Catalytic converter for use with internal combustion engine

Claim 2

An insulated, muffled, straight-line flow catalytic converter which is formed under a constant load for high quantity production, consisting essentially of: a generally cylindrical catalyst carrier having an approximate dimension of length and an approximate dimension of diameter which may be less than, greater than or equal to a desired diameter and which falls within an expected diameter deviation, and having a longitudinal central axis; a circumferential retainer member resiliently surrounding substantially the given length of said catalyst carrier; a first generally hemicylindrical casing half extending through approximately 180° about said central axis and terminating in a pair of longitudinal ends each having a radially extending annular end flange, said casing half being longer than the length of said carrier and terminating at the side edges thereof in a pair of longitudinally extending end faces, said casing half having on each side thereof a longitudinal flange extending substantially the length of said casing half, each longitudinal flange including a generally planar coupling wall portion having said longitudinally extending end face; a second generally hemicylindrical casing half extending through approximately 180° about said central axis and terminating in a pair of longitudinal ends each having a radially extending annular end flange; said second casing half being longer than the length of the carrier and terminating at the side edges thereof in a pair of longitudinally extending end faces, said second casing half having a radially outwardly extending longitudinal flange extending longitudinally substantially the length of said second casing half and having an inner face and each longitudinal flange terminating in a generally perpendicular flange including a generally planar coupling wall portion extending generally perpendicular to and substantially the length of said longitudinal flange and extending a tangential distance sufficient to overlap the adjacent coupling wall portion with a clamping margin between each end face of said coupling wall portion of said first casing half and said inner face of said longitudinal flange of said second casing half defining a spacing which allows for different diameter catalyst carriers to be mounted within said first and second casing halves; said first casing half and said second half being adapted to retain and circumferentially surround said carrier and said retainer member when a predetermined load is applied with said adjacent coupling wall portions being in mating and overlapping relationship and with the distance of overlap being greater than said clamping margin but sufficient to retain said carrier in a fixed position within the cylindrical casing having said annular end flanges and being formed by said mated casing halves regardless of the expected diameter deviation of the diameter of the catalyst carrier received in said casing and with said adjacent coupling wall portions having a sufficient amount of overlap to accommodate catalyst carriers of different diameters; first an second short cylindrical tubes, each having the same diameter which is greater than a diameter of said, annular end flanges of said generally cylindrical casing and each having a radially inwardly extending flange surrounding an orifice which is in a plane perpendicular to said central axis, each short tube being individually affixed along an inner periphery of an outwardly facing surface of said flange of said tube to an adjacent outwardly facing surface of one of said annular end flanges of said generally cylindrical casing; and an elongate outer tube extending circumferentially about said central axis, said first and second short tubes having said cylindrical casing joined thereto between said first and second short tubes, and being received within said outer tube to form a heat insulating chamber between said cylindrical casing and said outer tube, said outer tube extending longitudinally beyond said short tubes to form at least two muffling chambers, one between said first short tube and a first end of said outer tube and another between said second short tube and a second end of said outer tube.

Claim 3

An insulated, muffled, straight-line flow catalytic converter which is formed under a constant load for high quantity production, consisting essentially of: a generally cylindrical catalyst carrier having an approximate dimension of length and an approximate dimension of diameter which may be less than, greater than or equal to a desired diameter and which falls within an expected diameter deviation, and having a longitudinal central axis; a circumferential retainer member resiliently surrounding substantially the given length of said catalyst carrier; a first generally hemicylindrical casing half extending through approximately 180° about said central axis and terminating in a pair of longitudinal ends each having a radially extending annular end flange, said casing half being longer than the length of said carrier and terminating at the side edges thereof in a pair of longitudinally extending end faces, said casing half having on each side thereof a longitudinal flange extending substantially the length of said casing half, each longitudinal flange including a generally planar coupling wall portion having said longitudinally extending end face; a second generally hemicylindrical casing half extending through approximately 180° about said central axis and terminating in a pair of longitudinal ends each having a radially extending annular end flange; said second casing half being longer than the length of the carrier and terminating at the side edges thereof in a pair of longitudinally extending end faces, said second casing half having a radially outwardly extending longitudinal flange extending longitudinally substantially the length of said second casing half and having an inner face and each longitudinal flange terminating in a generally perpendicular flange including a generally planar coupling wall portion extending generally perpendicular to and substantially the length of said longitudinal flange and extending a tangential distance sufficient to overlap the adjacent coupling wall portion with a clamping margin between each end face of said coupling wall portion of said first casing half and said inner face of said longitudinal flange of said second casing half defining a spacing which allows for different diameter catalyst carriers to be mounted within said first and second casing halves; said first casing half and said second casing half being adapted to retain and circumferentially surround said carrier and said retainer member when a predetermined load is applied with said adjacent coupling wall portions being in mating and overlapping relationship and with the distance of overlap being greater than said clamping margin but sufficient to retain said carrier in a fixed position within the cylindrical casing having said annular end flanges and formed by said mated casing halves, regardless of the expected diameter deviation of the diameter of the catalyst carrier received in said casing and with said adjacent coupling wall portions having a sufficient amount of overlap to accommodate catalyst carriers of different diameters; first and second short cylindrical tubes, each having the same diameter which is greater than a diameter of said, annular end flanges of said generally cylindrical casing and each having a radially inwardly extending flange surrounding an orifice which is in a plane perpendicular to said central axis, each short tube being individually affixed along an inner periphery of an outwardly facing surface of said flange of said tube to an adjacent outwardly facing surface of one of said annular end flanges of said generally cylindrical casing; an elongate outer tube extending circumferentially about said central axis, said first and second short tubes having said cylindrical casing joined thereto between said first and second short tubes, and being received within said outer tube to form a heat insulating chamber between said cylindrical casing and said outer tube, said outer tube extending longitudinally beyond said short tubes to form at least two muffling chamber, one between said first short tube and a first end of said outer tube and another between said second short tube and a second end of said outer tube; and, a cushioning member being interposed between each of said first and second short tubes and said catalyst carrier.

