Vehicle exhaust system support structure

A vehicle exhaust system support structure comprising:

• an upstream side exhaust pipe having an upstream portion and a downstream portion;
• said upstream portion connected to an engine exhaust and said downstream portion connected to an exhaust inlet of a muffler via a flexible tube;
• a downstream side exhaust pipe connected to an exhaust outlet of the muffler;
• said downstream side exhaust pipe having a terminal end for releasing the engine exhaust;
• a finisher pipe connected to the terminal end of the downstream side exhaust pipe;
• a vertical wall portion of a rear bumper having a through hole formed therein which is adapted to receive the finisher pipe therein with an annular gap formed between peripheries of the through hole and the finisher pipe;
• wherein
• the downstream portion of the upstream side exhaust pipe is hermetically connected to the exhaust inlet of the muffler via the flexible tube;
• wherein said upstream side exhaust pipe comprises a tip portion which is swingably supported in the muffler so as to define a free end which is capable of limited reciprocating swinging movement in a direction crossing an axis of the downstream portion of the upstream side exhaust pipe;
• wherein said flexible tube is adapted to absorb vibrations of the exhaust system transmitted from the engine;
• wherein the downstream portion of the upstream side exhaust pipe passes through the interior of the flexible tube and extends to the exhaust inlet;
• and
• wherein said finisher pipe is confined within an outer face of the rear bumper.

In a vehicle of the type having an exhaust system, the improvement comprising a vibration dampening support structure for the vehicle exhaust system, said support structure comprising:

• a downstream portion of an upstream side exhaust pipe connected to an engine guided to an exhaust inlet of a muffler supported on a vehicle body;
• and
• a terminal portion of a downstream side exhaust pipe coupled to an exhaust outlet of the muffler;
• said terminal portion having a finisher pipe disposed thereon which is received by an exhaust pipe receiving part formed in a vertical wall portion of a rear bumper supported on the vehicle body,
• wherein the downstream portion of the upstream side exhaust pipe and the exhaust inlet of the muffler are coupled to each other via a flexible tube;
• and wherein the downstream portion of the upstream side exhaust pipe passes through the interior of the flexible tube and extends to the exhaust inlet;
• wherein an annular gap is formed between inner periphery of the exhaust inlet of the muffler and the outer periphery of the downstream portion of the upstream side exhaust pipe;
• wherein said flexible tube floatingly supports the upstream side exhaust pipe in the muffler,
• and wherein the downstream portion of the upstream side exhaust pipe comprises a tip portion supported by the flexible tube so as to define a free end which is capable of limited reciprocating swinging movement in a direction crossing an axis of the downstream portion of the upstream side exhaust pipe, and wherein the flexible tube is configured to dampen vibration of the engine exhaust flowing into the muffler.