Low profile catalytic converter

Claim 2

A CATALYTIC CONVERTER FOR AUTOMOBILE USE, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A TOP HOUSING PLATE, A BOTTOM HOUSING PLATE, AND A PAIR OF CATALYST RETAINING PLATES SANDWICHED THEREBETWEEN, SAID FOUR PLATES HAVING MATING PERIPHERAL FACES COTERMINOUS OVER SUBSTANTIALLY THEIR ENTIRE PERIPHERIES AS SEEN IN PLAN VIEW SO AS TO FORM A FOUR-LAYER SANDWICH SUITABLE FOR EDGE-SEALING, SAID FOUR PLATES FURTHER HAVING LIKE-POSITIONED CONCAVE SUBSTANTIALLY SEMI-CYLINDRICAL PERPHERALLY SPACED PORTIONS DIFINING IN COMBINATION CYLINDRICAL CONTOURS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE ENGINE EXHAUST INLET AND OUTLET PIPES, RESPECTIVELY, SAID PORTIONS BEING BOTH CONCAVE DOWNWARDLY IN THE TOP PLATE, BOTH CONCAVE UPWARDLY IN THE BOTTOM PLATE, CONCAVE DOWNWARDLY ON BOTH OF THE CATALYST RETAINING PLATES AT ONE CYLINDRICAL CONTOUR, AND CONCAVE UPWARDLY ON BOTH CATALYST RETAINING PLATES AT THE OTHER CYLINDRICAL CONTORU, WHEREBY EXHAUST GAS PASSING FROM THE EXHAUST INLET PIPE TO THE EXHAUST OUTLET PIPE

Claim 3

A catalytic converter for automobile use, comprising in combination: a top housing plate, a bottom housing plate, and a pair of catalyst retaining plates sanDwiched therebetween, said four plates having mating peripheral faces coterminous over substantially their entire peripheries as seen in plan view so as to form a four-layer sandwich suitable for edge-sealing, said four plates further having like-positioned concave substantially semi-cylindrical peripherally spaced portions defining in combination cylindrical contours adapted to receive engine exhaust inlet and outlet pipes, respectively, said portions being both concave downwardly in the top plate, both concave upwardly in the bottom plate, concave downwardly on both of the catalyst retaining plates at one cylindrical contour, and concave upwardly on both catalyst retaining plates at the other cylindrical contour, whereby exhaust gas passing from the exhaust inlet pipe to the exhaust outlet pipe must pass through both catalyst holding plates, the top and bottom plates being respectively dished upwardly and downwardly in relation to said peripheral faces so as to define a space for exhaust gas flow from the exhaust inlet pipe to the exhaust outlet pipe, the catalyst retaining plates being respectively dished upwardly and downwardly inboard of said peripheral faces and at varying distances in relation to said peripheral faces so as to define a catalyst containing space of substantially uniform depth disposed in a generally slanting orientation between the exhaust inlet and the exhaust outlet, said catalyst retaining plates further having openings adapted to pass the exhaust gases while retaining catalyst material disposed in said space; and at least one support stud disposed in generally vertical orientation inboard said periphery and extending between the top and bottom plate and through the catalyst retaining plates, said support stud having shoulders cooperatively associated with the inner surface of the catalyst retaining plates to maintain a predetermined spacing therebetween and means effective to anchor the catalyst retaining plates against bowing away from said shoulders to prevent the four layer sandwich from bulging.

