U.S. patent application number 11/274567 was filed with the patent office on 2007-02-01 for pressure regulating device for exhaust tube.
Invention is credited to Ming Hung Cheng.
Application Number | 20070022748 11/274567 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37155552 |
Filed Date | 2007-02-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070022748 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cheng; Ming Hung |
February 1, 2007 |
Pressure regulating device for exhaust tube
Abstract
A pressure regulating device includes a housing for attaching to
an exhaust tube and having a chamber for receiving an exhaust gas
from the exhaust tube, a piston slidably received in the housing,
and a spring biasing device for biasing the piston to control the
exhaust gas to flow into the housing, the exhaust gas is capable of
flowing into the housing when against a spring biasing force of the
biasing device applied against the piston. The housing includes a
conduit for slidably receiving a piston rod of the piston. The
biasing device includes one or more spring members biased against
the piston rod and adjustable to different spring biasing force by
an adjusting device.
Inventors: |
Cheng; Ming Hung; (Yienpin
Li, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CHARLES E. BAXLEY, ESQ.
90 JOHN STREET
THIRD FLOOR
NEW YORK
NY
10038
US
|
Family ID: |
37155552 |
Appl. No.: |
11/274567 |
Filed: |
November 15, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
60/324 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F01N 1/165 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
060/324 |
International
Class: |
F01N 7/00 20060101
F01N007/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 27, 2005 |
TW |
094212724 |
Claims
1. A pressure regulating device for attaching to an exhaust tube,
said pressure regulating device comprising: a housing including a
base for attaching to the exhaust tube and including a chamber
formed therein, and including an inlet formed therein and
communicating with said chamber thereof for receiving an exhaust
gas from the exhaust tube, and including an outlet formed therein
and communicating with said chamber thereof for outward flowing of
the exhaust gas, a piston slidably received in said chamber of said
housing, and means for biasing said piston to control an opening or
an enclosing of said inlet of said housing, and to control the
exhaust gas to flow into said housing through said inlet of said
housing, and to allow the exhaust gas to flow out of said housing
through said outlet of said housing, the exhaust gas being capable
of flowing into said chamber of said housing when against a spring
biasing force of said biasing means applied against said
piston.
2. The pressure regulating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said housing includes a sealing ring disposed and engaged in said
inlet of said housing for engaging with said piston and for
controlling the opening or the enclosing of said inlet of said
housing.
3. The pressure regulating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said housing includes a conduit provided and supported in said
chamber thereof and having a bore formed therein, and said piston
includes a piston rod slidably received in said bore of said
conduit.
4. The pressure regulating device as claimed in claim 3, wherein
said housing includes a partition provided in said chamber thereof
to support said conduit.
5. The pressure regulating device as claimed in claim 3, wherein
said housing includes a barrel engaged into said bore of said
conduit and engaged between said conduit and said piston rod for
allowing said piston rod to smoothly slide relative to said
conduit.
6. The pressure regulating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein
said piston includes a piston rod extended therefrom, and said
biasing means includes a spring member for biasing against said
piston rod.
7. The pressure regulating device as claimed in claim 6, wherein
said piston includes a casing secured to said piston rod for
engaging with said spring member.
8. The pressure regulating device as claimed in claim 6, wherein
said biasing means includes at least one second spring member
disposed around said spring member for biasing against said piston
rod.
9. The pressure regulating device as claimed in claim 6 further
comprising means for adjusting a spring biasing force of said
spring member against said piston rod.
10. The pressure regulating device as claimed in claim 9, wherein
said housing includes a cover secured thereon, said adjusting means
includes a panel disposed on top of said spring member, and an
adjusting member threaded to said cover and engaged with said panel
for moving and adjusting said panel against said spring member.
11. The pressure regulating device as claimed in claim 10, wherein
said panel includes a center cavity formed therein, and said
adjusting member includes a centering tip for engaging with said
center cavity of said panel and for centering said panel.
12. The pressure regulating device as claimed in claim 11, wherein
said center cavity of said panel is a frustum-shaped cavity for
centering purposes.
13. The pressure regulating device as claimed in claim 10, wherein
said adjusting member is a threaded member, and a lock nut is
threaded to said adjusting member for engaging with said cover and
for locking said adjusting member to said cover.
14. The pressure regulating device as claimed in claim 9, wherein
said housing includes a cover secured thereon, and a membrane
disposed between said cover and said housing for making an air
tight seal between said cover and said housing.
15. The pressure regulating device as claimed in claim 14, wherein
said membrane includes an outer peripheral portion secured between
said cover and said housing and includes an inner portion attached
to said piston rod of said piston.
