A muffler drain device, method and muffler, exhaust system, automobile

Abstract

The application relates to a muffler drainage device and method, a muffler, an exhaust system and an automobile, and belongs to the field of muffler drainage. The application solves the problems existing in the current muffler condensate drainage scheme. The application comprises a mounting seat, the mounting seat is used for being fixed at the air inlet end of a muffler air outlet core pipe, the mounting seat is provided with an opening, the opening is provided with a valve flap, the bottom of the valve flap is fixed with a rotating shaft, the rotating shaft is rotationally connected with a shaft seat fixed on the mounting seat, an elastic member is arranged between the shaft seat and the valve flap or the rotating shaft, one end of the rotating shaft is connected with a sealing assembly, the sealing assembly is matched with a drainage opening on a muffler shell, the rotating shaft can drive the sealing assembly to move to realize the switching of the opening and closing states of the drainage opening, the shaft seat is further connected with one end of a temperature control sheet, the other end of the temperature control sheet can be clamped into a clamping groove arranged on the shaft surface of the rotating shaft. The device overcomes the defects existing in the current muffler drainage scheme.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of automobiles, in particular to a muffler drainage device and method, a muffler, an exhaust system and an automobile. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the prior art, solutions for muffler drainage and ice blockage prevention of hybrid vehicles include electronic control type solutions, intelligent detection type solutions and the like, which are all used for condensate water drainage or ice blockage prevention of exhaust systems.

[0003] The electronic control type solution needs to additionally configure an ECU, sensors and heating / air extraction components, which increases the cost, and the electronic components are prone to failure in a high-temperature and high-humidity exhaust environment, which is high in maintenance cost.

[0004] The intelligent detection type solution has a complex system structure and needs to be cooperatively controlled by multiple components, which is poor in adaptability and is not suitable for mass production requirements of low-cost hybrid vehicles.

[0005] The simple one-way valve type solution only relies on spring elastic force to control opening and closing, and is prone to misopening under low exhaust pressure conditions, which leads to exhaust leakage, protrudes at the bottom outside of the muffler and is extremely prone to failure due to impact by splashing sand and stone, thereby reducing durability.

[0006] The pressure valve type solution only relies on exhaust airflow to open and close, which cannot guarantee that the drainage valve is closed when the ambient temperature is warm, and since the drainage valve opening is usually large, opening under non-low temperature increases the probability of dust entering and reduces the service life of the muffler. SUMMARY

[0007] In view of the deficiencies of the prior art, the present application aims to provide a muffler drainage device and method, a muffler, an exhaust system and an automobile, which overcome the defects of the current condensate water drainage solutions of exhaust systems of hybrid vehicles.

[0008] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purposes, the present application is implemented by the following technical solutions: In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a muffler drainage device, which comprises a mounting seat, the mounting seat being used for being fixed to a gas inlet end of a muffler gas outlet core pipe, the mounting seat being provided with an opening, the opening being provided with a valve flap, the bottom of the valve flap being fixed with a rotating shaft, the rotating shaft being rotatably connected with a shaft seat fixed to the mounting seat, the valve flap being capable of rotating through the rotating shaft to realize switching between an opening and a closed state of the opening, an elastic member being arranged between the shaft seat and the valve flap or the rotating shaft, one end of the rotating shaft being connected with a sealing assembly, the sealing assembly being matched with a drainage port on a muffler shell, the rotating shaft being capable of driving the sealing assembly to move to realize switching between an open and a closed state of the drainage port, the shaft seat being further connected with one end of a temperature control sheet, the other end of the temperature control sheet being capable of being clamped into a clamping groove arranged on the surface of the rotating shaft; The temperature control sheet is capable of deforming when the ambient temperature changes to realize switching between a state in which the end of the temperature control sheet is clamped into the clamping groove and a state in which the end of the temperature control sheet is separated from the clamping groove.

[0009] Optionally, the temperature control sheet includes an upper sheet and a lower sheet, wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of the upper sheet is higher than that of the lower sheet.

[0010] Optionally, the upper layer is made of nickel-manganese alloy and the lower layer is made of nickel-iron alloy.

[0011] Optionally, the valve disc includes a blocking part and a fitting part disposed at the edge of the blocking part. The fitting part is used to fit against the inner side of the mounting base, and the blocking part adopts an arc-shaped structure that convexes towards the direction of incoming air.

[0012] Optionally, both the mounting base and the valve disc are made of stainless steel.

[0013] Optionally, the shaft is made of brass.

[0014] Optionally, the bearing includes a first bearing portion and a second bearing portion located at both ends of the first bearing portion. The rotating shaft is located between the two second bearing portions and is rotatably connected to the second bearing portions. A connecting portion is provided between the outer ends of the second bearing portions. The connecting portion is fixedly connected to the bottom of the mounting base. The temperature control plate is fixed to the first bearing portion.

[0015] Optionally, the bottom of the valve disc is integrally provided with a rotating shaft connection part, which is fixedly connected to the axial surface of the rotating shaft.

[0016] Optionally, the elastic element is a torsion spring fitted around the outer circumference of the rotating shaft, with one torsion arm of the torsion spring fixedly connected to the shaft seat and the other torsion arm of the torsion spring fixedly connected to the valve disc.

[0017] Optionally, one end of the temperature control element is fixedly connected to the shaft seat, and the other end of the temperature control element adopts a pointed structure.

[0018] Optionally, the sealing assembly includes a connecting rod, one end of which is fixed to one side of the rotating shaft, and the other end of which is connected to a sealing block that matches a drain outlet on the muffler housing.

[0019] Optionally, the sealing block is made of stainless steel.

[0020] Optionally, the bottom surface of the sealing block is provided with a flexible sealing gasket.

[0021] Secondly, embodiments of the present invention provide a method for operating the silencer drainage device described in the first aspect: When the engine is running normally, under the action of exhaust pressure, the valve disc overcomes the elastic force of the elastic element and rotates with the shaft, opening the opening of the mounting seat to realize exhaust, while the sealing component seals the drain port provided in the muffler housing. When the engine stops, if the ambient temperature is higher than 0℃, the end of the temperature control plate is stuck in the groove of the rotating shaft, the rotating shaft cannot rotate, the valve disc remains open to the opening, and the sealing assembly closes the drain port provided in the muffler housing 1. When the engine stops, if the ambient temperature is not higher than 0℃, the temperature control plate will bend and deform, and the end of the temperature control plate will disengage from the slot. Under the action of the elastic force of the elastic element, the shaft will rotate, and the sealing assembly will open the drain port provided in the muffler housing, and the condensate in the muffler will be discharged through the drain port.

[0022] Thirdly, embodiments of the present invention provide a muffler, which is provided with the muffler drainage device described in the first aspect. The mounting base of the muffler drainage device is fixed to the air inlet end of the muffler outlet core tube, and the position of the sealing component corresponds to the position of the drain outlet provided on the muffler housing.

[0023] Optionally, the mounting base is fixed to the air inlet end of the muffler's outlet core tube by resistance welding.

[0024] Fourthly, embodiments of the present invention provide an exhaust system provided with the muffler described in the third aspect.

[0025] Fifthly, embodiments of the present invention provide an automobile equipped with the exhaust system described in the fourth aspect.

[0026] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: The muffler drainage device and method of the present invention have a rotating shaft at the bottom of the valve disc rotatably connected to a bearing seat, and a sealing assembly is connected to one end of the rotating shaft. When the engine is running normally, under the action of gas pressure, the valve disc can overcome the elastic force of the elastic element to open the opening, realizing normal exhaust. At the same time, the sealing assembly can seal the drain port of the muffler. When the engine is stopped, if the ambient temperature is higher than 0°C, the temperature control plate can be inserted into the groove of the rotating shaft, and the sealing assembly maintains the sealing state of the drain port. If the ambient temperature is not higher than 0°C, the temperature control plate deforms and disengages from the groove. Under the action of the elastic element, the rotating shaft rotates, and the sealing assembly opens the drain port, thereby realizing the discharge of condensate in the muffler. This achieves the goal of sealing the drain port when the engine is running and draining when the engine is stopped. There is no significant exhaust leakage under any operating condition, and it does not affect the vehicle's NVH or exhaust back pressure. When the engine is off, it can drain condensate, reducing the incidence of ice blockage in winter. It is especially suitable for low-temperature regions. The entire drainage device is a purely mechanical structure with a simple design and no electronic components. It does not require modification of the existing muffler structure. Only the drain outlet, the notch for accommodating valve rotation on the exhaust core tube, and the mounting base need to be fixed to the intake end of the exhaust core tube are required. Modification is convenient and cost-effective. There are no easily damaged parts such as motors and sensors, reducing user operating costs. Moreover, it is controlled by exhaust pressure and ambient temperature during operation, without the need for multiple components to actively coordinate control. It has high adaptability and is suitable for the mass production needs of low-cost hybrid vehicles.

[0027] The muffler drainage device and method of this invention, compared to pressure valve-type solutions, utilizes a temperature control element to ensure that the sealing assembly only opens the drain port when the engine is stopped and the ambient temperature is not higher than 0°C. This prevents the drain port from opening in non-low-temperature conditions where the ambient temperature is above 0°C, thus fundamentally avoiding the problem of accidental opening of the drain port in non-low-temperature environments. The long-term closure of the drain port prevents various impurities such as mud, dust, and debris from entering the muffler cavity through the drain port gaps. This significantly reduces the accumulation and adhesion of dust and impurities within the muffler cavity, lowering the risk of corrosion and wear on the muffler's inner wall, and blockage of internal airflow channels. It also slows down the process of internal corrosion and structural wear, significantly improves the internal working environment of the muffler, effectively extends the overall service life of the muffler, and enhances the overall operational reliability.

[0028] The muffler drainage device and method of the present invention, compared with the one-way valve type solution, has the entire drainage device located at the end of the outlet core tube, inside the muffler, and does not protrude to the outside of the muffler. This prevents sand, gravel, and mud splashed from the road surface from directly impacting or washing against the drainage device, effectively avoiding problems such as component collisions, wear, and deformation damage caused by sand and gravel impacts. It also reduces the probability of damage to the drainage device from the external environment, significantly improving the durability and operational reliability of the drainage device itself. Furthermore, because no parts protrude outwards from the muffler housing, it does not occupy external space of the muffler and does not hinder the arrangement of peripheral components. Attached Figure Description

[0029] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the invention.

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the temperature control plate and the card slot in Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of Embodiment 3 of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the muffler drainage device inside the muffler housing in Embodiment 3 of the present invention; Among them, 1. muffler housing, 2. air outlet core tube, 3. mounting base, 4. shaft seat, 5. torsion spring, 6. valve disc, 7. sealing block, 8. rotating shaft, 9. connecting rod, 10. temperature control plate, 11. slot. Detailed Implementation

[0031] It should be noted that the following detailed description is illustrative and intended to provide further explanation of the invention. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used in this invention have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings and embodiments of this application are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0032] For ease of description, the words "upper" and "lower" appearing in this invention only indicate that they are consistent with the upper and lower directions of the accompanying drawings and do not limit the structure. They are merely for the purpose of facilitating the description of this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention.

[0033] Currently, there are various solutions for muffler drainage and anti-icing in existing technologies for hybrid vehicles, but all of these solutions have obvious limitations.

