By-pass flow catalytic converter

• US 6,024,928 A
• Filed: 06/15/1998
• Issued: 02/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Foster, Michael Ralph
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, HIEN THI
• Application Number:
  US09/094,861
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 422/170, 422/171, 422/174, 422/172, 422/176, 422/180, 422/179, 422/177, 422/181, 60/287-288, 60/292
• US Class Current: 422/176
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2053 By-passing catalytic reactors, e.g. to prevent overheating

Abstract

A catalytic converter for an internal combustion engine having a housing provided with an exhaust gas by-pass tube and a valve arrangement that causes the exhaust gas to selectively flow through a catalyst coated substrate to be treated thereby or through the tube so as to exist the converter in an untreated state and in which an actuator is in a sealed relationship with the housing so as to prevent exhaust gas leakage while providing for movement of the valve.

Claims

1. A by-pass flow catalytic converter for use in the exhaust system of an internal combustion engine, said catalytic converter including a housing having a cavity formed therein and terminating at one end with a gas inlet edge and terminating at the other end with a gas outlet edge, a pair of end members, one of said end members sealingly connected to the gas inlet edge of said housing and the other of said end members sealingly connected to said gas outlet edge of said housing, one of said end members having a gas inlet opening and the other of said end members having a gas outlet opening for allowing exhaust to pass through said gas outlet opening, a tube located in said cavity of said housing and axially aligned with said gas inlet opening and said gas outlet opening, said tube having a gas inlet end and a gas outlet end, said gas outlet end of said tube being supported by said other of said end members, a catalyst coated substrate wrapped with a mat of insulating material and located on diametrically opposed sides of said tube and having a plurality of parallel passages through which the exhaust gas from said engine is adapted to flow and be treated by said substrate, said substrate having a gas inlet face and a gas outlet face, said gas inlet face being spaced from said one of said end members to form a gas inlet chamber and said gas outlet face being spaced from said other of said end members to form a gas outlet chamber, said gas inlet end of said tube terminating at a point substantially transversely aligned with said gas inlet face of said substrate and having a valve supported therein for movement between a first position wherein said gas inlet end of said tube is closed and a second position wherein said gas inlet end of said tube is opened, said gas outlet end of said tube having an opening in the side wall of said tube for allowing communication between said gas outlet chamber and said gas outlet opening, an actuator connected to said valve for moving said valve from said first position wherein said exhaust gas entering said gas inlet chamber flows through said substrate and through said opening in said side wall to said gas outlet opening, said actuator adapted to move said valve to said second position wherein said exhaust gas entering said gas inlet chamber by-passes said substrate and flows directly through said tube.

2. The by-pass flow catalytic converter of claim 1 wherein said actuator includes a motor housing supporting a diaphragm which divides said motor housing into a first chamber and a second chamber, a link connected at one end to said diaphragm and connected at the other end to said valve, said first chamber of said motor housing communicating with said gas inlet chamber, a spring located in said second chamber of said motor housing and normally urging said diaphragm in a direction to cause said link to move said valve to said second position, and a source of vacuum adapted to be connected to said second chamber so as to cause said diaphragm to move in a direction to cause said link to move said valve to said first position.

3. The by-pass flow catalytic converter of claim 2 wherein said motor housing is provided with a passage sealingly connected at one end to said gas inlet chamber and sealingly connected at the other end of said passage to said first chamber of said motor housing for providing communication between said gas inlet chamber and said first chamber.

4. The by-pass flow catalytic converter of claim 3 wherein said link extends through said passage.

5. The by-pass flow catalytic converter of claim 4 wherein said link is provided with a member which is adapted to shield said passage when said valve is located in said first position.

