Exhaust system and muffler with reversible end-caps

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/982,254 filed Oct. 24, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The invention relates to exhaust systems, and more particularly to an exhaust system with a muffler with reversible end-caps.

Exhaust systems are generally provided for internal combustion engines to guide waste gases away from the engine. These systems typically direct waste gases through an inlet tube to a muffler to silence the noise of the escaping exhaust gases, before they are expelled from a tailpipe. Standard muffler designs have a fixed tailpipe position that does not allow end users to change the direction that exhaust exits from the muffler. “Reversible” mufflers are known in the art that allow for a user to switch the direction of exhaust flow from the muffler, by changing the manner in which the muffler is mounted to an application. These mufflers may be flipped over before mounting on an application to change which side the tailpipe extends from the muffler. Other prior art reversible mufflers are provided with a tailpipe with two open ends. With these mufflers end users have the choice of sealing one of the ends prior to mounting on an application to direct exhaust flow out the opposing end. While these prior art reversible mufflers provide a slight degree of freedom to end users, they do not provide full flexibility to end users who wish to choose and subsequently alter the direction of exhaust flow from a muffler.

Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an exhaust system with a reversible muffler that provides a greater degree of flexibility to end users, in an aesthetically pleasing, clean and professional design.

The present invention is an exhaust system having a muffler with reversible end-caps. The muffler of this invention allows the tailpipe to be removably attached to either side. Unlike previous “reversible” mufflers, the muffler allows for the tailpipe to be switched from one side of the muffler before or after it is attached to an engine and mounted. This provides added flexibility to alter the function of the muffler after it has been attached to an engine. The invention also provides a reversible muffler with bolt-on or screw-on end-caps with an aesthetically pleasing, clean and professional appearance.

According to a first aspect of the invention, an exhaust system is provided for use with an engine, comprising:

a muffler body comprising:

• • a hollow muffler housing having a tubular wall and first and second opposing ends, the first end containing portions defining a first end opening, the second end containing portions defining a second end opening, the tubular wall containing portions defining at least one inlet hole;
  • first and second opposing end-cap flanges, the first end-cap flange attached to the portion of the first end of the muffler housing defining a first end opening, the second end-cap flange attached to the portion of the second end of the muffler housing defining a second end opening, the first and second end-cap flanges having portions defining a center opening;
  • first and second end-caps having base plates, the base plate of the first end-cap removably attached to the first end-cap flange, the base plate of the second end-cap removably attached to the second end-cap flange, wherein at least one of the first or second end-caps has an element attached to the base plate that communicates with the muffler housing to receive exhaust gases;