Abstract:
An apparatus for safely releasing an electrical connector from a socket on the back of a cab has a handle contiguous with at least one lever and the handle has an aperture. The apparatus further has a collar pivotally attached to the handle that receives and rigidly retains the electrical connector and a pulling apparatus, such as a chain, affixed to the aperture of the handle on a first end and a trailer on a second end such that when the cab drives away from the trailer, the pulling apparatus actuates the handle and the levers exhibit a force on the collar such that the collar pulls the electrical connector from the socket.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/711,226, entitled “Apparatus and Method for Connecting an Electrical Connector,” and filed on Aug 25, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     RELATED ART  
       [0002]     A tractor-trailer typically comprises a cab attached to a trailer. A driver drives the tractor-trailer from the cab. The trailer usually comprises a housing in which goods or freight is located for transport from one place to another.  
         [0003]     The trailer is datachably coupled to the cab. In addition to connections for coupling the trailer to the cab, there are typically other types of connections between the cab and the trailer, such as, for example, a connector that receives a cable, hereinafter referred to as a “pigtail,” that supplies power from a power supply in the cab, e.g., the battery, to the trailer. Such power is necessary to supply power to brake lights, for example, or lights within the trailer for visible inspection of the freight when it is dark.  
         [0004]     When a driver has completed a job, he typically detaches the trailer from the cab and drives the cab to a different location than the trailer. Oftentimes, the driver may forget to manually disconnect the electrical connector from the cab. Thus, when the driver drives away from the trailer, the force pulls the pigtail from the connector on the cab. Such force may result in damage to the electrical connector on the cab, to the pigtail, or to the cab itself.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]     The disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily to scale relative to each other, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the disclosure. Furthermore, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.  
         [0006]      FIG. 1  depicts a tractor-trailer having an electrical connector release system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  depicts a plan view of a release device depicted in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0008]      FIG. 3  depicts a perspective view of the release device of  FIG. 1  retaining an electrical connector.  
         [0009]      FIG. 4  depicts a perspective view of the release device of  FIG. 3  inserted into an electrical socket of a cab.  
         [0010]      FIG. 5  depicts a tractor-trailer having an electrical connector release system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0011]     Embodiments of the present disclosure generally pertain to systems and methods for detaching an electrical connector of an electrical cable, such as a pigtail, from an electrical socket of a tractor-trailer cab. Particularly, an apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a lever that rests against the cab, and when the trailer is detached from the cab and the cab drives away from the trailer, the lever actuates via force applied by a chain. When the lever actuates, the lever pulls the electrical connector from the electrical socket without causing damage to the cab, the pigtail, or the electrical connector.  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  depicts a tractor-trailer  100  comprising a cab  104  and a trailer  102 . The cab  104  is electrically coupled to the trailer  102  via a pigtail  106 , although other types of electrical cables may be used in other embodiments. In this regard, the trailer  102  comprises an electrical socket (not shown) and the cab  104  comprises an electrical socket described in more detail with reference to  FIG. 4 , and the pigtail  106  electrically connects the trailer socket and the cab socket. A releasing system  150  comprising a release device  200 , a pulling apparatus  108 , and a connection device  112  automatically disconnects the pigtail  106  from the trailer socket if the distance between the cab  104  and trailer  102  reaches a threshold distance. An exemplary configuration of the system  150  will be described in more detail hereinbelow.  
         [0013]     As shown by  FIG. 1 , the release device  200  is connected to a pulling apparatus  108 , such as a chain, a cord, a rope, or the like. In the exemplary embodiment depicted by  FIGS. 1 and 3 - 5 , the pulling apparatus  108  is a chain, but other types of apparatuses may be used in other embodiments. The pulling apparatus  108  is connected to the trailer  102  via a connection device  112 . Such a connection device  112  may be any connection device known in the art. For example, the connection device  112  depicted by  FIG. 1  comprises a loop that is attached to the pulling apparatus  108 . In such an example, the apparatus  108  may have a hook that passes through the loop to secure the apparatus  108  to the loop. Alternatively, the apparatus  108  may be tied to the loop. Various other techniques of connecting the apparatus  108  to the trailer  102  are possible in other examples.  
         [0014]     In operation, if the cab  104  is detached from the trailer  102 , and a driver (not shown) pulls the cab  104  away from the trailer  102  without detaching the pigtail  106 , the release device  200  is actuated by a force caused by the apparatus  108  pulling on the release device  200  when the cab  104  pulls away from the trailer  102 , which is described in more detailer hereafter.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  depicts a release device  200  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The release device  200  is shown in a collapsed position, which will be described further hereafter.  
