Tube support structure

Abstract

To provide a technique for restraining damage in a structure supporting a pipe inserted into an outer member.SOLUTION: The pipe supporting structure comprises: a pipe; an outer member into which an end part of the pipe is inserted; and a supporting member arranged inside the outer member, and supporting the pipe. The supporting member comprises a hole forming part, two joint parts, and a low-rigidity part. In the hole forming part, an insertion hole into which the pipe is inserted is formed. The two joint parts are arranged across the insertion hole, and joined to the outer member or a member fixed to the outer member. The low-rigidity part extends in a direction intersecting with a direction in which the two joint parts are arranged, and is constituted so as to have lower rigidity than that of at least the hole forming part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to tube support structures. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a muffler configured so that an inlet pipe inserted laterally into an outer casing member is supported by a support member fixed inside the outer casing member. The support member includes a cylindrical portion into which the inlet pipe is inserted, and long, plate-like flange portions that are continuous with the cylindrical portion and extend in opposite directions, and are provided with ribs to increase rigidity, and the ends of the flange portions are joined to the inner surface of the outer casing member. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-115799 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, with the support member described above, when an external force due to vibrations from the internal combustion engine is transmitted to the support member via the inlet pipe, stress tends to concentrate at the end of the flange, which is the joint between the outer shell member and the support member. As a result, as the stress increases, the strength of the joint decreases, causing damage to the muffler.

[0005] An object of one aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a technique for suppressing damage to a structure that supports a tube inserted into an outer shell member. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure is a pipe support structure comprising a pipe, an outer shell member, and a support member, wherein the support member comprises a hole forming portion, two joint portions, and a low-rigidity portion. The outer shell member has an end portion into which the pipe is inserted. The support member is disposed inside the outer shell member and supports the pipe. The hole forming portion has an insertion hole into which the pipe is inserted. The two joint portions are disposed with the insertion hole between them and are joined to the outer shell member or a member fixed to the outer shell member. The low-rigidity portion extends in a direction intersecting the direction in which the two joint portions are aligned, and is configured to have at least lower rigidity than the hole forming portion.

[0007] In this configuration, the support member has a low-rigidity section that extends in a direction intersecting the direction in which the two joints are aligned. Therefore, when an external force is applied to the pipe or the outer shell member, the low-rigidity section elastically deforms. This reduces the concentration of stress generated in the support member by the external force at the joint. This prevents a decrease in the strength of the joints in the support member, thereby preventing damage to the pipe support structure that supports the pipe inserted into the outer shell member.

[0008] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the pipe may be an inlet pipe that introduces exhaust gas into the outer shell member. The outer shell member may be a muffler shell configured to cover a silencing space in a silencer. With this configuration, even when vibrations from the internal combustion engine are transmitted to the support member via the inlet pipe, the low-rigidity portion can elastically deform to absorb the vibrations. This can mitigate the concentration of stresses generated in the support member due to the vibrations at the joints.

[0009] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the support member may be a plate-shaped member. The low-rigidity portion may have a U-shaped cross section perpendicular to the plane of the hole formation portion, which is configured as a flat plate. With this configuration, the low-rigidity portion can be easily obtained by bending a portion of the support member into a U shape and providing a groove extending in a direction intersecting the direction in which the two joints are arranged.

