Current sensing electrical converter

• US 10,449,815 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2012
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Horizon Global Americas Inc. (Horizon Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Horizon Global Americas Inc. (Horizon Global Corporation)
• Inventors: Kulkarni, Chandrakumar D., Motts, Douglas R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Quang
• Application Number:
  US13/650,906
• Publication Number:
  US 20140001730A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,566 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/64 Couplings or joints therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0088 Details of electrical connections B60Q1/305 takes precedence; electrical connection of the light source itself F21S41/192, F21S43/195
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/305 Indicating devices for towed vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 11/00 Arrangement of monitoring devices for devices provided for in groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q9/00

Abstract

An electrical converter assembly includes a sensing device coupled to one or more wires of a towing vehicle. The sensing device is configured to detect the current flow in the one or more wires and generate a signal in response to the current flow. The converter assembly further includes an electrical component in communication with the sensing device. The electrical component may generate a signal to a towed vehicle in response to the current flow detected by the sensing device. The sensing device may be a non-invasive sensing device. The non-invasive sensing device may detect current flow in the one or more wires of the towing vehicle without direct contact with the conducting element of the wires.

Claims

1. An electrical converter assembly comprising:

a sensor assembly configured to be operably coupled to a wire of a towing vehicle and comprising;

a housing comprising a body and a cap pivotally attached with the body;

a wire holding portion positioned within the body of the housing;

a core positioned in the housing;

a current sensing device positioned in the housing in proximity to the core, the current sensing device in an operative position relative to the wire of the towing vehicle, the wire carrying a signal to a lamp of the towing vehicle, wherein the current sensing device detects electric current flow in the wire from the towing vehicle and generates an input signal proportional to and in response to detection of the electric current flow based on sensing of a magnetic field produced by the core;

an output member operatively coupled with the sensor assembly, the output member comprising a plurality of wires; and

an electronic component in communication with the current sensing device-to receive the input signal from the current sensing device via the corresponding plurality of wires of the output member, the electronic component generating an output signal in response to the input signal from the current sensing assembly; and

an output device coupled to a connector being configured to connect to a lighting system of the towed vehicle to activate one or more signals of the lighting system of the towed vehicle based on the corresponding output signal received from the electronic component.

2. The electrical converter assembly of claim 1, wherein the sensor assembly is applied to a single wire of a multi-wire system of the towing vehicle.

3. The electrical converter assembly of claim 1, wherein the current sensing device detects lamp current of at least one of the left turn, right turn, stoplight, tail, backup, and auxiliary channels on the towing vehicle.

4. The electrical converter assembly of claim 3, wherein the electrical converter assembly sends the output signal through the lighting system of the towed vehicle to operate at least one of left turn, right turn, stoplight, tail lamps, backup signal or an auxiliary signal of the towed vehicle.

5. The electrical converter assembly of claim 4, wherein the sensor assembly is applied to only the stoplight signal of the towing vehicle.

6. The electrical converter assembly of claim 1, wherein the core is formed from ferrite/iron and the current sensing device is positioned within a slot of the core.

7. The electrical converter assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrical converter assembly receives power from the towing vehicle.

8. The electrical converter assembly of claim 7, wherein the power is received directly from a battery of the towing vehicle.

9. The electrical converter assembly of claim 1, wherein the input signal is a pulse width modulated signal.

10. The electrical converter assembly of claim 1, wherein the output signal is a pulse width modulated signal.

11. The electrical converter assembly of claim 1, wherein the electric current flow comprises a pulse width modulated current.

12. The electrical converter of claim 1, wherein the core comprises first, second and third ferrite core portions that circumscribe the wire of the towing vehicle when the wire of the towing vehicle is positioned within the wire holding portion.

13. The electrical converter of claim 1, wherein the sensor assembly further comprises a locking device preventing the cap from pivoting away from the body.

14. An electrical converter assembly comprising:

a plurality of sensor assemblies, each of the plurality of sensor assemblies configured to be operably coupled to a wire of the towing vehicle and comprising;

a housing comprising a body and a cap pivotally attached with the body;

a wire holding portion positioned within the body of the housing;

a core positioned in the housing;

a current sensing device capable of non-invasively engaging the wire of the towing vehicle, the current sensing device detects current flow in the wire to determine the presence or absence of electric current in the wire from the towing vehicle and generates an input signal proportional to and in response to the detection of the electric current on the wire based on sensing of a corresponding magnetic field produced by the core;

a plurality of output members operatively coupled with each of the plurality of the sensor assemblies, the output members comprising a plurality of wires; and

an electrical component in operable communication with the plurality of sensor assemblies to receive the input signals from the plurality of sensor assemblies via the corresponding plurality of wires of the output members, each of the input signals having a different current load calibrated in a range, the electrical component generating an output signal that triggers a response in a lighting system of the towed vehicle in response to one or more input signals of the plurality of sensor assemblies; and

an output device coupled to a connector capable of being connected to the lighting system of the towed vehicle to activate one or more signals of the lighting system of the towed vehicle based on the corresponding output signal received from the electronic component.

15. The electrical converter assembly of claim 14, wherein the output signal is sent to the left turn, right turn, stoplight, tail lamps, backup signal or an auxiliary signal of the towed vehicle.

16. The electrical converter assembly of claim 14, wherein the wire of the towing vehicle is a left turn, right turn, stoplight, tail, backup, or auxiliary channels wire of the towing vehicle.

17. The electrical converter assembly of claim 14, wherein the output signal is sent to the towed vehicle through a communications bus of the towed vehicle.

18. The electrical converter assembly of claim 17, wherein the output signal uses a CAN, LIN or HSCAN communications protocol.

19. The electrical converter assembly of claim 14, wherein the wire of the towing vehicle is not associated with the towed vehicle.

20. The electrical converter of claim 14, wherein the core comprises first, second and third ferrite core portions that circumscribe the wire of the towing vehicle when the wire of the towing vehicle is positioned within the wire holding portion.

21. The electrical converter of claim 14, wherein each of plurality of sensor assemblies further comprises a locking device preventing the cap from pivoting away from the body.

22. The electrical converter assembly of claim 14, wherein the range of each of the input signals is different.

23. The electrical converter assembly of claim 14, wherein at least one of the plurality of sensor assemblies is capable of employing periodic wake-up to sample current flow in the corresponding wire from the towing vehicle.

24. The electrical converter of claim 14, wherein the plurality of sensor assemblies comprises four sensor assemblies.