Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a foldable/retractable and unfoldable/deployable, rearwardly tapered aerodynamic assembly for use on the rear trailer bodies and other vehicles that accommodate dual swing-out doors. The aerodynamic assembly includes a right half mounted on the right hand door and a left half mounted on a left hand door. Each half can be constructed with a side panel, top panel and bottom panel, which each form half of an overall tapered box when deployed on the rear of the vehicle, the bottom panels and top panels being sealed together at a pair of overlapping weather seals along the centerline.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a foldable/retractable and unfoldable/deployable, rearwardly tapered aerodynamic assembly for use on the rear trailer bodies and other vehicles that accommodate dual swing-out doors. The aerodynamic assembly includes a right half mounted on the right hand door and a left half mounted on a left hand door. Each half can be constructed with a side panel, top panel and bottom panel, which each form half of an overall tapered box when deployed on the rear of the vehicle, the bottom panels and top panels being sealed together at a pair of overlapping weather seals along the centerline.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a foldable/retractable and unfoldable/deployable, rearwardly tapered aerodynamic assembly for use on the rear trailer bodies and other vehicles that accommodate dual swing-out doors. The aerodynamic assembly includes a right half mounted on the right hand door and a left half mounted on a left hand door. Each half can be constructed with a side panel, top panel and bottom panel, which each form half of an overall tapered box when deployed on the rear of the vehicle, the bottom panels and top panels being sealed together at a pair of overlapping weather seals along the centerline.

Abstract: This invention provides an aerodynamic structure attached to the rear cargo body, having doors that swing open, or a single, full-width door, which rolls upwardly. The embodiments provide an aerodynamic structure attached to the rear in a manner that would obscure access to the door(s) in a deployed position, in which the structure reduces drag, yet enables access to the door(s) in a folded position. The folded position allows access to the rear for loading and unloading, and in the case of swinging, hinged doors, allows the doors to be folded through a 270-degree arc, with a minimal sideways projection. The various embodiments also enable relatively rapid and easy transition between the folded position and the deployed position using actuators and/or linkages that tie the folding and deployment of panels of the structure together. This allows selective folding and deployment of the structure without undue effort or strength.

Abstract: This invention provides a foldable/retractable and unfoldable/deployable, rearwardly tapered aerodynamic assembly for use on the rear trailer bodies and other vehicles that accommodate dual swing-out doors. The aerodynamic assembly includes a right half mounted on the right hand door and a left half mounted on a left hand door. Each half is constructed with a side panel, top panel and bottom panel, which each form half of an overall tapered box when deployed on the rear of the vehicle, the bottom panels and top panels being sealed together at a pair of overlapping weather seals along the centerline. The panels are relatively thin, but durable, and are joined to each other by resilient strip hinges. The top and bottom panels are also hinged to form two sections along diagonal lines to facilitate folding of all panels in a relatively low-profile stacked orientation.

Abstract: This invention provides a foldable/retractable and unfoldable/deployable, rearwardly tapered aerodynamic assembly for use on the rear trailer bodies and other vehicles that accommodate dual swing-out doors. The aerodynamic assembly includes a right half mounted on the right hand door and a left half mounted on a left hand door. Each half is constructed with a side panel, top panel and bottom panel, which each form half of an overall tapered box when deployed on the rear of the vehicle, the bottom panels and top panels being sealed together at a pair of overlapping weather seals along the centerline. The panels are relatively thin, but durable, and are joined to each other by resilient strip hinges. The top and bottom panels are also hinged to form two sections along diagonal lines to facilitate folding of all panels in a relatively low-profile stacked orientation.

Abstract: This invention provides an aerodynamic structure attached to the rear cargo body, having doors that swing open, or a single, full-width door, which rolls upwardly. The embodiments provide an aerodynamic structure attached to the rear in a manner that would obscure access to the door(s) in a deployed position, in which the structure reduces drag, yet enables access to the door(s) in a folded position. The folded position allows access to the rear for loading and unloading, and in the case of swinging, hinged doors, allows the doors to be folded through a 270-degree arc, with a minimal sideways projection. The various embodiments also enable relatively rapid and easy transition between the folded position and the deployed position using actuators and/or linkages that tie the folding and deployment of panels of the structure together. This allows selective folding and deployment of the structure without undue effort or strength.

Abstract: This invention provides an aerodynamic structure attached to the rear cargo body, having doors that swing open, or a single, full-width door, which rolls upwardly. The embodiments provide an aerodynamic structure attached to the rear in a manner that would obscure access to the door(s) in a deployed position, in which the structure reduces drag, yet enables access to the door(s) in a folded position. The folded position allows access to the rear for loading and unloading, and in the case of swinging, hinged doors, allows the doors to be folded through a 270-degree arc, with a minimal sideways projection. The various embodiments also enable relatively rapid and easy transition between the folded position and the deployed position using actuators and/or linkages that tie the folding and deployment of panels of the structure together. This allows selective folding and deployment of the structure without undue effort or strength.

