초록 ▼

An improved exhaust system (24) uses the entire length of the system in which to perform the essential functions of muffling noise and converting unburned hydrocarbons. The improved exhaust system (24) performs these functions with a relatively uniform minimum diameter along its length. The exhaust

An improved exhaust system (24) uses the entire length of the system in which to perform the essential functions of muffling noise and converting unburned hydrocarbons. The improved exhaust system (24) performs these functions with a relatively uniform minimum diameter along its length. The exhaust system (24) includes a uniform outer diameter pipe (26) and elements (44) of porous material (46) forming a plurality of filters (50) through which the exhaust gas flows and which attenuates sonic frequency sound waves in the exhaust. The elements (44) are preferably elongate strips which may be folded into rectangular filters (60) or elliptical filters (90). The rectangular filters can be folded sufficiently to form squares and the elliptical filters to form circles. The rectangular filters define passageways (62-68) between the edges of the filters and inner wall (70) of the pipe (26) which further attenuates exhaust noise through imbalances in the gas flow. The elliptical filters maintain continuous contact with the inner surface of the pipe. In a second embodiment, an exhaust system (110) includes a liner (112) having a plurality of airfoil baffles (114) extending into the gas flow to muffle the exhaust. A third embodiment is formed by an exhaust system (130) having a woven wire fabric (132) along its interior to attenuate the exhaust sounds. All of the filters or elements can be coated with alumina and a platinum group metal for catalytic converting.

대표청구항 ▼

An exhaust system for exhausting gases from an internal combustion engine having an exhaust manifold on a vehicle, the engine being capable of conventional muffling by at least one muffler section positioned along the length of an exhaust pipe extending from the exhaust manifold to the atmosphere, t

An exhaust system for exhausting gases from an internal combustion engine having an exhaust manifold on a vehicle, the engine being capable of conventional muffling by at least one muffler section positioned along the length of an exhaust pipe extending from the exhaust manifold to the atmosphere, the muffler section having a larger diameter than the diameter of the exhaust pipe, comprising: a uniform diameter pipe having a diameter approximately that of the exhaust pipe for conventional muffling extending from the engine exhaust manifold to an opening to the atmosphere, the pipe carrying the exhaust gases from the engine to the atmosphere; and a plurality of expanded, porous material filters positioned within the pipe along its length to muffle the noise of the exhaust, said filters being formed of at least one element of porous material, said element being folded at preselected positions along the length of said element to form individual filters between the folds with each filter spaced a predetermined distance from the proximate filters.