Exhaust muffler for longitudinal installation in a vehicle

Abstract

An exhaust muffler, for longitudinal installation in a vehicle, includes a muffler housing ( 28 ) elongated in the direction of a longitudinal axis (G) of the housing. The muffler housing ( 28 ) has a housing jacket ( 30 ) and two front walls ( 32, 34 ), which are arranged, with respect to the direction of the longitudinal axis (G) of the housing, at spaced locations from one another. The front walls ( 32, 34 ) and the housing jacket ( 30 ) define a muffler interior space. At least one inlet pipe leads into the muffler interior space and at least one outlet pipe leads out of the muffler interior space. The housing jacket includes at least one predetermined deformation area ( 64, 66 ) including at least one wall area ( 68, 70 ), not parallel to the housing longitudinal axis (G), provided at the housing jacket ( 30 ).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An exhaust muffler for longitudinal installation in a vehicle, the exhaust muffler comprising:
 a muffler housing elongated in a direction of a housing longitudinal axis, the muffler housing comprising a housing jacket, two front walls, which are arranged, with respect to the direction of the housing longitudinal axis, at spaced locations from one another and which define a muffler interior space with the housing jacket;   at least one inlet pipe led into the muffler interior space; and   at least one outlet pipe leading out of the muffler interior space, wherein the housing jacket has at least one wall area, having an extent that is not parallel to the housing longitudinal axis, with at least one predetermined deformation area.   
     
     
         2 . An exhaust muffler in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the wall area comprises an arch-shaped, bead-shaped, wave-shaped or bellows-shaped configuration. 
     
     
         3 . An exhaust muffler in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the at least one inlet pipe or the at least one outlet pipe or both the at least one inlet pipe and the at least one outlet pipe has at least one pipe predetermined deformation area or the at least one inlet pipe or the at least one outlet pipe or both the at least one inlet pipe and the at least one outlet pipe is curved or the at least one inlet pipe or the at least one outlet pipe or both the at least one inlet pipe and the at least one outlet pipe is arranged bent at an angle in relation to the housing longitudinal axis or any combination of the at least one inlet pipe or the at least one outlet pipe or both the at least one inlet pipe and the at least one outlet pipe has at least one predetermined deformation area and the at least one inlet pipe or the at least one outlet pipe or both the at least one inlet pipe and the at least one outlet pipe is curved or the at least one inlet pipe and the at least one outlet pipe or both the at least one inlet pipe and the at least one outlet pipe is arranged bent at an angle in relation to the housing longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         4 . An exhaust muffler in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein at least one pipe predetermined deformation area comprises a length area having a wave-shaped or bellows-shaped configuration or a length area provided with slots or a length area provided with an indentation or bulge or a length area having a flattened cross-sectional profile or a length area extending bent at an angle in relation to a housing longitudinal direction or any combination of a length area having a wave-shaped or bellows-shaped configuration and a length area provided with slots and a length area provided with an indentation or bulge and a length area having a flattened cross-sectional profile and a length area extending bent at an angle in relation to a housing longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         5 . An exhaust muffler in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising an intermediate pipe wherein the at least one inlet pipe or the at least one outlet pipe or the at least one intermediate pipe or any combination of the at least one inlet pipe and the at least one outlet pipe and the at least one intermediate pipe has at least one predetermined deformation area or the at least one inlet pipe or the at least one outlet pipe or the at least one intermediate pipe or any combination of the at least one inlet pipe and the at least one outlet pipe and the at least one intermediate pipe is curved or the at least one inlet pipe or the at least one outlet pipe or the at least one intermediate pipe or any combination of the at least one inlet pipe and the at least one outlet pipe and the at least one intermediate pipe is arranged bent at an angle in relation to the housing longitudinal axis or any combination of the at least one inlet pipe or the at least one outlet pipe or the at least one intermediate pipe or any combination of the at least one inlet pipe and the at least one outlet pipe and the at least one intermediate pipe has at least one predetermined deformation area and the at least one inlet pipe or the at least one outlet pipe or the at least one intermediate pipe or any combination of the at least one inlet pipe and the at least one outlet pipe and the at least one intermediate pipe is curved and the at least one inlet pipe or the at least one outlet pipe or the at least one intermediate pipe or any combination of the at least one inlet pipe and the at least one outlet pipe and the at least one intermediate pipe is arranged bent at an angle in relation to the housing longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         6 . An exhaust muffler in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the at least one inlet pipe or the at least one outlet pipe or both the at least one inlet pipe or the at least one outlet pipe comprise at least two pipe sections displaceable in relation to one another. 
     
     
         7 . An exhaust muffler in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising an intermediate pipe wherein the at least one inlet pipe or the at least one outlet pipe or the intermediate pipe or any combination of the at least one inlet pipe and the at least one outlet pipe and the intermediate pipe comprise at least two pipe sections displaceable in relation to one another. 
     
