AU2007200862B2 - A trailer connector - Google Patents

Description

1 P/00/011 Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant: LOCMAC HOLDINGS PTY LTD Actual Inventor(s): ADAM MIDDLETON and LACHLAN McGILLIVRAY Address for Service: INTELLEPRO Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys Level 7 102 Adelaide Street BRISBANE, QLD, 4000 (GPO Box 1339, BRISBANE, 4001) Invention Title: A TRAILER CONNECTOR Details of Associated Australian Patent Application No 2006900996 Provisional Application(s) No(s): filed 28 February 2006. The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 2 A TRAILER CONNECTOR THIS INVENTION relates to a trailer connector for connecting electrical circuits between a trailer and a vehicle. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 5 In use, trailers are coupled to and towed behind a vehicle. They obscure the turn signals, tail lights and brake signals of the towing vehicles. Government regulations require trailers to provide visual indications of the turn signals, tail lights and brake signals. Some trailers may have an electrical component such as an electric brake which requires power either from a battery or from a towing vehicle. The battery 10 is charged by power of the towing vehicle. A trailer connector is used to connect the electrical circuits providing the turn signals, tail lights and brake signals, and, for some trailers , power to corresponding electric circuits in a trailer. For safety reasons, the trailer circuits should be checked to make sure that they are operational when a trailer is coupled and electrically connected to a towing 15 vehicle. To check the trailer circuits when no other person is available, a person must switch each of the left and right turn indicators, and running lights in turn and then walk to the rear of the trailer to see if the turn indicators and the lights are operational. As brake signals are on only when the brake pedal is pressed, a heavy object must be used to maintain the brake pedal in the pressed position so that the brake signals can 20 be checked. Dirty contacts or deformed pin contacts in a trailer connector or breaks in the electric circuits may cause the trailer lights not to operate properly. If the circuit providing power to charge a battery in the trailer fails, the battery would soon be 3 depleted and the electric brake would then fail to operate. Prior art trailer connectors generally have a hollow body for accommodating a contact terminal block at one end thereof and wires connected to the electric circuits in a vehicle or trailer are inserted through the other end thereof. Thus, for connection 5 the terminal block must be removed from said one end and the wires must be inserted through said other end and out of said one end. When the wires are connected to the contacts, the connected terminal block is inserted into said one end. This connection process is cumbersome and sometimes cause cross wiring due to incorrect connection sequence. 10 OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a trailer connector which alleviates or reduces to a certain level one or more of the above disadvantages. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect therefore the present invention resides in a trailer connector for 15 connecting electrical circuits between a trailer and a vehicle. The connector comprises a body having a first body member and a second body member releaseably securable to the first body member, and a terminal block end formed integrally with the first or second body member. The first and second body members are configured to, when secured together, form a chamber in the body and an open end in communication 20 with the chamber. The terminal end is configured with a number of apertures for receiving electric contacts for connection to said electrical circuits. The connector further comprises a visual indication arrangement for indicating operational states of the electric circuits. The first and second body members are separable for providing 4 access for connecting electric wires of a cable to the corresponding contacts in the terminal end, and thereafter securable together to form said chamber with the cable arranged therein and extending through said open end. The indication arrangement is arranged to provide a visual indication for the operational state of each electric circuit 5 connected by the cable. The terminal end may include a contact terminal block configured with through apertures for receiving corresponding contacts. The contact terminal may also have an inner end adjacent to the chamber. The inner end may be configured with recesses for accessing respective connection ends of the contacts. Preferably, the connection ends 10 are arranged in staggered groups terminating in different planes which extend into the chamber so that wire connections can be made at the connection ends. It is preferred that the terminal end is formed integrally with the first body member. In preference, the indication arrangement has a switch arranged to selectively 15 switch off the visual indications. The indication arrangement may have light emission diodes (LEDs) connected to corresponding contacts for providing said visual indications. The indication arrangement may be on said first or second body member or a mounting flange fixed to or formed integrally with said body. A cable gland may be arranged at said open end to clamp said cable. The cable 20 gland may have an inner gland part arranged for receiving said cable in said open end and an outer gland part arranged for securing to said open end and compressing the inner gland part to clamp said cable. Preferably, said open end has an external thread and the outer gland part has a compatible inner thread for threadedly securing to the 5 open end. The connecter may have a lid for closing the apertures in said terminal end. The lid may be spring biassed to close said terminal end. Desirably, the body is formed with a hand grip section for handling in 5 connecting and disconnecting of the connector. Preferably, the hand grip section is configured to be relatively larger and shaped for a user to position fingers thereabout while removing the connector. