Exhaust pipe structure

Abstract

An exhaust pipe structure has: an exhaust pipe through which exhaust from an engine flows; a communicating portion that is formed in a lower surface side of the exhaust pipe further toward a downstream side, in a direction of flow of the exhaust, than a catalyst device provided at the exhaust pipe, and that communicates an interior and an exterior of the exhaust pipe; and a porous body that is disposed at the communicating portion and that leads moisture, which is at the interior of the exhaust pipe, to the exterior of the exhaust pipe by capillary action.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An exhaust pipe structure comprising:
 an exhaust pipe through which exhaust from an engine flows;   a communicating portion that is formed in a lower surface side of the exhaust pipe further toward a downstream side, in a direction of flow of the exhaust, than a catalyst device provided at the exhaust pipe, and that communicates an interior and an exterior of the exhaust pipe; and   a porous body that is disposed at the communicating portion and that leads moisture, which is at the interior of the exhaust pipe, to the exterior of the exhaust pipe by capillary action.   
     
     
         2 . The exhaust pipe structure of  claim 1 , wherein
 the communicating portion has a through-hole that passes-through a pipe wall of the exhaust pipe, and   the porous body is press-fit into the through-hole and fits tightly to an inner surface of the through-hole.   
     
     
         3 . The exhaust pipe structure of  claim 2 , wherein the porous body has, at an inner side of the exhaust pipe, a broad portion whose inner diameter is wider than an inner diameter of the through-hole. 
     
     
         4 . The exhaust pipe structure of  claim 1 , wherein
 the communicating portion has a through-hole that passes-through a pipe wall of the exhaust pipe, and   the exhaust pipe structure comprises a supporting member that supports the porous body from an outer side of the exhaust pipe.   
     
     
         5 . The exhaust pipe structure of  claim 4 , further comprising a second supporting member that supports the porous body from an inner side of the exhaust pipe. 
     
     
         6 . The exhaust pipe structure of  claim 1 , wherein the communicating portion has a through-hole that passes-through a pipe wall of the exhaust pipe, and a projecting tube that projects-out into the interior of the exhaust pipe at a position of the through-hole. 
     
     
         7 . The exhaust pipe structure of  claim 6 , wherein
 a lower end portion of the porous body and a lower end portion of the projecting tube are at substantially a same height,   an upper end portion of the porous body and an upper end portion of the projecting tube are at substantially a same height, and   the entire of the porous body is positioned at an interior of the projecting tube.   
     
     
         8 . The exhaust pipe structure of  claim 6 , wherein the porous body has an in-tube portion that is positioned at an interior of the projecting tube, and an extension portion that extends downward from the in-tube portion at the interior of the exhaust pipe. 
     
     
         9 . The exhaust pipe structure of  claim 8 , wherein
 a lower end portion of the porous body at the in-tube portion and a lower end portion of the projecting tube are at substantially a same height, and   a lower end portion of the porous body at the extension portion is at a higher position than the lower end portion of the porous body at the in-tube portion.   
     
     
         10 . The exhaust pipe structure of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 an extending-out tube that extends-out from the projecting tube,   wherein the extending-out tube has a first extending-out portion that extends-out in a lateral direction from the projecting tube, and a second extending-out portion that extends-out downward from an end portion of the first extending-out portion, and the projecting tube and the extending-out tube form a tube member that is integral and is substantially upside-down U-shaped.   
     
     
         11 . The exhaust pipe structure of  claim 1 , wherein
 the exhaust pipe has a plurality of connected tubes that are connected to one another, and   at least a portion of a gap between the plurality of connected tubes is the communicating portion.