Did You Know...
...that several people are credited with the invention of the flush toilet? Most people have heard of Thomas Crapper (1837-1910), the sanitary engineer who invented the valve-and-siphon arrangement that made the modern toilet possible. Another claimant to "the throne" was British inventor Alexander Cumming who patented a toilet in 1775. Then there's a nameless Minoan (a native of ancient Crete) who lived 4,000 years ago who supposedly was ahead of his time and created the first flush toilet!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8127888 | Engine sound distribution apparatus for a motor vehicle A sound distribution apparatus provides a driver with an audible impression of the operating speed, load and performance of a vehicle engine. The sound distribution apparatus includes an assembly of one or more sound transmission ducts interconnected to conduct or t... | 03/06/2012 |
| RE42490 | Device and method for amplifying suction noise A device for amplifying the suction noise of a vehicle is disclosed. The device comprises an intake duct, a connecting pipe and a composite membrane. The intake duct is for feeding air to an engine intake port. A connecting pipe is connected to an interior of the in... | 06/28/2011 |
| 7845466 | Sound generator with structurally and acoustically coupled sound radiation panel and method for manufacturing the same A sound generator for a vehicle is provided, including a hollow drum having a sound radiation panel structurally and acoustically coupled thereto. The drum has an aperture formed in an outer wall thereof. The drum is adapted to be in fluid communication with an air ... | 12/07/2010 |
| 7717230 | Device and method for amplifying suction noise A device for amplifying the suction noise of a vehicle is disclosed. The device comprises an intake duct, a connecting pipe and a composite membrane. The intake duct is for feeding air to an engine intake port. A connecting pipe is connected to an interior of the in... | 05/18/2010 |
| 7434658 | Muffler The present invention relates to a muffler for a line conveying gas and airborne sound, in particular for an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine, preferably in a motor vehicle. The muffler has a housing in which there are at least two inside pipes for ca... | 10/14/2008 |
| 7416051 | Assembly and method for fan noise reduction from turbofan engines using dynamically adaptive Herschel-Quincke tubes An assembly useful in reducing aircraft engine noise such as turbofan engine noise (730) comprises: (1) at least one tube “H-Q” having an inlet end (738), an outlet end (740) and a central tube portion therebetween; an (ii) at least one actu... | 08/26/2008 |
| 7357220 | Systems and methods for controlling acoustical damping A control system (10) controls a variable acoustical damping device (20) disposed in a sound producing channel (5) of a vehicle engine (1). The control system includes a controller (12) and a selection device (14). The contr... | 04/15/2008 |
| 7337877 | Variable geometry resonator for acoustic control The present invention provides a resonator for attenuating acoustic vibration from an air intake passage. The resonator includes a neck, a resonator chamber, a piston-type member, and an actuator. The neck is attached between the air passage and the resonator chambe... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7273130 | Device and method for active soundproofing, and power unit for aeroplanes A device for active noise reduction has a chamber, which is arranged laterally in relation to a gas flow, and a chamber opening constructed in one wall of the chamber. In the area of the chamber opening, a deflection device is adjustably arranged. The deflection dev... | 09/25/2007 |
| 7258196 | Noise attenuator with laterally moving baffles A silencer or sound attenuator for gas flows that makes use of noise baffles is provided with a lateral movement mechanism which allows the baffles to be moved perpendicular to the direction of the gas flow within the silencer. A silencer provided with the lateral m... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7188703 | Device for establishing noise in a motor vehicle In a device for establishing noise in a motor vehicle, including a housing having an inlet space, which is in communication via an inlet line with a gas-carrying part of an internal combustion engine arranged in the motor vehicle, and an outlet space, which is acous... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7125198 | Mobile work zone protection device A mobile work zone protection device includes a front carrier, a barrier beam assembly, and a rear carrier. In one embodiment, the barrier beam assembly includes two sets of telescoping beam structures. Each of these structures can rotate from one side of the device... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7117974 | Electronically controlled dual chamber variable resonator An in-line resonator for an air induction system of an internal combustion engine is provided. The system includes a resonator housing, an upstream duct, a downstream duct, a conduit, a partition, and a sleeve. The conduit extends through the resonator housing conne... | 10/10/2006 |