[0010] One embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a high-rigidity section disposed between one of at least two joints and the low-rigidity section, the high-rigidity section being configured to have higher rigidity than at least the hole-forming section. In this configuration, the support member includes a low-rigidity section and a high-rigidity section disposed between the low-rigidity section and the joint. This makes the high-rigidity section less susceptible to elastic deformation, suppressing deformation of the high-rigidity section even when a load is applied to the hole-forming section, for example, and making it difficult for the joint to move in a direction that would cause it to peel away from the outer shell member or a member fixed to the outer shell member. This can also suppress peeling of the joint, even in the high-rigidity section. This further suppresses a decrease in the strength of the joint in the support member, thereby making it less likely to break.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the high-rigidity portion may have a bent portion that connects one of at least two joints and the low-rigidity portion, and a rib that is provided at the bent portion and suppresses deformation. In this configuration, the high-rigidity portion can be easily obtained by providing the bent portion and the rib between the low-rigidity portion and the joint in the support member. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a silencer in which a muffler is transparently shown. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an end view showing a cut portion taken along line III-III in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a modified example of a silencer including a muffler formed by an upper shell and an undershell. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a plan view of the silencer shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an end view showing a cut portion taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 6. [Figure 8] 10 is a perspective view showing a modified example of a support member having low-rigidity portions formed by a plurality of through holes. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. [1. Configuration] 1 and 2 is mounted on a vehicle and provided in an exhaust flow path from the vehicle engine. The silencer 100 includes a muffler 1, a muffler pipe 2, an attachment member 3, a support member 4, and an outlet pipe 5.

[0014] The muffler 1 is a device that reduces exhaust noise. A silencing space 101 is formed inside the muffler 1. The muffler 1 exhibits a silencing effect by causing exhaust gas to pass through multiple chambers formed inside the muffler 1 by dividing the silencing space 101. In this embodiment, the muffler 1 has an elliptical cylindrical shape. That is, the cross section of the muffler 1 perpendicular to the central axis of the muffler 1 has a substantially elliptical shape. The shape of the muffler is not limited, and for example, the muffler may have a cylindrical shape with a substantially circular cross section. The muffler 1 is made of metal, such as stainless steel.

[0015] In the following description, the direction along the major axis in the cross section of muffler 1 is referred to as the major axis direction, and the direction along the minor axis in the cross section is referred to as the minor axis direction. Furthermore, regions extending along the major axis direction on the side surface of muffler 1 are referred to as major axis regions 11a and 11b, and regions extending along the minor axis direction on the side surface are referred to as minor axis regions 11c and 11d. In other words, the side surface of muffler 1 has two major axis regions 11a and 11b and two minor axis regions 11c and 11d. The two major axis regions 11a and 11b face each other in the minor axis direction, and the two minor axis regions 11c and 11d face each other in the major axis direction.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 2, the muffler 1 includes a muffler shell 11, a first end plate 12, a second end plate 13, a first separator 14, and a second separator 15. The muffler shell 11 is a cylindrical member having a substantially elliptical cross section perpendicular to the central axis of the muffler 1, and having openings at a first end 111 and a second end 112. The muffler shell 11 is configured to cover the side surface of the silencing space 101. In other words, the muffler shell 11 constitutes the side surface of the muffler 1. Therefore, the above-mentioned major axis regions 11a, 11b and minor axis regions 11c, 11d are formed on the outer surface of the muffler shell 11. The shape of the muffler shell is not limited, and for example, the muffler shell may be a cylindrical member having a substantially circular cross section. The muffler shell may also be formed by bending a single rectangular plate-like member into a cylindrical shape. The muffler shell may also be formed of plate-like members arranged in a single layer, or may also be formed of plate-like members arranged in multiple layers (for example, double layers).

[0017] The muffler shell 11 has a shell insertion hole 113 penetrating the muffler shell 11. In this embodiment, the shell insertion hole 113 is provided in the center of the muffler 1 in the central axial direction, in the minor diameter region 11c of the muffler 1. The position at which the shell insertion hole is provided is not limited. For example, the shell insertion hole may be provided in the major diameter regions 11a, 11b of the muffler 1, or may be provided so as to cover both the minor diameter regions 11c, 11d and the major diameter regions 11a, 11b. As shown in FIG. 3 , a burring process is performed on a portion of the muffler shell 11 surrounding the shell insertion hole 113, protruding outward from the muffler shell 11. In other words, the muffler shell 11 has a wall-shaped portion extending along the edge of the shell insertion hole 113 and a shell connection portion 114 protruding outward from the muffler 1. A muffler pipe 2, which will be described later, is inserted into the shell insertion hole 113. At this time, the shell connecting portion 114 is joined to the outer surface of the muffler pipe 2 and supports the muffler pipe 2 .

