Muffler

• US 6,164,412 A
• Filed: 04/02/1999
• Issued: 12/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ET US Holdings LLC (Forvia SE)
• Original Assignee: Arvin Industries, Inc. (Cummins Incorporated)
• Inventors: Allman, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Khanh
• Application Number:
  US09/285,546
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 181/264, 181/265, 181/266, 181/269, 181/272, 181/282
• US Class Current: 181/272
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 1/003 by using dead chambers communicating with gas flow passages resonance chambers F01N1/02; chambers containing sound-absorbing materials F01N1/24
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 1/084 the gases flowing through the silencer two or more times longitudinally in opposite directions, e.g. using parallel or concentric tubes
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/18 Construction facilitating manufacture, assembly, or disassembly
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2470/02 Tubes being perforated
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2470/10 Tubes having non-circular cross section
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2470/14 Plurality of outlet tubes, e.g. in parallel or with different length

Abstract

A muffler includes an outer shell defining a chamber and first and second tubes positioned in the chamber. The first tube has a flat side wall and the second tube has a flat side wall positioned adjacent to the fiat side wall of the first tube. Muffler further includes a baffle plate including a base and an edge defining a tube-receiving aperture and the first and second tube are positioned in the tube-receiving aperture.

Claims

1. A muffler comprising

an outer shell defining a chamber,

a first tube positioned in the chamber and having a flat side wall formed to include an aperture, and

a second tube positioned in the chamber and having a flat side wall positioned to lie adjacent to the flat side wall of the first tube and the second tube is formed to include a first conduit extending from the flat side wall into the aperture formed in the flat side wall of the first tube to communicate exhaust gas between the first and second tubes through the first conduit.

2. The muffler of claim 1, wherein the first tube includes four flat side walls cooperating to define a passage therebetween.

3. The muffler of claim 2, wherein passage has a rectangular cross-section.

4. The muffler of claim 3, wherein the passage has a square cross-section.

5. The muffler of claim 1, wherein the first tube has a first end and a second end spaced apart from the first end, the flat side wall of the first tube includes an edge defining a first aperture, the flat side wall of the second tube includes an edge defining a second aperture, and the first and second apertures are aligned with each other.

6. The muffler of claim 5, wherein the first tube contacts the second tube.

7. The muffler of claim 1, wherein the flat side wall of the first tube contacts the flat side wall of the second tube.

8. The muffler of claim 7, wherein the flat side wall of the first tube is coupled to the flat side wall of the second tube.

9. The muffler of claim 1, wherein the second tube includes a second flat side wall formed to include an aperture and further comprising a third tube positioned in the chamber and having a first flat side wall positioned to lie adjacent the second flat side wall of the second tube and formed to include a second conduit extending into the aperture formed in the second flat side wall of the second tube to communicate exhaust gas between the first and second tubes through the second conduit.

10. The muffler of claim 9, further comprising a baffle plate positioned in the chamber to partition the chamber into first and second chamber sections, and wherein the first conduit is positioned to lie in the first chamber section and the second conduit is positioned to lie in the second chamber section.

11. The muffler of claim 10, wherein the second tube has a closed end positioned to lie in the second chamber section and an opened end positioned to lie in the first chamber section.

12. The muffler of claim 10, wherein the second tube has a closed end positioned to lie in the second chamber section and is formed to include perforations arranged to lie in the second chamber section to communicate exhaust gas from the second tube into the second chamber section.

13. The muffler of claim 9, wherein the third tube includes a second flat side wall formed to include an aperture and further comprising a fourth tube positioned in the chamber and having a first flat side wall positioned to lie adjacent to the second flat side wall of the third tube and formed to include a third conduit extending into the aperture formed in the second flat side wall of the third tube to communicate exhaust gas between the third and fourth tubes through the third conduit.

14. The muffler of claim 13, further comprising a baffle plate positioned in the chamber to partition the chamber into first and second chamber sections, and wherein the first and third conduits are positioned to lie in the first chamber section and the second conduit is positioned to lie in the second chamber section.

15. The muffler of claim 14, wherein each tube is formed to include perforations to communicate exhaust gas from said each tube into the second chamber section.

16. A muffler comprising

an outer shell defining a chamber,

a first tube positioned in the chamber and having a flat side wall, and

a second tube positioned in the chamber and having a flat side wall positioned adjacent to the flat side wall of the first tube, and

a baffle plate including a base and an edge defining a tube-receiving aperture and the first and second tubes are positioned in the tube-receiving aperture.

