WO2002022395A2

WO2002022395A2 - Converting trailer lights to flashing hazard lights

Info

Publication number: WO2002022395A2
Application number: PCT/US2001/028447
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gary L. Johnson
Original assignee: Trintex Corporation
Priority date: 2000-09-15
Filing date: 2001-09-13
Publication date: 2002-03-21
Also published as: WO2002022395A3; AU2001292616A1

Abstract

Apparatus (100) for providing emergency actuation of lights on a trailer is disclosed. The apparatus comprises an electrical cord (80) for electrically connecting a power source such as a battery (400) with an electrical connector (202) of a trailer lighting harness, operable to receive power from the power source to activate an emergency flasher (500), and a connection to the trailer lighting harness to connect the battery (400) thereto. The cord may be attached to a battery on the tractor which pulled the trailer or a backup battery.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS TO AUTOMATICALLY CONVERT TRAILER

MARKER LIGHTS TO FLASHING LIGHTS UPON DISRUPTION OF

TRAILER LIGHTING POWER

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to the field of safety devices for disabled vehicles, such as tractor trailers. More specifically, the invention is directed to a back-up or emergency lighting apparatus for use with such trailers. The apparatus includes a power source independent of the tractor which is electrically connected to the trailer lighting circuit to energize the hazard lights on the trailer. The apparatus will reduce accidents caused by the failure of other drivers to observe parked or disabled trailers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The Federal government, many state governments, insurance companies and the trucking industry are continually seeking ways to improve road safety. A number of accidents, with attendant loss of revenues and life, occur in this country each year when vehicles strike disabled, poorly visible trailers. Meanwhile, the trucking industry is carrying increasing amounts of hazardous, toxic, and nuclear wastes over the public roadways.

In the event of a failure or accident, the driver activates his hazard lights and places passive warning devices along the roadway at varying distances from the trailer. In conventional rigs, a hazard light switch is operated by the driver in the tractor to activate the tail and brake lights on the rear of the trailer. Trailers are commonly utilized for a wide variety of towing and hauling purposes. Virtually all trailers are equipped with a standard set of rear lights, including turning, running (driving) and brake lights. During an emergency, especially during poor visibility such as rain or night, it is important that these lights are activated to warn other motorists of the rig. Oftentimes drivers of other vehicles are injured or killed when striking a stationary trailer on the side of the road due to poor visibility. Thus, there is a need for an apparatus which provides an efficient and simple means for providing emergency lighting on a trailer. Any disruption of the trailer lighting circuit, including the battery and switches in the tractor, renders the entire trailer lighting system inoperable, often times this occurs during mechanical breakdowns or accidents, such as "jack knifing" in which the trailer becomes disengaged from the tractor. Such breakdowns or accidents may cause interruption of the power source from the tractor to the trailer, including when the power connection is disengaged. Thus, often times the hazard lights of the tractor cannot be activated due to the distance between tractor and trailer. In addition, the original power source, the battery of the tractor may be inoperable, thus preventing activation of the hazard lights of the trailer due to lack of power.

The present invention includes a battery for mounting on the tractor or the trailer. If a towed trailer "breaks away" from the towing vehicle, the device of the current invention can be used to restore power to the trailer and activate emergency lights.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a harness which includes wiring (comprising three wires), which is described more fully below. A standard seven receptacle female plug is connected electrically at the outer end of wiring. This plug is operably engaged, as described below, with the standard male connector plug used on most trailer light circuits. The inner end of the harness is connected to a power source such as a standard automobile or truck battery, or generator, or the like power source. Such interconnection and the overall operation of the apparatus is described below. In particular, the harness includes a first positive wire that is connected to positive conductor of a power source such as a standard 12 volt battery. The harness also includes a negative wire that is electrically interconnected to the negative terminal of a power source. In alternative embodiments, the ground wire of the harness may be attached to the negative terminal of the battery. It should be understood that all of the electrical interconnections described herein are accomplished by suitable clips and other standard techniques that will be known to those skilled in the art.

An automated switching means within the plug assembly is used to periodically open and close the circuit so as to cause the left and right turn signals to blink synchronously. Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an electrical coupling system for providing means of powering hazard lights on a trailer when the trailer is disconnected from the power source of the towing vehicle or the power source of the towing vehicle becomes inoperable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the current invention shown plugged into a trailer.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the plug assembly of the current invention.

