged; when the wheel speed is too low, and the generator then not furnishing a sufficient charging voltage, the diode prevents the battery from discharging. When the two lamps, that is the head light and tail light, are to be lighted, the user inserts a plug connected to these two lamps into the jack to establish an electrical path directly from the diode to the lamps via the plug. The plug connection also establishes a parallel connection with the battery to assure energization of the lamps at low wheel speeds when there is an insufficient charging voltage or when the bicycle is completely stopped and the generator not providing any voltage at all.
Inventors
- 👤 J Newman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 23:47
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02J; H02J7/00; H02J7/14; H02J7/1407; B; B62; B62J; B62J6/00; B62J6/01; B62J6/015; B62J6/06; H02K; H02K7/00; H02K7/18; H02K7/1807; H02K7/1846
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
74 words
A rechargeable lighting system for bicycles and the like comprising a generator driven at various speeds by a wheel of a bicycle, said generator having a pair of output terminals, a rectifier connected to one terminal of said generator, a rechargeable battery connected between said rectifier and the other terminal of said generator, and means for connecting an electric lamp to a location between said rectifier and said battery and to said other terminal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
74 words
A rechargeable lighting system for bicycles and the like comprising a generator driven at various speeds by a wheel of a bicycle, said generator having a pair of output terminals, a rectifier connected to one terminal of said generator, a rechargeable battery connected between said rectifier and the other terminal of said generator, and means for connecting an electric lamp to a location between said rectifier and said battery and to said other terminal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
The system defined in claim 1 including a current limiting resistor, and in which said last-mentioned means includes a switch at said location for establishing a parallel relationship between said electric lamp and said battery in one position thereof and conecting only said resistor between said rectifier and battery in a second position thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
167 words
A rechargeable lighting system for bicycles and the like comprising a generator driven at various speeds by a wheel of a bicycle, said generator having a pair of output terminals, a diode connected to one terminal of said generator, a rechargeable battery connected between said rectifier and the other terminal of said generator, a current limiting resistor, and a switch for establishing a parallel relationship between said electric lamp and said battery in one position thereof and connecting only said resistor between said diode and battery in a second position thereof, said switch constituting a jack and plug having first and second normally closed contacts, said first contact being connected to said diode and said second contact to said resistor, and said jack having a third normally open contact connected to a location between said resistor and battery, said plug being insertable into said jack to open said first and second contacts and at the same time provide an electrical connection between said first and third contacts.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
167 words
A rechargeable lighting system for bicycles and the like comprising a generator driven at various speeds by a wheel of a bicycle, said generator having a pair of output terminals, a diode connected to one terminal of said generator, a rechargeable battery connected between said rectifier and the other terminal of said generator, a current limiting resistor, and a switch for establishing a parallel relationship between said electric lamp and said battery in one position thereof and connecting only said resistor between said diode and battery in a second position thereof, said switch constituting a jack and plug having first and second normally closed contacts, said first contact being connected to said diode and said second contact to said resistor, and said jack having a third normally open contact connected to a location between said resistor and battery, said plug being insertable into said jack to open said first and second contacts and at the same time provide an electrical connection between said first and third contacts.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system defined in claim 3 in which said battery includes two serially connected nickel-cadmium cells.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system defined in claim 4 in which said lamp constitutes a head light.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system defined in claim 5 including a tail light in parallel with said head light, said plug being connected to said tail light in addition to being connected to said head light.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system defined in claim 1 including a casing, said generator, rectifier and battery being housed in said casing and said generator having a shaft projecting therefrom, and a drive element on the projecting end of said shaft engageable with the rim of a bicycle wheel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system defined in claim 7 including a resilient strip extending from said casing for resiliently urging said casing in a direction to cause said drive element to engage said rim.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system defined in claim 8 in which said drive element constitutes a cone.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system defined in claim 9 including a vertically adjustable clamp for supporting one end of said resilient strip to position a desired diameter portion of said cone against said rim.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
161 words
A rechargeable lighting system for bicycles and the like comprising a generator engageable with a wheel of a bicycle so as to be rotated at various speeds dependent upon the speed of rotation of said bicycle wheel, said generator having a pair of output conductors, a diode connected to one output conductor of said generator, a rechargeable battery having one side thereof connected to the other output conductor of said generator, a current limiting resistor, means connecting said resistor between said diode and the other side of said battery, a head light, means connecting said head light between said diode and said other side of the battery when said resistor is disconnected, said last-mentioned means also connecting said lamp in parallel with said battery, whereby when said generator is rotating at a sufficient speed current flows from said generator through said head light and when said generator is rotating at an insufficient speed said head light is energized from said battery.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
161 words
A rechargeable lighting system for bicycles and the like comprising a generator engageable with a wheel of a bicycle so as to be rotated at various speeds dependent upon the speed of rotation of said bicycle wheel, said generator having a pair of output conductors, a diode connected to one output conductor of said generator, a rechargeable battery having one side thereof connected to the other output conductor of said generator, a current limiting resistor, means connecting said resistor between said diode and the other side of said battery, a head light, means connecting said head light between said diode and said other side of the battery when said resistor is disconnected, said last-mentioned means also connecting said lamp in parallel with said battery, whereby when said generator is rotating at a sufficient speed current flows from said generator through said head light and when said generator is rotating at an insufficient speed said head light is energized from said battery.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
59 words
The system defined in claim 11 in which said two means constitute a switch, said switch having one position in which said resistor is connected between said diode and battery and a second position in which said head light is connected between said diode and said other output conductor of the generator and also in parallel with said battery.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system defined in claim 12 in which said battery includes two nickel-cadmium cells connected in series.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system defined in claim 13 including a capacitor connected between said first output conductor of the generator and the second side thereof.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
137 words
The system defined in claim 1 in which said connecting means includes a pair of normally open switch contacts at said location, one of said contacts being connected to the side of said rectifier remote from the side thereof connected to said one generator terminal and the other of said contacts being connected to the side of the battery remote from the side thereof connected to said other generator terminal and means for closing said switch contacts to connect said rectifier to said battery and to connect both of said contacts to said electric lamp, whereby when said normally open contacts are closed by said last-mentioned means an electrically conductive path is provided from said rectifier through said lamp to said other generator terminal and also from said battery through said lamp to said other generator terminal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-08-13 | 1977-02-12 | 1977-08-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-08-13 | 1981-02-12 | 1981-08-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-08-13 | 1985-02-12 | 1985-08-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |