Universal fleet electrical system

• US 20030090153A1
• Filed: 11/05/2002
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael Rhodes
• Original Assignee: Michael Rhodes
• Inventors: Rhodes, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,132,761 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0207 Wire harnesses

Abstract

The universal fleet electrical system is an integrated system for supplying electrical power to aftermarket accessories, particularly to police vehicles and other emergency vehicles. The system includes a central power distribution panel, which includes a fuse panel and a lighting selector junction box, together with a universal wiring harness. A variety of custom wiring harnesses may also be used in the universal fleet electrical system. A dash mounted console is provided for operator control of the various accessory devices. The lighting selector junction box permits various lighting accessories to be connected to different light level circuits through push connectors, so that a plurality of lighting devices may be controlled by a single switch.

Claims

1. A universal fleet electrical system for distributing electrical power to a plurality of aftermarket accessories in a fleet vehicle, comprising:

(a) a fuse panel adapted for connection to a fleet vehicle'"'"'s battery;

(b) a lighting selection junction box electrically connected to said fuse panel;

(c) a console panel having a plurality of user operable switches for controlling operation of a plurality of aftermarket accessories added to the fleet vehicle, the console panel being electrically connected to said fuse panel and said lighting selection box; and

(d) a universal wiring harness electrically connecting said fuse panel, said lighting selection junction box, and said console panel, the wiring harness having a plurality a connectors distributed throughout the fleet vehicle adapted for connection to aftermarket accessories, the wiring harness having a plurality of color-coded wires stamped with circuit identification labels, whereby installation and maintenance time for aftermarket accessories is reduced.

2. The universal fleet electrical system according to claim 1, wherein said fuse panel further comprises:

(a) a positive voltage buss bar adapted for connection to a positive terminal of the fleet vehicle'"'"'s battery;

(b) a ground buss adapted for connection to a negative terminal of the fleet vehicles battery;

(c) a pair of main power fuses, each main power fuse branching into a plurality of normally hot auxiliary circuits, each auxiliary circuit having a fuse for protection of the auxiliary circuit, the main power fuses being directly connected to said positive voltage buss bar so that the auxiliary circuits are normally hot, each auxiliary circuit having wires with red insulation and bearing indicia identifying the circuit for quick identification;

(d) a plurality of lighting circuit relays, each relay having a solenoid and normally open switch contacts, each relay further having a fuse in series with the relay solenoid; and

(e) an ignition relay having a solenoid tapped into the fleet vehicle'"'"'s ignition switch and having normally open switch contacts connected to a plurality of ignition controlled auxiliary circuits, each ignition controlled auxiliary circuit having an auxiliary fuse and having wires with orange insulation and bearing indicia for rapid circuit identification.

3. The universal fleet electrical system according to claim 2, wherein said lighting selection junction box further comprises:

(a) a plurality of lighting circuits, each lighting circuit being connected to the switch contacts of a separate one of said plurality of lighting relays, each lighting circuit branching into a plurality of lighting subcircuits, each subcircuit having a fuse for circuit protection; and

(b) at least one terminal block having a plurality of terminals, each lighting subcircuit being connected to a separate terminal on said terminal block, each terminal having a spade push connector for attachment of a lighting subcircuit accessory wire;

wherein a plurality of lighting subcircuit accessories are programmably connected to the switch contacts of a user selected lighting relay by connecting a push connector from the subcircuit accessory to a terminal on said terminal block.

4. The universal fleet electrical system according to claim 3, wherein said console panel further comprises:

(a) at least three lighting level switches, each lighting level switch being connected to a separate one of said lighting relays in order to control application of power to three different combinations of aftermarket lighting accessories by a single switch;

(b) a take down switch connected to one of said lighting relays for controlling application of power to aftermarket lighting accessories.used when pulling over a motorist; and

(c) a spare switch connected to one of said lighting relays for providing a user with a programmable console switch for adding on additional aftermarket accessories.

5. The universal fleet electrical system according to claim 4, wherein said fuse panel further comprises a pair of diodes connected in series between said three lighting level switches in order to prevent feedback when at least one accessory is commonly connected to more than one of said lighting level switches and both switches are turned to an “

ON”

position.

