Magnetic circuits for communicating data

• US 5,385,476 A
• Filed: 01/24/1994
• Issued: 01/31/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vehicle Enhancement Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Vehicle Enhancement Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Jasper, Kenneth O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Application Number:
  US08/185,295
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: 439/38, 439/39, 361/17, 336/90, 336/96, 336/DIG. 2
• US Class Current: 439/38
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/447 Shutter or cover plate
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6633 with inductive component, e.g. transformer
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2107/00 Four or more poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/22 for transformers or coils
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/26 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/66 with pins, blades or analogous contacts and secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. to a wall
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 336/02 Separable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/95 Electrical connector adapted to transmit electricity to mating connector without physical contact, e.g. by induction, magnetism, or electrostatic field

Abstract

Magnetic circuits for communicating data in a tractor and trailer combination. In a preferred embodiment, a connector for interfacing electrical signals between a tractor and trailer which will be connected together such that the tractor pulls the trailer comprises a receptacle interfaced between the tractor/trailer for housing first electrical interface members that carry electrical signals output from the tractor to the trailer and receiving electrical signals output from the trailer to the tractor, a plug connectable to the receptacle for housing second interface members that carry electrical signals output from the trailer to the tractor, and receiving electrical signals output from the tractor to the trailer, a first coil in the receptacle for communicating data from data-producing devices in the tractor to data-receiving devices in the trailer, and for receiving data from the data-producing devices in the trailer, and a second coil in the plug for receiving the data. The magnetic circuits described herein provide efficient and clean electrical signals for digital data communications in a tractor trailer combination. Furthermore, these devices are simple and economical to produce, and are adaptable for the standard J560 connector which already exists in the trucking industry to interface power between the tractor and the trailer.

Claims

1. An electrical connector for transferring multiple electrical signals from one cable on a trailer to another cable on a tractor of a tractor/trailer combination, comprising:

a multi-pin plug;

a multi-receptacle socket matable with said plug;

said plug comprising a plurality of pins, a first non-ferrous shell surrounding said pins, and a first air-core coil carried on said first shell;

said socket comprising a second non-ferrous shell surrounding said receptacles, and a second air-core coil carried on said second shell;

said first and second air-core coils being positioned adjacent to each other to form an air-core transformer when said plug and socket are mated; and

means for delivering high-frequency information-bearing electrical signals to at least one of said first and second air-core coils for magnetic transfer to the other of said first and second air-core coils by air-core transformer action.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein said first and second air-core coils and said first and second shells are substantially coaxial with each other.

3. The connector of claim 2, wherein one of said first and second air-core coils is within the other and coaxial therewith.

4. In an electrical system for a tractor/trailer combination, comprising a first and a second multi-conductor cable joined to each other by a connector, said connector having one part which comprises a multi-pin plug containing a plurality of pins and another part which is a multi-receptacle socket containing a plurality of receptacles matable with said pins, said first electrical cable being adapted to supply electrical power to said connector from said tractor and said second electrical cable being adapted to receive said power from said first electrical cable by way of said plug and socket, the improvement wherein:

said plug comprises a non-ferrous first shell surrounding said pins, and a first air-core coil carried on said first shell;

said socket comprises a second non-ferrous shell surrounding said receptacles and a second air-core coil carried on said second outer shell;

said first and second air-core coils being positioned so as to form an air-core transformer when said connector parts are mated; and

means for supplying at least one of said coils with high-frequency information-bearing signals for magnetic transfer to the other of said coils through said air-core transformer.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said information-bearing signals comprise a radio-frequency carrier wave modulated with digital information.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said radio-frequency carrier wave is amplitude modulated with digital information.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein said first and second air-core coils are coaxial with each other when said plug and said socket are mated with each other.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said first and second air-core coils are positioned one within the other when said plug and said socket are mated with each other.

9. The system of claim 4, wherein said first air-core coil is embedded in said first shell, said second air-core coil is embedded in said second shell, and said shells are of non-ferrous material.

10. The system of claim 4, comprising leads secured to said first and second air-core coils and extending inside said first and second shells to said first and second cables.

11. The system of claim 4, wherein said pins are seven in number and said receptacles are also seven in number.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said leads comprise two twisted pairs of leads, each extending from a different one of said air-core coils through its associated connector shell to its associated cable.