Grote Industries, Inc.

Darren L Harmon

Timothy Webster Brooks

Mark D Noe

Eric Thorstensen

Alfredo Haros Hernandez

William E Marvell

Thomas J Schulz

Timothy W Brooks

Robert Hugh Dobrow

Gumaro Carrizales Espinosa

Robert E Fisher, Jr

Charles D Polley

Peter Thompson

Don L Weidman

Merrill W Nay

Shelly Ong

Leoncio Trejo Aguilar

Robert E,jr Fisher

An electrical connection adapted for providing an electro-mechanical connection through a hole in a wall of a wheeled vehicle is disclosed. It includes an interior cable that meets SAE standard J560 and which includes an interior plug portion that has a 6-around-1 female electrical connector array. The electrical connection also includes a socket that meets SAE standard J560 and is adapted via a male interior 6-around-1 electrical connector array to provide an electrical connection to the interior cable. A gasket member is separately formed from the interior plug portion and includes a central opening sized and shaped to receive through it a connection of the interior cable plug and the socket. The gasket forms an uninterrupted water seal with the exterior side of the wall of the wheeled vehicle. One or more guide members are disclosed.

Electrical connectors for vehicles

An electrical power supply device for a trailer lighting system behind a truck is disclosed. The trailer lighting system including at least two FMVSS 108 compliant LED stop-tail-turn lamps. The electrical power supply device has an outer casing including a terminal to be electrically attached to and become part of the trailer lighting system. There are a plurality of electrically conductive wires within the casing. At least one of the wires is selected from one or more of the group consisting of low copper usage wire. The device has an over-current protection device along at least one which breaks current flow through the one wire below at an amperage threshold less than 25 amperes.

Trailer wiring over-current protection

A lamp and lamp driver are disclosed, in which single intensity marker lamps that are desired to be flashed can be connected to a lamp driver employing an exclusive OR (XOR) logic circuit. In one application, this lamp driver is coupled to a vehicle turn function wire and marker function wire, and a plurality of marker lamps in a row can be of the same style, but one lamp can be flashed in the row of marker lamps. In some embodiments, if all of the marker lamps are on, the lamp being driven by the XOR driver circuit will flash out of sequence with the turn signal flash. If all of the marker lamps are off, the lamp being driven by the XOR driver circuit will flash in sequence with the turn signal flash. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Exclusive or (XOR) lamp driver and lamp

Lamp plugs are disclosed, in which single intensity marker lamps that are desired to be flashed can be connected to a lamp driver employing an exclusive OR (XOR) logic circuit. In one embodiment, the lamp plug is an overmolded subsystem that is installed between the lamp and the lamp driver and allows the installer to use existing wire harnesses. In some embodiments, the overmolded subsystem is installed under a standard lamp where a plug is typically plugged in; therefore staying on the vehicle and not needing to be replaced with the lamp. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Lamp plugs providing enhanced functionality

A plug assembly comprises a molded plug first and second ends, front and back surfaces, and extending along a longitudinal axis. The plug includes a socket extending from the front surface at least partially through the plug along a width axis. The socket defines at least one hole extending at least partially therethrough. The plug assembly also includes a retainer at least partially molded within the plug, with a first end adjacent the first end of the plug and a second end adjacent the second end of the plug. Additionally, the plug assembly includes a first wire set connected to the socket within the plug. The plug assembly further includes a first securing member securing the first wire set to the retainer within the plug, adjacent the first end of the retainer, to hold the first wire set in a fixed position within the plug during the overmolding process.

Retainer for overmolded electrical circuit

A device configured to maintain an electric circuit in a fixed position during an overmolding process comprises a wire retainer configured to hold the electric circuit taut and in a fixed position while being molded within a molded item. The retainer has a first end and an opposite second end, and includes a first bushing defining a mounting hole for the molded item extending along a width axis. The built-in bushing includes front and back surfaces configured to be aligned and substantially co-planar with the front and back surfaces of the molded item. The device also includes a first securing member configured to secure a portion of the electric circuit to the retainer within the molded item, to hold the electric circuit in a fixed position within the molded item during the overmolding process.

A nosebox assembly for making electrical connection between a tractor and a trailer comprises a nosebox housing with an interchangeable connector assembly and a terminal plate assembly, both configured to mountable within the nosebox housing. The interchangeable connector assembly includes a plurality of primary conducting pins extending therefrom and configured as a socket, each of the pins being adapted to receive connection to a circuit. The interchangeable connector assembly is detachably mounted inside the nosebox housing and is easily removable for repair or replacement. The terminal plate assembly includes a plurality of secondary conducting pins extending therefrom. Additionally, the terminal plate assembly includes a plurality of auxiliary pins extending therefrom to provide additional connection points to the circuits received from the primary conducting pins. The assembly further includes an electrical connecting assembly electrically connecting the primary conducting pins and the secondary conducting pins.

Nosebox for interchangeable connector assemblies for tractors and trailers

The present invention relates to a hybrid electrical connector for a lamp-to-harness interface, which comprises two connector halves. The first connector half includes an overmolded connector, preferably formed from injection molded PVC, which has terminals of a first sex at one end and wires at a second end. Each wire is electrically coupled to a respective one of the terminals. The overmolded connector has formed therearound a hard shell shroud which is substantially rigid and includes a first locking feature thereon. The second half of the connector comprises a hardshell connector having terminals of a second sex therein and a second locking feature thereon. By coupling the hardshell shroud to the hardshell connector and engaging the first and second locking features, the first terminals in the overmolded connector are caused to mate with the second terminals in the hardshell connector. In addition to the locking feature between the hardshell shroud and the hardshell connector, which provides a tactile indication of proper connector seating, both the hardshell shroud and hardshell connector may be formed in an asymmetrical shape which will ensure that the two connector halves are mated in the proper orientation. Further optional desirable features of the connector pair are described herein.

Growing community of inventors

Madison, IN, United States of America

Darren L Harmon