Trailer towing connector with lighting circuit ground path

• US 7,575,438 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2007
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: U-Haul International Incorporated (U-Haul Holding Co.)
• Original Assignee: U-Haul International Incorporated (U-Haul Holding Co.)
• Inventors: Dilgard, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Ta; Tho D
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAMBERS, TRAVIS SLOAN
• Application Number:
  US11/711,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20070202711A1
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 439/35, 439/36, 439/490, 439/620.04
• US Class Current: 439/35
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6616 with resistor
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/065 with built-in electric apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus provides for coupling a trailer lighting circuit including a light emitting diode to towing vehicle lighting circuit. The apparatus includes a connector having a first contact for coupling to a trailer lighting circuit input and a second contact for coupling to an electrical ground. The connector includes a resistive component coupled between the first contact and the second contact. The connector is configured to couple the first terminal to an output of the towing vehicle lighting circuit. The resistive component can include a resistor, an incandescent light or another component having suitable electrical resistance. The connector can be in various forms, including a trailer harness plug, a towing vehicle harness plug, or an adapter for coupling a towing vehicle electrical harness plug to a trailer electrical harness plug.

Claims

1. An apparatus for coupling a trailer lighting circuit including a light emitting diode to a towing vehicle energizing circuit, the apparatus comprising:

a connector having a first contact for coupling to an input to the trailer lighting circuit and a second contact for coupling to an electrical ground;

wherein the connector includes a resistive component connected directly between the first contact and the second contact;

wherein the connector is configured to couple the first contact to an output of the towing vehicle energizing circuit; and

wherein the light emitting diode of the trailer lighting circuit connected directly between the input to the trailer lighting circuit and the electrical ground allows the towing vehicle energizing circuit to energize the trailer lighting circuit.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the resistive component comprises a resistor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the resistive component comprises an incandescent light.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the connector comprises a trailer harness plug.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the connector comprises a towing vehicle harness plug.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the connector comprises an adapter configured for coupling a towing vehicle electrical harness plug to a trailer electrical harness plug.

7. An apparatus for coupling a towing vehicle electrical harness to a trailer electrical harness that is coupled to a trailer light having an LED, the apparatus comprising:

connector means for electrically coupling the towing vehicle electrical harness to the trailer electrical harness;

wherein the connector means includes a resistive component that is connected directly between a ground and in parallel with the trailer light having the LED connected directly to the ground when the connector means is coupled to the towing vehicle electrical harness so that the towing vehicle electrical harness can energize the trailer light having the LED.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the resistive component comprises a resistor.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the resistive component comprises an incandescent light.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the connector comprises a trailer harness plug.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the connector comprises a towing vehicle harness plug.

12. The system of claim 7 wherein the connector comprises an adapter configured for coupling the towing vehicle electrical harness to the trailer electrical harness.

13. An apparatus for coupling a towing vehicle energizing circuit for energizing an incandescent trailer light to a light emitting diode on a trailer, the apparatus comprising:

a connector for electrically coupling the towing vehicle energizing circuit to the light emitting diode;

wherein the connector has a first terminal for connecting to an electrical ground, a second terminal for connecting directly to the light emitting diode and a resistive component connected directly between the first terminal and the second terminal; and

wherein the incandescent trailer light is electrically coupled between the first connector terminal and the second connector terminal when the connector is coupled to the light emitting diode so that the towing vehicle energizing circuit can energize the incandescent trailer light.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the resistive component comprises a resistor.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the resistive component comprises an incandescent light.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the connector comprises a trailer harness plug.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the connector comprises a towing vehicle harness plug.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein the connector comprises an adapter configured for coupling the towing vehicle electrical harness to the trailer electrical harness.