17. The muffler of claim 16, wherein the first and second tubes include a plurality of flat side walls and the edge of the of the baffle plate includes a flat portion configured to engage at least one of the flat side walls of the first and second tubes.

18. The muffler of claim 16, wherein the baffle plate is positioned in the chamber to partition the chamber into first and second chamber sections and the first tube includes a closed end positioned to lie in the second chamber section and an open end coupled to an opening formed in the outer shell.

19. The muffler of claim 18, wherein the second tube includes a closed end positioned to lie in the second chamber section and an opened end positioned to lie in the first chamber section.

20. The muffler of claim 19, wherein the flat side wall of the first tube is formed to include an aperture and the second tube is formed to include a first conduit lying in the first chamber section and extending from the flat side wall of the second tube into the aperture to communicate exhaust gas between the first and second tubes through the first conduit.

21. The muffler of claim 19, wherein a third tube is positioned in the tube-receiving aperture to position the second tube between the first and third tubes, the third tube includes a closed end positioned to lie in the second chamber section and a closed end positioned to lie in the first chamber section, and a second conduit is positioned to communicate exhaust gas between the second and third tubes through the second conduit.

22. The muffler of claim 21, wherein a fourth tube is positioned in the tube-receiving aperture to position the third tube between the second and fourth tubes, the fourth tube includes a closed end positioned to lie in the first chamber section and an opened end coupled to another opening formed in the outer shell, and a third conduit is positioned to communicate exhaust gas between the third and fourth tubes through the third conduit.

23. A muffler comprising

an outer shell defining a chamber,

a first tube positioned in the chamber and having a flat side wall, and

a second tube positioned in the chamber and having a flat side wall positioned adjacent to the flat side wall of the first tube, wherein the first tube has a closed end and an opened end spaced apart from the closed end.

24. A muffler comprising

an outer shell defining a chamber,

a first tube positioned in the chamber and having a flat side wall, and

a second tube positioned in the chamber and having a flat side wall positioned adjacent to the flat side wall of the first tube, wherein the first tube has a first closed end and a second closed end spaced apart from the first closed end.

25. A muffler comprising

an outer shell defining a chamber,

a first tube positioned in the chamber and having a flat side wall, and

a second tube positioned in the chamber and having a flat side wall positioned adjacent to the flat side wall of the first tube, wherein the first tube includes a body portion including the flat side wall, a round inlet portion, and a transition portion coupled to the body portion and the round inlet portion.

26. A muffler comprising

an outer shell defining a chamber,

a first tube positioned in the chamber, the first tube including an opened first end, a closed second end spaced apart from the opened first end, and a wall defining a first passage and including an edge positioned between the first and second ends, the edge defining a first aperture, and

a second tube positioned in the chamber, the second tube including an opened first end, a closed second end spaced apart from the opened first end, and a wall defining a second passage and including an edge positioned between the first and second ends, the edge defining a second aperture, the wall of the first tube contacting the wall of the second tube so that the first aperture of the first tube communicates with the second aperture of the second tube.

27. The muffler of claim 26, wherein the wall of the first tube is flat and the wall of the second tube is flat.

28. The muffler of claim 27, wherein the second tube includes a conduit coupled to the wall defining a passage and the conduit extends into the first aperture defined by the edge of the first tube so that the passage defined by the conduit permits communication between the first passage of the first tube and the second passage of the second tube.

29. The muffler of claim 26, further comprising a baffle plate positioned in the chamber defined by the outer shell, wherein the baffle includes a base and an edge defining a tube-receiving aperture and the first and second tubes are positioned in the tube-receiving aperture.

30. The muffler of claim 26, further comprising a third tube, wherein the second tube includes first and second walls, the first wall of the second tube including the edge defining the second aperture of the second tube, the second wall of the second tube including an edge positioned between the first and second ends and defining a third aperture, the third tube includes a first end, a second end, and a wall including an edge positioned between the first and second ends and defining a fourth aperture, the wall of the third tube contacts the second wall of the second tube so that the fourth aperture of the third tube communicates with the third aperture of the second tube.

31. The muffler of claim 30, further comprising a fourth tube, wherein the third tube includes first and second walls, the first wall of the third tube including the edge that defines the fourth aperture of the second wall, the second wall of the third tube including an edge positioned between the first and second ends and defining a fifth aperture, the third tube includes a first end, a second end, and a wall including an edge positioned between the first and second ends and defining a sixth aperture, the wall of the third tube contacting the second wall of the third tube so that the sixth aperture of the fourth tube communicates with the fifth aperture of the second tube.

