Abstract:
A device for electrically connecting a vehicle electrical system to the electrical system of a trailer is disclosed which automatically connects the same when the kingpin of the trailer is secured to the fifth wheel hitch of the vehicle.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a means for electrically connecting a vehicle electrical system to a trailer and more particularly to a means for electrically connecting a vehicle electrical system to a trailer by means of the hitch connection therebetween. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Trailers normally have a lighting system provided thereon for rear lights, turn signal lights and brake lights. Normally, the lights of the trailer are connected to the electrical system of the towing vehicle by means of electrical leads of the trailer being connected to electrical leads of the vehicle&#39;s electrical system. Frequently, the driver of the vehicle forgets to disconnect the leads between the trailer and vehicle electrical system and pulls the same apart as the trailer is being disconnected from the vehicle hitch. Further, sometimes the electrical leads of the trailer lights become inadvertently disconnected from the electrical leads of the vehicle electrical system. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 8,038,181 a means is disclosed for electrically connecting a truck electrical system to a trailer electrical system by way of the fifth wheel hitch structure thereof. The instant invention represents an improved way of electrically connecting the truck electrical system to the trailer electrical system by way of the fifth wheel hitch structure. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key aspects or essential aspects of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, this Summary is not intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     A means is disclosed for electrically connecting a vehicle electrical system to a trailer electrical system. The trailer has a forward end and a rearward end. The trailer has a generally horizontally disposed slider plate having a forward end, a rearward end an upper surface and a lower surface, mounted on the trailer at the forward end thereof. A ring-shaped electrical contactor is positioned on the lower surface of the slider plate of the trailer. The electrical contactor is electrically connected to the trailer electrical system. A kingpin extends downwardly from the slider plate of the electrical contactor. 
     The towing vehicle has a forward end and a rearward end with the vehicle having an electrical system. The vehicle has a fifth wheel hitch mounted at the rearward end thereof. The fifth wheel hitch includes a slider plate having a forward end, a rearward end, an upper surface and a lower surface. The slider plate of the fifth wheel hitch has a kingpin receiving opening formed therein with forward and rearward ends. The fifth wheel hitch includes a kingpin locking structure which is positioned below the forward end of the kingpin receiving opening which is configured to lock the kingpin in the kingpin receiving opening. 
     The fifth wheel hitch includes an elongated electrical contact cartridge positioned at the forward end of the slider plate of the fifth wheel hitch. The electrical contact cartridge has an upper end. The electrical contact cartridge has a plurality of spaced-apart electrical contacts positioned therein which have upper ends positioned above the upper end of the electrical contact cartridge. The electrical contacts of the electrical contact cartridge are electrically connected to the electrical system of the vehicle. The electrical contactor is electrically connected to the electrical contacts of the electrical contact cartridge when the kingpin is locked into the kingpin receiving opening whereby the trailer electrical system is electrically connected to the vehicle electrical system. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the electrical contact cartridge is vertically movably mounted at the forward end of the slider plate of the fifth wheel hitch and is urged into an open position by a pair of springs. The electrical contact cartridge is electrically vertically movable by means of a cable which extends to a slidable handle on the fifth wheel structure. 
     It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide an improved means for electrically connecting a vehicle electrical system to a trailer electrical system. 
     It is also a principal object of the invention to provide an improved means for transferring electrical power from a vehicle electrical system to the electrical system of a trailer. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a means of the type described which is ideally suited for use with fifth wheel hitch structures. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide an improved means of the type described which does not require extensive modification of the trailer or vehicle. 
     These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified. 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of the fifth wheel mounting structure which is mounted on a pickup, truck, etc.; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the structure of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the electrical contact cartridge of this invention; 
         FIG. 4  is another perspective view of the electrical contact cartridge of this invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a partial sectional view which illustrates the electrical contact cartridge in its lowered position; 
         FIG. 6  is a partial sectional view illustrating the electrical contact cartridge in its upper position; 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of the electrical contact structure which is positioned at the forward end of the trailer; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the electrical contacts which surround the kingpin of the trailer; 
         FIG. 9  is a partial side sectional view illustrating the electrical contact structure which is secured to the forward end of the trailer; 
         FIG. 10  is a partial side sectional view illustrating the kingpin structure of the trailer being moved into position with respect to the vehicle fifth wheel hitch; and 
         FIG. 11  is a view similar to  FIG. 10  except that the kingpin structure of the trailer has been moved into its locked position with respect to the fifth wheel structure of the vehicle. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Embodiments are described more fully below with reference to the accompanying figures, which form a part hereof and show, by way of illustration, specific exemplary embodiments. These embodiments are disclosed in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. However, embodiments may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense in that the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims. 
     The numeral  10  refers to a fifth wheel structure which is mounted in the bed of a truck  11  which is designed to have a trailer secured thereto. Structure  10  includes a generally horizontally disposed plate  12  which may have an inclined rearward end  14  and a forward end  16 . Plate  12  has a U-shaped opening or seat  18  formed therein with a kingpin locking structure  20  being positioned below the plate  12  in conventional fashion. For purposes of description, structure  10  will be described as having a rearward end  22  and a forward end  24 . Structure  10  includes a mounting housing  26  upon which the plate  12  is mounted. To this point, the structure  10  is conventional. 
     An inverted channel member  28  is secured to housing  26  by bolts  30  and has a top wall  32 . Top wall  32  has a rectangular opening  34  formed therein. A vertically disposed rectangular support  36  comprised of an electrically insulated material is positioned below opening  34  and is secured to top wall  32  by screws  37 . Support  36  includes walls  38 ,  40 ,  42  and  44 . A plate  46  closes a portion of the lower open end of support  36  and is secured thereto by screws  48 . Plate  46  has a slot or opening  50  formed therein. 
