Combined four way and seven way connector assembly for use with a vehicle and for accommodating a trailer tow package and which in particular incorporates circuit protection and power switching capability
First Claim
1. A combined four way and seven way connector assembly for communicating a towing vehicle'"'"'s electrical system with either a four way or seven way input harness associated with a towed vehicle, the towing vehicle further including a wire harness supplying an output of the electrical system, said connector assembly comprising:
- a housing containing a plurality of electrical circuits which communicate with a first plurality of terminals defining a four way connector and a second plurality of terminals defining a seven way connector, each of said first and second pluralities of terminals defining an input plug in said housing and which is accessible by the towed vehicle input harness;
connecting means for electrically communicating the towing vehicle'"'"'s electrical supply wire harness to said plurality of circuits; and
a monitoring circuit, in operative communication with said four way and seven way connectors, and operative, in response to determining the existence of an attached vehicle input harness, to selectively enable and disable power to said assembly.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A connector assembly for use with either a four or seven way vehicle input harness. A housing is secured to a rear end location of the vehicle. A circuit board is secured within the housing. A first plurality of terminals defines the four way connector and a second plurality of terminals defines the seven way connector. Each of the terminals communicates with selected circuits and further defines input plugs accessible through the housing by the towed vehicle input harness. An electrical supply of the vehicle is engaged through the housing in order to electrically communicate the towing vehicle'"'"'s electrical supply. A magnetically switching transistor operates, in combination with a magnet, to enable or disable power to each of the connectors based upon the positioning of an access cover associated with the connectors and indicative of the presence of a wire engaging harness.
31 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A combined four way and seven way connector assembly for communicating a towing vehicle'"'"'s electrical system with either a four way or seven way input harness associated with a towed vehicle, the towing vehicle further including a wire harness supplying an output of the electrical system, said connector assembly comprising:
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a housing containing a plurality of electrical circuits which communicate with a first plurality of terminals defining a four way connector and a second plurality of terminals defining a seven way connector, each of said first and second pluralities of terminals defining an input plug in said housing and which is accessible by the towed vehicle input harness;
connecting means for electrically communicating the towing vehicle'"'"'s electrical supply wire harness to said plurality of circuits; and
a monitoring circuit, in operative communication with said four way and seven way connectors, and operative, in response to determining the existence of an attached vehicle input harness, to selectively enable and disable power to said assembly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A combined four way and seven way connector assembly for communicating a towing vehicle'"'"'s electrical system with either a four way or seven way input harness associated with a towed vehicle, the towing vehicle further including a wire harness supplying an output of the electrical system, said connector assembly comprising:
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a three dimensional housing including a top and a plurality of interconnected sides;
a circuit board supporting a plurality of electrical circuits and which is contained within said housing;
a first plurality of terminals defining a four way connector and a second plurality of terminals defining a seven way connector, each of said first and second pluralities of terminals including metal frets and which communicate with a selected number of said plurality of circuits, said first and second pluralities of terminals defining first and second input plugs accessible through said housing by the towed vehicle input harness;
an integral input connector accessible through said housing and with said circuit board, said input connector electrically communicating the towing vehicle'"'"'s electrical supply wire harness to said plurality of circuits; and
a monitoring circuit, in operative communication with said four way and seven way connectors, and operative, in response to determining the existence of an attached vehicle input harness, to selectively enable and disable power to said assembly.
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24. A combined four way and seven way connector assembly for communicating a towing vehicle'"'"'s electrical system with either a four way or seven way input harness associated with a towed vehicle, the towing vehicle further including a wire harness supplying an output of the electrical system, said connector assembly comprising:
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a three dimensional housing including a top and a plurality of interconnected sides;
a substantially planar shaped component supporting a plurality of electrical circuits and which is contained within said housing;
a first plurality of terminals defining a four way connector and a second plurality of terminals defining a seven way connector, each of said first and second pluralities of terminals communicating with a selected number of said plurality of circuits associated with said planar shaped component, said first and second pluralities of terminals defining first and second input plugs accessible through said housing by the towed vehicle input harness;
connecting means including a plurality of input wires associated with the vehicle electrical supply and which are accessible through said housing and with said circuits contained within said planar shaped component, said input wires electrically communicating the towing vehicle'"'"'s electrical supply wire harness to said plurality of circuits; and
a monitoring circuit incorporating a magnet and a spatially displacing magnetically switching transistor, in operative communication with said four way and seven way connectors, and operative, in response to determining the existence of an attached vehicle input harness, to selectively enable and disable power to said assembly.
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Specification