BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY
The invention relates to resonators, including intake resonator silencers for internal combustion engines.
Intake resonators are known in the art, and are constructed from various materials including metal and/or plastic. Blow molded bottle style resonators are known and fitted under the hood of automobiles, trucks, agricultural and construction vehicles, marine vehicles, and recreational vehicles. Various constructions employ hollow structures made of plastic which are bonded together using vibration or sonic welding or other types of friction welding. Other types of structures have additional elastomer seals, adding expense. Other structures of reduced cost are not gas tight, and therefore lack in performance.
The present invention provides a simple, cost effective resonator without performance trade-off.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a perspective assembly view of a resonator in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 2 is a cut-away view of the assembly of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view partially cut-away of the inner perforated tube of FIGS. 1-3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 shows a resonator 10 extending axially along an axis 12 between distally opposite axial ends 14 and 16 providing an inlet and an outlet, respectively, for example for receiving intake combustion air at inlet 14 and delivering the combustion air from outlet 16 to an internal combustion engine (not shown). Resonator 10 has an inner perforated tube 18, FIGS. 2-4, an outer shell 20, and at least one and preferably two or more annular ribs such as 22, 24 spaced axially between inlet 14 and outlet 16 and extending radially between inner perforated tube 18 and outer shell 20. In preferred form, inner tube 18 is an injection molded plastic member, and outer shell 20 is a blow molded or rotationally molded plastic member, and the ribs extend integrally radially outwardly from inner tube 18. The ribs define a first resonant chamber 26 between inner perforated tube 18 and outer shell 20 axially upstream of rib 22, a second resonant chamber 28 between inner perforated tube 18 and outer shell 20 axially downstream of rib 22 and axially upstream of rib 24, and a third resonant chamber 30 between inner perforated tube 18 and outer shell 20 axially downstream of rib 24. Inner perforated tube 18 has a first set of perforations 32 radially aligned with resonant chamber 26, a second set of perforations 34 radially aligned with resonant chamber 28, and a third set of perforations 36 radially aligned with resonant chamber 30. The resonator attenuates sound waves in gas flow entering the resonator at inlet 14 and exiting the resonator at outlet 16. The gas flows axially through the hollow interior of perforated tube 18 and communicates with resonant chambers 26, 28, 30 through respective sets of perforations 32, 34, 36.
The set of perforations 32 are the only inlet to and the only exit from resonant chamber 26, such that gas flow in the hollow interior of inner perforated tube 18 can enter resonant chamber 26 only through the set of perforations 32, and can exit resonant chamber 26 only through the set of perforations 32. The second set of perforations 34 are the only inlet to and the only exit from resonant chamber 28, such that gas flow in inner perforated tube 18 can enter resonant chamber 28 only through the set of perforations 34, and can exit resonant chamber 28 only through the set of perforations 34. The third set of perforations 36 are the only inlet to and the only exit from resonant chamber 30, such that gas flow in inner perforated tube 18 can enter resonant chamber 30 only through the set of perforations 36, and can exit resonant chamber only through the set of perforations 36. The upstream inlet ends 38 and 40 of inner tube 18 and outer shell 20, respectively, engage each other in tight fit flush relation, such that gas flow enters resonator 10 only through the hollow interior of inner tube 18. The downstream outlet ends 42 and 44 of inner tube 18 and outer shell 20, respectively, engage each other in tight fit flush relation, such that gas flow exits the resonator at outlet 16 only through the hollow interior of inner perforated tube 18.
Rib 22 extends radially outwardly from inner perforated tube 18 and has an outer tip 46. Outer shell 20 has an inner surface 48 facing radially inwardly toward inner perforated tube 18 and has a sealing engagement surface 50, FIG. 3, engaging outer tip 46 of rib 22 in radially engaged tight fit relation such that inner perforated tube 18 is axially insertable (downwardly in FIGS. 1-3) into outer shell 20 and held in radially engaged relation therein, to be further described. Rib 24 extends radially outwardly from inner perforated tube 18 and has an outer tip 52. Outer shell 20 has an inner surface 54 facing radially inwardly toward inner perforated tube 18 and has a sealing engagement surface 56 engaging outer tip 52 of rib 24 in radially engaged tight fit relation such that inner perforated tube 18 is axially insertable (downwardly in FIGS. 1-3) into outer shell 20 and held in radially engaged relation therein, to be further described. Outer tip 46 of rib 22 engages surface 50 in sealing relation, isolating resonant chamber 26 from resonant chamber 28. Outer tip 52 of rib 24 engages surface 56 in sealing relation, isolating resonant chamber 28 from resonant chamber 30.
Resonant chamber 26 is sealed at its upstream end by the flush tight fit engagement of ends 38 and 40 of inner tube 18 and outer shell 20, respectively, and is sealed at its downstream end by the engagement of rib tip 46 and surface 50. Resonant chamber 28 is sealed at its upstream end by the engagement of rib tip 46 and surface 50, and is sealed at its downstream end by the engagement of rib tip 52 and surface 56. Resonant chamber 30 is sealed at its upstream end by the engagement of rib tip 52 and surface 56, and is sealed at its downstream end by the flush fit tight engagement of downstream ends 42 and 44 of inner tube 18 and outer shell 20, respectively.
