Corner-post mounted, status light display for a semi-trailer

• US 6,870,473 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2003
• Issued: 03/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wabash National LP (Wabash National Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Wabash National LP (Wabash National Corporation)
• Inventors: Brown, James B. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): TWEEL JR, JOHN ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US10/632,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20040124973A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 340/463, 340/903, 340/435, 340/436, 340/438, 340/686.1, 340/686.6, 340/687, 340/691.6, 307/10.8, 307/9.1
• US Class Current: 340/463
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 1/00 Vehicles predominantly for transporting loads and modified to facilitate loading, consolidating the load, or unloading vehicles for carrying harvested crops with means for self-loading or self-unloading A01D90/00; peculiar to refuse collecting-vehicles B65F; loading or unloading vehicles by means not incorporated therein B65G
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/006 using a distance sensor

Abstract

A system having dual functionality implemented on a semi-trailer is provided. The system includes a sensor attached to a rear of the semi-trailer, a processing and display assembly, other systems associated with the semi-trailer, and wiring connected therebetween. The wiring may also be connected to other systems associated with the semi-trailer. The sensor senses the distance between a back end of the semi-trailer and an object behind the semi-trailer. Based on the distance sensed, the processing and display assembly flashes colored lights, visible to the semi-trailer driver, to inform the driver of the distance to an object behind the semi-trailer. The processing and display assembly also monitors the status of other systems associated with the semi-trailer. Based on the status, the processing and display assembly continuously shines colored lights, visible to the semi-trailer driver, to inform the driver of the status of the other systems.

Claims

1. A trailer which is configured to be connected to, and towed by, a cab, said trailer comprising:

a body having a front end and a back end; and

a status processing and display assembly associated with said front end of said body, said status processing and display assembly including, electronics and at least one light emitting diode which is connected to said electronics, said at least one light emitting diode configured to emit either a flashing light or a continuous light which is visible by a driver of the cab in order to indicate status information.

2. A trailer as defined in claim 1, further including at least one status system operatively associated with said trailer, said electronics being configured to receive and process status information from said at least one status system.

3. A trailer as defined in claim 2, wherein said electronics are configured to translate said status information into either said flashing light or said continuous light emitted by said at least one light emitting diode.

4. A trailer as defined in claim 3, further including a decal provided on said front end of said trailer, said decal having at least one colored portion which is positioned in front of said at least one light emitting diode such that said flashing or continuous light emitted from said at least one light emitting diode appears to the driver of the cab to be the color of said at least one colored portion of said decal.

5. A trailer as defined in claim 4, wherein said at least one light emitting diode comprises three light emitting diodes, and wherein said at least one colored portion of said decal is three different colored portions of said decal, one of said three different colored portions being positioned in front of one of said light emitting diodes, another one of said three different colored portions being positioned in front of another one of said three light emitting diodes, and a third one of said three different colored portions being positioned in front of a third one of said three light emitting diodes.

6. A trailer as defined in claim 4, wherein said decal has text provided thereon which is visible to the driver of the cab, said text of said decal explaining said flashing or continuous light emitted by said at least one light emitting diode to the driver of the cab in order to provide the driver of the cab with said status information.

7. A trailer as defined in claim 2, wherein said at least one status system is configured to provide a distance from said back-end of said trailer to an object behind said back-end of said trailer.

8. A trailer as defined in claim 7, wherein said at least one status system includes at least one sensor mounted on said back end of said trailer and a wiring assembly which connects said at least one sensor to said electronics.

9. A trailer as defined in claim 8, wherein said at least one sensor is one of an ultrasonic sensor, a laser sensor, an infrared sensor, or a capacitance sensor.

10. A trailer as defined in claim 2, wherein said at least one status system is an anti-lock brake system.

11. A trailer as defined in claim 2, wherein said at least one status system is a tire inflation warning system.

12. A trailer as defined in claim 1, further including a photo detector which is connected to said electronics, said photo detector being configured to adjust a brightness of said flashing and continuous light emitted by said at least one light emitting diode when said photo detector detects a change in an amount of sunlight outside of said trailer.

