Engineers have long recognized the problem of truck underride (passenger vehicles going under trucks). They have also spent a considerable amount of time trying to figure out engineering solutions to this deadly problem.
This post will attempt to record many of the patents issued in connection with these noble efforts. It will likely not be exhaustive, so I would welcome information on patents which I might have missed.
1896 This patent for a side underride protective device for street cars was issued on July 14 1896 and cited by numerous more recent underride patents: http://www.google.com.pg/patents/US564027 .
1913 A patent was issued in 1913 for a “Safety Device for Motor Vehicles” to provide underride protection for the sides of large trucks. https://www.google.com/patents/US1127241
1935 H.H. Robinson was granted a patent for a Guard System for Tractor Trailer Combinations .
Since that time, numerous patents have been published which refer to this 1913 patent (with the patent information organized in these columns: Citing Patent, Filing date, Publication date, Applicant, Title):
US4688824 *Mar 4, 1986 Aug 25, 1987 Herring John D Safety device for vehicles
CN100572144C May 27, 2005 Dec 23, 2009 沃尔沃拉斯特瓦格纳公司 Device for a vehicle side anticollision box, and a vehicle comprising such a side anticollision box
US7407204 *Nov 27, 2006 Aug 5, 2008 Volvo Lastvagnar Ab Arrangement for a vehicle side fairing, and a vehicle comprising such a side fairing
US20070085355 *Nov 27, 2006 Apr 19, 2007 Volvo Lastvagnar Ab Arrangement for a vehicle side fairing, and a vehicle comprising such a side fairing
US7780224 Jun 9, 2008 Aug 24, 2010 Vanguard National Trailer Corporation Crash attenuating underride guard
US20080303311 *Jun 9, 2008 Dec 11, 2008 Vanguard National Trailer Corporation Crash attenuating underride guard
US7887120 Jan 26, 2009 Feb 15, 2011 Transtex Composite Inc. Aerodynamic trailer skirts
US7942467 Dec 24, 2009 May 17, 2011 Transtex Composite Inc. Aerodynamic skirt support member
US7942468 Dec 24, 2009 May 17, 2011 Transtex Composite Inc. Aerodynamic skirt securing mechanism
US7942469 Dec 24, 2009 May 17, 2011 Transtex Composite Inc. Aerodynamic skirt panel
US7942470 Dec 24, 2009 May 17, 2011 Transtex Composite Inc. Aerodynamic skirt opening
US7942471 Dec 24, 2009 May 17, 2011 Trnastex Composite Inc. Aerodynamic skirt shape
US20090189414 *Jan 26, 2009 Jul 30, 2009 Mathieu Boivin Aerodynamic trailer skirts
US20100096880 *Dec 24, 2009 Apr 22, 2010 Mathieu Boivin Aerodynamic skirt panel
US20100096882 *Dec 24, 2009 Apr 22, 2010 Mathieu Boivin Aerodynamic skirt opening
US20100096883 *Dec 24, 2009 Apr 22, 2010 Mathieu Boivin Aerodynamic skirt shape
US20100187856 *Dec 24, 2009 Jul 29, 2010 Mathieu Boivin Aerodynamic skirt support member
US20100187856 *Dec 24, 2009 Jul 29, 2010 Mathieu Boivin Aerodynamic skirt support member
US20100264691 *Apr 15, 2010 Oct 21, 2010 Giromini Richard J Side underride cable system for a trailer
US8292351 Apr 3, 2011 Oct 23, 2012 Transtex Composite Inc. Resilient strut for aerodynamic skirt
US9004575 Aug 3, 2011 Apr 14, 2015 Gary Alan Grandominico Aerodynamic skirt assembly
US20110175396 *Apr 3, 2011 Jul 21, 2011 Mathieu Boivin Aerodynamic skirt
US8398150 Apr 17, 2012 Mar 19, 2013 Wabash National, L.P. Side skirt system for a trailer
US8449017 Sep 11, 2012 May 28, 2013 Transtex Composites Inc. Aerodynamic skirt resilient member
US20120169086 *Mar 7, 2012 Jul 5, 2012 Giromini Richard J Side underride cable system for a trailer
US8579359 Jan 15, 2013 Nov 12, 2013 Wabash National, L.P. Side skirt system for a trailer
US8678474 *May 17, 2013 Mar 25, 2014 Transtex Composite Inc. Self-repositioning aerodynamic skirt
US8783758 Mar 19, 2013 Jul 22, 2014 Wabash National, L.P. Folding side skirt system for a trailer