16. The pressure regulating device as claimed in claim 14, wherein
said cover includes a compartment formed therein and includes a
hose coupled thereto and communicating with said compartment
thereof for coupling to a vacuuming source.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a muffler or a pressure
regulating device, and more particularly to a muffler or a pressure
regulating and/or adjusting device and/or a silencing device for
attaching to exhaust tubes of such as vehicles and for regulating
and/or adjusting the pressure and/or the outwardly flowing quantity
of exhaust gas and/or for silencing the outwardly flowing exhaust
gas.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Typical exhaust tubes or pipes of such as vehicles may
comprise one or more silencing tubes or manifold tubes or
perforated tubes attached or coupled thereto for regulating and/or
adjusting the pressure of the outwardly flowing exhaust gas and/or
for silencing the outwardly flowing exhaust gas.
[0005] For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,347 to Wang discloses one
of the typical exhaust tubes or pipes including one or more
silencing tubes having a number of gas chambers formed by spaced
disks, and a pipe having expanded portions and horizontal portions
and inclined portions and venturi tubes for silencing the outwardly
flowing exhaust gas. However, the typical exhaust tube may not be
used for effectively regulating and/or adjusting the pressure of
the outwardly flowing exhaust gas.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,866,860 to Chen discloses one of the typical
mufflers or exhaust tubes or pipes including one or more silencing
tubes disposed in a housing and each having a valve device attached
thereto for adjusting the opening size of the tubes and for
silencing the outwardly flowing exhaust gas and/or for regulating
and/or adjusting the pressure or the flowing quantity or the
flowing speed of the outwardly flowing exhaust gas.
[0007] However, the valve devices of the typical muffler are
received and confined within the outer housing of the typical
muffler and may not be adjusted by the users themselves and also
may not be adjusted by the other people.
[0008] The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate
the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional pressure
regulating devices for exhaust tubes of vehicles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide
a pressure regulating device or pressure adjusting device and/or a
silencing device for attaching to exhaust tubes of such as vehicles
and for regulating and/or adjusting the pressure and/or the
outwardly flowing quantity or flowing speed of exhaust gas and/or
for silencing the outwardly flowing exhaust gas.
[0010] In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is
provided a pressure regulating device for attaching to an exhaust
tube, the pressure regulating device comprising a housing including
a base for attaching to the exhaust tube and including a chamber
formed therein, and including an inlet formed therein and
communicating with the chamber thereof for receiving an exhaust gas
from the exhaust tube, and including an outlet formed therein and
communicating with the chamber thereof for outward flowing of the
exhaust gas, a piston slidably received in the chamber of the
housing, and a spring biasing device for biasing the piston to
control an opening or an enclosing of the inlet of the housing, and
to control the exhaust gas to flow into the housing through the
inlet of the housing, and to allow the exhaust gas to flow out of
the housing through the outlet of the housing, the exhaust gas is
capable of flowing into the chamber of the housing only when the
exhaust gas may force against a spring biasing force of the biasing
device applied against the piston.
[0011] The housing includes a sealing ring disposed and engaged in
the inlet of the housing for engaging with the piston and for
controlling the opening or the enclosing of the inlet of the
housing. The housing includes a conduit provided and supported in
the chamber thereof and having a bore formed therein, and the
piston includes a piston rod extended therefrom and slidably
received in the bore of the conduit.
[0012] The housing includes a partition provided in the chamber
thereof to support the conduit. The housing includes a barrel
engaged into the bore of the conduit and engaged between the
conduit and the piston rod for allowing the piston rod to smoothly
slide relative to the conduit.
[0013] The piston includes a spring member for biasing against the
piston rod. The piston includes a casing secured to the piston rod
for engaging with the spring member. The biasing device includes at
least one second spring member disposed around the spring member
for biasing against the piston rod.
[0014] An adjusting device is further provided for adjusting a
spring biasing force of the spring member against the piston rod.
The housing includes a cover secured thereon, the adjusting device
includes a panel disposed on top of the spring member and biased
toward the cover, and an adjusting member threaded to the cover and
engaged with the panel for moving and adjusting the panel against
the spring member.
[0015] The panel includes a center cavity formed therein, and the
adjusting member includes a centering tip for engaging with the
center cavity of the panel and for centering the panel. The center
cavity of the panel is a frustum-shaped cavity for centering
purposes. The adjusting member is a threaded member, and a lock nut
is threaded to the adjusting member for engaging with the cover and
for locking the adjusting member to the cover.
