Patent ID: 7850224

Claim:
A drag reducing device for use in reducing drag on a vehicle, the drag reducing device mounted on a rear end of the vehicle, the drag reducing device comprising: an upper panel that is movable between a deployed position of the upper panel and a stowed position of the upper panel, the upper panel hingedly mounted to the rear end of the vehicle; a lower panel that is movable between a deployed position of the lower panel and a stowed position of the lower panel, the lower panel hingedly mounted to the rear end of the vehicle; an intermediate member positioned between the upper and the lower panels, the intermediate member hingedly mounted to the rear end of the vehicle; an upper member rotatably connected to the intermediate member at a first connection and rotatably connected to the upper panel at a second connection; a lower member rotatably connected to the intermediate member at a third connection and rotatably connected to the lower panel at a fourth connection; wherein the upper and the lower panels, the intermediate member, the upper member, and the lower member cooperate with each other in moving the upper and the lower panels simultaneously away from each other to the deployed positions of the upper and the lower panels respectively; and wherein the upper and the lower panels, the intermediate member, the upper member, and the lower member cooperate with each other in moving the upper and the lower panels simultaneously toward each other to the stowed positions of the upper and the lower panels respectively.