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In order that the present invention can be more readily understood and be put '10 into practical effect reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the trailer connector according to the present invention; Figure 2 is an exploded view showing the components of the connector shown 15 in Figure 1; Figure 3 is perspective view with the second body member removed to reveal the connections of the contacts and the LED circuit board; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the trailer connector according to the present invention; 20 Figure 5 is perspective view with the second body member removed to reveal the connections of the LED wires to the contacts; Figures 6 is a rear perspective of the mounting flange provided with the LED circuit board of the visual indication arrangement of the connector shown in Figure 4; 6 Figures 7 is a front perspective of the mounting flange shown in Figure 6; Figure 8 shows the first and second body members of the connector shown in Figure 4; Figure 9 shows a switch for the visual indication arrangement of the connector 5 shown in Figure 4; Figure 10 is a perspective exploded view of a gland member; Figure 11 is a perspective view of a circuit board with LEDs mounted thereon; Figure 12 is a perspective view of a push button for the switch shown in Figure 9; 10 Figure 13 is a perspective view of a mounting flange of the connector shown in Figure 4; Figure 14 are perspective views of a cover and the components for pivotally fixing the cover to the mounting flange shown in Figure 13; Figure 15 shows a connector assembly having the connectors shown in Figures 15 1 and 4 arranged for interconnecting electric circuits in a vehicle and electric circuits in a trailer; and Figure 16 is a circuit diagram of circuit elements on the circuit board of the visual indication arrangement. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 20 Referring to the drawings and initially to Figure 1 there is shown a first embodiment of the trailer connector 10 according to the present invention. The connector 10 has a body 12 formed of a first body member 14 and a second body member 16 which is releaseably secured to the first body member 14 by means of 7 screws or bolts (not shown) in the aligned holes 18 and 20. The body 12 has an integrally formed contact terminal 22 arranged at one end thereof and a through opening 24 (see Figures 2 and 3) at its opposite end. The opening 24 leads to a chamber 26 in the body 12 as shown in Figures 2 and 3. A cable gland 30 is provided 5 at said opposite end for clamping a cable (not shown) for connecting electric circuits from a trailer. The body 12 has an enlarged hand grip section 17 for handling while connecting and disconnecting the connector 10. A visual indication arrangement 28 is provided for indicating continuity of the 10 electric circuits. As shown, the indication arrangement 28 has a set of LEDs 32 to 42 mounted on a circuit board 44 in said chamber 26 and exposed through a set of corresponding apertures 46 in the first body member 14. The LEDs 32 to 42 are connected to terminal contacts 48 to 58 for respective electric circuits for the left turn indicator, an auxiliary circuit, the right turn indicator, the electric brake (where fitted), 15 the stop lamps and the tail lamps. The ground contact 60 is connected through a toggle switch 62 (see Figure 16) to ground. The contacts 48 to 60 are arranged in groups terminating in different planes. A first group comprising the contacts 48, 50, 52 and 58 terminates in a plane furthest from the chamber 26. A second group comprising the contacts 54 and 56 terminates in a plane closest to the chamber 26. The ground 20 contact 60 terminates in plane between the above mentioned groups. The staggered arrangement of the contacts allow easy access to the contact connections. The LEDs are energised only when currents pass from the contacts 48 to 58 to the respective LEDs and return to ground through the contact 60. Thus, the LEDs serve to provide 8 an indication of the operation state of each of the electric circuits connected to the contacts 48 to 58. The contacts as shown are female contacts for a pin type male contacts. Contacts of any contact type can be employed. The switch 62 is actuable by a push button 64 to an operational state or an off state. 