Trailer Motion Sensor for Auxiliary Power Cut-Off
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for ensuring power removal from trailer auxiliary circuits when in motion require external control signals, adding complexity and additional wiring, which is not necessary for ensuring dedicated power to the ABS circuit during motion.
Innovation Solution
An environment-activated automatic shut-off switch that senses trailer motion using integrated or coupled environmental sensors, such as tilt, vibration, GPS, or magnetic field sensors, to control the auxiliary power circuit without external signals, ensuring dedicated power to the ABS circuit while simplifying wiring and eliminating the need for external control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If prior art systems use external control signals from the tractor to control the trailer auxiliary power circuit, then the ABS circuit can receive dedicated power during motion, but the system complexity and wiring requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The trailer controller autonomously determines trailer motion status by processing signals from environmental sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, GPS) without requiring external control signals from the tractor. The controller independently controls the auxiliary power circuit based on this self-determined motion status, eliminating the need for additional wiring to monitor external signals and reducing system complexity while ensuring ABS circuit power availability
2Reliability
If prior art systems monitor brake light signals from the tractor to control auxiliary power, then power can be removed from auxiliary circuits during motion, but additional wiring and control modules are required
Solution Approach 1:
The trailer controller self-determines motion status using environmental sensors (accelerometer detecting acceleration changes, gyroscope detecting orientation changes, magnetometer detecting magnetic field changes, GPS detecting position changes) and autonomously controls the auxiliary power circuit accordingly, eliminating the need for external brake light signal monitoring and reducing control system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/electrical signal transmission system (wiring to monitor external brake light signals) with an autonomous sensor-based detection system that uses environmental sensors to directly measure motion parameters, thereby eliminating the need for additional control wiring and modules
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively removes power from trailer auxiliary circuits during motion without external control signals, ensuring ABS circuit power and simplifying wiring, thus addressing the complexity and regulatory requirements for trailer lighting systems.
Implementation Method 1
The environmental sensor is operative to sense changes in the switch's own environment, such as changes in the switch's own acceleration, velocity, position, etc.
Implementation Method 2
environmental sensors, such as tilt, vibration, GPS, or magnetic field sensors
Implementation Method 3
environmental sensors, such as tilt, vibration, GPS, or magnetic field sensors
Data Source
AI summary
An environment-activated automatic shut-off switch is disclosed. The disclosed embodiments allow power to be removed from a trailer auxiliary power circuit when the environment-activated automatic shut-off switch senses that the trailer is being put into motion. The disclosed embodiments of the environment-activated automatic shut-off switch do not require external control signals, such as those received from a vehicle tractor, in order to effectively control the trailer auxiliary power circuit and to ensure that the trailer ABS circuit has dedicated power while the trailer is in motion.