Claim 4

A catalytic converter for automobile use, comprising in combination: a top housing plate, a bottom housing plate, and a pair of catalyst retaining plates sanDwiched therebetween, said four plates having mating peripheral faces coterminous over substantially their entire peripheries as seen in plan view so as to form a four-layer sandwich suitable for edge-sealing, said four plates further having like-positioned concave substantially semi-cylindrical peripherally spaced portions defining in combination cylindrical contours adapted to receive engine exhaust inlet and outlet pipes, respectively, said portions being both concave downwardly in the top plate, both concave upwardly in the bottom plate, concave downwardly on both of the catalyst retaining plates at one cylindrical contour, and concave upwardly on both catalyst retaining plates at the other cylindrical contour, whereby exhaust gas passing from the exhaust inlet pipe to the exhaust outlet pipe must pass through both catalyst holding plates, the top and bottom plates being respectively dished upwardly and downwardly in relation to said peripheral faces so as to define a space for exhaust gas flow from the exhaust inlet pipe to the exhaust outlet pipe, the catalyst retaining plates being respectively dished upwardly and downwardly inboard of said peripheral faces and at varying distances in relation to said peripheral faces so as to define a catalyst containing space of substantially uniform depth disposed in a generally slanting orientation between the exhaust inlet and the exhaust outlet, said catalyst retaining plates further having openings adapted to pass the exhaust gases while retaining catalyst material disposed in said space; and at least one support stud disposed in generally vertical orientation inboard said periphery and extending between the top and bottom plate and through the catalyst retaining plates, said support stud having shoulders cooperatively associated with the inner surface of the catalyst retaining plates to maintain a predetermined spacing therebetween and means effective to anchor the catalyst retaining plates against bowing away from said shoulders to prevent the four layer sandwich from bulging.

Claim 5

A catalytic converter for automobile use, comprising in combination: a top housing plate, a bottom housing plate, and a pair of catalyst retaining plates sandwiched therebetween, said four plates having mating peripheral faces coterminous over substantially their entire peripheries as seen in plan view so as to form a four-layer sandwich suitable for edge-sealing, said four plates further having like-positioned concave substantially semi-cylindrical peripherally spaced portions defining in combination cylindrical contours adapted to receive engine exhaust inlet and outlet pipes, respectively, said portions being both concave downwardly in the top plate, both concave upwardly in the bottom plate, concave downwardly on both of the catalyst retaining plates at one cylindrical contour, and concave upwardly on both catalyst retaining plates at the other cylindrical contour, whereby exhaust gas passing from the exhaust inlet pipe to the exhaust outlet pipe must pass through both catalyst holding plates, the top and bottom plates being respectively dished upwardly and downwardly in relation to said peripheral faces so as to define a space for exhaust gas flow from the exhaust inlet pipe to the exhaust outlet pipe, the catalyst retaining plates being respectively dished upwardly and downwardly inboard of said peripheral faces and at varying distances in relation to said peripheral faces so as to define a catalyst containing space of substantially uniform depth disposed in a generally slanting orientation between the exhaust inlet and the exhaust outlet, said catalyst retaining plates further having openings adapted to pass exhaust gases while retaining catalyst material disposed in said space; and at least one support stud positioned between said catalyst retaining plates disposed in generally vertical orientation inboard said peripherally and extending through the top and bottom plates and through the catalyst retaining plates, the top and bottom plates includiNg respectively upwardly and downwardly extending annular lip portions about said support stud, said support stud having conformations operatively associated with openings in the catalyst retaining plates so as to maintain a predetermined spacing therebetween and being anchored to reinforcing washers disposed about said lip portions by continuous annular welds at said lip portions.

