Trailer electrical connector assembly

Abstract

Trailer electrical connector assemblies can facilitate the automatic coupling and decoupling of a trailer. A trailer electrical connector assembly can include a vehicle portion and a trailer portion. The vehicle portion can include a hitch ring that is secured to a hitch ball and guides within which contacts are positioned. The trailer portion can include a sleeve that is positioned around a coupling mechanism of the trailer and a sleeve ring that forms receivers within which contacts are positioned. When the hitch ball is inserted into the trailer's coupling mechanism, the receivers can be automatically coupled with the guides to thereby form an electrical connection between the vehicle and the trailer.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A trailer electrical connector assembly comprising:
 a vehicle portion having a hitch ring in which a first set of connectors are positioned, the hitch ring being configured to be secured around a shaft of a hitch ball; and   a trailer portion having a sleeve and a sleeve ring in which a second set of connectors are positioned, the sleeve being configured to extend beyond an opening of a trailer that receives the hitch ball to couple the vehicle to the trailer, the sleeve ring being coupled to an end of the sleeve, wherein the sleeve ring is configured to receive the hitch ball to thereby cause the sleeve to surround the hitch ball while the hitch ball is inserted into the opening of the trailer, wherein the sleeve ring is configured to couple with the hitch ring to form an electrical connection between the first set of connectors and the second set of connectors while the sleeve surrounds the hitch ball and the hitch ball is inserted into the opening of the trailer.   
     
     
         2 . The trailer electrical connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the hitch ring includes guides and the first set of connectors are positioned in the guides. 
     
     
         3 . The trailer electrical connector assembly of  claim 2 , wherein each guide comprises a recessed surface in which at least one connector of the first set of connectors is positioned. 
     
     
         4 . The trailer electrical connector assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the recessed surface is formed between inner walls of the guide. 
     
     
         5 . The trailer electrical connector assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the sleeve ring includes receivers in which the second set of connectors are positioned, each receiver inserting between the inner walls of a respective guide. 
     
     
         6 . The trailer electrical connector assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the sleeve ring includes sleeve guides that interface with outer walls of the guides to align the receivers with the guides. 
     
     
         7 . The trailer electrical connector assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the hitch ring and the sleeve ring include magnets for coupling the sleeve ring with the hitch ring. 
     
     
         8 . The trailer electrical connector assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the vehicle portion includes a cover that is secured to the hitch ring. 
     
     
         9 . The trailer electrical connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the hitch ring is configured to be secured around a shaft of a rearwardly oriented hitch ball. 
     
     
         10 . The trailer electrical connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve includes a number of folds to enable the sleeve to bend. 
     
     
         11 . The trailer electrical connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is flexible. 
     
     
         12 . The trailer electrical connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve forms wire openings through which wires enter an interior of the sleeve. 
     
     
         13 . The trailer electrical connector assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the trailer portion includes a clamp assembly by which the sleeve is secured to a trailer. 
     
     
         14 . A trailer electrical connector assembly comprising:
 a sleeve having a first end and a second end;   a sleeve ring coupled to the first end of the sleeve and forming an opening into the sleeve, the sleeve ring including a set of connectors; and   a clamp assembly that is configured to secure the second end of the sleeve to a trailer to thereby position the sleeve around an opening of the trailer that receives a hitch ball for coupling the trailer to a vehicle;   wherein the sleeve is moveable relative to the opening of the trailer.   
     
     
         15 . The trailer electrical connector assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the sleeve includes a number of folds to enable the sleeve to bend overtop the opening of the trailer. 
     
     
         16 . The trailer electrical connector assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the opening into the sleeve is frontwardly oriented to receive a rearwardly oriented hitch ball. 
     
     
         17 . The trailer electrical connector assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the clamp assembly includes inner clamp members that are secured around a main body of the trailer and outer clamp member that are secured to inner clamp members to sandwich the second end of the sleeve between the inner clamp members and the outer clamp members. 
     
     
         18 . A trailer electrical connector assembly comprising:
 a vehicle portion having a hitch ring in which a first set of connectors are positioned, the hitch ring being configured to be secured around a shaft of a hitch ball; and   a trailer portion having a sleeve and a sleeve ring in which a second set of connectors are positioned, the sleeve being configured to extend beyond an opening of a trailer that receives the hitch ball to couple the vehicle to the trailer, the sleeve ring being coupled to an end of the sleeve, wherein the sleeve ring is configured to couple with the hitch ring to form an electrical connection between the first set of connectors and the second set of connectors.   
     
     
         19 . The trailer coupler assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the electrical connection forms a data connection between the vehicle and the trailer. 
     
     
         20 . The trailer coupler assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the electrical connection forms a charging connection between the vehicle and the trailer.