Lighted trailer wiring adapter

• US 20050037632A1
• Filed: 08/14/2003
• Published: 02/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hopkins Manufacturing Corporation (Hoppy Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hopkins Manufacturing Corporation (Hoppy Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Ihde, David H.
• Application Number:
  US10/641,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20050037632A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/35
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/62 involving supply lines, electric circuits, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/64 Couplings or joints therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6675 with built-in power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/717 with built-in light source
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/26 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/065 with built-in electric apparatus

Abstract

A lighted wiring adapter (10) for connecting a towed vehicle (12) to a towing vehicle (14) and displaying a status of the vehicles'"'"' wiring. The adapter (10) allows circuits on the towed vehicle (12) to be powered or otherwise operated through circuits on the towing vehicle (14). The adapter (10) broadly comprises a housing (16) operable to physically connect the towed vehicle'"'"'s (12) wiring to the towing vehicle'"'"'s (14) wiring, a plurality of conductors (18) internal to the housing (16) each operable to electrically individually connect one of the towed vehicle'"'"'s (12) circuits to one of the towing vehicle'"'"'s (14) circuits, and at least one light (20) to display the status of one of the circuits. The light (20) may be colored or positioned to indicate which circuit powers the light (20).

Claims

1. A wiring adapter for connecting a towed vehicle'"'"'s wiring to a towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring in order to allow the towed vehicle'"'"'s wiring to be controlled through the towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring, the adapter comprising:

a housing operable to physically connect the towed vehicle'"'"'s wiring to the towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring;

a plurality of conductors completely internal to the housing and operable to electrically connect the towed vehicle'"'"'s wiring to the towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring; and

at least one light internal to the housing and operable to display a status of the towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring.

2. The adapter as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the housing is substantially transparent thereby allowing the light to be observed through the housing.

3. The adapter as set forth in claim 1, wherein the entire housing is substantially transparent thereby allowing the light to be observed through the housing.

4. The adapter as set forth in claim 1, further including a power storage device operable to power the light once the adapter has been removed from the towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring.

5. The adapter as set forth in claim 1, wherein the towed vehicle'"'"'s wiring is otherwise incompatible with the towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring.

6. The adapter as set forth in claim 1, wherein the light is powered by an auxiliary power circuit supplied by the towing vehicle.

7. The adapter as set forth in claim 1, wherein the towed vehicle'"'"'s wiring includes at least one tail indicator circuit and at least one brake indicator circuit.

8. The adapter as set forth in claim 7, wherein the light is powered by the tail indicator circuit.

9. The adapter as set forth in claim 7, wherein the light is powered by the brake indicator circuit.

10. The adapter as set forth in claim 7, wherein a first light is powered by the tail indicator circuit and a second light is powered by the brake indicator circuit.

11. The adapter as set forth in claim 1, further including at least one optical conduit that directs illumination from the light to a specific portion of the housing.

12. The adapter as set forth in claim 1, wherein the light is colored to match a color normally associated with a circuit of the towed vehicle'"'"' wiring which powers the light.

13. The adapter as set forth in claim 1, wherein

a first light is powered by a left turn indicator circuit and configured to direct yellow illumination toward a left side of the housing,

a second light is powered by a brake indicator circuit and configured to emit red illumination, and

a third light is powered by a right turn indicator circuit and configured to direct yellow illumination toward a right side of the housing.

14. The adapter as set forth in claim 1, wherein the towed vehicle'"'"'s wiring includes a tail indicator circuit and the light is powered by the tail indicator circuit.

15. A wiring adapter for connecting a towed vehicle'"'"'s wiring to a towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring in order to allow the towed vehicle'"'"'s wiring to be controlled through the towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring, the adapter comprising:

a housing having at least a substantially transparent portion and operable to physically connect the towed vehicle'"'"'s wiring to the towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring;

a towed receptacle disposed within a towed portion of the housing and having at least four connectors for physically mating with the towed vehicle'"'"'s wiring;

a towing receptacle disposed within a towing portion of the housing and having at least four connectors for physically mating with the towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring;

a plurality of conductors completely internal to the housing, between the receptacles, and operable to electrically individually connect a left turn indicator circuit, a right turn indicator circuit, and a tail indicator circuit of the towed vehicle'"'"'s wiring to corresponding circuits of the towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring; and

at least one light internal to the housing and operable to display one of the circuits'"'"' status.