13. A trailer as defined in claim 1, further including a front wall provided at said front end and a sidewall extending between said front wall and said rear end of said body, and a corner post provided at a connection of said front wall to said sidewall, said status processing and display assembly being secured to said corner post.

14. A trailer as defined in claim 13, wherein said front wall has an exterior surface and wherein said status processing and display assembly does not protrude beyond said exterior surface of said front wall.

15. A trailer as defined in claim 1, wherein said status processing and display assembly includes a housing, said housing being connected to said front end, said electronics being positioned within said housing, said at least one light emitting diode extending through said housing.

16. A trailer which is configured to be connected to, and towed by, a cab, said trailer comprising:

a body having a front end and a back end;

means for processing and displaying status information to the driver of the cab, said processing and displaying means being provided at said front end of said body;

at least one status system operatively associated with said body for providing said status information; and

means for transferring said status information provided by said at least one status system to said processing and displaying means.

17. A trailer as defined in claim 16, wherein said at least one status system is an anti-lock brake system.

18. A trailer as defined in claim 16, wherein said at least one status system is a tire inflation warning system.

19. A trailer as defined in claim 16, wherein said at least one status system includes at least one sensor operatively associated with said back-end of said trailer proximate to said first sidewall, said sensor configured to determine a distance from said back-end of said trailer to an object behind said trailer.

20. A trailer as defined in claim 16, wherein said processing and displaying means comprises an assembly including electronics and at least one light emitting diode which is mounted to said electronics, said at least one light emitting diode configured to emit either a flashing or continuous light which is visible by the driver of the cab in order to indicate said status information to the driver of the cab, said electronics is configured to receive said status information from said at least one status system and translate said status information into either said flashing or continuous light by said at least one light emitting diode.

21. A trailer as defined in claim 20, wherein said processing and display means includes a decal provided on said front end, said decal having at least one colored portion which is positioned in front of said at least one light emitting diode such that said flashing or continuous light emitted from said at least one light emitting diode appears to the driver of the cab to be the color of said at least one colored portion of said decal.

22. A trailer as defined in claim 21, wherein said at least one light emitting diode is three light emitting diodes, and wherein said at least one colored portion of said decal is three different colored portions of said decal, one of said three different colored portions being positioned in front of one of said three light emitting diodes, another one of said three different colored portions being positioned in front of another one of said three light emitting diodes, and a third one of said three different colored portions being positioned in front of a third one of said three light emitting diodes, said decal has text provided thereon which is visible to the driver of the cab, said text of said decal explaining said flashing light or said continuous light emitted by said at least one light emitting diode to the driver of the cab in order to provide the driver of the cab with said status information.

23. A trailer as defined in claim 20, wherein said processing and display means includes a photo detector which is connected to said electronics, said photo detector being configured to adjust a brightness of said flashing or continuous light emitted by said at least one light emitting diode when said photo detector detects a change in an amount of sunlight outside of said trailer.

24. A method of providing information to a driver of a cab having a trailer connected thereto, the method comprising the steps of:

a) providing at least one sensor associated with a back end of the trailer;

b) providing a processing and display assembly associated with a front end of the trailer which is visible to the driver of the cab, said processing and display assembly having at least one light emitting diode capable of emitting either a flashing light or a continuous light which is visible to the driver of the cab;

c) continuously emitting a light from said at least one light emitting diode when the distance from the back end of the trailer to the object behind the trailer is greater than a predetermined value; and

d) flashingly emitting a light from said at least one light emitting diode when the distance from the back end of the trailer to the object behind the trailer is less than or equal to the predetermined value.

25. A method as defined in claim 24, further comprising the steps of:

a) providing an anti-lock brake system associated with the trailer;

b) emitting a light from said at least one light emitting diode to provide status information relating to said anti-lock brake system to the driver of the cab.

26. A method as defined in claim 24, further comprising the steps of:

a) providing a tire inflation warning system associated with the trailer;

b) emitting a light from said at least one light emitting diode to provide status information relating to said tire inflation warning system.