# US 12,000,320 B2 · Electrical feedthrough > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,000,320 B2 - Document ID: US12000320B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/023,439 - Filed: 2021-08-02 - Published: 2023-10-05 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-08-28 - Assignees: Vitesco Technologies GmbH - Applicants: Vitesco Technologies GmbH - Inventors: Peter Hirth; Stefan Ahlers - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000320B2 ## CPC - F01N 3/2026: {directly electrifying the catalyst substrate, i.e. heating the electrically conductive catalyst substrate by joule effect} - F01N 3/28: Construction of catalytic reactors - F01N 13/0097: {the purifying devices are arranged in a single housing} - H01B 3/12: ceramics - H01B 7/0208: {Cables with several layers of insulating material} - H01B 7/20: Metal tubes, e.g. lead sheaths - H05B 3/08: having electric connections specially adapted for high temperatures - F01N 2240/16: an electric heater, i.e. a resistance heater - H05B 2214/03: Heating of hydrocarbons - Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies - F01N: GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with gas exhaust of propulsion units in vehicles B60K13/00; combustion-air intake silencers specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines F02M35/00; protecting against, or damping, noise in general G10K11/16) - H01B: CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES (selection for magnetic properties H01F1/00; waveguides H01P {; printed circuits H05K}) - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A current feedthrough for an electrically heatable catalytic converter, which has inside it at least one electrical conductor that can be electrically contacted by the current feedthrough, a central electrically conductive inner conductor, which is guided from the interior of the catalytic converter through the outer housing wall thereof, an electrical insulation layer, which surrounds the electrically conductive inner conductor on the radially outer surface thereof, and a metallic outer tube, in which the electrically conductive inner conductor and the electrical insulation layer are accommodated. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A current feedthrough for an electrically heatable catalytic converter, wherein the catalytic converter has inside it at least one electrical conductor, configured to be electrically contacted by the current feedthrough, comprising: a central electrically conductive inner conductor, which is guided from an interior of the catalytic converter through an outer housing wall thereof; an electrical insulation layer, which surrounds the central electrically conductive inner conductor on a radially outer surface thereof; and a metallic outer tube, in which the central electrically conductive inner conductor and the electrical insulation layer are accommodated, wherein the electrical insulation layer at an end lying inside the catalytic converter and/or at an end lying outside the catalytic converter has a longer extent in an axial direction of the current feedthrough than the metallic outer tube. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The current feedthrough as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central electrically conductive inner conductor and/or the metallic outer tube is conical. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The current feedthrough as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrical insulation layer is arranged between the central electrically conductive inner conductor and the metallic outer tube and is formed from a non-metallic material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The current feedthrough as claimed in claim 3, wherein an oxidic material of the electrical insulation layer is a non-porous ceramic. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The current feedthrough as claimed in claim 1, wherein a ceramic adhesive is arranged between the central electrically conductive inner conductor and the electrical insulation layer and/or between the electrical insulation layer and the metallic outer tube. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The current feedthrough as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metallic outer tube is prestressed in relation to the central electrically conductive inner conductor by a thermal joining process. ### Claim 7 A current feedthrough for an electrically heatable catalytic converter, wherein the catalytic converter has inside it at least one electrical conductor, configured to be electrically contacted by the current feedthrough, comprising: a central electrically conductive inner conductor, which is guided from an interior of the catalytic converter through an outer housing wall thereof; an electrical insulation layer, which surrounds the central electrically conductive inner conductor on a radially outer surface thereof; and a metallic outer tube, in which the central electrically conductive inner conductor and the electrical insulation layer are accommodated, wherein the electrical insulation layer is constructed in a number of layers in a radial direction of the current feedthrough, wherein respective individual layers are formed by materials having different coefficients of thermal expansion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The current feedthrough as claimed in claim 7, wherein the electrical insulation layer has at least a first layer which produces the electrical insulation between the central electrically conductive inner conductor and the metallic outer tube, wherein the layers arranged between this first layer and the central electrically conductive inner conductor and/or the metallic outer tube have a coefficient of thermal expansion value that lies between the coefficient of thermal expansion of the first layer and a coefficient of thermal expansion of the central electrically conductive inner conductor and/or the metallic outer tube. ### Claim 9 A current feedthrough for an electrically heatable catalytic converter, wherein the catalytic converter has inside it at least one electrical conductor, configured to be electrically contacted by the current feedthrough, comprising: a central electrically conductive inner conductor, which is guided from an interior of the catalytic converter through an outer housing wall thereof; an electrical insulation layer, which surrounds the central electrically conductive inner conductor on a radially outer surface thereof; and a metallic outer tube, in which the central electrically conductive inner conductor and the electrical insulation layer are accommodated, wherein the electrical insulation layer is arranged between the central electrically conductive inner conductor and the metallic outer tube and is formed from a non-metallic material, wherein an oxidic material of the electrical insulation layer is a porous ceramic, wherein the porous ceramic is treated with an additional substance as a pore filler.