EXHAUST SYSTEM

• US 20080302597A1
• Filed: 06/04/2008
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eberspacher Exhaust Technology GmbH & Co. KG (Eberspächer Gruppe GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: J. Eberspaecher Gmbh & Co. KG
• Inventors: Kruger, Jan, Jess, Marco
• Granted Patent: US 7,703,574 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 181/238
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/011 having two or more purifying devices arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/02 having two or more separate silencers in series
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/08 Other arrangements or adaptations of exhaust conduits pipes, joints or supports therefor in general F16L; collecting or removing exhaust gases of vehicle engines in workshops B08B15/00, on highways E01C1/005
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/107 More than one exhaust manifold or exhaust collector

Abstract

An exhaust system (1) is provided for an internal combustion engine (4), especially in a motor vehicle, with two separate exhaust gas lines (2, 3) with a first sound transmission feature (7), which couples the two exhaust gas lines (2, 3) with one another, and with a control (9) for activating and deactivating the first sound transmission connection (7) as a function of at least one operating parameter of the internal combustion engine (4). To improve the muffling behavior, a second sound transmission connection (8) is provided, which couples the two exhaust gas lines (2, 3) with one another downstream of the first sound transmission connection (7), and makes possible, depending on the particular operating parameter, three switching states (SZ), namely, a first switching state, in which both sound transmission connections (7, 8) are deactivated, a second switching state, in which only one sound transmission connection (7, 8) is activated, and a third switching state, in which both sound transmission connections (7, 8) are activated.

Claims

1. An exhaust system for a motor vehicle internal combustion engine, exhaust system comprising:

two separate exhaust gas lines for removing exhaust gases of a internal combustion engine;

a switchable first sound transmission means, which couples said two exhaust gas lines with one another for the transmission of airborne sound;

a switchable second sound transmission means downstream of said first sound transmission means, said second sound transmission means couples said two exhaust gas lines with one another for the transmission of airborne sound,

a control means for activating and deactivating said first sound transmission means and for activating and deactivating said second sound transmission means as a function of at least one operating parameter of said internal combustion engine to provide at least three switching states for said two sound transmission means, said at least three switching states comprising;

a first switching state, in which said two sound transmission means are deactivated;

a second switching state, in which one of said first sound transmission means and said second sound transmission means is activated, while another one of said first sound transmission means and said second sound transmission means is deactivated; and

a third switching state, in which both of said first sound transmission means and said second sound transmission means are activated.

2. An exhaust system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first sound transmission means is located upstream of said second sound transmission means and is deactivated in said second switching state, while said second sound transmission means, located downstream of said first transmission means, is activated.

3. An exhaust system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said control means uses a revolutions per seconds operating parameter of said internal combustion engine as said at least one operating parameter of said internal combustion engine for switching said sound transmission means.

4. An exhaust system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said control means sets the first switching state in a lower rpm (revolutions per minute) range, sets the second switching state in a medium rpm range, and sets the third switching state in an upper rpm range.

5. An exhaust system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said two exhaust gas lines are each respectively assigned to one group of cylinders of said internal combustion engine including cylinders of one group of cylinders and cylinders of another group of cylinders performing working strokes alternatingly or synchronously, and/or said two exhaust gas lines are assigned to a bank of cylinders each of the internal combustion engine designed as a V-engine.

6. An exhaust system in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said first sound transmission means is arranged connected to both said exhaust gas lines downstream of a respective catalytic converter of said exhaust gas lines;

said second sound transmission means is arranged connected to both of said exhaust gas lines upstream of a muffler means, said muffler means comprising one of a separate mufflers for each of said exhaust gas lines and a common muffler for said exhaust gas lines.

7. An exhaust system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said exhaust gas lines contain no muffler upstream of said second sound transmission means.

8. An exhaust system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first sound transmission means in said particular exhaust gas line is arranged in a range smaller than or approximately equaling 50% or about 30% to 50% or about 40% to 50% of a flow path between said internal combustion engine and a muffler assigned to said respective exhaust gas line.

