Patent ID: 7040451

Claim:
Muffler device of a motor vehicle, comprising: two mufflers, and an actuator for changing a flow resistance of exhaust gases flowing through the mufflers to change the damping characteristic of the muffler device, wherein the actuator is provided in a pipe bifurcation comprising an inlet and two outlets, each outlet being connected by a connecting pipe to one of the mufflers, and a throughflow cross section of the inlet being variable by means of the actuator, wherein the actuator comprises an active control element and a separate actuating element comprising a low pressure container, a low pressure side of a diaphragm in the low pressure container being connected via a control duct to one of a vacuum pump and an intake pipe of the motor vehicle engine, a middle of the diaphragm being connected to the active control element, and wherein an electromagnetically operable 3/2-way valve is arranged in the control duct and comprises a first connection to one of the intake pipe or the vacuum pump, a second connection to the low pressure side of the low pressure container, and a third connection to the atmosphere, the first connection being connected to the second connection in a first valve position, and the second connection being connected to the third connection in a second valve position.