Method for manufacturing a tail-pipe replacement kit

Claim 1

A method for manufacturing a tail-pipe kit suitable for attachment to a muffler and for use with a plurality of vehicles, comprising the steps of: (a) identifying a plurality of vehicles having overlapping spatial envelopes in at least the rear axle section of the plurality of vehicles; (b) forming a tubular arched section of a first length with an inlet end for connection to the muffler, an intermediate portion having an arch conforming to the overlapping spatial envelopes and an outlet end; and (c) forming a tubular spout section separate from said tubular arched section and having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end being connectible in gas flow relationship with the outlet end of the tubular arched section, wherein said separate tubular spout section has an axial length which is substantially equal to the first length and at least equal to the longest spout section of said plurality of vehicles.

Claim 2

A method for manufacturing a tail-pipe kit suitable for attachment to a muffler and for use with a plurality of vehicles, comprising the steps of: (a) identifying a plurality of vehicles having overlapping spatial envelopes in at least the rear axle section of the plurality of vehicles; (b) forming a tubular arched section of a first length with an inlet end for connection to the muffler, an intermediate portion having an arch conforming to the overlapping spatial envelopes and an outlet end; and (c) forming a tubular spout section separate from said tubular arched section and having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end being connectible in gas flow relationship with the outlet end of the tubular arched section, wherein said separate tubular spout section has an axial length which is substantially equal to the first length and at least equal to the longest spout section of said plurality of vehicles.

Claim 3

A method for manufacturing a tail-pipe replacement kit suitable for use with either a first vehicle that was originally equipped with a first tubular tail pipe having an inlet end connected to a muffler, an arched region of predetermined first configuration adjacent the inlet end, and an outlet end spaced apart from the inlet end by a first distance, or a second vehicle that was originally equipped with a second tubular tail pipe having an inlet end connected to a muffler, an arched region of predetermined second configuration adjacent the inlet end, and an outlet end spaced apart from the inlet end by a second distance, said method comprising the steps of: (a) forming a first tubular section with an inlet end for connection to a muffler, an intermediate portion having an arch conforming to the overlapping spatial envelopes of both the first and second configurations, and an outlet end spaced apart from said inlet end by a third distance; (b) forming a second tubular section with an inlet end and an outlet end spaced apart from the inlet end by a fourth distance, the fourth distance being approximately the same as the third distance and the sum of the third and fourth distances being at least as long as the larger of the first and second distances; (c) forming a means for temporarily attaching the first and second tubular sections in overlapping relationship to provide a shipping package substantially shorter than either of said first and second distances; and (d) forming a means for permitting said outlet end of said first tubular section to be operatively connected to said inlet end of said second tubular section in gas flow relationship when said tail-pipe replacement kit is being permanently installed in one of said first or second vehicles.

Claim 4

A method for manufacturing a tail-pipe replacement kit suitable for use with either a first vehicle that was originally equipped with a first tubular tail pipe having an inlet end connected to a muffler, an arched region of predetermined first configuration adjacent the inlet end, and an outlet end spaced apart from the inlet end by a first distance, or a second vehicle that was originally equipped with a second tubular tail pipe having an inlet end connected to a muffler, an arched region of predetermined second configuration adjacent the inlet end, and an outlet end spaced apart from the inlet end by a second distance, said method comprising the steps of: (a) forming a first tubular section with an inlet end for connection to a muffler, an intermediate portion having an arch conforming to the overlapping spatial envelopes of both the first and second configurations, and an outlet end spaced apart from said inlet end by a third distance; (b) forming a second tubular section with an inlet end and an outlet end spaced apart from the inlet end by a fourth distance, the fourth distance being approximately the same as the third distance and the sum of the third and fourth distances being at least as long as the larger of the first and second distances; (c) forming a means for temporarily attaching the first and second tubular sections in overlapping relationship to provide a shipping package substantially shorter than either of said first and second distances; and (d) forming a means for permitting said outlet end of said first tubular section to be operatively connected to said inlet end of said second tubular section in gas flow relationship when said tail-pipe replacement kit is being permanently installed in one of said first or second vehicles.