[0018] 2, first end plate 12 and second end plate 13 are generally elliptical cover members that cover openings at both end portions of muffler shell 11, and are arranged facing each other. First end plate 12 covers the opening at first end portion 111, and second end plate 13 covers the opening at second end portion 112. Second end plate 13 has a hole that penetrates second end plate 13 and to which outlet pipe 5, which will be described later, is connected.

[0019] The first separator 14 and the second separator 15 are disposed inside the muffler shell 11 and are plate-shaped members that divide the interior of the muffler shell 11 into multiple chambers. That is, the first separator 14 and the second separator 15 are members that divide the silencing space 101. In this embodiment, the first separator 14 and the second separator 15 have a substantially elliptical shape. The first separator 14 is disposed facing the first end plate 12 and substantially parallel to the first end plate 12. The second separator 15 is located between the first separator 14 and the second end plate 13 and is disposed facing the second end plate 13 and substantially parallel to the second end plate 13. The number of separators is not limited to two, and one or three or more separators may be disposed.

[0020] A connecting portion 141 is provided on the edge of the first separator 14. The connecting portion 141 is a wall-like portion that surrounds the outer edge of the first separator 14. The edge of the first separator 14 is bent into an L-shape, and this bent portion corresponds to the connecting portion 141. The connecting portion 141 protrudes from the edge of the first separator 14 along the muffler shell 11 toward the first end plate 12. The second separator 15 is configured similarly to the first separator 14, and has a connecting portion 151 provided on its edge. The connecting portion 151 protrudes toward the second end plate 13. The protruding direction of the connecting portion is not limited, and it may protrude in the opposite direction to the above-mentioned direction. The connecting portion 141 of the first separator 14 and the connecting portion 151 of the second separator 15 are joined to the inside of the muffler shell 11 by, for example, welding or crimping. Each of these connecting portions 141, 151 may be configured as a plurality of wall-like portions.

[0021] The first separator 14 and the second separator 15 are provided with holes penetrating the first separator 14 and the second separator 15. In the example shown in Fig. 2, the first separator 14 and the second separator 15 are each provided with two holes, and the centers of the two holes in each separator 14, 15 are at the same position when viewed from the end of the muffler shell 11 in the longitudinal direction. Intermediate pipes (not shown) that are disposed inside the muffler shell 11 and extend in the central axis direction of the muffler 1 are inserted into these holes, and the intermediate pipes connect the spaces partitioned by the first separator 14 and the second separator 15.

[0022] The muffler pipe 2 is a pipe made of metal, for example, stainless steel, and introduces exhaust gas emitted from the internal combustion engine into the muffler 1. The muffler pipe 2 is inserted into the muffler 1 by inserting one end into the shell insertion hole 113. In this embodiment, the end of the muffler pipe 2 is located in a central space 102 sandwiched between the first separator 14 and the second separator 15. In this embodiment, the muffler pipe 2 is arranged so as to protrude obliquely from the minor diameter region 11c of the muffler 1. Note that when only one separator is arranged inside the muffler shell 11, the end of the muffler pipe 2 is located in the space sandwiched between that separator and the first end plate 12, or the space sandwiched between that separator and the second end plate 13.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 3 , the muffler pipe 2 includes an inlet pipe 21 and an inner pipe 22. One end of the inner pipe 22 is connected to the shell insertion hole 113, and the other end is disposed in the central space 102. On the other hand, one end of the inlet pipe 21 is connected to the shell insertion hole 113 and protrudes outward from the shell insertion hole 113. That is, one end of the inlet pipe 21 and one end of the inner pipe 22 are connected inside the shell connecting portion 114. In this embodiment, the inlet pipe 21 and the inner pipe 22 overlap each other so that the inlet pipe 21 is located inside the inner pipe 22. That is, the overlapping portion of the inlet pipe 21 and the inner pipe 22 is connected inside the shell connecting portion 114. Note that the configuration of the muffler pipe is not limited thereto. For example, the muffler pipe may be configured as a single pipe. Furthermore, for example, the inlet pipe may overlap the inner pipe so that the inlet pipe is located outside the inner pipe.

