U.S. patent application number 12/574342 was filed with the patent office on 2010-06-10 for flow passage control valve for muffler.
This patent application is currently assigned to Hyundai Motor Company. Invention is credited to Hakson HAN.
Application Number | 20100140014 12/574342 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42229840 |
Filed Date | 2010-06-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100140014 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
HAN; Hakson |
June 10, 2010 |
Flow Passage Control Valve for Muffler
Abstract
A flow passage control valve for a muffler may include an
opening formed through a guide pipe, which forms an exhaust gas
channel in the muffler, to form another exhaust gas channel, and a
valve body adjusts an open amount of the opening by using a
difference between an exhaust gas pressure exerted through the
opening and a weight of the valve body.
Inventors: |
HAN; Hakson; (Seongnam-si,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MORGAN, LEWIS & BOCKIUS LLP (SF)
One Market, Spear Street Tower, Suite 2800
San Francisco
CA
94105
US
|
Assignee: |
Hyundai Motor Company
Seoul
KR
|
Family ID: |
42229840 |
Appl. No.: |
12/574342 |
Filed: |
October 6, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
181/254 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F01N 1/089 20130101;
F01N 1/166 20130101; F01N 2290/10 20130101; F16K 17/12 20130101;
F01N 2490/06 20130101; F01N 1/084 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
181/254 |
International
Class: |
F01N 1/00 20060101
F01N001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 4, 2008 |
KR |
10-2008-0122517 |
Claims
1. A flow passage control valve for a muffler wherein an opening is
formed through a guide pipe, which forms an exhaust gas channel in
the muffler, to form another exhaust gas channel, and a valve body
adjusts an open amount of the opening by using a difference between
an exhaust gas pressure exerted through the opening and a weight of
the valve body.
2. The flow passage control valve as defined in claim 1, wherein at
least a weight block that increase the weight of the valve body are
additionally attached to the valve body.
3. The flow passage control valve as defined in claim 2, wherein
the valve body is pivotably connected to a valve housing, which is
attached to the guide pipe, by a hinge shaft.
4. The flow passage control valve as defined in claim 3, wherein
the valve body is formed in an arc shape and has one end pivotably
connected to the hinge shaft, and the at least a weight block are
fixedly attached to the other end of the valve body.
5. The flow passage control valve as defined in claim 4, wherein a
closing-adjusting stopper that limits a closing stroke of the valve
body when the valve body pivots in a direction of closing the
opening is provided in the valve housing.
6. The flow passage control valve as defined in claim 4, wherein an
opening stopper that limits an opening stroke of the valve body
when the valve body pivots in a direction of opening the opening is
provided in the valve housing and a stopper groove that selectively
interacts with the opening stopper is formed at the valve
housing.
7. A flow passage control valve for a muffler, comprising: a
muffler housing including a front chamber, a center chamber, and a
rear chamber therein; an exhaust gas intake pipe passing through
the first, center and rear chambers and fluid-connecting the first
and rear chambers to receive an exhaust gas discharged from an
engine; an exhaust gas discharge pipe passing through the center
and rear chambers and fluid-connecting the center chamber and the
outside to discharge the exhaust gas to the outside of the muffler
housing; a guide pipe passing through the first, center and rear
chambers and fluid-connecting the rear and front chambers, wherein
the guide pipe includes an opening which is selectively opened to
the center chamber by a valve body in accordance with a difference
between an exhaust gas pressure exerted through the opening and a
weight of the valve body.
8. The flow passage control valve as defined in claim 7, wherein
the valve body is formed in an arc shape corresponding to an outer
circumference of the guide pipe.
9. The flow passage control valve as defined in claim 7, further
including at least a weight block attached to the valve body to
increase the weight of the valve body.
10. The flow passage control valve as defined in claim 9, wherein
the valve body includes a flange formed in an arc shape
corresponding to an outer circumference of the guide pipe to
selectively cover the opening and one of the at least a weight
block is fixed to one end portion of the flange and the other of
the at least a weight block is fixed to the other end portion of
the flange, the one end portion and the other end portion of the
flange being aligned along a longitudinal direction of the guide
pipe.
11. The flow passage control valve as defined in claim 7, wherein
the valve body is pivotably connected to a valve housing by a hinge
shaft and the valve housing is fixed to the guide pipe.
