AU2015101085A4 - Unitary Automotive Electrical Adaptor Plug - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract A unitary automotive electrical adaptor plug is described. The unitary automotive electrical adaptor plug including a main body including an integral electrical connector portion at a first end and an integral vehicle electrical connector portion at a second end, and an intermediate body portion disposed between the integral electrical connector portion and the integral vehicle electrical connector portion; the integral electrical connector portion extending from the intermediate body portion and adapted for electrical connection of electrical services to an electrical device, the integral electrical connector portion including a terminal arrangement having a plurality of terminals, the electrical connector portion detachably connectable to a cooperating electrical connector associated with the electrical device; and the integral vehicle electrical connector portion adapted for detachable electrical connection of electrical services to a vehicle-mounted electrical connector; the integral electrical connector portion including a plug portion for insertion into a cooperating socket of the electrical device, the plug portion including an end face disposed at the first end, and a peripheral face extending between the end face and the intermediate body portion; wherein a lock is provided for locking the plug portion and cooperating socket together to inhibit their separation from one another, the lock being in the form of a boss disposed on the peripheral face, such that the boss is adapted to be received in a cooperating recess in a wall of the cooperating socket.

Description

AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 ORIGINAL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT Invention title: Unitary Automotive Electrical Adaptor Plug The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 2 UNITARY AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRICAL ADAPTOR PLUG Technical Field [001] This is a divisional patent application of Application No 2012265614 which claims priority from Australian Provisional Patent Application No 2011905301 filed on 19 December 2011, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. [002] The present invention relates generally to automotive electrical plugs for connecting various electrical devices including portable light boards to vehicle electrical systems. The present invention also relates to automotive electrical devices such as for example portable light boards operated by and connectable to an electrical system of a vehicle. Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to an electrical device in kit form, such that a plurality of parts in the kit are connectable to one another and to the electrical system of a vehicle for use so that the device functions as designed, powered by the electrical system of the vehicle. Background [003] It is desirable and often mandatory to provide trailers or other towed vehicles with electrical services such as lights on the trailer or other towed vehicle, for increased visibility and other functionality of the trailer or other towed vehicle. [004] Sometimes lights are provided on a detachable Trailer Light Board (TLB). [005] The TLB is mountable on the trailer itself, most often in a back region of the trailer, or, in some instances, on a trailed item such as a boat disposed on the trailer. The TLB usually includes the registration number plate for the towed vehicle and includes lights disposed in various positions across the board so as to indicate among other things braking and proposed direction to those behind the trailer or TLB. [006] Many known electrical TLBs are provided with plugs connectable directly to a vehicle via a cooperating socket mounted on the vehicle. However, the portable nature of the TLB lends itself to being transferred from vehicle to vehicle. This is an advantage since fewer TLBs per person need be bought, but the flexibility of this advantageous arrangement is limited because there are several different kinds of socket arrangement available to mount to a vehicle bumper region and receive electrical service plugs. Some vehicle-mounted socket arrangements have a linear arrangement of terminals while 3 others include a round arrangement of terminals; even among the sockets with terminal layouts arranged in a round manner there are different socket diameters on each socket type, and each terminal is spaced from its adjacent terminal in a different manner. Therefore a fleet of cars owned by the same person may have different electrical service sockets and a single TLB may not be able to be directly transferred between vehicles. [007] Adaptors are available to increase the flexibility of the TLB but they are heavy, large, long, they increase electrical losses and unreliable. [008] Retailers who are stocking the TLBs therefore carry at least three types of TLB or three kinds of heavy and large adaptors, which is expensive, and increases their stock, display and warehouse requirements. Several TLB models are available in varying lengths and sizes, so display of a full range of TLBs requires a great deal of display space in a retail area since each one needs its own plug for each different vehicle adaptor plug arrangement. [009] The present disclosure provides a new automotive electrical adaptor plug. [010] In this specification, where a document, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was at the priority date: part of common general knowledge; or known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which this specification is concerned. Summary of the invention [011] According to one form of the invention there is provided a unitary automotive electrical adaptor plug for connecting an electrical device to a vehicle, the unitary automotive electrical adaptor plug including: a main body including an integral electrical connector portion at a first end and an integral vehicle electrical connector portion at a second end, and an intermediate body portion disposed between the integral electrical connector portion and the integral vehicle electrical connector portion; the integral electrical connector portion extending from the intermediate body portion and adapted for electrical connection of electrical services to an electrical device, the integral electrical connector portion including a terminal arrangement having a plurality of terminals, the electrical connector portion detachably connectable to a cooperating electrical connector associated with the electrical device; and 4 the integral vehicle electrical connector portion adapted for detachable electrical connection of electrical services to a vehicle-mounted electrical connector; the integral electrical connector portion including a plug portion for insertion into a cooperating socket of the electrical device, the plug portion including an end face disposed at the first end, and a peripheral face extending between the end face and the intermediate body portion; wherein a lock is provided for locking the plug portion and cooperating socket together to inhibit their separation from one another, the lock being in the form of a boss disposed on the peripheral face, such that the boss is adapted to be received in a cooperating recess in a wall of the cooperating socket.. [012] The terminal arrangement may include an arrangement of two, three, four, five, six, seven eight or nine or ten terminals. [013] Preferably the main body includes an intermediate body portion disposed between the first vehicle electrical connector and the second vehicle electrical connector. [014] Preferably the intermediate body portion includes a grip portion. Preferably the grip portion includes grip recesses and/or bosses for facilitating a user grip on the main body. Preferably the grip recesses and/or bosses are disposed at an angle to facilitate longitudinal grip on the main body. [015] Optionally the grip portion also includes one or more flanges for facilitating user grip on the main body to remove or connect the unitary automotive adaptor plug from or to the vehicle-mounted connector. [016] Optionally the grip portion is a generally barrel-shaped body to facilitate grip on the main body. Optionally the grip portion includes a frusto-triangular portion to facilitate grip. [017] Preferably the first connector portion includes a plug portion for insertion into a cooperating socket of the electrical device. Preferably the plug portion includes a drum shaped plug portion body having an end face disposed at the first end, and a circumferential face extending between the end face and the intermediate body portion. [018] Preferably the end face of the first connector portion includes a plurality of axially extending socket terminals set into the end face for receiving pin terminals disposed on a cooperating electrical connector. Preferably there are five socket terminals set into the end face. Preferably one socket terminal is a centre terminal and is disposed substantially at a centre of the end face. Preferably the other socket terminals are also set into the end face and extend axially and are disposed radially outwardly from the centre terminal.

