Muffler and heat shield assembly

Abstract

A muffler assembly includes an outer shell defining an internal cavity that extends between first and second ends. A first end cap is attached to the first end and a second end cap is attached to the second end. The first and second end caps provide a substantially enclosed internal cavity within the outer shell. A heat shield extends along a length of the outer shell and has a first shield end attached to the first end cap and a second shield end attached to the second end cap. The first and second shield ends are deformed around an outer perimeter of the first and second ends caps, or separate retaining members are used to secure the first and second shield ends to the first and second end caps.

1 . A muffler assembly comprising: 
 an outer shell extending between first and second ends;    a first end cap attached to said first end;    a second end cap attached to said second end; and    a heat shield extending along a length of said outer shell wherein a first shield end is mounted over said first end cap at a first attachment interface and a second shield end is mounted over said second end cap at a second attachment interface.    
     
     
         2 . The muffler assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said first and second end caps are attached to said first and second ends at a spun attachment interface with said first shield end engaging an external surface of said first end cap and said second shield end engaging an external surface of said second end cap.  
     
     
         3 . The muffler assembly according to  claim 2  wherein said first shield end includes a first deformed portion to define said first attachment interface and said second shield end includes a second deformed portion to define said second attachment interface and wherein said first and second deformed portions are deformed over said spun attachment interface.  
     
     
         4 . The muffler assembly according to  claim 2  including a first retaining ring cooperating with said first shield end to define said first attachment interface and a second retaining ring cooperating with said second shield end to define said second attachment interface.  
     
     
         5 . The muffler assembly according to  claim 4  wherein said first retaining ring extends continuously about an outer perimeter of said first end cap and said second retaining ring extends continuously about an outer perimeter of said second end cap, said first retaining ring directly engaging said first shield end and said spun attachment interface and said second retaining ring directly engaging said second shield end and said spun attachment interface.  
     
     
         6 . The muffler assembly according to  claim 5  wherein said heat shield surrounds only an upper portion of said outer shell with a lower surface of a center portion, said heat shield being spaced apart from an external surface of said outer shell to define a gap.  
     
     
         7 . The muffler assembly according to  claim 2  including at least one first retaining clip securing said first shield end to said first end cap to define said first attachment interface and at least one second retaining clip securing said second shield end to said second end cap to define said second attachment interface.  
     
     
         8 . The muffler assembly according to  claim 7  wherein said first and second retaining clips are formed from a resilient spring steel material.  
     
     
         9 . The muffler assembly according to  claim 7  wherein said at least one first retaining clip comprises a first plurality of retaining clips with each of said first plurality of retaining clips securing said first shield end to said spun attachment interface at said first end cap and wherein said at least one second retaining clip comprises a second plurality of retaining clips with each of said second plurality of retaining clips securing said second shield end to said spun attachment interface at said second end cap.  
     
     
         10 . The muffler assembly according to  claim 9  wherein said heat shield surrounds only an upper portion of said outer shell with a lower surface of a center portion, said heat shield being spaced apart from an external surface of said outer shell to define a gap and wherein said first and second pluralities of retaining clips are spaced apart from each other about an outer perimeter of said heat shield.  
     
     
         11 . The muffler assembly according to  claim 7  wherein said first end cap includes at least one first retention feature that cooperates with said at least one first retaining clip to fix said at least one first retaining clip to said first end cap and wherein said second end cap includes at least one second retention feature that cooperates with said at least one second retaining clip to fix said at least one second retaining clip to said second end cap.  
     
     
         12 . The muffler assembly according to  claim 2  wherein said heat shield includes a plurality of convolutes spaced apart from each other along a length of said heat shield.  
     
     
         13 . The muffler assembly according to  claim 12  wherein said heat shield defines a longitudinal axis extending along the length of said heat shield and wherein each convolute comprises a raised accordion projection formed on an upper surface of said heat shield with each of said raised accordion projections extending in a direction transverse to said longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         14 . The muffler assembly according to  claim 2  wherein said heat shield includes a first shield component and a second shield component secured to said first shield component with an adjustable shield attachment interface.  
     
     
         15 . The muffler assembly according to  claim 14  wherein said adjustable shield attachment interface includes at least one longitudinal slot being formed in one of said first and second shield components and at least one fastener extending through said at least one longitudinal slot to secure said first and second shield components to each other.  
     
     
         16 . The muffler assembly according to  claim 15  wherein said at least one fastener is linearly movable within said at least one longitudinal slot to adjust an overall length of said heat shield within a predetermined overall length range.  
     
     
         17 . The muffler assembly according to  claim 14  wherein said first and second shield components each include a plurality of stiffening ribs extending outwardly from an upper surface of said first and second shield components.  
     
     
         18 . The muffler assembly according to  claim 1  wherein said first attachment interface is different than said second attachment interface.  
     
     
         19 . A method for assembling at heat shield to a muffler comprising: 
 providing an outer shell having a first end cap attached to a first shell end and a second end cap attached to a second shell end;    securing a first heat shield end directly over the first end cap at a first attachment interface; and    securing a second heat shield end directly over the second end cap at a second attachment interface.    
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19  including deforming the first heat shield end about an outer perimeter of said first end cap to form the first attachment interface and deforming the second heat shield end about an outer perimeter of said second end cap to form the second attachment interface.  
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 19  including attaching the first heat shield end to the first end cap with at least one first retaining member to form the first attachment interface and attaching the second heat shield end to the second end cap with at least one second retaining member to form the second attachment interface.