Patent ID: 8366180

Claim:
In combination: a) a vehicle comprising: a cargo container having a front, a rear, a top, a bottom, and laterally spaced first and second sides; and a support for the cargo container comprising first and second wheel assemblies spaced from each other in a front-to-rear direction, the support maintaining the cargo container in an elevated position relative to a subjacent supporting surface for the vehicle so that there are first and second spaced regions between: a) the first and second wheel assemblies; and b) the bottom of the cargo container and subjacent supporting surface, respectively at the first and second sides of the cargo container; and b) an air deflection system comprising: a first skirt assembly mounted to the vehicle at the first side of the cargo container, the first skirt assembly comprising: i) at least one upper panel extending in a front-to-rear direction and defining an upper laterally facing deflecting surface; and ii) at least one lower panel extending in a front-to-rear direction below the at least one upper panel and defining a lower laterally facing deflecting surface, the upper and lower laterally facing deflecting surfaces blocking air flow in a lateral direction into the first region; the at least one lower panel being constructed to be more readily bendable than the at least one upper panel so that with the first skirt assembly in an operative position the at least one lower panel will deflect upon being impacted with a predetermined force relative to the at least one upper panel, the air deflection system further comprising a plurality of support braces extending angularly between: a) the vehicle at a first location spaced laterally inwardly from the first side at the bottom of the cargo carrying container; and b) the at least one upper panel to support the first skirt assembly in the operative position and reinforce the at least one upper panel, wherein the at least one upper panel has a vertical dimension, the plurality of support braces comprises a first support brace comprising a flat body with oppositely facing first and second flat surfaces, the at least one upper panel has a laterally inwardly facing surface and the first support brace is secured to the at least one upper panel with the first flat surface on the body of the first support brace engaged with the laterally inwardly facing surface of the at least one upper panel over a majority of the vertical dimension of the at least one upper panel to thereby reinforce the at least one upper panel, wherein the first support brace comprises a portion that extends angularly between the first location and the at least one upper panel adjacent to the top of the at least one upper panel.