Signalling interconnect

Abstract

A connector assembly for supplying power and transmitting signals from a vehicle to a towed trailer or other towed equipment. The connector assembly comprises a trailer hitch having a cross tube extending horizontally behind the vehicle. The cross tube has a wall separating an inside cavity from an outside surface of the cross tube. A first connector attached to the outside surface or mounted in a first opening in the wall of the cross tube has a connecting portion outwardly of the outside surface. Likewise, a second connector mounted at the outside surface or in a second opening in the wall of the cross tube has a connecting portion outwardly of the outside surface of the trailer hitch. One or more conduits extend across the inside cavity between the first and second connectors for interconnecting the vehicle to the towed trailer for supplying power and transmitting signals between them.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An arrangement for accommodating video signal transmissions through a hitch member for a vehicle, said arrangement comprising:
 an elongate load-bearing hitch member configured to be stationarily connected at a rear end of a powered vehicle in a predominantly horizontal orientation while extending widthwise to the vehicle, said hitch member having a wall portion that defines an inside cavity separated by said wall portion from an outside surface of the wall portion; and   a video camera stationarily connected to said hitch member at an opening through said wall portion and electrical wiring interconnected with said video camera and extending within the inside cavity.   
     
     
         22 . The arrangement according to  claim 21 , wherein said video camera includes a body portion located at least partially within said opening. 
     
     
         23 . The arrangement according to  claim 21 , wherein said elongate hitch member extends between two opposite distal ends thereof and in an installed configuration on a powered vehicle, said elongate hitch member extends across a predominance of a width of the vehicle. 
     
     
         24 . The arrangement according to  claim 23 , wherein each of said two opposite distal ends of said elongate hitch member terminates in a mounting bracket. 
     
     
         25 . The arrangement according to  claim 21 , further comprising a receiving tube integrally constructed with said elongate hitch member and located at a lengthwise center of the elongate hitch member. 
     
     
         26 . An arrangement for accommodating electrical transmissions through a hitch member for a vehicle, said arrangement comprising:
 an elongate load-bearing hitch member configured to be stationarily connected at a rear end of a powered vehicle in a predominantly horizontal orientation while extending widthwise to the vehicle, said hitch member having a wall portion that defines an inside cavity separated by said wall portion from an outside surface of the wall portion; and   at least one reverse light stationarily connected to said hitch member at an opening through said wall portion and electrical wiring interconnected with said at least one reverse light and extending within the inside cavity.   
     
     
         27 . The arrangement according to  claim 26 , wherein said at least one reverse light includes a body portion located at least partially within said opening. 
     
     
         28 . The arrangement according to  claim 26 , wherein said elongate hitch member extends between two opposite distal ends thereof and in an installed configuration on a powered vehicle, said elongate hitch member extends across a predominance of a width of the vehicle. 
     
     
         29 . The arrangement according to  claim 28 , wherein each of said two opposite distal ends of said elongate hitch member terminates in a mounting bracket. 
     
     
         30 . The arrangement according to  claim 26 , further comprising a receiving tube integrally constructed with said elongate hitch member and located at a lengthwise center of the elongate hitch member. 
     
     
         31 . An arrangement for accommodating electrical transmissions through a hitch member for a vehicle, said arrangement comprising:
 an elongate load-bearing hitch member configured to be stationarily connected at a rear end of a powered vehicle in a predominantly horizontal orientation while extending widthwise to the vehicle, said hitch member having a wall portion that defines an inside cavity separated by said wall portion from an outside surface of the wall portion; and   at least one proximity detector stationarily connected to said hitch member at an opening through said wall portion and electrical wiring interconnected with said at least one proximity detector and extending within the inside cavity.   
     
     
         32 . The arrangement according to  claim 31 , wherein said at least one proximity detector includes a body portion located at least partially within said opening. 
     
     
         33 . The arrangement according to  claim 31 , wherein said elongate hitch member extends between two opposite distal ends thereof and in an installed configuration on a powered vehicle, said elongate hitch member extends across a predominance of a width of the vehicle. 
     
     
         34 . The arrangement according to  claim 33 , wherein each of said two opposite distal ends of said elongate hitch member terminates in a mounting bracket. 
     
     
         35 . The arrangement according to  claim 31 , further comprising a receiving tube integrally constructed with said elongate hitch member and located at a lengthwise center of the elongate hitch member.