Exhaust apparatus

Abstract

In the vicinity of the floor of a vehicle and downstream of the muffler, a pair of cross members are provided to sandwich the first portion (i.e. the intermediate portion) of the exhaust pipe from the top and bottom. The minimum distance in the vertical direction of the cross members is smaller than the maximum height of the muffler. By doing this, when the muffler is displaced toward the rear of the vehicle, the muffler comes into contact with and is caught by the pair of cross members. The distance in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle between the part of the cross members which the muffler catches on and the part of the muffler which the cross members make contact with is set to be a smaller value than the minimum distance between the second portion of the exhaust pipe and the fuel tank.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to an exhaust apparatus that discharges exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine mounted aboard a vehicle.[0003]2. Description of the Related Art[0004]A vehicle such as an automobile has a fuel system apparatus such as a fuel tank provided at rear of the vehicle and an exhaust apparatus that extends toward the rear of the vehicle to discharge exhaust from the internal combustion engine of the vehicle to the rear of the vehicle. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-5-87223 discloses as an exhaust apparatus in which a muffler is provided midway in an exhaust pipe connected to the internal combustion engine, a part of the exhaust pipe downstream of the muffler is bent upward to pass over the top of a fuel tank.[0005]In the above-noted exhaust apparatus, when the vehicle is subject to a rear-end collision, the exhaust pipe is pushed forward from the rear, because there is no d...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]The present invention provides an exhaust apparatus capable of avoiding interference with the fuel system apparatus when a front-end collision occurs, and also provides sufficient underfloor space.

[0011]According to the above constitution, when the vehicle is subjected to a front-end collision, with the displacement of the internal combustion engine toward the rear of the vehicle, there is an accompanying displacement of the overall exhaust apparatus toward the rear of the engine. Before the second portion of the exhaust pipe interferes with the exhaust apparatus, the muffler comes into contact with the restricting member, which restricts the muffler from being displaced toward the rear of the vehicle. For this reason, the first portion of the exhaust pipe and the second portion of the exhaust pipe that are connected to the muffler are not further displaced toward the rear of the vehicle, making it possible to avoid interference by the second portion of the exhaust pipe with the fuel system apparatus. Also, as a result of establishing underfloor space in the vehicle, even in the case in which it is not possible to establish a sufficient distance between the second portion of the exhaust pipe and the fuel system apparatus, by setting a smaller distance in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle between the muffler and the restricting member in comparison with the distance between the second portion of the exhaust pipe part and the fuel system apparatus, it is possible to achieve the above-noted effect.

[0016]According to the above-noted constitution, when the muffler is displaced not only toward the rear of the vehicle but also vertically at the time of a front-end collision, the accompanying vertical displacement of the first portion of the exhaust pipe is absorbed by the joint. This makes it possible to avoid interference of the first portion of the exhaust pipe with the fuel tank by the vertical displacement of the first portion of the exhaust pipe.

[0017]In the above aspect, a part that bends more easily than another part of the first portion of the exhaust pipe when the muffler is vertically displaced may be provided in the first portion of the exhaust pipe.

[0018]According to the above-noted constitution, when a front-end collision occurs in a vehicle and the muffler is displaced not only toward the rear of the vehicle, but vertically, the first portion of the exhaust pipe is also vertically displaced. With regard to this displacement, the displacement is restricted by the bending of a part of the first portion of the exhaust pipe part that bends more easily than another part of the first portion of the exhaust pipe. Stated differently, the vertical displacement of the first portion of the exhaust pipe in concert with the vertical displacement of the muffler is absorbed by the bending of a part of the first portion of the exhaust pipe that bends more easily than another part of the first portion of the exhaust pipe. It is, therefore, possible to restrict the vertical displacement of the first portion of the exhaust pipe in concert with vertical displacement of the muffler, and as a result possible to avoid interference by the first portion of the exhaust pipe with the fuel system apparatus caused by vertical displacement of the first portion of the exhaust pipe.

Problems solved by technology

Also, as a result of establishing underfloor space in the vehicle, even in the case in which it is not possible to establish a sufficient distance between the second portion of the exhaust pipe and the fuel system apparatus, by setting a smaller distance in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle between the muffler and the restricting member in comparison with the distance between the second portion of the exhaust pipe part and the fuel system apparatus, it is possible to achieve the above-noted effect.

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