5 [019] Preferably there is provided a locator on the drum-shaped plug portion body for locating the drum-shaped plug body relative to the cooperating socket to facilitate the insertion of one into the other. Preferably the locator is a keyway disposed on the circumferential face. [020] Preferably there is provided a locator on the drum-shaped plug body for locating the drum-shaped plug body relative to the cooperating socket to facilitate the insertion of the drum-shaped plug body into the cooperating socket. Optionally the locator is a key disposed on the circumferential face. Optionally the locator is an axially-extending break in the annular wall. [021] Preferably there is provided a lock for locking the plug portion body and cooperating socket together to inhibit their separation from one another. Preferably the lock includes a bolt and a receiver. Preferably the bolt is in the form of a boss disposed on the circumferential face. The arrangement is such that the boss is adapted to be received in a cooperating recess in a wall of the cooperating socket. [022] Optionally the vehicle electrical connector portion includes a drum-shaped plug body including an end face disposed at the first end, and a circumferential face extending between the end face and the intermediate portion. Optionally the end face of the vehicle electrical connector portion includes a plurality of axially-extending recessed or socket terminals for receiving pin terminals disposed on a cooperating electrical connector. [023] Preferably there are five recessed or socket terminals and two locating recesses. Preferably one recessed or socket terminal is a centre terminal and is disposed substantially at a centre of the end face. Preferably the other recessed or socket terminals are disposed radially outwardly from the centre terminal. [024] Optionally the vehicle electrical connector portion includes a drum-shaped plug body in the form of an annular wall housing disposed about a plurality of pin terminals. In this optional embodiment a central locating terminal is provided in the form of a socket terminal. The pin terminals extend axially and are disposed radially about the central locating terminal. [025] Optionally the vehicle connector portion includes one or more laterally-disposed guide walls arranged to house a plurality of pin terminals, themselves disposed in a row. Preferably in this arrangement there are seven pin terminals. [026] According to another aspect there is provided an automotive trailer light apparatus including: a device board including a plurality of lights; 6 a multi-strand electrical cable electrically connected to the lights, the multi-strand electrical cable extending from the device board; a five-pin device plug electrically connected to the cable and disposed at its end; and a unitary automotive electrical adaptor plug in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 14, the unitary automotive electrical adaptor and device plug detachably connected to and electrically connected with one another. [027] The arrangement is such that the device electrical connector is unable to connect to a known vehicle electrical socket. [028] Preferably the device electrical connector is a socket adapted to cooperate with the first electrical connector described herein. [029] The arrangement is such that, in preferred embodiments, the device electrical connector connects to the first electrical connector of the unitary automotive electrical adaptor plug which then connects to the vehicle-mounted connector so that the device board is powered by a vehicle electrical system. [030] The device electrical connector may be male or female - with pin terminals or socket terminals and with plug bodies or annular walls. [031] Advantageously, preferred embodiments of the present invention facilitate the electrical device connecting to various kinds of vehicle-mounted sockets while reducing electrical losses associated with long and heavy adaptors. Adopting a unitary body for the adaptor plug reduces the storage size so it can be conveniently stored in a glove box of a vehicle, it is more robust than other adaptor solutions and can be produced for a lower cost. Furthermore, the first electrical connector is a small plug and can be produced at a lower cost than other plug items. The first electrical connector is not a commercially off the-shelf item and can be reduced in size since it is not constrained by the dimensions of the existing plugs and sockets. [032] In accordance with yet another aspect there is provided an automotive trailer light apparatus in kit form, the kit including: a board including a plurality of lights; a multi-strand electrical cable electrically connected to the lights and extending from the board; a five-pin device electrical connector electrically connected to the cable and disposed at the end of the multi-strand electrical cable for detachably plugging into a unitary automotive electrical adaptor plug; and 7 a unitary automotive electrical adaptor plug according to any one of claims 1 to 14 adapted to detachably connect to the device electrical connector at one end and including a vehicle electrical connector portion adapted for detachable electrical connection of services to a vehicle-mounted connector at the other end. [033] Preferably two or more unitary automotive electrical adaptor plugs are provided in the kit of parts to detachably connect to the device electrical connector at the vehicle end wherein the two or more vehicle electrical connector portions of the unitary automotive electrical adaptor plugs each include terminal layouts of different types so as to plug into different vehicle electrical connectors at the vehicle end. Brief Description of the drawings [034] In order to enable a clearer understanding, the technology will now be further explained with reference to optional embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings in which: [035] Figure 1 is an isometric view of a unitary vehicle electrical adaptor plug according to one embodiment of the invention shown from the second end and above; [036] Figure 2 is an isometric view of the unitary vehicle electrical