Automotive exhaust component and method of manufacture
AssigneeEvolution Industries, Inc.
InventorJohn M. Tursky
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
“Noxious substances in the exhaust, including CO, NOx, and incompletely combusted hydrocarbons are converted to more benign substances through the action of the catalytic element, which is preferably a frangible ceramic honeycomb structure having a plurality of internal passages coated with a catalytically active substance.” “The tabulated ends minimize production of turbulence in the gas flow and allow the converter to be connected to the rest of the exhaust system by clamped, welded, or flanged joints. The one-piece, seamless construction of the converter is economical to produce and eliminates welding of housing components that tend to fail when subjected to corrosive exhaust gasses over a prolonged period of time.”
Claims15
A catalytic converter for an internal combustion engine exhaust system, the converter having interior and exterior surfaces comprising:
- a. a single-piece, seamless metallic housing;
- b. a tubulated gas inlet port in said housing through which exhaust gas is introduced;
- c. a tubulated gas outlet port in said housing through which the exhaust gas is discharged;
- d. a tubulated intermediate section of said housing having an inlet end and an outlet end, said intermediate section having a plurality of rib-like indentions which are axially elongated along intermediate section;
- e. an inlet transition section connecting said inlet port and said inlet end of said intermediate section;
- f. an outlet transition section connecting said outlet end of said intermediate section and said outlet port;
- and
- g. a plurality of cascaded catalytic elements contained within said intermediate section and through which said exhaust gas passes sequentially when flowing between said gas inlet port and said gas outlet port;
- the interior surfaces of said intermediate section said inlet and outlet transition sections an said gas inlet and outlet ports having been swaged and being smooth and substantially ridge-free.
An internal combustion engine system having an exhaust system comprising a catalytic converter, said catalytic converter comprising having interior and exterior surfaces, and:
- a. a single-piece, seamless metallic housing;
- b. a tubulated gas inlet port in said housing through which exhaust gas is introduced;
- c. a tubulated gas outlet port in said housing through which the exhaust gas is discharged;
- d. a tubulated intermediate section of said housing having an inlet end and an outlet end, said intermediate section having a plurality of rib-like indentations which are axially elongated along said intermediate section;
- e. an inlet transition section connecting said inlet port and said inlet end of said intermediate section;
- f. an outlet transition section connecting said outlet end of said intermediate section and said outlet port;
- and
- g. a plurality of cascaded catalytic elements contained within said intermediate section and through which said exhaust gas passes sequentially when flowing between said gas inlet port and said gas outlet port;
- the interior surfaces of said intermediate section said inlet and outlet transition sections and said gas inlet and outlet ports having been swaged and being smooth and substantially ridge-free.
A multi-stage catalytic converter for an internal combustion engine exhaust system, comprising:
- a. a single-piece, seamless metallic housing;
- b. a tubulated gas inlet port in said housing through which exhaust gas is introduced;
- c. a tubulated gas outlet port in said housing through which the exhaust gas is discharged;
- d. a tubulated intermediate section of said housing connecting said gas inlet port and said gas outlet port;
- e. an inlet transition section connecting said inlet port said inlet end of said intermediate section and comprising a plurality of cascaded subsections;
- f. an outlet transition section connecting said outlet end of said intermediate section and said outlet port;
- and
- g. a plurality of cascaded catalytic elements contained within said intermediate section and through which said exhaust gas passes sequentially when flowing between said gas inlet port and said gas outlet port;
- the interior surfaces of said intermediate section said inlet and outlet transition sections and said gas inlet and outlet ports having been swaged and being smooth and substantially ridge-free;
- said catalytic converter having been produced by a process comprising:
- i. providing a seamless metallic tube having a first end and a second end, said preform being adapted to be formed into said housing;
- ii. swaging said first end to form said gas inlet port and said inlet transition section;
- iii. swaging said second end to form said gas outlet port and said outlet transition section;
- iv. swaging said intermediate section to a reduced diameter to form said subsections;
- and
- v. inserting said catalytic elements in said subsections.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.