	US 12,203,397 B2
	Impact energy absorber with integrated engine exhaust noise muffler
Antonio Bernerd Martinez, Los Angeles, CA (US); Yong-Bae Cho, Los Angeles, CA (US); John Russell Bucknell, Los Angeles, CA (US); Michael Vasile, Los Angeles, CA (US); and Michael Bolton, Los Angeles, CA (US)
Assigned to DIVERGENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC., Los Angeles, CA (US)
Filed by DIVERGENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC., Los Angeles, CA (US)
Filed on Feb. 17, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/178,048.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/978,232, filed on Feb. 18, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0254522 A1, Aug. 19, 2021
Int. Cl. F01N 1/02 (2006.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01); B60R 19/02 (2006.01); B62D 21/15 (2006.01); F01N 13/18 (2010.01); G10K 11/162 (2006.01); G10K 11/172 (2006.01)

CPC F01N 1/02 (2013.01) [B33Y 80/00 (2014.12); B60R 19/02 (2013.01); B62D 21/152 (2013.01); F01N 13/1811 (2013.01); G10K 11/162 (2013.01); G10K 11/172 (2013.01); F01N 2470/02 (2013.01)]

36 Claims

1. A multifunction apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a muffler including a body having a plurality of walls that bound an array of resonator cells, the resonator cells arranged between inlet and outlet pipes to suppress exhaust noise;

wherein the walls are configured to controllably deform during an impact event,

wherein the walls include a posterior wall located at the bottom of the muffler, and the resonator cells are concentrated more densely the further their distance from the posterior wall,

wherein a length of at least one of the walls is aligned within an angle of 0° to 45° (degrees) from a direction parallel to a predicted direction of the impact event,

wherein the body comprises lateral sides with a longitudinal axis between the lateral sides, and

wherein an outlet pipe opening is on an upper portion of the muffler and between the lateral sides.