6. A by-pass flow catalytic converter for use in the exhaust system of an internal combustion engine, said catalytic converter including a housing having a cavity formed therein and terminating at one end with a gas inlet edge and terminating at the other end with a gas outlet edge, a pair of end members, one of said end members sealingly connected to the gas inlet edge of said housing and the other of said end members sealingly connected to said gas outlet edge of said housing, one of said end members having a gas inlet opening and the other of said end members having a gas outlet opening for allowing exhaust to pass through said outlet opening, a tube located in said cavity of said housing and axially aligned with said gas inlet opening and said gas outlet opening, said tube having a gas inlet end and a gas outlet end, said gas outlet end of said tube being supported by said other of said end members, a pair of catalyst coated substrates wrapped with a mat of insulating material located on diametrically opposed sides of said tube and having a plurality of parallel passages through which the exhaust gas from said engine is adapted to flow and be treated by said substrate, each of said substrates having a gas inlet face and a gas outlet face, said gas inlet face of each of said substrates being spaced from said one of said end members to form a gas inlet chamber and said gas outlet face of each of said substrates being spaced from said other of said end members to form a gas outlet chamber, said gas inlet end of said tube terminating at a point substantially transversely aligned with said gas inlet face of each of said substrates and having a valve supported therein for movement between a first position wherein said gas inlet end of said tube is closed and a second position wherein said gas inlet end of said tube is open, said gas outlet end of said tube having at least one opening in the side wall of said tube for allowing communication between said gas outlet chamber and said gas outlet opening, an actuator connected to said valve for moving said valve from said first position wherein said exhaust gas entering said gas inlet chamber flows through said substrates and through said opening in said side wall to said gas outlet opening, said actuator adapted to move said valve to said second position wherein said exhaust gas entering said gas inlet chamber by-passes said substrates and flows directly through said tube to said gas outlet opening.

7. A by-pass flow catalytic converter for use in the exhaust system of an internal combustion engine, said catalytic converter including a housing having a cavity formed therein and terminating at one end with a gas inlet edge and terminating at the other end with a gas outlet edge, a pair of end members, one of said end members sealingly connected to the gas inlet edge of said housing and the other of said end members sealingly connected to said gas outlet edge of said housing, one of said end members having a gas inlet opening and the other of said end members having a gas outlet opening for allowing exhaust to pass through said outlet opening, a tube located in said cavity of said housing and axially aligned with said gas inlet opening and said gas outlet opening, said tube having a gas inlet end and a gas outlet end, said gas outlet end of said tube being supported by said other of said end members, a pair of catalyst coated ceramic substrates wrapped with a mat of insulating material located on diametrically opposed sides of said tube and having a plurality of parallel passages through which the exhaust gas from said engine is adapted to flow and be treated by said substrate, each of said substrates having a gas inlet face and a gas outlet face, said gas inlet face of each of said substrates being spaced from said one of said end members to form a gas inlet chamber and said gas outlet face of each of said substrates being spaced from said other of said end members to form a gas outlet chamber, said gas inlet end of said tube terminating at a point substantially transversely aligned with said gas inlet face of each of said substrates and having a valve supported therein for movement between a first position wherein said gas inlet end of said tube is closed and a second position wherein said gas inlet end of said tube is open, said gas outlet end of said tube having a plurality of openings in the side wall of said tube for allowing communication between said gas outlet chamber and said gas outlet opening, a vacuum operated actuator connected to said valve for moving said valve from said first position wherein said exhaust gas entering said gas inlet chamber flows through said substrates and through said openings in said side wall of said tube, said actuator adapted to move said valve to said second position wherein said exhaust gas entering said gas inlet chamber by-passes said substrates and flows directly through said tube to said gas outlet opening.

8. The by-pass flow catalytic converter of claim 7 wherein said actuator includes a motor housing supporting a diaphragm which divides said motor housing into a first chamber and a second chamber, a link connected at one end to said diaphragm and connected at the other end to said valve, said first chamber of said motor housing communicating with said gas inlet chamber, a spring located in said second chamber of said motor housing and normally urging said diaphragm in a direction to cause said link to move said valve to said second position, and a source of vacuum adapted to be connected to said second chamber so as to cause said diaphragm to move in a direction to cause said link to move said valve to said first position.

9. The by-pass flow catalytic converter of claim 8 wherein said motor housing is provided with a passage sealingly connected at one end to said gas inlet chamber and sealingly connected at the other end of said passage to said first chamber of said motor housing for providing communication between said gas inlet chamber and said first chamber.

10. The by-pass flow catalytic converter of claim 9 wherein said link extends through said passage.

11. The by-pass flow catalytic converter of claim 10 wherein said link is provided with a metallic member which is adapted to shield said passage when said valve is located in said first position.