USRE35134E
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Resistance adjusting type heater and catalytic converter
Assignee: NGK Insulators Ltd
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Filing: 1993-10-19
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Granted: 1995-12-26
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Expires: 2013-10-19
Abstract
Abstract A resistance adjusting type heater including a honeycomb structure having a large number of passages, at last two electrodes for energizing the honeycomb structure, and a resistance adjusting mechanism such as a slit provided between the electrodes to heat the gas flowing through the passages formed in the honeycomb structure. A catalytic converter includes a main monolith catalyst and the above-described heater placed adjacent to and upstream of the main monolith catalyst. A catalytic converter includes a honeycomb structure having a large number of passages, a catalyst carried on the honeycomb structure, at least two electrodes for energizing the honeycomb structure, and a resistance adjusting mechanism provided between the electrodes. A catalytic converter includes a main monolith catalyst, and a heater placed adjacent to and upstream of the main monolith catalyst. The heater includes a honeycomb structure having a large number of passages, a catalyst carried on the honeycomb structure, at least two electrodes for energizing the honeycomb structure, and a resistance adjusting mechanism provided between the electrodes.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroshige Mizuno
- 👤 Fumio Abe
- 👤 Takashi Harada
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 05:04
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05B; H05B3/00; H05B3/10; H05B3/12; H05B3/14; H05B3/141; B; B01; B01J; B01J35/00; B01J35/30; B01J35/33; B01J35/50; B01J35/56; B01J35/57; B22; B22F; B22F3/00; B22F3/10; B22F3/11; B22F3/1103; B22F3/1115; F; F01; F01N; F01N3/00; F01N3/08; F01N3/10; F01N3/18; F01N3/20; F01N3/2006; F01N3/2013; F01N3/2026; F01N3/24; F01N3/28; F01N3/2803; F01N2330/00; F01N2330/14; F02; F02B; F02B1/00; F02B1/02; F02B1/04; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/10; Y02T10/12; Y10; Y10S; Y10S55/00; Y10S55/30; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24149
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
158 words
.[.An.]. .Iadd.A .Iaddend.heating element for heating fluid flowing therethrough, comprising: an electrically conductive .[.integral.]. .Iadd.monolithic .Iaddend.honeycomb structure having a periphery and two ends, including a plurality of passages which are defined by partition walls and extend in an axial direction between the ends, and at least one slit which is formed through said partition walls.Iadd., said slit being open and unfilled in the area through which a fluid stream may pass through the honeycomb structure, and being substantially planar and extending substantially through the axial length of said honeycomb structure and substantially parallel to said axial direction and crossing the planes of a plurality of partition walls of the honeycomb structure; .Iaddend.and at least two electrodes in electrical contact with said honeycomb structure; wherein said slit is disposed between said electrodes such that said slit interrupts current flow through portions of said honeycomb structure between said electrodes for heating said honeycomb structure and fluid flowing through said passages.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
158 words
.[.An.]. .Iadd.A .Iaddend.heating element for heating fluid flowing therethrough, comprising: an electrically conductive .[.integral.]. .Iadd.monolithic .Iaddend.honeycomb structure having a periphery and two ends, including a plurality of passages which are defined by partition walls and extend in an axial direction between the ends, and at least one slit which is formed through said partition walls.Iadd., said slit being open and unfilled in the area through which a fluid stream may pass through the honeycomb structure, and being substantially planar and extending substantially through the axial length of said honeycomb structure and substantially parallel to said axial direction and crossing the planes of a plurality of partition walls of the honeycomb structure; .Iaddend.and at least two electrodes in electrical contact with said honeycomb structure; wherein said slit is disposed between said electrodes such that said slit interrupts current flow through portions of said honeycomb structure between said electrodes for heating said honeycomb structure and fluid flowing through said passages.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The heating element of claim 1, wherein said slit pierces the periphery of said honeycomb structure.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The heating element of claim 1, wherein said electrodes are located on the periphery of said honeycomb structure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The heating element of claim 1, wherein said electrodes are located in opposition to each other across a volume of said honeycomb structure, in a direction which is generally transverse to said axial direction.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The heating element of claim 4, wherein said slit is arranged at an angle .Iadd.with respect .Iaddend.to said axial direction. .[.6. The heating element of claim 4, wherein said slit is arranged perpendicular to
