Catalytic converter

Claim 1

A device for catalytically converting automotive exhaust gas pollutants to harmless substances comprising a container having an inlet and an outlet at opposite ends of said container, a plurality of pairs of strips of metal catalyst material, each strip having a plurality of corrugations therein extending obliquely across the longitudinal axes of said strips, each pair of said corrugated strip materials being wrapped together in a jelly roll configuration to form a generally cylindrical catalyst unit, whereby said plurality of pairs of said strips form a plurality of said cylindrical catalyst units, said paired strip materials having the corrugations thereof obliquely disposed relative to each other so that said corrugations define obliquely intersecting passage portions which cooperate to define a multiplicity of passages of continuously varying cross-sectional area extending from end to end through each of said cylindrical catalyst units, said plurality of catalyst units being disposed in spaced sequential relation to each other within said container with the cylindrical axes of the cylindrical catalyst units extending in the direction between the inlet and outlet of said container for permitting automotive exhaust gasses to pass through said catalyst units in sequence to catalytically convert pollutants in the gasses to harmless substances, said catalyst units each having a selected cylinder length for limiting heat buildup in said gasses passing through said catalyst unit as a result of exothermic catalytic reactions in said gasses, and heat dissipating means disposed within said container between said catalyst units for reducing the temperature of said gasses passing between said catalyst units.

Claim 2

A device for catalytically converting automotive exhaust gas pollutants to harmless substances comprising a container having an inlet and an outlet at opposite ends of said container, a plurality of pairs of strips of metal catalyst material, each strip having a plurality of corrugations therein extending obliquely across the longitudinal axes of said strips, each pair of said corrugated strip materials being wrapped together in a jelly roll configuration to form a generally cylindrical catalyst unit, whereby said plurality of pairs of said strips form a plurality of said cylindrical catalyst units, said paired strip materials having the corrugations thereof obliquely disposed relative to each other so that said corrugations define obliquely intersecting passage portions which cooperate to define a multiplicity of passages of continuously varying cross-sectional area extending from end to end through each of said cylindrical catalyst units, said plurality of catalyst units being disposed in spaced sequential relation to each other within said container with the cylindrical axes of the cylindrical catalyst units extending in the direction between the inlet and outlet of said container for permitting automotive exhaust gasses to pass through said catalyst units in sequence to catalytically convert pollutants in the gasses to harmless substances, said catalyst units each having a selected cylinder length for limiting heat buildup in said gasses passing through said catalyst unit as a result of exothermic catalytic reactions in said gasses, and heat dissipating means disposed within said container between said catalyst units for reducing the temperature of said gasses passing between said catalyst units.

Claim 7

A device for catalytically converting automotive exhaust gas pollutants to harmless substances comprising a metal container of generally cylindrical configuration having tapered end portions forming inlet and outlet openings for said container, each of said tapered container end portions forming one of said openings and defining one end of respective cylindrical chambers within said container, said container having a reduced diameter central portion having a plurality of alternate pleats and flutings therein around the periphery of said central portion, said central portion of said container defining an opposite end of each of said chambers within said container, a pair of catalyst units of generally cylindrical shape each having a multiplicity of passages extending therethrough, said catalyst units being disposed in said respective chambers so that each unit is held between said central container portion and one of said tapered container end portions to be in sequential relation to each other within said container between said inlet and outlet for permitting automotive exhaust gasses to pass through said catalyst units in sequence to catalytically convert pollutants in the gasses to harmless substances, said catalyst units each having a selected length for limiting heat build-up in said gasses passing through said unit as a result of exothermic catalytic reactions in said gasses, and a baffle plug held between said flutings for cooperating with said pleats and flutings in forming a heat-dissipating portion of said container between said catalyst units for reducing the temperature of said gasses passing between said catalyst units.