     
         8 . An exhaust muffler in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising at least one partition provided in the muffler interior space wherein the at least one inlet pipe or the at least one outlet pipe or both the at least one inlet pipe and the at least one outlet pipe pass through the at least one partition in an area of a pipe passage opening, and the partition has a weakened area operatively connected to the at least one pipe passage opening. 
     
     
         9 . An exhaust muffler in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the partition has another weakened area operatively connected to the at least one pipe passage opening to provide at least two weakened areas configured to form a deformation strap. 
     
     
         10 . An exhaust muffler in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one partition provided in the muffler interior space; and   at least one intermediate pipe that passes through at least one in an area of a pipe passage opening, and the partition has a weakened area operatively connected to the at least one pipe passage opening.   
     
     
         11 . An exhaust muffler in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the at least one inlet pipe or the at least one outlet pipe or both the at least one inlet pipe and the at least one outlet pipe has a cross-sectional profile at least partially flattened in a flattening direction at least in one length section extending essentially at right angles to the housing longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         12 . An exhaust muffler in accordance with  claim 11 , wherein the flattened cross-sectional profile is a round cross-sectional profile comprising an oval shape or an elliptical shape or the flattening direction corresponds essentially to a direction in which the longitudinal axis of the housing extends or the flattened cross-sectional profile is a round cross-sectional profile comprising an oval shape or an elliptical shape and the flattening direction corresponds essentially to a direction in which the longitudinal axis of the housing extends. 
     
     
         13 . An exhaust muffler in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising an intermediate pipe wherein the intermediate pipe is provided with a cross-sectional profile flattened in a flattening direction at least in one length section extending essentially at right angles to the housing longitudinal axis and the flattened cross-sectional profile is a round cross-sectional profile comprising an oval shape or an elliptical shape or the flattening direction corresponds essentially to a direction in which the longitudinal axis of the housing extends or the flattened cross-sectional profile is a round cross-sectional profile comprising an oval shape or an elliptical shape and the flattening direction corresponds essentially to a direction in which the longitudinal axis of the housing extends. 
     
     
         14 . An exhaust muffler in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising at least one support member bent at an angle in relation to the housing longitudinal axis wherein the muffler housing is supported in relation to a vehicle carrier structure by the at least one support member. 
     
     
         15 . An exhaust muffler in accordance with  claim 14 , wherein the at least one support member extends from a starting location at an axial end area of the muffler housing. 
     
     
         16 . An exhaust muffler in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein:
 the at least one outlet pipe extends out of the muffler interior space in an area of a first axial end area of the muffler housing, through one of the two front walls in the area of the first axial end area of the muffler housing; and   one of the two front walls, provided in an area of a second axial end area of the muffler housing, is arched in the direction of the muffler interior space in at least some areas.   
     
     
         17 . A motor vehicle comprising:
 a vehicle support member;   at least one exhaust muffler connected to the vehicle support member and arranged in a rear end area of the motor vehicle, the exhaust muffler comprising:   a muffler housing having a housing longitudinal axis oriented essentially in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the muffler housing being elongated in a direction of the housing longitudinal axis, the muffler housing comprising a housing jacket, two front walls, which are arranged, with respect to the direction of the housing longitudinal axis, at spaced locations from one another and which define a muffler interior space with the housing jacket;   at least one inlet pipe led into the muffler interior space; and   at least one outlet pipe leading out of the muffler interior space, wherein the housing jacket has at least one wall area, having an extent that is not parallel to the housing longitudinal axis, with at least one predetermined deformation area.   
     
     
         18 . A motor vehicle in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein the at least one wall area comprises an arch-shaped, bead-shaped, wave-shaped or bellows-shaped configuration. 
     
     
         19 . A motor vehicle in accordance with  claim 18 , wherein the at least one inlet pipe or the at least one outlet pipe or both the at least one inlet pipe and the at least one outlet pipe has at least one predetermined deformation area comprising one or more of:
 a length area having a wave-shaped configuration;   a length area having a bellows-shaped configuration;   a length area provided with slots;   a length area provided with an indentation;   a length area provided with bulge;   a length area having a flattened cross-sectional profile;   a length area extending bent at an angle in relation to a housing longitudinal direction;   a curved length area;   a length area with a bend to provide sections at an angle in relation to the housing longitudinal axis; and   at least two pipe sections displaceable in relation to one another.   
     
     
         20 . A motor vehicle in accordance with  claim 18 , further comprising an intermediate pipe wherein the at least one inlet pipe or the at least one outlet pipe or the at least one intermediate pipe or any combination of the at least one inlet pipe and the at least one outlet pipe and the at least one intermediate pipe has at least one predetermined deformation area comprising one or more of:
 a length area having a wave-shaped configuration;   a length area having a bellows-shaped configuration;   a length area provided with slots;   a length area provided with an indentation;   a length area provided with bulge;   a length area having a flattened cross-sectional profile;   a length area extending bent at an angle in relation to a housing longitudinal direction;   a curved length area;   a length area with a bend to provide sections at an angle in relation to the housing longitudinal axis; and   at least two pipe sections displaceable in relation to one another.