[0024] The attachment member 3 shown in Figures 2 and 3 is a rectangular plate-shaped member with an attachment insertion hole 31 formed in the center. The attachment member 3 is also called a patch. The attachment member 3 is placed along the outer surface of the muffler shell 11 while covering the periphery of the shell insertion hole 113. At this time, the shell connection part 114 is inserted into the attachment insertion hole 31. The muffler pipe 2 is inserted into the attachment insertion hole 31.

[0025] The attachment member 3 is fixed by welding to the outer surface of the muffler shell 11. The attachment member 3 has an attachment connection portion 32, which is a wall-like portion extending along the edge of the attachment insertion hole 31 and protrudes toward the outside of the muffler 1, in a portion surrounding the attachment insertion hole 31. The attachment connection portion 32 may be formed by burring. The attachment connection portion 32 is connected to the inside of the shell connection portion 114 inserted into the attachment insertion hole 31.

[0026] As described above, the muffler pipe 2 having the inlet pipe 21 and the inner pipe 22 is disposed inside the shell connection portion 114. That is, the overlapping portion of the inlet pipe 21 and the inner pipe 22, the shell connection portion 114, and the adhesive connection portion 32 are disposed in an overlapping state, and are joined by full-circumference welding or welding at only a few locations. In this way, the adhesive connection portion 32 and the muffler pipe 2 are fixed.

[0027] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the support member 4 is a rectangular plate-like member and is arranged inside the muffler shell 11. The plate-like member referred to here refers to a member having at least a main portion that is thin and flat, and the plate-like member may include a portion that is not flat. The support member 4 is also called a stay. The support member 4 is arranged in the central space 102 facing the shell insertion hole 113. The support member 4 is arranged from the inside of the major axis region 11a to the inside of the minor axis region 11c of the muffler shell 11. The support member 4 has a hole forming portion 41, a first joint portion 42, a second joint portion 43, a low rigidity portion 44, and a high rigidity portion 45.

[0028] The hole forming portion 41 is a rectangular, flat plate-shaped portion having a support insertion hole 411 at its center, which passes through the hole forming portion 41. A support connection portion 412 is a wall-shaped portion extending along the edge of the support insertion hole 411 and protruding toward the shell insertion hole 113 in the portion of the support member 4 surrounding the support insertion hole 411. The inner pipe 22 of the muffler pipe 2 is arranged in a state where it is inserted into the support insertion hole 411. At this time, the outer surface of the muffler pipe 2 is supported by the support connection portion 412. The direction in which the support connection portion protrudes is not limited, and for example, the support connection portion may protrude toward the side opposite the shell insertion hole 113. The support connection portion may also be configured as a plurality of wall-shaped portions.

[0029] The first joint portion 42 and the second joint portion 43 are disposed with the support insertion hole 411 therebetween and are portions that join to the muffler shell 11. The first joint portion 42 and the second joint portion 43 are provided at end portions that are parallel to each other on the support member 4 and each extend toward the side opposite to the shell insertion hole 113. The first joint portion 42 and the second joint portion 43 each have a flat surface that abuts against the muffler shell 11. The first joint portion 42 is joined to the inside of the long diameter region 11a of the muffler shell 11, and the second joint portion 43 is joined to the inside of the short diameter region 11c. The first joint portion 42 and the second joint portion 43 are each joined to the inside of the muffler shell 11 by spot welding at multiple locations. The end of the support member 4 where the first joint 42 and the second joint 43 are not provided, i.e., the outer peripheral portion of the support member 4 that faces either the first separator 14, the second separator 15, the first end plate 12, or the second end plate 13, is not joined to any of the first separator 14, the second separator 15, the first end plate 12, or the second end plate 13, and a gap is provided.

