1. Technical Field
The invention relates generally to lighting mechanisms as used on vehicles for lighting ahead of and behind the vehicle, and for indicating braking, turning and/or backing up of the vehicle. More particularly, the invention relates to lighting mechanisms which function as tail lights, brake lights, turn signals and/or backing lights as used on trailers, towed vehicles or other tow behind apparatus. Specifically, the invention is a portable, radio controlled light bar including various lighting features such as tail lights, brake lights, turn signals and/or backing lights and is affixable to a trailer or towed vehicle, and a radio wave transmitter box affixable to the tow vehicle and electrically connectable to the wiring system and specifically to the tail lights, brake lights, turn signals, and/or backing light electrical systems.
2. Background Information
As is well known in the art of vehicles such as cars and trucks, vehicles are pre-wired from the factory with tail lights, brake lights, turn signals and backing lights, all of which are generally required by local ordinances and state laws. Similarly, all trailers and other tow-behind apparatus that are used on any roadways must also have at least tail lights and brake lights, and often also turn signals although arm signals as used by the driver out the driver's window are generally sufficient during day light hours in some jurisdictions. For these reasons, substantially all vehicles and trailers are pre-wired and initially sold with all of the necessary lights thereon.
Many vehicles and trailers are not used on roadways at all or are principally used off road such as on the farm, construction sites or other off road area. However, occasionally these trailers must travel along roadways such as during moving of the farm trailer from farm to farm, or during moving of a construction trailer from job site to job site. In many instances and particularly with trailers used principally off road, these trailers are not sold with pre-wired lights. This is problematic when the trailers are to be towed on roadways as most if not all jurisdictions require at least certain minimum lights such as tail lights and brake lights.
As a result of this lack of lighting on many trailers, these trailers are either used illegally without lights, not driven on the roadways, or must have after market lighting systems installed. The towing of the trailer without lights is a dangerous event as significant property damage and personal injury may result from any mishap that may be caused due to lack of tail lights and/or brake lights including failure of another vehicle to see the trailer or see the trailer stopping. Such property damage and personal injury, particularly when resulting from a violation of the law, places the trailer owner and/or operator in a position of potentially high legal liability. The alternative of not driving the trailer on roadways is really not an option because generally it must be moved from site to site, and trailering of a trailer is a noneconomical way of moving the trailer.
The other alternative of "after market" wiring is generally the avenue chosen by such trailer owners. However, this is often expensive, time consuming, and sometimes rather difficult to install. Holes must often be drilled in the trailer and wires run underneath the trailer along the frame or body from the back of the trailer to the tongue. This option is also permanent in that each after market wiring system is permanently attached to that specific trailer, and for this reason an "after market" system must be purchased for every trailer.
Another towing area in which lighting is a problem is in the tow truck usage area where a broken down vehicle is being towed. The tow truck tail lights, brake lights, turn signals and backing lights are not attachable in any manner to the lights of the towed vehicle. For this reason, tow trucks often have oversized lights, overhead flashing lights, and even high or upwardly extended lights thereon to hopefully be visible around and particularly behind the vehicle in tow. Generally the only precautionary measure available to tow truck towed vehicles is flashing hazard lights. Although these lights are often bright and eye catching, the se lights do not adequately replace actual brake lights, tail lights, turn signals, and backing lights as the hazard lights merely flash.
A yet even further area where lighting is a problem is on cars towed behind motor homes and other campers. Generally, the cars have all of the necessary lights but these are not readily connectable to the motor home. The car must then be wired special for alternative use of the cars lights by the car when in use or the motor home when in tow. A similar situation is also often present when one moves its residence and must tow one of its cars behind a moving van. The only alternative at this time is to rent a tow trailer for use with the moving vehicle.
Obviously a lighting system is needed on all trailers that are used on roadways; however, many of these trailers are only infrequently used on roadways and thus a permanently installed system that is also often expensive and time consuming is not a preferred option. A lighting system is also needed for tow truck and tow vehicle combinations. Thus, a need exists for a lighting system that is temporarily affixable both mechanically and electrically to a trailer or towed vehicle while being readily removable for use on other trailers and towed vehicles. Specifically, a portable light assembly is needed that is interchangeable between multiple trailers and towed vehicles and thus more economical for use with seldomly road-towed trailers such as are used in the farming and construction industries, with broken down vehicles during towed transit, and with cars in tow behind motor vehicles. Additionally, the need requires such light assembly be lightweight, easy to attach and detach, easy to electrically connect, cost effective and simple to manufacture.