US8801078 Oct 9, 2013 Aug 12, 2014 Wabash National, L.P. Side skirt system for a trailer
US9199676 Jul 2, 2014 Dec 1, 2015 Wabash National, L. P. Side skirt system for a trailer
US9409610 Mar 11, 2015 Aug 9, 2016 Wabash National, L.P. Side skirt system for a trailer
US9573636 Mar 12, 2015 Feb 21, 2017 Ridge Corporation Aerodynamic skirt assembly
US9688320 Oct 27, 2015 Jun 27, 2017 Wabash National, L.P. Side skirt system for a trailer
1977 Page Patent guard rail for side protection on large wheel vehicles, 1977 US Side Guard Patent US4060268 William Page.pdf
1996 Volvo began manufacturing trucks with Front Underrun Protection in 1996 in Europe. This is a patent filed in 2007 for an “Underrun protector and method of providing underrun protection.” http://www.google.sr/patents/WO2008002242A1?cl=en Other relevant information on front underrun protection can be found here: https://annaleahmary.com/tag/front-underrun-protection/
2009 Patent filed for a “Side impact guard device for industrial vehicles, particularly trailers or semi-trailers”
US7967349 Apr 7, 2009 Jun 28, 2011 C.R.F. Societa Consortile Per Azioni Side impact guard device for industrial vehicles, particularly trailers or semi-trailers
2012 Sapa Extrusions (inventor/engineer Malcolm Deighton) filed for a patent in 2012 for a “Semi trailer under-run protection device” which they later developed into a rear underride guard which was successfully crash tested on a trailer in April 2017. https://www.google.com/patents/USD703106
2015 Aaron Kiefer, crash reconstructionist and forensic engineer, was issued a patent for an innovative combination side & rear trailer underride protection system : https://www.google.com/patents/US9463759 Please see the numerous underride patents referred to in this patent.
2015 This patent for a Trailer rear impact guard cites numerous other underride protection patents: https://www.google.com/patents/USD790407
2016 Stephen Batzer and Patrick Rogers granted a patent Adjustable side under-ride guard for sliding axle trailer
2016 Aaron Kiefer granted TrailerGuard system underride protection patent , October 11, 2016.
pat9463759 Kiefer
2016 Stephen Batzer and Patrick Rogers granted a patent Telescoping side under-ride guard for sliding axle trailer
2017 Seven Hills Engineering, Perry Ponder inventor of AngelWing side guard Underride Protection successfully crash tested at 35 MPH by IIHS on 3/30/2017 and 40 MPH on 8/29/2017. Patent Pending http://www.7he.us and http://airflowdeflector.com/airflow-2/
2017 IIHS TOUGHGuard Award Announced for improved rear underride guard design by trailer manufacturers, March 1, 2017
2017 SAPA (Hydro Extrusions) publishes results of 40 mph crash test of a Rear Impact (Underride) Guard: Sapa 40-30 RIG Test Engineering Report Version 1.3
2017 Wabash Trailers announced a prototype side guard , September 29, 2017.
2018 Aaron Kiefer granted patent for an underride collision device for large trucks: pat9908493 Kiefer
VIDEO
2019 Vanguard Trailers granted application for strap side guard patent, June 20, 2019.
Vanguard Strap Underride Patent Vanguard Side Guard Patent Application 2019
2019 Fortier Side protection device for a vehicle, related kit and vehicle provided with the same, Patent No.: US 10,343
2020 Wabash Side Underride Guard Patent Wabash 2020 SUG patent
2021 Patent for an Underride Guard Assembly for Trailers
2022 SIDE UNDERRIDE GUARD ASSEMBLY FOR A TRAILER ,
2023 Utility Trailer Manufacturing, side guard patent
2023 Great Dane Trailers, side guard patent
For additional information on Underride Research, Reports, and Recommendations, see this post: https://annaleahmary.com/2017/09/history-of-underride-research-reports-1896-to-2017/
Vanguard Strap Underride Patent Vanguard Side Guard Patent Application 2019