         [0016]     The release device  200  comprises a collar  208  and two levers  210  pivotally attached to the collar  208  via pins  206 . Each of the levers  210  comprises a portion  280  that sits against a surface, for example the surface of the cab  104 .  
         [0017]     The collar  208  has flanges  221  through which a screw  223  passes. In this regard, the collar  208  can slide over an electrical connector  202  ( FIG. 3 ), which connects the pig tail  106  to a socket on the cab  104 . The collar  208  can then be tightened snug on the connector  202  by adjusting the screw  223 .  
         [0018]     The release device  200  further has a handle  204 . The handle  204  rotates about the pins  206 , as described herein. Thus, if the portions  280  rest against a cab  104 , and the handle  204  is actuated, the levers  210  pull the connector  202  from a socket to which it is connected.  
         [0019]     The handle  204  further has an opening  214 . The opening  214  extends through the handle  204  and receives a chain or other type of pulling apparatus. Thus, if the pulling apparatus is attached to a trailer  102  and the trailer  102  remains stationery while the cab  104  moves away from the trailer  102 , then the pulling apparatus pulls the handle  204  thereby actuating the levers  210  and pulling the connector  202  from the socket of the cab.  
         [0020]      FIG. 3  depicts a release device  200  attached to an electrical connector  202 .  FIG. 3  further depicts a pigtail  106  terminated by the electrical connector  202 . As described hereinabove, the electrical connector  202  is inserted into the opening  281  ( FIG. 2 ). The collar  208  is then tightened via the screw  223 , which adjusts the ends  221  of the collar  208  as the screw  223  is tightened.  
         [0021]     As described hereinabove, the levers  210  are pivotally attached to the handle  204 . Thus, when the handle  204  is actuated in a +z direction, the levers  210  move in a −z direction rotating about the pins  206 . Therefore, the portions  280 , if situated against a surface of the cab  104 , will cause force in the +z direction of the electrical connector  202 .  
         [0022]     Furthermore, the release device  200  further comprises an aperture  214  within the handle  204  as described hereinabove. Such a handle  204  is attached to the pulling apparatus  108 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the apparatus  108  is further attached to the trailer  102  via a connector  112 . Thus, if the trailer  102  and the cab  104  are detached and the cab  104  moves away from the trailer  102 , then the apparatus  108  will pull on the handle  204  in the +z direction. When the handle  204  is pulled in such a direction, the levers  210  pivot about the pins  206 . Thus, if the portions  280  are situated against a surface, the force of the levers  210  pivoting about the pins  206  will cause the electrical connector  202  attached to the collar  208  be pulled in the +z direction.  
         [0023]      FIG. 4  depicts the connector  202  coupled to a socket  300  that is preferably on the back of the cab  104 . The electrical connector  202  is attached to the release device  200  via the collar  208  and the screw  223 . Furthermore, the portions  280  of the levers  210  are situated against the back of the cab  104  or against the socket  300 .  
         [0024]     When the cab  104  pulls away from the trailer  102  and the connector  202  has not been removed from the socket  300 , the apparatus  108  actuates the handle  204  in the +z direction. The levers  210  pivot about the pins  206 , which cause the portions  280  to press against the cab  104 . The force caused by the portions  280  pressing against the cab  104  generates a force in the +z direction that disconnects the electrical connector  202  from the socket  300 . Therefore, no damage is cause to the socket  300 , the cab  104 , or the pigtail  106  if the driver (not shown) forgets to manually remove the pigtail  106  from the socket  300  before he drives the cab  104  away from the trailer  102 .  
         [0025]     In one exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the pulling apparatus  108  passes through the loops formed by the pigtail  106 . In such an embodiment, portions of the apparatus  108  are prevented from drooping below the pigtail  106  as slack develops in the apparatus  108  due to changes in the orientation of the cab  104  with respect to the trailer  102  (e.g., as the cab  104  turns during operation).  
         [0026]     In other examples, the pulling apparatus  108  may be attached to a portion of the pigtail  106  or other component between the cab  104  and trailer  102  rather than being attached to the trailer  102 . In such an example, it may be more difficult to control the release of the pigtail  106  in a desired manner. For example, if the apparatus  108  is attached to the pigtail  106 , changes in the slack of the pigtail  106  due to changes in the orientation of the cab  104  with respect to the trailer  102  may cause the pigtail  106  to be released during normal operation when the trailer  102  is still connected to the cab  104 . Moreover, selecting the precise location on the pigtail for attaching the pulling apparatus  108  so that release of the pigtail  106  is controlled in a desired manner as the orientation of the cab  104  changes may be difficult.