Muffler for an exhaust system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a muffler for an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine having an exhaust gas-carrying first pipe which is connectable to a first exhaust line of the exhaust system or forms an integral component of the first exhaust line, and an exhaust gas-carrying second pipe which is connectable to a second exhaust line of the exhaust system or forms an integral component of the second exhaust line. To design the muffler to be as compact as possible, a housing of the muffler includes a damper space situated between the pipes and has two longitudinal side walls each formed by a wall section of one of the pipes that is permeable for airborne sound.

1 . A muffler for an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine comprising: 
 a first exhaust gas-carrying pipe, which is connectable to a first exhaust line of the exhaust system or forms an integral component of the first exhaust line;    a second exhaust gas-carrying pipe, which is connectable to a second exhaust line of the exhaust system or forms an integral component of the second exhaust line; and    a housing which contains a damper space arranged between said first and second exhaust gas-carrying pipes and has first and second longitudinal side walls, each of said first and second longitudinal side walls formed by a first and a second wall section of each of said first and second exhaust gas-carrying pipes, wherein said first and second wall sections are permeable for airborne sound.    
   
   
       2 . The muffler according to  claim 1 , wherein said housing is situated within an outer contour of at least one of said first and second exhaust gas-carrying pipes in a viewing direction oriented from said first pipe to said second pipe.  
   
   
       3 . The muffler according to  claim 1 , wherein said housing protrudes by a maximum of 20% beyond an outer contour of at least one of said first and second exhaust gas-carrying pipes in a viewing direction oriented from said first pipe to said second pipe.  
   
   
       4 . The muffler according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first and second wall sections forming said first and second longitudinal side walls of said housing is perforated.  
   
   
       5 . The muffler according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first and second wall sections forming said first and second longitudinal side walls has at least one opening.  
   
   
       6 . The muffler according to  claim 1 , wherein said housing further comprises a partition which subdivides said damper space into first and second partial spaces separated from one another in an airtight manner, said first partial space communicating with said first exhaust gas-carrying pipe and said second partial space communicating with said second exhaust gas-carrying pipe.  
   
   
       7 . The muffler according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first and second exhaust gas-carrying pipes has a linear course in a longitudinal section assigned to said housing.  
   
   
       8 . The muffler according to  claim 1 , wherein said first and second exhaust gas-carrying pipes run parallel to one another at least in the area of said housing.  
   
   
       9 . The muffler according to  claim 1 , wherein said housing comprises a housing body comprising first and second side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall, each mounted on said first and second exhaust gas-carrying pipes.  
   
   
       10 . The muffler according to  claim 9 , wherein said housing body comprises first and second half-shells, said first half-shell comprising said top wall and said first side wall or has part of both first and second side walls and said second half-shell comprising said bottom wall and second side wall or the remainder of said first and second side walls.  
   
   
       11 . The muffler according to  claim 10 , wherein said first and second half-shells are identical.  
   
   
       12 . The muffler according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said first and second exhaust gas-carrying pipes is attached to said housing by means of a weld completely surrounding said first wall section forming said first longitudinal side wall of said housing.  
   
   
       13 . An exhaust system for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, said exhaust system comprising: 
 first and second exhaust lines in parallel through which the exhaust gas can flow; and    a muffler connected to said first and second exhaust lines, said muffler comprising: 
 a first exhaust gas-carrying pipe, which is connectable to said first exhaust line of the exhaust system or forms an integral component of said first exhaust line;  
 a second exhaust gas-carrying pipe, which is connectable to said second exhaust line of the exhaust system or forms an integral component of said second exhaust line; and  
 a housing which contains a damper space arranged between said first and second exhaust gas-carrying pipes and has first and second longitudinal side walls, each formed by a first and a second wall section of one of said first and second exhaust gas-carrying pipes that is permeable for airborne sound.  
   
   
   
       14 . The exhaust muffler system according to  claim 13 , wherein said housing is situated within an outer contour of at least one of the pipes in a viewing direction oriented from one pipe to the other pipe.  
   
   
       15 . The exhaust muffler system according to  claim 13 , wherein said housing protrudes by a maximum of 20% beyond an outer contour of at least one of the pipes in a viewing direction oriented from one pipe to the other pipe.  
   
   
       16 . The exhaust muffler system according to  claim 13 , wherein at least one of said first and second wall sections of said first and second exhaust gas-carrying pipes forming said first and second longitudinal side walls of said housing is perforated.  
   
   
       17 . The exhaust muffler system according to  claim 13 , wherein at least one of said first and second wall sections of said first and second exhaust gas-carrying pipes forming said first and second longitudinal side walls of said housing has at least one opening.  
   
   
       18 . The exhaust muffler system according to  claim 13 , wherein said housing comprises a partition which subdivides said damper space into first and second partial spaces separated from one another in an airtight manner, said first partial space communicating with said first exhaust gas-carrying pipe and said second partial space communicating with said second exhaust gas-carrying pipe.  
   
   
       19 . The exhaust muffler system according to  claim 13 , wherein at least one of said first and second exhaust gas-carrying pipes has a linear course in a longitudinal section assigned to said housing.  
   
   
       20 . The exhaust muffler system according to  claim 13 , wherein said first and second exhaust gas-carrying pipes run parallel to one another at least in the area of said housing.  
   
   
       21 . The exhaust muffler system according to  claim 13 , wherein said housing comprises a housing body, said housing body comprising first and second side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall, each mounted on said first and second exhaust gas-carrying pipes.  
   
   
       22 . The exhaust muffler system according to  claim 21 , wherein said housing body comprises first and second half-shells, said first half-shell comprising said top wall and said first side wall or comprises part of first and second side walls and said second half-shell comprises said bottom wall and said second side wall or the remainder of said first and second side walls.  
   
   
       23 . The exhaust muffler system according to  claim 22 , wherein said first and second half-shells are identical.  
   
   
       24 . The exhaust muffler system according to  claim 13 , wherein at least one of said first and second exhaust gas-carrying pipes is attached to said housing by means of a weld completely surrounding said first wall section forming said first longitudinal side wall.