Granted Patent B2

US 7,121,088 · App. 10/852,601 · Granted Oct 17, 2006

Abstract

Claims (37)

1. A valve assembly adapted to be disposed in an automotive engine exhaust system at an outlet of an internal combustion engine, comprising:

a valve body having an opening therethrough including an inlet portion and an outlet portion;

a first valve disposed in the opening intermediate said inlet portion and said outlet portion, said first valve having an open position and a closed position, and said first valve blocking a first predetermined amount of said opening when in the closed position;

a second valve disposed in the opening intermediate said inlet portion and said outlet portion, said second valve having an open position and a closed position, and said second valve blocking a second predetermined amount of said opening when in the closed position, with said second predetermined amount being less than said first predetermined amount; and

an actuator connected to said first valve and said second valve and operable to selectively move each of said valves between respective said open positions and said closed positions.

2. The valve according to claim 1 wherein said valve body has a second opening therethrough including a second inlet portion and a second outlet portion.

3. The valve according to claim 2 wherein said first valve is disposed intermediate said first inlet and outlet and said second valve is disposed intermediate said second inlet and outlet.

4. The valve according to claim 1 wherein said first valve is in the open position when said second valve in the closed position.

5. The valve according to claim 1 wherein said first valve is in the closed position when said second valve in the open position.

6. The valve according to claim 1 wherein said first and second valves are each attached to a shaft and said actuator is attached to said shaft.

7. The valve according to claim 1 wherein said first valve is a restrictor plate valve having a first peripheral portion that has a first radial thickness and said second valve is a restrictor plate having a second peripheral portion that has a second radial thickness, said second radial thickness being less than said first radial thickness.

8. The valve according to claim 6 wherein each of said valves has a longitudinal axis arranged substantially perpendicular to one another along a longitudinal axis of said shaft.

9. The valve according to claim 1 including a controller in communication with said actuator, said controller operable to send a command signal to said actuator to move said valves between the respective first and second positions.

10. The valve according to claim 9 wherein said first and second positions of said valves corresponds to a change in engine status received by said controller.

11. An automotive internal combustion engine exhaust system adapted to receive exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine, comprising:

at least one exhaust duct leading from said engine;

a valve body having an opening therethrough including an inlet portion in fluid communication with said at least one exhaust duct and an outlet portion;

a first valve disposed in the opening intermediate said inlet portion and said outlet portion, said first valve having an open position and a closed position, said first valve blocking a first predetermined amount of said opening when in the closed position, and said first valve being a restrictor plate valve having a first peripheral portion that has a first radial thickness;

a second valve disposed in the opening intermediate said inlet portion and said outlet portion, said second valve having an open position and a closed position, said second valve blocking a second predetermined amount of said opening when in the closed position, with said second predetermined amount being less than said first predetermined amount, and said second valve being a restrictor plate having a second peripheral portion that has a second radial thickness, said second radial thickness being less than said first radial thickness;

an actuator connected to said first valve and said second valve and operable to selectively move each of said valves between respective said open positions and said closed positions;

a controller in communication with said actuator, said controller operable to send a command signal to said actuator to move said valves between said first position to said second position; and

a shaft attached to said first valve, said second valve and said actuator.

12. The exhaust system according to claim 11 wherein said valve body has a first opening including a first inlet portion and a first outlet portion and a second opening therethrough including a second inlet portion and a second outlet portion and wherein said first valve is disposed intermediate said first inlet and said first outlet and said second valve is disposed intermediate said second inlet and said second outlet.

13. The exhaust system according to claim 12 further comprising a muffler, and wherein said first outlet portion and said second outlet portion are connected to a muffler.

14. The exhaust system according to claim 11 wherein said first and second positions of said valves corresponds to a change in engine status received by said controller.

15. An automotive internal combustion engine exhaust system, comprising:

a variable displacement engine;

at least a pair of exhaust ducts extending from said engine;

a valve assembly attached to said pair of exhaust ducts, said valve assembly including;

a valve body having a first inlet portion and a second inlet portion each connected to a one of said pair of exhaust ducts and a first outlet portion and a second outlet portion;

a first valve disposed in said valve body intermediate said first inlet portion and said first outlet portion;

a second valve disposed in said valve body intermediate said second inlet portion and said second outlet portion;

an actuator connected to said first valve and said second valve and operable to selectively move each of said valves between a first position and a second position; and

a controller in communication with said actuator and said engine, said controller operable to receive a status signal from said engine and send a command signal based on said status signal to said actuator to move said valves between said first position and said second position.

16. The exhaust system according to claim 15 wherein said first and second valves are attached to a shaft and said actuator is attached to a free end of said shaft.

17. The exhaust system according to claim 16 wherein said first valve in said first position blocks a first predetermined amount of said first outlet portion and said second valve in said second position blocks a second predetermined amount of said second outlet portion, with said second predetermined amount being less than said first predetermined amount.

18. The exhaust system according to claim 15 further comprising a muffler, arid wherein said first and second outlets of said valve body are both connected to said muffler.

Assignments (13)