Claim 6

A catalytic converter for automobile use, comprising in combination: a top housing plate, a bottom housing plate, and a pair of catalyst retaining plates sandwiched therebetween, said four plates having mating peripheral faces coterminous over substantially their entire peripheries as seen in plan view so as to form a four-layer sandwich suitable for edge-sealing, said four plates further having like-positioned concave substantially semi-cylindrical peripherally spaced portions defining in combination cylindrical contours adapted to receive engine exhaust inlet and outlet pipes, respectively, said portions being both concave downwardly in the top plate, both concave upwardly in the bottom plate, concave downwardly on both of the catalyst retaining plates at one cylindrical contour, and concave upwardly on both catalyst retaining plates at the other cylindrical contour, whereby exhaust gas passing from the exhaust inlet pipe to the exhaust outlet pipe must pass through both catalyst holding plates, the top and bottom plates being respectively dished upwardly and downwardly in relation to said peripheral faces so as to define a space for exhaust gas flow from the exhaust inlet pipe to the exhaust outlet pipe, the catalyst retaining plates being respectively dished upwardly and downwardly inboard of said peripheral faces and at varying distances in relation to said peripheral faces so as to define a catalyst containing space of substantially uniform depth disposed in a generally slanting orientation between the exhaust inlet and the exhaust outlet, said catalyst retaining plates further having openings adapted to pass exhaust gases while retaining catalyst material disposed in said space; and at least one support stud positioned between said catalyst retaining plates disposed in generally vertical orientation inboard said peripherally and extending through the top and bottom plates and through the catalyst retaining plates, the top and bottom plates includiNg respectively upwardly and downwardly extending annular lip portions about said support stud, said support stud having conformations operatively associated with openings in the catalyst retaining plates so as to maintain a predetermined spacing therebetween and being anchored to reinforcing washers disposed about said lip portions by continuous annular welds at said lip portions.

Claim 7

A catalytic converter for automobile use, comprising in combination: a top housing plate, a bottom housing plate, and a pair of catalyst retaining plates sandwiched therebetween, said four plates having mating peripheral faces coterminous over substantially their entire peripheries as seen in plan view so as to form a four-layer sandwich suitable for edge-sealing, said four plates further having like-positioned concave substantially semi-cylindrical peripherally spaced portions defining in combination cylindrical contours adapted to receive engine exhaust inlet and outlet pipes, respectively, said inlet and outlet pipes being displaced above and below the longitudinal axis of said converter, respectively, said portions being both concave downwardly in the top plate, both concave upwardly in the bottom plate, concave downwardly on both of the catalyst retaining plates at one cylindrical contour, and concave upwardly on both catalyst retaining plates at the other cylindrical contour, whereby exhaust gas passing from the exhaust inlet pipe to the exhaust outlet pipe must pass through both catalyst holding plates, the top and bottom plates being respectively dished upwardly and downwardly in relation to said peripheral faces so as to define a space for exhaust gas flow from the exhaust inlet pipe to the exhaust outlet pipe, the catalyst retaining plates being respectively dished upwardly and downwardly inboard of said peripheral faces and at varying distances in relation to said peripheral faces so as to define a catalyst containing space of substantially uniform depth disposed in generally slanting orientation between the exhaust inlet and the exhaust outlet, said top and bottom catalyst retaining plates further having arcuate openings extending vertically toward the top and bottom plates, respectively, adapted to pass the exhaust gases while retaining catalyst material disposed in said space, a bottom cover in spaced relation to said bottom plate adapted to house a layer of insulation therebetween and including an outwardly extending flange portion, a top cover in spaced relation to said top plate adapted to house a layer of insulation therebetween and including a U-shaped flange portion disposed about the peripheral faces of said top and bottom plates and said flange portion of said bottom cover, and at least one support stud disposed in generally vertical orientation inboard said periphery and extending between the top and bottom plates and through the catalyst retaining plates, said support stud having conformations cooperatively associated with openings in the catalyst retaining plates so as to maintain a predetermined spacing therebetween and being anchored to the top and bottom plates, respectively.

