Modular wiring harness for a vehicle

• US 5,869,907 A
• Filed: 01/23/1996
• Issued: 02/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rick A. Marler
• Original Assignee: Rick A. Marler
• Inventors: Marler, Rick A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elms, Richard T.
• Application Number:
  US08/590,341
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/10.3, 307/10.6, 307/10.8, 361/825-827, 361/828, 361/833, 361/835, 361/837, 361/627-631, 361/730, 361/743, 361/752, 361/753, 340/453, 340/425.5, 340/427, 340/475, 340/638, 340/639, 439/34, 315/77, 315/78, 315/80, 315/82, 362/61, 362/66, 290/38 R
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0207 Wire harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 11/19 specially adapted for electric wires

Abstract

A modular wiring harness is provided for a vehicle including a frame and an electrical system with electrical source devices, operating devices and switching. The wiring harness includes a wiring network connected to the electrical system devices and switching and to system and power module thereof. The system module connects electrical control components at a compact, direct-connection circuit board within the enclosure. The power relay also includes electrical control components, including a circuit breaker and a starter relay, which are connected to the wiring network. A mounting system is provided for mounting the wiring harness on various types of vehicles, including different models of motorcycles.

Claims

1. A modular wiring harness for a vehicle including a frame;

electrical source devices including a battery and generator means;

electrical operating devices including lights and ignition; and

electrical switching including an ignition switch and a light switch, which wiring harness comprises;

(a) a wiring network including a plurality of individual wires extending among and interconnecting respective source devices, operating devices and switches; and

(b) a system module including;

(1) an enclosure with a wire opening, said enclosure having an interior;

(2) a plurality of said wires extending through said enclosure wire opening and into the interior of said enclosure;

(3) a circuit breaker in said enclosure interior connected to said wiring; and

(4) an indicator light in said enclosure and connected to a respective wire and to said vehicle frame;

(c) an enclosure;

(d) wiring from said battery and a starter entering said power module;

(e) a circuit breaker connected to said wiring in said power module; and

(f) an indicator light connected to said wiring in said power module and to said vehicle frame;

(g) said vehicle including a starter system with said starter, a starter solenoid and a starter switch;

(h) a main circuit breaker connected to said battery and to said ignition switch and said generator means by a main power line;

(i) a starter relay including a power input connected to said main power line and a power output connected to said starter;

(j) said starter relay having a pair of inputs, one connected to said vehicle frame and the other connected to said starter switch through said system and power modules, said starter relay inputs being interchangeable;

(k) a starter input indicator light connected to said starter relay inputs through a pair of diodes each connected to a respective starter relay input in parallel relationship;

(l) a resistor connected in series with said pair of parallel diodes and in series with said starter relay input indicator light;

(m) a starter relay output indicator light connected to said starter relay power output through a resistor positioned in series relationship therewith; and

(n) said starter relay input and starter relay output indicator lights connected to said starter relay inputs through a pair of diodes each connected to a respective starter relay input line.

2. The wiring harness according to claim 1, which includes:

(a) a flasher unit in said system module enclosure and connected to said lights and to said light switch.

3. The wiring harness according to claim 1, which includes:

(a) said electrical switching including a starter switch;

(b) said vehicle electrical operating devices including a starter; and

(c) said power module including a starter relay with inputs connected to said vehicle frame, said starter switch and said battery and an output connected to said starter.

4. The wiring harness according to claim 3 wherein said power module includes:

(a) a starter relay output indicator light connected to said starter relay output and to said vehicle frame; and

(b) a starter relay input indicator light connected to said starter relay inputs from said vehicle frame and to said starter switch.

5. The wiring harness according to claim 1 wherein said power module includes:

(a) a top;

(b) a bottom;

(c) a plurality of sides;

(d) a bottom mounting screw connected to said power module enclosure bottom; and

(e) a side mounting screw connected to one of said power module enclosure sides.

6. The wiring harness according to claim 1, which includes:

(a) said power module substantially filled with a non-conductive encapsulating potting material.

7. The wiring harness according to claim 1, which includes:

(a) said wiring network comprising a plurality of ribbons each comprising a plurality of said individual wires and each extending from said system module and each secured to said vehicle frame.

8. The wiring harness according to claim 1 wherein said enclosure includes:

(a) a base with a rim;

(b) a cover with a rim;

(c) a gasket engaged by said base and cover rims; and

(d) cover mounting means for mounting said cover on said base to form an enclosure interior substantially sealed by said gasket.

9. The wiring harness according to claim 8 wherein said system module enclosure includes:

(a) a pair of screw posts positioned within said enclosure interior;

(b) two pairs of system module enclosure assembly screws, each screw pair connected to one of said base and said cover and to said screw posts; and

(c) a pair of O-rings each engaging a respective screw head and said cover.

10. The wiring harness according to claim 8, which includes:

(a) said system module including a circuit board;

(b) said wiring being connected directly to said circuit board; and

(c) said enclosure base substantially filled with a nonconductive potting material substantially covering said circuit board.

11. The wiring harness according to claim 10, which includes:

(a) a pair of spade connectors each having a spade connector receiver mounted on said circuit board and open outwardly therefrom and said circuit breaker having a pair of spade connector blades each selectively receivable in a respective spade connector receiver.

12. The wiring harness according to claim 10, which includes:

(a) a plurality of direct solder connections of said wiring to said circuit board.

