Tailor to fit muffler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9689301-B2
Application number	US-201514810590-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2015
Priority date	Aug 20, 2013
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

A muffler includes a shell, baffles, and a plurality of pipes. The shell defines first and second end cavities and a central cavity. The end cavities have larger cross-sectional areas that a cross-sectional area of the central cavity. The baffles cooperate to form multiple chambers within the shell. A first inlet directs a first portion of the exhaust into a first chamber. A second inlet directs a second portion of the exhaust into a second chamber. A first pipe extends through first, third and fourth baffles and includes an inlet in the fourth chamber. The first pipe directs exhaust from the fourth chamber to a first outlet at the first end cavity. A second pipe extends through the second, third and fourth baffles and includes an inlet in the third chamber. The second pipe directs exhaust from the third chamber to a second outlet at the second end cavity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A muffler receiving exhaust from an engine, the muffler comprising:
a one-piece metal tube having a first edge portion opposing and abutting a second edge portion, the first edge portion being fixed to the second edge portion to define a one-piece shell, the one-piece shell having a first end portion, a second end portion and a central portion disposed therebetween, the shell including a seam at the juncture of the first edge portion and the second edge portion that extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of the shell and terminates at a first seam end and at a second seam end that is spaced apart from the first seam end, the first and second end portions defining first and second cavities, at least one of the first and second cavities having a larger cross-sectional area than a cross-sectional area of a central cavity defined by the central portion, the cross-sectional areas of the first, second and central cavities defined by planes that are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
a first subassembly disposed within one of the central portion of the shell and the first end portion of the shell and including a first pipe and a baffle; and
a second subassembly disposed within the second end portion of the shell and including a first outlet pipe fluidly connected with the first pipe of the first subassembly.

2. The muffler of claim 1 , further comprising first and second end caps attached to the first and second end portions and enclosing the first, second and central cavities.

3. The muffler of claim 1 , further comprising a bushing extending through the shell and fixedly engaging the first outlet pipe.

4. The muffler of claim 3 , wherein the bushing directly engages the shell and the first outlet pipe.

5. The muffler of claim 1 , wherein the second subassembly includes a first inlet pipe that extends through the shell, the first inlet pipe being separate and spaced apart from the first outlet pipe.

6. The muffler of claim 1 , wherein the first and second end portions have oval-shaped cross sections.

7. The muffler of claim 4 , wherein the baffle extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

8. The muffler of claim 1 , wherein the shell comprises a first side including the seam and an opposite second side that does not include the seam, the second side including a sloped surface transitioning between the central portion and one of the first and second end portions, the first side being uniformly shaped without the sloped surface.

9. The muffler of claim 1 , wherein the first edge portion at least partially overlaps the second edge portion.

Assignees

• Tenneco Automotive Operating Co Inc

Inventors

• Carr Richard T
• Baumgartner Frederick M
• Bednarz David R
• Singh Deep K
• Walworth Bradley B

Classifications

• F01N13/1838

  characterised by the type of connection between parts of exhaust or silencing apparatus, e.g. between housing and tubes, between tubes and baffles · CPC title

• F01N2490/06

  the gases flowing longitudinally from inlet to outlet in opposite directions · CPC title

• F01N13/082 Primary

  of tailpipe, e.g. with means for mixing air with exhaust for exhaust cooling, dilution or evacuation (F01N13/20 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F01N2490/155

  being disposed one after the other in flow direction · CPC title

• F01N2470/16

  Plurality of inlet tubes, e.g. discharging into different chambers · CPC title