12. The flow passage control valve as defined in claim 11, wherein
a distance between the hinge shaft and the opening is shorter than
a distance between the hinge shaft and a weight center of the at
least a weight block.
13. The flow passage control valve as defined in claim 11, wherein
a closing-adjusting stopper that limits a closing stroke of the
valve body when the valve body pivots in a direction of closing the
opening is provided in the valve housing.
14. The flow passage control valve as defined in claim 13, wherein
the closing-adjusting stopper is disposed between the hinge shaft
and the at least a weight block.
15. The flow passage control valve as defined in claim 11, wherein
an opening stopper that limits an opening stroke of the valve body
when the valve body pivots in a direction of opening the opening is
provided at one end portion of the valve body.
16. The flow passage control valve as defined in claim 15, wherein
a stopper groove is formed at the valve housing to selectively
interact with the opening stopper.
17. The flow passage control valve as defined in claim 15, wherein
the opening stopper is disposed opposite to the closing-adjusting
stopper with respect to the hinge shaft.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority to Korean
Application Serial Number 10-2008-0122517, filed on Dec. 4, 2008,
the entire contents of which is incorporated herein for all
purposes by this reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a muffler of a vehicle,
particularly a flow passage control valve for a muffler that uses
the gravity to change an exhaust gas flow passage inside the
muffler.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] Mufflers of vehicles in the related art have structures
including a plurality of chambers that is formed by disposing one
or more baffles in a muffler housing sealed to have a predetermined
volume, an exhaust gas intake pipe that allows exhaust gas to flow
inside the muffler housing, and an exhaust gas discharge pipe that
allows the exhaust gas to flow outside from the muffler housing
such that the exhaust gas that has flowed in the muffler housing
through the exhaust gas intake pipe flows outside with the pressure
and noise reduced from the mufflers through the exhaust gas
discharge pipe while flowing through a predetermined flow channel
formed inside the muffler housing.
[0006] FIG. 1 shows an example of a muffler according to the
related art, in which an exhaust gas intake pipe 2 that allows
exhaust gas discharged outside from the engine is connected to the
front of a muffler housing 1, which has a substantially elliptical
box shape, to be communicated with the inside of housing 1 and an
exhaust gas discharge pipe 3 that allows the exhaust gas with the
pressure and noise reduced while flowing through a predetermined
channel inside the housing to flow outside the housing is connected
to the rear portion of housing 1 to protrude outside.
[0007] Further, a plurality of baffles 4a, 4b are disposed in the
longitudinal direction of the housing inside muffler housing 1 such
that the inside of the housing is divided into a plurality of
chambers, exhaust gas intake pipe 2 passes through first baffle 4a
at the front portion, and a guide pipe 5 that guides exhaust gas
flowing inside through exhaust gas intake pipe 2 to exhaust gas
discharge pipe 3 is disposed through second baffle 4b at the rear
portion.
[0008] Further, first baffle 4a is equipped with a flow passage
control valve 6 that opens/closes an exhaust gas flow channel in
accordance with the driving velocity of the engine and flow passage
control valve 6 opens when the engine is driven at a high speed,
such that the flow of exhaust gas through the flow passage control
valve is improved and the discharge pressure and noise are reduced,
thereby improving the engine power.
[0009] Flow passage control valve 6 has a valve body 6a that
opens/closes a circular exhaust gas channel formed through first
baffle 4a and a support spring 6b wound around a valve shaft of
valve body 6a to elastically support valve body 6a.
[0010] When a spring type flow passage control vale having the
above configuration in the related art is used, since the valve
body is supported by the spring, the exhaust gas channel formed
through the first baffle is opened in linear proportion to the
exhaust gas pressure exerted in the valve body, in which the
exhaust gas channel should be more opened to improve the engine
power; however, the amount of opening of the variable valve is
limited by the support force of the spring, which linearly
increases, such that it is difficult to improve the engine
power.
[0011] Further, the pulsation pressure of the exhaust gas is
completely transmitted to the valve body of the flow passage
control valve, such that the valve body opens the exhaust gas
channel while continuously chattering or vibrating. Accordingly, it
is difficult to accurately control the gas channel and it is
required to use a special steel spring having high strength because
the support spring that supports the valve body is exposed to the
high-temperature exhaust gas, such that the cost of materials
increases.
