Vehicle trailer electrical connector having trailer detection
A trailer electrical connector system for a motor vehicle includes a housing configured to be connected to the motor vehicle, a plurality of electrical connectors each configured to connect to a plug-in trailer connector to provide electrical power to a trailer, and a normally closed switch electrically coupled to a pair of the electrical connectors, wherein the normally closed switch is in a closed state when the plug-in trailer connector is not connected to the plurality of electrical connectors and moves to an open state when the plug-in electrical connector is connected to the electrical connectors. The system also includes a controller sensing an electrical signal across the pair of electrical connectors through the normally closed switch and detecting a state of the electrical connection of the trailer to the vehicle based on the detected state.
1. A trailer electrical connector system for a motor vehicle, the electrical connector system comprising:
a housing configured to be connected to the motor vehicle;
a plurality of electrical connectors each configured to connect to a plug-in trailer connector to provide electrical power to a trailer;
a normally closed switch electrically coupled to a pair of the electrical connectors, wherein the normally closed switch is in a closed state when the plug-in trailer connector is not connected to the plurality of electrical connectors and moves to an open state when the plug-in electrical connector is connected to the electrical connectors, and wherein the pair of electrical connectors comprises a first electrical connector for providing a first trailer control signal and a second electrical connector providing a second trailer control signal; and
a controller sensing an electrical signal across the pair of electrical connectors through the normally closed switch and detecting a state of the electrical connection of the trailer to the vehicle based on the detected state.
2. The trailer electrical connector system of claim 1 , wherein the normally closed switch comprises a mechanical switch.
3. The trailer electrical connector system of claim 1 , wherein the normally closed switch comprises a magnetic switch.
4. The trailer electrical connector system of claim 1 , wherein the first trailer control signal comprises a first trailer light signal and the second trailer control signal comprises a second trailer light signal.
5. The trailer electrical connector system of claim 4 , wherein the first trailer light signal comprises a vehicle trailer running light signal and the second trailer light signal comprises a trailer reverse light signal.
6. The trailer electrical connector system of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the electrical connectors comprises blades.
7. The trailer electrical connector system of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of electrical connectors comprises seven electrical connectors.
8. The trailer electrical connector system of claim 1 further comprising a first transistor in line with a first electrical connector and a second transistor in series with a second electrical connector.
9. The trailer electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the controller further controls a vehicle trailering system based on the detected state.
10. A vehicle comprising:
a trailer tow hitch; and
a trailer electrical connector system comprising:
a housing connected to the vehicle;
a plurality of electrical connectors each configured to connect to a plug-in trailer connector to provide electrical power to a trailer;
a normally closed switch electrically coupled to a pair of the electrical connectors, wherein the normally closed switch is in a closed state when the plug-in trailer connector is not connected to the plurality of electrical connectors and moves to an open state when the plug-in trailer connector is connected to the electrical connectors, and wherein the pair of electrical connectors comprises a first electrical connector for providing a first trailer control signal and a second electrical connector providing a second trailer control signal; and
a controller sensing an electrical signal across the pair of electrical connectors through the normally closed switch and detecting a state of the electrical connection of the trailer to the vehicle based on the detected state.
11. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the normally closed switch comprises a mechanical switch.
12. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the normally closed switch comprises a magnetic switch.
13. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the first trailer control signal comprises a first trailer light signal and the second trailer control signal comprises a second trailer light signal.
14. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the first trailer light signal comprises a vehicle trailer running light signal and the second trailer light signal comprises a trailer reverse light signal.
15. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of electrical connectors comprises seven electrical connectors.
16. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein at least some of the electrical connectors comprises blades.
17. The vehicle of claim 10 further comprising a first transistor in series with a first electrical connector and a second transistor in series with a second electrical connector.
18. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the controller further controls a vehicle trailering system based on the detected state.