5 Each of the body members 14 and 16 have an integrally formed semicircle shaped protrusion parts 66/68 arranged to form the opening 24 when the members 14 and 16 are secured together. The protrusions 66/68 are also formed with internal grooves 70 and 72 for receiving respective ribs 74 and 76 on a clamping part 78 of the cable gland 30, and an external thread 80 for threadably engaging a locking part 10 82. The clamping part 78 also has an end section serrated elements 84 extending radially outwardly and with progressively increasing diameter. The locking part 82 has a curved end section 86 arranged so that when the lock part 82 is in engagement with the thread 80, advancing the locking part 82 causes the serrated elements 84 to apply an adjustably variable clamping pressure onto the cable (not shown) entering the 15 chamber 26 through the hole 88 in the clamping part 78. Accordingly, the cable gland 30 acts to clamp the cable and to provide strain relief, and to seal the opening 24 of the connector 10. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, when the second body member is separated from the first body member 14, connection ends of the contacts 48 and 60 are exposed and 20 cable wires through the opening 24 cab be easily and accurately connected to the contacts. Turning to Figure 4, this second embodiment of the connector 10 as shown has a body 12 formed of a first body member 14 and a second body member 16 which are 9 releaseably securable to each other along a longitudinal mid plane as described above. The first body member 14 has an integrally formed contact terminal block end 22 (see Figure 5) and a mounting flange 90 adjacent to one end thereof, and an integrally formed semi-circle shaped protrusion part 66 with external threads 80 thereon at its 5 opposite end. Grooves 70 and 72 are formed on the inner surface of the protrusion flange 66. Terminal contacts 48 to 60 are arranged in the terminal block 22 for connection to electric circuits as mentioned with reference to the connector 10 of the first embodiment. The contacts 48 to 60 in this embodiment are pin type contacts which extend forward of the end face of the terminal 22. The inner end of The first 10 body member 14 is configured with a recess 26A which together with a recess 26B in the second body member 16 form a chamber 26 when the body members 14 and 16 are secured or fixed to each other. The contacts 48 to 60 have inner connection ends arranged in staggered groups as described earlier and some of which extend into the recess 26A. 15 The first body member 14 as shown in Figures 4 and 5 has an orifice 92 for wires to be inserted into the recess 26A for connection to the connection ends of the contacts 48 to 60. These wires are guided in a guide track 94 along outer surface of the first body member 14 from the orifice 92 to the mounting flange 90. The mounting flange 90 has a substantially U-shaped inner flange part 96 20 formed integrally with the first body member 14 and an outer flange part 98 configured to be removably fitted about the inner flange part 96. The inner flange part has an open gap 100 leading to an enlarged central opening 102 for a compatible connector such as that shown in Figure 1 to enter into the body 12 for making connection to the 10 contacts 48 to 60. Two holes 104 and 106 are provided in the inner flange part 96 for the wires along the track 94 extend therethrough for connection to the circuit board 44 of the visual indication arrangement 28 (see Figures 6 and 7) that is fixed to the outer flange part 98. The circuit board 44 has a set of LEDs 32 to 42 mounted thereon for 5 indicating operational states of the electric circuits as described earlier. The LEDs are visible through holes 47 in the outer flange part 98. A push button64 as arranged to actuate a toggle switch 62 ( see Figures 6 and 9) for enabling and disabling the LED indications. The outer flange part 98 has a central opening 108 configured to correspond 10 to the opening 102 in the inner flange part 96 when they are fixed together. The outer flange part 98 has walls 110 which cover the periphery 112 of the inner flange part 96. Spaced lands 114 with holes 116 are provided on the inner flange part 96, and a set of corresponding number of spaced posts 118 with holes 120 are provided on the outer flange part 98 for fixing the outer flange part 98 to the inner flange part 96 by 15 means of screws through the aligned holes 116 and 120. The inner flange part 96 also has a pair of mounting holes 122 and 124 cooperating with mounting holes 126 1 nd 128 in the outer flange part 98 for mounting the connector 10 to a trailer or vehicle by means of bolts (not shown). When the outer flange part 98 is fixed to the inner flange part 96, its cylindrical 20 wall 130 around the hole 108 extends to the hole 102 in the body 12. A cover 132 is pivotally fixed to the outer flange part 98 for closing said hole 108 when the connector 10 is not in use. A pivot pin 136 is arranged to extend through a pivot hole 137 in the cover 32 into retaining holes 138 and 140 in the outer 11 flange part 98 so that the cover 132 can be moved pivotally between a closed position and an open position as shown in Figure 7. A spring 134 about a pivot pin 136 is provided for biassing the cover 132 to the closed position. Figures 9 to 14 show components of the connector 10 shown in Figure 4 in an 5 unassembled state. The cable gland 78 is as described with reference to the first embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3. Figure 15 shows a trailer connector assembly 150 having a connector 10 as shown in Figure s 1 to 3 matingly connected to the connector 10 shown in Figures 4 to 14. 10 Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative example of the present invention many variations and modifications thereto will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the broad ambit and scope of the invention as herein set forth in the following claims.

