Color-changeable alloy wheel for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10807409-B2
Application number	US-201816179926-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 3, 2018
Priority date	Apr 23, 2018
Publication date	Oct 20, 2020
Grant date	Oct 20, 2020

Abstract

A color-changeable alloy wheel of a vehicle has an electrochromic paint deposited on the alloy wheel, so that a color of the alloy wheel changes according to a rotational speed thereof. The color-changeable alloy wheel includes: the electrochromic paint deposited on an outer side surface of the alloy wheel, and a current supplied from a battery of the vehicle to the alloy wheel when the rotational speed of the alloy wheel is higher than a predetermined speed, in order to change the color of the alloy wheel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A color-changeable alloy wheel of a vehicle, comprising:
an electrochromic paint deposited on an outer side surface of the alloy wheel, and
a current supplied from a battery of the vehicle to the alloy wheel when a rotational speed of the alloy wheel is higher than a predetermined speed, to change a color of the alloy wheel.

2. The color-changeable alloy wheel of claim 1 , wherein the electrochromic paint deposited on the alloy wheel is formed by sequentially stacking an ion storage layer, an electrolyte, an oxidation/reduction color-changeable material, a transparent electrode, and a clear coat.

3. The color-changeable alloy wheel of claim 1 , wherein the alloy wheel has a protruding wall portion formed on an inner diameter surface thereof and protruding in a direction perpendicular to the inner diameter surface, and a power switch configured to supply power to the alloy wheel is fastened to the protruding wall portion.

4. The color-changeable alloy wheel of claim 3 , wherein the power switch comprises:
a housing having a spring hole formed in a central portion of an upper surface thereof;
a spring passing through the spring hole in an axial direction;
a centrifugal force-acting part connected to an end portion of the spring placed outside the housing; and
a switch part configured to be turned on/off by the spring to apply the power to a current supply part.

5. The color-changeable alloy wheel of claim 4 , wherein the current supply part is formed on one side surface of the housing.

6. The color-changeable alloy wheel of claim 5 , wherein the current supply part comprises:
a first protrusion protruding outward from the one side surface of the housing by a predetermined length; and
a second protrusion formed at a central portion of the first protrusion to have a diameter smaller than that of the first protrusion and having a shape protruding outward from an end portion of the first protrusion by a length greater than that of the first protrusion.

7. The color-changeable alloy wheel of claim 6 , wherein the protruding wall portion has a power switch insertion recess formed therein to have a predetermined length from a first side toward a second side in an axial direction of the alloy wheel.

8. The color-changeable alloy wheel of claim 7 , wherein the power switch insertion recess comprises:
a first recess portion having a shape in which the protruding wall portion is removed to a predetermined depth from the first side toward the second side; and
a second recess portion formed at a central portion of the first recess portion to have a diameter less than that of the first recess portion and having a shape in which the protruding wall portion is removed from one end portion of the first recess portion toward the second side of the protruding wall portion to a depth greater than that of the first recess portion.

9. The color-changeable alloy wheel of claim 8 , wherein the electrochromic paint deposited on an inner side surface of the first recess portion is formed by sequentially stacking an ion storage layer, an electrolyte, an oxidation/reduction color-changeable material, and a transparent electrode.

10. The color-changeable alloy wheel of claim 8 , wherein no electrochromic paint is deposited on an inner side surface of the second recess portion.

11. The color-changeable alloy wheel of claim 8 , wherein the first protrusion is inserted into the first recess portion to allow an outer surface of the first protrusion to be brought into contact with an inner surface of the first recess portion.

12. The color-changeable alloy wheel of claim 8 , wherein the second protrusion is inserted into the second recess portion to allow an outer surface of the second protrusion to be brought into contact with an inner surface of the second recess portion.

13. The color-changeable alloy wheel of claim 6 , wherein the outer surface of the first protrusion is a cathode (negative electrode).

14. The color-changeable alloy wheel of claim 6 , wherein the outer surface of the second protrusion is an anode (positive electrode).

15. The color-changeable alloy wheel of claim 4 , wherein the spring is compressed toward an inside of the housing when a centrifugal force acts on the centrifugal force-acting part.

16. The color-changeable alloy wheel of claim 15 , wherein the spring compressed by the centrifugal force-acting part applies power to the switch part.

17. The color-changeable alloy wheel of claim 16 , wherein the current supply part supplies a current to the alloy wheel when the power is applied to the switch part.

18. The color-changeable alloy wheel of claim 5 , wherein the housing of the power switch has bolt recesses formed at both sides of the current supply part on the one side surface thereof, each of the bolt recesses has a thread formed on an inner surface thereof.

19. The color-changeable alloy wheel of claim 8 , wherein the protruding wall portion has through holes formed at both sides of the power switch insertion recess, respectively, and passing through both side surfaces thereof.

20. The color-changeable alloy wheel of claim 19 , wherein the protruding wall portion is coupled to the power switch by screw-coupling a bolt, which passes through the through hole of the protruding wall portion from the second side of the protruding wall portion toward the first side, to the bolt recess of the power switch.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Motors Corp

Inventors

• Lee Seon-Yong

Classifications

• G02F1/1514

  characterised by the electrochromic material, e.g. by the electrodeposited material · CPC title

• C09K9/00

  Tenebrescent materials, i.e. materials for which the range of wavelengths for energy absorption is changed as a result of excitation by some form of energy · CPC title

• B60B7/0046 Primary

  the surface being plated or coated · CPC title

• B60B7/004 Primary

  the surface being painted · CPC title

• B60B7/00

  Wheel cover discs, rings, or the like, for ornamenting, protecting {, venting,} or obscuring, wholly or in part, the wheel body, rim, hub, or tyre sidewall {, e.g. wheel cover discs, wheel cover discs with cooling fins (wheels with cooling fins not provided on the wheel cover disc B60B19/10; apparatus or tools for removing or attaching cover discs hub caps or the like B60B31/06)} · CPC title