Claim 4

An insulated, muffled, straight-line flow catalytic converter which is formed under a constant load for high quantity production, consisting essentially of: a generally cylindrical catalyst carrier having an approximate dimension of length and an approximate dimension of diameter which may be less than, greater than or equal to a desired diameter and which falls within an expected diameter deviation, and having a longitudinal central axis; a circumferential retainer member resiliently surrounding substantially the given length of said catalyst carrier; a first generally hemicylindrical casing half extending through approximately 180° about said central axis and terminating in a pair of longitudinal ends each having a radially extending annular end flange, said casing half being longer than the length of said carrier and terminating at the side edges thereof in a pair of longitudinally extending end faces, said casing half having on each side thereof a longitudinal flange extending substantially the length of said casing half, each longitudinal flange including a generally planar coupling wall portion having said longitudinally extending end face; a second generally hemicylindrical casing half extending through approximately 180° about said central axis and terminating in a pair of longitudinal ends each having a radially extending annular end flange; said second casing half being longer than the length of the carrier and terminating at the side edges thereof in a pair of longitudinally extending end faces, said second casing half having a radially outwardly extending longitudinal flange extending longitudinally substantially the length of said second casing half and having an inner face and each longitudinal flange terminating in a generally perpendicular flange including a generally planar coupling wall portion extending generally perpendicular to and substantially the length of said longitudinal flange and extending a tangential distance sufficient to overlap the adjacent coupling wall portion with a clamping margin between each end face of said coupling wall portion of said first casing half and said inner face of said longitudinal flange of said second casing half defining a spacing which allows for different diameter catalyst carriers to be mounted within said first and second casing halves; said first casing half and said second casing half being adapted to retain and circumferentially surround said carrier and said retainer member when a predetermined load is applied with said adjacent coupling wall portions being in mating and overlapping relationship and with the distance of overlap being greater than said clamping margin but sufficient to retain said carrier in a fixed position within the cylindrical casing having said annular end flanges and formed by said mated casing halves, regardless of the expected diameter deviation of the diameter of the catalyst carrier received in said casing and with said adjacent coupling wall portions having a sufficient amount of overlap to accommodate catalyst carriers of different diameters; first and second short cylindrical tubes, each having the same diameter which is greater than a diameter of said, annular end flanges of said generally cylindrical casing and each having a radially inwardly extending flange surrounding an orifice which is in a plane perpendicular to said central axis, each short tube being individually affixed along an inner periphery of an outwardly facing surface of said flange of said tube to an adjacent outwardly facing surface of one of said annular end flanges of said generally cylindrical casing; an elongate outer tube extending circumferentially about said central axis, said first and second short tubes having said cylindrical casing joined thereto between said first and second short tubes, and being received within said outer tube to form a heat insulating chamber between said cylindrical casing and said outer tube, said outer tube extending longitudinally beyond said short tubes to form at least two muffling chamber, one between said first short tube and a first end of said outer tube and another between said second short tube and a second end of said outer tube; and, a cushioning member being interposed between each of said first and second short tubes and said catalyst carrier.

