BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of an exemplary exhaust system;
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of another exemplary exhaust system; and
FIG. 3 is an diagrammatic end view of an exemplary muffler.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
As will herein be described in more detail, FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of an exhaust system 10 including mufflers 12a, 12b. In this exemplary embodiment, each muffler 12a-b includes a housing 14a, 14b. Each housing 14a-b includes an inner layer 16a, 16b and an outer layer 18a, 18b. However, it should be appreciated that in other exemplary embodiments, housings 14a-b may each include only a single layer. Each muffler 12a-b includes an inlet end plate 20a, 20b and an outlet plate 22a, 22b secured to the housing 14a-b. In this exemplary embodiment, each end plate 20a-b, 22a-b is secured to the housing 14a-b through a lockseam connection, however, it should be appreciated the end plates 20a-b, 22a-b may be secured in other manners, such as welding or brazing.
The exhaust system 10 includes inlet pipes 24a, 24b, which each extend through an opening 26a, 26b in each inlet end plate 20a-b of mufflers 12a-b and into the housing 14a-b. Similarly, outlet pipes 28a, 28b each extend through an opening 30a, 30b in each outlet plate 22a-b of mufflers 12a-b and into the housing 14a-b. Each muffler 12a-b includes an inlet tube 32a, 32b, an intermediate tube 34a, 34b, and an outlet tube 36a, 36b disposed within the housing 14a, 14b. In this exemplary embodiment, each tube 32a-b, 34a-b, 36a-b is arranged such that the longitudinal axes of each are substantially parallel to one another.
Each muffler 12a-b includes a first baffle 38a, 38b and a second baffle 40a, 40b disposed within the housing 14a-b. The baffles 38a-b, 40a-b are configured to each provide a “wall” in the housings 14a-b. The baffles 38a-b, 40a-b may be secured to the inner layer 16a-b of the housing 14a-b in various manners. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the baffles 38a-b, 40a-b are spot welded to the inner layers 16a-b. As exemplified in FIG. 1, the tubes 32a-b, 34a-b, 36a-b are each disposed through a first baffle 38a-b and a second baffle 40a-b so that each end of the tubes is either exposed to an area 42a, 42b located between the first baffle 38a-b and the inlet end cap 20a-b or to an area 44a, 44b located between the second baffle 40a-b and the outlet end cap 22a-b. Each inlet tube 32a-b is connected to an inlet pipe 24a-b and each outlet tube 32a-b is connected to an outlet pipe 28a-b.
In this exemplary embodiment, a crossbleed pipe 46, which is substantially U-shaped, extends through openings 48a, 48b in outlet end plates 22a-b. The crossbleed pipe 46 allows the interiors of the housings 14a-b to fluidly communicate with one another as the exhaust gases flow through the exhaust system 10 as represented by the dotted line. In this exemplary embodiment, the end plates 20a-b, 22a-b are substantially flat allowing the inlet pipes 24a-b, outlet pipes 28a-b, and crossbleed pipe 46 to be easily disposed therethrough and secured in place. For example, a weld may be formed at the intersection of the end plates 20a-b, 22a-b and the pipes 24a-b, 26a-b, 46 extending therethrough.
During operation, exhaust gases may flow through the inlet pipes 24a-b into the inlet tubes 32a-b as indicated by the dotted line shown in FIG. 1, which represents the flow of exhaust gases through mufflers 12a-b. The exhaust gases exit inlet tubes 32a-b and enter area 44a-b. There, the interaction of the second baffles 40a-b and the pressures associated with the exhaust gas flow direct the exhaust gases into the intermediate tubes 34a-b. The exhaust gases may also flow through crossbleed pipe 46 as well. The exhaust gases flow through intermediate tubes 34a-b into area 42a-b, where the first baffles 38a-b and exhaust gas flow pressure direct the exhaust gases into outlet tubes 36a-b and through the outlet pipes 28a-b, where the exhaust gases may be released into the atmosphere or conducted downstream to other portions of the exhaust system 10. It should be appreciated that the dotted line shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 represent the general path of the exhaust gases flowing through the exhaust system 10, as well as a general representation of how components of the exhaust system 10 may interact with one another in directing exhaust gas flow.
In the exemplary embodiment shown of FIG. 1, the inlet tubes 32a-b and outlet tubes 36a-b are shown to include a number of louvers 49 formed therein. The louvers 49 allow the exhaust gases flowing though the inlet tubes 32a-b and outlet tubes 36a-b to fluidly communicate directly with area 50a, 50b located between the first baffle 38a-b and second baffle 40a-b. It should be appreciated that the louvers 49 may be formed in the intermediate tubes 34a-b and that the inlet tubes 32a-b and outlet tubes 36a-b may be formed without the louvers 49 disposed therein. It should also be appreciated that the areas 50a, 50b may be filled with an acoustically absorbent material such as mineral wool or steel wool. The outlet tubes 36a-b may be wrapped in a stainless steel wrap, to prevent the acoustically absorbent material from entering the outlet tubes 36a-b. It should further be appreciated that baffles 38a-b, 40a-b may each be perforated allowing areas 42a-b, 44a-b, and 50a-b to fluidly communicate with one another.
FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of the exhaust system 10 having an alternative configuration than that shown in FIG. 1. It should be appreciated that various components in this embodiment are similar to those disclosed in FIG. 1. In this exemplary embodiment, the crossbleed pipe 46 extends through an opening 52a, 52b in each of the inlet end plates 20a, 20b (as opposed to the outlet end plates 22a-b, as shown in FIG. 1). Similar to the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, end plates 20a-b, 22a-b are substantially flat. The configuration shown in FIG. 2 presents a “mirror image” to that of FIG. 1, with the tubes 32-36 configured in substantially the same manner with respect to one another as in FIG. 1. The exhaust flow path is shown in FIG. 2 through a dotted line, similar to FIG. 1, with crossbleed pipe 46 fluidly communicating directly with area 42a-b, as opposed to 44a-b in FIG. 1.
It should be appreciated that other alternative configurations of the exhaust system 10 may be implemented. For example, the inlet pipes 24a-b and outlet pipes 28a-b of each muffler 12a-b may extend through the same end plate, such as the end plate 20a-b or 22a-b such that the exhaust gases enter and exit the same end of the mufflers 12a-b. In this alternative configuration, the crossbleed pipe 46 may extend through either the inlet end plates 20a-b or the outlet end plates 22a-b of each muffler 12a-b.
FIG. 3 shows an outlet end view of a muffler 12 similar to that shown in FIG. 1 without an inlet pipe 24 or a crossbreed pipe 26 present. In this embodiment, the openings 30, 48 are shown in the outlet end plate 22. This view further illustrates the lockseam connection 54, which connects the outlet end plate 22 to the housing 14. The inlet end plate 20 (not shown) is connected in a similar manner to housing 14.
There are a plurality of advantages of the present disclosure arising from the various features of the apparatus, systems, and methods described herein. It will be noted that alternative embodiments of the apparatus, systems, and methods of the present disclosure may not include all of the features described yet still benefit from at least some of the advantages of such features. Those of ordinary skill in the art may readily devise their own implementations of apparatus, systems, and methods that incorporate one or more of the features of the present disclosure and fall within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.
Patent Application
20070284186
