Patent Application
20240375597
N/A
The present invention relates to vehicle refurbishment but more particularly to a wire harness for vehicle digital dashboard conversion.
Vehicle refurbishment or retrofitting is the process of improving a used vehicle in one or more aspects including electronics, interiors, body, etc. From the 1970s until the 1990s, vehicle manufacturers used old analog gauge technology. Often, a popular refurbishment process is updating the analog dashboards with digital dashboards. However, the process is time consuming and requires the user to have to trace wiring diagrams and splice wires, leading to possible failures. Consequently, a solution is provided.
The following presents a simplified summary of some embodiments of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some embodiments of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
It is an object of the present invention to simplify the installation process of modern digital dashboards into older vehicles. It is an object of the present invention to provide a wire harness for a vehicle digital dashboard conversion for a number of vehicle manufacturers, preventing the need for manually splicing into the OEM gauge connectors, saving installation time and preventing errors. It is another object of the present invention to provide a device that reduces the wiring knowledge needed. It is another object of the invention to provide a reversible solution, which leaves vehicle connectors and wire in a pre-installation condition.
In order to do so, a wire harness for a vehicle digital dashboard retrofit conversion for a vehicle manufacturer is provided, the vehicle having an OEM connector for receiving gauge signals, the wire harness comprising a rectangular housing body having a hollow interior, forming a perimeter surface including a front side, a rear side, a left side, and a right side; a number of pins positioned on the front side and the rear side of the perimeter; a number of preconnected wires electrically connected to the number of pins; wherein hollow interior of the rectangular housing body is sized and shaped to accept the OEM connector such that a number of leads provided on the OEM connector electrically connect to the number of pins; and, wherein the number of preconnected wires are configured to electrically connect to a digital dashboard directly or indirectly such that the vehicle may be retrofitted with the digital dashboard.
In one embodiment, the rectangular housing body includes protrusions and openings on the left side and the right side to removably accept a clip or tab provided on the OEM connector. In one embodiment, each wire of the number of preconnected wires is labeled. In one embodiment, each wire of the number of preconnected wires is labeled. In another embodiment, each pin of the number of pins is labeled on the rectangular housing body.
In another aspect of the invention, a method for retrofitting a vehicle having an analog gauge cluster dashboard with a digital gauge cluster dashboard, the method comprising steps (a) removing the analog gauge cluster dashboard and exposing a male OEM connector, wherein the male OEM connector is configured to receive gauge signals; (b) providing a female wire harness comprising a rectangular housing body having a hollow interior, including a number of pins electrically connected to a number of preconnected wires extending from the wire harness, wherein the wire harness is sized and shaped to receive the male OEM connector; (c) mating the male OEM connector within the female wire harness such that the number of pins are electrically connected to a number of leads provided on the male OEM connector; and, (e) electrically connecting the number of preconnected wires to a digital circuit or control box connected to the digital gauge cluster dashboard.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the more pertinent and important features of the present disclosure so that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood and so that the present contribution to the art can be more fully appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the disclosed specific methods and structures may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present disclosure. It should be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent structures do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent when the following detailed description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art, since the general principles of the present invention have been defined herein to specifically provide a wire harness for vehicle digital dashboard conversion.
It is to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. The terms “a” or “an,” as used herein, are defined as to mean “at least one.” The term “plurality,” as used herein, is defined as two or more. The term “another,” as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms “including” and/or “having,” as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language). The term “providing” is defined herein in its broadest sense, e.g., bringing/coming into physical existence, making available, and/or supplying to someone or something, in whole or in multiple parts at once or over a period of time. These terms generally refer to a range of numbers that one of skill in the art would consider equivalent to the recited values (i.e., having the same function or result). In many instances these terms may include numbers that are rounded to the nearest significant figure.
Referring to prior art
Referring now to
In one embodiment, a number of wires 203 are provided and preconnected, wherein each wire includes a lead electrically connected to the number of pins 202. In some embodiments, within the housing body, each lead of the number of wires is soldered or otherwise hardwired electrically with each corresponding pin of the number of pins 202. Advantageously, the preconnected wires are protected via loom and heat shrinking. In some embodiments, to make installation simple, each wire of the number of wires 203 includes labeling so the user knows where to connect the wires to the digital dash control box, e.g. 104;
In some embodiments, on opposite ends of the housing body 201 are attachment protrusions 204 having openings 205 to accommodate clips/tabs (106;
In some embodiments, the shape of the housing body 201 is such that the connection between the OEM connector and the wire harness 200 is only possible one way. Overall, the shape of the housing body 201 is configured to match the shape of the OEM connector, including any protrusions or indentations that may be present. That said, recognizing that many vehicle manufacturers provide different shaped OEM connectors, it is understood that the shape of the housing body 201 may vary depending on the vehicle in which the present invention is installed. For example,
Referring now to
As previously mentioned, the size and shape of the wire harness, including the number of pins may vary depending on the vehicle manufacturer. As an example,
During use, a user simply selects the specific wire harness 200 intended for a specific vehicle manufacturer or brand, using the insignia, identifying text, number of pins, etc. as a guide for selection if necessary, and inserts the OEM connector for the specific vehicle manufacture into the wire harness 200. Then, the user connects the terminal ends or leads of the preconnected/attached wires 203 to the digital dash control box or digital circuit board, essentially electrically connecting the OEM connector to the digital dashboard (not illustrated) in a simple, time effective, and efficient way, while reducing the possibility of human error.
Although the invention has been described in considerable detail in language specific to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features described. Rather, the specific features are disclosed as exemplary preferred forms of implementing the claimed invention. Stated otherwise, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. Therefore, while exemplary illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described, numerous variations and alternative embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. Such variations and alternative embodiments are contemplated, and can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, for added strength, the hollow interior, a portion of the hollow interior, the pins, or other portions of the wire harness may be molded, filled-in, etc. with epoxy or other materials preventing electrical connections from failures or tampering.
It should further be noted that throughout the entire disclosure, the labels such as left, right, front, back, top, bottom, forward, reverse, clockwise, counterclockwise, up, down, or other similar terms such as upper, lower, aft, fore, vertical, horizontal, oblique, proximal, distal, parallel, perpendicular, transverse, longitudinal, etc. have been used for convenience purposes only and are not intended to imply any particular fixed direction or orientation. Instead, they are used to reflect relative locations and/or directions/orientations between various portions of an object.
In addition, references to “first,” “second,” “third,” and etc. members throughout the disclosure (and in particular, claims) are not used to show a serial or numerical limitation but instead are used to distinguish or identify the various members of the group.
