Boat trailer submersion

• US 7,679,493 B1
• Filed: 01/21/2008
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yazaki North America Incorporated (Yazaki Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yazaki North America Incorporated (Yazaki Corporation)
• Inventors: Moore, Daniel D, Grenier, Alain H
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Phung
• Application Number:
  US12/017,129
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 340/431, 340/438, 340/453, 340/458, 340/468, 340/479, 307/10.8
• US Class Current: 340/431
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/1033 on a loading frame, e.g. the vehicle being a trailer B60P3/1008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/305 Indicating devices for towed vehicles

Abstract

A method of controlling a surge brake mechanism and all lights on a trailer connected to a vehicle that can submerse the trailer to deploy a boat into water. The method generally includes monitoring the vehicle for vehicle conditions that include at least a speed of the vehicle and a direction in which the vehicle is moving. The method waits for user input from within a passenger compartment of the vehicle that is indicative of a desire to disable all of the lights and the surge brake mechanism on the trailer. The method determines a boat launch condition exists when at least one enabling input is detected and determines the boat launch condition does not exist when any disabling input is detected. The method disables the surge brake mechanism and all of the lights on the trailer, when the boat launch condition exists and enables the surge brake mechanism and all of the lights on the trailer, when the boat launch condition does not exist.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a surge brake mechanism and all lights on a trailer connected to a vehicle that can submerse the trailer to deploy a boat into water, the method comprising:

monitoring the vehicle for vehicle conditions that include at least a speed of the vehicle and a direction in which the vehicle is moving;

waiting for user input from within a passenger compartment of the vehicle that is indicative of a desire to disable all of the lights and the surge brake mechanism on the trailer;

determining a boat launch condition exists when at least one enabling input is detected;

determining the boat launch condition does not exist when any disabling input is detected;

disabling the surge brake mechanism and all of the lights on the trailer, when the boat launch condition exists; and

enabling the surge brake mechanism and all of the lights on the trailer, when the boat launch condition does not exist.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein disabling the surge brake mechanism includes maintaining a reverse light signal to the surge brake mechanism on the trailer and wherein enabling the surge brake mechanism includes discontinuing the reverse light signal to the surge brake mechanism.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the enabling input is only the user input.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the enabling input is at least one vehicle condition and the user input.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one vehicle condition defines a speed of the vehicle having a value that is less than a low speed threshold for at least a threshold period.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one vehicle condition defines a speed of the vehicle having a value that is less than a low speed threshold and a PRNDL status indicates the vehicle is in reverse.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the low speed threshold is about ten miles per hour and wherein vehicle speed is less than the low speed threshold for about ten seconds.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one vehicle condition defines a speed of the vehicle having a value between zero and about ten miles per hour for less than a threshold period.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input includes an interaction with a user in the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying in the passenger compartment of the vehicle compartment whether the boat launch condition exists.

11. A method of controlling a surge brake mechanism and lights on a trailer connected to a vehicle, the method comprising:

monitoring the vehicle for at least one vehicle condition;

waiting for user input from within a passenger compartment of the vehicle;

determining whether a boat launch condition exists based on at least one of the user input and the vehicle condition;

disabling the surge brake mechanism and all of the lights on the trailer, when the boat launch condition exists; and

enabling the surge brake mechanism and all of the lights on the trailer, when the boat launch condition does not exist.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein disabling the surge brake mechanism includes maintaining a reverse light signal to the surge brake mechanism on the trailer and wherein enabling the surge brake mechanism includes discontinuing the reverse light signal to the surge brake mechanism.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the user input is indicative of a desire of a user to disable all of the lights and the surge brake mechanism on the trailer.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the boat launch condition exists when an enabling input is detected and no disabling input is detected and wherein the enabling input is only the user input.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the boat launch condition exists when enabling input is detected and no disabling input is detected and wherein the enabling input is at least one vehicle condition and the user input.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one vehicle condition defines a speed of the vehicle having a value that is less than a low speed threshold for at least a threshold period.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one vehicle condition defines a speed of the vehicle having a value that is less than a low speed threshold and a PRNDL status indicates the vehicle is in reverse.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the low speed threshold is about ten miles per hour and wherein vehicle speed is less than the low speed threshold for about ten seconds.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one vehicle condition defines a speed of the vehicle having a value between zero and about ten miles per hour for less than a threshold period.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising displaying in the passenger compartment of the vehicle whether the boat launch condition exists.