[0016] The housing includes a membrane disposed between the cover
and the housing for making an air tight seal between the cover and
the housing. The membrane includes an outer peripheral portion
secured between the cover and the housing and includes an inner
portion attached to the piston rod of the piston. The cover
includes a compartment formed therein and a hose coupled thereto
and communicating with the compartment thereof for vacuuming the
compartment of the cover.
[0017] Further objectives and advantages of the present invention
will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed
description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a pressure regulating device
in accordance with the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the pressure regulating
device;
[0020] FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2, in which one
half of the pressure regulating device has been cut off for showing
an inner structure of the pressure regulating device;
[0021] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the pressure regulating
device taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 2; and
[0022] FIGS. 5, 6 are cross sectional views similar to FIG. 4,
illustrating the operation of the pressure regulating device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0023] Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-4, a
pressure regulating device 1 in accordance with the present
invention is designed and provided for attaching to such as exhaust
tubes of vehicles or boats or motorcycles or the like (not shown)
and for regulating and/or adjusting the pressure of the exhaust gas
outwardly flown from the exhaust tubes, and/or for regulating or
adjusting the flowing quantity or the flowing speed of the exhaust
gas, and/or for silencing the exhaust gas.
[0024] The pressure regulating device 1 comprises a housing 10
including a base 11 for engaging or attaching onto such as an
exhaust tube of the vehicle or boat or the like (not shown) with
one or more gaskets 12, and for securing to the exhaust tube of the
vehicle or boat or the like (not shown) with one or more fasteners
13 (FIGS. 1, 2). The housing 10 includes a chamber 14 formed
therein and includes an inlet 15 formed therein and communicating
with the chamber 14 thereof for receiving the exhaust gas from the
exhaust tube.
[0025] The housing 10 includes a conduit 16 formed or provided and
supported in the chamber 14 thereof with such as a partition 17,
and having a bore 18 formed therein and opened or directed toward
the inlet 15 thereof for slidably receiving a piston rod 21 of a
piston 20 therein. The piston 20 is slidably received in the
chamber 14 of the housing 10. It is preferable that a gasket or
barrel 22 is engaged into the bore 18 of the conduit 16 and is made
of anti-abrasive or anti-rubbing materials, such as copper or
copper alloy materials, and engaged between the conduit 16 and the
piston rod 21 of the piston 20 for allowing the piston rod 21 to
smoothly slide relative or along the conduit 16.
[0026] A gasket or sealing ring 23 is disposed or engaged in the
inlet 15 of the housing 10 for engaging with the piston 20, or the
piston 20 may be moved or forced to engage with the gasket or
sealing ring 23 in order to control the opening or enclosing of the
inlet 15 of the housing 10, and to control the exhaust gas to flow
through the inlet 15 of the housing 10. The housing 10 includes an
outlet 19 formed therein and communicating with the chamber 14
thereof and preferably includes a flare member 24 attached to the
outlet 19 thereof for allowing the exhaust gas to flow out from the
chamber 14 of the housing 10 through the outlet 19 and the flare
member 24 of the housing 10.
[0027] The housing 10 includes a recess 25 formed or provided in
the upper portion 26 thereof, and includes a cover 30 engaged onto
the upper portion 26 of the housing 10 and secured to the housing
10 with such as fasteners 31. The cover 30 includes a compartment
32 formed therein and a hose 33 coupled thereto and communicating
with the compartment 32 thereof for coupling to various vacuuming
source, such as the engine of the vehicle, and for selectively
vacuuming the compartment 32 thereof. A plate 40 and a casing 41
are slidably received in the compartment 32 of the cover 30 and/or
in the recess 25 of the housing 10.
[0028] For example, the piston rod 21 includes a screw or threaded
end or segment 27 engaged through the plate 40 and the casing 41,
and one or more gaskets or washers 28 are engaged onto the threaded
segment 27 of the piston rod 21, and a lock nut 29 is threaded to
the threaded segment 27 of the piston rod 21 to secure the plate 40
and the casing 41 to the piston rod 21, and to allow the plate 40
and the casing 41 to be moved in concert with the piston rod 21 or
to be moved relative to the housing 10 and the cover 30 by the
piston rod 21.
[0029] A diaphragm or membrane 42 includes an outer peripheral
portion 43 engaged or secured or clamped between the cover 30 and
the upper portion 26 of the housing 10, and includes an inner
peripheral portion or central portion 44 engaged or secured or
clamped between the plate 40 and the casing 41 or attached to the
piston 20 or to the piston rod 21 of the piston 20 for making a
water tight or air tight seal between the cover 30 and the upper
portion 26 of the housing 10, and/or for separating the compartment
32 of the cover 30 and the recess 25 of the housing 10 from each
other, and thus for allowing the compartment 32 of the cover 30 to
be selectively and suitably vacuumed.