adaptor plug of Figure 1 shown from the first end and above; [037] Figure 3 is a plan view of the unitary vehicle electrical adaptor plug of Figure 1; [038] Figure 4 is an isometric view of another unitary vehicle electrical adaptor plug according to another embodiment of the invention shown from the second end and above; [039] Figure 5 is an isometric view of the unitary vehicle electrical adaptor plug of Figure 4; [040] Figure 6 is a plan view of the unitary vehicle electrical adaptor plug of Figure 4; [041] Figure 7 is a plan view from below of the unitary vehicle electrical adaptor plug of Figure 4 shown from below; [042] Figure 8 is an isometric view of a unitary vehicle electrical adaptor plug according to yet another embodiment of the invention shown from a second end and above; [043] Figure 9 is an isometric view of the unitary vehicle electrical adaptor plug of Figure 8 shown from the first end and above; [044] Figure 10 is a plan view of the unitary vehicle electrical adaptor plug of Figure 8; 8 [045] Figure 11 is a plan view of the unitary vehicle electrical adaptor plug of Figure 8 shown from below; [046] Figure 12 is an isometric view of an electrical connector and cable for cooperating with a first end of the unitary vehicle electrical adaptor plug of Figures 1 - 11; [047] Figure 13 is an isometric view of the electrical connector and cable of Figure 12 shown from behind and above; [048] Figure 14 is an end elevation view of the electrical connector of Figure 12; [049] Figure 15 is an isometric view of an electrical device in the form of a trailer light board, being a component of an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Description [050] In this specification like numerals denote like parts, so that the numbering system may number an item (say, 5 and 105) which will denote similar parts of different embodiments. [051] Referring to the drawings there is shown a unitary vehicle electrical adaptor plug generally indicated at 10. The unitary automotive electrical adaptor plug 10 includes a main body 12 which includes an integral first electrical connector portion 14 adapted for electrical connection of electrical services of an electrical device 40 at a first end 25 and extending therefrom. The unitary automotive electrical adaptor plug 10 also includes a vehicle electrical connector portion 16 adapted for electrical connection of services to a vehicle-mounted connector (not shown) integral with the main body 12 and disposed at a second end 27 thereof. The main body 12 also includes an intermediate body portion 18 disposed between the first electrical connector portion 14 and the second vehicle electrical connector portion 16. [052] The intermediate body portion 18 includes a grip portion 20. The grip portion 20 includes grip recesses 22 and/or bosses 24 for facilitating a user grip on the main body 12. The grip recesses 22 and/or bosses 24 are disposed at an angle to facilitate longitudinal grip on the main body 12. [053] The grip portion also includes one or more flanges 26 for facilitating user grip on the main body 12 to remove or connect the unitary automotive adaptor plug 10 from or to the vehicle-mounted connector (not shown). [054] In the embodiments shown in Figures 1 - 7 the grip portion is a generally barrel shaped body portion 28 to unify the adaptor main body 12. In the embodiment shown in 9 Figures 8 - 11 the grip portion includes a generally delta shaped or frusto-triangular portion to unify the adaptor main body 12. [055] The first electrical connector portion 14 includes a plug portion 50 for insertion into a cooperating socket 30 of the electrical device 40. The plug portion 50 includes a drum shaped plug portion body 52 having an end face 54 disposed at a first end 56, and a circumferential face 58 extending between the end face 54 and the intermediate body portion 18. [056] The end face 54 of the first electrical connector portion 14 includes a plurality of axially-extending socket terminals 60 set into the end face 54 for receiving pin terminals 32 disposed on the cooperating electrical socket 30. There are five socket terminals 60 set into the end face 54. One socket terminal 55 is a centre terminal and is disposed substantially at a centre of the end face 54. The other socket terminals are also set into the end face and extend axially and are disposed radially outwardly from the centre terminal. There may be provided two, three, four, six, eight, nine or ten socket terminals 60 set into the end face 54. [057] There is provided a locator 70 on the drum-shaped plug portion body 52 for locating the drum-shaped plug portion body 52 relative to the cooperating socket 30 to facilitate the insertion of one into the other. The locator is a keyway 72 disposed on the circumferential face 58 for cooperating with a ridge 34 in the socket 30. The locator 70 inhibits misalignment. [058] There is provided a lock 80 for locking the plug portion body 52 and cooperating socket 30 together to inhibit their separation from one another. The lock includes a bolt 82 and a receiver 84. The bolt 82 is in the form of a boss 83 disposed on the circumferential face 58. The arrangement is such that the boss 83 is adapted to be received in a cooperating recess 85 in a wall 31 of the cooperating socket 30. [059] In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 - 3 the vehicle electrical connector portion 16 is designed to comply with Australian Standard (AS) number AS2513 and includes a drum-shaped plug body 90 including an end face 92 disposed at the second end 94, and a circumferential face 96 extending between the end face 92 and the intermediate portion 18. The end face 92 of the vehicle electrical connector portion 16 includes a plurality of axially-extending socket terminals 98 in a first terminal layout for receiving pin terminals 99 disposed on a cooperating vehicle electrical connector (not shown). There are five socket terminals 98 and two locating recesses 97. One socket terminal 95 is a centre terminal 93 and is disposed substantially at a centre of the end face 92. The other socket terminals 98 are disposed radially outwardly from the centre terminal 93.

