Catalytic device for cleaning exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine

A catalytic device for cleaning exhaust gases, the catalytic device being installed in an exhaust gas passage of an internal combustion engine, comprising:

• a metallic outer cylinder connected at an upstream inlet portion and a downstream outlet portion thereof to said exhaust gas passage;
• a metallic catalyst carrier contained in said metallic outer cylinder wherein said metallic outer cylinder includes an external electrode to supply an electric current only to a central portion of said metallic catalyst carrier, and wherein said external electrode and said metallic outer cylinder are connected to a power source, so that said metallic catalyst carrie;
• works as an electrically heated catalyst carrier,
• a cushioning material made of a heat-resistant wire gauze arranged between said metallic outer cylinder and said metallic catalyst carrier;
• and
• junction materials for joining said cushioning material to said metallic catalyst carrier and for joining said cushioning material to said metallic outer cylinder, wherein said junction materials are electrically conducting brazing materials, said cushioning material is joined to said catalytic carrier and said metallic outer cylinder by brazing, and wherein said cushioning material is disposed in a compressed state between said metallic catalyst carrier and said metallic outer cylinder, wherein the wire gauze includes a plurality of continuous wires connecting an inner peripheral surface of said cushioning material adjacent to said metallic catalyst carrier to an outer peripheral surface thereof adjacent to said metallic outer cylinder, and wherein the continuous wires are substantially evenly arranged over an entire circumference of said cushioning material so that the inner peripheral surface of said cushioning material is electrically coupled to the outer peripheral surface of said cushioning material.