[0034] For example, electronically controlled solutions can achieve drainage and ice blockage prevention to a certain extent by configuring a heating unit, an air pump, and combining it with an ECU for active control. However, such solutions require additional electronic components, which significantly increases the system cost. Furthermore, the electronic components operate in the high temperature, high humidity, and highly corrosive environment of the exhaust system for extended periods, making it difficult to guarantee their reliability and resulting in high maintenance costs. Therefore, these solutions are not suitable for cost-sensitive mass-produced vehicles.

[0035] The intelligent detection solution uses an ice sensor in conjunction with an impact ice-breaking mechanism to prevent ice blockage. The system has a complex structure, and the reliability of multi-component collaborative control depends on the accuracy and response speed of each sensor. It has poor adaptability in practical use and is not suitable for large-scale mass production needs.

[0036] Simple one-way valve designs rely solely on spring force to control valve opening and closing, which poses a risk of accidental opening under low exhaust pressure conditions, leading to exhaust leakage. In addition, such devices are usually mounted protruding from the bottom outside of the muffler, making them highly susceptible to impacts from road debris during normal vehicle operation, significantly reducing their durability and negatively affecting the vehicle's passability and appearance.

[0037] Pressure valve type solutions rely solely on exhaust airflow to drive valve opening and closing, which cannot guarantee that the drain valve is closed when the ambient temperature is high. Since the drain valve opening is usually large, frequent opening under non-low temperature conditions will significantly increase the probability of external dust entering the muffler, accelerate the wear and corrosion of internal components of the muffler, and reduce the service life of the muffler.

[0038] To address the aforementioned issues, this embodiment proposes a muffler drainage device. It employs a purely mechanical structure design and achieves an organic integration of three functions: exhaust pressure-driven sealing, temperature-sensing locking, and automatic low-temperature drainage through the coordinated cooperation of the mounting base 3, valve disc 6, rotating shaft 8, elastic element, sealing assembly, and temperature control plate 10. It requires no electronic components for control and features a fully automated mechanical response, making it suitable for the mass production needs of hybrid vehicles.

[0039] This implementation replaces active control signals with the natural changes in physical quantities and replaces the combination of sensors and actuators with the inherent thermodynamic properties of materials. It fundamentally eliminates the reliability risks of electronic control systems in high-temperature, high-humidity, and highly corrosive exhaust environments. At the same time, it integrates the device completely inside the muffler, avoiding the durability problems caused by exposed structures. It provides a muffler anti-icing and automatic drainage solution for hybrid vehicles.

[0040] The following describes this implementation method in detail with reference to specific examples.

[0041] Example 1 This embodiment provides a muffler drainage device, which is integrated inside the muffler to solve the problems of condensate accumulation and ice blockage in winter under frequent start-stop conditions in hybrid vehicles. It achieves automatic switching between three working states through a purely mechanical structure: reliable sealing of the muffler housing 1 drain port when the engine is running, maintaining the sealing of the muffler drain port to prevent dust from entering when the engine is stopped at high temperature, and automatically opening the muffler drain port to drain condensate when the engine is stopped at low temperature. No electronic control unit intervention is required. The entire process is driven by the combined action of exhaust pressure, elastic force and the bimetallic thermal deformation effect of the temperature control plate 10.

[0042] like Figures 1-2 As shown, the muffler drainage device includes a mounting base 3, a valve disc 6, a rotating shaft 8, a shaft seat 4, an elastic element, a sealing assembly, and a temperature control plate 10.

[0043] Mounting base 3 is the mounting base of the entire device, used to fix it to the air inlet end of the exhaust core tube 2 of the muffler. Mounting base 3 has an opening on the same axis, through which the exhaust air flows.

[0044] In this embodiment, the opening is circular.

[0045] It is understood that the opening can also be square or rectangular, and those skilled in the art can set it according to actual needs, which will not be described in detail here.

[0046] The valve disc 6 is located at the opening of the mounting base 3, and the shape of the valve disc 6 matches the shape of the opening.

[0047] In this embodiment, the opening is circular, so the valve disc 6 adopts a circular structure that matches the opening. The bottom of the valve disc 6 is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft 8 and can rotate under the drive of the rotating shaft 8 to open and close the opening.

[0048] One end of the rotating shaft 8 is connected to a sealing component, which matches the drain port on the muffler housing 1. When the rotating shaft 8 rotates, it synchronously drives the sealing component to move, thereby opening and closing the drain port.

[0049] The bearing seat 4 is fixedly connected to the mounting base 3, and the rotating shaft 8 is rotatably connected to the bearing seat 4. An elastic element is provided between the bearing seat 4 and the valve disc 6 or the rotating shaft 8 to provide elastic driving force for the reset action of the valve disc 6.

[0050] One end of the temperature control plate 10 is fixedly connected to the bearing seat 4, and the other end can be inserted into the slot 11 provided on the shaft surface of the rotating shaft 8. The temperature control plate 10 is bent and deformed by the change of ambient temperature, so that the end of the temperature control plate 10 is inserted into or removed from the slot 11, thereby realizing the locking and releasing control of the rotation state of the rotating shaft 8.

[0051] The entire drainage system of the muffler is integrated inside the muffler, avoiding the impact of sand and gravel and durability issues caused by exposed installation.

[0052] The bottom of the valve disc 6 is provided with a rotating shaft connection part. The valve disc 6 is fixed to the middle area of ​​the rotating shaft 8 through the rotating shaft connection part and swings as the rotating shaft 8 rotates. The sealing assembly includes a connecting rod 9 and a sealing block 7. One end of the connecting rod 9 is fixed to one side of the rotating shaft 8, and the other end is fixedly connected to the sealing block 7. The connecting rod 9 rotates with the rotating shaft 8, causing the sealing block 7 to switch between the sealing position and the open position of the drain outlet.

[0053] In this embodiment, the elastic element is a torsion spring 5.

[0054] The torsion spring 5 is sleeved on the outer circumference of the rotating shaft 8, and its two torsion arms are respectively connected to the shaft seat 4 and the valve disc 6, providing a restoring elastic force for the entire valve disc 6.

[0055] The temperature control plate 10 is fixed to the bearing seat 4. The overhanging end of the temperature control plate 10 points to the slot 11 on the shaft surface of the rotating shaft 8. Whether the rotating shaft 8 can rotate freely is determined by engaging or disengaging from the slot 11.

[0056] Through the above configuration, a precise motion coupling relationship is formed between the opening and closing action of valve disc 6 and the opening and closing action of sealing component. That is, when valve disc 6 is open, sealing component closes the drain port, and when valve disc 6 is closed, sealing component opens the drain port. The linkage between the two is guaranteed by the geometric constraint of rotating shaft 8, without the need for additional control logic intervention, which fundamentally ensures the reliability of device working state switching.

[0057] In this embodiment, the opening and closing control of the valve disc 6 and the opening and closing control of the drain outlet are linked through the same rotating shaft 8, and a slot 11 is added to the rotating shaft 8. The temperature control plate 10 determines whether to lock the rotating shaft 8 according to the change of ambient temperature. It utilizes the dynamic balance relationship between four physical quantities: exhaust pressure, elastic force of elastic element, gravity of sealing component and thermal deformation force of temperature control plate 10. No active control signal is required. It relies entirely on the natural change of physical quantities to drive the state switching of the device, which fundamentally eliminates the reliability risk caused by the failure of electronic components.

[0058] Under normal engine operation, exhaust pressure acts on the surface of valve disc 6, generating a torque that drives valve disc 6 to open; the weight of the sealing assembly is transmitted through connecting rod 9 and rotating shaft 8, which also generates a torque that drives valve disc 6 to open.

[0059] The sum of the torque generated by the exhaust pressure on the rotating shaft 8 and the torque generated by the weight of the sealing component on the rotating shaft 8 is greater than the elastic restoring torque of the elastic element on the rotating shaft 8. Therefore, the valve disc 6 remains open, while the rotating shaft 8 drives the sealing component to close the drain port.

[0060] After the engine stops, the exhaust pressure disappears, and the torque that drives valve 6 to open is greatly reduced.

[0061] If the temperature control plate 10 is in a high-temperature state where the ambient temperature is higher than 0℃, its extended end will be inserted into the slot 11 of the rotating shaft 8, the rotating shaft 8 will be forcibly locked, and the valve disc 6 and the sealing assembly will remain in their original positions.

[0062] If the temperature control plate 10 is in a low temperature state where the ambient temperature is not higher than 0℃, the temperature control plate 10 will bend and deform, its overhanging end will disengage from the slot 11, the rotating shaft 8 will resume free rotation, the elastic element will drive the rotating shaft 8 to rotate, and the sealing assembly will open the drain outlet accordingly.

[0063] Mounting base 3 adopts a ring-shaped structure, and its shape is adapted to the air inlet end of the muffler outlet core tube 2. Mounting base 3 is fixed to the air inlet end of the muffler outlet core tube 2, so that the opening of mounting base 3 is connected to the inner cavity of the muffler outlet core tube 2.

[0064] The mounting base 3 has an opening, which is a necessary channel for the exhaust airflow to flow inside the muffler. The size and shape of the opening need to meet the airflow requirements under normal exhaust conditions of the muffler, and avoid abnormal increase in exhaust back pressure due to the opening cross-sectional area being too small.

[0065] The size of the opening can be set according to actual needs, and will not be described in detail here.

[0066] The bottom of the mounting base 3 is integrally fixedly connected to the bearing seat 4, so that the bearing seat 4 and the mounting base 3 form an integral rigid structure, ensuring that the rotation center position of the rotating shaft 8 remains stable under various working conditions and does not shift due to vibration or thermal expansion.

[0067] The integrated connection between the mounting base 3 and the shaft seat 4 eliminates the possible assembly gaps and relative displacements between the mounting base 3 and the shaft seat 4, ensuring the geometric accuracy of the entire device. This, in turn, ensures the linkage accuracy between the valve disc 6 and the sealing assembly, as well as the positional accuracy between the overhanging end of the temperature control plate 10 and the slot 11 of the rotating shaft 8.

[0068] Furthermore, the mounting base 3 is made of stainless steel, which has good high temperature resistance and corrosion resistance, and can work reliably in the exhaust environment of the muffler for a long time without structural failure due to corrosion.

[0069] Mounting base 3 is fixed to the air inlet end of the muffler's outlet core tube 2 by welding.

[0070] The welding connection method can ensure the connection strength between the mounting base 3 and the muffler core tube, avoid the mounting base 3 from loosening due to exhaust pressure fluctuations or vehicle vibration, and ensure the installation stability of the entire drainage device inside the muffler.

[0071] The valve disc 6 is located at the opening of the mounting base 3 and is the actuator that switches between opening and closing.

[0072] A rotating shaft 8 is fixed at the bottom of the valve disc 6. The valve disc 6 can rotate around the axis of the rotating shaft 8 as the rotating shaft 8 rotates, thereby realizing the opening and closing of the opening of the mounting base 3.

[0073] When valve disc 6 is in the closed state, valve disc 6 covers the opening of mounting base 3, blocking the path of exhaust airflow through the opening.

[0074] When valve disc 6 is in the open state, valve disc 6 rotates around the rotating shaft 8 to a set angle, the opening is open, and the exhaust airflow can pass through smoothly.