32. A muffler comprising

an outer shell defining a chamber,

a first tube positioned in the chamber, the first tube including a first end, a second end spaced apart from the first end, and a wall defining a first passage and including an edge positioned between the first and second ends, the edge defining a first aperture,

a second tube positioned in the chamber, the second tube including a first end, a second end spaced apart from the first end, a wall, and a conduit coupled to the wall and defining a passage therein, the wall of the second tube defining a second passage and including an edge positioned between the first and second ends, the edge defining a second aperture, and

a conduit extending from the edge of the second tube into the first aperture of the first tube so that the passage defined by the conduit permits communication between the first passage of the first tube and the second passage of the second tube.

33. The muffler of claim 32, wherein the wall of the first tube is flat and the wall of the second tube is flat.

34. The muffler of claim 32, further comprising a baffle plate positioned in the chamber defined by the outer shell, wherein the baffle includes a base and an edge defining a tube-receiving aperture and the first and second tubes are positioned in the tube-receiving aperture.

35. A muffler comprising

an outer shell defining a chamber,

a first tube positioned in the chamber, the first tube including a first end, a second end spaced apart from the first end, and a wall defining a first passage and including an edge positioned between the first and second ends, the edge defining a first aperture,

a second tube positioned in the chamber, the second tube including a first end, a second end spaced apart from the first end, a wall and a conduit coupled to the wall and defining a passage therein, the wall of the second tube defining a second passage and including an edge positioned between the first and second ends, the edge defining a second aperture, the conduit extends from the edge of the second tube to the first aperture of the first tube so that the passage defined by the conduit permits communication between the first passage of the first tube and the second passage of the second tube, and

a third tube, wherein the second tube includes first and second walls, the first wall of the second tube including the edge defining the second aperture of the second tube, the second wall of the second tube including an edge positioned between the first and second ends and defining a third aperture, the third tube includes a first end, a second end, a wall, and a conduit coupled to the wall of the third tube and defining a passage therein, the wall of the third tube defining a third passage and including an edge positioned between the first and second ends, the edge of the third tube defining a fourth aperture, the conduit of the third tube extends from the edge of the third tube to the third aperture of the second tube so that the passage defined by the conduit of the third tube permits communication between the second passage of the second tube and the third passage of the third tube.

36. The muffler of claim 35, further comprising a fourth tube, wherein the third tube includes first and second walls, the first wall of the third tube including the edge defining the fourth aperture of the third tube, the second wall of the third tube including an edge positioned between the first and second ends and defining a fifth aperture, the fourth tube includes a first end, a second end, a wall, and a conduit coupled to the wall of the fourth tube and defining a passage therein, the wall of the fourth tube defining a fourth passage and including an edge positioned between the first and second ends, the edge of the fourth tube defining a sixth aperture, the conduit of the fourth tube extends from the edge of the fourth tube to the fifth aperture of the third tube so that the passage defined by the conduit of the fourth tube permits communication between the third passage of the third tube and the fourth passage of the fourth tube.

37. A muffler comprising

an outer shell defining a chamber,

a baffle plate positioned in the chamber defined by the outer shell, the baffle including base and an edge defining a tube-receiving aperture,

a first tube positioned in the chamber defined by the outer shell, and

a second tube positioned in the chamber, the first and second tubes having at least one flat side wall and being positioned in the tube-receiving aperture of the baffle.

38. The muffler of claim 37, wherein the edge of the of the baffle plate includes a flat portion configured to contact the flat side walls of the first and second tubes.

39. The muffler of claim 37, wherein the outer shell includes a groove and the baffle plate includes an outer edge positioned in the groove of the outer shell.

40. The muffler of claim 37, wherein the tube-receiving aperture is rectangle-shaped to receive the first and second side tubes and engage the flat side walls thereof.

41. The muffler of claim 37, wherein the edge defining the tube-receiving aperture is continuous.

42. The muffler of claim 37, wherein the outer shell includes a first half and a second half coupled to the first half and the baffle plate includes a first portion positioned between the first half of the outer shell and the first and second tubes and second portion positioned between the second half of the outer shell and the first and second tubes, the first and second portions cooperate to define the tube-receiving aperture, and the first portion is integral with the second portion.

43. The muffler of claim 37, wherein the tubes are polygon-shaped.

44. The muffler of claim 43, wherein the tubes are square-shaped.

45. The muffler of claim 43, wherein the tubes are octagon-shaped.