Patent ID: 6485087
Filing Date: 2002-11-26
Classification: B62D

Abstract:
An air drag reducing apparatus for use with a vehicle having a top and opposite lateral sides contiguous with a rear end formed of a pair of hingedly mounted rectangular doors movable between a closed position to a fully open retracted position wherein said doors are retracted adjacent to a corresponding side of the vehicle; said apparatus comprising:a pair of elongated generally rectangular side panels each having opposite short sides and opposite long sides, said long sides defining a leading edge and a trailing edge; hinge means connecting each said side panel allowing for pivotal movement relative to a corresponding door of said vehicle; means associated with each said side panel for maintaining said side panel in a drag reducing position rearwardly of a corresponding closed door wherein said side panel defines an angle of about 16Â° with a rearward projection of a plane of the corresponding side of the vehicle; a pair of generally rectangular top panels each having opposite short sides and opposite long sides, said long sides defining a leading edge and a trailing edge; said short sides of said top panels including one short side disposed adjacent an inner face of a corresponding one of said side panels when said side panels are in said drag reducing position; and means associated with said top panels for maintaining said top panels in a drag reducing position rearwardly of a corresponding closed door wherein each said top panel defines an angle of about 16Â° with a rearward projection of a plane of the top of the vehicle; said maintaining means associated with said top panels allowing said top panels to be moved from said drag reducing position to a position lying substantially parallel to a corresponding side of the vehicle between a corresponding side panel and a corresponding door in said fully open position.