US20100025146A1

US20100025146A1 - Baffle plate operating mechanism for muffler

Info

Publication number: US20100025146A1
Application number: US12/219,965
Authority: US
Inventors: Shu-Li Ho
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-07-31
Filing date: 2008-07-31
Publication date: 2010-02-04

Abstract

A baffle plate operating mechanism for an exhaust which is connected an engine installed on a motor vehicle, e.g. motorcycles or automobiles, the baffle plate operating mechanism comprises a solid sleeve passing through and welded into the multiple layers of the muffler, a plurality of bushings mated in the solid sleeve and having a slit respectively, a shaft inserted into the sleeve, and a baffle plate mounted on the shaft and disposed inside the muffler. When the hot air exhausts from the engine, the solid sleeve isolate the thermal deformation between the multiple layers; and the bushing facing different directions can maintain the smooth rotation of the shaft completely.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a baffle plate operating mechanism for regulating the air flow in the muffler communicates with the engine of a motor vehicle, e.g. motorcycles or automobiles. More particularly, the invention has a solid sleeve to overcome the thermal deformation between multiple layers of the muffler so as to enable a smooth rotation of the baffle plate operating mechanism.
2. Description of Related Art
The muffler is a popular item for car or motorcycle modifying enthusiastic. The torque of the engine as well as the exhaust sound can be regulated depending on the air flow rate of the muffler. As shown in FIG. 1, this is a cross-section view of a conventional baffle plate operating mechanism 100 for an muffler 10 comprises a shaft 110 inserted into the muffler 10 through the multiple layers 11 of the muffler 10, and a baffle plate 120 mounted on the shaft 110. A handle 111 is bent at one end extending out of the muffler 10. In this case, the shaft 110 can be rotated by the handle 111, and the air flow of the muffler 10 would then be adjusted depending on the angle of the baffle plate 120 turning.
However, the muffler 10 would heat up by the hot air exhaust from the engine (not shown) when working. The thermal deformation resulted from material heat expansion or contraction of the muffler 10, would present a rotation problem for the shaft 110. For a loosely fitted shaft 110 the baffle plate 120 may rotate smoothly but rattle violently by the exhaust vibration and generate annoying noise, while a tightly fitted shaft 110 the different thermal deformation between the multiple layers 11 could catch the shaft 110 completely from rotation. Therefore, this conventional baffle plate operating mechanism 100 would cause serious fitting dilemma.
Accordingly, in consideration of the above drawback in practical use of the conventional baffle plate operating mechanism 100, the present invention is to isolate the shaft 110 from thermal deformation between the multiple layers 11 of the muffler 10 to overcome the shortcomings in the related art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to incorporate a solid sleeve with a plurality of bushings mated inside for the shaft; the sleeve would isolate the rotation of shaft from the thermal deformation between the multiple layers 21.
In order to achieve the goals set forth, a baffle plate operating mechanism in accordance with the present invention comprises a solid sleeve inserted through and welded onto the muffler, a plurality of bushings are mated inside the solid sleeve and have a slit in each bushing respectively, a shaft inserted through the solid sleeve and the bushings, and a baffle plate is mounted on the shaft and disposed inside the muffler.
Moreover, in the configuration of this invention, the baffle plate would rotate smoothly inside to regulate the air flow of the muffler regardless of the thermal deformation. The shaft is the axis of the rotation of the baffle plate and is inserted in the solid sleeve through the bushings, and is supported by the bushings mated in the solid sleeve. The bushings with slit pointing at different direction are to keep the fitting within the solid sleeve welded in the multiple layers of the muffler. Whatever thermal deformation generates by the multiple layers, it only compresses the solid sleeve and not the shaft itself. This invention provides a baffle plate operating mechanism with the bushings mated in the solid sleeve to regulate the rotation of the baffle plate smoothly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The various features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detail description when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-section view of a baffle plate operating mechanism of the related art;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section view of a baffle plate operating mechanism installed in a muffler according to preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a top view of a baffle plate operating mechanism installed in a muffler according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a baffle plate operating mechanism according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a baffle plate operating mechanism according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a solid sleeve with three bushings inside according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Now, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, to allow those skilled in the art to easily understand and reproduce the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 2-FIG. 6, a baffle plate operating mechanism 200 for a muffler 20 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a solid sleeve 210, a plurality of bushings 220, a shaft 230, and a baffle plate 240.
The muffler 20 connects to an outlet of an engine (not shown) which installed on a motor vehicle, e.g. automobile or motorcycle, and the muffler 20 has multiple layers 21. The solid sleeve 210 passes through and welded into the multiple layers 21 of the muffler 20. In this condition, the solid sleeve 210 passes through a hole (not labeled) which is drilled through the multiple layers 21, and welded onto the muffler 20.
The bushings 220 are formed in a sharp of C-ring; each has a slit 221 respectively. The bushings 220 are mated inside the solid sleeve 210. The shaft 230 is inserted into the sleeve 210 and fitted by the bushings 220. One end of the shaft 230 is extended inside the muffler 20 and the other end of the shaft 230 is extended outside the muffler 20. The shaft 230 is refrained by the bushings 220. Alternatively, there are several bushings 220 mated into the solid sleeve 210. Each of the bushings is with slit 211 facing different direction to support the shaft 230.
The baffle plate 240 is mounted on the shaft 230 to regulate the air flow inside the muffler 20. The shaft 230 is the axis of rotation of the baffle plate 240.
In a preferred embodiment, a projecting rim 211 with a notch 212 is formed on an end of the sleeve 210 outside the exhaust muffler 20 and a pin 232 is configured to the shaft 230 and located in the notch 212 to govern the angle of the rotation of the shaft 230.
A handle 231 is bent at one end of the shaft 230 extending outside the muffler 20. The handle 231 can be connected to a control cable (not shown) for rider or driver to rotate the shaft 230 conveniently.
According to the aforementioned embodiment, the thermal deformation of the muffler 20 generated from the engine heat inside the muffler 20 will be isolate by the sleeve 210. The bearings 220 with the slit 221 facing different directions can maintain the rotation of the shaft 230 smoothly.
The baffle plate operating mechanism 200 is made in stainless steel, and the special anti-rust character of stainless steel will further enhance the smooth rotation of the shaft 230 to ensure the aforementioned mechanism can perform as expected.
Consequently, the baffle plate operating mechanism 200 according to the present invention has following advantages:

