Brake and turn signal adaptor for trailers

• US 5,389,823 A
• Filed: 07/06/1992
• Issued: 02/14/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hopkins Manufacturing Corporation (Hoppy Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hopkins Manufacturing Corporation (Hoppy Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Hopkins, Evan L., Yotz, Gregory A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellinen, A. D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Krishnan, Aditya
• Application Number:
  US07/909,127
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• Field of Search: 340/431, 340/473, 340/475, 340/463, 340/464, 340/470, 340/686, 340/687, 340/458, 340/475, 340/479, 307/10.8, 307/10.1, 315/77
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/305 Indicating devices for towed vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/38 using immovably-mounted light sources, e.g. fixed flashing lamps

Abstract

An electrical circuit for adapting the independent brake lights and turn signal lights on a towing vehicle to the combined brake and turn signal lights on an associated trailer. An isolation network and a first CMOS exclusive OR integrated circuit are connected between the right turn signal light connection and brake light connection of the towing vehicle and the combined right turn signal and brake light connection on the trailer. An isolation network and a second CMOS exclusive OR integrated circuit are similarly connected between the left turn signal light connection and brake light connection of the towing vehicle and the combined left turn signal and brake light connection on the trailer. The isolation network prevents feedback from the electrical lighting system of the trailer to the electrical lighting system of the towing vehicle.

Claims

1. An electrical circuit for adapting independent brake light and right and left turn signal light connections on a towing vehicle to combined brake light and right and left turn signal light connections on an associated trailer, said circuit comprising:

a first CMOS exclusive OR IC means having means to receive a first input pulse from a right turn signal light connection on said towing vehicle and means to receive a second input pulse from a brake light connection on said towing vehicle, each of said two input pulses to said first CMOS exclusive OR IC means being either high or low,

a second CMOS exclusive OR IC means having means to receive a first input pulse from a left turn signal light connection on the towing vehicle and means to receive a second input pulse from the brake light connection on said towing vehicle, each of said two input pulses to said second CMOS exclusive OR IC means being either high or low;

an isolation means electrically interconnected between the brake light and right and left turn signal light connections on said towing vehicle and said first and second CMOS exclusive OR IC means, said isolation means electrically isolating the right and left turn signal light connections and the brake light connection on said towing vehicle from said first and second CMOS exclusive OR IC means;

resistive means electrically interconnected between said isolation means and said first and second CMOS exclusive OR IC means for providing said CMOS exclusive OR IC means with the appropriate level of voltage;

each of said CMOS exclusive OR IC means having means for providing a high output pulse when one of said two input pulses is low and the other of said two input pulses is high,

each of said CMOS exclusive OR IC means having means for providing a low output pulse when both of said two input pulses are low, or when both of said two input pulses are high, and

each of said CMOS exclusive OR IC means having means to apply said output pulse to an amplifier means, said amplifier means having means to apply the amplified pulse selectively to said combined right and left brake light and turn signal light connection on said trailer.

2. An electrical circuit as in claim 1, wherein said means for receiving a first and second input pulse from the right turn signal light connection and the brake light connection in said first CMOS exclusive OR IC means, and from the left turn signal light connection and the brake light connection in said second CMOS exclusive OR IC means, includes voltage divider means.

3. An electrical circuit as in claim 1, wherein said amplifier means includes Darlington amplifier means.

4. A device for adapting independent brake circuit and turn signal light connections on a towing vehicle to the combined brake and turn signal light connections on an associated trailer, said device including an isolation means electrically connected to the brake circuit and turn signal light connections on the towing vehicle and to the combined brake and turn signal light connection on the trailer, said isolation means electrically isolating the brake light connection and the turn signal light connection on the towing vehicle from the combined brake and turn signal light connection on the trailer, a logic means employing CMOS transistor means to simultaneously apply both combined brake and turn signal lights on the trailer when only the brakes of the towing vehicle are applied, to flash the appropriate combined brake and turn signal light on the trailer when the corresponding turn signal light on the towing vehicle is flashed, and to apply one combined brake and turn signal light and to flash the other combined brake and turn signal light on the trailer when both the brake and corresponding turn signal light on the towing vehicle are activated, and resistive means electrically interconnected between said isolation means and said logic means for providing said logic means with the appropriate level of voltage.

5. A device as in claim 4, wherein said isolation means includes optical couplers.

6. A device as in claim 5, wherein said optical couplers include LEDs electrically connected to the brake light connection and the turn signal light connections on the towing vehicle and phototransistors electrically connected to the combined brake and turn signal light connections on the trailer.

