Reduced cost substrate retaining mat

Details Reduced cost substrate retaining mat Reduced cost substrate retaining mat

1998-10-26

2001-02-13

Tran, Hien (Department: 1764)

Metal working

Method of mechanical manufacture

Catalytic device making

C422S179000, C428S098000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06185820

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to producing catalytic converters. More particularly, the invention relates to producing catalytic converters while reducing the cost of the intumescent mat employed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Catalytic converters regularly employ a housing or canister, a catalytic substrate material and an intumescent mat placed between the canister and the substrate to hold the substrate in place and insulate the canister from the heat of the substrate during operation. Many different methods of wrapping the mat around the substrate exist and many different thicknesses and densities of these mats are designed into different catalytic converters.
Typical prior art methods for wrapping the substrate material around the catalytic substrate use a single thickness of mat material. This is true whether a single layer of mat is employed or multiple layers of mat are used. The method works extremely well and is reliable but is expensive to manufacture from the standpoint of material. Because lower housing temperatures are increasingly desirable, thicker intumescent mats are being employed on a regular basis. Additionally, more dense mat is being used to prevent erosion of the edges of the mat while the catalytic converter is in service. With thickness and density comes higher expense. Avoiding expense increase is therefore a desirable interest.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to reduce the cost of mat materials needed to manufacture a catalytic converter.
It is a further object of the invention to produce a catalytic converter having a lower temperature outer housing. It is yet a further object of the invention to accomplish the above objects while retaining mat mounting densities at the inlet and outlet ends of the substrate.
Advantageously, the method for producing catalytic converters and the catalytic converter produced thereby achieve the above objects by providing a single mat and partially cutting and folding the mat upon itself in specific locations to create a structure having variable thickness and therefore discrete densities after being packed into the housing or canister.


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patent: WO 98/45583 (1998-10-01), None
U.S. application No. 08/932,713, Filed Sep. 17,1997, Inventor: Foster et al., assigned to the assignee of this invention.
U.S. application No. 08/943,847, Filed Oct. 3, 1997, Inventor: Foster, assigned to the assignee of this invention.
U.S. application No. 09/003,943, Filed Jan. 8, 1998, Inventor: Foster, assigned to the assignee of this invention.
U.S. application No. 09/094,861, Filed Jun. 15, 1998, Inventor: Foster, assigned to the assignee of this invention.
U.S. application No. 09/141,299, Filed Aug. 27, 1998, Inventor: Foster et al., assigned to the assignee of this invention.
U.S. application No. 09/144,481, Filed Aug. 31, 1998, Inventor: Foster et al., assigned to the assignee of this invention.

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