- 1. The present invention is still a compact structure that can be installed conveniently on the automobile or motorcycle by modifying enthusiastic.
- 2. Whatever the temperature raises or falls, the sleeve 210 will isolate the thermal deformation between the multiple layers of the muffler 20 so the shaft 230 can rotate smoothly to regulate the air flow inside the muffler 20.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to the details thereof. Various substitutions and modifications have been suggested in the foregoing description, and others will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, all such substitutions and modifications are intended to be embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A baffle plate operating mechanism for a muffler having multiple layers which connects to an outlet of an engine installed on a motor vehicle, the baffle plate operating mechanism comprising:

a solid sleeve passing through and welded onto the multiple layers of the muffler;

a plurality of bushings mated inside the solid sleeve, and each of the bushings having a slit;

a shaft inserted into the solid sleeve and refrained by the bushings, one end of the shaft extended inside the muffler, the other end of the shaft extended outside the muffler; and

a baffle plate mounted on the shaft and disposed inside the muffler;

whereby the shaft is an axis of the rotation of the baffle plate and the bushings mated in the solid sleeve isolate the shaft from the thermal deformation generated by the hot air exhaust from the engine, the baffle plate would rotate smoothly to regulate the air flow inside the muffler.

2. The baffle plate operating mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the silts of the bushings point at different directions.

3. The baffle plate operating mechanism as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a projecting rim with a notch formed on an end of the sleeve outside the exhaust muffler, and a pin configured to the shaft and located in the notch to govern the degrees of the rotation of the shaft.

4. The baffle plate operating mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the other end of the shaft has a handle extended outside the muffler.