Method and apparatus to automatically convert trailer marker lights to flashing hazard lights upon disruption of trailer lighting power supplied from a towing vehicle
First Claim
1. A device operable, in a first mode, to transmit lighting power from a towing vehicle through an electrical connector of the towing vehicle to an electrical connector of a trailer lighting harness, lighting pigtail, and operable, in a second mode, to deliver power from a battery carried on the trailer, in a pulsed output, to the electrical connector of the trailer lighting harness, lighting pigtail to provide emergency actuation of lights on the trailer, said device comprisingan electrical input connector for electrically connecting a plurality of input conductors, including an auxiliary lighting power conductor, in the device, with the electrical connector of the towing vehicle lighting pigtail,an electrical output connector for electrically connecting a plurality of output conductors in the device with the electrical connector of the trailer lighting harness,a plurality of conductors connected to deliver, when the device is operating in the first mode, power from said plurality of input conductors to said plurality of output conductors so that the trailer lights operate in normal fashion and the device does not interfere with the normal operation of the towing vehicle lights,a battery charging circuit operable to receive power from said auxiliary lighting power conductor and to charge a battery carried on the trailer,a flasher element including conductors and selectively operable to receive power from a battery carried on the trailer and to deliver a pulsed output through at least one of said output conductors to the electrical connector of the trailer lighting harness,a battery output conductor for delivering the output of a battery carried on the trailer to said flasher element,a control circuit comprising a switch, said switch being operably connected to receive power from the auxiliary lighting power conductor and, when it is receiving power, to cause the device to operate in the first mode wherein said plurality of input conductors are electrically connected to said plurality of output conductors so that the trailer lights operate in normal fashion, said switch being operable, when it fails to receive power, to cause the device to operate in the second mode wherein said battery output conductor is operable, when it is connected to a battery carried on the trailer, to deliver the output of the battery to said flasher element through said switch and said flasher element is operable to deliver a pulsed output to said plurality of output conductors.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for providing emergency actuation of lights on a trailer is disclosed. The apparatus comprises an electrical input connector for electrically connecting the apparatus with the plug of a towing vehicle lighting pigtail, an electrical output connector for electrically connecting the apparatus with an electrical connector of a trailer lighting harness, a battery, a battery charging circuit operable to receive power from a towing vehicle through the electrical input connector and to charge the battery, and a control circuit comprising a flasher and a solenoid switch. The control circuit is operable, in a first mode, to electrically connect the towing vehicle lighting pigtail with the trailer lighting harness with a towing vehicle lighting harness and operable, in a second mode, to connect the battery of the apparatus, through the flasher, to the trailer lighting harness. The solenoid switch switches the control circuit from the first mode to the second mode when no power is delivered to the electrical input connector. The control circuit may include an actuation switch. When the apparatus is connected to the towing vehicle lighting pigtail and actuated by the switch with the lights of the towing vehicle turned off, the apparatus will cause the trailer lights to flash until the towing vehicle lights are actuated. The trailer lights will thereafter be controlled by the lighting controls in the towing vehicle until such time as the towing vehicle lighting pigtail stops delivering power to the electrical input connector of the apparatus.
66 Citations
4 Claims
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1. A device operable, in a first mode, to transmit lighting power from a towing vehicle through an electrical connector of the towing vehicle to an electrical connector of a trailer lighting harness, lighting pigtail, and operable, in a second mode, to deliver power from a battery carried on the trailer, in a pulsed output, to the electrical connector of the trailer lighting harness, lighting pigtail to provide emergency actuation of lights on the trailer, said device comprising
an electrical input connector for electrically connecting a plurality of input conductors, including an auxiliary lighting power conductor, in the device, with the electrical connector of the towing vehicle lighting pigtail, an electrical output connector for electrically connecting a plurality of output conductors in the device with the electrical connector of the trailer lighting harness, a plurality of conductors connected to deliver, when the device is operating in the first mode, power from said plurality of input conductors to said plurality of output conductors so that the trailer lights operate in normal fashion and the device does not interfere with the normal operation of the towing vehicle lights, a battery charging circuit operable to receive power from said auxiliary lighting power conductor and to charge a battery carried on the trailer, a flasher element including conductors and selectively operable to receive power from a battery carried on the trailer and to deliver a pulsed output through at least one of said output conductors to the electrical connector of the trailer lighting harness, a battery output conductor for delivering the output of a battery carried on the trailer to said flasher element, a control circuit comprising a switch, said switch being operably connected to receive power from the auxiliary lighting power conductor and, when it is receiving power, to cause the device to operate in the first mode wherein said plurality of input conductors are electrically connected to said plurality of output conductors so that the trailer lights operate in normal fashion, said switch being operable, when it fails to receive power, to cause the device to operate in the second mode wherein said battery output conductor is operable, when it is connected to a battery carried on the trailer, to deliver the output of the battery to said flasher element through said switch and said flasher element is operable to deliver a pulsed output to said plurality of output conductors.
Specification