초록 ▼

A drag reducing apparatus is hingedly mounted to the rear of a truck or trailer vehicle so that the apparatus can be pivoted clear of the rear doors of the vehicle. The apparatus includes a hinge assembly that allows the apparatus to open substantially flat against the side of the vehicle so as not

A drag reducing apparatus is hingedly mounted to the rear of a truck or trailer vehicle so that the apparatus can be pivoted clear of the rear doors of the vehicle. The apparatus includes a hinge assembly that allows the apparatus to open substantially flat against the side of the vehicle so as not to impede the full movement of the doors. The apparatus includes an arrangement of connected panels that are initially folded flat against the back of the vehicle but automatically open to a drag reducing configuration at a sufficient vehicle speed. The connected panels are further configured so that the force of gravity automatically returns the panels to their initial folded configuration when the vehicle speed falls below a threshold. The apparatus incorporates a modular construction that allows replacement of individual panel sections. The mounting frame is constructed to augment the drag reduction characteristics of the apparatus.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A drag reducing apparatus for a vehicle, comprising: an upper panel section, a lower panel section and opposite side panel sections, each of said panel sections mounted by a hinged connection around a perimeter of the rear of the vehicle, said upper panel section hingedly con

What is claimed is: 1. A drag reducing apparatus for a vehicle, comprising: an upper panel section, a lower panel section and opposite side panel sections, each of said panel sections mounted by a hinged connection around a perimeter of the rear of the vehicle, said upper panel section hingedly connected to an upper end of each of said side panel sections and said lower panel section hingedly connected to a lower end of each of said side panel sections; said panel sections having a folded state in which each panel section is substantially flat with said side panel sections overlying said lower panel section and said upper panel section overlying said side panel sections; and the hinged connections between panel sections are configured so that said panel sections automatically move from said folded state to an extended state at an airflow around the rear of the vehicle sufficient to pivot said upper panel section upward from said folded state. 2. The drag reducing apparatus of claim 1, wherein each side panel section includes a side panel and a triangular panel hingedly connected to said side panel to overlie said side panel in said folded state, said side panel including said lower end hingedly connected to said lower panel section and said triangular panel including said upper end hingedly connected to said upper panel section. 3. The drag reducing apparatus of claim 2, wherein said triangular panel of each side panel section is sized to be completely overlapped by said upper panel section when said panel sections are in said folded state. 4. The drag reducing apparatus of claim 2, wherein said triangular panel and said side panel of each side panel section is configured to be substantially planar in said extended state. 5. The drag reducing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said lower panel section includes an elongated lower panel and a triangular panel hingedly connected to each end of said lower panel to overlie said lower panel in said folded state, each triangular panel hingedly connected to said lower end of a corresponding side panel. 6. The drag reducing apparatus of claim 5, wherein each triangular panel and said lower panel are configured to be substantially planar in said extended state. 7. The drag reducing apparatus of claim 1, wherein said upper panel section and said lower panel section include a center hinge arrangement configured to permit one side panel section to be pivoted to overlap the other side panel section in the folded state. 8. The drag reducing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hinged connections between panel sections are configured so that each of said panel sections is oriented at an angle of about 15 degrees relative to a perpendicular plane extending from the rear of the vehicle in said extended state. 9. The drag reducing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hinged connections between panel sections include a removable fastener strip for removably connecting said panel sections. 10. The drag reducing apparatus of claim 9, wherein said removable fastener strip includes a hook-and-loop fastener. 11. A drag reducing apparatus for a vehicle, comprising: a frame having a perimeter and opposite side sections; an upper panel section, a lower panel section and opposite side panel sections, each of said panel sections hingedly connected around said perimeter of said frame, said upper panel section hingedly connected to an upper end of each of said side panel sections and said lower panel section hingedly connected to a lower end of each of said side panel sections, the hinged connections between panel sections configured so that pivoting one of said panel sections about a hinged connection automatically moves all of the panel sections from a folded state in which the panel sections are substantially flat against said frame to an extended state in which said panel sections project outward from said perimeter; a hinge arrangement at one of said side sections of said frame, said hinge arrangement attachable to the rear of the vehicle; and a latch arrangement at the other of said side sections of said frame, said latch arrangement configured to releasably lock said frame to the rear of the vehicle. 12. The drag reducing apparatus of claim 11, wherein said hinge arrangement includes at least two extension hinges, each extension hinge including: a fixed hinge attachable to the vehicle; a fixed plate extending from said hinge; a moving hinge attached to said frame; and a moving plate extending from said movable hinge and slidably connected to said fixed plate. 