Abstract: This invention provides a foldable/retractable and unfoldable/deployable, rearwardly tapered aerodynamic assembly for use on the rear trailer bodies and other vehicles that accommodate dual swing-out doors. The aerodynamic assembly includes a right half mounted on the right hand door and a left half mounted on a left hand door. Each half is constructed with a side panel, top panel and bottom panel, which each form half of an overall tapered box when deployed on the rear of the vehicle, the bottom panels and top panels being sealed together at a pair of overlapping weather seals along the centerline. The panels are relatively thin, but durable, and are joined to each other by resilient strip hinges. The top and bottom panels are also hinged to form two sections along diagonal lines to facilitate folding of all panels in a relatively low-profile stacked orientation.

Abstract: This invention provides a foldable/retractable and unfoldable/deployable, rearwardly tapered assembly for vehicle bodies that accommodate dual swing-out doors. The aerodynamic assembly includes a right half and a left half mounted on respective doors. Each half is constructed with a series of panels that form half of a tapered box when deployed on the rear of the vehicle, the bottom panels and top panels being sealed together at a pair of weather seals along the centerline. The panels are joined by hinges and the top and bottom panels form two sections along diagonal lines to facilitate folding of all panels in a low-profile stacked orientation. A swing arm assembly and gas spring biases the panels into a deployed position that can be refolded. The top and bottom panels are partly inwardly folded when deployed to define external valleys using a stop assembly that prevents the panels from “locking up”.

Abstract: This invention provides an aerodynamic structure attached to the rear cargo body, having doors that swing open, or a single, full-width door, which rolls upwardly. The embodiments provide an aerodynamic structure attached to the rear in a manner that would obscure access to the door(s) in a deployed position, in which the structure reduces drag, yet enables access to the door(s) in a folded position. The folded position allows access to the rear for loading and unloading, and in the case of swinging, hinged doors, allows the doors to be folded through a 270-degree arc, with a minimal sideways projection. The various embodiments also enable relatively rapid and easy transition between the folded position and the deployed position using actuators and/or linkages that tie the folding and deployment of panels of the structure together. This allows selective folding and deployment of the structure without undue effort or strength.

Abstract: This invention provides a foldable/retractable and unfoldable/deployable, rearwardly tapered aerodynamic assembly for use on the rear trailer bodies and other vehicles that accommodate dual swing-out doors. The aerodynamic assembly includes a right half mounted on the right hand door and a left half mounted on a left hand door. Each half is constructed with a side panel, top panel and bottom panel, which each form half of an overall tapered box when deployed on the rear of the vehicle, the bottom panels and top panels being sealed together at a pair of overlapping weather seals along the centerline.

Abstract: This invention provides an aerodynamic structure attached to the rear cargo body, having doors that swing open, or a single, full-width door, which rolls upwardly. The embodiments provide an aerodynamic structure attached to the rear in a manner that would obscure access to the door(s) in a deployed position, in which the structure reduces drag, yet enables access to the door(s) in a folded position. The folded position allows access to the rear for loading and unloading, and in the case of swinging, hinged doors, allows the doors to be folded through a 270-degree arc, with a minimal sideways projection. The various embodiments also enable relatively rapid and easy transition between the folded position and the deployed position using actuators and/or linkages that tie the folding and deployment of panels of the structure together. This allows selective folding and deployment of the structure without undue effort or strength.

Abstract: This invention provides an aerodynamic structure attached to the rear face of a truck cargo body, which rear typically contains a door assembly, with a plurality of doors that swing open on hinges, or a single, full-width door, which rolls upwardly. The various embodiments of the invention allow an aerodynamic structure to be permanently attached to the rear of the trailer in a manner that would obscure access to the door(s) in a deployed position, in which the aerodynamic structure generates reduced drag on the trailer body, yet enables ready access to the door(s) in a folded position. The folded position still allows the rear of the trailer to be fully accessible for loading and unloading, and in the case of swinging, hinged doors (among others), allows the doors to be folded through a full 270-degree arc from a closed position to a position flush along the sides of the vehicle, with a minimal sideways projection.

Abstract: This invention provides a foldable/retractable and unfoldable/deployable, rearwardly tapered aerodynamic assembly for use on the rear trailer bodies and other vehicles that accommodate dual swing-out doors. The aerodynamic assembly includes a right half mounted on the right hand door and a left half mounted on a left hand door. Each half is constructed with a side panel, top panel and bottom panel, which each form half of an overall tapered box when deployed on the rear of the vehicle, the bottom panels and top panels being sealed together at a pair of overlapping weather seals along the centerline. The panels are relatively thin, but durable, and are joined to each other by resilient strip hinges. The top and bottom panels are also hinged to form two sections along diagonal lines to facilitate folding of all panels in a relatively low-profile stacked orientation.

Abstract: This invention provides an aerodynamic structure attached to the rear face of a truck cargo body, which rear typically contains a door assembly, with a plurality of doors that swing open on hinges, or a single, full-width door, which rolls upwardly. The various embodiments of the invention allow an aerodynamic structure to be permanently attached to the rear of the trailer in a manner that would obscure access to the door(s) in a deployed position, in which the aerodynamic structure generates reduced drag on the trailer body, yet enables ready access to the door(s) in a folded position. The folded position still allows the rear of the trailer to be fully accessible for loading and unloading, and in the case of swinging, hinged doors (among others), allows the doors to be folded through a full 270-degree arc from a closed position to a position flush along the sides of the vehicle, with a minimal sideways projection.