[0012] The information disclosed in this Background of the
Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the
general background of the invention and should not be taken as an
acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information
forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the
art.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] Various aspects of the present invention are directed to
provide a flow passage control valve for a muffler that can improve
the effect of noise reduction when the engine is driven at a low
speed and improve the engine power when the engine is driven at a
high speed by changing the exhaust gas channel, using the discharge
pressure of exhaust gas and the gravity exerted against the
discharge force.
[0014] In an aspect of the present invention, a flow passage
control valve for a muffler may include an opening formed through a
guide pipe, which forms an exhaust gas channel in the muffler, to
form another exhaust gas channel, and a valve body may adjust an
open amount of the opening by using a difference between an exhaust
gas pressure exerted through the opening and a weight of the valve
body, wherein at least a weight block that increase the weight of
the valve body are additionally attached to the valve body.
[0015] The valve body may be pivotably connected to a valve
housing, which is attached to the guide pipe, by a hinge shaft,
wherein the valve body is formed in an arc shape and has one end
pivotably connected to the hinge shaft, and the at least a weight
block are fixedly attached to the other end of the valve body.
[0016] A closing-adjusting stopper that limits a closing stroke of
the valve body when the valve body pivots in a direction of closing
the opening may be provided in the valve housing.
[0017] An opening stopper that limits an opening stroke of the
valve body when the valve body pivots in a direction of opening the
opening may be provided in the valve housing and a stopper groove
that selectively interacts with the opening stopper is formed at
the valve housing.
[0018] In another aspect of the present invention, a flow passage
control valve for a muffler, may include a muffler housing
including a front chamber, a center chamber, and a rear chamber
therein; an exhaust gas intake pipe passing through the first,
center and rear chambers and fluid-connecting the first and rear
chambers to receive an exhaust gas discharged from an engine; an
exhaust gas discharge pipe passing through the center and rear
chambers and fluid-connecting the center chamber and the outside to
discharge the exhaust gas to the outside of the muffler housing; a
guide pipe passing through the first, center and rear chambers and
fluid-connecting the rear and front chambers, wherein the guide
pipe includes an opening which is selectively opened to the center
chamber by a valve body in accordance with a difference between an
exhaust gas pressure exerted through the opening and a weight of
the valve body.
[0019] The valve body may be formed in an arc shape corresponding
to an outer circumference of the guide pipe.
[0020] The flow passage control valve may further include at least
a weight block attached to the valve body to increase the weight of
the valve body.
[0021] The valve body may include a flange formed in an arc shape
corresponding to an outer circumference of the guide pipe to
selectively cover the opening and one of the at least a weight
block is fixed to one end portion of the flange and the other of
the at least a weight block may be fixed to the other end portion
of the flange, while the one end portion and the other end portion
of the flange are aligned along a longitudinal direction of the
guide pipe.
[0022] The valve body may be pivotably connected to a valve housing
by a hinge shaft and the valve housing is fixed to the guide
pipe.
[0023] A distance between the hinge shaft and the opening may be
shorter than a distance between the hinge shaft and a weight center
of the at least a weight block.
[0024] A closing-adjusting stopper that limits a closing stroke of
the valve body when the valve body pivots in a direction of closing
the opening may be provided in the valve housing, wherein the
closing-adjusting stopper is disposed between the hinge shaft and
the at least a weight block.
[0025] An opening stopper that limits an opening stroke of the
valve body when the valve body pivots in a direction of opening the
opening may be provided at one end portion of the valve body.
[0026] A stopper groove may be formed at the valve housing to
selectively interact with the opening stopper.
[0027] The opening stopper may be disposed opposite to the
closing-adjusting stopper with respect to the hinge shaft.
[0028] According to various aspect of the flow passage control
valve of the present invention, since the cross-sectional area of
the exhaust gas channel and the open amount of the valve are small
when the engine is driven at a low speed, in which the influence of
booming noise is large, the exhaust gas discharge noise is reduced
and exhaust noise is effectively reduced. Further, when the engine
is driven at a middle speed or a high speed, the cross-sectional
area of the exhaust gas channel and the open amount of the valve
increase in proportion to the driving speed of the engine and the
engine power is effectively improved, such that it is possible to
reduce the cost of materials because it is not required to mount a
spring having large strength to support the valve, and accurately
control the exhaust gas channel because less pulsation pressure of
the exhaust gas is applied.
