AU642559B2

AU642559B2 - Trailer plug switch

Info

Publication number: AU642559B2
Application number: AU88311/91A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Tibor Biacsi
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-12-04
Filing date: 1991-12-02
Publication date: 1993-10-21
Anticipated expiration: 2011-12-02
Also published as: AU8831191A

Description

40014 GEH:PFB 4 2 5 5 9 P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

ease*# 9 9 TIBOR IACSI Actual Inventor-

TIBORBIACSI

Address for Service: 99 COLLISON CO.,117 King William Street, Adelaide, S.A. 5000 Invention Title: TRAILER PLUG SWITCH Details of Associated Provisional Applications: AUSTRALIAN Patent Application No. PK3714 dated 4th December 1990 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of perorming it known to me: including the best method of performing it known to me: This invention relates to a trailer plug switch, more particularly to the conversion of the electrical connection between a motor vehicle and a trailed vehicle from a 7 point facility to a 5 point facility.

Many vehicle owners have various types of trailed vehicles, such as trailers, caravans, boat trailers and the like, and some of these require a 7 pin electrical connection to the vehicle and others a 5 pin connection.

1 0 It is known to the applicant that there is currently available an adaptor for conversion from a 7 pin base on the vehicle to a 5 pin plug on the trailer.

ooi This adaptor consists of a separate harness with male and female attachments which requires plugging into the electrical circuit between the ease*: 1* towing vehicle and the trailer. However, there is no ready-made device 5 available for conversion from a 7 pin base to a 5 pin plug through some form S of switching device, and motorists requiring both a 7 pin base and a 5 pin base must either improvise or install two separate bases on the towing S 0 vehicle. Improvisation is generally by means of a connecting loom plugged into the circuit between the towing vehicle and the trailer, the construction of which requires a working knowledge of automotive electrical circuit.

oo°°o Thus it is an object of this invention to provide a simple means for converting a 7 pin plug into a 5 pin plug on the towing vehicle so that the towing vehicle can tow a towed vehicle which is wired for either a 5 or 7 pin facility.

Thus there is provided according to the invention a convertor switch to S" convert the output on the wiring of a towing vehicle from a 7 pin configuration tco a 5 pin configuration, said convertor switch having means to receive the 7 pin wiring configuration of the towing vehicle and means to connect to a 7 pin plug on the towing vehicle, and also having means to receive either a 7 pin socket or a 5 pin socket on the towed vehicle, characterised in that the convertor switch is a two position switch which in a first position provides a 7 pin configuration to a 7 pin socket on the towing vehicle, and in a second position provides a 5 pin configuration to the plug on the towing vehicle, so that on a 5 pi., socket being attached to the 7 pin plug on the vehicle the correct electrical connection is made for the 5 pin wiring configuration.

3 In a preferred form of the invention the convertor switch is a two position rotary cam switch.

In order to more fully describe the invention reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:- FIG 1 shows a 7 pin trailer plug configuration, FIG 2 shows a 5 pin trailer plug configuration, and FIG 3 shows the switching configuration.

.oooo As shown in Fig 1 the seven pins are connected as indicated, that is in the following configuration: 1- left indicator, 2- reverse signal, 3- earth, 4- right S1 5 indicator, 5- service brake and 7 tail lights.

In the 5 pin configuration, there are no connections for a reversing signal, and for service brakes, and thus only 5 connections have to be made. Fig 2 illustrates the connections for the 5 pin configuration as follows:- 1 and 4 are 20 open circuit, 2- left indicator, 3- earth, 5- right indicator, 6- brake light and 7 Stail lights.

Thus it will be seen that pins 3, 6 and 7 have the same connections in both configurations.

When converting from a 7 pin configuration to a 5 pin configuration, pin 1 has to be connected to pin 2 and pin 1 thus becomes open, and pin 4 has to be switched to pin 5 and pin 4 thus becomes open. This is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig 3 where the 7 pin wiring is shown on the IN side and the pin wiring is shown on the OUT side.

Thus it will be seen that during the switching the pin 2 in the IN side becomes open circuit and also pin 5 on the IN side also is open circuit..

The switch is wired in-line with a standard 7 pin base but is a totally separate component which can be mounted anywhere on the vehicle according to individual preference. It is used with a standard 5 pin plug or 7 pin plug on the towed trailer and interconnected terminals within the switch determine whether the current flows through the 7 pin circuit or the 5 pin circuit depending on the selected setting of the switch.

The rear of the switch would be clearly marked for the wiring hook-up, the vehicle wiring being colnnected to the IN terminals and the OUT terminals are wired to the base of the 7 pin base on the vehicle. For ease of wiring each pin is numbered according to the 7 pin code and colour coded. The switch is a two position rotary cam switch, and the switch then correctly connects the respective terminals for the selected trailer connected, either a 1 0 7 pin circuit or a 5 pin circuit, in this way it will be seen that by the installation of the switch on the towing vehicle, the towing vehicle can be used to tow a trailer irrespective of whether the trailer is wired in the 7 pin or 5 pin configuration. The switch can be mounted anywhere on the vehicle, Sand can be designed for side entry at the rear for ease of wiring, and also may be flush mounted thereby avoiding any restriction to space and external protrusions conducive to accidental damage. Also by the use of a universal mounting bracket, the switch can be mounted either vertical or horizontal, and also side mountino is also possible.

Thus it will be seen that there is provided according to the invention a switch S which can be mounted on a towing vehicle to readily convert that vehicle to 0 be able to tow a trailed vehicle which is wired to either, a 7 pin or 5 pin wiring configuration, and although one form of the invention has been described in some detail the invention is not to be limited thereto, but can include modifications and variations falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

9 9 9

Claims

1. A convertor switch to convert the output on the wiring of a towing vehicle from a 7 pin configuration to a 5 pin configuration, said convertor switch having means to receive the 7 pin wiring configuration of the towing vehicle and means to connect to a 7 pin plug on the towing vehicle, and with the 7 pin plug having means to receive either a 7 pin socket or a 5 pin socket on the towed vehicle, characterised in that the convertor switch is a two position switch which in a first position provides a 7 pin configuration to a 7 1 0 pin plug on the towing vehicle, and in a second position provides a 5 pin configuration to the 7 pin plug on the towing vehicle, so that on a 5 pin socket being attached to the 7 pin plug on the vehicle the correct electrical connection is made for the 5 pin wiring configuration. 1 5

2. A convertor switch as defined in claim 1 wherein the switch is a two position rotary cam switch.

3. A convertor switch as defined in claim 2 wherein in referring to figure 3 to convert from a 7 pin configuration IN pins 2 and 5 become open circuit, IN pin 1 is switched to OUT pin 2, and OUT pin 1 becomes open circuit, IN pin 4 is switched to OUT pin 5 and OUT pin 4 becomes open circuit, and IN pins 3, 6 and 7 and remain connected respectively to OUT pins 3,6 and 7.

4. A convertor switch to convert a 7 pin wiring configuration to a 5 pin 25 wiring configuration substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings. S S Dated this 13th day of August 1993 TIBOR BIACSI By his Patent Attorneys, COLLISON CO. S *SoSS S °lA. ABSTRACT There is provided a trailer plug switch enabling the use of a trailed vehicle having either a 7 pin or 5 pin plug to be attached to a towing vehicle. The switch is attached to the towing vehicle and thus enables either a 5 pin or 7 pin plug to be attached to the towing vehicle. S• S** e S be