Patent ID: 6666498
Filing Date: 2003-12-23
Classification: B62D

Abstract:
An airfoil to reduce wind resistance of trucks and semi-trailers having a substantially planar rear surface, the airfoil being deployable from a storage configuration to a deployed configuration and comprising:first and second side panels supported at the rear surface; each of said first and second side panels comprising laterally spaced proximal and distal edges, each said proximal edge defining a pivot edge for pivotally attaching a respective one of said first and second panels adjacent a side of the planar rear surface; each of said first and second side panels including a front portion and a rear portion, and including a fold area extending substantially vertically and located intermediate said proximal and distal edges and said fold area of each side panel connecting respective front and rear portions of said side panels; said first and second side panels being movable from the storage configuration located adjacent said rear surface to the deployed configuration extending outwardly from said rear surface, said side panels each folding at said fold area when said side panels are in the storage configuration, each said side panel defines a shape having a single direction of curvature extending across both said first and second portions from said proximal edge to said distal edge when positioned in the deployed configuration; and when in said storage configuration, said front and rear portions of each said side panel located in side-by-side relation to each other adjacent said rear surface, each said front and rear portion further defining a distinct curved shape facing inwardly toward said rear surface, and said fold area defining a direction of curvature opposite from a direction of curvature of each said curved shape.