[0029] The methods and apparatuses of the present invention have
other features and advantages which will be apparent from or are
set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are
incorporated herein, and the following Detailed Description of the
Invention, which together serve to explain certain principles of
the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the inside of a muffler
equipped with a variable valve according to an exemplary embodiment
of the related art.
[0031] FIG. 2 is a projected perspective view of a muffler equipped
with a flow passage control valve according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
[0032] FIGS. 3 to 5 are enlarged perspective views of the flow
passage control valve according to an exemplary embodiment of the
present invention.
[0033] FIGS. 6 and 7 are views illustrating the operation of the
flow passage control valve according to an exemplary embodiment of
the present invention.
[0034] FIGS. 8 and 9 are graphs comparing the flow passage control
valve of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention with a
flow passage control valve of the related art about engine speed to
valve position.
[0035] It should be understood that the appended drawings are not
necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified
representation of various features illustrative of the basic
principles of the invention. The specific design features of the
present invention as disclosed herein, including, for example,
specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be
determined in part by the particular intended application and use
environment.
[0036] In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or
equivalent parts of the present invention throughout the several
figures of the drawing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0037] Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments
of the present invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in
the accompanying drawings and described below. While the
invention(s) will be described in conjunction with exemplary
embodiments, it will be understood that present description is not
intended to limit the invention(s) to those exemplary embodiments.
On the contrary, the invention(s) is/are intended to cover not only
the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives,
modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be
included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by
the appended claims.
[0038] Referring to FIG. 2, the openings of both sides of a muffler
housing 11 having a substantially elliptical box shape are covered
by a front cap 12a and a rear cap 12b to seal the inside of the
muffler housing 11. Two baffles 13a, 13b are disposed to be
individually integrally fixed at a predetermined distance in the
longitudinal direction of the muffler housing 11 inside the sealed
space of the muffler housing, such that a front chamber 14a, a
center chamber 14b, and a rear chamber 14c are formed between front
cap 12a and the first baffle, between the first and second baffles,
and between the second baffle and rear cap 12b, respectively.
[0039] A plurality of holes 13aa is formed through first baffle
13a, such that front chamber 14a and center chamber 14b are
communicated with each other by holes 13aa.
[0040] An exhaust gas intake pipe 15 that allows exhaust gas
discharged from the engine to flow inside the muffler housing 11 is
inserted from the front portion of muffler housing 11 and
sequentially passes through first and second baffles 13a, 13b to be
communicated with rear chamber 14c, and a plurality of holes 15a is
formed at the portion, which is positioned in front chamber 14a, of
exhaust gas intake pipe 15 such that exhaust gas intake pipe 15 is
communicated with front chamber 14a.
[0041] Further, an exhaust gas discharge pipe 16 that allows the
exhaust gas to flow outside the muffler housing passes through
second baffle 13b and rear cap 12b such that the exhaust gas in
center chamber 14b is discharged outside the muffler housing.
[0042] A guide pipe 17 passing through first and second baffles
13a, 13b to form an exhaust gas channel has both ends communicated
with the front chamber and the rear chamber, respectively, and an
opening 17a that allows exhaust gas to flow into the center chamber
is formed at the portion, which positioned in the center chamber,
of the guide pipe, and the open amount of opening 17a is adjusted
by a flow passage control valve 18 according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
[0043] Flow passage control valve 18, as shown in detail in FIGS. 3
to 5, has a valve housing 18a attached on the outer circumference
of guide pipe 17 and a valve body 18c pivotably disposed in valve
housing 18a by a hinge shaft 18b and formed in an arc shape to
adjust the open amount of opening 17a of guide pipe 17.
[0044] Further, valve body 18c has flanges 18ca, which axially
extend, at the left and right edges and arc-shaped weight blocks
18d are integrally fixed to flanges 18a, such that the weight of
valve body increases.