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
said axial direction..]. 7. The heating element of claim 1, wherein the member of passages per unit area in a plane crossing said axial direction
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
is non-uniform, for interrupting current flow between said electrodes. 8. The heating element of claim 1, further comprising a catalyst material
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
formed on said partition walls. 9. The heating element of claim 1, wherein
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
said slit is arranged parallel to said axial direction. 10. The heating element of claim .[.9.]. .Iadd.1.Iaddend., wherein the thickness of said partition walls is non-uniform for interrupting current flow between said
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
electrodes. 11. The heating element of claim .[.9.]. .Iadd.1, .Iaddend.wherein the lengths of said partition walls are non-uniform in said axial direction for interrupting current flow between said
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
electrodes. .[.12. The heating element of claim 11, wherein one of said electrodes is located at one of the ends and another of said electrodes is
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
located at the periphery of said honeycomb structure..]. 13. The heating element of claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of slits which are
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
198 words
parallel to each other .[.through said partition walls.].. 14. A catalytic converter .[.disposed.]. .Iadd.for disposal .Iaddend.in a stream of fluid, comprising: (i) at least one main monolithic catalyst; and (ii) .[.an.]. .Iadd.a .Iaddend.heating element disposed adjacent to said at least one main monolithic catalyst .[.in the flow direction of said stream of fluid.]., comprising: an electrically conductive .[.integral.]. .Iadd.monolithic .Iaddend.honeycomb structure having a periphery and two ends, including a plurality of passages which are defined by partition walls and extend in an axial direction between the ends, and at least one slit which is formed through said partition walls.Iadd., said slit being open and unfilled in the area through which a fluid stream may pass through the honeycomb structure, and being substantially planar and extending substantially through the axial length of said honeycomb structure and substantially parallel to said axial direction and crossing the planes of a plurality of partition walls of the honeycomb structure; .Iaddend.and at least two electrodes in electrical contact with said honeycomb structure; wherein said slit is disposed between said electrodes such that said slit interrupts current flow through portions of said honeycomb structure between said electrodes for heating said honeycomb structures and fluid
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
198 words
parallel to each other .[.through said partition walls.].. 14. A catalytic converter .[.disposed.]. .Iadd.for disposal .Iaddend.in a stream of fluid, comprising: (i) at least one main monolithic catalyst; and (ii) .[.an.]. .Iadd.a .Iaddend.heating element disposed adjacent to said at least one main monolithic catalyst .[.in the flow direction of said stream of fluid.]., comprising: an electrically conductive .[.integral.]. .Iadd.monolithic .Iaddend.honeycomb structure having a periphery and two ends, including a plurality of passages which are defined by partition walls and extend in an axial direction between the ends, and at least one slit which is formed through said partition walls.Iadd., said slit being open and unfilled in the area through which a fluid stream may pass through the honeycomb structure, and being substantially planar and extending substantially through the axial length of said honeycomb structure and substantially parallel to said axial direction and crossing the planes of a plurality of partition walls of the honeycomb structure; .Iaddend.and at least two electrodes in electrical contact with said honeycomb structure; wherein said slit is disposed between said electrodes such that said slit interrupts current flow through portions of said honeycomb structure between said electrodes for heating said honeycomb structures and fluid
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
flowing through said passages. 15. The catalytic converter of claim 14, further comprising a catalyst material formed on said partition walls.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The catalytic converter of claim 14, wherein said heating element is disposed upstream of said main monolithic catalyst .[.with respect to the flow direction of said fluid.]..
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-12-25 | 1999-06-26 | 1999-12-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-12-25 | 2003-06-26 | 2003-12-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-12-25 | 2007-06-26 | 2007-12-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |