# US 2014/0196973 A1 · Muffler assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0196973 A1 - Document ID: US20140196973A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/743,842 - Filed: 2013-01-17 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-17 - Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Daniel Thomas Sellars - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196973A1 ## CPC - F01N 13/00: Exhaust or silencing apparatus characterised by constructional features - B60K 13/04: concerning exhaust - F01N 1/00: Silencing apparatus characterised by method of silencing - F01N 13/1805: {Fixing exhaust manifolds, exhaust pipes or pipe sections to each other, to engine or to vehicle body (pipe joints in general F16L; fixing auxiliaries in motor vehicles in general B60K)} - F01N 13/1822: {for fixing exhaust pipes or devices to vehicle body} - 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) - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES ## Abstract A muffler assembly for a vehicle includes a muffler and one of a mount structure and a mount bracket, which is attached to the muffler. Vehicles that include muffler assemblies are also described herein. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A muffler assembly comprising: a muffler; and a mount structure comprising a base portion attached to the muffler, an upright portion integral with the base portion and extending away from the base portion, a distal end portion, and a connecting portion integral with each of the upright portion and the distal end portion and extending therebetween; wherein the distal end portion is longitudinally spaced from the upright portion and extends from the connecting portion toward, but is spaced from, the muffler; the connecting portion comprises an arcuate inner surface and an arcuate outer surface, at least a portion of the arcuate inner surface facing toward the muffler; and the distal end portion defines an aperture configured to receive a male fastener. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The muffler assembly of claim 1, wherein: the upright portion is at least substantially parallel with the distal end portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The muffler assembly of claim 1, wherein: at least the base portion, the upright portion, the distal end portion, and the connecting portion of the mount structure are integrally formed as a unitary structure. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The muffler assembly of claim 1, wherein: the mount structure further comprises a gusset, the gusset being integral with each of the base portion and the upright portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The muffler assembly of claim 1, wherein: each of the upright portion and the distal end portion of the mount structure comprises a front surface and a rear surface; and the rear surface of the upright portion faces the front surface of the distal end portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The muffler assembly of claim 5, wherein: the muffler comprises a front end and a rear end; and the mount structure is closer to the front end of the muffler than the rear end of the muffler. ### Claim 7 A vehicle comprising: a frame, the frame comprising a frame member and a mount bracket attached to the frame member, the mount bracket being devoid of elastomeric material; and an exhaust system comprising a muffler, an exhaust pipe attached to the muffler, and a mount structure attached to one of the muffler and the exhaust pipe; wherein the mount structure comprises a base portion attached to the one of the muffler and the exhaust pipe, an upright portion extending upwardly away from the base portion, a distal end portion, and a connecting portion extending between the upright portion and the distal end portion; the distal end portion is longitudinally spaced from the upright portion and extends downwardly from the connecting portion toward the one of the muffler and the exhaust pipe, the distal end portion being spaced from the one of the muffler and the exhaust pipe; the distal end portion of the mount structure is attached to the mount bracket; and the upright portion of the mount structure defines a first aperture and the distal end portion defines a second aperture, wherein the first aperture and the second aperture are coaxially disposed. ### Claim 8 (canceled) ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The vehicle of claim 7, wherein: the mount structure is attached to the exhaust pipe. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The vehicle of claim 7, wherein: the upright portion of the mount structure comprises a rear surface that is planar; the distal end portion of the mount structure comprises a front surface that is planar and is spaced from the rear surface of the upright portion by a first distance; the connecting portion comprises an arcuate inner surface having a radius of curvature; and the magnitude of the radius of curvature is one half of the magnitude of the first distance. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The vehicle of claim 10, wherein: the upright portion of the mount structure comprises a first length and the distal end portion of the mount structure comprises a second length; the first length is greater than the second length; and each of the first length and the second length is greater than the first distance. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The vehicle of claim 11, wherein: at least the base portion, the upright portion, the distal end portion and the connecting portion of the mount structure are integrally formed as a unitary structure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The vehicle of claim 12, wherein: the upright portion of the mount structure is at least substantially parallel with the distal end portion of the mount structure. ### Claim 14 A vehicle comprising: a frame, the frame comprising a frame member and a mount bracket attached to the frame member, the mount bracket being devoid of elastomeric material; at least one front wheel rotatably coupled with the frame; at least one rear wheel rotatably coupled with the frame; and a muffler assembly, the muffler assembly comprising a muffler and a mount structure, the mount structure comprising a base portion attached to the muffler, an upright portion integral with the base portion and extending upwardly away from the base portion, a distal end portion, and a connecting portion integral with each of the upright portion and the distal end portion and extending therebetween; wherein