Acoustics – Sound-modifying means – Muffler – fluid conducting type
Patent
1997-06-14
1999-09-07
Dang, Khanh
Acoustics
Sound-modifying means
Muffler, fluid conducting type
2989008, F01N 718, B23P 1500
Patent
active
059490357
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to exhaust systems and, in particular, to mufflers for quieting the exhaust noise of a vehicle engine. More particularly, this invention relates to mufflers having outer shells and a single inner cartridge situated between the outer shells to define a plurality of tubes and chambers between the outer shells.
It is known to construct mufflers using stamp-formed outer shells and inner plates. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,252,788 to Emrick et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,229,557 to Allman et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,987 to Richardson et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,069 to Van Blaircum et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,545 to Wilcox et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,853 to Moring; U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,817 to Harwood; and U.S. Pat. No. Re. 33,370 to Harwood.
Stamp-formed mufflers include a plurality of chambers and tubes formed between the stamped outer shells and inner plates. The chambers and tubes direct exhaust gas of the vehicle engine through the muffler in a desired manner to quiet the exhaust noise produced by the vehicle engine effectively.
Various techniques have been used to form tubes and chambers in stamp-formed mufflers. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,229,557 to Allman et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,987 to Richardson et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,545 to Wilcox et al., drop-in baffles were placed between the inner plates and outer shells to form chambers within the muffler. Also, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,853 to Moring; U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,817 to Harwood; U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,069 to Van Blaircum et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. Re 33,370 to Harwood the outer shells are "deep-drawn" to define a crease in the outer shells that extends inwardly to abut the inner plates and form chambers within the muffler. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,252,788 to Emrick et al., the inner plates are deep-drawn outward to abut the outer shells that are deep-drawn inward to form chambers within the muffler. The sheet metal deep-drawing process is an expensive manufacturing process that is difficult to perform with accuracy on stainless steel sheet metal.
What is needed is a stamp-formed muffler that is manufactured without using a deep-drawing process on the outer shells to define chambers in the muffler. A stamp-formed muffler having a minimum number of parts is also needed. A muffler manufactured without a deep-drawing process to define chambers and with a minimum number of parts would reduce the time and cost of manufacturing and assembly.
According to the present invention, a muffler is provided having a top outer shell, a bottom outer shell, and a drop-in inner cartridge. The top outer shell includes a top wall, a lip, spaced-apart first and second side walls extending between the top wall and the lip, and spaced-apart first and second end walls extending between the first and second side walls, top wall, and lip. The bottom outer shell includes a bottom wall, a lip, spaced-apart first and second side walls extending between the bottom wall and the lip, and spaced-apart first and second end walls extending between the first and second side walls, bottom wall, and lip.
The lips of the top and bottom outer shells cooperate to define an interior cartridge-receiving chamber. The lip of the top outer shell abuts the lip of the bottom outer shell to define a seam that includes an inner surface facing into the interior cartridge-receiving chamber. The drop-in inner cartridge is positioned to lie between the top and bottom outer shells. The drop-in inner cartridge extends from the first side wall of the top and bottom outer shells to the second side wall of the top and bottom outer shells. The drop-in inner cartridge further includes an outer edge abutting the inner surface of the seam to cause the drop-in inner cartridge to lie wholly within the interior cartridge-receiving chamber.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the drop-in inner cartridge includes an inlet tube, an outlet tube, and first, second, and third baffles extending between the inlet and outlet tubes. The in
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Arvin Industries, Inc.
Dang Khanh
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