Universal tail light enclosure for a towed vehicle

Inventor: Jonathan R. Saul (Lasalle, MI)

Assignee: American Manufacturing Operations, Inc.

B60Q1/305 F21S43/27 F21V17/16

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12673606
App. No.: 19/181,665
Granted: Jul 7, 2026
Kind: B1

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Abstract

A universal tail light enclosure includes a rear housing member including a base plate having a first end, a second end, a first side and a second side. A first mounting plate including first connector members projects from base plate, and a second mounting plate including second connector members projects from the base plate. A front housing member includes a light support plate having a first end portion, a second end portion, a first side portion, and a second side portion. A first side plate extends from the first end portion and includes first connector elements and a first mounting section. A second side plate extends from the second end portion and includes second connector elements and a second mounting section. The universal tail light enclosure is configured to mount to a trailer light support through either the first mounting section or the second mounting section.

Claims (27)

1 . A universal tail light enclosure for a towed vehicle comprising:

a rear housing member including a base plate having a first end, a second end, a first side and a second side, the first side and the second side extending between and connecting with the first end and the second end, a first mounting plate including a first plurality of connector members projects substantially perpendicularly from the base plate along the first side, and a second mounting plate including a second plurality of connector members projects substantially perpendicularly from the base plate along the second side; and

a front housing member including a light support plate having a first end portion, a second end portion, a first side portion, and a second side portion, the first side portion and the second side portion extending between and connecting with the first end portion and the second end portion, a first side plate extending substantially perpendicularly from the first end portion, the first side plate including a first plurality of connector elements and a first mounting section, and a second side plate extending substantially perpendicularly from the second end portion, the second side plate including a second plurality of connector elements and a second mounting section, the first plurality of connector members being configured to snap-fittingly engage with the first plurality of connector elements and the second plurality of connector members being configured to snap-fitting engage with the second plurality of connector elements to secure the front housing member to the rear housing member, the universal tail light enclosure being configured to mount to a trailer light support through either the first mounting section or the second mounting section.

2 . The universal tail light enclosure according to claim 1 , wherein the front housing member includes a third plurality of connector members, a first portion of the third plurality of connector members being arranged on the first side portion and a second portion of the third plurality of connector members being arranged on the second side portion.

3 . The universal tail light enclosure according to claim 2 , wherein the first portion of the third plurality of connector members are configured to snap-fittingly engage with select ones of the first plurality of connector elements and the second portion of the third plurality of connector members are configured to snap-fittingly engage with select ones of the second plurality of connector elements.

4 . The universal tail light enclosure according to claim 3 , wherein the first plurality of connector elements includes a first slot arranged on the first mounting plate adjacent the first end, a second slot arranged on the first mounting plate adjacent the second end, and a third slot arranged on the first mounting plate between the first slot and the second slot.

5 . The universal tail light enclosure according to claim 4 , wherein the first slot and the second slot include a first orientation and the third slot includes a second orientation that is substantially perpendicular relative to the first orientation.

6 . The universal tail light enclosure according to claim 4 , wherein the second plurality of connector elements includes a first slot element arranged on the second mounting plate adjacent the first end, a second slot element arranged on the second mounting plate adjacent the second end, and a third slot element arranged on the second mounting plate between the first slot element and the second slot element.

7 . The universal tail light enclosure according to claim 6 , wherein the first side plate includes a first edge, a second edge opposite the first edge, and a third edge that extends between and connects with the first edge and the second edge, the first plurality of connector members includes a first barb formed on the first edge, and the second plurality of connector members includes a first barb element formed on the second edge, the first mounting section including a first recess formed in the third edge.

8 . The universal tail light enclosure according to claim 7 , wherein the second side plate includes a first edge portion, a second edge portion opposite the first edge portion, and a third edge portion that extends between and connects with the first edge portion and the second edge portion, the first plurality of connector members includes a second barb formed on the first edge portion, and the second plurality of connector members includes a second barb element formed on the second edge, the first mounting section including a second recess formed in the third edge.

