Variable muffler

Abstract

A variable muffler may include a housing, a plurality of chambers formed by partitions in the housing, an inlet pipe connected to at least a chamber for flowing exhaust gas into the housing, an outlet pipe connected to at least a chamber for discharging the exhaust gas having flowed into the housing to the exterior, an inner pipe for directly communicating between at least two chambers in the housing so that the exhaust gas of the inlet pipe is communicated to the outlet pipe therethrough, and a variable valve that is disposed downstream of the inner pipe and of which opening amount is continuously adjusted according to pressure of exhaust gas passing through the inner pipe.

1 . A variable muffler comprising:
 a housing;   a plurality of chambers formed by partitions in the housing;   an inlet pipe connected to at least a chamber for flowing exhaust gas into the housing;   an outlet pipe connected to at least a chamber for discharging the exhaust gas having flowed into the housing to the exterior;   an inner pipe for directly communicating between at least two chambers in the housing so that the exhaust gas of the inlet pipe is communicated to the outlet pipe therethrough; and   a variable valve that is disposed downstream of the inner pipe and of which opening amount is continuously adjusted according to pressure of exhaust gas passing through the inner pipe.   
     
     
         2 . The muffler of  claim 1 , wherein the variable valve comprises:
 a valve body connected to the inner pipe and a plurality of valves hingedly and elastically connected each other sequentially, wherein a first valves of the valves is hingedly and elastically connected to the valve body.   
     
     
         3 . The muffler of  claim 2 , wherein the variable valve comprises:
 the valve body connected to the inner pipe;   a first hinge portion disposed to the valve body;   the first valve hingedly connected to the first hinge portion;   a second hinge portion disposed to the first valve; and   a second valve hingedly connected to the second hinge portion.   
     
     
         4 . The muffler of  claim 3 , wherein the variable valve further comprises:
 a first elastic member which is disposed to the first hinge portion and elastically biases the first valve in a direction; and   a second elastic member which is disposed to the second hinge portion and elastically biases the second valve in the direction.   
     
     
         5 . The muffler of  claim 4 , wherein an elastic coefficient of the first elastic member is less than an elastic coefficient of the second elastic member. 
     
     
         6 . The muffler of  claim 1 , wherein the partition comprises first and second partitions disposed within the housing, and the first and second partitions and the housing form first, second, and third chambers. 
     
     
         7 . The muffler of  claim 6 , wherein the inlet pipe is communicated with the third chamber through the first chamber, the first partition and the second partition. 
     
     
         8 . The muffler of  claim 7 , wherein a first partition penetration hole is formed to the first partition for communicating the first chamber with the second chamber formed by the first and second partitions. 
     
     
         9 . The muffler of  claim 8 , wherein a penetration hole is formed to the outlet pipe for communicating with the second chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The muffler of  claim 9 , wherein the second chamber includes a sound absorbent therewithin. 
     
     
         11 . The muffler of  claim 10 , wherein the sound absorbent is made of glass wool material. 
     
     
         12 . The muffler of  claim 6 , wherein the outlet pipe is formed with a “U” shape. 
     
     
         13 . The muffler of  claim 12 , wherein the outlet pipe penetrates the first, second, and third chambers at least once. 
     
     
         14 . The muffler of  claim 13 , wherein the outlet pipe penetrates the first chamber, the second chamber, the third chamber, the second chamber, the first chamber, the second chamber and the third chamber sequentially. 
     
     
         15 . The muffler of  claim 6 , wherein the inner pipe is disposed between the first chamber and the third chamber for communicating therebetween.