[0075] In this embodiment, the effective force-bearing area of ​​the valve disc 6 is designed to be 9mm. 2 Up to 10mm 2 .

[0076] The aforementioned area range matches the 3kPa to 8kPa exhaust pressure generated when the muffler is working normally, ensuring that the thrust generated by the exhaust pressure on the valve disc 6 during engine operation can overcome the elastic force of the elastic element, keeping the valve disc 6 in the open state, while the sealing assembly closes the drain port under the drive of the rotating shaft 8.

[0077] If the effective force-bearing area of ​​valve disc 6 is too small, the exhaust pressure will not be enough to overcome the elastic force of the elastic element to drive valve disc 6 to open. If the area is too large, the exhaust pressure on valve disc 6 in the open state will be too large, which may cause deformation of valve disc 6 or excessive force on shaft 8.

[0078] In this embodiment, the valve disc 6 is made of stainless steel with a thickness of 0.8mm-1.2mm, preferably 1mm.

[0079] The use of stainless steel ensures that the valve disc 6 has sufficient structural strength while keeping its weight within a reasonable range, thus preventing excessive weight from affecting the design balance of the elastic force of the elastic element.

[0080] It is understood that the valve disc 6 can also be made of other metal materials that meet the structural strength requirements. Those skilled in the art can choose according to actual needs, and will not be described in detail here.

[0081] The bottom of the valve disc 6 is integrally provided with a rotating shaft connection part, which is integrally fixedly connected to the shaft surface of the rotating shaft 8.

[0082] The integrated structure eliminates any possible assembly gaps between the valve disc 6 and the rotating shaft 8, ensuring the linkage accuracy between the valve disc 6 and the rotating shaft 8, preventing the valve disc 6 from sliding or loosening relative to the rotating shaft 8 due to assembly gaps, and ensuring that the opening and closing action of the valve disc 6 is completely synchronized with the rotation of the rotating shaft 8.

[0083] The rotating shaft connection, valve disc 6 and rotating shaft 8 are integrally formed and can be achieved through processes such as stamping, forging or casting. Compared with welding or threaded connections, the integral structure has higher connection strength and better fatigue life, and can withstand the vibration and impact loads that the muffler is subjected to during vehicle operation, ensuring that the connection between valve disc 6 and rotating shaft 8 does not loosen or break throughout its entire life cycle.

[0084] The rotating shaft 8 is rotatably connected to the bearing seat 4 fixed on the mounting base 3, and the rotating shaft 8 can rotate freely around its own axis under the support of the bearing seat 4.

[0085] One end of the rotating shaft 8 is connected to a sealing component. When the rotating shaft 8 rotates, the sealing component moves accordingly, thereby opening and closing the drain port on the muffler housing 1.

[0086] A slot 11 is provided on the shaft surface of the rotating shaft 8.

[0087] The slot 11 is a mating structure for the insertion and disengagement of the overhanging end of the temperature control element 10. When the overhanging end of the temperature control element 10 is inserted into the slot 11, the overhanging end of the temperature control element 10 contacts the side groove surface of the slot 11, pressing down on the rotating shaft 8, locking the rotating shaft 8 and preventing it from rotating.

[0088] When the end of the temperature control plate 10 disengages from the slot 11, the rotating shaft 8 resumes free rotation.

[0089] The geometry of the slot 11 needs to match the shape of the end of the temperature control plate 10. The depth and width of the slot 11 need to ensure that the tip of the temperature control plate 10 can be stably inserted and generate sufficient locking force at high temperature. At the same time, at low temperature, the bending deformation of the temperature control plate 10 is sufficient to allow the tip to disengage from the slot 11, and the disengagement will not be difficult due to the slot 11 being too deep.

[0090] The depth and width of the slot 11 can be determined based on the size of the temperature control plate 10, and will not be described in detail here.

[0091] The circumferential position of the slot 11 on the shaft surface of the rotating shaft 8 needs to ensure that when the temperature control plate 10 is inserted into the slot 11 at a high temperature, the rotating shaft 8 is exactly at the angle position where the sealing component closes the drain outlet, so as to achieve precise state locking.

[0092] In this embodiment, the rotating shaft 8 is made of brass.

[0093] Brass has better corrosion resistance than ordinary carbon steel. It can maintain a good surface condition in the high temperature, high humidity and sulfur-containing exhaust environment inside the muffler, and will not cause the formation of a rust layer due to corrosion, which would lead to an increase in the rotational fit clearance between the rotating shaft 8 and the bearing seat 4 or jamming.

[0094] Meanwhile, brass has a low coefficient of friction, resulting in low friction between the rotating mating surfaces of the shaft seat 4 and the shaft 8. This ensures that the shaft 8 can rotate flexibly under various working conditions, and that the elastic force of the elastic element is not insufficient to drive the shaft 8 to rotate due to excessive friction.

[0095] The bearing seat 4 is fixed on the mounting base 3, providing rotational support for the rotating shaft 8, and also serving as a fixed base for the temperature control plate 10.

[0096] In this embodiment, the bearing seat 4 adopts a U-shaped structure, including a first bearing seat portion and a second bearing seat portion disposed at both ends of the first bearing seat portion. The rotating shaft 8 is located between the two second bearing seat portions and is rotatably connected to the second bearing seat portions.

[0097] A connecting part is provided between the outer ends of the two second bearing parts. The connecting part is integrally fixedly connected to the bottom of the mounting base 3, so that the bearing 4 and the mounting base 3 form an integral rigid structure. During processing, the mounting base 3 and the bearing 4 are integrally formed.

[0098] The design of the U-shaped bearing 4 allows the shaft 8 to be supported at both ends. Compared with the cantilever structure with single-end support, the double-end support greatly improves the bending stiffness of the shaft 8. When the valve disc 6 is subjected to the thrust of exhaust pressure or the sealing assembly is subjected to gravity, the shaft 8 will not bend and deform, thus ensuring the movement accuracy of the valve disc 6 and the sealing assembly.

[0099] One end of the temperature control plate 10 is fixedly connected to the first shaft seat, and the end of the temperature control plate 10 connected to the first shaft seat is the fixed end. The other end extends to the position of the slot 11 on the shaft surface of the rotating shaft 8 as the extended end. When the ambient temperature is above 0℃, the extended end of the temperature control plate 10 can be inserted into the slot 11 and press against the side groove surface of the slot 11, thereby locking the rotating shaft 8 and preventing the rotating shaft 8 from rotating around its own axis. When the ambient temperature reaches 0℃ or below, the temperature control plate 10 bends and deforms, causing the temperature control plate 10 to lift up. The extended end of the temperature control plate 10 can then disengage from the slot 11, preventing the extended end of the temperature control plate 10 from locking the rotating shaft 8 through the slot 11 and releasing the rotational freedom of the rotating shaft 8.

[0100] The second shaft seat of the shaft seat 4 is provided with a shaft hole for the rotating shaft 8 to pass through. The diameter of the shaft hole matches the diameter of the rotating shaft 8. The rotating shaft 8 passes through the shaft hole, which ensures that the rotating shaft 8 can rotate flexibly and avoids excessive oscillation of the rotating shaft 8 in the radial direction due to excessive fit clearance, which would affect the operation accuracy of the valve disc 6 and the sealing assembly.

[0101] Meanwhile, the end of the rotating shaft 8 is provided with a limiting head. The diameter of the limiting head is larger than the diameter of the shaft hole, which limits the rotating shaft 8 along the axial direction and prevents the rotating shaft 8 from moving along the axial direction.

[0102] The shaft hole of the second bearing seat and the rotating shaft 8 have a smooth mating surface. Alternatively, a wear-resistant bushing can be installed in the shaft hole to further reduce the coefficient of friction between the rotating shaft 8 and the bearing seat 4 and improve the durability of the rotating pair.

[0103] It is understood that a bearing can be installed between the rotating shaft 8 and the shaft hole, and the rotating shaft 8 is rotatably connected to the shaft seat 4 through the bearing. Those skilled in the art can set the rotatable connection method between the rotating shaft 8 and the shaft seat 4 according to actual needs, which will not be described in detail here.

[0104] An integral connecting part is provided between the outer ends of the two second shaft seats. The connecting part is integrally fixedly connected to the bottom of the mounting base 3 so that a rigid connection without gap is formed between the shaft seat 4 and the mounting base 3, eliminating possible relative displacement, ensuring the stability of the geometric accuracy of the entire device during long-term use, and avoiding the positional relationship between the temperature control plate 10 and the slot 11 due to loose connection, which would affect the reliability of temperature control action.

[0105] An elastic element is disposed between the bearing seat 4 and the valve disc 6 or the rotating shaft 8 to provide elastic driving force for the reset action of the valve disc 6.

[0106] In this embodiment, the elastic element is disposed between the shaft seat 4 and the valve disc 6.

[0107] In one embodiment, the elastic element is a torsion spring 5 sleeved around the outer periphery of the rotating shaft 8. The structure of the torsion spring 5 can be based on existing technology. It has two torsion arms. One torsion arm of the torsion spring 5 is fixedly connected to the shaft seat 4, and the other torsion arm of the torsion spring 5 is fixedly connected to the valve disc 6.

[0108] The torsion spring 5 is sleeved on the outer periphery of the rotating shaft 8, and the rotating shaft 8 serves as the central support for the torsion spring 5. The structure is compact and occupies little space, making it suitable for installation in the limited space inside the muffler.

[0109] Furthermore, there are two torsion springs 5, which are respectively sleeved on the two ends of the rotating shaft 8, and the two torsion springs 5 ​​are symmetrically distributed with respect to the center of the rotating shaft 8.

[0110] The two torsion arms of the torsion spring 5 are fixedly connected to the bearing seat 4 and the valve disc 6, respectively. That is, one torsion arm of the torsion spring 5 is fixedly connected to the bearing seat 4, and the other torsion arm is fixedly connected to the valve disc 6.

[0111] When the valve disc 6 rotates around the shaft 8 to the open state under the action of exhaust pressure, the torsion spring 5 undergoes torsional deformation and accumulates elastic potential energy.

[0112] When the exhaust pressure disappears, the elastic restoring force of the torsion spring 5 drives the valve disc 6 to rotate in the closing direction, and at the same time drives the sealing assembly to move in the direction of opening the drain port through the rotating shaft 8.

[0113] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the torsion spring 5 is made of stainless steel. Stainless steel torsion spring 5 has good corrosion resistance in the exhaust environment of the muffler and can maintain the stability of elastic modulus in high temperature environment, without significant decrease in elastic force due to high temperature relaxation.

[0114] The wire diameter, number of coils, and free angle of the torsion spring 5 need to be precisely designed according to the force balance requirements of the entire device to ensure that the elastic potential energy stored in the torsion spring 5 when the valve 6 is open is sufficient to drive the rotating shaft 8 to rotate after the exhaust pressure disappears. At the same time, the elastic force of the torsion spring 5 should not be too large, so as to avoid excessive exhaust back pressure generated when the exhaust pressure overcomes the elastic force during engine operation.

[0115] The material, wire diameter, number of coils, and free angle of the torsion spring 5 can be set according to actual needs, and will not be described in detail here.