[0030] The low-rigidity portion 44 is a portion of the support member 4 configured to have lower rigidity than at least the hole forming portion 41. The low-rigidity portion 44 is prone to elastic deformation when an external force is applied to the support member 4. In this embodiment, the low-rigidity portion 44 is a groove extending along a direction intersecting the direction in which the first bonding portion 42 and the second bonding portion 43 are aligned. Here, the aligned direction is the first direction shown in FIG. 4 , and the intersecting direction is the second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The intersecting direction may include a direction other than the direction perpendicular to the first direction. In other words, the low-rigidity portion 44 is an elongated recess that protrudes from the plane of the hole forming portion 41 toward the side opposite the shell insertion hole 113 and extends along the second direction. The low-rigidity portion 44 has a U-shaped curved cross section perpendicular to the plane of the hole forming portion 41. The cross section perpendicular to the plane of the hole forming portion 41 is a cross section of a plane whose normal is the second direction. In other words, the cross section perpendicular to the plane of the hole forming portion 41 is a cross section taken along a plane that is perpendicular to the plane of the hole forming portion 41 and extends along the first direction. In this embodiment, a total of two low-rigidity portions 44 are provided between the first joint portion 42 and the support insertion hole 411, and between the second joint portion 43 and the support insertion hole 411. Furthermore, as described above, the support member 4 is provided with a gap between the first separator 14, the second separator 15, the first end plate 12 and the second end plate 13 at the end where the first joint 42 and the second joint 43 are not provided, and therefore elastic deformation in the direction connecting the first joint 42 and the second joint 43 is facilitated.

[0031] The high-rigidity portion 45 is a portion of the support member 4 configured to have higher rigidity than at least the hole formation portion 41. The high-rigidity portion 45 is less likely to elastically deform even when an external force is applied to the support member 4. The high-rigidity portion 45 has a bent portion 46 and multiple ribs 451. The bent portion 46 is a bent portion connecting the first joint portion 42 and the low-rigidity portion 44, and connecting the second joint portion 43 and the low-rigidity portion 44. The bent portion 46 extends along the second direction. The cross section of the bent portion 46 perpendicular to the plane of the hole formation portion 41 may have a U-shaped curve, or the cross section perpendicular to the plane of the hole formation portion 41 may have a sharp L-shaped curve, for example. Note that the cross section perpendicular to the plane of the hole formation portion 41 is a cross section of a plane whose normal direction is the second direction. The multiple ribs 451 are provided at intervals on the bent portion 46 along the second direction. In this embodiment, there are provided four ribs 451. The ribs 451 are formed so as to be convex in the direction opposite to the direction in which the bent portion 46 is convex, and have a substantially quadrangular pyramid shape.

[0032] The outlet pipe 5 is a pipe made of metal, for example, stainless steel, and discharges exhaust gas that has passed through the muffler 1. The outlet pipe 5 is arranged so as to protrude straight from the second end plate 13 described above.

[0033] [2.Effects] According to the embodiment described above in detail, the following effects can be obtained. (2a) In this embodiment, the support member 4 includes low-rigidity portions 44 that are disposed between the first joint portion 42 and the support insertion hole 411 and between the second joint portion 43 and the support insertion hole 411 and extend along the second direction. Therefore, even when vibrations from the internal combustion engine are transmitted to the support member 4 via the muffler pipe 2, the low-rigidity portions 44 can absorb the vibrations by elastically deforming. That is, compared to a support member that does not have a mechanism for absorbing vibrations from the muffler pipe 2, the vibrations are less likely to be transmitted to the first joint portion 42 and the second joint portion 43. This reduces the likelihood of stress, which tends to concentrate at the first joint portion 42 and the second joint portion 43 in the support member 4 due to the vibrations, concentrating at the first joint portion 42 and the second joint portion 43. That is, the elastic deformation of the low-rigidity portions 44 can alleviate the concentration of stresses generated in the support member 4 due to the vibrations at the first joint portion 42 and the second joint portion 43. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the strength of the joint between the support member 4 and the muffler shell 11, and as a result, it is possible to make the silencer 100 less susceptible to breakage.

[0034] (2b) In this embodiment, the low-rigidity portion 44 is a groove extending along the second direction, and is configured so that the cross section perpendicular to the plane of the hole formation portion 41 has a U-shaped curved shape. Therefore, the low-rigidity portion 44 can be easily obtained by processing a portion of the flat plate of the hole formation portion 41 of the support member 4 so that it is curved in a U-shape.

