Exhaust system

• US 7,703,574 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2008
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• 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. Eberspacher GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Jess, Marco, Kruger, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): San Martin; Edgardo
• Application Number:
  US12/132,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20080302597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 181/254, 181/253, 181/237, 181/241, 123/184.53, 123/184.59, 603/13, 603/22, 603/23, 603/24
• US Class Current: 181/254
• 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 one operating parameter being a revolutions per minute operating parameter of the internal combustion engine, said at least three switching states comprising;

a first switching state, in which said two sound transmission means are deactivated, wherein said first sound transmission means and said second sound transmission means are in a closed state in said first switching state, whereby one of said separate exhaust gas lines is not in communication with another one of said separate exhaust gas lines, said control means setting said first switching state in a first rpm range;

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, said control means setting said second switching state in a second rpm range, said another one of said first sound transmission means and said second sound means being in said closed state in said second switching state, said one of said first sound transmission means and said second transmission means being in an at least partially open state in said second switching state such that said one of said separate exhaust gas line is in communication with said another one of said separate exhaust gas line; and

a third switching state, in which both of said first sound transmission means and said second sound transmission means are activated, said control means setting said third switching state in a third rpm range, said first sound transmission means and said second sound transmission means being in said at least partially open state in said third switching state, said first rpm range being less than second rpm range, said second rpm range being less than said third rpm range.

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 first rpm range is less than 1,500 rpm, said second rpm range being greater than 1,500 rpm and less than 2,500 rpm, said third rpm range being greater than 2,500 rpm.

4. 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 said two exhaust gas lines are assigned to a bank of cylinders each of the internal combustion engine designed as a V-engine.

5. 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.

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

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. An exhaust system in accordance with claim 1, wherein one or more of said first sound transmission means and said second sound transmission means is 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.

10. 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.

11. 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 said respective sound transmission means has an actuator for opening and closing said particular connection pipe.

12. 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 an 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 a first actuator and a first actuator drive for switching a state of airborne sound transmission between said first exhaust gas line and said second exhaust gas line, said first actuator drive switching said first actuator between a closed state and an at least partially open state;

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 a second actuator and a second actuator drive for switching a state of airborne sound transmission between said first exhaust gas line and said second exhaust gas line, said second actuator drive switching said second actuator between said closed state and said at least partially open state, 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 a revolutions per minute 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, said control means setting said first switching state in a first revolutions per minute range of the internal combustion engine, said first actuator and said second actuator being in said closed state in said first switching state, whereby said two transmission means are in said closed state in said first switching state;

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, said control means setting said second switching state in a second revolutions per minute range of the internal combustion engine, one of said first actuator and said second actuator being in said at least partially open state in said second switching state, wherein said one of said first sound transmission means and said second sound transmission means is in said at least partially open state in said second switching state, another one of said first actuator and said second actuator being in said closed state in said second switching state, wherein said another one of said first sound transmission means and said second sound transmission means is in said closed state in said second switching state; and

a third switching state, in which both of said first sound transmission means and said second sound transmission means are activated, said control means setting said third switching state in a third revolutions per minute range of the internal combustion engine, said first actuator and said second actuator being in said at least partially open state in said third switching state, wherein said first sound transmission means and said second sound transmission means are in said at least partially open state in said third switching state, said third revolutions per minute range being greater than said first revolutions per minute range and said second revolutions per minute range, said second revolutions per minute range being greater than said first revolutions per minute range.

13. An exhaust system in accordance with claim 12, 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.

14. An exhaust system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said first revolutions per minute range is less than 1,500 rpm, said second revolutions per minute range being greater than 1,500 rpm and less than 2,500 rpm, said third revolutions per minute range being greater than 2,500 rpm.

15. An exhaust system in accordance with claim 12, 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.

16. An exhaust system in accordance with claim 12, wherein said exhaust gas lines contain no muffler upstream of said second sound transmission means.

17. An exhaust system in accordance with claim 12, 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.

18. An exhaust system internal combustion engine in accordance with claim 12, 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.

19. An exhaust system internal combustion engine in accordance with claim 12, wherein a flow path between said first sound transmission means and said second sound transmission means is at least 50 cm.

20. An exhaust system internal combustion engine in accordance with claim 12, wherein said second sound transmission means is arranged in said second exhaust gas line in a range greater than or equal to 70% to 100% or about 80% to 100% of a flow path between said internal combustion engine and a muffler assigned to said second exhaust gas line.