Means and method for insulating automotive exhaust pipe

In the exhaust system of a vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine, wherein the exhaust system includes an exhaust pipe containing at least one nonlinear portion therein, an insulated tube surrounding the exhaust pipe, comprising:

• an inner metallic tube having a slightly greater diameter than that of the exhaust pipe;
• an outer metallic tube of greater diameter than that of the inner metallic tube, the outer tube being radially spaced from the inner metallic tube to form an annulus therebetween;
• insulation filling the annulus between the inner and outer tubes, the insulation being capable of withstanding the temperature of exhaust gases in the exhaust pipe;
• the inner and outer tubes comprising corrugations having a wall thickness in the approximate range of 0.002 inch to 0.004 inch, the corrugations making the inner and outer tubes sufficiently flexible to have been slid over the nonlinear portions of the exhaust pipe;
• and
• means enclosing the insulation adjacent the ends of the insulated tube;
• at least the end of the inner tube which comprises the leading end thereof as the insulated tube is slid over the exhaust pipe extending beyond the adjacent end of the outer tube and being angled back toward said adjacent end of he outer tube to enclose the adjacent insulation and to facilitate sliding the insulated tube over the exhaust pipe.