Claim 8

A catalytic converter for automobile use, comprising in combination: a top housing plate, a bottom housing plate, and a pair of catalyst retaining plates sandwiched therebetween, said four plates having mating peripheral faces coterminous over substantially their entire peripheries as seen in plan view so as to form a four-layer sandwich suitable for edge-sealing, said four plates further having like-positioned concave substantially semi-cylindrical peripherally spaced portions defining in combination cylindrical contours adapted to receive engine exhaust inlet and outlet pipes, respectively, said inlet and outlet pipes being displaced above and below the longitudinal axis of said converter, respectively, said portions being both concave downwardly in the top plate, both concave upwardly in the bottom plate, concave downwardly on both of the catalyst retaining plates at one cylindrical contour, and concave upwardly on both catalyst retaining plates at the other cylindrical contour, whereby exhaust gas passing from the exhaust inlet pipe to the exhaust outlet pipe must pass through both catalyst holding plates, the top and bottom plates being respectively dished upwardly and downwardly in relation to said peripheral faces so as to define a space for exhaust gas flow from the exhaust inlet pipe to the exhaust outlet pipe, the catalyst retaining plates being respectively dished upwardly and downwardly inboard of said peripheral faces and at varying distances in relation to said peripheral faces so as to define a catalyst containing space of substantially uniform depth disposed in generally slanting orientation between the exhaust inlet and the exhaust outlet, said top and bottom catalyst retaining plates further having arcuate openings extending vertically toward the top and bottom plates, respectively, adapted to pass the exhaust gases while retaining catalyst material disposed in said space, a bottom cover in spaced relation to said bottom plate adapted to house a layer of insulation therebetween and including an outwardly extending flange portion, a top cover in spaced relation to said top plate adapted to house a layer of insulation therebetween and including a U-shaped flange portion disposed about the peripheral faces of said top and bottom plates and said flange portion of said bottom cover, and at least one support stud disposed in generally vertical orientation inboard said periphery and extending between the top and bottom plates and through the catalyst retaining plates, said support stud having conformations cooperatively associated with openings in the catalyst retaining plates so as to maintain a predetermined spacing therebetween and being anchored to the top and bottom plates, respectively.

Claim 9

A catalytic converter for automotive use comprising a four plate sandwich construction that includes a top plate, a bottom plate and two intermediate plates, said top plate being of concave downward configuration and having a peripheral skirt portion and a pair of peripherally spaced downwardly concave semi-cylindrical inlet and outlet portions, said bottom plate being of concave upward configuration having a peripheral upstanding skirt portion and a pair of peripherally spaced upwardly concave semi-cylindrical inlet and outlet portions, the bottom plate being complementary to the top plate so as to form an enclosure having mating peripheral edges and full cylindrical inlet and outlet portions, said two intermediate plates also have peripheral portions complementary to and sandwiched between the peripheral portions of the top and bottom plates, one intermediate plate being upwardly concave aNd the other intermediate plate downwardly concave so as to define a catalyst retaining space therebetween said intermediate plates being perforated at the catalyst retaining space to allow and require gases entering the inlet portion to pass through the catalyst retaining space and out the outlet portion, both of said intermediate plates having a downwardly concave semi-cylindrical portion at the one end and an upwardly concave semi-cylindrical portion at the other end in nesting relation with each other and the top plate at said one end and with each other and the bottom plate at said other end.

Claim 10

A catalytic converter for automotive use comprising a four plate sandwich construction that includes a top plate, a bottom plate and two intermediate plates, said top plate being of concave downward configuration and having a peripheral skirt portion and a pair of peripherally spaced downwardly concave semi-cylindrical inlet and outlet portions, said bottom plate being of concave upward configuration having a peripheral upstanding skirt portion and a pair of peripherally spaced upwardly concave semi-cylindrical inlet and outlet portions, the bottom plate being complementary to the top plate so as to form an enclosure having mating peripheral edges and full cylindrical inlet and outlet portions, said two intermediate plates also have peripheral portions complementary to and sandwiched between the peripheral portions of the top and bottom plates, one intermediate plate being upwardly concave aNd the other intermediate plate downwardly concave so as to define a catalyst retaining space therebetween said intermediate plates being perforated at the catalyst retaining space to allow and require gases entering the inlet portion to pass through the catalyst retaining space and out the outlet portion, both of said intermediate plates having a downwardly concave semi-cylindrical portion at the one end and an upwardly concave semi-cylindrical portion at the other end in nesting relation with each other and the top plate at said one end and with each other and the bottom plate at said other end.