[0035] (2c) In this embodiment, the support member 4 includes, in addition to the low rigidity portion 44, a high rigidity portion 45 disposed between the low rigidity portion 44 and the first and second joint portions 42 and 43. As a result, the high rigidity portion 45 is less likely to elastically deform, and therefore deformation of the high rigidity portion 45 is suppressed even when a load is applied to the hole forming portion 41, making it possible to make the first and second joint portions 42 and 43 less likely to move in a direction that would cause them to peel off from the muffler shell 11. Therefore, even in the high rigidity portion 45, peeling of the joint portion with the muffler shell 11 can be suppressed. This therefore further improves the strength of the joint portion of the support member 4 with the muffler shell 11, making it less likely to break.

[0036] (2d) In this embodiment, the high-rigidity portion 45 is configured by a bent portion 46 between the low-rigidity portion 44 and the second joint portion 43, and a plurality of ribs 451 arranged in the bent portion 46. Therefore, the high-rigidity portion 45 can be easily obtained by processing to provide the bent portion 46 and the ribs 451. In this embodiment, the muffler pipe 2 corresponds to an example of a pipe, the muffler shell 11 corresponds to an example of an outer shell member, and the silencer 100 corresponds to an example of a pipe support structure.

[0037] 3. Other Embodiments Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, it goes without saying that the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can take on various forms.

[0038] (3a) In the above embodiment, the muffler 1 has an elliptical cylindrical shape, but the shape of the muffler is not limited thereto. For example, a muffler 1a having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape may be provided, as in the noise reduction device 100a shown in FIGS. 5 to 7. The noise reduction device 100a includes a muffler 1a and an inlet pipe 21a. The muffler 1a has an upper shell 110 and an undershell 120. For convenience of explanation, the side on which the upper shell 110 is disposed is referred to as the upper side, the side on which the undershell 120 is disposed is referred to as the lower side, the side on which the inlet pipe 21a is disposed is referred to as the left side, and the side opposite to the side on which the inlet pipe 21a is disposed is referred to as the right side. However, the orientation in which the muffler 1a is disposed is not limited thereto. The upper shell 110 is a member with one open side that covers the silencing space 101a from above. That is, the upper shell 110 forms the top surface of the muffler 1a and part of the side surfaces in the left-right and front-rear directions. The undershell 120 is a member with one open side that covers the silencing space 101a from below, and is disposed below the upper shell 110 so as to face the upper shell 110. That is, the undershell 120 forms the bottom surface of the muffler 1a and part of the side surfaces in the left-right and front-rear directions.

[0039] The upper shell 110 has an upper connection portion 110a, which is a wall-like portion that extends along the edge of the opening and protrudes outward, in the portion surrounding the opening. The undershell 120 also has an under connection portion 120a. The upper shell 110 and the undershell 120 are combined so that their openings face each other, and the upper connection portion 110a and the under connection portion 120a are joined together to form the silencing space 101a.

[0040] Furthermore, semicircular grooves are formed on the left side surfaces of the upper shell 110 and the undershell 120. As described above, when the upper shell 110 and the undershell 120 are combined, the semicircular grooves fit together to form the shell insertion hole 113a, into which the inlet pipe 21a is inserted. One end of the inlet pipe 21a is inserted into the shell insertion hole 113a. The end of the inlet pipe 21a located within the silencing space 101a is inserted into the support insertion hole 411 of the support member 4 described above, which is disposed within the silencing space 101a, and is supported by the support member 4.

[0041] (3b) In the above embodiment, the low-rigidity portion 44 is a groove extending along the second direction and configured so that a cross section perpendicular to the plane of the hole formation portion 41 has a U-shaped curved shape. However, the configuration of the low-rigidity portion is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 8 , the support member 4b may have a low-rigidity portion 44b configured by providing multiple through holes 441 that penetrate the plane of the hole formation portion 41b at intervals along the second direction. The portion where the multiple through holes 441 are provided along the second direction has lower rigidity than at least the hole formation portion 41b. Therefore, when an external force is applied to the support member 4b, elastic deformation is likely to occur. This can mitigate the concentration of stress generated in the support member 4b by the external force at the first joint portion 42 and the second joint portion 43. Furthermore, for example, the low-rigidity portion may be configured by providing a portion extending along the second direction that is thinner than the hole formation portion. In the case of such a configuration, similar to the configuration in which the plurality of through holes 441 are provided, the concentration of stress on the first and second joint portions can be alleviated by elastic deformation.