[0045] Further, a closing-adjusting stopper 18e is mounted in the
valve housing, such as a bolt, to adjust the closing stroke of
valve body 18c when valve body 18c pivots by the weight in the
direction of closing the opening, such that the closing motion of
valve body 18c is limited, when the lower end of valve body 18c is
placed on closing-adjusting stopper 18e.
[0046] Further, an opening stopper 18cd integrally protrudes from
valve body 18c to limit the opening stroke when valve body 18c
pivots upward in the direction of opening the opening by the
exhaust gas pressure exerted through the opening and a stopper
groove 18aa where the opening stopper is inserted and locked is
formed by cutting off the valve housing to the inside, such that
the opening motion of the valve body is limited when opening
stopper 18cd is inserted and locked in stopper groove 18aa.
[0047] Further, bushes 18f are fitted on both ends of hinge shaft
18b to reduce the operational noise, when valve body 18c pivots
around hinge shaft 18b.
[0048] FIGS. 6 and 7 are side views illustrating the operational
state of flow passage control valve 16 according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention, in accordance with the driving
speed of the engine. The flow passage control valve according to an
exemplary embodiment of the present invention pivots downward by
its own weight and the weight of the weight blocks unless external
force applied such that valve body 18c keeps closing opening 17a of
guide pipe 17.
[0049] Therefore, the exhaust gas that has flowed in the rear
chamber flows into the front chamber through the guide pipe,
thereafter flows into the center chamber through the holes of the
first baffle, and then is discharged outside the muffler through
the exhaust gas discharge pipe.
[0050] When the engine is driven at a low speed in the above
configuration, the amount of exhaust gas discharged from the engine
is small and a portion of the exhaust gas that has flowed in the
muffler is applied to valve body 18c as indicated by arrows, in
which large moment is needed to open the opening 17a by pivoting
the valve body in the opening direction around hinge shaft 18b as
shown in FIG. 6.
[0051] That is, the exhaust gas pressure exerted in the valve body
is positioned ahead of the center of weight of the entire valve
body, such that the valve body is opened when more exhaust gas
pressure is applied. However, since the exhaust gas pressure is low
when the engine is driven at a low speed, the variable flow passage
valve effectively reduce the booming noise when the engine is
driven at a low speed by maintaining the position almost closing
the opening of the guide pipe.
[0052] On the other hand, when the engine is driven at a high
speed, as shown in FIG. 7, the pressure applied to the valve body
by the exhaust gas gradually increases and the valve body pivots in
the direction of opening the opening by the exhaust gas pressure,
in which the point of action of the resultant force of the exhaust
gas exerted in the valve body from the hinge shaft 18b is
substantially the same as the center of weight of the valve body,
such that relatively small exhaust gas pressure is needed to
maintain the open state of the valve body and the cross-sectional
area of the exhaust gas channel increases while the opening amount
of the opening that is opened by the valve body increases.
Accordingly, a portion of exhaust gas flowing through the guide
pipe directly flows inside the center chamber through the opening
of the guide pipe and is then directly discharged outside the
muffler through the exhaust discharge pipe. Therefore, the exhaust
gas smoothly flows, such that the discharge pressure of the exhaust
gas is reduced and the engine power is improved.
[0053] FIGS. 8 and 9 show graphs each comparing the opening torques
to the valve positions and the valve positions to the driving
speeds of the engine in a spring type variable flow passage valve
of the related art and a gravity type variable flow passage valve
of the present invention. In the variable flow passage valve of the
related art, as the valve is opened, the support force of the
spring that supports the valve body increases, such that large
exhaust gas pressure that is in linear proportion to the open
amount of the valve is needed, whereas exhaust gas pressure that is
substantially in inverse proportion to the open amount of the valve
is needed or the exhaust gas pressure does not substantially change
in the present invention. Accordingly, as the driving speed of the
engine increases, the open amount of the variable flow passage
valve increases as compared with the related art, thereby improving
the engine power.
[0054] For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in
the appended claims, the terms "front" and "rear" are used to
describe features of the exemplary embodiments with reference to
the positions of such features as displayed in the figures.
[0055] The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments
of the present invention have been presented for purposes of
illustration and description. They are not intended to be
exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms
disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are
possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments
were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of
the invention and their practical application, to thereby enable
others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary
embodiments of the present invention, as well as various
alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the
scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and
their equivalents.
* * * * *