the distal end portion is longitudinally spaced from the upright portion and extends downwardly from the connecting portion toward the muffler, the distal end portion being spaced from the muffler; the upright portion of the mount structure defines a first aperture and the distal end portion of the mount structure defines a second aperture, the first aperture being coaxial with the second aperture; and the distal end portion of the mount structure is attached to the mount bracket of the frame. ### Claim 15 (depends on 31) The vehicle of claim 31, wherein: the upright portion of the mount structure further comprises a front surface that is planar and the distal end portion of the mount structure further comprises a rear surface that is planar; and the connecting portion of the mount structure further comprises an arcuate outer surface that extends between the front surface of the upright portion and the rear surface of the distal end portion, the arcuate outer surface of the connecting portion blending smoothly with each of the front surface of the upright portion and the rear surface of the distal end portion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The vehicle of claim 15, wherein: the mount bracket comprises a flange portion; the muffler assembly further comprises a male fastener and the frame further comprises a female fastener; the male fastener is threaded into the female fastener such that the distal end portion of the mount structure and the flange portion of the mount bracket are clamped between the male fastener and the female fastener; the male fastener comprises a longitudinal centerline axis that is spaced from the connecting portion of the mount structure by a second distance; and the second distance is greater than the first distance. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The vehicle of claim 16, wherein: the upright portion of the mount structure comprises a first length; the distal end portion of the mount structure comprises a second length; the first length is greater than the second length; and each of the first length and the second length is greater than each of the first distance and the second distance. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The vehicle of claim 17, wherein: at least the base portion, the upright portion, the connecting portion and the distal end portion of the mount structure are integrally formed as a unitary structure. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The vehicle of claim 18, wherein: the upright portion of the mount structure is at least substantially parallel to the distal end portion of the mount structure. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The vehicle of claim 18, wherein: the frame comprises a front end and a rear end; the muffler comprises a front end and a rear end; the mount bracket of the frame is closer to the rear end of the frame than the front end of the frame; and the mount structure of the muffler assembly is closer to the front end of the muffler than the rear end of the muffler. ### Claim 21 (canceled) ### Claim 22 (canceled) ### Claim 23 (canceled) ### Claim 24 (canceled) ### Claim 25 A vehicle comprising: a frame comprising a frame member; at least one front wheel rotatably coupled with the frame; at least one rear wheel rotatably coupled with the frame; an exhaust system comprising a muffler assembly, the muffler assembly comprising a muffler; a mount bracket, the mount bracket being devoid of elastomeric material, the mount bracket being attached to the frame member; a male fastener; a female fastener; and a mount structure, the mount structure comprising: a base portion attached to the muffler; an upright portion integral with the base portion and extending upwardly away from the base portion; a distal end portion longitudinally spaced from the upright portion and being spaced from the muffler; and a connecting portion integral with each of the upright portion and the distal end portion and extending therebetween; wherein the distal end portion extends downwardly from the connecting portion toward the muffler; the upright portion of the mount structure defines a first aperture and the distal end portion of the mount structure defines a second aperture; the mount bracket defines a third aperture, the third aperture being coaxial with each of the first aperture and the second aperture; the male fastener extends through each of the second aperture and the third aperture and is threadedly engaged with the female fastener to attach the distal end portion of the mount structure to the mount bracket; and the mount structure is configured to accommodate thermal expansion of the exhaust system relative to the frame. ### Claim 26 (canceled) ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The vehicle of claim 25, wherein: the male fastener comprises a longitudinal centerline axis and extends through the first aperture defined by the upright portion of the mount structure; and the first aperture and the male fastener are sized to permit movement of the male fastener within the first aperture in at least one direction transverse to the longitudinal centerline axis of the male fastener and to limit movement of the muffler assembly relative to the frame in the at least one direction. ### Claim 28 (canceled) ### Claim 29 (depends on 7) The vehicle of claim 7, further comprising a male fastener comprising a head and a shank, wherein: the mount structure is attached to the mount bracket with the male fastener; the first aperture is dimensioned larger than the head of the male fastener; and the second aperture is dimensioned smaller than the head of the male fastener and larger than the shank of the male fastener. ### Claim 30 (depends on 7) The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the mount bracket defines a third aperture, the third aperture being coaxial with each of the first aperture and the second aperture. ### Claim 31 (depends on 14) The vehicle of claim 14, wherein: the upright portion of the mount structure comprises a rear surface that is planar and the distal end portion of the mount structure comprises a front surface that is planar and is longitudinally spaced from the rear surface of the upright portion by a first distance; and the connecting portion of the mount structure comprises an arcuate inner surface that extends between the rear surface of the upright portion and the front surface of the distal end portion, the arcuate inner surface blending smoothly with each of the rear surface of the upright portion and the front surface of the distal end portion.