Abstract: A muffler is disposed in an exhaust pipe extending from an internal combustion engine along a bottom side of a vehicle. The muffler includes a cylindrical outer shell having a pair of openings defined at opposing axial ends of the outer shell and a pair of outer plates each secured to the corresponding one of the opposing ends of the outer shell. The muffler has an interior defined by the outer plates and the outer shell. The muffler further includes an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe each supported by the corresponding one of the outer plates and extending in the interior of the muffler. Each of the inlet and outlet pipes has a curved portion. The curved portion is accommodated in the interior of the muffler. Accordingly, the muffler is configured relatively simple and has improved durability.

Abstract: A multiple layer fiber filled sound absorber and method of manufacturing the absorber are disclosed. The sound absorber includes an outer housing, a porous or perforated inner tube or housing defining a passageway through which a gas may flow, and two layers of sound absorbing material, such as fiberglass wool, is positioned between the housings. The sound absorbing material adjacent the inner housing is selected to be more heat resistant than the material farther away from the inner housing. The sound absorber is filled with the sound absorbing materials using a direct fill process in which continuous fibers are injected into the sound absorber. In preparation for filling, a partition is positioned between the housings to define two chambers. Each chamber is filled with one of the sound absorbing materials. The partition may then be removed from the sound absorber, or may be left in place (in which case the partition is preferably porous or perforated).