CURRENT SENSING ELECTRICAL CONVERTER

• US 20140001730A1
• Filed: 10/12/2012
• Published: 01/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Horizon Global Americas Inc. (Horizon Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cequent Performance Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Kulkarni, Chandrakumar D., Motts, Douglas R.
• Granted Patent: US 10,449,815 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/422
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/64 Couplings or joints therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0088 Details of electrical connections B60Q1/305 takes precedence; electrical connection of the light source itself F21S41/192, F21S43/195
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/305 Indicating devices for towed vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 11/00 Arrangement of monitoring devices for devices provided for in groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q9/00

Abstract

An electrical converter assembly includes a sensing device coupled to one or more wires of a towing vehicle. The sensing device is configured to detect the current flow in the one or more wires and generate a signal in response to the current flow. The converter assembly further includes an electrical component in communication with the sensing device. The electrical component may generate a signal to a towed vehicle in response to the current flow detected by the sensing device. The sensing device may be a non-invasive sensing device. The non-invasive sensing device may detect current flow in the one or more wires of the towing vehicle without direct contact with the conducting element of the wires.

Claims

1. An electrical converter assembly comprising:

a current sensing device operably coupled with a wire of a towing vehicle, the current sensing device capable of detecting current flow in the wire and generating a first signal in response to detection of the current flow;

an electronic component in communication with the current sensing device, the electronic component capable of generating a second signal to a towed vehicle in response to the first signal of the current sensing device.

2. The electrical converter assembly of claim 1, wherein the current sensing device uses a magnetic field from the wire to detect the current flow.

3. The electrical converter assembly of claim 2, wherein the current sensing device is capable of non-invasively sensing current flow in the wire.

4. The electrical converter assembly of claim 3, wherein a non-invasive current sensor is applied to a single wire of a multi-wire system.

5. The electrical converter assembly of claim 1, wherein the current sensing device is capable of detecting lamp currents of at least one of the left turn, right turn, stoplight, tail, backup, and auxiliary channels on the towing vehicle.

6. The electrical converter assembly of claim 5, wherein the converter is capable of sending the second signal through an electrical system of the towed vehicle to operate at least one of left turn, right turn, stoplight, tail lamps, backup signal or an auxiliary signal of the towed vehicle.

7. The electrical converter assembly of claim 6, wherein a non-invasive current sensor is applied to only the stoplight signal of the towing vehicle.

8. The electrical converter assembly of claim 1, further comprising a housing securable to the wire of the towing vehicle, wherein the current sensing device is held within the housing.

9. The electrical converter assembly of claim 1, wherein the converter receives power from the towing vehicle.

10. The electrical converter assembly of claim 9, wherein the power is received directly from a battery of the towing vehicle.

11. A method of converting an electrical signal from a towing vehicle to a towed vehicle, the method comprising:

sensing a current flow in a wire of the towing vehicle;

generating a first signal based on the sensed current flow, the first signal indicative of an operative condition of the towing vehicle;

generating a second signal based on the first signal; and

activating an operation on the towed vehicle in response to the second signal.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein activating includes activating a predetermined light on the towed vehicle.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the current flow is sensed by a non-invasive sensor applied to the wire of the towing vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the non-invasive current sensor is applied to a single wire of a multi-wire system.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the wire of a towing vehicle is a left turn, right turn, stoplight, tail, backup, or auxiliary channels wire of the towing vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the second signal is sent to the left turn, right turn, stoplight, tail lamps, backup signal or an auxiliary signal of the towed vehicle.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising adaptively adjusting an offset to sense a low current condition on the wire of the towing vehicle.

18. A converter assembly comprising:

a current sensing device capable of non-invasingly engaging a wire of the towing vehicle, the current sensing device capable of detecting current flow in the wire and generating a first signal in response to the detection;

an electrical component in operable communication with the current sensing device, the electrical component generating a second signal that triggers a response in an electrical system of a towed vehicle in response to the first signal of the current sensing device.

19. The converter assembly of claim 18, wherein the non-invasive current sensor is applied to a single wire of a multi-wire system.

20. The converter assembly of claim 18, wherein the wire of a towing vehicle is a left turn, right turn, stoplight, tail, backup, or auxiliary channels wire of the towing vehicle.

21. The converter assembly of claim 18, wherein the second signal is sent to the left turn, right turn, stoplight, tail lamps, backup signal or an auxiliary signal of the towed vehicle.

22. The converter assembly of claim 18, wherein the second signal is sent to the towed vehicle through a communications bus of the towed vehicle.

23. The converter assembly of claim 22, wherein the second signal uses a CAN, LIN or HSCAN communications protocol.