Acoustics – Sound-modifying means – Muffler – fluid conducting type
Utility Patent
1999-11-22
2001-01-02
Nappi, Robert E. (Department: 2837)
Acoustics
Sound-modifying means
Muffler, fluid conducting type
C181S207000, C181S296000, C248S058000, C248S059000, C248S049000, C248S317000, C248S322000, C248S339000, C072S352000, C072S361000, C072S367100, C072S369000
Utility Patent
active
06167983
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for the production of a tube profile element with a swaged closed head end and to a muffler suspension produced by the process.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For suspending muffler installations on motor vehicles, suspensions fabricated from metal tube profile elements are known which are fastened at the motor vehicle end and at the end of the installation and which receive elastic vibration damping elements in order to connect the installation with the motor vehicle. For reasons of weight, tube profile elements are used which are curved or bent over and comprise at their free end a head-like swaging which serve for mounting a snapped-on vibration damping element.
Muffler suspensions of this type are either made of corrosion-free material or provided with corrosion-resistant coatings. While corrosion-resistant materials increase the material expenditures of such suspensions, coatings have the disadvantage that the coating material flows to a high degree into the tube profile elements, which requires high coating material expenditures and causes long curing times which is disturbing in the fabrication process. The open ends of such tube profile elements as muffler suspensions in motor vehicles additionally have the disadvantage that at high driving speeds noise is generated at the open sides.
There is a need for an innovation by which a tube profile element with a swaged head end can be closed in a manner simple in terms of fabrication technology and by which, in particular, in a cost-effective manner a tube profile element forming a muffler suspension can be produced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention satisfies the aforementioned need by providing a process for the production of a tube profile element with a swaged head end and to a muffler suspension produced by the process. In the production process, an end portion of the tube profile element to be swaged is received below the swaging length of the element in a retaining tool and the swaging of the end portion of the element to a greater diameter than the remainder of the element takes place via a swage tool having a negative die for the head end to be swaged. The swage tool is displaceable along the axis of the tube profile element. By the production process of the present invention the head end to be swaged, being open at a front face, is closed without additional working steps of different types. Furthermore, the other end portion of the tube profile element can be closed in simple manner during the production process, for example, by pressing it flat.
In carrying out the production process according to the present invention it is of particular significance first to chamfer the end portion of the tube profile element to be swaged. Then, through the engagement of the chamfered end portion of the element with the negative die in the swage tool during the swaging process bending of the inner edges of the bore of the element takes place up to the final closing and a subsequent cold pressing in the region to be closed occurs until completion of the formation of the desired form, given by the negative die, of the head end of the tube profile element which is of greater diameter than the remainder of the element. It is possible to attain deformation in this region using conventional swage tools and usual pressing pressures, which deformation leads to wall thicknesses of satisfactory mechanical strength and fluid-tightness. It is preferred that a wall thickness is attained in the region of the bore closure which corresponds approximately to the wall thickness of the tube profile element.
The present invention also is directed to a muffler suspension produced by according to the described process. Such a muffler suspension is a tube profile element having a main body portion bent over multiple times at an angle or in curved configuration and a swaged head at one end of the main body portion. The swaged head end of the tube profile element is closed and fluid-tight and has a mushroom-shaped configuration of greater maximum diameter than the main body portion of the tube profile element and at the other end the tube profile element is flattened and pressed together so as to be fluid-tight. When the muffler suspension made of a steel material is coated on the outside for purpose of corrosion resistance, the coating material is not capable of penetrating into the interior of the tube profile element since the tube profile element is tightly closed at both ends.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of the invention.
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patent: 5445241 (1995-08-01), Nakamura et al.
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Fingerhut Frank
Wunderlich Horst
Flanagan John K.
Flanagan John R.
Flanagan & Flanagan
Martin Edgardo San
Nappi Robert E.
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