Power supply control system for a vehicle trailer

• US 7,498,687 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2006
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R. A. Phillips Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: R. A. Phillips Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Jacob, John D., Kinsey, Gregory William
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson; Stephen W
• Assistant Examiner(s): RUTLAND WALLIS, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US11/601,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20070152502A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 307/10.1, 307/9.1, 307/30, 307/38
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/14 Balancing the load in a network
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/46 for ICE-powered road vehicles

Abstract

A controller is usable with a tractor that has a power supply and a trailer that has first and second auxiliary devices. The controller is configured to selectively enable and disable each of the auxiliary devices based on a predetermined set of device disabling conditions wherein: When any of the device disabling conditions occurs, then both auxiliary devices are disabled. When none of the device disabling conditions occurs then, when a first device-selecting condition occurs then the first auxiliary device is enabled and the second auxiliary device is disabled. And when a second device-selecting condition occurs then the second auxiliary device is enabled and the first auxiliary device is disabled.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a controller connected to a tractor and a trailer, the tractor having a power supply, and the trailer having first and second auxiliary devices and a brake that are powered by the tractor'"'"'s power supply, the controller being configured to selectively enable and disable each of the auxiliary devices in order to reserve electricity for use by the trailer'"'"'s brake, wherein;

when any of a predetermined set of device disabling conditions occurs then disabling both auxiliary devices, the disabling conditions including application of a brake of the tractor or exceeding a threshold speed; and

when none of the device disabling conditions occurs then;

when a first device-selecting condition occurs then enabling the first auxiliary device and disabling the second auxiliary device; and

when a second device-selecting condition occurs then enabling the second auxiliary device and disabling the first auxiliary device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first auxiliary device is a dome light of the trailer.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second auxiliary device is a charger for recharging a battery of the trailer.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the device disabling conditions include the application of a brake of the tractor.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the controller is configured to be electrically connected to a brake system of the tractor to receive an indication of when the tractor'"'"'s brake is applied.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the device disabling conditions include a time period not having lapsed.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the time period is initiated when a brake of the tractor is released.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the device disabling conditions include vehicle speed exceeding a threshold speed.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the threshold speed is zero.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the device disabling conditions include a voltage of the power supply being below a first threshold voltage.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a device configured to warn a user when the voltage is below a second threshold voltage above the first threshold voltage.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the device disabling conditions include amperage drawn from the power supply exceeding a threshold amperage.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a device configured to warn a user when the amperage is below a second threshold amperage below the first threshold amperage.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first device-selecting condition is a user switch being in an on setting.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second device-selecting condition is a user switch being in an off setting.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

when none of the device disabling conditions occurs then;

when the first device-selecting condition and a time out condition concurrently occur then enabling the first auxiliary device and disabling the second auxiliary device; and

when either the second device-selecting condition or the time out condition occurs then enabling the second auxiliary device and disabling the first auxiliary device.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to be installed in the trailer.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to enable each auxiliary device by electrically powering the device from the power supply, and to disable the auxiliary device by refraining from powering the device from the power supply.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the auxiliary devices are directly coupled to the power supply, and the controller enables or disables each auxiliary device by sending control signals to the auxiliary device.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising the tractor and the trailer, wherein the trailer further has a brake system that is configured to be powered by the power supply independently of the controller.

21. A method for use with a tractor and a trailer, the tractor having a power supply, and the trailer having first and second auxiliary devices and a brake that are powered by the tractor'"'"'s power supply, for reserving electricity for use by the trailer'"'"'s brake, the method comprising:

predetermining a set of device disabling conditions, the disabling conditions including application of a brake of the tractor or exceeding a threshold speed;

disabling both auxiliary devices when any of the device disabling conditions occurs;

enabling the first auxiliary device and disabling the second auxiliary device when both none of the device disabling conditions occurs and a first device-selecting condition occurs, and

enabling the second auxiliary device and disabling the first auxiliary device when both none of the device disabling conditions occurs and a second device-selecting condition occurs.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the power supply and the auxiliary devices are parts of a tractor trailer rig.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the device disabling conditions include the application of a vehicle brake.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the first device-selecting condition is a user switch being in an on setting, and the second device-selecting condition is the switch being in an off setting.

25. A device for use with a tractor and a trailer, the tractor having a power supply, and the trailer having first and second auxiliary devices and a brake that are powered by the tractor'"'"'s power supply, for reserving electricity for use by the trailer'"'"'s brake, comprising:

means for disabling both auxiliary devices when any of a set of predetermined device disabling conditions occurs, the disabling conditions including application of a brake of the tractor or exceeding a threshold speed;

means for enabling the first auxiliary device and disabling the second auxiliary device when both none of the device disabling conditions occurs and a first device-selecting condition occurs; and

means for enabling the second auxiliary device and disabling the first auxiliary device when both none of the device disabling conditions occurs and a second device-selecting condition occurs.

26. An apparatus comprising:

a controller for a rig including a tractor and a trailer, the tractor having a power supply, and the trailer having first and second auxiliary devices and a brake that are powered by the tractor'"'"'s power supply, the controller being configured to selectively enable and disable each of the auxiliary devices in order to reserve electricity for use by the trailer'"'"'s brake, by the controller;

sensing when a disable condition, of vehicle speed exceeding a nonzero threshold speed, occurs; and

disabling both auxiliary devices when the disable condition occurs; and

when the disable condition does not occur;

enabling the first auxiliary device when a first device-selecting condition occurs; and

enabling the second auxiliary device when a second device-selecting condition occurs.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the controller is further configured to disable the second auxiliary device when the first device-selecting condition occurs and to disable the first auxiliary device when the second device-selecting condition occurs.