Back to results
US 5,212,469 AGranted
Trailer lamp controller
AssigneeGTE Products Corporation
InventorFrank J. Avellino
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A trailer lamp controller for use in connecting electrical circuits of turn and brake lamps of a towing vehicle to electrical circuits of turn and brake lamps of a towed vehicle, the turn and brake lamps of the towed vehicle being actuated in response to the sensing by the controller of current or voltage present when select towing vehicle turn and brake lamps are actuated.
Claims17
A trailer lamp controller for use with a vehicle assembly including a towing vehicle and a towed vehicle, comprising:
- a first sensing means electrically connected to a first towing vehicle turn lamp and to a first towed vehicle lamp for sensing one of current and voltage when said first towing vehicle turn lamp is on and then responsively turning said first towed vehicle lamp on;
- a second sensing means electrically connected to a second towing vehicle turn lamp and to a second towed vehicle lamp for sensing one of current and voltage when said second towing vehicle turn lamp is on and then responsively turning said second towed vehicle lamp on;
- said first sensing means including a first switch electrically connected to said first towed vehicle lamp, and a first switching means electrically connected to said first towing vehicle turn lamp for switching said first switch when said first towing vehicle turn lamp is on and wherein said second sensing means includes a second switch electrically connected to said second towed vehicle lamp, and a second switching means electrically connected to said second towing vehicle turn lamp for switching said second switch when said second towing vehicle turn lamp is on;
- said first switch being a first reed switch and said first switching means being a first coil which extends around said first reed switch, said first coil having a first lead electrically connected to a first towing vehicle turn lamp and a second lead electrically connected to a first towing vehicle turn lamp switch, and further wherein said second switch is a second reed switch and said second switching means is a second coil which extends around said second reed switch, said second coil having a first lead electrically connected to a second towing vehicle turn lamp and a second lead electrically connected to a second towing vehicle turn lamp switch;
- and said first reed switch including a first contact electrically connected to a first contact of said second reed switch, and a second contact electrically connected to a second contact of said second reed switch, and further wherein said first reed switch includes a first reed electrically connected to said first towed vehicle lamp and moveable for selective engagement between said first contact of said first reed switch and said second reed switch includes a second reed electrically connected to said second towed vehicle lamp and moveable for selective engagement between said first contact of said second reed switch and said second contact of said second reed switch.
2 more elements
A trailer lamp controller for use with a vehicle assembly including a towing vehicle and a towed vehicle, comprising:
- a first sensing means electrically connected to a first towing vehicle turn lamp and to a first towed vehicle lamp for sensing one of current and voltage when said first towing vehicle turn lamp is on and then responsively turning said first towed vehicle lamp on;
- a second sensing means electrically connected to a second towing vehicle turn lamp and to a second towed vehicle lamp for sensing one of current and voltage when said second towing vehicle turn lamp is on and then responsively turning said second towed vehicle lamp on;
- said first sensing means including a first switch electrically connected to said first towed vehicle lamp, and a first switching means electrically connected to said first towing vehicle turn lamp for switching said first switch when said first towing vehicle turn lamp is on and wherein said second sensing means includes a second switch electrically connected to said second towed vehicle lamp, and a second switching means electrically connected to said second towing vehicle turn lamp for switching said second switch when said second towing vehicle turn lamp is on;
- said first switch being a first reed switch and said first switching means being a first coil which extends around said first reed switch, said first coil having a first lead electrically connected to said first towing vehicle turn lamp and a second lead electrically connected to ground, and further wherein said second switch is a second reed switch and said second switching means is a second coil which extends around said second reed switch, said second coil having a first lead electrically connected to said second towing vehicle turn lamp and a second lead electrically connected to ground;
- and
- said first reed switch including a first contact electrically connected to a first contact of said second reed switch, and a second contact electrically connected to a second contact of said second reed switch, and further wherein said first reed switch includes a first reed electrically coupled to said first towed vehicle lamp and moveable for selective engagement between said first contact of said first reed switch and said second contact of said first reed switch, and wherein said second reed switch includes a second reed electrically connected to said second towed vehicle lamp and moveable for selective engagement between said first contact of said second reed switch and said second contact of said second reed switch.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.