# US 10,119,442 B2 · Muffler device including central common active control valve

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- Number: US 10,119,442 B2
- Document ID: US10119442B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/355,458
- Filed: 2016-11-18
- Published: 2017-09-28
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-28
- Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company
- Applicants: Hyundai Motor Company
- Inventors: Dae-Gil Hwang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10119442B2

## CPC

- F01N 1/165: {for adjusting flow area}
- F01N 1/083: {using transversal baffles defining a tortuous path for the exhaust gases or successively throttling exhaust gas flow}
- F01N 1/163: {by means of valves}
- F01N 1/168: {for controlling or modifying silencing characteristics only}
- F01N 13/04: having two or more silencers in parallel, e.g. having interconnections for multi-cylinder engines
- F01N 13/082: {of tailpipe, e.g. with means for mixing air with exhaust for exhaust cooling, dilution or evacuation (F01N13/20 takes precedence)}
- G10K 11/161: {in systems with fluid flow (G10K11/162 takes precedence; gas flow silencers or exhaust apparatus for machines or engines in general or for internal combustion engine F01N, noise absorbers in pipes or pipe systems F16L55/02; noise absorption in air conditioning and ventilation F24F13/24; silencing exhaust or propulsion jets in aircraft B64D33/06)}
- F01N 2240/36: an exhaust flap
- F01N: GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with gas exhaust of propulsion units in vehicles B60K13/00; combustion-air intake silencers specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines F02M35/00; protecting against, or damping, noise in general G10K11/16)
- G10K: SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICES; METHODS OR DEVICES FOR PROTECTING AGAINST, OR FOR DAMPING, NOISE OR OTHER ACOUSTIC WAVES IN GENERAL; ACOUSTICS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A muffler assembly including a central common active control valve may include a central body for guiding exhaust gas discharged from an engine to flow in bilateral directions in a branched manner, the central body comprising the active control valve disposed in a flow path of exhaust gas, and a pair of main mufflers, each separately disposed at opposite sides of the central body to exhaust exhaust gas introduced from the central body, in which the flow path and an exhaust path of the exhaust gas may be variable based on opening and closing of the active control valve.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A muffler assembly including a central common active control valve, comprising:
a central body for guiding exhaust gas discharged from an engine through one exhaust pipe to flow in bilateral directions in a branched manner therefrom, the central body comprising the active control valve disposed in a flow path of exhaust gas supplied through the one exhaust pipe to exhaust the exhaust gas in the bilateral directions in the branched manner; and
a pair of main mufflers, each separately disposed at opposite sides of the central body to exhaust exhaust gas introduced from the central body,
wherein the flow path and an exhaust path of the exhaust gas are variable based on opening and closing of the active control valve.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The muffler assembly according to claim 1, wherein the central body further comprises:
a branch part connected to the pair of main mufflers through a pair of first insert pipes, the pair of first insert pipes bilaterally expanding; and
a branch chamber connected to a rear end of the branch part, the branch chamber connected to the pair of main mufflers through a pair of second insert pipes, the pair of second insert pipes bilaterally extending,
wherein the active control valve is disposed between the branch part and the branch chamber.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The muffler assembly according to claim 2, wherein
the branch part and the pair of first insert pipes bilaterally extending from the branch part are connected to form a cross shape; and
the branch chamber connected to a front end of the branch part and the pair of second pipes extending from the branch chamber are connected to form an inverted “Y” shape.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The muffler assembly according to claim 2, wherein each of the main mufflers comprises:
a plurality of baffles laterally coupled in the main muffler and dividing an inner space of the main muffler;
a first tube extending through the baffles, disposed in the inner space of the main muffler, and connected to a corresponding one of the first insert pipes; and
a second tube extending through the baffles, disposed in the inner space of the main muffler, and connected to a corresponding one of the second insert pipes.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The muffler assembly according to claim 4, further comprising:
a first tailpipe for exhausting exhaust gas transferred from the first tube to an outside, a first end of the first tailpipe being connected to the first tube; and
a second tailpipe for exhausting exhaust gas transferred from the second tube to the outside, a first end of the second tailpipe being connected to the second tube.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The muffler assembly according to claim 5, wherein
when the active control valve is closed, exhaust gas is exhausted through the first insert pipe, the first tube and the first tailpipe to the outside; and
when the active control valve is opened, exhaust gas is exhausted through the first insert pipe, the first tube, the first tailpipe, the second insert pipe, the second tube and the second tailpipe to the outside.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The muffler assembly according to claim 1, wherein the active control valve is selectively opened and closed based on at least one of engine revolutions per minute (RPM), engine load, and vehicle speed determined by a controller.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The muffler assembly according to claim 7, wherein the active control valve is closed when the engine RPM is between a first predetermined RPM and a second predetermined RPM and the engine load is less than a predetermined engine load.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The muffler assembly according to claim 7, wherein the active control valve is opened when the engine RPM is less than a first predetermined RPM or greater than a second predetermined RPM.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The muffler assembly according to claim 7, wherein the active control valve is opened when the engine load is greater than a predetermined engine load.