Patent ID: 8177287

Claim:
A drag reducing apparatus for a vehicle, comprising: a frame having a perimeter and connectable to the rear of 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 a series of plates attached to said frame around said perimeter and disposed between said panel sections in said folded state and the rear of the vehicle.