Exhaust device with an electric generator

Claim 1

An exhaust device comprising: a housing including a tubular wall with a tube axis, said tubular wall having an inlet end portion adapted to be connected to a source of exhaust gas, and a generator confining portion opposite to said inlet end portion along said tube axis, said housing further including a mounting wall disposed in said generator confining portion and transverse to said tube axis, said mounting wall having a first side facing toward said inlet end portion and a second side opposite to said first side along said tube axis, said mounting wall being formed with a shaft hole through said first and second sides, said shaft hole being aligned with said tube axis, at least one of said tubular wall and said mounting wall being formed with a vent so that the exhaust gas received from the source at said inlet end portion can be discharged from said housing; a drive unit including a drive shaft disposed in said housing, said drive shaft extending along and being rotatable about said tube axis and having an inner shaft section and an outer shaft section that extends through said shaft hole in said mounting wall, said drive unit further including an impeller disposed in said housing proximate to said inlet end portion and connected to said inner shaft section such that the exhaust gas received from the source at said inlet end portion can drive rotation of said drive shaft; and an electric generator including a stator mounted on said second side of said mounting wall and a rotor coupled to said outer shaft section of said drive shaft such that said rotor is rotatable with said drive shaft relative to said stator so as to generate electricity.