Patent ID: 7537084

Claim:
A compressor muffler comprising: a housing having an inlet end and an outlet end; a baffle arrangement extending from an interior surface of the housing, the baffle arrangement comprising a surface capable of reflecting compressed fluid to attenuate noise; a valve assembly being disposed inside said baffle arrangement, the valve assembly being positionable between a first position and a second position, the valve assembly further comprising a valve surface that at least partially prevents flow of fluid through the housing from the outlet end to the inlet end when the valve assembly is in the first position by contacting the baffle arrangement; and wherein the valve assembly includes one or more openings permitting fluid flow through the valve assembly when the valve assembly is in the second position and wherein the openings have a total open area at least as large as a total cross-sectional area of the valve surface; and wherein the baffle arrangement is disposed to direct fluid flow substantially axially when fluid is passing through the baffle arrangement.