[0116] When the torsion spring 5 is sleeved on the outer circumference of the rotating shaft 8, a set gap needs to be maintained between its inner diameter and the outer diameter of the rotating shaft 8 to avoid the friction between the inner ring of the torsion spring 5 and the outer circumference of the rotating shaft 8 affecting the elastic force output of the torsion spring 5.

[0117] The gap setting can be adjusted according to actual needs, and will not be described in detail here.

[0118] Furthermore, other types of elastic elements can also be used for the elastic element, such as torsion bar springs or leaf springs, as long as they can store sufficient elastic potential energy in the open state of valve disc 6 and provide sufficient restoring force to drive the rotating shaft 8 to rotate after the exhaust pressure disappears. Those skilled in the art can select the type of elastic element according to actual needs, which will not be described in detail here.

[0119] The sealing assembly is connected to one end of the rotating shaft 8 and matches the drain port on the muffler housing 1. The drain port is opened and closed as the rotating shaft 8 rotates.

[0120] The sealing assembly includes a connecting rod 9, one end of which is fixed to one side of the rotating shaft 8, and the other end of which is fixedly connected to a sealing block 7. The sealing block 7 matches the drain port on the muffler housing 1.

[0121] The connecting rod 9 acts as a rigid transmission component between the rotating shaft 8 and the sealing block 7, converting the rotational motion of the rotating shaft 8 into the motion of the sealing block 7, so that the sealing block 7 can switch between the sealing position and the open position of the drain outlet.

[0122] In this embodiment, the cross-section of the connecting rod 9 is square or circular. Those skilled in the art can choose according to actual needs, and will not be described in detail here.

[0123] The shape of the sealing block 7 matches the shape of the drain port on the muffler housing 1. When the sealing block 7 is in the sealed position, the sealing block 7 is tightly attached to the muffler housing 1, completely blocking the drain port and preventing exhaust from leaking from the drain port.

[0124] When the sealing block 7 is in the open position, the sealing block 7 leaves the drain outlet, the drain outlet is open, and the condensate water accumulated in the silencer can be discharged through the drain outlet under the action of gravity.

[0125] In this embodiment, the diameter of the drain port on the muffler housing 1 is designed to be 8mm to 10mm. This size is much larger than the diameter of the drain hole of a traditional muffler, which can ensure that the condensate is discharged quickly and prevent the condensate from freezing and blocking the drain port in a low-temperature environment due to the slow discharge speed.

[0126] Furthermore, the sealing block 7 is made of stainless steel, which has good corrosion resistance and can work reliably in the exhaust environment of the muffler for a long time.

[0127] Furthermore, the bottom surface of the sealing block 7 is provided with a flexible sealing gasket. In this embodiment, the flexible sealing gasket is made of a high-temperature resistant flexible material, which can provide a flexible sealing contact when the sealing block 7 presses against the drainage port of the muffler housing 1, filling any small gaps that may exist between the bottom surface of the sealing block 7 and the muffler housing 1, and ensuring the airtightness of the sealing contact.

[0128] Flexible gaskets can also absorb minute relative displacements of the sealing contact surface caused by vehicle vibration or exhaust pressure fluctuations, preventing minor leaks from rigid sealing contact surfaces due to vibration and impact, thus improving the sealing reliability and service life of the sealing components.

[0129] Preferably, the flexible sealing gasket is an expanded graphite sealing gasket. Expanded graphite has good compression resilience and can generate effective flexible contact when the sealing block 7 is pressed, filling small shape and position errors and achieving airtight sealing.

[0130] Expanded graphite exhibits excellent chemical stability against corrosive media such as water vapor and sulfides in exhaust gases, preventing degradation of sealing performance due to corrosion. Furthermore, compared to rubber-based materials, expanded graphite exhibits less creep relaxation at high temperatures, ensuring stable long-term sealing performance and preventing seal failure due to high-temperature creep.

[0131] It is understood that other high-temperature resistant flexible materials can be used for flexible gaskets, and those skilled in the art can choose according to actual needs, which will not be described in detail here.

[0132] One end of the temperature control plate 10 is fixedly connected to the bearing seat 4, and the other end can be inserted into the slot 11 provided on the shaft surface of the rotating shaft 8. The temperature control plate 10 can contact the side groove surface of the slot, thereby locking the rotating shaft 8 through the slot 11. When the temperature control plate 10 bends due to temperature changes, the end of the temperature control plate 10 can disengage from the slot 11. The temperature control plate 10 achieves locking and releasing of the rotating state of the rotating shaft 8 through the bending deformation caused by temperature changes.

[0133] In this embodiment, the temperature control sheet 10 includes an upper sheet and a lower sheet, wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of the upper sheet is higher than that of the lower sheet, the upper sheet is the active layer, and the lower sheet is the passive layer.

[0134] When the ambient temperature is higher than 0℃, the thermal expansion of the upper layer is greater than that of the lower layer. The temperature control plate 10 bends downward as a whole. The downward bending of the temperature control plate 10 refers to the bending towards the inner space of the lower layer. The overhanging end of the temperature control plate 10 is pressed downward into the groove 11 on the shaft surface of the rotating shaft 8 and contacts the side groove surface of the groove 11, locking the rotating shaft 8 and preventing the rotating shaft 8 from rotating.

[0135] When the ambient temperature drops to 0℃ or below, the difference in thermal shrinkage between the upper and lower layers causes the temperature control sheet 10 to bend in opposite directions. The temperature control sheet 10 bends upward, which means that the temperature control sheet 10 bends towards the outer space of the upper layer. The overhanging end of the temperature control sheet 10 pops up and disengages from the slot 11, making it impossible to lock the rotating shaft 8. The rotating shaft 8 then returns to a free rotation state.

[0136] One end of the temperature control plate 10 is fixed to the shaft seat 4 as a fixed end, and the other end of the temperature control plate 10 adopts a pointed structure as an overhanging end. The pointed end can be accurately inserted into the slot 11 on the shaft surface of the rotating shaft 8 to ensure the reliability of the locking action. At the same time, when the temperature control plate 10 is bent and deformed, the pointed end can smoothly disengage from the slot 11 without jamming or difficulty in disengagement due to improper end shape.

[0137] Meanwhile, the overhanging end of the temperature control plate 10 adopts a pointed structure, which can reduce the size of the slot 11 and make it easier for the overhanging end of the temperature control plate 10 to be inserted into the slot 11.

[0138] Understandably, the pointed structure of the overhanging end of the temperature control plate 10 can also be optimized according to the geometry of the slot 11, such as using an arc-shaped tip or a conical tip, to further improve the fitting accuracy and smoothness of disengagement between the tip and the slot 11.

[0139] In this embodiment, the upper layer of the temperature control plate 10 is made of nickel-manganese alloy material. Nickel-manganese alloy material has a high coefficient of thermal expansion. Nickel-manganese alloy is a binary alloy system with nickel as the base and manganese as the main alloying element. Its coefficient of thermal expansion increases significantly with the increase of manganese content. By adjusting the manganese content, the coefficient of thermal expansion can be precisely controlled within a certain range, thereby achieving precise control of the temperature response characteristics of the temperature control plate 10.

[0140] Meanwhile, nickel-manganese alloy also has excellent high-temperature oxidation resistance and corrosion resistance. It can maintain stable physical properties for a long time in the high-temperature, high-humidity, sulfur-containing environment of the muffler exhaust system, and its thermal expansion coefficient will not change due to surface oxidation or corrosion, thus ensuring the long-term reliability of the temperature control plate 10.

[0141] The lower layer of the temperature control plate 10 is made of nickel-iron alloy material, which has a low coefficient of thermal expansion.

[0142] Nickel-iron alloys are alloys with nickel and iron as the main components. They have an extremely low coefficient of thermal expansion and exhibit nearly constant low thermal expansion characteristics over a wide temperature range.

[0143] Nickel-iron alloy also has good high-temperature stability and can maintain a stable coefficient of thermal expansion within the operating temperature range of the muffler, ensuring that the temperature response characteristics of the temperature control plate 10 do not drift with the extension of the service time.

[0144] The temperature control plate 10, which is a bimetallic layer formed by the combination of nickel-manganese alloy and nickel-iron alloy, has temperature response characteristics (i.e., the relationship between bending deformation and temperature change) determined by the difference in thermal expansion coefficients of the two materials, the layer thickness ratio, and the geometric dimensions of the temperature control plate 10. By reasonably designing the above parameters, the operating temperature of the temperature control plate 10 can be accurately set near 0°C, which meets the functional requirements of the muffler drainage device to achieve state switching near the freezing point temperature.

[0145] The thickness and other parameters of nickel-manganese alloy and nickel-iron alloy can be set according to actual needs, and will not be described in detail here.

[0146] Both nickel-manganese alloy and nickel-iron alloy have good high-temperature resistance and can work stably for a long time in the high-temperature environment of the muffler exhaust system. They do not suffer from material performance degradation or interlayer adhesion failure of bimetallic sheets due to high temperature, ensuring that the temperature control plate 10 can reliably respond to temperature changes throughout its service life and accurately realize the locking and releasing control of the rotating shaft 8.

[0147] It is understood that those skilled in the art can set the types of materials for the upper and lower layers according to actual needs, and will not be described in detail here.

[0148] The upper and lower layers of the temperature control sheet 10 are connected by metallurgical bonding (such as rolling composite) to form an integral composite structure, ensuring that the bonding strength between the two layers is sufficient to withstand the interfacial stress generated by long-term alternating thermal deformation, and avoiding failure of the temperature control sheet 10 due to interlayer separation.

[0149] Metallurgical bonding methods can be achieved using existing technologies, and will not be described in detail here.

[0150] In this embodiment, the temperature control sheet 10 adopts a double-layer metal sheet structure. It can be understood that the temperature control sheet 10 can also adopt a three-layer metal sheet structure. For example, an intermediate transition layer is added between the upper and lower sheets to improve the bonding strength between the two dissimilar metals and prevent interlayer cracking or delamination caused by thermal stress during repeated thermal cycling. The intermediate transition layer can be a nickel layer.

[0151] The connection between the fixed end of the temperature control plate 10 and the first bearing portion of the bearing 4 is achieved by welding, threaded connection, or riveting, ensuring that the fixed end does not shift during the bending and deformation of the temperature control plate 10, and ensuring that the movement trajectory of the overhanging end corresponds precisely to the position of the slot 11.

[0152] It is understandable that the temperature control plate 10 can adopt a gradually varying thickness design along its length, being thicker near the fixed end, which has greater rigidity and stable fixation, and thinner near the overhanging end, which has greater flexibility and greater bending deformation, so that the pointed end can generate a greater displacement when the temperature changes, thereby improving the engagement reliability with the slot 11.

[0153] Preferably, the fixed end of the temperature control plate 10 is welded to the first shaft seat, which provides high connection strength and prevents loosening under high temperature and vibration conditions.

[0154] In other embodiments, the temperature control plate 10 is fixed to the bearing seat 4 by riveting.

[0155] Specifically, a riveting hole is provided at the fixed end of the temperature control element 10, and the fixed end of the temperature control element 10 is pressed onto the corresponding mounting surface of the first shaft seat by a rivet; the riveting is a permanent connection with reliable connection strength and no risk of loosening under high temperature and vibration environment; compared with welding, the riveting process has less thermal impact on the bimetallic layer of the temperature control element 10, avoiding the risk of degradation of the interface performance between the bimetallic layers due to the high temperature of welding; moreover, the riveting connection is suitable for mass production assembly, with good process consistency and short assembly time.