Fig. 3 is a top view of the plug assembly of the current invention.

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the plug assembly of the current invention.

Fig. 5 shows the mating of the plug assembly to the connector of the trailer.

Fig. 6 show the plug of the current invention connected to the connector of a trailer.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in FIGs. 1,2,3 and 4 power source 400, such as a standard 12 volt car battery, is used to supply power to plug assembly 1000 through input lines 112, 116. Positive input line 112 is connected to the positive terminal of battery 400. Negative input line 116 is connected to negative terminal of power source 400. Lines 112, 116 extend from power source 400 to plug assembly 1000.

Plug assembly 1000 houses input lines 112, 116 which are encased in outer protective housing 100. Housing 100 has two opposing side pieces, a top cover and a bottom cover which when placed together form a cylindrically shaped housing. The housing has cylindrically shaped extension 170 which houses plug connector 202. The input lines extend into housing 100 at an input end 210 which is cone shaped having semicircular recesses 220 for securely holding lines 112,116 and protective covering 118. Next to semicircular recesses are connection shoulders 230 having fastener recesses 240 for insertion of fasteners for connecting said top and bottom covers. The top and bottom covers are placed together and connected together by fasteners.

When the top cover 120 is affixed to the bottom cover 140, the abutment 310 applies pressure to the disconnect switch and thus allows completion of the positive circuit. When the top cover is removed, the pressure is released from the disconnect switch thereby opening the switch and breaking the circuit.

The top cover 120 and bottom cover 140 have curved ribs 130 extending perpendicular to the axis of the input lines 112,116, such that the ribs support automatic flashing means 500.

Automatic switching means 500, which is commercially available, is electrically connected to the positive line 112. Automatic switching means 500, periodically opens and closes a switch so as to periodically, alternately, provide current to the frailer and then cease providing current to the frailer, thereby making the hazard lights on the trailer periodically flash on and off. Positive line 112 powers automatic switching means 500. Flasher lines 122, 132 extend from automatic switching means 500 to the circuits of the left and right turn signals on the trailer, thereby causing synchronous flashing of the left and right hrrn signals of the frailer. Negative wire 150 extends through the plug assembly to the ground of the frailer.

The output end 290 of plug 1000 gradually tapers to an extension 296 which houses the external wires.

The embodiment shows a connection for a standard seven-way electrical connection, but could be used with other types of connections. Furthermore, the disclosed embodiment shows connection to the left and right turn signals, but it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that other type connections could also be made to power other lighting circuits on the frailer. In addition, power source 400 may be stored in or on the frailer or in or on the tractor, such as on a shelf or in a box for use in emergency, or may be an integral part of a power unit for the frailer, separate from the power source of the towing vehicle. Thus, one embodiment of the current invention provides for a means to supply power to a frailer by a power source independent of the tractor power source. In the event the trailer is electrically disconnected from the tractor, such as when the tractor-trailer has been in an accident, or in the event the power of the trailer is lost, the plug assembly is electrically connected to the connector of the trailer. The input end is connected to a power source such as a generator, or like power source, advantageously an integral part of a power unit for the frailer, or preferably to a 12 volt car battery by connecting a positive line to the positive terminal on the battery. The negative line, or ground, is then connected to the negative terminal of the battery, thereby providing power to the trailer's emergency lighting circuits. The trailer base plate 18 is shown in respective front and rear views in FIGS. 5 and 6. The frailer base plate secures a seven way connection member 50. The seven way connection member 50 is made of an insulative-material (e.g., Bakelite) base and seven male electrical terminals 51-57.

When the wiring harness 14 is connected to the seven- way connection member 50, the weather cover 60 will be in the open position shown. When the wiring harness 14 is not connected to the seven- way connection member 50, such as when the frailer 12 is not in use, the weather cover 60 will be lowered, preferably automatically by the spring loaded hinge. The weather cover 60 protects the connection member 50 from fouling due to precipitation, dust, debris, and moisture. In the open position as shown in FIG. 5, a socket guide receiver 62 is provided for aligning and properly receiving a corresponding socket guide present on the harness 14.