7. A device as in claim 4, wherein said isolation means includes high impedance means.

8. An electrical device as in claim 4, wherein said electrical device includes an amplifier means electrically connected to said logic means.

9. An electrical device as in claim 8, wherein said amplifier means includes Darlington amplifier means.

10. An electrical device as in claim 4, wherein said logic means includes means for receiving input pulses from said isolation means, said means for receiving input pulses including voltage divider means.

11. An electrical circuit for adapting independent brake light and turn signal light connections on a towing vehicle to combined brake light and turn signal light connections on an associated trailer, said circuit comprising:

a transistor means, said transistor means having means to receive a first input pulse from a turn signal light connection and means to receive a second input pulse from a brake light connection, each of said two input pulses being either high or low,

said transistor means having means for providing a high output pulse when one of said two input pulses is low and the other of said two input pulses is high,

said transistor means having means for providing a low output pulse when both of said two input pulses are low, or when both of said two input pulses are high,

said transistor means having means to apply said output pulse to an amplifier means, said amplifier means having means to apply the amplified pulse to said combined brake light and turn signal light connection on said trailer,

said electrical circuit further including isolation means, said isolation means electrically isolating the brake light and the turn signal light connection on the towing vehicle from the combined brake and turn signal light connection on the trailer, and

resistive means electrically interconnected between said isolation means and said transistor means for providing said transistor means with the appropriate level of voltage.

12. An electrical circuit as in claim 11, wherein said isolation means includes an optical coupler.

13. An electrical circuit as in claim 12, wherein said optical coupler includes phototransistor means.

14. An electrical circuit as in claim 11, wherein said isolation means includes high impedance means.

15. An electrical circuit as in claim 11, wherein said amplifier means includes Darlington amplifier means.

16. An electrical circuit as in claim 11, wherein said logic means includes means for receiving input pulses from said isolation means, said means for receiving input pulses including voltage divider means.

17. An electrical circuit for adapting independent brake light and right and left turn signal light connections on a towing vehicle having brake and right and left turn signal lights to combined brake light and right and left turn signal light connections on an associated trailer, said circuit comprising:

an electrical isolation network electrically connected to the brake light and right and left turn signal light connections on the towing vehicle,

a logic network including CMOS transistor means performing an exclusive OR IC logic function electrically connected to the electrical isolation network;

resistive means electrically interconnected between said isolation network and said logic network for providing said logic network with the appropriate level of voltage;

and an amplifier network electrically connected to the logic network and to the electrical lighting system of the trailer.

18. An electrical circuit as in claim 17, wherein said electrical isolation network includes optical couplers.

19. An electrical circuit as in claim 18, wherein said optical couplers include LEDs electrically connected to the brake light connection and the turn signal light connection on the towing vehicle, and phototransistors electrically connected to the electrical isolation network.

20. An electrical circuit as in claim 17, wherein said electrical isolation network includes high impedance means.

21. An electrical circuit as in claim 17, wherein said amplifier network is further electrically connected to said electrical isolation network.

22. An electrical circuit as in claim 17, wherein said logic network includes at least two CMOS exclusive OR ICs.

23. An electrical circuit as in claim 17, wherein said amplifier network includes Darlington amplifier means.

24. An electrical circuit as in claim 17, wherein said logic network includes means for receiving input pulses from said electrical isolation network, said means for receiving input pulses including voltage divider means.

25. An electrical circuit which connects the electrical lighting system of a towing vehicle to the electrical lighting system of a trailer, said circuit comprising:

means to receive a first electrical input pulse from a right or left turn signal light connection in the electrical lighting system of the towing vehicle and means to receive a second electrical input pulse from brake light connections in the electrical lighting system of the towing vehicle,

means to apply said first and second electrical input pulses from the right or left turn signal light connection and the brake light connections to an electrical isolation network, said electrical isolation network having means for providing a first and second isolated output pulses,

means to apply said first and second isolated output pulses to the electrical lighting system of the trailer to operate the corresponding turn signal lights or brake lights on the trailer, and

said electrical isolation network electrically isolating the brake light connections and the turn signal light connections on the towing vehicle from the electrical lighting system of the trailer.