[0030] One or more, such as two coil spring members 50, 51 are
received in the compartment 32 of the cover 30 and engaged onto the
casing 41 or the membrane 42, and a panel 52 is disposed or engaged
on top of the spring members 50, 51 for being biased toward and to
engage with the cover 30, and includes a center cavity 53 formed
therein. It is preferable that the center cavity 53 is a counter
sink or frustum-shaped cavity 53 for centering purposes. For
example, the cover 30 includes an inner thread or screw hole 34
formed in the upper portion thereof for threading with a centering
or adjusting bolt or member 35. A lock nut 36 may be threaded to
the adjusting member 35 which may be a threaded member 35 for
selectively engaging with the cover 30 and for selectively locking
the adjusting member 35 to the cover 30.
[0031] In operation, as shown in FIG. 6, the adjusting member 35
may be a threaded member and rotated or threaded relative to the
cover 30, and includes an inner end or centering tip 37 for
engaging with the counter sink or frustum-shaped center cavity 53
of the panel 52 and thus for centering the panel 52 and the spring
members 50, 51, and for preventing the spring members 50, 51 from
being tilted or inclined relative to the cover 30 or the housing
10, and thus for allowing the spring members 50, 51 to suitably
apply the spring biasing force against the plate 40 and the casing
41 and thus the piston rod 21 of the piston 20. The movement of the
adjusting member 35 relative to the cover 30 may also be used to
adjust the spring biasing force of the spring members 50, 51
against the plate 40 and the casing 41 and the piston 20.
[0032] It is further preferable that the spring members 50, 51
include different diameters for allowing the spring members 50, 51
to be disposed within or on the outer portion of the other spring
members 50, 51, and it is further preferable that the spring
members 50, 51 include different helical direction or inclinations
(FIGS. 4-6), for further preventing the spring members 50, 51 from
being tilted or inclined relative to the cover 30 or the housing
10, and for allowing the spring members 50, 51 to suitably erected
or centered or balanced and to be suitably engaged between the
panel 52 and the casing 41 and to suitably apply the spring biasing
force against the plate 40 and the casing 41 and the piston 20.
[0033] In operation, as shown in FIG. 5, the exhaust gas from the
exhaust tube may force and move the piston 20 against the spring
members 50, 51 when the exhaust gas has a pressure greater than the
spring biasing force of the spring members 50, 51, and may then
flow into the chamber 14 of the housing 10 and then may flow out
through the outlet 19 and the flare member 24 of the housing 10,
such that the exhaust gas may only flow out through the outlet 19
and the flare member 24 of the housing 10 when the exhaust gas has
a pressure greater than the spring biasing force of the spring
members 50, 51, and such that the exhaust gas may be suitably
silenced.
[0034] The compartment 32 of the cover 30 is preferably vacuumed
for preventing an air pressure from being formed or generated
within the compartment 32 of the cover 30, and for allowing only
the spring members 50, 51 to apply their spring biasing force
against the casing 41 and the plate 40 and the piston 20. The
spring members 50, 51 may be previously calibrated to determine the
spring biasing force of the spring members 50, 51 that may be
applied onto or against the casing 41 and the plate 40 and the
piston 20.
[0035] The prior or conventional exhaust tubes of the vehicles have
no spring-biased piston 20 provided therein for acting with or for
confronting the exhaust gas and/or for dissipating the pressure of
the exhaust gas and/or for silencing the exhaust gas. The spring
members 50, 51 and/or the panel 52 may thus be acted as a spring
biasing means for biasing the piston 20 against the exhaust gas to
dissipate the pressure of the exhaust gas and/or to silence the
exhaust gas. In addition, the adjusting member 35 may be rotated or
threaded relative to the cover 30 for engaging with the center
cavity 53 of the panel 52 and for centering the panel 52 and the
spring members 50, 51, and for adjusting the spring biasing force
of the spring members 50, 51 against the plate 40 and the casing 41
and the piston 20.
[0036] Accordingly, the pressure regulating device in accordance
with the present invention may be provided and used as a pressure
regulating device and/or a pressure adjusting device and/or a
silencing device and for attaching to exhaust tubes of such as
vehicles and for regulating and/or adjusting the pressure and/or
the outwardly flowing quantity or flowing speed of exhaust gas
and/or for silencing the outwardly flowing exhaust gas.
[0037] Although this invention has been described with a certain
degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present
disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous
changes in the detailed construction and the combination and
arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
* * * * *