Stamp formed exhaust muffler with conformal outer shell

An exhaust muffler for mounting in proximity to a generally arcuate structure on a vehicle having a generally convex arcuate shape, said muffler comprising:

• a pair of plates secured in face-to-face relationship, said plates comprising peripheral edges and being formed to define at least one inlet, at least one outlet and at least one tube extending therebetween;
• and
• at least one external shell having peripheral edges secured generally in register with the peripheral edges of said plates, portions of said external shell intermediate said peripheral edges being formed to define at least one chamber in communication with said tube, portions of the peripheral edges of said external shell and of said plates defining an inwardly concave arcuate conformal area having a shape generally conforming to the shape of at least a portion of said arcuate structure of said vehicle and spaced therefrom to define an interference zone between said arcuate structure and said muffler such that chordal lines extending between selected points on said concave conformal area of said peripheral edges of said external shell and said plates pass through said interference zone when said muffler is mounted to said vehicle.

An exhaust muffler for mounting on the underside of a vehicle and in proximity to a spare tire well of said vehicle, said spare tire well comprising at least one portion defining an outwardly directed arcuate shape, said muffler comprising:

• a pair of plates secured in juxtaposed relationship, said plates comprising peripheral edges and being formed to define at least one inlet, at least one outlet and at least one tube extending therebetween;
• and
• at least one external shell having peripheral edges secured generally in register with the peripheral edges of at least one of said plates, said external shell being formed to comprise at least one chamber, said peripheral edges of said external shell and said internal plates being formed to define an inwardly directed conformal area substantially conforming to the shape of the outwardly directed arcuate portion of said spare tire well.

An exhaust muffler for mounting in proximity to first and second structures on a vehicle having convex shapes, said muffler comprising:

• an array of tubes comprising at least one inlet and at least one outlet for said muffler;
• and
• a pair of external shells having peripheral edges and being secured to one another at said peripheral edges and around said array of tubes, portions of said peripheral edges comprising a first generally concave conformal area conforming to the convex shape of at least a portion of the first structure, said muffler further comprising a second concave conformal area conforming to the convex shape of the second structure, whereby said conformal areas can be disposed in generally nested relationship to said structures when said muffler is mounted to said vehicle.