[0156] In other embodiments, the temperature control plate 10 is fixed to the bearing 4 by means of a threaded connection.

[0157] Specifically, a pressure plate structure is provided in the first bearing seat. The pressure plate is pressed against the fixed end of the temperature control element 10 by bolts or screws, and the temperature control element 10 is clamped and fixed between the bearing seat 4 and the pressure plate. The temperature control element 10 adopts this fixing method as a detachable connection. When the temperature control element 10 fails due to fatigue after long-term use, the temperature control element 10 can be replaced by removing the bolts, thereby reducing maintenance costs.

[0158] When using this method, the bolt anti-loosening design under high temperature and vibration environment can be achieved by using spring washers or thread locking adhesive; the temperature control plate 10 adopts a threaded connection method, which is suitable for application scenarios with maintenance requirements.

[0159] The valve disc 6 includes a blocking part and a fitting part provided at the edge of the blocking part. The fitting part is used to fit against the inner side of the mounting base 3. The blocking part adopts an arc-shaped structure that protrudes towards the direction of incoming air.

[0160] The arc-shaped structure design of the sealing part enables the valve disc 6 to better withstand the exhaust pressure from the incoming air direction when it is closed. Compared with the planar structure, the arc-shaped structure has higher bending stiffness and can withstand greater exhaust pressure without significant deformation under the same thickness conditions, thus ensuring the structural integrity of the valve disc 6 under high-pressure exhaust conditions.

[0161] The fitting part is located at the edge of the sealing part. When the valve disc 6 rotates in the closing direction under the elastic force of the elastic element, the fitting part and the inner side of the mounting seat 3 make contact. At the same time, when the engine is running normally, the valve disc 6 remains open under the action of exhaust pressure. The arc-shaped structure of the sealing part is conducive to the smooth passage of exhaust airflow and reduces exhaust resistance.

[0162] The fitting part is located at the edge of the sealing part. When the valve disc 6 is in the closed state, the fitting part is tightly fitted with the inner side of the mounting base 3 to form a circumferential sealing contact, which further improves the sealing performance of the valve disc 6 when it is closed and prevents exhaust from leaking from the edge of the valve disc 6.

[0163] In this embodiment, both the mounting base 3 and the valve disc 6 are made of stainless steel. Stainless steel has excellent high temperature resistance and corrosion resistance. It can maintain structural strength and surface quality for a long time in the exhaust environment of the muffler, and will not cause deformation of the valve disc 6 or change of the opening size of the mounting base 3 due to corrosion, thus ensuring the reliability of the device in long-term operation.

[0164] The stainless steel valve disc 6 will not be affected by material embrittlement in low-temperature environments, thus avoiding valve jamming caused by the hardening of rubber materials at low temperatures and ensuring normal operation of the device in extremely cold conditions.

[0165] Understandably, for hybrid engines with different displacements, the weight of the sealing block 7 and the effective force-bearing area of ​​the valve disc 6 in the sealing assembly can be adjusted according to the exhaust pressure characteristics of the engine to adapt to different exhaust pressure conditions.

[0166] For example, for engines with smaller displacements, the exhaust pressure is relatively low. The effective force-bearing area of ​​valve disc 6 can be appropriately increased so that even with lower exhaust pressure, sufficient thrust can be generated on valve disc 6 to overcome the elastic force of the elastic element and maintain the open state of valve disc 6.

[0167] For engines with larger displacements, which have higher exhaust pressures, the effective force-bearing area of ​​valve disc 6 can be appropriately reduced to avoid excessive exhaust pressure causing valve disc 6 to open too wide and affecting the flow characteristics of exhaust airflow.

[0168] The effective force-bearing area of ​​valve disc 6 can be set according to actual needs, and will not be described in detail here.

[0169] The weight of the sealing block 7 can be adjusted by adjusting its size or material density.

[0170] Furthermore, the main structural components such as mounting base 3, valve disc 6, and sealing block 7 can be made of different grades of stainless steel according to the characteristics of the corrosive environment of the region where the vehicle is used. In coastal areas with high salt spray corrosion, stainless steel grades with stronger pitting corrosion resistance can be selected, while in inland dry areas, ordinary stainless steel grades with relatively lower costs can be selected. This reduces material costs while ensuring the reliability of the device, thus adapting to the cost requirements of different markets.

[0171] Example 2 This embodiment provides a working method for the muffler drainage device described in Embodiment 1. Through the synergistic effect of exhaust pressure, elastic force of elastic element, gravity of sealing component and thermal deformation force of temperature control plate 10, the muffler drainage device can automatically switch between three working states without manual intervention, and the entire process is purely mechanical and automatic.

[0172] In this embodiment, the three working states are the engine running normally, the engine stopped and the ambient temperature is higher than 0°C, and the engine stopped and the ambient temperature is not higher than 0°C.

[0173] Exhaust pressure is a natural indicator of engine operating status; its presence or absence directly reflects the engine's operating condition. Ambient temperature is a natural indicator of the risk of ice blockage; whether it is below the freezing point directly determines whether drainage is needed to prevent ice blockage.

[0174] In this embodiment, the working method uses exhaust pressure and temperature as control inputs. Through two purely mechanical response mechanisms—force balance of valve disc 6 and thermal deformation of temperature control plate 10—the rotating shaft 8 is driven to switch between different states, thereby achieving precise automatic control of three working states.

[0175] The first working state is the exhaust sealing state when the engine is running normally.

[0176] When the engine starts and enters normal operating conditions, whether idling, low-speed city driving, highway cruising, or rapid acceleration, the exhaust system will generate a certain positive pressure. After the exhaust gas flows out of the engine, it passes through the catalytic converter and enters the muffler, where the exhaust pressure ranges from 3 kPa to 8 kPa.

[0177] The exhaust pressure acts on the sealing arc surface of valve disc 6, generating a thrust in the opening direction of valve disc 6.

[0178] Because the effective force-bearing area of ​​valve disc 6 is designed to be 9mm 2 Up to 10mm 2 The sum of the thrust generated by the exhaust pressure on the valve disc 6 and the torque generated by the weight of the sealing component on the rotating shaft 8 is greater than the elastic restoring torque of the elastic element on the rotating shaft 8. Under the combined action of the exhaust pressure and the weight of the sealing component, the valve disc 6 overcomes the elastic force of the elastic element and rotates with the rotating shaft 8 to the open state. The opening of the mounting base 3 is opened, and the exhaust airflow can smoothly enter the muffler outlet core pipe 2 through the opening of the mounting base 3, realizing normal exhaust.

[0179] At the same time, the rotating shaft 8 rotates under the drive of the valve disc 6, and the sealing assembly rotates with the rotating shaft 8 to the sealing position. Under the drive of the connecting rod 9, the sealing block 7 presses against the drain port on the muffler housing 1. The flexible sealing gasket on the bottom surface of the sealing block 7 is in close contact with the periphery of the drain port of the muffler housing 1, completely sealing the drain port and preventing exhaust from leaking from the drain port to the outside of the muffler.

[0180] In this state, the exhaust airflow path inside the muffler is complete, the exhaust back pressure is not affected by the drainage device, the engine's power output and combustion efficiency are unaffected, and the vehicle's NVH performance does not generate abnormal noise due to drainage port leakage.

[0181] Under the sealed condition of normal engine operation, the sealing pressure of the sealing block 7 on the drain port is determined by the torque transmitted by the rotating shaft 8, and the torque on the rotating shaft 8 comes from the rotational torque of the valve disc 6 under the action of exhaust pressure.

[0182] As the engine load increases, the exhaust pressure rises accordingly, the thrust on the valve disc 6 increases, and the sealing pressure transmitted from the rotating shaft 8 to the sealing block 7 also increases accordingly. The sealing force of the sealing block 7 on the drain port increases with the increase of exhaust pressure, forming a self-reinforcing sealing effect. This ensures that the sealing reliability of the drain port will not decrease due to the increase of exhaust pressure when the engine is running under high load, but will be further enhanced, effectively preventing the risk of drain port leakage under high pressure exhaust conditions.

[0183] The bottom surface of the sealing block 7 is provided with a flexible sealing gasket. When the exhaust pressure increases, the deformation of the flexible sealing gasket increases, the sealing contact area increases accordingly, and the sealing reliability is further improved.

[0184] In this embodiment, under normal engine operation, whether the overhanging end of the temperature control plate 10 is engaged in the slot 11 has no decisive impact on the overall working state of the device, because at this time the exhaust pressure is sufficient to maintain the open state of the valve disc 6 and the sealing state of the sealing assembly.

[0185] However, the state in which the temperature control plate 10 presses against the slot 11 of the rotating shaft 8 under high temperature conditions where the ambient temperature is above 0°C helps to prevent the valve disc 6 from shaking due to exhaust pressure pulses or vehicle vibrations, thus improving the stability of the valve disc 6 in the open state.

[0186] The second working state is the shut-down and sealed state when the engine is off and the ambient temperature is above 0°C.

[0187] When the engine stops, the exhaust pressure in the car's exhaust system gradually disappears, and the pressure inside the muffler returns to atmospheric pressure. After the exhaust pressure disappears, the main force that keeps the valve disc 6 open is gone.

[0188] However, if the ambient temperature is higher than 0°C, the temperature control plate 10 is in a high-temperature state. The thermal expansion of the upper nickel-manganese alloy sheet is greater than that of the lower nickel-iron alloy sheet. The temperature control plate 10 bends downward as a whole, and its pointed overhanging end is pressed into the groove 11 on the shaft surface of the rotating shaft 8 and contacts the side groove surface of the groove 11, locking the rotating shaft 8.

[0189] Because the shaft 8 is locked and cannot rotate, both the valve disc 6 and the sealing assembly remain in the position where the engine is running. That is, the valve disc 6 remains open to the opening of the mounting base 3, and the sealing assembly remains closed to the drain port of the muffler housing 1. In this state, although the opening of the mounting base 3 is open, since the engine is stopped and there is no exhaust airflow, the open state of the opening will not cause exhaust leakage.

[0190] Meanwhile, the drain outlet remains closed, preventing dust, rainwater, and other impurities from the external environment from entering the muffler. This effectively protects the internal structure of the muffler and avoids performance degradation and shortened service life caused by dust accumulation.

[0191] In this embodiment, the drain outlet is kept sealed during non-low temperature shutdown phases, avoiding the problem of dust entering the drain outlet every time the machine stops, which is of great significance for extending the service life of the muffler.

[0192] The third operating state is the low-temperature drainage state when the engine is off and the ambient temperature is not higher than 0°C.

[0193] In low-temperature winter environments, after the engine stops, as the muffler temperature continues to drop, when the ambient temperature drops to 0°C or below, the thermal deformation direction of the temperature control plate 10 reverses. Because the thermal shrinkage of the lower layer is less than that of the upper layer, the temperature control plate 10 bends upward as a whole, and its pointed overhanging end pops out of the slot 11 on the shaft surface of the rotating shaft 8. The temperature control plate 10 can no longer lock the rotating shaft 8, and the rotating shaft 8 returns to a free-rotating state.