Claim 11

A catalytic converter for automotive use comprising a four plate sandwich construction that includes a top plate, a bottom plate, and upper and lower catalyst retaining plates, the plates being complementary to each other so as to define a four layer periphery suitable for edge affixation to define a unitary structure, the top plate and the bottom plate inboard the periphery defining an exhaust gas flow passage so that exhaust gas travels into the space between said plates at one peripheral point and out of such space at another peripheral point, the upper and lower catalyst retaining plates being juxtaposed against each other and the top plate at one point in said flow passage so as to permit flow only underneath three layers formed by the top plate and the catalyst retaining plates and being juxtaposed against each other and the lower plate at another point in said flow passage so as to permit flow only over three layers formed by the bottom plate and the catalyst retaining plates, whereby the two catalyst retaining plates define a barrier to direct flow through the converter, said catalyst retaining plates having vertically spaced portions between said one point in the flow passage and the other point in the flow passage defining a catalyst retaining space and being perforated to permit and require exhaust gas flowing through the converter to pass through the catalyst.

Claim 12

A catalytic converter for automotive use comprising a four plate sandwich construction that includes a top plate, a bottom plate, and upper and lower catalyst retaining plates, the plates being complementary to each other so as to define a four layer periphery suitable for edge affixation to define a unitary structure, the top plate and the bottom plate inboard the periphery defining an exhaust gas flow passage so that exhaust gas travels into the space between said plates at one peripheral point and out of such space at another peripheral point, the upper and lower catalyst retaining plates being juxtaposed against each other and the top plate at one point in said flow passage so as to permit flow only underneath three layers formed by the top plate and the catalyst retaining plates and being juxtaposed against each other and the lower plate at another point in said flow passage so as to permit flow only over three layers formed by the bottom plate and the catalyst retaining plates, whereby the two catalyst retaining plates define a barrier to direct flow through the converter, said catalyst retaining plates having vertically spaced portions between said one point in the flow passage and the other point in the flow passage defining a catalyst retaining space and being perforated to permit and require exhaust gas flowing through the converter to pass through the catalyst.

Claim 13

A catalytic converter for automotive use comprising a four plate sandwich construction that includes a top plate, a bottom plate, and upper and lower catalyst retaining plates, the plates being complementary to each other so as to define a four layer periphery suitable for edge affixation to define a unitary structure, the top plate and the bottom plate inboard the periphery defining an exhaust gas flow passage so that exhaust gas travels into the space between said plates at one peripheral point and out of such space at another peripheral point, the upper and lower catalyst retaining plates being juxtaposed against each other and the top plate at one point in said flow passage so as to permit flow only underneath three layers formed by the top plate and the catalyst retaining plates and being juxtaposed against each other and the lower plate at another point in said flow passage so as to permit flow only over three layers formed by the bottom plate and the catalyst retaining plates, whereby the two catalyst retaining plates define a barrier to flow through the converter, said catalyst retaining plates having vertically spaced portions between said one point in said flow passage and said other point in said flow passage defining a catalyst retaining space said catalyst retaining plates being perforated to permit and require exhaust gas flowing through the converter to pass through the catalyst, the vertical spacing between the top plate and the upper catalyst retaining plate progressively decreasing in the direction from said one point towards the other point over a substantial distance and the vertical spacing between the bottom plate and the lower catalyst retaining plate progressively increases from said one point towards the other point over said substantial distance so as to define a substantially uniform cross section for gas flow at all points over said substantial distance.