13. The wiring harness according to claim 8, which includes:

(a) said enclosure base having a bottom panel; and

(b) said wire opening being formed in said enclosure base bottom panel.

14. The wiring harness according to claim 8, which includes:

(a) said enclosure base having multiple sides; and

(b) said wiring opening being formed in a side of said enclosure base.

15. The wiring harness according to claim 1 wherein said power module includes:

(a) a circuit board mounted in said enclosure; and

(b) a plurality of spade connectors, each spade connector including a receiver mounted on said circuit board and a blade connected to said circuit breaker.

16. The wiring harness according to claim 1 wherein said system module includes:

(a) an array of said indicator lights each connected to said vehicle frame and to a respective switch and a respective device.

17. The wiring harness according to claim 1, which includes:

(a) said motorcycle having a pair of juxtaposed fuel tanks mounted on said frame with said ignition switch therebetween, said operating devices including a starter system comprising a starter and a starter solenoid, and said switching including a starter switch;

(b) a power module including an enclosure forming an interior, a starter relay in said interior and connected to said starter solenoid and to said starter switch, a starter relay input indicator light connected to an input of said starter relay and a starter relay output light connected to an output of said starter relay; and

(c) said system module and said power module mounted on said bracket between said fuel tanks.

18. In combination with a motorcycle including:

a frame having a front subframe assembly pivotally mounted on a front end thereof;

electrical source devices including a battery and generator means;

electrical operating devices including a headlight mounted on said front subframe assembly and a tail/brake light mounted on a back end of said frame; and

electrical switching including a headlight switch, a tail/brake light switch and an ignition switch, the improvement of a modular wiring harness, which comprises;

(a) a wiring network including a plurality of individual wires interconnecting respective source devices, operating devices and switching;

(b) connector means for connecting said wiring network to said source devices, operating devices and switches;

(c) wiring network fastening means for fastening said wiring network to said motorcycle frame;

(d) a system module including;

(1) an enclosure with an interior and a wiring opening to said interior;

(2) a plurality of said wires extending through said enclosure wire opening and into said enclosure interior;

(3) a circuit breaker in said enclosure interior connected to said wiring; and

(4) an indicator light positioned in said enclosure interior and connected to respective wires in said enclosure interior; and

(e) a system module mounting bracket connected to and mounting said system module on said vehicle frame;

(f) said motorcycle having a pair of juxtaposed fuel tanks mounted on said frame with said ignition switch therebetween, said operating devices including a starter system comprising a starter and a starter solenoid, and said switching including a starter switch;

(g) a power module including an enclosure forming an interior, a starter relay in said interior and connected to said starter solenoid and to said starter switch, a starter relay input indicator light connected to an input of said starter relay and a starter relay output light connected to an output of said starter relay; and

(h) said system module and said power module being mounted on said bracket between said fuel tanks.

19. The wiring harness according to claim 18, which includes:

(a) said power module having a top, a bottom and multiple sides;

(b) a side mounting screw connected to one of said enclosure sides and to said starter relay;

(c) a bottom mounting screw connected to said enclosure bottom and to the other said starter relay input;

(d) said power module having a first, top-up mounting position with said bottom mounting screw connected to said bracket and said side mounting screw connected to said starter switch; and

(e) said power module having a second, side-up mounting position with said side mounting screw connected to said bracket and bottom mounting screw connected to said starter switch.

20. The wiring harness according to claim 18, which includes:

(a) said motorcycle having a pair of crash bars extending along the underside and the front of the frame behind the front wheel/fork/handlebar assembly and a crash bar crosspiece extending across said crash bars; and

(b) said system module mounting means comprising a mounting plate connected to said cross bar and to said system module enclosure.

21. In combination with a motorcycle including:

a frame having a front subframe assembly pivotally mounted on a front end thereof;

electrical source devices including a battery and generator means;

electrical operating devices including a headlight mounted on said front subframe assembly and a tail/brake light mounted on a back end of said frame; and

electrical switching including a headlight switch, a tail/brake light switch and an ignition switch, the improvement of a modular wiring harness, which comprises;

(a) a wiring network including a plurality of individual wires interconnecting respective source devices, operating devices and switching;

(b) connector means for connecting said wiring network to said source devices, operating devices and switches;

(c) wiring network fastening means for fastening said wiring network to said motorcycle frame;

(d) a system module including;

(1) an enclosure with an interior and a wiring opening to said interior;

(2) a plurality of said wires extending through said enclosure wire opening and into said enclosure interior;

(3) a circuit breaker in said enclosure interior connected to said wiring; and

(4) an indicator light positioned in said enclosure interior and connected to respective wires in said enclosure interior; and

(e) a system module mounting bracket connected to and mounting said system module on said vehicle frame;

(f) said motorcycle having a front frame subassembly pivotally connected to the frame;

(g) said front frame subassembly having an upper turning fork plate and a pair of handlebar risers mounted thereto by a pair of riser bolts; and

(h) said system module mounting means comprising a bracket with an upper, horizontal flange connected to said plate by said riser bolts and a vertical flange depending downwardly from said upper flange and mounting said system module enclosure thereon.

22. The wiring harness according to claim 21, which includes:

(a) said system module mounting bracket upper flange having a pair of receivers each receiving a respective riser bolt.