Rear-mounted aerodynamic structure for truck cargo bodies

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. This low profile allows the doors to be swung through approximately 270 degrees to be secured to the sides of the body in a manner that does not interfere with adjacent doors or bodies in, for example a multi-bay loading dock. A swing arm assembly and gas spring biases the panels into a deployed position that can be refolded by grasping the side panel and rotating it inward toward the door surface. The top and bottom panels are partly inwardly folded when deployed to define external valleys using a stop assembly. This ensures that the panels fold readily when desired without the two sections of the panels “locking up”.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An aerodynamic assembly that moves between a folded orientation and an unfolded orientation for the rear of a vehicle body having a right hand door and a left hand door comprising:
 a right aerodynamic assembly half having a right top panel including a top door-hinged section hingedly attached adjacent a top of the right hand door to fold downwardly, a right bottom panel including a bottom door-hinged section hingedly attached adjacent a bottom of the right hand door to fold upwardly and a right side panel hingedly attached adjacent an outboard edge of the right hand door to fold inwardly toward a center line between the right hand door and the left hand door, the top panel further including a top side panel-hinged section hingedly attached to each of the top door hinged section and a top region of the side panel and the bottom panel further including a bottom side panel-hinged section hingedly attached to each of the bottom door hinged section and a bottom region of the side panel;   a left aerodynamic assembly half having a left top panel including a top door-hinged section hingedly attached adjacent a top of the left hand door to fold downwardly, a left bottom panel including a bottom door-hinged section hingedly attached adjacent a bottom of the left hand door to fold upwardly and a side panel hingedly attached adjacent an outboard edge of the left hand door to fold inwardly toward a center line between the right and door and the left hand door, the top panel further including a top side panel-hinged section hingedly attached to each of the top door hinged section and a top region of the side panel and the bottom panel further including a bottom side panel-hinged section hingedly attached to each of the bottom door hinged section and a bottom region of the side panel;   a right swing arm assembly hingedly attached to the right hand door, and through a respective tie rod, to each of the right top panel and the right bottom panel; and   a left swing arm assembly hingedly attached to the left hand door, and through a respective tie rod, to each of the left top panel and the left bottom panel.