Muffler for an exhaust system and method for making a muffler

Abstract

A muffler for an exhaust system includes a circumferential wall surrounding a muffler interior, at least one muffler wall, which adjoins the circumferential wall and/or is arranged in the muffler interior, at least one muffler tube, which extends in the direction of a tube axis and passes through a tube passage opening in at least one muffler wall. At least one muffler tube passing through a tube passage opening in a muffler wall is connected to the muffler wall by a bayonet connector.

1 . A muffler for an exhaust system, the muffler comprising:
 a circumferential wall surrounding a muffler interior;   at least one muffler wall wherefor at least one of the following applies:   i) said at least one muffler wall adjoins said circumferential wall; and,   ii) said at least one muffler wall is arranged in said muffler interior;   said at least one muffler wall having a tube passage opening formed therein;   at least one muffler tube extending in the direction of a tube axis and passing through said tube passage opening in said at least one muffler wall; and,   said at least one muffler tube passing through said tube passage opening in said muffler wall and being connected to said muffler wall by a bayonet connector.   
     
     
         2 . The muffler of  claim 1 , wherein, in one component including either the muffler tube or the muffler wall, said bayonet connector includes at least one bayonet connector receptacle and, on the other component including either the muffler tube or the muffler wall, in association with at least one bayonet connector receptacle, includes a bayonet connector projection. 
     
     
         3 . The muffler of  claim 2 , wherein said bayonet connector includes a plurality of bayonet connector receptacles arranged around the tube axis. 
     
     
         4 . The muffler of  claim 2 , wherein said bayonet connector receptacle comprises an insertion portion extending in a direction of the tube axis and open in the direction of the tube axis to receive a bayonet connector projection, a transitional portion which adjoins the insertion portion and extends in the circumferential direction, and a locking portion, which adjoins the transitional portion, extends in the direction of the tube axis and is closed in the direction of the tube axis. 
     
     
         5 . The muffler of  claim 4 , wherein the muffler tube comprises a first tube portion having a smaller outside dimension, a second tube portion having a larger outside dimension, and a widening portion between said first tube portion and said second tube portion. 
     
     
         6 . The muffler of  claim 5 , wherein said insertion portion extends in said widening portion in a direction away from said first tube portion and toward said second tube portion. 
     
     
         7 . The muffler of  claim 6 , wherein an insertion end of said insertion portion is positioned in said widening portion close to said first tube portion. 
     
     
         8 . The muffler of  claim 5 , wherein said transitional portion is positioned in said widening portion close to said second tube portion and/or in said second tube portion. 
     
     
         9 . The muffler of  claim 5 , wherein a locking end of said locking portion is positioned in said second tube portion or in said widening portion close to the second tube portion. 
     
     
         10 . The muffler of  claim 2 , wherein said at least one bayonet connector receptacle includes a receiving opening formed in a tube wall of said muffler tube. 
     
     
         11 . The muffler of  claim 2 , wherein aid at least one bayonet connector receptacle includes a receiving recess formed in a tube wall of said muffler tube. 
     
     
         12 . The muffler of  claim 2 , wherein the muffler wall includes an opening rim surrounding the tube passage opening, said rim being bent in the direction of the tube axis, and wherein said bayonet connector projection includes a radially inward-directed protuberance on the opening rim. 
     
     
         13 . The muffler of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one muffler tube connected to said muffler wall via a bayonet connector is furthermore connected to said muffler wall in at least one of the following ways:
 i) by material joining; and,   ii) by force-locking.   
     
     
         14 . The muffler of  claim 13 , wherein said force-locking is by radial expansion of said muffler tube in that portion of said muffler tube which passes through said tube passage opening in said muffler wall. 
     
     
         15 . The muffler of  claim 1 , wherein said muffler wall is a partition wall separating two chambers in said muffler interior from one another. 
     
     
         16 . A method for making a muffler including:
 a circumferential wall surrounding a muffler interior;   at least one muffler wall wherefor at least one of the following applies:   i) said at least one muffler wall adjoins said circumferential wall; and,   ii) said at least one muffler wall is arranged in said muffler interior;   said at least one muffler wall having a tube passage opening formed therein;   at least one muffler tube extending in the direction of a tube axis and passing through said tube passage opening in said at least one muffler wall; and,   said at least one muffler tube passing through said tube passage opening in said muffler wall and being connected to said muffler wall by a bayonet connector; the method comprising the steps of:   a) supplying at least one component including either the muffler tube or the muffler wall having at least one bayonet connector receptacle;   b) supplying the other component including either the muffler tube or the muffler wall having at least one bayonet connector projection;   c) inserting the at least one muffler tube into the tube passage opening in the at least one muffler wall in such a way that each bayonet connector projection on the other component including either the muffler tube or the muffler wall is received in a bayonet connector receptacle of the one component including either the muffler tube or the muffler wall.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the following applies:
 i) step d) is provided for the material joining of the at least one muffler tube to the at least one muffler wall after the execution of step c); and,   ii) a step e) is provided for the force-locking connection of the at least one muffler tube to the at least one muffler wall after the execution of step c).   
     
     
         18 . The method as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein step d) includes producing at least one weld. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein step e) includes the radial expansion of the at least one muffler tube in its axial region passing through the tube passage opening of the at least one muffler wall.