Reduced cost vent silencer

• US 5,859,393 A
• Filed: 05/19/1997
• Issued: 01/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Universal Acoustic & Emission Technologies, Inc. (Durr AG)
• Original Assignee: Nelson Industries Incorporated (Cummins Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cummins, Jim R. Jr., Kendziera, Ronald W., Moritz, Lee H., Weeden, Jeffery L., Brazys, Daniel M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Khanh
• Application Number:
  US08/858,516
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 181/224, 181/252, 181/255, 181/256, 181/257, 181/258, 181/264, 181/268, 181/269, 181/272, 181/275, 181/282, 181/293
• US Class Current: 181/257
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 1/04 having sound-absorbing materials in resonance chambers
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 1/24 by using sound-absorbing materials F01N1/04, F01N1/06, F01N1/10, F01N1/14, F01N1/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2490/15 Plurality of resonance or dead chambers

Abstract

An acoustical silencer (10) includes a housing (12) extending generally axially vertically upwardly from an inlet (14) to an outlet (16). A laterally extending upper divider wall (18) is attached to the housing and has a plurality of apertures (22) therethrough. A plurality of tubes (24, 34) extend axially vertically through respective apertures and have an integral bulge (26) crimped radially outwardly to a larger radius than the aperture and engaging the topside of the upper divider wall to suspend the tube therefrom. A laterally extending lower divider wall (28) has a plurality of apertures (30) therethrough. The tubes extend axially vertically through the apertures of the lower divider wall and some have integral bulges (32) crimped radially outwardly to a larger radius than the aperture of the lower divider wall and engage the underside of the lower divider wall to suspend the latter from the tubes. The tubes are continuous spiral-wound perforated members completely weldless, including along their entire length and including at their interface with each of the divider walls. The structure reduces manufacturing cost, and enables large cross sectional flow area without sacrificing length to diameter tube grade ratios.

Claims

1. An acoustical silencer comprising a housing having an inlet and an outlet and extending generally axially vertically upwardly from said inlet to said outlet, a laterally extending upper divider wall attached to said housing, said upper divider wall having at least one aperture therethrough, at least one tube extending axially vertically through said aperture and having an integral bulge crimped radially outwardly to a larger radius than said aperture and engaging the topside of said upper divider wall to suspend said tube therefrom, a laterally extending lower divider wall having at least one aperture therethrough, said tube extending axially vertically through said aperture of said lower divider wall and having an integral bulge crimped radially outwardly to a larger radius than said aperture of said lower divider wall and engaging the underside of said lower divider wall to suspend said lower divider wall from said tube, wherein each of said divider walls has a plurality of apertures therethrough, and comprising a plurality of said tubes, each said tube extending through a respective aperture of said upper divider wall and a respective aperture of said lower divider wall, each of said tubes having an upper said integral bulge, such that each tube is suspended from said upper divider wall, at least some of said tubes having a lower said integral bulge, such that said lower divider wall is suspended from at least some of said tubes, wherein said lower divider wall is unattached to said housing and is suspended in floating relation therein, wherein said suspension of said tubes from said upper divider wall by engagement of said upper integral bulges with the topside of said upper divider wall is the sole connection of said tubes to said upper divider wall, such that said tubes are connected to said upper divider wall without welding, and wherein suspension of said lower divider wall from at least some of said tubes by engagement of said lower integral bulges with the underside of said lower divider wall is the sole connection of said tubes to said lower divider wall, such that the tubes which are connected to said lower divider wall are connected without welding, said tubes extending through respective said apertures in said divider walls in loose fit relation without crimping of said divider walls at said apertures to conform to said crimped bulges of said tubes, such that said upper bulge suspends and supports the bulged member itself, namely said tube, in free hanging relation, and said lower bulge suspends and supports another, different member, namely said lower divider wall, in free hanging relation.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said upper divider wall is welded to said housing.

3. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said tubes are continuous perforated members, each of which is completely weldless, including along its entire length and including at its interface with each of said divider walls.

4. The invention according to claim 3 wherein said tubes are continuous spiral-wound perforated members.

5. An acoustical silencer comprising a housing having an inlet for receiving sound energy and having an outlet, a first divider wall in said housing dividing said housing into an upstream chamber communicating with said inlet and a downstream chamber, a second divider wall in said housing between said downstream chamber and said outlet, a diffuser in said upstream chamber receiving sound energy from said inlet and diffusing said sound energy into said upstream chamber, a plurality of tubes in said downstream chamber extending between said first and second divider walls and transmitting sound energy from said upstream chamber to said outlet, wherein said housing extends axially vertically from said inlet upwardly to said outlet, said second divider wall is supported by said housing, said tubes are supported by said second divider wall and hang downwardly therefrom, each of said divider walls has a plurality of apertures therein respectively receiving said tubes, each said tube has a first integral bulge crimped radially outwardly to a larger radius than the respective aperture of said second divider wall and engaging the topside of said second divider wall to suspend the respective said tube therefrom, at least some of said tubes have a second integral bulge crimped radially outwardly to a larger radius than the respective aperture of said first divider wall and engaging the underside of said first divider wall to suspend said first divider wall therefrom, such that said first bulge suspends and supports the bulged member itself, namely said tube, in free hanging relation, and said second bulge suspends and supports another, different member, namely said first divider wall, in free hanging relation, the interface of said tubes and each of said divider walls at said apertures being weldless.

6. The invention according to claim 5 wherein said tubes are completely weldless, including along their entire length and including at their interface with each of said divider walls.