9. An exhaust system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said second sound transmission means is arranged in said particular exhaust gas line in a range greater than or equaling 50% or about 50% to 100% or about 70% to 100% or about 80% to 100% of a flow path between said internal combustion engine and a muffler assigned to said particular exhaust gas line.

10. An exhaust system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first sound transmission means and/or said second sound transmission means is/are arranged on said two exhaust gas lines in a range in which said two exhaust gas lines extend in a tunnel of the vehicle in the mounted state.

11. An exhaust system in accordance with claim 1, wherein a flow path between said two sound transmission means in said exhaust gas line is at least 50 cm.

12. An exhaust system internal combustion engine claim 1, wherein each respective said sound transmission means has a connection pipe, which connects said two exhaust gas lines in such a way that said two exhaust gas lines communicate with one another, and/or said respective sound transmission means has an actuator for opening and closing said particular connection pipe.

13. An internal combustion engine exhaust system comprising:

a first exhaust gas line connected to a particular set of pistons of the internal combustion engine for removing some of the exhaust gases of a internal combustion engine;

a second exhaust gas line connected to another particular set of pistons of the internal combustion engine for removing some of the exhaust gases of a internal combustion engine;

a first sound transmission means, connected between said first exhaust gas line and said second exhaust gas line, for the transmission of airborne sound, said first sound transmission means including an actuator and actuator drive for switching a state of airborne sound transmission between said first exhaust gas line and said second exhaust gas line;

a second sound transmission means, connected between said first exhaust gas line and said second exhaust gas line, for the transmission of airborne sound, said second sound transmission means including an actuator and actuator drive for switching a state of airborne sound transmission between said first exhaust gas line and said second exhaust gas line, said second sound transmission means being downstream of said first sound transmission means;

a control means for activating and deactivating said first sound transmission means and for activating and deactivating said second sound transmission means as a function of at least one operating parameter of said internal combustion engine to provide at least three combination switching states for said first sound transmission means combined with said second sound transmission means, said at least three switching states comprising;

a first switching state, in which said two sound transmission means are deactivated;

a second switching state, in which one of said first sound transmission means and said second sound transmission means is activated, while another one of said first sound transmission means and said second sound transmission means is deactivated; and

a third switching state, in which both of said first sound transmission means and said second sound transmission means are activated.

14. An exhaust system in accordance with claim 13, wherein said first sound transmission means is located upstream of said second sound transmission means and is deactivated in said second switching state, while said second sound transmission means, located downstream of said first transmission means, is activated.

15. An exhaust system in accordance with claim 13, wherein said control means uses a revolutions per seconds operating parameter of said internal combustion engine as said at least one operating parameter of said internal combustion engine for switching said sound transmission means.

16. An exhaust system in accordance with claim 13, wherein said control means sets the first switching state in a lower rpm (revolutions per minute) range, sets the second switching state in a medium rpm range, and sets the third switching state in an upper rpm range.

17. An exhaust system in accordance with claim 13, wherein:

said first sound transmission means is arranged connected to both said exhaust gas lines downstream of a respective catalytic converter of said exhaust gas lines;

said second sound transmission means is arranged connected to both of said exhaust gas lines upstream of a muffler means, said muffler means comprising one of a separate mufflers for each of said exhaust gas lines and a common muffler for said exhaust gas lines.

18. An exhaust system in accordance with claim 13, wherein said exhaust gas lines contain no muffler upstream of said second sound transmission means.

19. An exhaust system in accordance with claim 13, wherein said first sound transmission means is arranged in a range smaller than or approximately equaling 50% of a flow path between said internal combustion engine and a muffler assigned to said respective exhaust gas line and said second sound transmission means is arranged in said particular exhaust gas line in a range greater than or equaling 50% of a flow path between said internal combustion engine and a muffler assigned to said particular exhaust gas line.

20. An exhaust system internal combustion engine claim 13, wherein each respective said first sound transmission means and first sound transmission means has a connection pipe, which connects said two exhaust gas lines in such a way that said two exhaust gas lines communicate with one another, and each respective actuator of said first sound transmission means and second sound transmission means opens and closes said particular connection pipe.