The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 03, 1996
Filed:
May. 23, 1995
A J Preslicka, Knoxville, TN (US);
Robert J Paterick, Knoxville, TN (US);
Paul Smeltzer, Naperville, IL (US);
Maremont Corporation, Naperville, IL (US);
Abstract
A vehicular exhaust system muffler fabrication method including using mechanical lock joints for joining the end tubes to the flow tubes. Each end tube has one end whose outer diameter is selected such that the one end may be loosely, telescopically, and overlappingly fitted within the adjacent end of the adjacent flow tube. Each of the overlapped ends of the end tubes and the flow tubes are mechanically locked together by a circumferential skewed bead which is formed in the overlapped ends, with the plane of the skewed bead being at an angle less than 90.degree. with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the overlapped ends. The muffler fabrication method also includes the use of other mechanical lock joints to lock the end tubes within apertures in the end panels of the muffler. Each of these other lock joints includes a continuous, circumferential bead formed in the end tube and in the annular flange, which is integral with the end panel and which extends along the end tube. A series of spaced apart, circumferential, aligned elongated deformations are formed in the overlapped portion of the end tube and the flange.