Claim 5

A method for manufacturing a kit for replacing an OEM tail-pipe in an automotive vehicle, the OEM tail pipe being unitary and having a predetermined length, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a tubular arched section with an inlet end, an intermediate portion having an arch of predetermined configuration, and an outlet end; (b) forming a tubular spout section separate from said tubular arched section with an inlet end and an outlet end, the spout section being approximately as long as the arched section; (c) forming a means for temporarily joing said inlet and outlet ends of said tubular arched section to said tubular spout section, thus joining said tubular sections in overlapping relationship in an assembly approximately half as long as the tail pipe replaced; and (d) forming a means for permitting said outlet end of said tubular arched section to be operatively connected to said inlet end of said tubular spout section in gas flow relationship when said tail-pipe replacement kit is being installed.

Claim 6

A method for manufacturing a kit for replacing an OEM tail-pipe in an automotive vehicle, the OEM tail pipe being unitary and having a predetermined length, comprising the steps of: (a) forming a tubular arched section with an inlet end, an intermediate portion having an arch of predetermined configuration, and an outlet end; (b) forming a tubular spout section separate from said tubular arched section with an inlet end and an outlet end, the spout section being approximately as long as the arched section; (c) forming a means for temporarily joing said inlet and outlet ends of said tubular arched section to said tubular spout section, thus joining said tubular sections in overlapping relationship in an assembly approximately half as long as the tail pipe replaced; and (d) forming a means for permitting said outlet end of said tubular arched section to be operatively connected to said inlet end of said tubular spout section in gas flow relationship when said tail-pipe replacement kit is being installed.

Claim 16

A method for manufacturing a tail-pipe replacement kit of the type wherein an elongated tubular element is provided with an inlet end for connection to the muffler of a vehicle, an outlet end for exhausting fumes into the atmosphere, and an intermediate region between the inlet and outlet ends for extending over the rear axle of the vehicle through a passage of predetermined minimum configuration above the rear axle, wherein the improvement comprises the following steps: forming kit means for replacing the tail pipe of either of said vehicle and another vehicle that was originally equipped with a tail pipe having a different length from inlet to outlet ends and having an intermediate region configured to extend through a passage having a different predetermined minimum configuration above the rear axle, said step further comprising the following steps-- (a) forming a tubular element having a first end for connection to the muffler of either of said vehicle and another vehicle, an arched region for extending over the rear axle of either of said vehicle and another vehicle, and a second end adjacent the arched region, and (b) forming manually shortenable tubular means for cooperating with the second end of the tubular element to complete a tail pipe for either of said vehicle and another vehicle, said tubular means being elongated and having a length at least as great as the difference between the tubular element and the longer of the tail pipes with which said vehicle and another vehicle were originally equipped; and (c) forming a means for temporarily attaching the tubular element and the tubular means in overlapping relationship to provide a shipping package having a length equal to the longer of either the tubular element and the tubular means.

Claim 17

A method for manufacturing a tail-pipe replacement kit of the type wherein an elongated tubular element is provided with an inlet end for connection to the muffler of a vehicle, an outlet end for exhausting fumes into the atmosphere, and an intermediate region between the inlet and outlet ends for extending over the rear axle of the vehicle through a passage of predetermined minimum configuration above the rear axle, wherein the improvement comprises the following steps: forming kit means for replacing the tail pipe of either of said vehicle and another vehicle that was originally equipped with a tail pipe having a different length from inlet to outlet ends and having an intermediate region configured to extend through a passage having a different predetermined minimum configuration above the rear axle, said step further comprising the following steps-- (a) forming a tubular element having a first end for connection to the muffler of either of said vehicle and another vehicle, an arched region for extending over the rear axle of either of said vehicle and another vehicle, and a second end adjacent the arched region, and (b) forming manually shortenable tubular means for cooperating with the second end of the tubular element to complete a tail pipe for either of said vehicle and another vehicle, said tubular means being elongated and having a length at least as great as the difference between the tubular element and the longer of the tail pipes with which said vehicle and another vehicle were originally equipped; and (c) forming a means for temporarily attaching the tubular element and the tubular means in overlapping relationship to provide a shipping package having a length equal to the longer of either the tubular element and the tubular means.