6. The universal fleet electrical system according to claim 3, wherein said console panel further comprises a programmable timer delay connected to said universal wiring harness for turning off circuits a predetermined period of time after the fleet vehicle ignition switch is turned to an “

OFF”

position.

7. The universal fleet electrical system according to claim 1, wherein said wiring harness includes a modular connector having:

(a) a through-the-roof base connector; and

(b) a light bar wiring harness having a weatherproof boot connector attachable to said base connector, the light bar wiring harness being adapted for a light bar accessory mountable on a roof of the fleet vehicle.

8. The universal fleet electrical system according to claim 1, wherein said wiring harness includes a plurality of wires braided together between the connectors, whereby said wiring harness has a flat profile for positioning under carpets and molding.

9. A universal fleet electrical system for distributing electrical power to a plurality of aftermarket accessories in a fleet vehicle, comprising:

(a) a fuse panel adapted for connection to a fleet vehicle'"'"'s battery;

(b) a lighting selection junction box electrically connected to said fuse panel;

(c) a console panel having a plurality of user operable switches for controlling operation of a plurality of aftermarket accessories added to the fleet vehicle, the console panel being electrically connected to said fuse panel and said lighting selection box, the console panel having at least three lighting level switches, each lighting level switch being connectable to different combinations of aftermarket lighting accessories; and

(d) a universal wiring harness electrically connecting said fuse panel, said lighting selection junction box, and said console panel, the wiring harness having a plurality a connectors distributed throughout the fleet vehicle adapted for connection to aftermarket accessories.

10. The universal fleet electrical system according to claim 9, wherein said universal wiring harness further comprises a plurality of color-coded wires stamped with circuit identification labels, whereby installation and maintenance time for aftermarket accessories is reduced.

11. The universal fleet electrical system according to claim 9, wherein said fuse panel further comprises:

(a) a positive voltage buss bar adapted for connection to a positive terminal of the fleet vehicle'"'"'s battery;

(b) a ground buss adapted for connection to a negative terminal of the fleet vehicles battery;

(c) a pair of main power fuses, each main power fuse branching into a plurality of normally hot auxiliary circuits, each auxiliary circuit having a fuse for protection of the auxiliary circuit, the main power fuses being directly connected to said positive voltage buss bar so that the auxiliary circuits are normally hot, each auxiliary circuit having wires with red insulation and bearing indicia identifying the circuit for quick identification;

(d) a plurality of lighting circuit relays, each relay having a solenoid and normally open switch contacts, each relay further having a fuse in series with the relay solenoid; and

(e) an ignition relay having a solenoid tapped into the fleet vehicle'"'"'s ignition switch and having normally open switch contacts connected to a plurality of ignition controlled auxiliary circuits, each ignition controlled auxiliary circuit having an auxiliary fuse and having wires with orange insulation and bearing indicia for rapid circuit identification.

12. The universal fleet electrical system according to claim 11, wherein said lighting selection junction box further comprises:

(a) a plurality of lighting circuits, each lighting circuit being connected to the switch contacts of a separate one of said plurality of lighting relays, each lighting circuit branching into a plurality of lighting subcircuits, each subcircuit having a fuse for circuit protection; and

(b) at least one terminal block having a plurality of terminals, each lighting subcircuit being connected to a separate terminal on said terminal block, each terminal having a spade push connector for attachment of a lighting subcircuit accessory wire;

wherein a plurality of lighting subcircuit accessories are programmably connected to the switch contacts of a user selected lighting relay by connecting a push connector from the subcircuit accessory to a terminal on said terminal block.

13. The universal fleet electrical system according to claim 12, wherein said console panel further comprises:

(a) at least three lighting level switches, each lighting level switch being connected to a separate one of said lighting relays in order to control application of power to three different combinations of aftermarket lighting accessories by a single switch;

(b) a take down switch connected to one of said lighting relays for controlling application of power to aftermarket lighting accessories used when pulling over a motorist; and

(c) a spare switch connected to one of said lighting relays for providing a user with a programmable console switch for adding on additional aftermarket accessories.

14. The universal fleet electrical system according to claim 13, wherein said fuse panel further comprises a pair of diodes connected in series between said three lighting level switches in order to prevent feedback when at least one accessory is commonly connected to more than one of said lighting level switches and both switches are turned to an “

ON”

position.

