IP Library Granted Patent US 7,246,680
Granted Patent B2
US 7,246,680 · App. 10/883,168 · Granted Jul 24, 2007

Sound dampening assembly for automotive exhaust system

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,246,680
App. No.
10/883,168
Granted
Jul 24, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

A sound dampening assembly adapted to engage an exhaust pipe in an automotive engine exhaust system adjacent an outlet of an internal combustion engine. The assembly includes a bottle portion having a single opening and an interior defining a predetermined amount of volume and a neck portion having a first end attached to the opening of the bottle portion and extending from the bottle portion. The neck portion is in fluid communication with the bottle portion interior and includes a second end adapted to be attached to the exhaust pipe. The neck portion has an interior defining a predetermined amount of volume and the bottle portion and the neck portion are sized to attenuate vibration at a predetermined frequency in the exhaust system.

Claims (68)

1. An automotive exhaust system for an internal combustion engine for routing an exhaust gas stream from the internal combustion engine to atmosphere, the automotive exhaust system comprising:

a first outlet, in fluid communication with the engine, including a first exhaust manifold;

a second outlet, in fluid communication with the engine, including a second exhaust manifold;

a Y-pipe, located downstream from the first exhaust manifold and the second exhaust manifold and having a first inlet in fluid communication with the first exhaust manifold, a second inlet in fluid communication with the second exhaust manifold, and a single outlet located downstream of the first inlet and the second inlet;

at least one of a resonator and a muffler, located downstream of the Y-pipe and in fluid communication with the single outlet of the Y-pipe; and

a sound dampening assembly including a bottle portion having a single opening and an interior defining a predetermined bottle volume, and a neck portion having first end attached to the single opening and extending from the bottle portion, the neck portion in fluid communication with the interior of the bottle portion and having a second end, in opposed relation to the first end, attached to and in fluid communication with the Y-pipe, the neck portion having an interior defining a predetermined neck volume, the predetermined bottle volume and the predetermined neck volume sized to attenuate vibration at a predetermined frequency in the Y-pipe.

2. The automotive exhaust system of claim 1 wherein the bottle portion is a rigid walled bottle, the neck portion is an elongated tubular member having a predetermined radius and a predetermined length, and the predetermined bottle volume is determined by the equation

ω

=

c

[

π

a

2

(

L

+

2

α

)

V

0

]

1

/

2

,

where ω is the predetermined frequency of the vibration to attenuate, c is the speed of sound, a is the predetermined radius of the neck portion, L is the predetermined length of the neck portion, α is an end correction factor relating to an effective length of the neck portion that accounts for a radiation-mass loading, and V 0 is the predetermined bottle volume.

3. An automotive exhaust system for an internal combustion engine for routing an exhaust gas stream from the internal combustion engine to atmosphere, the automotive exhaust system comprising:

a first outlet, in fluid communication with the engine, including a first exhaust manifold;

a second outlet, in fluid communication with the engine, including a second exhaust manifold;

a Y-pipe, located downstream from the first exhaust manifold and the second exhaust manifold and having a first inlet in fluid communication with the first exhaust manifold, a second inlet in fluid communication with the second exhaust manifold, and a single outlet located downstream of the first inlet and the second inlet; and

a sound dampening assembly including a bottle portion having a single opening and an interior defining a predetermined bottle volume, and a neck portion having first end attached to the single opening and extending from the bottle portion, the neck portion in fluid communication with the interior of the bottle portion and having a second end, in opposed relation to the first end, attached to and in fluid communication with the Y-pipe, the neck portion having an interior defining a predetermined neck volume, the predetermined bottle volume and the predetermined neck volume sized to attenuate vibration at a predetermined frequency in the Y-pipe; and wherein the bottle portion is a rigid walled bottle, the neck portion is an elongated tubular member having a predetermined radius and a predetermined length, and the predetermined bottle volume is determined by the equation

ω

=

c

[

π

a

2

(

L

+

2

α

)

V

0

]

1

/

2

,

where ω is the predetermined frequency of the vibration to attenuate, c is the speed of sound, a is the predetermined radius of the neck portion, L is the predetermined length of the neck portion, α is an end correction factor relating to an effective length of the neck portion that accounts for a radiation-mass loading, and V 0 is the predetermined bottle volume.

Assignments (13)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2014
From: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 034371/0676 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 10, 2011
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 025780/0936 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 8, 2010
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 025327/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2010
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025245/0442 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2010
From: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025311/0770 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 28, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
Reel/Frame 023162/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 27, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 023156/0052 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2009
From: CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR BANK PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES; CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR HEDGE PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023127/0468 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 20, 2009
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023124/0429 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 16, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR BANK PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES; CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR HEDGE PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES
Reel/Frame 022553/0446 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 4, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 022201/0610 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 14, 2009
From: GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 022092/0886 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 22, 2004
From: OSTERKAMP, DALE F.; KURZAWA, ANDREW J
To: GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 015484/0519 →