Bi-color led trailer connector circuit protector and indicator

• US 6,259,170 B1
• Filed: 06/11/1999
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cequent Towing Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Draw-Tite, Incorporated (TriMas Corporation)
• Inventors: Bryant, Richard, Limoge, Henry J., Johnson, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Ballato, Josie
• Assistant Examiner(s): POLK, SHARON A
• Application Number:
  US09/330,627
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 307/10.1, 307/10.8, 439/35, 439/490, 324/504, 340/431, 340/475, 315/77, 315/82
• US Class Current: 307/10.8
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/305 Indicating devices for towed vehicles

Abstract

An electrical trailer plug device for connecting a trailer electrical system to a tow vehicle electrical system. The trailer plug device includes a first electrical connector configured to connect an electrical current path of the vehicle electrical system to an electrical current path of the trailer electrical system to complete an electrical circuit supplying electricity from the vehicle electrical system to one or more trailer lamps supported on the trailer. The device also includes a current protection device configured to limit current in the circuit when current flow in the circuit exceeds a predetermined value. A first sensor light is connected in the circuit with a combination of circuit elements configured to illuminate the first sensor light when current is flowing in the circuit but has not exceeded the predetermined. A second sensor light may be connected in the circuit with a combination of circuit elements configured to illuminate the second sensor light when the current protection device is limiting current flow in the circuit.

Claims

1. An electrical trailer plug device for connecting a trailer electrical system to a tow vehicle electrical system;

the trailer plug device comprising;

an electrical connector configured to connect a vehicle electrical system current path to a trailer electrical system current path, the connected current paths completing an electrical circuit for supplying electricity from the vehicle electrical system to one or more trailer lamps connected to the trailer electrical system;

a current protection device connected in the circuit and configured to limit current in the circuit to no greater than a predetermined value;

a first sensor light connected to the circuit; and

a combination of circuit elements connected in the circuit and configured to illuminate the first sensor light when current is flowing in the circuit but has not exceeded the predetermined value;

the first sensor light including two leads, one lead being connected to the current path at a point between the connector and the circuit protection device and the other lead being connected to the input of a transistor;

the output of the transistor connected to ground;

the base of the transistor connected to the current path between the circuit protection device and the trailer electrical system;

the second sensor light including two leads, one lead being connected to the current path at a point between the circuit protection device and the trailer electrical system and the other lead being connected to the current path at a point between the connector and the circuit protection device; and

the transistor being configured to turn on when the circuit protection device is closed and current is flowing in the current path.

2. An electrical trailer plug device as defined in claim 1 and in which:

the sensor light is a monochromatic light source configured to emit electromagnetic energy in a visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum;

the trailer plug device includes a second sensor light comprising a monochromatic light source configured to emit electromagnetic energy in a visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum visually differentiable from that of the first sensor light; and

the combination of circuit elements is configured to illuminate the second sensor light when the circuit protection device is limiting current flow in the circuit in response to a fault in the circuit.

3. An electrical trailer plug device as defined in claim 2 and further including a bi-color light-emitting diode comprising the two sensor lights.

4. An electrical trailer plug device as defined in claim 2 in which a bi-color light-emitting diode is encased in a clear lens.

5. An electrical trailer plug device as defined in claim 4 in which the block of clear material, the connector and the circuit protection device are encased in a plastic plug casing, at least a portion of the clear lens being exposed through an outer wall of the plug casing.

6. An electrical trailer plug device as defined in claim 1 in which the circuit protection device is configured to automatically reset once a fault that caused the high current condition has been cleared.

7. An electrical trailer plug device as defined in claim 6 in which the circuit protection device comprises a polymeric positive temperature coefficient resettable fuse.

8. An electrical trailer plug device as defined in claim 1 in which:

the output of the transistor is connected to ground through a resistor; and

the second sensor light is connected in series with a resistor to the current path at a point between the circuit protection device and the trailer electrical system.

9. An electrical trailer plug device as defined in claim 1 and further including:

a trailer plug body supporting the connector, circuit protection device and sensor light, and

the trailer plug device having;

a first end configured to removably connect, both mechanically and electrically, to a complementary vehicle plug connected to the vehicle electrical system; and

a second end configured to connect, both mechanically and electrically, to the trailer electrical system.

10. An electrical trailer plug device as defined in claim 9 in which the second end is configured to removably connect, both mechanically and electrically, to a complementary trailer plug connected to the trailer electrical.

11. An electrical trailer plug device as defined in claim 1 in which:

the device includes three additional connectors configured to connect respective vehicle electrical system current paths to respective trailer electrical system current paths, the connected current paths completing respective electrical circuits for supplying electricity from the vehicle electrical system to trailer lamps connected to the trailer electrical system;

a first one of the four connectors is connected to a current path that extends and connects to a right turn signal light;

a second one of the four connectors is connected to a current path that extends and connects to a left turn signal light;

a third one of the four connectors is connected to a current path that extends and connects to both a left and a right tail light; and

a fourth of the four electrical connectors is configured to connect to a trailer chassis ground wire that connects to a trailer chassis.

12. An electrical trailer plug device as defined in claim 11 in which the four connectors of the trailer plug include one female and three male connectors.

13. An electrical trailer plug device as defined in claim 12 in which:

the one female trailer plug connector and the one male vehicle plug connector are the common chassis ground connection; and

the other three connectors are the tail light connectors and the left and right turn signal light connectors.

14. An electrical trailer plug device as defined in claim 12 in which a bi-color light-emitting diode comprises the first and second sensor lights.

15. An electrical trailer plug device as defined in claim 11 in which the trailer plug body includes a plastic casing;

and

the four connectors are encased in a parallel disposition in the plastic casing.