Patent ID: 9464557
Filing Date: 2016-10-11
CPC Classification: F01N

Claim Text:
1. A muffler assembly comprising: a muffler with a longitudinal axis thereof extending along a vehicle-width direction when installed onto a vehicle; and a shield supported on an exterior surface of the muffler and defining a middle portion positioned between first and second side portions along a vehicle-length direction, a cross-section of the middle portion and of at least one of the first and second side portions respectively defining a middle profile and a side profile shorter than the middle profile, wherein the middle profile is a middle linear distance of a middle outer surface of the middle portion at the cross-section away from the exterior surface of the muffler along a direction transverse to the vehicle-length direction, and wherein the side profile is a side linear distance of a side outer surface of the at least one of the first and second side portions at the cross-section away from the exterior surface of the muffler along the direction transverse to the vehicle-length direction, wherein the second side portion is more posteriorly positioned than the first side portion as installed onto the vehicle, and wherein the second side portion is with a greater gap distance away from the exterior surface of the muffler than the first side portion.