Claim 8

A device for catalytically converting automotive exhaust gas pollutants to harmless substances comprising a metal container of generally cylindrical configuration having tapered end portions forming inlet and outlet openings for said container, each of said tapered container end portions forming one of said openings and defining one end of respective cylindrical chambers within said container, said container having a reduced diameter central portion having a plurality of alternate pleats and flutings therein around the periphery of said central portion, said central portion of said container defining an opposite end of each of said chambers within said container, a pair of catalyst units of generally cylindrical shape each having a multiplicity of passages extending therethrough, said catalyst units being disposed in said respective chambers so that each unit is held between said central container portion and one of said tapered container end portions to be in sequential relation to each other within said container between said inlet and outlet for permitting automotive exhaust gasses to pass through said catalyst units in sequence to catalytically convert pollutants in the gasses to harmless substances, said catalyst units each having a selected length for limiting heat build-up in said gasses passing through said unit as a result of exothermic catalytic reactions in said gasses, and a baffle plug held between said flutings for cooperating with said pleats and flutings in forming a heat-dissipating portion of said container between said catalyst units for reducing the temperature of said gasses passing between said catalyst units.

Claim 9

A device for catalytically converting automotive exhaust gas pollutants to harmless substances comprising a first container having an inlet and an outlet, a tubing disposed within said container and having a tubing inlet and outlet, said tubing extending between said inlet and outlet of said first container for directing air through said first container, a plurality of first catalyst units each having a multiplicity of passages extending therethrough, said first catalyst units being disposed in surrounding relation to said tubing extending between said tubing and said first container, said first catalyst units each comprising a pair of corrugated strips of metal catalyst material wrapped together in a jelly-roll configuration around said tubing to form a generally hollow cylindrical catalyst unit configuration, said paired strip materials having corrugations thereof obliquely disposed relative to each other so that said corrugations define obliquely intersecting passage portions which cooperate to define said multiplicity of passages with continuously varying cross sectional area extending through said catalyst units, said first catalyst units being disposed in spaced sequential relation to each other along said first container between said inlet and outlet for permitting automotive exhaust gasses to pass through said first catalyst units in sequence to catalytically convert pollutants in the gasses to harmless substances while air is directed through said tubing, said first catalyst units each having a selected length for limiting heat build-up in said gasses passing through said unit as a result of exothermic catalytic reactions in said gasses, heat-dissipating means secured between said tubing and first container at a location between said plurality of first catalyst units for dissipating heat from said gasses passing between said plurality of first catalyst units outwardly through said container and tubing, an additional generally cylindrical metal container having a closed end, said additional container being disposed around said first container and having said closed end juxtaposed to said outlet of said first container and tubing, and at least one additional catalyst unit having a multiplicity of passages extending therethrough, said additional catalyst unit being disposed around said first container extending between said first and additional containers so that gasses and air passed through said first container and said tubing are mixed and directed through said additional catalyst unit.

Claim 10

A device for catalytically converting automotive exhaust gas pollutants to harmless substances comprising a first container having an inlet and an outlet, a tubing disposed within said container and having a tubing inlet and outlet, said tubing extending between said inlet and outlet of said first container for directing air through said first container, a plurality of first catalyst units each having a multiplicity of passages extending therethrough, said first catalyst units being disposed in surrounding relation to said tubing extending between said tubing and said first container, said first catalyst units each comprising a pair of corrugated strips of metal catalyst material wrapped together in a jelly-roll configuration around said tubing to form a generally hollow cylindrical catalyst unit configuration, said paired strip materials having corrugations thereof obliquely disposed relative to each other so that said corrugations define obliquely intersecting passage portions which cooperate to define said multiplicity of passages with continuously varying cross sectional area extending through said catalyst units, said first catalyst units being disposed in spaced sequential relation to each other along said first container between said inlet and outlet for permitting automotive exhaust gasses to pass through said first catalyst units in sequence to catalytically convert pollutants in the gasses to harmless substances while air is directed through said tubing, said first catalyst units each having a selected length for limiting heat build-up in said gasses passing through said unit as a result of exothermic catalytic reactions in said gasses, heat-dissipating means secured between said tubing and first container at a location between said plurality of first catalyst units for dissipating heat from said gasses passing between said plurality of first catalyst units outwardly through said container and tubing, an additional generally cylindrical metal container having a closed end, said additional container being disposed around said first container and having said closed end juxtaposed to said outlet of said first container and tubing, and at least one additional catalyst unit having a multiplicity of passages extending therethrough, said additional catalyst unit being disposed around said first container extending between said first and additional containers so that gasses and air passed through said first container and said tubing are mixed and directed through said additional catalyst unit.