10 [060] Further for this embodiment there is provided a locator 45 on the drum-shaped plug body 90 for locating the drum-shaped plug body relative to the cooperating vehicle mounted connector socket (not shown) to facilitate the insertion of the drum-shaped plug body into the cooperating vehicle-mounted connector socket (not shown). The locator 45 is a key 46 disposed on the circumferential face. [061] In the embodiments shown at Figures 4 - 7 the vehicle electrical connector portion 116 is also designed to comply with AS2513 and includes a drum-shaped plug body 190 in the form of an annular wall housing 191 disposed about a plurality of pin terminals 199 in a second terminal layout. In this embodiment a central locating terminal is provided in the form of a socket terminal 198. The pin terminals 199 extend axially and are disposed radially about the central locating socket terminal 198. [062] For this embodiment (Figs 4 - 7) the locator 145 is an axially-extending break 147 in the annular wall housing 191. [063] In yet another embodiment shown in Figures 8 - 11 the vehicle connector portion 216 is also designed to comply with AS2513 and includes one or more laterally-disposed guide walls 291 in a third terminal layout, the terminal layout arranged to house a plurality of pin terminals 299, themselves disposed in a row. In this arrangement there are seven pin terminals 299. [064] As shown in Figures 12 to 15 there is provided an electrical device 65 which includes a device board 67 including a plurality of lights 69. There is a multi-strand electrical cable 63 electrically connected to the lights 69, the multi-strand electrical cable 63 extending from the device board 67. The electrical device 65 also includes the electrical connector 30 which is adapted for detachably plugging into the various electrical adaptor plugs at 14. [065] The device electrical connector 30 is a socket adapted to cooperate with the first electrical connector 14, having pin terminals 99 housed by an annular wall 31. The device electrical connector 30 is arranged so as not to fit into a known vehicle electrical services socket. [066] The arrangement is such that, in preferred embodiments, the device electrical connector connects to the first electrical connector of the unitary automotive electrical adaptor plug which then connects to the vehicle-mounted connector so that the device board is powered by a vehicle electrical system. [067] Advantageously, preferred embodiments of the present invention facilitate the electrical device connecting to various kinds of vehicle-mounted sockets while reducing 11 electrical losses associated with long and heavy adaptors. Adopting a unitary body for the adaptor plug reduces the storage size so it can be conveniently stored in a glove box of a vehicle, it is more robust than other adaptor solutions and can be produced for a lower cost. Furthermore, the first electrical connector is a small plug and can be produced at a lower cost than other plug items. The first electrical connector and its cooperating plug body portion are not commercially off-the-shelf items and thus they can be reduced in size since they are not constrained by the dimensions of the existing plugs and sockets. [068] Furthermore, the advantages of preferred embodiments of the present invention include a reduction in the amount of retail space required to display and store a full range of electrical devices or Trailer Light Boards or TLBs. Normally, TLBs are designed in a range of width sizes, including telescoping TLBs. Since there are several TLBs and several different vehicle plugs for each one, carrying, stocking and displaying a full range of TLBs can involve a large number of TLBs and a large amount of warehouse space and a large amount of retail display space. [069] The five pin plug 30 of preferred embodiments of the present invention is advantageously small and light and this assists in reducing the likelihood of wobbling loose in the tough vibration-rich automotive environment. This will reduce the likelihood of a disconnection of the vehicle electrical supply to the TLB. The lock will 83/85 will more likely stay together because of the small nature of the five-pin plug 30 and its cooperating socket 14/114/214 etc. [070] Advantageously, the preferred embodiment of the kit form of the present invention will be a pack of elements including the device board or TLB 67, the cable 63, the plug 30 and a blister pack of unitary automotive electrical adaptor plugs such as 10, 110, 210 wherein the terminal arrangements at the vehicle connector end are of different types so as to fit different automotive connector plugs. This will reduce the inventory required of a retailer and the flexibility of the kit arrangement. [071] The device shown in the Figures can be provided in a kit form, and the kit would comprise one adaptor plug 10 from one of the embodiments, one board 67, one cable 63 and a socket 30. [072] The word 'comprising' and forms of the word 'comprising' as used in this description do not limit the invention claimed to exclude any variants or additions. [073] Modifications and improvements to the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such modifications and improvements are intended to be within the scope of this invention.

