Patent attributes
An air drag reduction mechanism for a vehicle is provided. The mechanism includes a base and an air deflector rotatably coupled to the base. The air deflector is rotatable between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration. At least one actuator is operatively coupled to the air deflector and structured to rotate the air deflector between the stowed configuration and the deployed configuration. At least one latching mechanism is operatively coupled to the air deflector and the base. The latching mechanism is structured to engage when the air deflector rotates from the stowed configuration to the deployed configuration, to maintain the air deflector in the deployed configuration. The latching mechanism is also structured to disengage when the air deflector reconfigures from the extended configuration to the retracted configuration so as to permit rotation of the air deflector from the deployed configuration to the stowed configuration.