Exhaust tube interface for an exhaust treatment device

A method for providing interfaces for fluid paths through an exhaust treatment device, the method comprising:

• forming a first end cone with a generally spherical wall portion;
• forming a second end cone with a generally spherical wall portion, the generally spherical wall portion of the first end cone being substantially similar to the generally spherical wall portion of the second end cone;
• providing an orbicular opening in the generally spherical wall of the first end cone, the first end cone having an inlet end, an outlet end, the generally spherical wall being truncated at the inlet end proximate to the orbicular opening;
• providing an orbicular opening in the generally spherical wall of the second end cone, the second end cone having an inlet end, an outlet end, the generally spherical wall being truncated at the inlet end proximate to the orbicular opening;
• securing an inner surface of a flared opening of a first exhaust conduit to an exterior surface of the generally spherical wall of the first end cone proximate to the orbicular opening to form a first fluid passageway through the first exhaust conduit and the first end cone;
• securing an inner surface of a flared opening of a second exhaust conduit to an exterior surface of the generally spherical wall of the second end cone proximate to the orbicular opening to form a second fluid passageway through the second exhaust conduit and the second end cone;
• securing the outlet end of the first end cone to one end of a housing of the exhaust treatment device;
• and
• securing the outlet end of the second end cone to another end of the housing.

An exhaust assembly for directing a flow of exhaust emissions from an exhaust producing device through an exhaust treatment device, the exhaust assembly comprising:

• an exhaust pipe having an inner surface, an inlet end, and an outlet end having a flared orbicular opening;
• an end cone assembly having a cone inlet end, a cone outlet end, and a generally spherical wall truncated at the cone inlet end to form an orbicular opening, an exterior surface of the generally spherical wall proximate to the orbicular opening at the cone inlet end being secured to the inner surface of the exhaust pipe proximate to the flared orbicular opening of the pipe outlet end to form a fluid passageway through the exhaust pipe and the end cone assembly, the truncated end of the generally spherically wall and the flared orbicular opening of the exhaust pipe each allowing the exhaust pipe to be angularly offset from a lateral axis extending through the exhaust treatment device;
• and
• a housing of the exhaust treatment device having an inlet end connected secured to the cone outlet end of the end cone assembly.

An end cone assembly for coupling a conduit structure to an exhaust treatment device, comprising:

• an inner wall having a first end and a second end;
• an outer wall having a first end and a second end, the first end of the outer wall being coupled to the inner wall proximate to the first end of the inner wall, an outer surface of the outer wall proximate the first end of the outer wall is of a generally arcuate shape to engage an interior surface of a flared wall of the conduit structure to define a fluid flow path through the conduit structure and the end cone assembly, the second end of the outer wall being configured to engage a housing of the exhaust treatment device, the second end of the outer wall being spaced away from the second end of the inner wall so as to define an inner region therebetween;
• and
• an insulating layer disposed within the inner region between a portion of the outer wall and a portion of the inner wall, the generally arcuate shape of the first end of the outer wall and the interior surface of the flared wall of the conduit structure allows the conduit structure to be angularly offset from a lateral axis extending through the exhaust treatment device.