초록 ▼

The improved high performance muffler is used to attenuate the sound waves in exhaust gases from internal combustion engines and the like and has a casing, which includes a closed volume defined by side walls, a top wall, a bottom wall and inlet and outlet end caps. The casing also has a defined exh

The improved high performance muffler is used to attenuate the sound waves in exhaust gases from internal combustion engines and the like and has a casing, which includes a closed volume defined by side walls, a top wall, a bottom wall and inlet and outlet end caps. The casing also has a defined exhaust gas-flow passageway, which extends between the end caps, which is bounded by upper and lower walls within the casing and the side walls, and which includes inlet and outlet chambers adjacent to the inlet and outlet end caps, respectively. Two spaced apart, gas-flow channels. A gas-flow director assembly, disposed between the side walls and the upper and lower walls, defines two spaced apart gas-flow channels. The gas-flow channels have a uniform, smooth cross-section, and their lengths are substantially equal. The gas-flow director assembly divides the exhaust gases flowing into the gas inlet chamber into two substantially unrestricted and equi-volume gas streams, and also defines an intermediate chamber, which communicates with the gas-flow channels, intermediate their ends, so as to permit the exhaust gases flowing in the channels to expand and mix for sound attenuation. Perforations in the upper and lower walls permit sound waves in the exhaust gases to be attenuated in sound absorption materials disposed in the closed volume of the casing about the gas-flow passageway.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] An improved high performance muffler for use in the attenuation of sound waves in exhaust gases that are from internal combustion engines and the like, the improved muffler comprising:a casing that has a first end and a second end, that has a longitudinal centerline, which extends

[ We claim:] [1.] An improved high performance muffler for use in the attenuation of sound waves in exhaust gases that are from internal combustion engines and the like, the improved muffler comprising:a casing that has a first end and a second end, that has a longitudinal centerline, which extends through the first and second ends of the casing and that includes a first inlet end cap and a second outlet end cap, which end caps are disposed generally perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline and which are attached to and close the first and second ends of casing, respectively, so as to define a closed volume within the casing; the first end cap having an opening therein for permitting exhaust gases to flow into the casing; and the second end cap having at least one opening therein for permitting exhaust gases to flow out of the casing;an exhaust gas-flow passageway defined in the casing, the gas-flow passageway extending from adjacent to the opening in the first end cap to adjacent to each opening in the second end cap; the gas-flow passageway including a gas inlet chamber, which is adjacent to the first end cap opening so that exhaust gases can flow into the gas inlet chamber through the first end cap opening, and a gas outlet chamber, which is adjacent to each second end cap opening so that exhaust gases can flow from the outlet chamber through each second end cap opening;a gas-flow director assembly defining a first gas-flow channel, a second gas-flow channel, and an intermediate chamber in the gas-flow passageway; the first gas-flow channel having an inlet end, which is in gas-flow communication with the inlet chamber, an outlet end, which is in gas-flow communication with the outlet chamber, a longitudinal axis, which extends from the inlet end to the outlet end, and a predetermined length; the second gas-flow channel having an inlet end, which is in gas-flow communication with the inlet chamber, an outlet end, which is in gas-flow communication with the outlet chamber, a longitudinal axis, which extends from the inlet end to the outlet end, and a predetermined length, which is substantially equal to the predetermined length of the first gas-flow channel; the flow director assembly dividing the exhaust gases flowing into the gas inlet chamber into two, substantially unrestricted gas streams that have substantially equal volumes and that flow through the first and second gas-flow channels, respectively; the intermediate chamber interconnecting the first and second gas-flow channels, intermediate their inlet and outlet ends, so as to permit the exhaust gases flowing in the first and second gas-flow channels to mix and expand into the intermediate chamber thereby providing attenuation of the intermediate frequency wavelengths in the sound waves in the exhaust gases; andmeans for permitting exhaust gases flowing in the first and second gas-flow channels to expand into the closed volume outside of the gas-flow passageway so as to substantially eliminate the high frequency wavelengths in the sound waves in the exhaust gas.