Referring now to FIGS. 2-4, a female plug 202 for connecting to trailer base plate 18 is shown. The female plug includes a housing 74 with a socket guide 76. The female plug is configured to align with and receive each of the male terminals 51-57 from the trailer base plate 18. The socket guide 76 slides into the socket guide receiver 62 in the trailer base plate 18 to prevent misalignment of wiring thus completing a proper electrical circuit from the power source 400 to the frailer 12.

The housing 74 is fixably attached to a cable 80 at one end and forms a female plug at the opposing end. When the wiring harness 14 is connected to the terminals of the seven way connection of the trailer base plate 18, wires 122,132 electrically connect to the circuits of the left and right turn signals of the frailer 12 and negative wire 150 is connected to ground. The other male connectors of the male terminals are not connected. The housing is preferably constructed of a molded plastic although various other materials, including metals and metal alloys, may be incorporated into the housing. The size of the housing and the size of the entire apparatus may be varied somewhat within the scope of this invention. However, the housing should be sufficiently compact so that it can be conveniently carried by a single person, preferably in one hand and easily plugged into the frailer connector. The harness may vary in length, as well as in the number of wires, type of wiring and type of connector that it employs.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus to provide power to a trailer adapted to be connected to a trailer of a tractor- trailer type which has a plug on the tractor and a mating socket on the frailer to provide an electrical connection therebetween when the frailer and tractor are unhitched or the power source from the tractor is inoperable for controlling the lights on said trailer, which comprises a separate source of power, an adapter electrically connected to said separate source of power and adapted to mate with said socket; wherein:

(a) said adapter includes flasher means electrically connected to said adapter and said separate source of power for flashing the lights on said frailer when said adapter is mated with said socket;

(b) said frailer socket has at least seven male electrical terminals electrically connected to electrical circuits forming the wiring system of the frailer, and wherein said frailer male electrical terminals are configured in the form of a central electrical terminal circularly surrounded by radially disposed and equidistantly spaced electrical terminals;

(c) said adapter has at least two female electrical terminals for electrically connecting to electrical circuits forming the wiring system of the trailer;

(d) the electrical coupling system adapter for enabling the electrical interconnection of the separate source of power and the trailer connector fixably connected to the frailer that has at least seven electrical terminals, has at least a positive and a negative connection, and a ground connection.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said flasher means is mounted in the adapter.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said flasher means is directly connected to the wiring system of the trailer.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said separate source of power is a generator.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said separate source of power is a battery.

6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said battery is a rechargeable battery.

7. In a trailer having lights normally energized by the battery of a towing vehicle, a frailer light flashing system independent of the towing vehicle battery, the flashing system comprising a cable connected at a first end to the preselected trailer lights, a battery connector means connected at the second end of the cable, the connector being removably attachable for deriving power from a battery to the trailer lights when the vehicle is not attached to the trailer and flasher means mounted in the battery connector, the flasher means having contacts thereon for mating with the battery connector when the trailer is disconnected from the vehicle, thereby selectably connecting the battery to the frailer lights through the flasher means, which is connected with the lights, causing the trailer lights to flash independently of the vehicle battery, thereby enabling the frailer lights to flash when the trailer is unhitched from the vehicle.

8. The flashing system of claim 7, wherein the flasher means includes a flasher module removable inserted in the battery connector means, the module having a flasher device connected to an adapter connector for coupling with the trailer connector.

9. The flashing system of claim 7, wherein said flasher means is directly connected to the frailer lights.

10. A device operable, to transmit lighting power from a remote power source through an electrical connector to a connector on a trailer to the frailer lighting harness to provide emergency actuation of lights on the trailer, said device comprising:

(a) an electrical input connector for electrically connecting a plurality of input conductors, including an auxiliary lighting power conductor, in the device, with a power source;

(b) an electrical output connector for electrically connecting a plurality of output conductors in the device to the electrical connector of the trailer lighting harness; and (c) a plurality of conductors connected to deliver power from said plurality of input conductors to said plurality of output conductors.

11. The device of claim 10, including a switch operable in a first position and inoperable in a second position to interrupt the delivery of the pulsed output of the flasher element to at least one of said plurality of output conductors when said device is operating in the second position.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the remote power source is a battery.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the remote power source is a generator.