| 7055648 | Assembly and method for fan noise reduction from turbofan engines using dynamically adaptive Herschel-Quincke tubes An assembly useful in reducing aircraft engine noise such as turbofan engine noise (730) comprises: (i) at least one tube “H-Q” having an inlet end (738), an outlet end (740) and a central tube portion therebetween; and (ii) at least one act... | 06/06/2006 |
| 6932189 | Device for noise structuring in a motor vehicle A device for noise structuring in a motor vehicle has a plurality of gas-carrying lines connected to an internal combustion engine. At least two of the gas-carrying lines are acoustically linked together by at least one connection. ... | 08/23/2005 |
| 6915876 | Exhaust processor with variable tuning system An exhaust processor comprises a Helmholtz resonance chamber with a variable tuning throat. The tuning frequency of the exhaust processor changes as the outlet opening from the variable tuning throat into the Helmholtz resonance chamber changes. ... | 07/12/2005 |
| 6902030 | Sound muffling apparatus for air operated equipment A muffler for equipment powered by compressed air, the muffler comprising a flexible muffler body formed from a sufficiently resilient material to resiliently deform under the influence of an exhaust air stream from an air motor, the body having an inlet and an outl... | 06/07/2005 |
| 6732510 | Exhaust processor with variable tuning system An exhaust processor comprises a Helmholtz resonance chamber with a variable tuning throat. The tuning frequency of the exhaust processor changes as the outlet opening from the variable tuning throat into the Helmholtz resonance chamber changes. ... | 05/11/2004 |
| 6622821 | Thin acoustic muffler exhaust pipes, method of sheet metal construction thereof, and exhaust systems which utilize such exhaust pipes for increased ground clearance on race cars A flattened acoustic muffler for use on stock cars. The muffler mounts to the standard exhaust system pipes and to the lower chassis of the car, routing exhaust gasses to one or both sides of the car while providing improved ground clearance between the e... | 09/23/2003 |
| 6581722 | Acoustic absorber and sound-absorption method An acoustic absorber (10) comprises a housing or wall (11), defining an interior absorber chamber (12) connected by openings (13) to a duct (20) to reduce the sound in the duct (20). The natural frequency and impedance of the absorber (12) are variable, s... | 06/24/2003 |
| 5881555 | Exhaust pressure pulsation control apparatus for marine propulsion system An improved exhaust pressure pulsation control apparatus for a marine propulsion system has a front ring, a reflector disk located downstream of the front ring, and a plurality of connecting members connecting the front ring to the reflector disk. Each co... | 03/16/1999 |
| 5598479 | Device for reducing tire/road surface noise A device for reducing certain sound ranges of tire/road surface noise of a motor vehicle includes sound absorbers in the form of resonators positioned at the inner wall of a wheel well of the vehicle in the area of sound projection of the tire/road surfac... | 01/28/1997 |
| 5183974 | Gas pulsation attenuator for automotive air conditioning compressor An attenuator for pressure and sound energy pulsations, such as are commonly produced in refrigerant gas discharged from a piston-type refrigerant compressor, is provided. The attenuator includes an annular elastomeric body supported by a rigid tubular ho... | 02/02/1993 |
| 5103931 | Exhaust silencing means for marine propulsion A number of embodiments of internal combustion engine exhaust systems each of which is effective to provide good silencing for exhaust gases through the use of an elastic diaphragm that dampens pulsations. In some embodiments, this elastic diaphragm forms... | 04/14/1992 |
| 5060697 | Extruded buckling-resistant insertion mountable drain or venting hose for positioning in a hollow space of a motor vehicle body An extruded buckling-resistant longitudinally insertable drain or venting hose of PVC or a similar thermoplastic material which can be mounted in inaccessible hollows of a conveyance, especially a motor vehicle body, has longitudinally-extending radial ri... | 10/29/1991 |
| 5027919 | Fluid friction controller A fluid friction controller that includes an outer member having a first friction control surface and an inner member having a second friction control surface. The control surfaces coact to define an elongated orifice that diverges from its entrance towar... | 07/02/1991 |
| 4341283 | Sound suppression system A sound suppression system having a sound suppression chamber formed from a longitudinally extending tubular housing. One end of the tubular housing is closed by an end plug which has a bore through which passes one end of a tubular member. The tubular me... | 07/27/1982 |