15. The universal fleet electrical system according to claim 12, wherein said console panel further comprises a programmable timer delay connected to said universal wiring harness for turning off circuits a predetermined period of time after the fleet vehicle ignition switch is turned to an “

OFF”

position.

16. The universal fleet electrical system according to claim 9, wherein said wiring harness includes a modular connector having:

(a) a through-the-roof base connector; and

(b) a light bar wiring harness having a weatherproof boot connector attachable to said base connector, the light bar wiring harness being adapted for a light bar accessory mountable on a roof of the fleet vehicle.

17. The universal fleet electrical system according to claim 9, wherein said wiring harness includes a plurality of wires braided together between the connectors, whereby said wiring harness has a flat profile for positioning under carpets and molding.

18. A universal fleet electrical system for distributing electrical power to a plurality of aftermarket accessories in a fleet vehicle, comprising:

(a) a fuse panel adapted for connection to a fleet vehicle'"'"'s battery;

(b) a lighting selection junction box electrically connected to said fuse panel;

(c) a console panel having a plurality of user operable switches for controlling operation of a plurality of aftermarket accessories added to the fleet vehicle, the console panel being electrically connected to said fuse panel and said lighting selection box ; and

(d) a universal wiring harness electrically connecting said fuse panel, said lighting selection junction box, and said console panel, the wiring harness having a plurality a connectors distributed throughout the fleet vehicle adapted for connection to aftermarket accessories, the wiring harness further having a serial communications cable and a power cable and connector extending to a console area of the vehicle and adapted for connection to a serial controller incorporated therein.

19. The universal fleet electrical system according to claim 18, wherein said fuse panel further comprises:

(a) a positive voltage buss bar adapted for connection to a positive terminal of the fleet vehicle'"'"'s battery;

(b) a ground buss adapted for connection to a negative terminal of the fleet vehicles battery;

(c) a pair of main power fuses, each main power fuse branching into a plurality of normally hot auxiliary circuits, each auxiliary circuit having a fuse for protection of the auxiliary circuit, the main power fuses being directly connected to said positive voltage buss bar so that the auxiliary circuits are normally hot, each auxiliary circuit having wires with red insulation and bearing indicia identifying the circuit for quick identification;

(d) a plurality of lighting circuit relays, each relay having a solenoid and normally open switch contacts, each relay further having a fuse in series with the relay solenoid; and

(e) an ignition relay having a solenoid tapped into the fleet vehicle'"'"'s ignition switch and having normally open switch contacts connected to a plurality of ignition controlled auxiliary circuits, each ignition controlled auxiliary circuit having an auxiliary fuse and having wires with orange insulation and bearing indicia for rapid circuit identification; and

(f) a control fuse connected to said positive voltage buss bar, said power cable having being connected to the control fuse and to said ground buss.

20. The universal fleet electrical system according to claim 19, wherein said light selector junction box further comprises:

(a) a plurality of lighting circuits, each lighting circuit being connected to the switch contacts of a separate one of said plurality of lighting relays, each lighting circuit branching into a plurality of lighting subcircuits, each subcircuit having a fuse for circuit protection;

(b) at least one terminal block having a plurality of terminals, each lighting subcircuit being connected to a separate terminal on said terminal block, each terminal having a spade push connector for attachment of a lighting subcircuit accessory wire;

wherein a plurality of lighting subcircuit accessories are programmably connected to the switch contacts of a user selected lighting relay by connecting a push connector from the subcircuit accessory to a terminal on said terminal block.

21. The universal fleet electrical system according to claim 20, further comprising a plurality of color coded wires having one end connected to the terminal block of said lighting selector block and a second end adapted for connection to a serial controller.

22. The universal fleet electrical system according to claim 18, further comprising:

(a) a control head having a plurality of switches and a serial port, said serial communications cable being connected to the serial port, the control head being disposed in a console area of the vehicle; and

(b) a control unit disposed in a trunk of the vehicle, the control unit being connected to said lighting selector junction box and the aftermarket accessories.

23. The universal fleet electrical system according to claim 18, further comprising:

(a) a multi-purpose serial controller having a plurality of switches and a serial port, said serial communications cable being connected to the serial port, the controller being disposed in a console area of the vehicle; and

(b) a plurality of serial controlled relays disposed in a trunk of the vehicle, the relays being connected to said lighting selector junction box and the aftermarket accessories.