[0194] At this time, the elastic force of the elastic element is no longer constrained by the locking of the rotating shaft 8, and the elastic restoring force of the torsion spring 5 drives the valve disc 6 to rotate in the closing direction. At the same time, the rotating shaft 8 drives the connecting rod 9 and the sealing block 7 to move away from the drain outlet.

[0195] The sealing block 7 is removed from the drain port of the muffler housing 1, and the drain port is fully open. The condensate water accumulated inside the muffler is quickly discharged to the outside of the muffler through the drain port under the action of gravity.

[0196] In this embodiment, a circular drain outlet with a diameter of 8mm-10mm is used. Since the drain outlet diameter is designed to be 8mm to 10mm, which is much larger than the 2mm to 3mm of the traditional muffler drain hole, the condensate can flow out quickly. The drainage time during a single shutdown does not exceed 1 minute, and 500ml of condensate can be completely drained, with extremely low condensate residue.

[0197] After the condensate is drained, there is no more water inside the muffler. Even if the ambient temperature drops further, the water will not freeze and cause ice blockage, thus reducing the incidence of ice blockage in winter.

[0198] It is understandable that the drain outlet can also be elliptical. When the drain outlet is elliptical, the bottom shape of the sealing block 7 corresponding to the elliptical drain outlet is also adjusted to match the shape of the drain outlet, so as to ensure that the sealing block 7 can completely cover the elliptical drain outlet and achieve a reliable seal.

[0199] When the engine is restarted, the exhaust pressure is re-established. The sum of the exhaust pressure thrust acting on the arc surface of the valve disc 6 sealing part and the weight of the sealing component exceeds the elastic force of the elastic element again. The valve disc 6 rotates back to the open state, and the rotating shaft 8 rotates accordingly. The sealing component moves back to the drain port sealing position, and the sealing block 7 presses against the drain port of the muffler housing 1, restoring the sealing state of the drain port.

[0200] At the same time, as the engine runs, the temperature of the temperature control plate 10 gradually rises, and the temperature control plate 10 bends downward again, with its pointed end re-engaging into the slot 11 of the rotating shaft 8, preparing for the high-temperature sealing state of the next shutdown.

[0201] The cyclic switching of the above three working states is driven entirely by the natural changes in physical quantities, without any manual intervention or electronic control, thus realizing a fully automatic intelligent response of the muffler drainage device.

[0202] The muffler drainage device of this embodiment can also be applied to hybrid vehicles. When a hybrid vehicle is driving in the city, the engine may experience multiple start-stop switching in a short period of time. Each time it starts, the exhaust pressure is quickly built up, driving the valve disc 6 to quickly open and close the drain port. Each time the engine stops, the exhaust pressure disappears quickly, and the temperature control plate 10 decides whether to release the rotating shaft 8 according to the temperature conditions at that time.

[0203] If the engine is in a non-low temperature environment with an ambient temperature above 0°C, the temperature control plate 10 maintains the locked state of the rotating shaft 8 after each engine shutdown, the drain port is closed, the muffler does not drain water, and the drainage of the muffler is not affected by the frequent start and stop of the engine; if the engine is in a low temperature environment with an ambient temperature not higher than 0°C, the temperature control plate 10 deforms after each engine shutdown, releasing the lock of the rotating shaft 8. After the engine stops, the sealing assembly opens the drain port, and the muffler automatically drains water, effectively preventing the accumulation of condensate.

[0204] In this embodiment, the drainage device and its working method involve a rotating shaft 8 at the bottom of the valve disc 6 rotatably connected to the bearing seat 4, with a sealing assembly connected to one end of the rotating shaft 8. When the engine is running normally, under the action of gas pressure, the valve disc 6 can overcome the elastic force of the elastic element and the gravity of the sealing assembly to open the opening, achieving normal exhaust. At the same time, the sealing block 7 of the sealing assembly can seal the drain port of the muffler. When the engine is stopped, if the ambient temperature is higher than 0°C, the temperature control plate 10 can be inserted into the rotating shaft slot 11, and the sealing assembly maintains the sealing state of the drain port. If the ambient temperature is not higher than 0°C, the temperature control plate 10 bends and deforms, disengaging from the slot 11. Under the action of the elastic element, the rotating shaft 8 rotates, and the sealing assembly opens the drain port, thereby realizing the discharge of condensate in the muffler and achieving normal exhaust. The drain outlet is sealed when the engine is running and drains when the engine is stopped. There is no large amount of exhaust leakage under any engine operating condition, which does not affect the vehicle's NVH and exhaust back pressure. When the engine is stopped, it can drain condensate, reducing the incidence of ice blockage failure in winter. It is especially suitable for low-temperature areas. The entire drainage device is a purely mechanical structure with a simple structure and no electronic components. It does not require modification of the existing muffler structure. Only the drain outlet needs to be machined, a notch needs to be machined on the exhaust core tube 2, and the mounting base 3 needs to be fixed to the air inlet end of the exhaust core tube 2. It is easy to modify and has low modification cost. There are no easily damaged parts such as motors and sensors, so the maintenance cost is low, reducing the user's operating cost. Moreover, it is controlled by exhaust pressure and ambient temperature during operation, without the need for multiple components to actively coordinate control. It has high adaptability and is suitable for the mass production needs of low-cost hybrid vehicles.

[0205] The muffler drainage device and method of this embodiment, compared with the pressure valve type solution, by setting the temperature control plate 10, ensures that when the engine is stopped, the sealing component will only open the drain port to drain water when the ambient temperature is not higher than 0°C, thus avoiding the drain port from opening in non-low temperature conditions and fundamentally avoiding the problem of the drain port being accidentally opened in non-low temperature environments.

[0206] The drain outlet can remain closed for extended periods even when the ambient temperature is above 0°C. This long-term closure prevents various impurities such as mud, dust, and debris from entering the muffler cavity through the drain outlet gaps. This significantly reduces the accumulation and adhesion of dust and impurities within the muffler cavity, lowering the risk of corrosion and wear on the muffler's inner wall and blockage of internal airflow channels. It also slows down the process of internal corrosion and structural wear, significantly improves the internal working environment of the muffler, effectively extends the overall service life of the muffler, and enhances the reliability of the entire machine.

[0207] Compared to the one-way valve type solution, the muffler drainage device and method of this embodiment are located at the end of the air outlet core tube inside the muffler and do not protrude to the outside of the muffler. The sand, gravel and mud splashed on the road cannot directly hit or wash the drainage device, which can effectively avoid the problems of component collision, wear and deformation damage caused by sand and gravel impact, reduce the probability of the drainage device being damaged by the external environment, and greatly improve the durability and operational reliability of the drainage device itself.

[0208] Meanwhile, because no parts protrude outward from the muffler housing, it does not occupy the external space of the muffler, does not hinder the arrangement of the external parts of the muffler, improves the applicability of the entire muffler drainage device, and can be applied to the drainage and anti-icing of mufflers of various vehicle models.

[0209] Example 3 This embodiment provides a silencer, such as Figures 3-4 As shown, it includes a muffler housing 1, which is provided with an air inlet core pipe and an air outlet core pipe 2. The air inlet end of the air outlet core pipe 2 is provided with the muffler drainage device described in Embodiment 1.

[0210] Mounting base 3 is fixed to the air inlet end of the muffler outlet core tube 2, and the position of the sealing component corresponds to the position of the drain outlet set on the muffler housing 1.

[0211] The structure and arrangement of the exhaust core tube 2 inside the muffler can be achieved using existing technology, and will not be described in detail here.

[0212] The muffler exhaust core tube 2 is the main exhaust passage inside the muffler. Its intake end is the entrance for the exhaust airflow into the exhaust core tube 2, and it is also one of the areas with the highest air pressure inside the muffler. Fixing the mounting base 3 in this position can ensure that the valve disc 6 obtains sufficient exhaust pressure thrust when the engine is running, and reliably maintains the open state.

[0213] The position of the sealing component corresponds to the position of the drain outlet of the muffler housing 1, which is a basic condition for realizing the opening and closing control of the drain outlet. The drain outlet on the muffler housing 1 is arranged at the lowest point of the muffler, which can ensure that the condensate accumulated in the muffler naturally converges to the vicinity of the drain outlet under the action of gravity, thereby improving drainage efficiency, and also ensure that all the condensate can be discharged when the machine is stopped, leaving no residual water.

[0214] The bottom of the muffler housing 1 is provided with a drain port that matches the sealing assembly. The position of the drain port needs to correspond to the position of the air inlet end of the muffler outlet core tube 2. This ensures that after the mounting base 3 is fixed to the air inlet end of the core tube, the sealing assembly connected to one end of the rotating shaft 8 can reach the drain port position.

[0215] The diameter of the drain outlet of the muffler housing 1 is 8mm to 10mm. This size ensures the rapid discharge of condensate while avoiding the reduction of the structural strength of the muffler housing 1 due to an excessively large drain outlet.

[0216] The surface of the muffler housing 1 around the drain outlet has good flatness to ensure the sealing contact quality between the flexible sealing gasket on the bottom surface of the sealing block 7 and the muffler housing 1.

[0217] In one embodiment, the bottom surface of the muffler housing 1 is set as an inclined surface facing the drain outlet. The condensate in the muffler can flow along the inclined surface towards the drain outlet under its own gravity. This can work in conjunction with the operation of the muffler drainage device to guide the condensate accumulated in each chamber of the muffler to the vicinity of the drain outlet, thereby improving drainage efficiency and reducing the amount of condensate residue.

[0218] In one embodiment, the mounting base 3 is fixed to the air inlet end of the muffler outlet core tube 2 by resistance welding.

[0219] Resistance welding is a mature metal welding process that uses an electric current to generate resistance heat at the welding point, causing the welding surface to melt locally and then cool and solidify to form a weld point, thus achieving a reliable connection between two metal parts.

[0220] The advantages of resistance welding are fast welding speed, small heat-affected zone and small welding deformation. It is suitable for welding thin-walled metal pipes such as muffler core tubes, and will not cause core tube deformation due to excessive welding heat input.

[0221] The welded connection formed by resistance welding has high connection strength and can withstand the vibration and impact loads that the muffler is subjected to during vehicle operation, ensuring long-term reliable connection between mounting base 3 and muffler core tube.

[0222] When welding the mounting base 3 to the air inlet end of the exhaust core tube 2, the welding wire is made of 439Ti material. 439Ti stainless steel welding wire has good corrosion resistance and is compatible with the stainless steel base material of the muffler core tube and the mounting base 3. The corrosion resistance of the weld area is comparable to that of the base material, thus avoiding the weld area from becoming a weak link in the entire installation structure due to corrosion.

[0223] The resistance welding process has strong adaptability to production lines and short welding time. It does not require large-scale modification of existing muffler production lines. Only the welding process of mounting base 3 needs to be added to the air inlet end of the muffler outlet core tube 2, the process of machining the notch of the outlet core tube 2 and the process of machining the muffler drain outlet need to be added. The increase in production line assembly time is minimal, which is conducive to achieving low-cost mass production.

[0224] The mounting base 3 and the air inlet end of the air outlet core tube 2 are fixed by resistance welding, which has obvious process advantages compared with other welding methods (such as MIG welding and TIG welding).