[0042] (3c) In the above embodiment, the high-rigidity portion 45 is configured by the bent portion 46 and a plurality of ribs 451 arranged in the bent portion 46. However, the configuration of the high-rigidity portion is not limited to this. For example, the high-rigidity portion may be configured by providing a portion with a thick plate thickness in the bent portion so as to extend along the second direction. Also, for example, the high-rigidity portion may be configured to have a thickness by, for example, attaching a reinforcing member having a thickness and length to the bent portion along the second direction.

[0043] (3d) In the above embodiment, the low-rigidity portion 44 and the high-rigidity portion 45 of the support member 4 are provided on both the first joining portion 42 side and the second joining portion 43 side, with the support insertion hole 411 sandwiched therebetween. However, the configuration of the support member is not limited to this. For example, the low-rigidity portion 44 and the high-rigidity portion 45 may be provided only on either the first joining portion 42 side or the second joining portion 43 side of the support member. Alternatively, the low-rigidity portion 44 may be provided on both the first joining portion 42 side and the second joining portion 43 side of the support member, and the high-rigidity portion 45 may be provided only on either the first joining portion 42 side or the second joining portion 43 side of the support member. Alternatively, the high-rigidity portion 45 may be provided on both the first joining portion 42 side and the second joining portion 43 side of the support member, and the low-rigidity portion 44 may be provided only on either the first joining portion 42 side or the second joining portion 43 side of the support member. Furthermore, for example, the support member may be configured without the high-rigidity portion 45, that is, may be configured with only the low-rigidity portion 44.

[0044] (3e) In the above embodiment, four ribs 451 having a substantially quadrangular pyramidal shape are arranged in the second direction on the bending portion 46, but the shape of the ribs, the number of the ribs, and the positions at which the ribs are arranged are not limited to this. Also, for example, the shape of the ribs, the number of the ribs, and the positions at which the ribs are arranged may be different between the first joint side and the second joint side of the support member.

[0045] (3f) In the above embodiment, the support member 4 supports the muffler pipe 2 having the inlet pipe 21, but what the support member supports is not limited to this. For example, the support member may support an outlet pipe.

[0046] (3g) In the above embodiment, the pipe support structure including the support member 4 is illustrated as a silencer 100, but the use of the pipe support structure is not limited to this. For example, the support member 4 may be included in a device that supports a pipe through which a liquid flows that is inserted inside an outer shell member. Even in such a device, when an external force is applied to the pipe, stress that tends to concentrate at the first joint 42 and the second joint 43 in the support member 4 can be alleviated by elastic deformation of the low rigidity portion 44. Therefore, the strength of the joints in the support member 4 can be improved, making them less susceptible to breakage. (3h) In the above embodiment, a configuration in which the first joint portion 42 and the second joint portion 43 are joined to the muffler shell 11 has been illustrated, but the locations to which the first joint portion 42 and the second joint portion 43 of the support member 4 are joined are not limited to this. For example, the first joint portion 42 and the second joint portion 43 may be joined to other members fixed to the muffler shell 11. Specifically, for example, the first joint portion 42 and the second joint portion 43 may be joined to the first separator 14 and the second separator 15.

