US 5,232,671 A · Core for a catalytic converter

Abstract

There is provided an improved electrically conductive metal honeycomb body having a plurality of corrugated thin metal strips, which may be heater strips, extending in electrical parallel between otherwise electrically isolated connector plates. The corrugated thin metal strips each have a flat central section. A first group of strips is gathered at their flat middle portions and bent around one of a pair of rigid central posts, and a second group of strips is gathered and bent in the opposite direction about the other of posts. Insulation in the form of a flexible woven ceramic fiber strip isolate the first and second groups from each other and from the central posts. The connector plates define a segmented retainer shell about the body. A battery is connected to the connector plates whereby current flows from one connector plate through corrugated thin metal strips to the other connector plate and back to the battery.

Claims22

Dependent claims

An electrically conductive thin metal honeycomb body, said body comprising a spirally wound plurality of corrugated thin metal strips extending in electrical parallel between electrically isolated connector plates, each of said corrugated thin metal strips having a flat middle portion, a plurality of said corrugated thin metal strips located with each of the flat middle portions thereof positioned between a pair of rigid central posts;

a first group of said corrugated thin metal strips being bent in one direction around one of said posts, and another group being bent in an opposite direction about the other of said posts;
insulation means isolating said first and second groups from said posts, respectively, and electrically isolating said groups from each other, said connector plates defining a segmented shell about said body and means for connecting said electrically isolated connector plates in series to a voltage source whereby current may flow from one connector plate through said corrugated thin metal strips to another connector plate.

An electrically heatable catalytic converter comprising (1) housing, (2) end cap adapters for each end of the housing for adapting said converter for insertion in an exhaust line, (3) honeycomb body located in said housing and having an upstream end and a downstream end and comprising (a) a spirally wound plurality of corrugated thin metal strips extending in electrical parallel between electrically isolated connector plates, each of said corrugated thin metal strips having a flat middle portion, a plurality of said corrugated thin metal strips located with each of the flat middle portions thereof positioned between (b) a pair of rigid central posts;

a first group of said corrugated thin metal strips being bent in one direction around one of said posts and another group of said corrugated thin metal strips being bent in an opposite direction about the other of said posts;
(c) insulation means electrically isolating said first and second groups from contact with said posts, respectively, and electrically isolating said groups from each other;
said connector plates defining a segmented retaining shell about said body in which the connector plates are electrically isolated from one another except through the corrugated thin metal strips;
(d) a transverse bar extending across the downstream end of said body and in contact with the corrugated thin metal strips and welded to said housing, said bar being electrically isolated from said corrugated thin metal strips by having a coating of a refractory metal oxide on a surface thereof in contact with said corrugated thin metal strips;
(4) insulation means disposed between the housing and said body;
(5) at least one feed-through terminal extending through the housing secured to one of said connector plates for attachment to one pole of a voltage source;
(6) a second feed-through terminal for attachment to the other pole of a voltage source extending through the housing and attached to another of said connector plates;
and (7) a voltage source whereby electrical power may be selectively applied to the corrugated thin metal strips to effect heating thereof.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Core for a catalytic converter

Life of this patent

Core for a catalytic converter

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22