[0225] The welding heat of resistance welding is concentrated on the welding contact surface, and the heat-affected zone is extremely small. After welding, the deformation of the muffler core tube is minimal, which does not affect the inner diameter of the core tube and the cross-sectional area of ​​the airflow channel, ensuring that the exhaust performance of the muffler is not affected by the welding process.

[0226] Resistance welding is a simple and fast process, suitable for mass production on assembly lines, and meets the process requirements for large-scale production of automotive mufflers. After welding, the surface quality of the weld area is good, requiring no additional grinding or post-processing steps, further reducing production time and costs.

[0227] In another embodiment, the mounting base 3 may also be detachably and fixedly connected to the air inlet end of the air outlet core tube 2 by a plurality of bolts arranged at equal intervals along the circumference.

[0228] The mounting base 3 and the air inlet end of the air outlet core tube 2 are connected in a detachable manner, which facilitates the disassembly and assembly of the entire muffler drainage device and makes it easy to inspect and maintain the muffler drainage device.

[0229] The inlet end of the outlet core tube 2 also needs to be provided with a notch for accommodating the rotating shaft connection part and the swing of the valve disc 6, so as to avoid the outlet core tube 2 from hindering the normal operation of the valve disc 6.

[0230] In this embodiment, the muffler drainage device described in Embodiment 1 is installed only at the air inlet end of the muffler's outlet core tube 2. The remaining structure of the muffler can be achieved using existing technology and will not be described in detail here.

[0231] Example 4 This embodiment provides an exhaust system, which is equipped with the muffler described in Embodiment 3.

[0232] The exhaust system is an important component of a car's power system. It is responsible for safely and efficiently expelling the exhaust gases produced by engine combustion outside the vehicle, while also attenuating exhaust noise through the muffler to meet the overall vehicle NVH performance requirements.

[0233] The exhaust system in this embodiment includes an exhaust manifold, a catalytic converter, a muffler, and exhaust pipes connecting the various components.

[0234] The exhaust manifold is the starting component of the exhaust system, with its intake end connected to the exhaust ports of each cylinder in the engine.

[0235] Exhaust manifolds are typically made of cast iron or stainless steel and can withstand the high temperature and high pressure of exhaust at the engine exhaust port.

[0236] The branch pipes of the exhaust manifold converge into the manifold. The outlet end of the manifold is connected to the intake end of the catalytic converter via a bolted flange connection. A high-temperature resistant metal gasket is installed between the flange connection surfaces to ensure the airtightness of the connection and prevent high-temperature exhaust from leaking from the flange joint surface.

[0237] The bolts used in flange connections are usually made of stainless steel and are equipped with spring washers or lock nuts for anti-loosening treatment to cope with the high temperature and vibration environment during engine operation and ensure long-term reliable connection without loosening.

[0238] On the exhaust pipe between the exhaust manifold and the catalytic converter, some models are also equipped with an exhaust temperature sensor mounting bracket or an oxygen sensor mounting bracket. The exhaust temperature sensor mounting bracket is equipped with an exhaust temperature sensor, and the oxygen sensor mounting bracket is equipped with an oxygen sensor. These are used to monitor the exhaust temperature and oxygen content and provide feedback signals to the engine management system. The temperature sensor mounting bracket and the oxygen sensor mounting bracket are fixed to the exhaust manifold or exhaust pipe by a threaded connection, which is convenient for installation and removal.

[0239] The catalytic converter is located downstream of the exhaust manifold and is the component in the exhaust system responsible for purifying the exhaust gas.

[0240] The intake end of the catalytic converter is connected to the outlet end of the exhaust manifold via a flange or clamp connection, and the outlet end of the catalytic converter is connected to the muffler via a flange or bellows flexible connection.

[0241] The exhaust pipe between the catalytic converter and the muffler is equipped with at least one section of a corrugated flexible joint. The corrugated flexible joint is made of stainless steel corrugated pipe structure, which can absorb the relative displacement between the engine and the vehicle body, as well as the axial and radial deformation caused by the thermal expansion of the exhaust system, and prevent the exhaust pipe between the catalytic converter and the muffler from cracking or loosening due to excessive thermal stress.

[0242] The two ends of the corrugated flexible joint are connected to the exhaust pipe by flange or clamp. The connection is equipped with a high-temperature resistant gasket or sealing ring to ensure the airtightness of the connection.

[0243] Near the catalytic converter outlet, there is also a second oxygen sensor mounting base. The second oxygen sensor mounting base is equipped with an oxygen sensor to monitor the purification efficiency of the catalytic converter. The second oxygen sensor mounting base is also fixed to the exhaust pipe at the catalytic converter outlet by a threaded connection.

[0244] The muffler is located at the end of the exhaust system, and its intake end is connected to the outlet end of the exhaust pipe downstream of the catalytic converter by flange connection or plug welding.

[0245] When the muffler inlet end is connected by a flange, a high-temperature resistant sealing gasket is provided between the flange faces, and an airtight connection is achieved by bolt tightening. This connection method facilitates the disassembly and replacement of the muffler. When the muffler inlet end is connected by a plug-in welding method, the outlet end of the exhaust pipe is inserted into the muffler inlet to a set depth and then circumferentially welded. The welded connection method has better airtightness and higher connection strength, and is suitable for application scenarios with high sealing requirements.

[0246] The muffler's outlet is connected to the exhaust tailpipe, which guides the exhaust gas, after noise reduction by the muffler, to the rear of the vehicle for discharge. The outlet and tailpipe are also fixed by flange connection or plug-in welding, and the sealing method at the connection is the same as that at the intake end.

[0247] The muffler is suspended and fixed to the bottom of the vehicle body through a hanging lug structure. The hanging lug is usually made of rubber vibration damping lug. One end of the rubber vibration damping lug is fixed to the welded hanging lug seat on the muffler housing by bolts, and the other end is fixed to the hanging lug bracket at the bottom of the vehicle body by bolts. The rubber vibration damping lug can isolate the vibration transmission between the muffler and the vehicle body, and prevent the exhaust system vibration from being transmitted to the interior of the vehicle through the vehicle body, thus affecting the overall NVH performance of the vehicle.

[0248] As the end component of the exhaust system, the muffler is the place where condensate accumulates most severely. This is because after the exhaust gas passes through the high-temperature oxidation treatment of the catalytic converter, it carries a large amount of water vapor into the muffler. Inside the muffler, the water vapor condenses upon contact with the muffler housing 1, forming liquid condensate that accumulates at the bottom of the muffler.

[0249] The exhaust pipe is fixed to the bottom of the vehicle body by clamps or brackets to prevent excessive displacement of the exhaust pipe due to vibration during vehicle operation, and to avoid interference or collision between the exhaust pipe and other parts of the vehicle body.

[0250] The pipe clamps are made of rubber pads and are used for vibration isolation. They can both fix the exhaust pipe and isolate the transmission of exhaust pipe vibration to the vehicle body.

[0251] The exhaust manifold, catalytic converter, and muffler can be connected to the exhaust pipe using existing technology, and further technical details will not be described in detail here.

[0252] For hybrid vehicles, the frequent start-stop of the engine significantly increases the number of thermal cycles inside the muffler. Each time the engine goes from a cold start to a hot run and then to a shutdown and cooling process, the temperature inside the muffler undergoes a large fluctuation. Water vapor condenses into a large amount of water during the cooling process, and the condensate accumulates at the bottom of the muffler at a faster rate and in a larger amount. This makes the risk of ice blockage in winter significantly higher than that of traditional gasoline vehicles.

[0253] In the exhaust system of this embodiment, the muffler has an integrated muffler drainage device. The mounting base 3 is fixed to the air inlet end of the muffler outlet core tube 2, and the sealing block 7 of the sealing component corresponds to the drain port position at the bottom of the muffler housing 1.

[0254] When the exhaust system is working normally, the valve 6 of the muffler drain device remains open under exhaust pressure, and the sealing component closes the drain port. The exhaust system is airtight and there is no exhaust leakage path. The muffler can perform its noise reduction function normally, and the exhaust back pressure of the whole vehicle is maintained within the design range, without adversely affecting the engine power output.

[0255] The overall exhaust performance of the exhaust system is not affected by the muffler drainage device. The muffler drainage device has a very small additional contribution to the exhaust back pressure and does not affect the engine's power characteristics and fuel economy.

[0256] In the exhaust system of this embodiment, the muffler has an integrated muffler drainage device. The mounting base 3 is fixed to the air inlet end of the muffler's outlet core tube 2, and the sealing block 7 of the sealing assembly corresponds to the drain port position at the bottom of the muffler housing 1.

[0257] When the exhaust system is working normally, the valve 6 of the muffler drain device remains open under exhaust pressure, and the sealing component closes the drain port. The exhaust system is airtight and there is no exhaust leakage path. The muffler can perform its noise reduction function normally, and the exhaust back pressure of the whole vehicle is maintained within the design range, without adversely affecting the engine power output.

[0258] In the pure electric mode of a hybrid vehicle, the engine is off, the exhaust system does not produce exhaust airflow, and the muffler is in a static cooling state.

[0259] When the ambient temperature is above 0℃, after the engine stops, the temperature control plate 10 maintains the locked state of the rotating shaft 8, the muffler drainage device remains sealed, and external dust and impurities cannot enter the muffler from the drain port, protecting the sound-absorbing material and sound-absorbing structure inside the muffler from pollution and maintaining the long-term noise reduction effect of the muffler.

[0260] In low-temperature winter conditions, after the hybrid vehicle engine stops and the ambient temperature is not higher than 0℃, the temperature control plate 10 releases the rotating shaft 8, and the muffler drainage device automatically opens the drain outlet under the action of the elastic element to discharge the condensate water accumulated in the muffler.

[0261] The timely drainage of condensate prevents it from freezing and forming ice blockage at low temperatures, ensuring that the exhaust system can work normally when the engine is started next time. The exhaust back pressure does not rise abnormally due to ice blockage, avoiding malfunctions such as reduced engine power and cracking of the muffler housing 1 caused by ice blockage.

[0262] In this embodiment, the exhaust system integrates a muffler drainage device, enabling automatic condensate management throughout the entire lifecycle of the exhaust system without any active control intervention, thus significantly improving the reliability and durability of the exhaust system.

[0263] The exhaust system does not require additional electronic control units, sensors, or actuators for the muffler drainage function, so the system complexity is not increased and the reliability of the vehicle's electrical system is not affected.

[0264] The muffler drainage device is integrated inside the muffler, without changing the external shape of the exhaust system, and without affecting the chassis passability and appearance of the vehicle. It is suitable as a standard configuration to be integrated into the exhaust system of various hybrid vehicles.

[0265] In this embodiment, the exhaust system only uses the muffler described in Embodiment 3. The rest of the exhaust system can be constructed using existing technology and will not be described in detail here.

[0266] Example 5 This embodiment provides a car equipped with the exhaust system described in Embodiment 4.

[0267] The automobile includes a body, chassis, power system and exhaust system. The exhaust system adopts the exhaust system described in Example 4. The muffler of the exhaust system is equipped with a muffler drainage device.