26. An electrical circuit as in claim 25, wherein said electrical isolation network includes an optical coupler.

27. An electrical circuit as in claim 26, wherein said optical coupler includes LED and phototransistor means.

28. An electrical circuit as in claim 25, wherein said electrical isolation network includes high impedance means.

29. An electrical circuit for adapting independent brake light and right and left turn signal light connections on a towing vehicle to combined brake light and right and left turn signal light connections on an associated trailer, said circuit comprising:

a logic device designed to receive a first input pulse from a right turn signal light connection on said towing vehicle and to receive a second input pulse from a brake light connection on said towing vehicle, each of said two input pulses to said logic device from the right turn signal light and the brake light being either high or low,

said logic device also designed to receive a first input pulse from a left turn signal light connection on the towing vehicle and to receive a second input pulse from the brake light connection on said towing vehicle, each of said two input pulses to said logic device from the left turn signal light and the brake light being either high or low;

an isolation device electrically interconnected between the brake light and right and left turn signal light connections on said towing vehicle and said logic device, said isolation device electrically isolating the right and left turn signal light connections and the brake light connection on said towing vehicle from said logic device;

said logic device providing a high output pulse when one of said two input pulses is low and the other of said two input pulses is high, and said logic device providing a low output pulse when both of said two input pulses are low, or when both of said two input pulses are high,

resistive means electrically interconnected between said isolation device and said logic device for providing said logic device with the appropriate level of voltage; and

an amplification device for amplifying the output pulse from the logic device and applying the amplified pulse selectively to said combined right and left brake light and turn signal light connection on said trailer.

30. A device for adapting independent brake circuit and turn signal light connections on a towing vehicle to the combined brake and turn signal light connections on an associated trailer, said device including an isolation means electrically connected to the brake circuit and turn signal light connections on the towing vehicle and to the combined brake and turn signal light connection on the trailer, said isolation means electrically isolating the brake light connection and the turn signal light connection on the towing vehicle from the combined brake and turn signal light connection on the trailer, a logic device to simultaneously apply both combined brake and turn signal lights on the trailer when only the brakes of the towing vehicle are applied, to flash the appropriate combined brake and turn signal light on the trailer when the corresponding turn signal light on the towing vehicle is flashed, and to apply one combined brake and turn signal light and to flash the other combined brake and turn signal light on the trailer when both the brake and corresponding turn signal light on the towing vehicle are activated, and resistive means electrically interconnected between said isolation means and said logic device for providing said logic device with the appropriate level of voltage.

31. An electrical circuit for adapting independent brake light and turn signal light connections on a towing vehicle to combined brake light and turn signal light connections on an associated trailer, said circuit comprising:

a logic device, said logic device receiving a first input pulse from a turn signal light connection and receiving a second input pulse from a brake light connection, each of said two input pulses being either high or low,

said logic device providing a high output pulse when one of said two input pulses is low and the other of said two input pulses is high,

said logic device providing a low output pulse when both of said two input pulses are low, or when both of said two input pulses are high,

an amplification device amplifying said output pulse from said logic device and applying the amplified output pulse to said combined brake light and turn signal light connection on said trailer,

said electrical circuit further including isolation means, said isolation means electrically isolating the brake light and the turn signal light connection on the towing vehicle from the combined brake and turn signal light connection on the trailer and

resistive means electrically interconnected between said isolation means and said logic device for providing said logic device with the appropriate level of voltage.

32. An electrical circuit for adapting independent brake light and right and left turn signal light connections on a towing vehicle having brake and right and left turn signal lights to combined brake light and right and left turn signal light connections on an associated trailer, said circuit comprising:

an electrical isolation network electrically connected to the brake light and right and left turn signal light connections on the towing vehicle,

a logic network performing an exclusive OR logic function and an amplifying function electrically connected to the electrical isolation network and

resistive means electrically interconnected between said isolation network and said logic network for providing said logic network with the appropriate level of voltage.

33. An electrical circuit which connects the electrical lighting system of a towing vehicle to the electrical lighting system of a trailer, said circuit comprising:

means to receive a plurality of electrical input pulses from the electrical lighting system of the towing vehicle,

an electrical isolation network electrically isolating the electrical lighting system brake light connections and the turn signal light connections on the towing vehicle from the electrical lighting system of the trailer,

means to apply said plurality of electrical input pulses to said electrical isolation network, said electrical isolation network providing a first and second isolated output pulses, and

said first and second isolated output pulses being applied to the electrical lighting system of the trailer to operate the corresponding electrical lighting system on the trailer.