Retaining device for trailer wiring

• US 6,685,502 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2002
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mark Eldridge Wheeler
• Original Assignee: Mark Eldridge Wheeler
• Inventors: Wheeler, Mark Eldridge
• Primary Examiner(s): TA, THO DAC
• Application Number:
  US10/132,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20030203670A1
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 439/501, 439/503, 439/35, 439/38, 439/369, 439/371, 439/528
• US Class Current: 439/501
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/60 Means for supporting coupling part when not engaged

Abstract

A retaining device for trailer wiring comprises a main body portion, at least one retaining element and a cohesive member. The retaining element is connected to the main body portion and is adapted for engagement with a portion of a trailer wiring assembly in a manner for holding the portion of the assembly relative to the main body portion of the retaining device. The cohesive member is connected to the main body portion of the retaining device and is adapted for removably cohering the retaining device to a support surface.

Claims

1. A retaining device for trailer wiring comprising:

a main body portion;

at least one retaining element connected to the main body portion, said at least one retaining element being adapted for engagement with a first portion of a trailer wiring assembly in a manner for holding the first portion of the assembly relative to the main body portion; and

a cohesive member connected to the main body portion, wherein the cohesive member comprises a magnetic member with a magnetic assembly having a permanent ceramic magnet bonded to a steel armature, the cohesive member being adapted for removably cohering the retaining device to a support having a ferromagnetic surface, the magnetic assembly comprising a cup assembly with the permanent magnet bonded in a steel cup.

2. The retaining device of claim 1 wherein the main body portion and at least a portion of the cohesive member are coated with an insulating material.

3. A retaining device for trailer wiring comprising:

a main body portion;

at least one retaining element connected to the main body portion, said at least one retaining element being adapted for engagement with a first portion of a trailer wiring assembly in a manner for holding the first portion of the assembly relative to the main body portion, wherein the retaining element comprises a flexible strap having one end secured to the main body portion, a portion of said flexible strap being adapted to loop around the first portion of the trailer wiring assembly in a manner for holding the first portion of the assembly relative to the main body portion; and

a cohesive member connected to the main body portion, the cohesive member being adapted for removably cohering the retaining device to a support.

4. The retaining device of claim 3 wherein the flexible strap is made of polypropylene webbing.

5. The retaining device of claim 3 wherein the main body portion and at least a portion of the cohesive member are coated with an insulating material.

6. The retaining device of claim 3 wherein the main body portion includes first and second slots, each of said first and second slots being sized to permit said flexible strap to be threaded therethrough, and wherein said strap is threaded through said first and second slots in a manner to form a first loop, said first loop being adapted to wrap around the first portion of the trailer wiring assembly in a manner for holding the first portion of the assembly relative to the main body portion.

7. The retaining device of claim 6 wherein the main body portion includes third and fourth slots generally adjacent the first and second slots, each of said third and fourth slots being sized to permit said flexible strap to be threaded therethrough, and wherein said strap is threaded through said third and fourth slots in a manner to form a second loop, said second loop being adapted to wrap around a second portion of the trailer wiring assembly in a manner for holding the second portion of the assembly relative to the main body portion.

8. A retaining device for trailer wiring comprising:

a main body portion;

at least one retaining element connected to the main body portion, said at least one retaining element being adapted for engagement with a portion of a trailer wiring assembly in a manner for holding the portion of the assembly relative to the main body portion; and

a magnetic member connected to the main body portion, the magnetic member being adapted for magnetically attaching the retaining device to a ferromagnetic support surface, the magnetic member comprising a magnetic assembly having a permanent ceramic magnet bonded to a steel armature, wherein the magnetic assembly is a cup assembly with the permanent magnet bonded in a steel cup.

9. The retaining device of claim 8 wherein the flexible strap is made of polypropylene.

10. A retaining device for trailer wiring comprising:

a main body portion;

at least one retaining element connected to the main body portion, said at least one retaining element being adapted for engagement with a portion of a trailer wiring assembly in a manner for holding the portion of the assembly relative to the main body portion, wherein the retaining element comprises a flexible strap having one end secured to the main body portion, a portion of said flexible strap being adapted to wrap around the portion of the trailer wiring assembly in a manner for holding the portion of the assembly relative to the main body portion, wherein the main body portion includes at least two slots, each of said at least two slots being sized to permit said flexible strap to be threaded therethrough, and wherein said strap is threaded through said at least two slots in a manner to form at least one loop, said at least one loop being adapted to wrap around the portion of the trailer wiring assembly in a manner for holding the portion of the assembly relative to the main body portion; and

a magnetic member connected to the main body portion the magnetic member being adapted for magnetically attaching the retaining device to a ferromagnetic support surface.

11. The retaining device of claim 10 wherein the flexible strap is made of polypropylene.

12. A method of retaining trailer wiring, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a trailer wire retaining device having a wire retaining element and a magnetic member;

securing a portion of a trailer wiring assembly to the wire retaining element of the retaining device; and

magnetically attaching the magnetic member of the retaining device to a ferromagnetic surface comprising one of a vehicle bumper, a vehicle frame and a trailer frame, whereby the portion of the trailer wiring assembly is secured to said ferromagnetic surface, wherein the wire retaining element comprises a flexible strap and the step of securing the portion of the trailer wiring assembly to the wire retaining element of the retaining device includes the step of wrapping the flexible strap around the portion of the trailer wiring assembly, and wherein a portion of the flexible strap forms an adjustable loop, and wherein the step of wrapping the flexible strap around the portion of the trailer wiring assembly includes the steps of positioning the portion of the trailer wiring assembly within the loop and then tightening the loop to secure the portion of the trailer wiring assembly to the retaining device.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of magnetically attaching the magnetic member to the ferromagnetic surface is performed after the step of securing the portion of the trailer wiring assembly to the wire retaining element of the retaining device.