9 . The universal tail light enclosure according to claim 1 , wherein the first side plate of the front housing member includes an electrical connector mounting portion, and the second side plate of the front housing member includes one of a light mounting portion.

10 . The universal tail light enclosure according to claim 1 , wherein the second mounting plate includes a light mounting element configured to support a downwardly facing light fixture.

11 . A towed vehicle comprising:

a frame including a forward end supporting a tow bracket and a rearward end;

a first tail light mounting bracket extending from the rearward end in a first direction and a second tail light mounting bracket extending from the rearward end in a second direction opposite the first direction;

a first universal tail light enclosure mounted to the first tail light mounting bracket and a second universal tail light enclosure mounted to the second tail light mounting bracket, each of the first universal tail light enclosure and the second universal tail light enclosure comprising:

a front housing member including a light support plate having a first end portion, a second end portion, a first side portion, and a second side portion, the first side portion and the second side portion extending between and connecting with the first end portion and the second end portion, a first side plate extending substantially perpendicularly from the first end portion, the first side plate including a first plurality of connector elements and a first mounting section receptive of one of the first tail light mounting bracket and the second tail light mounting bracket, and a second side plate extending substantially perpendicularly from the second end portion, the second side plate including a second plurality of connector elements and a second mounting section receptive of the other of the first tail light mounting bracket and the second tail light mounting bracket, the first plurality of connector members being configured to snap-fittingly engage with the first plurality of connector elements and the second plurality of connector members being configured to snap-fittingly engage with the second plurality of connector elements to secure the front housing member to the rear housing member, each of the first universal tail light enclosure and second universal tail light enclosure being configured to mount to a trailer light support through a corresponding one of the first mounting section or the second mounting section.

12 . The towed vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the front housing member includes a third plurality of connector members, a first portion of the third plurality of connector members being arranged on the first side portion and a second portion of the third plurality of connector members being arranged on the second side portion.

13 . The towed vehicle according to claim 12 , wherein the first portion of the third plurality of connector members are configured to snap-fittingly engage with select ones of the first plurality of connector elements and the second portion of the third plurality of connector members are configured to snap-fittingly engage with select ones of the second plurality of connector elements.

14 . The towed vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein the first plurality of connector elements includes a first slot arranged on the first mounting plate adjacent the first end, a second slot arranged on the first mounting plate adjacent the second end, and a third slot arranged on the first mounting plate between the first slot and the second slot.

15 . The towed vehicle according to claim 14 , wherein the first slot and the second slot include a first orientation and the third slot includes a second orientation that is substantially perpendicular relative to the first orientation.

16 . The towed vehicle according to claim 14 , wherein the second plurality of connector elements includes a first slot element arranged on the second mounting plate adjacent the first end, a second slot element arranged on the second mounting plate adjacent the second end, and a third slot element arranged on the second mounting plate between the first slot element and the second slot element.

17 . The towed vehicle according to claim 16 , wherein the first side plate includes a first edge, a second edge opposite the first edge, and a third edge that extends between and connects with the first edge and the second edge, the first plurality of connector members includes a first barb formed on the first edge, and the second plurality of connector members includes a first barb element formed on the second edge, the first mounting section including a first recess formed in the third edge.

18 . The towed vehicle according to claim 17 , wherein the second side plate includes a first edge portion, a second edge portion opposite the first edge portion, and a third edge portion that extends between and connects with the first edge portion and the second edge portion, the first plurality of connector members includes a second barb formed on the first edge portion, and the second plurality of connector members includes a second barb element formed on the second edge, the first mounting section including a second recess formed in the third edge.

19 . The towed vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the first side plate of the front housing member includes an electrical connector mounting portion, and the second side plate of the front housing member includes a light mounting portion.

20 . The towed vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the second mounting plate includes a light mounting element configured to support a downwardly facing light fixture.