13. The drag reducing apparatus of claim 11, wherein said hinge arrangement includes at least two hinge assemblies, each hinge assembly including: a fixed hinge having a mounting plate configured to be attached to the rear of the vehicle with said fixed hinge offset forward from the rear of the vehicle along the side of the vehicle; a moving hinge attached to said frame; and a plate pivotably connected between said fixed hinge and said moving hinge, said plate sized to span said offset when said frame is locked to the rear of the vehicle. 14. The drag reducing apparatus of claim 13, wherein: said frame includes a beam extending along said one of said side sections of said frame; said moving hinge includes a pivot rod pivotably connected to said plate; and said hinge arrangement includes at a pivot rod mount connected to said beam and supporting said pivot rod at least at opposite ends of said beam. 15. The drag reducing apparatus of claim 14, in which the vehicle includes at least one door at the rear of the vehicle supported by hinges, wherein said pivot rod mounts are sized to support said plate of each hinge assembly in a position that does not interfere with the door hinges of the vehicle. 16. The drag reducing apparatus of claim 14, further including a pivot rod mount connected to said beam between each of said at least two hinge assemblies. 17. A drag reducing apparatus for a vehicle, comprising: a frame having a perimeter and opposite side sections connectable to the rear of the vehicle, at least one of said side sections being releasably connectable to the vehicle; an upper panel section, a lower panel section and opposite side panel sections, each of said panel sections hingedly connected around said perimeter of said frame, said upper panel section hingedly connected to an upper end of each of said side panel sections and said lower panel section hingedly connected to a lower end of each of said side panel sections, the hinged connections between panel sections configured so that pivoting one of said panel sections about a hinged connection automatically moves all of the panel sections from a folded state in which the panel sections are substantially flat against said frame to an extended state in which said panel sections project outward from said perimeter; and said frame, said upper panel section and said lower panel section include a center hinge arrangement configured to permit the releasably connected one of said side sections to be pivoted about said center hinge arrangement onto the other of said opposite side sections when said panel sections are in said folded state. 18. A drag reducing apparatus for a vehicle, comprising: an upper panel section, a lower panel section and opposite side panel sections, each of said panel sections hingedly connectable to the rear of the vehicle, said upper panel section hingedly connected to an upper end of each of said side panel sections and said lower panel section hingedly connected to a lower end of each of said side panel sections, the hinged connections between panel sections configured so that pivoting one of said panel sections about a hinged connection automatically moves all of the panel sections from a folded state in which the panel sections are substantially flat against said frame to an extended state in which said panel sections project outward from said perimeter, wherein the hinged connections between panel sections include a removable fastener strip for removably connecting said panel sections. 19. The drag reducing apparatus of claim 18, wherein said removable fastener strip includes a hook-and-loop fastener. 20. The drag reducing apparatus for a vehicle of claim 1, further comprising: a lower tether sheet connected between the rear of the vehicle and a free edge of said lower panel section, said lower tether sheet arranged to fold with said lower panel section in said folded state and to define a subtended angle with said lower panel section in said extended state. 21. The drag reducing apparatus of claim 20, wherein the hinged connections between panel sections are configured so that each of said panel sections is oriented at an angle of about 15 degrees relative to a perpendicular plane extending from the rear of the vehicle in said extended state. 22. The drag reducing apparatus of claim 21, wherein said subtended angle is about 30 degrees. 23. The drag reducing apparatus of claim 20, wherein the hinged connection between each of said panel sections and the rear of the vehicle includes a sliding interlocking interface. 24. The drag reducing apparatus of claim 20, further comprising an upper tether sheet connected between the rear of the vehicle and said upper panel section, and side tether sheets connected between the rear of the vehicle and each of said side panel sections. 25. The drag reducing apparatus of claim 24, wherein said upper and side tether sheets are formed of a mesh material. 26. The drag reducing apparatus of claim 20, wherein said lower tether sheet is formed of a material adapted to shed water or debris falling thereon. 27. The drag reducing apparatus of claim 20, wherein said lower tether sheet is connected to the rear of the vehicle with a sliding interlocking interface. 28. The drag reducing apparatus of claim 27, further comprising an upper tether sheet connected between the rear of the vehicle and said upper panel section with a sliding interlocking interface, and side tether sheets connected between the rear of the vehicle and each of said side panel sections with a sliding interlocking interface. 29. The drag reducing apparatus of claim 28, further comprising a frame having a perimeter connectable to the rear of the vehicle, wherein said panel sections and said tether sheets are hingedly connected to said frame. 30. The drag reducing apparatus of claim 29, wherein said frame includes an interior frame structure offset interiorly from said perimeter, said interior frame structure including said sliding interlocking interface for said lower, upper and side tether sheets. 31. The drag reducing apparatus of claim 30, wherein said frame further includes plates spanning said perimeter and said interior frame structure.