[0047] (3i) The function of one component in the above embodiments may be distributed among multiple components, or the functions of multiple components may be integrated into one component. Also, part of the configuration of the above embodiments may be omitted. Furthermore, at least part of the configuration of the above embodiments may be added to or substituted for the configuration of another of the above embodiments. All aspects included in the technical idea identified by the wording of the claims are embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0048] [Technical idea disclosed in this specification] [Item 1] A pipe support structure comprising: a pipe; an outer shell member into which an end of the pipe is inserted; and a support member disposed inside the outer shell member and supporting the pipe, The support member is a hole forming portion having an insertion hole into which the pipe is inserted; two joining portions disposed with the insertion hole therebetween and joined to the outer member or a member fixed to the outer member; a low-rigidity portion extending along a direction intersecting the direction in which the two joint portions are arranged and configured to have lower rigidity than at least the hole formation portion; A tube support structure comprising:

[0049] [Item 2] Item 1, the tube support structure, The tube support structure is a sound absorbing device, the pipe is an inlet pipe that introduces exhaust gas into the outer shell member, The pipe support structure, wherein the outer shell member is a muffler shell configured to cover a silencing space in the silencer.

[0050] [Item 3] The tube support structure according to item 1 or 2, the support member is a plate-shaped member, The low-rigidity portion has a cross section perpendicular to the plane of the hole forming portion, which is configured as a flat plate, that is curved in a U-shape.

[0051] [Item 4] The tube support structure according to any one of items 1 to 3, The pipe support structure further comprises a high-rigidity portion disposed between at least one of the two joint portions and the low-rigidity portion, and configured to have higher rigidity than at least the hole forming portion.

[0052] [Item 5] Item 4, a tube support structure, The high rigidity portion has a bent portion that connects at least one of the two joints and the low rigidity portion, and a rib that is provided at the bent portion and suppresses deformation. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 1a... Muffler, 2... Muffler pipe, 3... Adhesive member, 4, 4b... Support member, 5... Outlet pipe, 11... Muffler shell, 11a, 11b... Long diameter region, 11c, 11d... Short diameter region, 12... First end plate, 13... Second end plate, 14... First separator, 15... Second separator, 21, 21a... Inlet pipe, 22... Inner pipe, 31... Adhesive insertion hole, 32... Adhesive connection portion, 41, 41b... Hole forming portion, 42... First joint portion, 43... Second joint portion , 44,44b...low rigidity portion, 45...high rigidity portion, 46...bent portion, 100,100a...silencer, 101,101a...silencer space, 102...central space, 110...upper shell, 110a...upper connection portion, 111...first end, 112...second end, 113,113a...shell insertion hole, 114...shell connection portion, 120...under shell, 120a...under connection portion, 141,151...connection portion, 411...support insertion hole, 412...support connection portion, 441...through hole, 451...rib.

Claims

1. A pipe support structure comprising: a pipe; an outer shell member into which an end of the pipe is inserted; and a support member disposed inside the outer shell member and supporting the pipe, The support member is a hole forming portion having an insertion hole into which the pipe is inserted; two joining portions disposed with the insertion hole therebetween and joined to the outer member or a member fixed to the outer member; a low-rigidity portion extending along a second direction intersecting a first direction in which the two joint portions are aligned and configured to have lower rigidity than at least the hole forming portion; a high-rigidity portion disposed between at least one of the two joining portions and the low-rigidity portion, the high-rigidity portion having a higher rigidity than at least the hole forming portion; A tube support structure comprising:

2. 10. The tube support structure of claim 1, The high rigidity portion has a bent portion that connects at least one of the two joint portions and the low rigidity portion, and a rib that is provided at the bent portion and suppresses deformation.

3. A tube support structure as described in claim 2, The rib has a dimension in the first direction that is substantially the same as a dimension in the second direction.

4. A pipe support structure according to claim 2 or claim 3, A pipe support structure, wherein the high rigidity portion has at least three ribs as the ribs, the ribs being provided at equal intervals at the bent portion along the second direction.

5. 4. The tube support structure according to claim 1, The tube support structure is a sound absorbing device, the pipe is an inlet pipe that introduces exhaust gas into the outer shell member, The pipe support structure, wherein the outer shell member is a muffler shell configured to cover a silencing space in the silencer.

6. 4. The tube support structure according to claim 1, the support member is a plate-shaped member, The low-rigidity portion has a cross section perpendicular to the plane of the hole forming portion, which is configured as a flat plate, that is curved in a U-shape.

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