Wiring module for automotive vehicle

#The present invention relates to a wiring module for an automotive vehicle and, more particularly, to a module that facilitates the connection of air horns, remote controls, amplifiers, electric fans, power antennae, lights, horns and the like to existing automotive electrical systems.

#It is frequently desirable or necessary to connect a variety of electrically powered components to existing electrical systems of an automotive vehicle. These may include air horns, alarm systems which may utilize flashing lights or the like, amplifiers, cooling fans or sound amplifiers, power antennae, fog lights, neon lights and the like.

#In the past the connection of such units has been generally effected manually and has been fraught with problems. For example, when flashers had to be provided, they normally were sensitive to the incursion of moisture and produced interference which could affect the radio or sound systems. Furthermore, the flashers changed frequencies depending upon load, or would not operate if not connected to a significant load.

#The above and other objects, features, and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

#FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of the module of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the use of the module in a motor vehicle; and

#The module of the present invention comprises within a housing 10 (FIG. 2) which is sealed to prevent the incursion of water, a circuit 11 (FIG. 1) which comprises a number of terminals P1–P8, corresponding to respective conductors which will be identified as the first . . . eighth conductors, respectively, and can be provided on the housing for connection to the circuitry of the motor vehicle, as will be described.

#The first and second conductors connected at terminals P1 and P2, respectively, are the gray positive flashing conductor and the brown negative flashing conductor, respectively, and are connected through a forwardly-poled diode D1 to a collector and the reversely-poled diode D5 and a resistor R5 to the base of a first transistor Q3, respectively. The emitter of the transistor Q3 is connected to the red wire forming the sixth conductor and the terminal P6 running to the positive terminal of the car battery 12. The emitter of the transistor Q3 is also connected to one side of the coil of a relay RL1 whose contacts bridge the terminals P7 and P8 and thus, upon closure, close a circuit between these yellow conductors. A bias resister R6 connects the emitter and base of this transistor. A diode D6 is connected across the relay coil to eliminate parasitic effects.

#A further transistor Q2 has its base connected via the resister R4 and the forwardly-poled diode D4 to the third conductor and the terminal P3 receiving a positive trigger signal, e.g. from a remote control. The emitter of this transistor Q2 and the emitter of another transistor Q1 are connected to the fourth ground conductor and terminal P4. The collector of the transistor Q2 is connected through a forwardly-poled diode to the opposite side of the coil of relay RL1 and a reversely-poled diode D3 receiving the negative trigger via the green fifth conductor and terminal P5. A capacitor C3 is connected between the sixth and fourth conductors to eliminate parasitic effects.