Trailer Side Underride Guard Assembly with Cross Members
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing side underride guard systems for trailers are inadequate in preventing vehicles from riding under the trailer during side-impact collisions, as they lack effective structural support and guidance mechanisms to absorb and distribute collision forces efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A side underride guard assembly comprising a plurality of support subassemblies coupled to the trailer's longitudinal main beams, featuring cross members and vertically oriented plates that connect to the beams, along with longitudinal guard members and cables or rods positioned below the trailer to prevent side underride, and guide members to secure the cables or rods in place.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing side underride guard systems are used, then the basic structure is simple, but they are inadequate in preventing vehicles from riding under the trailer during side-impact collisions
Solution Approach 1:
The guard system is divided into multiple support subassemblies spaced along the trailer length, each independently coupled to longitudinal main beams. This segmentation provides distributed structural support while maintaining overall system simplicity and preventing vehicle underride through multiple protection points.
Solution Approach 2:
The support subassemblies integrate multiple components including cross members, vertically oriented plates, longitudinal guard members, and cable systems into unified structural units. This merging creates a composite guard system that combines rigid and flexible elements to effectively absorb and distribute collision forces.
2Strength
If robust structural support is added to prevent side underride, then collision force absorption improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support subassemblies are pre-configured with cross members, vertically oriented plates, and longitudinal guard members that are already positioned to receive and distribute collision forces. This preliminary structural arrangement ensures immediate strength and force absorption capability upon impact without requiring complex active mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
Cables or rods act as intermediary elements connecting the longitudinal guard members to the trailer frame, providing flexible force transmission and structural reinforcement. These intermediaries distribute collision forces throughout the trailer structure while maintaining system simplicity through their straightforward connection mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
A side underride guard assembly for a trailer has a plurality of support subassemblies coupled to first and second longitudinal main beams of the trailer. Each support subassembly has at least one cross member having a first end adjacent a first longitudinal side edge of the trailer and an opposite second end adjacent an opposite second longitudinal side edge of the trailer. Each support subassembly also has at least one vertically oriented plate coupled to the at least one cross member. A first longitudinal guard member is coupled to the first end of each of the cross members of the plurality of support subassemblies. A second longitudinal guard member is coupled to the second end of each of the cross members. The first and second longitudinal guard members are located below the first and second longitudinal side edges of the trailer, respectively, to prevent or inhibit side underride.