16. The adapter as set forth in claim 15, further including a power storage device operable to power the light once the adapter has been removed from the towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring.

17. The adapter as set forth in claim 15, wherein the light is powered by the tail indicator circuit.

18. The adapter as set forth in claim 15, wherein the light is colored to match a color normally associated with a selected one of the circuits with the selected circuit powering the light.

19. The adapter as set forth in claim 15, wherein

a first light is powered by the left turn indicator circuit and configured to direct yellow illumination toward a left side of the housing,

a second light is powered by the right turn indicator circuit and configured to direct yellow illumination toward a right side of the housing, and

a third light is powered by the tail indicator circuit and configured to emit red illumination.

20. A wiring adapter for connecting a towed vehicle'"'"'s wiring to a towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring in order to allow the towed vehicle'"'"'s wiring to be controlled through the towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring, the adapter comprising:

a housing operable to physically connect the towed vehicle'"'"'s wiring to the towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring and at least a portion of which is substantially transparent;

a towed receptacle disposed within a towed portion of the housing and having at least four connectors for physically mating with the towed vehicle'"'"'s wiring;

a towing receptacle disposed within a towing portion of the housing and having at least four connectors for physically mating with the towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring;

a plurality of conductors completely internal to the housing, between the receptacles, and operable to electrically individually connect a left turn indicator circuit, a right turn indicator circuit, and a tail indicator circuit of the towed vehicle'"'"'s wiring to corresponding circuits of the towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring; and

a first light powered by the left turn indicator circuit and configured to direct a first illumination toward a left side of the housing;

a second light powered by the right turn indicator circuit and configured to direct a second illumination toward a right side of the housing;

a third light powered by the tail indicator circuit and configured to emit a third illumination; and

wherein the first, second, and third illumination are individually selected from the group consisting of red and yellow illumination.

21. The adapter as set forth in claim 20, further including a power storage device operable to power at least one of the lights once the adapter has been removed from the towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring.

22. A wiring adapter for connecting a towed vehicle'"'"'s wiring to a towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring in order to allow the towed vehicle'"'"'s wiring to be controlled through the towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring, the adapter comprising:

a housing operable to physically connect the towed vehicle'"'"'s wiring to the towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring, wherein at least a portion of the housing is substantially transparent;

a towed receptacle disposed adjacent the housing and having at least four connectors for physically mating with the towed vehicle'"'"'s wiring;

a towing receptacle disposed adjacent the housing and having at least four connectors for physically mating with the towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring;

at least four conductors internal to the housing and operable to electrically individually connect a left turn indicator circuit, a right turn indicator circuit, and a tail indicator circuit of the towed vehicle'"'"'s wiring to corresponding circuits of the towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring;

a first light powered by the left turn indicator circuit;

a first optical conduit configured to direct a first illumination from the first light toward a left side of the housing;

a second light powered by the right turn indicator circuit;

a second optical conduit configured to direct a second illumination from the second light toward a right side of the housing;

a third light powered by the tail indicator circuit;

a third optical conduit configured to direct a third illumination from the third light;

wherein the first, second, and third illumination are individually selected from the group consisting of red and yellow illumination; and

a power storage device disposed within the housing and operable to power at least one of the lights after the adapter has been removed from the towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring.

23. A wiring adapter for connecting a towed vehicle'"'"'s wiring to a towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring in order to allow the towed vehicle'"'"'s wiring to be controlled through the towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring, the adapter comprising:

a housing operable to physically connect the towed vehicle'"'"'s wiring to the towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring, wherein at least a portion of the housing is substantially transparent;

a towed receptacle disposed adjacent the housing and having at least four connectors for physically mating with the towed vehicle'"'"'s wiring;

a towing receptacle disposed adjacent the housing and having at least four connectors for physically mating with the towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring;

at least four conductors internal to the housing and operable to electrically individually connect a left turn indicator circuit, a right turn indicator circuit, and a tail indicator circuit of the towed vehicle'"'"'s wiring to corresponding circuits of the towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring;

a light powered by one of the circuits;

an optical conduit configured to direct illumination from the light toward a side of the housing;

wherein the illumination is selected from the group consisting of red and yellow illumination; and

a power storage device disposed within the housing and operable to power at least one of the lights after the adapter has been removed from the towing vehicle'"'"'s wiring.