7. An acoustical silencer comprising a housing having an inlet and an outlet and extending generally axially vertically upwardly from said inlet to said outlet, a laterally extending upper divider wall attached to said housing, said upper divider wall having at least one aperture therethrough, at least one tube extending axially vertically through said aperture and having an integral bulge crimped radially outwardly to a larger radius than said aperture and engaging the topside of said upper divider wall to suspend said tube therefrom, a laterally extending lower divider wall having at least one aperture therethrough, said tube extending axially vertically through said aperture of said lower divider wall and having an integral bulge crimped radially outwardly to a larger radius than said aperture of said lower divider wall and engaging the underside of said lower divider wall to suspend said lower divider wall from said tube, wherein each of said divider walls has a plurality of apertures therethrough, and comprising a plurality of said tubes, each said tube extending through a respective aperture of said upper divider wall and a respective aperture of said lower divider wall, each of said tubes having an upper said integral bulge, such that each tube is suspended from said upper divider wall, at least some of said tubes having a lower said integral bulge, such that said lower divider wall is suspended from at least some of said tubes, wherein at least some of said tubes have first, second and third integral bulges, said first integral bulge being said upper bulge engaging the top side of said upper divider wall, said second integral bulge being said lower bulge engaging the underside of said lower divider wall, said third integral bulge being proximate said first integral bulge and spaced therebelow by at least the width of said upper divider wall to locate the respective tube relative to said upper divider wall and prevent such tube from sliding further into or out of the respective aperture in said upper divider wall.

8. An acoustical silencer comprising a housing having an inlet and an outlet and extending generally axially vertically upwardly from said inlet to said outlet, a laterally extending upper divider wall attached to said housing, said upper divider wall having at least one aperture therethrough, at least one tube extending axially vertically through said aperture and having an integral bulge crimped radially outwardly to a larger radius than said aperture and engaging the topside of said upper divider wall to suspend said tube therefrom, a laterally extending lower divider wall having at least one aperture therethrough, said tube extending axially vertically through said aperture of said lower divider wall and having an integral bulge crimped radially outwardly to a larger radius than said aperture of said lower divider wall and engaging the underside of said lower divider wall to suspend said lower divider wall from said tube, wherein each of said divider walls has a plurality of apertures therethrough, and comprising a plurality of said tubes, each said tube extending through a respective aperture of said upper divider wall and a respective aperture of said lower divider wall, each of said tubes having an upper said integral bulge, such that each tube is suspended from said upper divider wall, at least some of said tubes having a lower said integral bulge, such that said lower divider wall is suspended from at least some of said tubes, at least some of said tubes have first, second and third integral bulges crimped radially outwardly, said first integral bulge being said upper bulge engaging the top side of said upper divider wall, said second integral bulge being said lower bulge engaging the underside of said lower divider wall, said third integral bulge being proximate said second integral bulge and spaced thereabove by at least the width of said lower divider wall and locating said lower divider wall in place and preventing movement of same toward said upper divider wall.

9. An acoustical silencer comprising a housing having an inlet and an outlet and extending generally axially vertically upwardly from said inlet to said outlet a laterally extending upper divider wall attached to said housing, said upper divider wall having at least one aperture therethrough, at least one tube extending axially vertically through said aperture and having an integral bulge crimped radially outwardly to a larger radius than said aperture and engaging the topside of said upper divider wall to suspend said tube therefrom a laterally extending lower divider wall having at least one aperture therethrough, said tube extending axially vertically through said aperture of said lower divider wall and having an integral bulge crimped radially outwardly to a larger radius than said aperture of said lower divider wall and engaging the underside of said lower divider wall to suspend said lower divider wall from said tube, wherein each of said divider walls has a plurality of apertures therethrough, and comprising a plurality of said tubes, each said tube extending through a respective aperture of said upper divider wall and a respective aperture of said lower divider wall, each of said tubes having an upper said integral bulge, such that each tube is suspended from said upper divider wall, at least some of said tubes having a lower said integral bulge, such that said lower divider wall is suspended from at least some of said tubes, wherein at least some of said tubes have first, second, third and fourth integral bulges crimped radially outwardly, said first integral bulge being said upper bulge engaging the top side of said upper divider wall, said second integral bulge being said lower bulge engaging the underside of said lower divider wall, said third integral bulge being proximate said first integral bulge and spaced therebelow by at least the width of said upper divider wall and locating the tube relative to said upper divider wall and preventing the tube from sliding further into or out of the respective aperture, said fourth integral bulge being proximate said second integral bulge and spaced thereabove by at least the width of said lower divider wall to locate said lower divider wall in place and prevent movement of same toward said upper divider wall.

10. The invention according to claim 9 wherein said tubes comprise a first group of tubes each having said first, second, third and fourth integral bulges, and a second group of tubes each having only two integral bulges crimped radially outwardly, namely a first bulge engaging the top side of said upper divider wall, and a second bulge proximate said first bulge and spaced therebelow by at least the width of said upper divider wall.

11. An acoustical silencer comprising an axially vertically extending housing having a lower inlet and an upper outlet, a pair of upper and lower spaced divider walls in said housing, each divider wall having a plurality of apertures therethrough, a plurality of tubes each extending through a respective aperture in each of said divider walls in loose fit relation without welding and without rigid mechanical lock joint crimping of said divider walls to said tubes, said tubes hanging downwardly from and being suspended by and supported by said upper divider wall, said lower divider wall being suspended by and supported by said tubes.