Claims (13)

1. A trailer connector for connecting electrical circuits between a trailer and a vehicle, the connector comprising a body having a first body member and a second body member releaseably securable to the first body member, and a 5 terminal block end formed integrally with the first or second body member, the first and second body members being configured to, when secured together, form a chamber in the body and an open end in communication with the chamber, the terminal block end being configured with a number of apertures for receiving electric contacts for connection to said electrical circuits, and a 10 visual indication arrangement for indicating operational states of the electric circuits, the first and second body members being separable for providing access for connecting electric wires of a cable to the corresponding contacts in the terminal block end, and thereafter securable together to form said chamber with the cable arranged therein and extending through said open end, the 15 indication arrangement being connectable with said electric circuits and being arranged to provide a visual indication of the operational state of each electric circuit connected by the cable, the terminal block end having a contact terminal block configured with through apertures for receiving corresponding contacts, the contact terminal block being configured with an inner end adjacent to the 20 chamber, the inner end being formed with recesses for accessing respective connection ends of the contacts, the connection ends being arranged in staggered groups terminating in different planes which extend into the chamber for facilitating wire connections at the connection ends.

2. The connector according to claim 1 wherein the terminal block end is 13 formed integrally with the first body member.

3. The connector according to claim 1 or 2 further comprising a switch arranged to selectively switch off the visual indications.

4. The connector according to any one of claims I to 3 wherein the 5 indication arrangement is provided on said first or second body member or a mounting flange fixed to or formed integrally with said body.

5. The connector according to claim 4 wherein the indication arrangement has light emission diodes (LEDs) connected to corresponding contacts for providing said visual indications. 10

6. The connector according to claim 5 wherein said LEDs are mounted on a printed circuit board with conductive paths adapted for connection to the corresponding contacts.

7. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein a cable gland is arranged at said open end for clamping said cable extending 15 therethrough.

8. The connector according to claim 7 wherein the cable gland has an inner gland part arranged for receiving said cable in said open end and an outer gland part arranged for securing to said open end and compressing the inner gland part to clamp said cable. 20

9. The connector according to claim 8 wherein said open end has an external thread and the outer gland part has a compatible inner thread for threadedly securing to the open end.

10. The connecter according to any one of claims 1 to 9 further comprising a lid arranged for closing the apertures in said terminal block end. 14

11. The connector according to claim 10 wherein a spring is arranged for biassing said lid to a position to close said terminal block end.

12. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the body is formed with a hand grip section configured for handling the connector while 5 connecting and disconnecting from a compatible connector.

13. The connector according to claim 12 wherein the hand grip section is configured to be relatively larger than the rest of the body and shaped for a user to position fingers thereabout while removing the connector to thereby facilitate removal of the connector. 10