Each of sealing engagement surfaces 50 and 56 is a detent engaging the respective outer tip 46 and 50 of the respective rib 22 and 24 in snap-fit relation upon the noted axial insertion. Outer shell 20 has an outer surface 58 with an annular groove 60 recessed radially inwardly toward inner perforated tube 18 and providing the noted sealing engagement surface 50 on inner surface 48. Outer shell 20 has an outer surface 62 with an annular groove 64 recessed radially inwardly toward inner perforated tube 18 and providing sealing engagement surface 56 on inner surface 54.
Inner perforated tube 18 is a two-piece member having first and second pieces 66 and 68 abutting each other at first and second axially extending abutment lines 70 and 72 in assembled condition in outer shell 20. Pieces 66 and 68 are preferably held in assembled condition in outer shell 20 solely by outer shell 20, without bonding or welding of pieces 66 and 68 to each other. Further preferably, pieces 66 and 68 are identical, which enables the use of a single tool for forming same, to reduce tooling cost. One axially extending edge of each piece, such as edge 74, FIG. 4, along abutment line 70, is concave as shown at 76, while the other axially extending edge 78 at abutment line 72 is convex or bulged as shown at 80 to mate in the concave edge of the other piece. Other types of interlocking engagement of pieces 66 and 68 may be used to provide proper alignment of the pieces during axial insertion into outer shell 20, whereafter the pieces are held in assembled condition by engagement of ribs 22 and 24 with respective detents 50 and 56.
Inner perforated tube 18 and outer shell 20 have the noted upstream axial ends 38 and 40 mating at an upstream joint 82, FIG. 3, blocking gas flow therepast at inlet 14 such that gas flow at inlet 14 can only flow into the hollow interior of perforated inner tube 18 and not into the space between inner tube 18 and outer shell 20. Inner perforated tube 18 and outer shell 20 have the noted downstream axial ends 42 and 44 mating at a downstream joint 84 blocking gas flow and sound therepast at outlet 16 such that gas flow at outlet 16 can only flow from the hollow interior of inner perforated tube 18 and not from the space between inner tube 18 and outer shell 20. The upstream axial end of inner perforated tube 18 has first and second different diameter portions 86 and 88, FIG. 3, and a transition portion 90 therebetween. The diameter of portion 86 is larger than the diameter of portion 88 and mates with outer shell 20. Transition portion 90 extends radially inwardly from first diameter portion 86 to second diameter portion 88. The downstream axial end of outer shell 20 has third and fourth different diameter portions 92 and 94 and a transition portion 96 therebetween. The diameter of portion 94 is smaller than the diameter of portion 92 and mates with inner perforated tube 18. Transition portion 96 extends radially inwardly from third diameter portion 92 to fourth diameter portion 94.
The number of ribs 22, 24 equals N, the number of grooves 60, 64 equals N, and in preferred form, N is greater than or equal to 2, and the number of resonant chambers 26, 28, 30 equals N+1, and the number of sets of perforations 32, 34, 36 equals N+1. The ribs 22, 24 have a radial height between inner perforated tube 18 and outer shell 20, which radial height progressively increases from rib to rib. As seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the radial height of rib 22 is greater than the radial height of rib 24. The ribs extend radially outwardly from inner perforated tube 18. Outer shell 20 has the noted plurality of annular grooves 60, 64 axially spaced from each other and serially axially spaced between inlet 14 and outlet 16 and radially aligned with and engaging respective ribs 22 and 24. The grooves have a radial depth progressively increasing from groove to groove in inverse relation to the progression of the progressively increasing height of the ribs. As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the radial depth of groove 64 is greater than the radial depth of groove 60. The shortest radial height rib 24 engages the deepest radial depth groove 64. The tallest radial height rib 22 engages the shallowest radial depth groove 60. This construction facilitates axial insertion of inner perforated tube 18 into outer shell 20, and enables such axial insertion without a draft on inner tube 18.
In the present method for assembling a resonator, the inner perforated tube 18 is axially inserted into outer shell 20 (downwardly in FIGS. 1-3). First and second pieces 66 and 68 are abutted at axially extending abutment lines 70 and 72 to a pre-assembled condition. The first and second pieces 66 and 68 in the pre-assembled condition are inserted axially into outer shell 20 such that pieces 66 and 68 are held in assembled condition in outer shell 20, preferably solely by outer shell 20, without bonding or welding of pieces 66 and 68 to each other. Radial retention force is provided by the snap-fit detent engagement of ribs 22, 24 and detent sealing engagement surfaces 50, 56, respectively. The noted progressive stepping of the ribs and grooves facilitates the noted axial insertion, including without drafting.
It is recognized that various equivalents, alternatives and modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claims.
Patent Application
20050150718