Claim 14

A catalytic converter for automotive use comprising a four plate sandwich construction that includes a top plate, a bottom plate, and upper and lower catalyst retaining plates, the plates being complementary to each other so as to define a four layer periphery suitable for edge affixation to define a unitary structure, the top plate and the bottom plate inboard the periphery defining an exhaust gas flow passage so that exhaust gas travels into the space between said plates at one peripheral point and out of such space at another peripheral point, the upper and lower catalyst retaining plates being juxtaposed against each other and the top plate at one point in said flow passage so as to permit flow only underneath three layers formed by the top plate and the catalyst retaining plates and being juxtaposed against each other and the lower plate at another point in said flow passage so as to permit flow only over three layers formed by the bottom plate and the catalyst retaining plates, whereby the two catalyst retaining plates define a barrier to flow through the converter, said catalyst retaining plates having vertically spaced portions between said one point in said flow passage and said other point in said flow passage defining a catalyst retaining space said catalyst retaining plates being perforated to permit and require exhaust gas flowing through the converter to pass through the catalyst, the vertical spacing between the top plate and the upper catalyst retaining plate progressively decreasing in the direction from said one point towards the other point over a substantial distance and the vertical spacing between the bottom plate and the lower catalyst retaining plate progressively increases from said one point towards the other point over said substantial distance so as to define a substantially uniform cross section for gas flow at all points over said substantial distance.

Claim 15

A catalytic converter for automotive use comprising a four plate sandwich construction that includes a top plate, a Bottom plate, and upper and lower catalyst retaining plates, the plates being complementary to each other so as to define a four layer periphery suitable for edge affixation to define a unitary structure, the top plate and the bottom plate inboard the periphery defining an exhaust gas flow passage so that exhaust gas travels into the space between said plates at one peripheral point and out of such space at another peripheral point, the upper and lower catalyst retaining plates being juxtaposed against each other and the top plate at one point in said flow passage so as to permit flow only underneath three layers formed by the top plate and the catalyst retaining plates and being juxtaposed against each other and the lower plate at another point in said flow passage so as to permit flow only over three layers formed by the bottom plate and the catalyst retaining plates, whereby the two catalyst retaining plates define a barrier to flow through the converter, said catalyst retaining plates having vertically spaced portions between said one point in said flow passage and said other point in said flow passage defining a catalyst retaining space, said catalyst retaining plates being perforated to permit and require exhaust gas flowing through the converter to pass through the catalyst, the vertical spacing between the top plate and the upper catalyst retaining plate progressively decreasing in the direction from said one point in said flow passage towards said other point in said flow passage over a substantial distance and the vertical spacing between the bottom plate and the lower catalyst retaining plate progressively increases from said one point towards the other point over said substantial distance so as to define a substantially uniform cross section for gas flow at all points over said distance, and said top plate and the upper catalyst retaining plates and the bottom plate and the lower catalyst retaining plates being substantially juxtaposed in vertical orientation immediately inboard their peripheries so as to define two layer vertical peripheral walls.

Claim 16

A catalytic converter for automotive use comprising a four plate sandwich construction that includes a top plate, a Bottom plate, and upper and lower catalyst retaining plates, the plates being complementary to each other so as to define a four layer periphery suitable for edge affixation to define a unitary structure, the top plate and the bottom plate inboard the periphery defining an exhaust gas flow passage so that exhaust gas travels into the space between said plates at one peripheral point and out of such space at another peripheral point, the upper and lower catalyst retaining plates being juxtaposed against each other and the top plate at one point in said flow passage so as to permit flow only underneath three layers formed by the top plate and the catalyst retaining plates and being juxtaposed against each other and the lower plate at another point in said flow passage so as to permit flow only over three layers formed by the bottom plate and the catalyst retaining plates, whereby the two catalyst retaining plates define a barrier to flow through the converter, said catalyst retaining plates having vertically spaced portions between said one point in said flow passage and said other point in said flow passage defining a catalyst retaining space, said catalyst retaining plates being perforated to permit and require exhaust gas flowing through the converter to pass through the catalyst, the vertical spacing between the top plate and the upper catalyst retaining plate progressively decreasing in the direction from said one point in said flow passage towards said other point in said flow passage over a substantial distance and the vertical spacing between the bottom plate and the lower catalyst retaining plate progressively increases from said one point towards the other point over said substantial distance so as to define a substantially uniform cross section for gas flow at all points over said distance, and said top plate and the upper catalyst retaining plates and the bottom plate and the lower catalyst retaining plates being substantially juxtaposed in vertical orientation immediately inboard their peripheries so as to define two layer vertical peripheral walls.