Pipe joints or couplings – With casing – lining or protector – Insulated
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-02
2002-10-15
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3629)
Pipe joints or couplings
With casing, lining or protector
Insulated
C285S261000, C285S226000, C285S299000, C285S300000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06464258
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a decoupler for exhaust pipe of automobiles, and more particularly, to the decoupler for effectively absorbing the pitching vibration and rolling motion due to the vertical connection of the exhaust pipes, thereby improving durability of the exhaust system and passengers' comfort.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, engines of the vehicle are connected to the exhaust pipe employing a muffler for exhausting the exhaust gas from the vehicle. For connection, a decoupler is installed to absorb and buffer the vibration displacement, impact load or heat deformation.
The decoupler on this location should absorb vibrations and displacement occurring depending on the movement of the exhaust system due to the engine and road vibrations. It may involve the excessive displacement occurring in any directions such as tension compression, bending, deflection and so on.
In order to maintain airtight of the exhaust gas and improve absorbing capability of the vibration displacement, the bellows is usually fabricated from metal.
A number of attempts have been made in the prior art to design an effective decoupler. One attempt to solve the problems of the prior art is demonstrated by Korean UM application 2000-2443 in which the decoupler functionally absorbs the displacement in the bending direction.
In the prior art (FIG.
5
), an inner sleeve
20
′ in a cylindrical shape is fixed inward the bellows
10
′ which maintains the exhaust gas to be airtight and absorbs the expansion and bending displacement, so as to protect the bellows and guide the exhaust gas of high temperature to pass through.
A guide member
40
′ is located at the one end of the bellows
10
′ for having a circular-arc surfaces
41
′ and
42
′ with respect to the motion center C′ of the bellows
10
′ to surround the bellows
10
′.
At the other end of the bellows
10
′, a cover member
50
′ is located outward the guide member
40
′ for having an inclined section
51
′ at a predetermined angle with respect to the motion center C′ in the frontward and a buffering protector
54
′ integrally bent in the rearward.
First and second mesh rings
60
′ and
61
′ are located between the respective ends of the cover member
50
′ and the circular-arc surfaces
41
′ and
42
′ of the guide member
40
′ respectively, wherein inner surfaces being in a contact with the circular-arc surfaces
41
′ and
42
′ and outer surfaces being fixed at the inclined section
51
′ and the buffering protector
54
′.
In case that a displacement occurs in the bending direction during travelling of the vehicles, the circular-arc surfaces
41
′ and
42
′ of the guide member
40
′ is slid along the contact surface of the first and second mesh rings
60
′ and
61
′, thereby absorbing the impact displacement.
However, Korean UM application 2000-002443 is not configured to absorb tension or compression displacement and pitching vibration, but the impact due to the bending displacement.
FIG. 1
(Prior Art) shows that when the conventional decoupler is vertically mounted in the exhaust pipes, it cannot absorb the pitching vibration, thereby reducing the durability and vibration absorbing or noise reduction capabilities.
It has another disadvantage that the scope to be applied of the decoupler is very limited.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a decoupler with cushion mesh rings in which the pitching vibration from the engine is effectively absorbed even in a vertical connection to the exhaust pipes, to improve the durability of the exhaust system and passengers' comfort.
The another object of the present invention is to provide a decoupler for absorbing various vibration displacements from the engine, thereby increasing the scope to be applied.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a decoupler includes a bellows made of metal and formed in cylindrical and a repeatedly corrugated shapes for absorbing bending and expansion, the bellows being airtight with respect to exhaust gases therein. The decoupler further includes an inner, cylindrical sleeve disposed in the bellows for protecting the bellows from the exhaust gas passing through the cylindrical sleeve. A guide member is disposed at the one end of the bellows and includes a cylindrical portion having circular-arc surfaces at its opposite ends and is disposed outside of and around at least a portion of the bellows. A cover member is disposed at the other end of the bellows and includes a body portion having first and second inclined sections at its opposing ends, the inclined sections being inclined relative to the body portion, the cover member being disposed outside of and around at least a portion of the bellows. A first mesh ring and a second mesh ring are disposed between the guide member and the cover member and form a sliding surface in contact with the body portion of the cover member and the circular-arc surfaces of the guide member. A first cushion mesh ring and a second cushion mesh ring are disposed between the first inclined section of the cover member and the first mesh ring and the second inclined section of the cover member and the second mesh ring, respectively, the first cushion mesh ring and the second cushion mesh ring being made of a material that is adapted to be compressed and expanded.
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Browne Lynne H.
Burns Doane Swecker & Mathis L.L.P.
DNV, Inc.
Dunwoody Aaron
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