     The numeral  52  refers to an electrically insulative cartridge or block member which is generally vertically movably mounted in opening  34  and support  36 . The cartridge  52  is vertically slidably received by support  36  and is movable between upper and lower positions. Cartridge  52  includes an upper end  54 , side walls  56  and  58 , end walls  60  and  62 , and a lower end  64 . The lower end  64  of cartridge  52  has a pair of notches or cut-outs  66  and  68  formed therein which define a pair of spaced-apart ears  70  and  72  having openings  74  and  76  formed therein respectively. A pair of spaced-apart openings  78  and  80  extend upwardly into cartridge  52  from the lower end thereof which are configured to receive the upper ends of springs  82  and  84  therein respectively. The lower ends of springs  82  and  84  engage the upper surface of plate  46 , as seen in  FIG. 5 . 
     A plurality of spaced-apart openings or bores  86  extend downwardly into the upper end  54  of cartridge  52 . An electrical contact member  88  is positioned in each of the openings  86  so that the upper ends thereof protrude upwardly from upper end  54  of cartridge  52 . An electrical lead  90  extends from each of the contact members  88  with the leads  90  being enclosed in a flexible conduit or insulated tube  92  which extends from the cartridge  52 . The upper end of cable  94  is positioned between the ears  70  and  72  and is secured thereto by a pin  96  which is positioned in openings  74  and  76  of ears  70  and  72  and which extends through the loop  98  of cable  94 . Cable  94  extends downwardly from the pin  96  and through the slot  50  in plate  46  as seen in  FIG. 6 . 
     The numeral  100  refers to a sheave support which is secured to the lower side of plate  46  by screws  102 . A sheave or pulley  104  is rotatably mounted in support  100  as seen in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . Cable  94  extends around sheave  104  as seen in  FIG. 6  and extends generally horizontally therefrom. The end of cable  94  is connected to a pivotal arm  106 , the upper end of which is pivotally secured to housing  26  at  108 . As seen in  FIGS. 1 and 5 , cable  94  is secured to arm  106  between the upper and lower ends thereof. One end of cable  110  is connected to the lower end of arm  106  and extends therefrom. The other end of cable  110  is secured to a handle  112  at  114 . Handle  112  is horizontally slidably mounted in housing  26  as seen in  FIG. 2 . 
     The numeral  116  refers to a kingpin support which is provided at the forward end of the trailer. Kingpin support  116  includes a plate  118 , sometimes referred to as a slider plate, which is secured to the lower forward end of the support  116  in conventional fashion and has four screw openings  120  formed therein. Plate  118  has a central opening  122  formed therein through which extends a conventional kingpin  124  which is slidably received by housing  26  and locked therein by the kingpin locking structure  20  in conventional fashion. 
     The numeral  126  refers to an electrical contact support plate which has a central opening  128  formed therein. A channel  130  extends from opening  128  as seen in  FIG. 7 . Plate  126  has four screw openings  132  formed therein. Plate  126  is positioned at the lower side of plate  118  and is secured thereto by screws  134  extending through screw openings  132  in plate  126  and into screw openings  120  in plate  118 . Plate  126  is comprised of an electrical insulative material. 
     A flat ring-shaped electrical contactor  136  having a central opening  138  is positioned in the opening  128  of plate  126 . Contactor  136  is secured to plate  126  by press-fitting or by an adhesive. Lead  140  extends from the contactor  136  through channel  130  to the electrical system of the trailer. Contactor  136  includes a plurality of electrical contact wires  142  which are mounted on the underside of an electrical insulator  144  to insulate the wires  142  from the fifth wheel structure. Contactor  136  is held in place by a ring  146  which is constructed of electrical insulative material. Ring  146  has a plurality of screw openings  148  formed therein which receive screws  150  extending upwardly therethrough for reception by the screw openings  152  in plate  118 . As seen, the contact wires  142  protrude downwardly from the lower side of the contactor  136 . Ring  146  is secured to contactor  136  by press-fitting or by an adhesive. 
     When the trailer is disconnected from the fifth wheel structure  10  of the vehicle, the electrical system of the trailer will be without power. When the trailer is disconnected from the vehicle, the handle  112  will normally be in its extended position so that cartridge  52  will be in its lower position, as seen in  FIG. 5 , so that the upper ends of the contactor  88  will be positioned below the top wall  32  of the inverted channel member  28 . 
     As the trailer is being connected to the vehicle fifth wheel structure  10 , as seen in  FIG. 10 , the wires  142  will not be initially in engagement with any portion of the fifth wheel structure  10  ( FIG. 10 ). 
     When the kingpin  124  has been positioned in the forward end of opening  18  and locked therein by the locking structure  20 , the electrical wires  142  will not be in engagement with the contacts  88 . The handle  112  is then slidably moved inwardly to release the tension in cable  94  so that springs  82  and  84  will yieldably urge cartridge  52  to its upper position of  FIG. 11  so that the contacts  88  will be in engagement with the wires  142  thereby causing electrical power from the vehicle electrical system to be supplied to the electrical system of the trailer. The contacts  88  remain in electrical contact with the wires  142  even if the trailer pivotally moves laterally, upwardly or downwardly with respect to the fifth wheel structure  10 . 
     Thus, it can be seen that the invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives. 
     Although the invention has been described in language that is specific to certain structures and methodological steps, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific structures and/or steps described. Rather, the specific aspects and steps are described as forms of implementing the claimed invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be practiced without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.