Catalytic Converter, a Kit for Servicing a Catalytic Converter, and Methods for Servicing a Catalytic Converter

Abstract

A method is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of preparing a serviceable catalytic converter such that a catalyst substrate of the catalytic converter is serviceable while the catalytic converter remains connected to an exhaust system by forming a lower surface of the body of the catalytic converter with an absence of material in order to provide at least one opening in the lower surface of the body of the catalytic converter for permitting selective access to a fluid-flow passage that extends through the body of the catalytic converter that contains the catalyst substrate; and disposing at least one close-out member in the at least one opening for fluidly-sealing the at least one opening. A component of an exhaust system that is serviceable while remaining fluidly-connected and physically-connected to the exhaust system is also disclosed. A kit for servicing a component of an exhaust system that is serviceable while remaining fluidly-connected and physically-connected to the exhaust system is also disclosed.

1 . A method, comprising the steps of:
 preparing a serviceable catalytic converter such that a catalyst substrate of the catalytic converter is serviceable while the catalytic converter remains connected to an exhaust system by:
 forming a lower surface of the body of the catalytic converter with an absence of material in order to provide at least one opening in the lower surface of the body of the catalytic converter for:
 permitting selective access to a fluid-flow passage that extends through the body of the catalytic converter that contains the catalyst substrate; and 
 
 disposing at least one close-out member in the at least one opening for: 
   fluidly-sealing the at least one opening.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the forming step is conducted by:
 post-fabricating the at least one opening in the lower surface of the body of the catalytic converter in an after-market modification to the catalytic converter.   
     
     
         3 .- 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A component of an exhaust system that is serviceable while remaining fluidly-connected and physically-connected to the exhaust system, comprising:
 a catalytic converter having body, wherein the body forms a fluid-flow passage, wherein a catalytic substrate is disposed within the fluid-flow passage, wherein a lower surface of the body of the catalytic converter defines at least one opening that permits selective access to the catalytic substrate disposed within the fluid-flow passage; and   at least one close-out member disposed within the at least one opening that fluidly-seals the at least one opening.   
     
     
         21 . The component of the exhaust system of the vehicle according to  claim 20 , wherein the at least one opening is formed upstream of an upstream surface of the catalyst substrate. 
     
     
         22 . The component of the exhaust system of the vehicle according to  claim 20 , wherein the at least one opening includes a first opening and a second opening, wherein the first opening is formed upstream of an upstream surface of the catalyst substrate, wherein the second opening is formed downstream of a downstream surface of the catalyst substrate. 
     
     
         23 . The component of the exhaust system of the vehicle according to  claim 20 , wherein the at least one close-out member is a swaging nut or a knurled threaded insert. 
     
     
         24 . The component of the exhaust system of the vehicle according to  claim 20 , wherein the at least one opening formed in the lower surface of the body of the catalytic converter is post-fabricated in drilling process in an after-market modification to the catalytic converter. 
     
     
         25 . The component of the exhaust system of the vehicle according to  claim 20 , wherein the at least one opening formed in the lower surface of the body of the catalytic converter is pre-fabricated in a drilling process, welding process, casting process, a molding process or a stamping process by a supplier or original equipment manufacturer. 
     
     
         26 . A kit for servicing a component of an exhaust system that is serviceable while remaining fluidly-connected and physically-connected to the exhaust system, comprising:
 a first container including a neutralizing medium; and   a second container including oxalic acid powder,   wherein the oxalic acid powder is adapted to be mixed with water for forming a dilute acidic solution that is utilized for removing contaminates from a catalyst substrate of a catalytic converter,   wherein the neutralizing medium is adapted to be mixed with the utilized dilute acidic solution after the dilute acidic solution is applied to the catalyst substrate of the catalytic converter such that the dilute acidic solution is neutralized prior to being disposed.   
     
     
         27 . The kit according to  claim 26 , further comprising:
 at least one close-out member that is adapted to be disposed within at least one opening that is post-fabricated in a lower surface of a body of the catalytic converter for fluidly-sealing the at least one opening.   
     