[0268] Automobiles face a variety of complex operating conditions during actual use, including frequent start-stop conditions in the city, long-distance driving conditions on highways, extremely cold conditions in winter, and high-temperature conditions in summer. The muffler drainage device needs to work reliably under all of these conditions and achieve the correct state switching for the corresponding conditions.

[0269] The vehicles described in this embodiment are particularly suitable for hybrid vehicles, including but not limited to various hybrid architecture vehicles such as parallel hybrid, series hybrid, and plug-in hybrid, as well as pure electric range-extended vehicles that frequently start and stop in urban conditions.

[0270] Those skilled in the art can select the vehicle model to which the exhaust system is applied based on actual needs, and will not be described in detail here.

[0271] The integration of an exhaust system with a muffler drainage device into a vehicle significantly improves overall reliability and enhances the user experience. In low-temperature winter conditions, users no longer need to manually operate any components to prevent muffler ice blockage. The muffler drainage device automatically drains condensate without user intervention, drastically reducing the incidence of muffler ice blockage. This reduces problems such as difficulty starting the engine, reduced power, and muffler damage caused by ice blockage, lowering maintenance costs and minimizing negative driving experiences.

[0272] In urban environments with frequent start-stop conditions, cars accelerate, decelerate, stop, and restart frequently, resulting in high engine start-stop frequencies and frequent temperature and pressure changes inside the muffler.

[0273] The muffler drainage device responds quickly to exhaust pressure each time the engine starts, opening valve 6 and sealing the drain port with sealing components; each time the engine stops, it determines whether to release shaft 8 to open the drain port based on the ambient temperature at that time.

[0274] In urban environments where the ambient temperature is above 0°C, the temperature control plate 10 remains locked, and the drain outlet remains sealed to prevent dust from entering due to frequent opening and closing of the drain outlet.

[0275] In winter urban conditions, when the ambient temperature drops below 0℃, the muffler drain device will automatically open the drain outlet to discharge condensate after each engine shutdown, preventing condensate from accumulating and freezing, and ensuring that the exhaust system works normally when the engine is started next time.

[0276] Under long-distance highway driving conditions, the engine runs continuously for a long time, the exhaust pressure is stable, and the muffler drainage device keeps the valve disc 6 open and the drain port sealed for a long time. There is no problem of frequent switching, and the device works stably and reliably.

[0277] After a long-distance trip, if the engine is shut down and the ambient temperature is below 0°C (winter), the muffler drainage device automatically opens the drain outlet to discharge the condensate that has accumulated during the trip. The drainage volume may be large, but due to the large diameter of the drain outlet, the drainage speed is fast, completing the process in a short time. If the muffler is in a hot summer environment, the internal temperature is high, and the temperature control plate 10 is in a high-temperature bent state. The locking force on the rotating shaft 8 is reliable. Even as the muffler temperature slowly decreases after the engine is shut down, as long as the ambient temperature is above 0°C, the temperature control plate 10 will not release the rotating shaft 8, and the drain outlet remains sealed. This effectively prevents dust carried by hot outside air from entering the muffler through the drain outlet when the vehicle is parked in hot summer conditions.

[0278] In summer, the internal temperature of the muffler may reach a high level. The bimetallic structure of nickel-manganese alloy and nickel-iron alloy of the temperature control plate 10 has good thermal stability at high temperature. It does not cause material performance degradation or interlayer bonding failure due to high temperature, and can work reliably for a long time in high temperature environment.

[0279] After parking in summer, as long as the ambient temperature is above 0℃, the overhanging end of the temperature control plate 10 will always be engaged in the slot 11, the rotating shaft 8 will remain locked, and the drain outlet will remain sealed to prevent external dust from entering the muffler.

[0280] In extremely cold environments, where ambient temperatures can drop as low as -40°C, the materials used in all components of the muffler's drainage system are designed to ensure normal operation even under these extreme low temperatures.

[0281] Specifically, the stainless steel mounting base 3, valve disc 6, and sealing block 7 do not become brittle at low temperatures. The brass rotating shaft 8 does not become too tight and jammed with the shaft seat 4 due to thermal shrinkage at low temperatures. The bimetallic structure of the nickel-manganese alloy and nickel-iron alloy of the temperature control plate 10 can generate sufficient bending deformation at low temperatures, allowing the pointed overhanging end to reliably disengage from the slot 11, releasing the rotating shaft 8 and driving the drain outlet to open. The stainless steel torsion spring 5 does not significantly reduce its elasticity at low temperatures, reliably driving the rotating shaft 8 to rotate and complete the opening action of the drain outlet.

[0282] In extremely cold conditions, the drainage action of the muffler's drainage device is particularly important to prevent ice blockage. The design of the large-diameter drain outlet allows condensate to be discharged quickly in a short time, avoiding freezing at the drain outlet due to slow drainage speed at extremely low ambient temperatures.

[0283] After the vehicle in this embodiment is equipped with the exhaust system described in Embodiment 4, its reliability in low-temperature winter environments is significantly improved, the failure rate of muffler ice blockage is greatly reduced, the engine can quickly establish normal exhaust back pressure after starting in winter, the power output is not affected by ice blockage, the muffler housing 1 does not crack due to excessive internal pressure caused by ice blockage, and the reliability and durability of the vehicle's exhaust system are improved.

[0284] The muffler drainage device is a purely mechanical structure, requiring no additional electronic control unit and not increasing the complexity of the vehicle's electrical system. The device itself has low maintenance costs, reducing the user's total lifecycle costs. Integrated within the muffler, it does not alter the vehicle's appearance or chassis clearance, making it suitable for mass production application as a standard feature on various hybrid vehicles.

[0285] In this embodiment, the vehicle is equipped with a muffler drainage device only on the muffler of the exhaust system. The muffler drainage device is a purely mechanical structure that does not require connection to the vehicle's controller or wiring harness. The introduction of the muffler drainage device has minimal impact on other systems of the vehicle.

[0286] The muffler drainage device does not require any interface connection with the vehicle's electrical system, does not occupy the vehicle controller's resources, does not increase the complexity of the vehicle's wiring harness, and does not increase the control difficulty of the vehicle.

[0287] The installation of the muffler drainage device only requires additional steps during the muffler manufacturing stage, such as welding the mounting base 3, machining the drainage outlet, and machining the notch for accommodating the rotation of the valve disc 6. It does not change the external mounting interface of the muffler, does not affect the arrangement of the surrounding components of the muffler, is fully compatible with the assembly process of the vehicle exhaust system, and has strong applicability.

[0288] The weight increase of the muffler drainage device is minimal, and its impact on the overall vehicle mass distribution and center of gravity is negligible.

[0289] From the perspective of overall vehicle NVH performance, the muffler drainage device completely seals the drain outlet when the engine is running, without generating additional exhaust leakage noise.

[0290] The drain outlet opens when the engine is off, but since the engine is already off and there is no exhaust noise source, opening the drain outlet does not affect the overall NVH performance of the vehicle.

[0291] The vehicle in this embodiment is equipped only with the exhaust system described in Embodiment 4. The rest of the vehicle structure can be constructed using existing technologies and will not be described in detail here.

[0292] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A silencer drainage device, characterized in that, The device includes a mounting base for fixing to the air inlet end of the muffler's outlet core tube. The mounting base has an opening with a valve disc at the opening. A rotating shaft is fixed to the bottom of the valve disc and is rotatably connected to a bearing fixed to the mounting base. The valve disc can rotate via the rotating shaft to switch between open and closed states. An elastic element is provided between the bearing and the valve disc or the rotating shaft. One end of the rotating shaft is connected to a sealing assembly that matches the drain port on the muffler housing. The rotating shaft can drive the sealing assembly to switch between open and closed states of the drain port. The bearing is also connected to one end of a temperature control plate, and the other end of the temperature control plate can be engaged in a slot provided on the rotating shaft surface. The temperature control element can deform when the ambient temperature changes to switch between being engaged in and disengaged from the slot.

2. The silencer drainage device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature control sheet includes an upper sheet and a lower sheet, wherein the coefficient of thermal expansion of the upper sheet is higher than that of the lower sheet.

3. A silencer drainage device as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The upper layer is made of nickel-manganese alloy, and the lower layer is made of nickel-iron alloy.

4. A silencer drainage device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The valve disc includes a blocking part and a fitting part disposed at the edge of the blocking part. The fitting part is used to fit against the inner side of the mounting base, and the blocking part adopts an arc-shaped structure that bulges towards the direction of incoming air.

5. A silencer drainage device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Both the mounting base and the valve disc are made of stainless steel.

6. A silencer drainage device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The shaft is made of brass.

7. A silencer drainage device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The bearing includes a first bearing portion and a second bearing portion located at both ends of the first bearing portion. The rotating shaft is located between the two second bearing portions and is rotatably connected to the second bearing portions. A connecting portion is provided between the outer ends of the second bearing portions. The connecting portion is fixedly connected to the bottom of the mounting base. The temperature control plate is fixed to the first bearing portion.

8. A silencer drainage device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the valve disc is integrally provided with a rotating shaft connection part, which is fixedly connected to the axial surface of the rotating shaft.

9. A silencer drainage device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The elastic element is a torsion spring that is sleeved on the outer circumference of the rotating shaft. One torsion arm of the torsion spring is fixedly connected to the shaft seat, and the other torsion arm of the torsion spring is fixedly connected to the valve disc.

10. A silencer drainage device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, One end of the temperature control element is fixedly connected to the shaft seat, and the other end of the temperature control element adopts a pointed structure.

11. A silencer drainage device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The sealing assembly includes a connecting rod, one end of which is fixed to one side of the rotating shaft, and the other end of which is connected to a sealing block that matches the drain outlet on the muffler housing.

12. A silencer drainage device as described in claim 11, characterized in that, The sealing block is made of stainless steel.

13. A silencer drainage device as described in claim 11, characterized in that, The bottom surface of the sealing block is provided with a flexible sealing gasket.

14. A method of operating the silencer drainage device according to any one of claims 1-13, characterized in that: When the engine is running normally, under the action of exhaust pressure, the valve disc overcomes the elastic force of the elastic element and rotates with the shaft, opening the opening of the mounting seat to realize exhaust, while the sealing component seals the drain port set in the muffler housing. When the engine stops, if the ambient temperature is higher than 0℃, the end of the temperature control plate is stuck in the groove of the rotating shaft, the rotating shaft cannot rotate, the valve disc remains open to the opening, and the sealing assembly closes the drain port of the muffler housing. When the engine stops, if the ambient temperature is not higher than 0℃, the temperature control plate will bend and deform, and the end of the temperature control plate will disengage from the slot. Under the action of the elastic force of the elastic element, the shaft will rotate, and the sealing assembly will open the drain port provided in the muffler housing, and the condensate in the muffler will be discharged through the drain port.

15. A silencer, characterized in that, The muffler is provided with a drainage device as described in any one of claims 1-13, wherein the mounting base of the muffler drainage device is fixed to the air inlet end of the muffler outlet core tube, and the position of the sealing component corresponds to the position of the drain outlet provided on the muffler housing.

16. The silencer as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that, The mounting base is fixed to the air inlet end of the muffler's outlet core tube by resistance welding.

17. An exhaust system, characterized in that, The muffler as described in claim 15 is provided.

18. A car, characterized in that, The system is equipped with the exhaust system as described in claim 17.

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