Claims (5)

1. A unitary automotive electrical adaptor plug for connecting an electrical device to a vehicle, the unitary automotive electrical adaptor plug including: a main body including an integral electrical connector portion at a first end and an integral vehicle electrical connector portion at a second end, and an intermediate body portion disposed between the integral electrical connector portion and the integral vehicle electrical connector portion; the integral electrical connector portion extending from the intermediate body portion and adapted for electrical connection of electrical services to an electrical device, the integral electrical connector portion including a terminal arrangement having a plurality of terminals, the electrical connector portion detachably connectable to a cooperating electrical connector associated with the electrical device; and the integral vehicle electrical connector portion adapted for detachable electrical connection of electrical services to a vehicle-mounted electrical connector; the integral electrical connector portion including a plug portion for insertion into a cooperating socket of the electrical device, the plug portion including an end face disposed at the first end, and a peripheral face extending between the end face and the intermediate body portion; wherein a lock is provided for locking the plug portion and cooperating socket together to inhibit their separation from one another, the lock being in the form of a boss disposed on the peripheral face, such that the boss is adapted to be received in a cooperating recess in a wall of the cooperating socket.

2. The unitary automotive electrical adaptor plug in accordance with claim 1 wherein the intermediate body portion includes a grip portion including grip recesses for facilitating a user grip on the main body.

3. The unitary automotive electrical adaptor plug in accordance with claim 2 wherein the grip recesses are disposed at an angle to facilitate longitudinal grip on the main body.

4. The unitary automotive electrical adaptor plug in accordance with claim 2 or 3, the grip portion also including one or more flanges extending from the intermediate body portion for facilitating user grip on the main body. 13

5. The unitary automotive electrical adaptor plug in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 4 further including a locator on the drum-shaped plug body for locating the drum-shaped plug body relative to the cooperating socket to facilitate the insertion of the drum-shaped plug body into the cooperating socket, the locator being in the form of a key or keyway disposed on the circumferential face.