Side skirt system for a trailer

1. A side skirt system for reducing drag on a trailer or other ground vehicle, comprising:

a side skirt wall configured to be coupled to one side of the trailer to extend below a side wall of the trailer at least partially along a length of the trailer; and

a mounting bracket assembly coupled to the side skirt wall and configured to be coupled to a floor assembly of the trailer, wherein the mounting bracket assembly is configured to tilt laterally inwardly with respect to a generally vertical axis parallel to the side wall of the trailer, and wherein the mounting bracket assembly includes a coiled spring configured to bias the side skirt wall to a generally vertical position parallel with the vertical axis,

wherein the mounting bracket assembly includes a channel mount defining a longitudinally-extending channel, and wherein at least a portion of the spring is located within the channel of the channel mount, and

wherein the channel mount includes a front wall spaced-apart from and generally parallel with the side skirt wall, first and second side walls coupled to the front wall, and first and second flanges coupled to the respective first and second side walls, wherein the first and second flanges are coupled to the side skirt wall.

2. The side skirt system of claim 1 , wherein the side skirt wall includes a plurality of side skirt wall panels.

3. The side skirt system of claim 2 , wherein the mounting bracket assembly is positioned adjacent two adjoining side skirt wall panels.

4. The side skirt system of claim 2 , wherein the first flange is coupled to a first skirt panel and the second flange is coupled to a second skirt panel adjacent the first skirt panel.

5. The side skirt system of claim 2 , wherein the side skirt wall includes three side skirt wall panels.

6. The side skirt system of claim 2 , wherein the side skirt wall further includes a single flexible flap coupled to a bottom portion of each of the plurality of side skirt wall panels.

7. The side skirt system of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of wall panels are each made of a composite material.

8. The side skirt system of claim 2 , further comprising an H-member coupled to and positioned between adjacent side skirt wall panels, wherein the H-member includes a first vertical channel and a second vertical channel, and wherein a first vertical edge of a first side skirt wall panel is received within the first vertical channel of the H-member and a second vertical edge a second side skirt wall panel adjacent the first side skirt wall panel is received within the second vertical channel of the H-member.

9. The side skirt system of claim 1 , wherein the spring is a torsion spring.

10. The side skirt system of claim 1 , wherein the mounting bracket assembly is a first mounting bracket assembly and the side skirt system further includes a second mounting bracket assembly and a third mounting bracket assembly.

11. The side skirt system of claim 1 , further comprising a tether assembly having a first end coupled to the side skirt wall and a second end configured to be coupled to the floor assembly of the trailer.

12. A side skirt system for reducing drag on a trailer or other ground vehicle, comprising:

a side skirt wall configured to be coupled to one side of the trailer to extend below a side wall of the trailer at least partially along a length of the trailer; and

a mounting bracket assembly coupled to the side skirt wall and configured to be coupled to a floor assembly of the trailer, wherein the mounting bracket assembly is configured to tilt laterally inwardly with respect to a generally vertical axis parallel to the side wall of the trailer, and wherein the mounting bracket assembly includes a coiled spring configured to bias the side skirt wall to a generally vertical position parallel with the vertical axis,

wherein the mounting bracket assembly includes a mounting plate configured to be coupled to the flooring system of the trailer, a channel mount coupled to the mounting plate and configured to extend downwardly below the mounting plate, wherein the coiled spring includes a first portion coupled to the mounting plate and a second portion engaged with the channel mount, and wherein the mounting plate is configured to remain generally stationary relative to the flooring system of the trailer and the channel mount is configured to tilt laterally inwardly with the side skirt wall relative to the mounting plate.

13. The side skirt system of claim 12 , wherein the channel mount includes first and second spaced-apart side walls and a cross-pin coupled to and extending between the first and second side walls, and wherein the second portion of the coiled spring is engaged with the cross-pin.

14. A side skirt system for reducing drag on a trailer or other ground vehicle, comprising:

a side skirt wall configured to be coupled to one side of the trailer to extend below a side wall of the trailer at least partially along a length of the trailer, the side skirt wall including a first panel and a second panel adjacent and coupled to the first panel, wherein the side skirt wall is tiltable laterally inwardly relative to the trailer with respect to a generally vertical axis parallel to the side wall of the trailer; and

a mounting bracket assembly coupled to the first and second side skirt wall panels and configured to be coupled to a floor assembly of the trailer, wherein the mounting bracket assembly includes

a mounting plate configured to be coupled to the flooring system of the trailer,

a channel mount coupled to the mounting plate and having a first flange coupled to the first panel and a second flange coupled to the second panel, the channel mount being tiltable laterally inwardly with the side skirt wall relative to the mounting plate, and

a spring having a first portion coupled to the mounting plate and a second portion engaged with and positioned at least partially within the a generally vertical channel of the channel mount, the spring being configured to bias the side skirt wall to a generally vertical position parallel to the vertical axis.

15. The side skirt system of claim 12 , wherein the coiled spring is configured to flex as the side skirt tilts laterally inwardly and outwardly.

16. The side skirt system of claim 15 , wherein a first end of the coiled spring is coupled to the floor assembly of the trailer and a second end of the coiled spring is coupled to the side skirt system.