Claim 5

An insulated, muffled, straight-line flow catalytic converter which is formed under a constant load for high quantity production, consisting essentially of: a generally cylindrical catalyst carrier having an approximate dimension of length and an approximate dimension of diameter which may be less than, greater than or equal to a desired diameter and which falls within an expected diameter deviation, and having a longitudinal central axis; a circumferential retainer member resiliently surrounding substantially the given length of said catalyst carrier; a first generally hemicylindrical casing half extending through approximately 180° about said central axis and terminating in a pair of longitudinal ends each having a radially extending annular end flange, said casing half being longer than the length of said carrier and terminating at the side edges thereof in a pair of longitudinally extending end faces, said casing half having on each side thereof a longitudinal flange extending substantially the length of said casing half, each longitudinal flange including a generally planar coupling wall portion having said longitudinally extending end face; a second generally hemicylindrical casing half extending through approximately 180° about said central axis and terminating in a pair of longitudinal ends each having a radially extending annular end flange; said second casing half being longer than the length of the carrier and terminating at the side edges thereof in a pair of longitudinally extending end faces, said second casing half having a radially outwardly extending longitudinal flange extending longitudinally substantially the length of said second casing half and having an inner face and each longitudinal flange terminating in a generally perpendicular flange including a generally planar coupling wall portion extending generally perpendicular to and substantially the length of said longitudinal flange and extending a tangential distance sufficient to overlap the adjacent coupling wall portion with a clamping margin between each end face of said coupling wall portion of said first casing and said inner face of said longitudinal flange of said second casing half defining a spacing which allows for different diameter catalyst carriers to be mounted within said first and second casing halves; said first casing half and said second casing half being adapted to retain and circumferentially surround said carrier and said retainer member when a predetermined load is applied with said adjacent coupling wall portions being in mating and overlapping relationship and with the distance of overlap being greater than said clamping margin but sufficient to retain said carrier in a fixed position within the cylindrical casing having said annular end flanges and formed by said mated casing halves, regardless of the expected diameter deviation of the diameter of the catalyst carrier received in said casing and with sufficient overlap between said adjacent coupling wall portions to accommodate catalyst carriers of different diameters; first and second short cylindrical tubes, each having the same diameter which is greater than a diameter of said annular end flanges of said generally cylindrical casing and each having a radially inwardly extending flange surrounding an orifice which is in a plane perpendicular to said central axis, each short tube being individually affixed along an inner periphery of an outwardly facing surface of said flange of said tube to an adjacent outwardly facing surface of one of said annular end flanges of said generally cylindrical casing; an elongate outer tube extending circumferentially about said central axis, said first and second short tubes having said cylindrical casing joined thereto between said first and second short tubes, and being received within said outer tube to form a heat insulating chamber between said cylindrical casing and said outer tube, said outer tube extending longitudinally beyond said sort tubes to form at least two muffling chambers, one between said first short tube and a first end of said outer tube and another between said second short tube and a second end of said outer tube and, cushioning members being interposed between the interior of said first and second casing halves, said catalyst carrier, and the inwardly extending flanges of said first and second short tubes.

Claim 6

An insulated, muffled, straight-line flow catalytic converter which is formed under a constant load for high quantity production, consisting essentially of: a generally cylindrical catalyst carrier having an approximate dimension of length and an approximate dimension of diameter which may be less than, greater than or equal to a desired diameter and which falls within an expected diameter deviation, and having a longitudinal central axis; a circumferential retainer member resiliently surrounding substantially the given length of said catalyst carrier; a first generally hemicylindrical casing half extending through approximately 180° about said central axis and terminating in a pair of longitudinal ends each having a radially extending annular end flange, said casing half being longer than the length of said carrier and terminating at the side edges thereof in a pair of longitudinally extending end faces, said casing half having on each side thereof a longitudinal flange extending substantially the length of said casing half, each longitudinal flange including a generally planar coupling wall portion having said longitudinally extending end face; a second generally hemicylindrical casing half extending through approximately 180° about said central axis and terminating in a pair of longitudinal ends each having a radially extending annular end flange; said second casing half being longer than the length of the carrier and terminating at the side edges thereof in a pair of longitudinally extending end faces, said second casing half having a radially outwardly extending longitudinal flange extending longitudinally substantially the length of said second casing half and having an inner face and each longitudinal flange terminating in a generally perpendicular flange including a generally planar coupling wall portion extending generally perpendicular to and substantially the length of said longitudinal flange and extending a tangential distance sufficient to overlap the adjacent coupling wall portion with a clamping margin between each end face of said coupling wall portion of said first casing and said inner face of said longitudinal flange of said second casing half defining a spacing which allows for different diameter catalyst carriers to be mounted within said first and second casing halves; said first casing half and said second casing half being adapted to retain and circumferentially surround said carrier and said retainer member when a predetermined load is applied with said adjacent coupling wall portions being in mating and overlapping relationship and with the distance of overlap being greater than said clamping margin but sufficient to retain said carrier in a fixed position within the cylindrical casing having said annular end flanges and formed by said mated casing halves, regardless of the expected diameter deviation of the diameter of the catalyst carrier received in said casing and with sufficient overlap between said adjacent coupling wall portions to accommodate catalyst carriers of different diameters; first and second short cylindrical tubes, each having the same diameter which is greater than a diameter of said annular end flanges of said generally cylindrical casing and each having a radially inwardly extending flange surrounding an orifice which is in a plane perpendicular to said central axis, each short tube being individually affixed along an inner periphery of an outwardly facing surface of said flange of said tube to an adjacent outwardly facing surface of one of said annular end flanges of said generally cylindrical casing; an elongate outer tube extending circumferentially about said central axis, said first and second short tubes having said cylindrical casing joined thereto between said first and second short tubes, and being received within said outer tube to form a heat insulating chamber between said cylindrical casing and said outer tube, said outer tube extending longitudinally beyond said sort tubes to form at least two muffling chambers, one between said first short tube and a first end of said outer tube and another between said second short tube and a second end of said outer tube and, cushioning members being interposed between the interior of said first and second casing halves, said catalyst carrier, and the inwardly extending flanges of said first and second short tubes.