US 2009/0212784 A1 · Electrical lighting tester for vehicle-towed trailers

Abstract

A compact, portable electrical tester to test the functionality of the lights of a lighting system of vehicle-towed commercial and utility trailers. By virtue of the presently-disclosed lighting tester, the lights of a trailer can be remotely tested by a single test taker without the presence of a tow vehicle or tow vehicle operator. Housed within the chassis of the lighting tester are a 120-volt AC/12-volt DC power supply and a set of DC test circuits. The DC test circuits are connected between the power supply and different ones of the lights of the trailer to be tested. In the preferred embodiment, each DC test circuit includes a light selection toggle switch that is connected in electrical series with a DC circuit breaker toggle switch. A particular light selection toggle switch is selectively actuated to a closed switch position so that DC power will be supplied from the power supply to illuminate a particular light or group of lights under test. A particular series connected circuit breaker toggle switch is selectively actuated to a closed circuit position to close the DC test circuit in which it is connected. Each of the light selection and circuit breaker toggle switches is accessible to be manually actuated at the front of the chassis.

Claims16

Dependent claims

An electrical tester for testing the functionality of the lights of a lighting system of a vehicle-pulled trailer, said tester comprising:

a DC power supply;
and
a plurality of electrical switches located in respective ones of a plurality of DC test circuits that are electrically connected to the lights to be tested, a particular one of said plurality of electrical switches adapted to be selectively actuated from an open switch position at which the DC test circuit in which said one electrical switch is located is disconnected from said DC power supply to a closed switch position at which to connect the DC test circuit to said DC power supply to cause a corresponding one of the lights to which the DC test circuit is connected to be powered and illuminated for testing.

An electrical tester for testing the functionality of the lighting system of a vehicle including lights to be tested, said tester comprising:

a portable chassis;
a DC power supply housed within said portable chassis;
a plurality of manually-actuated electrical switches located in respective DC test circuits and housed within said portable chassis, said DC test circuits connected between said DC power supply and the lights of the lighting system undergoing testing, said plurality of electrical switches adapted to be selectively actuated from an open switch position at which to disconnect the DC test circuits in which said electrical switches are connected from said DC power supply to a closed switch position at which to connect the DC test circuits to said DC power supply to cause the lights being tested to be powered and illuminated;
and
a plurality of manually-actuated circuit breakers housed within said chassis and electrically connected in said DC test circuits in electrical series with respective ones of said plurality of electrical switches, said plurality of circuit breakers adapted to be selectively actuated from an open circuit position at which the DC test circuits in which said circuit breakers are connected are opened to a closed circuit position at which the DC test circuits are closed.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Electrical lighting tester for vehicle-towed trailers

Life of this patent

Electrical lighting tester for vehicle-towed trailers

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16