     
         28 . A method, comprising the steps of:
 servicing a catalytic converter while the catalytic converter remains connected to an exhaust system by:
 inserting a cleaning instrument into at least one opening formed by the catalytic converter that is not a port that supportably-receives an oxygen sensor; and 
 directing a cleaning solution from the cleaning instrument toward a catalyst substrate such that the cleaning solution removes contaminates from the catalyst substrate. 
   
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the at least one opening is formed in a lower surface of a body of the catalytic converter, wherein the at least one opening permits access to a fluid-flow passage that extends through the body of the catalytic converter, wherein the fluid-flow passage contains the catalytic substrate. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 28 , further comprising the step of:
 disposing at least one close-out member in the at least one opening formed in the lower surface of the body of the catalytic converter for
 fluidly sealing the at least one opening. 
   
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 30 , wherein, after the directing step and prior to the disposing step, further comprising the steps of:
 removing the cleaning instrument from the at least one opening formed in the lower surface of the body of the catalytic converter;   inserting a flushing instrument into the at least one opening formed in the lower surface of the body of the catalytic converter; and
 directing a flushing medium from the flushing instrument toward the catalyst substrate such that the flushing medium removes the cleaning solution and the contaminates from the catalyst substrate. 
   
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein, after the directing step, further comprising the step of:
 fluidly-connecting a vacuum source to exhaust system; and
 utilizing the vacuum source for drawing the cleaning solution and the contaminates from the catalyst substrate. 
   
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein, after the directing step, further comprising the step of:
 fluidly-connecting a discharge bucket to a distal end of the exhaust system;   keying-on an engine of the vehicle for utilizing an exhaust gas produced by the engine for advancing the cleaning solution and the contaminates away from the catalyst substrate and further downstream through the exhaust system; and
 utilizing the discharge bucket for capturing the cleaning solution and the contaminates that are discharged from the exhaust system. 
   
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein, prior to the inserting step, the method includes:
 forming the at least one opening in a lower surface of a body of the catalytic converter upstream of the catalyst substrate;
 inserting the cleaning instrument into the at least one opening formed in the lower surface of the body of the catalytic converter; and 
 directing the cleaning solution from the cleaning instrument toward the catalyst substrate such that the cleaning solution firstly enters an upstream surface of the catalyst substrate and secondly exits a downstream surface of the catalyst substrate. 
   
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 34 , wherein the at least one opening includes a first opening and a second opening, wherein the forming step includes:
 forming the first opening in the lower surface of the body of the catalytic converter upstream of the catalyst substrate; and
 forming the second opening in the lower surface of the body of the catalytic converter downstream of the catalyst substrate. 
   
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein the inserting step and the directing step includes:
 inserting the cleaning instrument into the first opening formed in the lower surface of the body of the catalytic converter; and   directing the cleaning solution from the cleaning instrument toward the catalyst substrate such that the cleaning solution firstly enters an upstream surface of the catalyst substrate and secondly exits a downstream surface of the catalyst substrate.   
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein the inserting step and the directing step includes:
 inserting the cleaning instrument into the second opening formed in the lower surface of the body of the catalytic converter; and   directing the cleaning solution from the cleaning instrument toward the catalyst substrate such that the cleaning solution firstly enters a downstream surface of the catalyst substrate and secondly exits an upstream surface of the catalyst substrate.   
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 35 , further comprising the steps of:
 inserting the cleaning instrument into the first opening formed in the lower surface of the body of the catalytic converter; and   applying a vacuum to both of the second opening and an opening formed by a tailpipe of the exhaust system for removing the cleaning solution that firstly enters an upstream surface of the catalyst substrate and secondly exits a downstream surface of the catalyst substrate.   
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 38 , further comprising the steps of:
 inserting the cleaning instrument into the second opening formed in the lower surface of the body of the catalytic converter;   inserting a fluid-flow plug into the opening formed by the tailpipe; and   applying a vacuum to the first opening for removing the cleaning solution that firstly enters the downstream surface of the catalyst substrate and secondly exits the upstream surface of the catalyst substrate.   
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 39 , further comprising the steps of:
 imparting pressurized air into the first opening formed in the lower surface of the body of the catalytic converter; and   applying a vacuum to both of the second opening and the opening formed by the tailpipe of the exhaust system for removing the cleaning solution from the catalyst substrate and fluid-flow passage.