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:
Jun. 21, 2005
Filed:
Jan. 21, 2000
John P. Biel, Jr., Grand Rapids, MI (US);
David K. Benson, Golden, CO (US);
Steven D. Burch, Honeoye Falls, NY (US);
Frederick B. Hill, Jr., Rockford, MI (US);
Matthew A. Keyser, Arrada, CO (US);
Lance Mews, Caledonia, MI (US);
Donald R. Rigsby, Jenison, MI (US);
C. Edwin Tracy, Golden, CO (US);
John P. Biel, Jr., Grand Rapids, MI (US);
David K. Benson, Golden, CO (US);
Steven D. Burch, Honeoye Falls, NY (US);
Frederick B. Hill, Jr., Rockford, MI (US);
Matthew A. Keyser, Arrada, CO (US);
Lance Mews, Caledonia, MI (US);
Donald R. Rigsby, Jenison, MI (US);
C. Edwin Tracy, Golden, CO (US);
Benteler Automotive Corporation, Auburn Hills, MI (US);
Abstract
A thermally-activated exhaust treatment device, such as a catalytic converter (); for vehicles includes a core having an inner housing () and a catalytic material ('). A jacket includes an outer housing () enclosing the inner housing () but characteristically not contacting the inner housing (). The inner and outer housings () includes walls () forming a vacuum-drawn scaled insulation cavity () around the inner housing (). A temperature-activated variable insulator device is positioned within the outer housing () and includes a hydrogen source () and controls for controlling the variable insulator device. A vacuum-maintenance device is incorporated into the insulation cavity (), and includes a small container, getter material positioned in the container, a porous member allowing gas in the insulation cavity () to communicate with the getter material. A multi-layered radiation shield is position in the vacuum space and is loosely coupled to the inner housing (). A vacuum detector includes a visible indicator of the vacuum in the insulation cavity ().