Exhaust gas converter body structure

Abstract

An exhaust gas converter body structure includes a main body, an inlet structure, and an outlet structure. The main body is configured to receive an exhaust gas converter between the inlet structure and the outlet structure. The inlet structure and the main body have complementary coupling geometries at a first joint. The outlet structure and the main body have complementary coupling geometries at a second joint. The coupling geometries of each of the inlet structure and the main body are at the first joint asymmetric or reflection-symmetric with respect to exactly one plane of symmetry and/or the coupling geometries of each of the outlet structure and the main body are at the second joint asymmetric or reflection-symmetric with respect to exactly one plane of symmetry. The configuration establishes a given angular position between the inlet structure and the main body and/or between the outlet structure and the main body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An exhaust gas converter body structure comprising:
 a main body;   an inlet structure; and   an outlet structure, the main body being configured for receiving an exhaust gas converter, to dispose the exhaust gas converter between the inlet structure and the outlet structure, the inlet structure and the main body engaging each other at a first joint and the inlet structure and the main body have complementary first joint coupling geometries at the first joint, and the outlet structure and the main body engaging each other at a second joint and the outlet structure and the main body have complementary second joint coupling geometries at the second joint, wherein:   the first joint coupling geometries of each of the inlet structure and of the main body are either asymmetric or reflection-symmetric with respect to exactly one plane of symmetry at the first joint; or   the second joint coupling geometries of each of the outlet structure and of the main body are either asymmetric or reflection-symmetric with respect to exactly one plane of symmetry at the second joint; or   the first joint coupling geometries of each of the inlet structure and of the main body are either asymmetric or reflection-symmetric with respect to exactly one plane of symmetry at the first joint, and the second joint coupling geometries of each of the outlet structure and of the main body are either asymmetric or reflection-symmetric with respect to exactly one plane of symmetry at the second joint.   
     
     
         2 . The exhaust gas converter body structure according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first joint coupling geometries comprise a first joint coupling geometry of the inlet structure at the first joint comprising at least one protrusion extending towards the main body or a recess extending away from the main body and/or at least one groove extending away from the main body and/or at least one protrusion extending towards an outside of the exhaust gas converter body structure or a recess extending towards the inside of the exhaust gas converter body structure and/or at least one opening; and/or   the first joint coupling geometries comprise a first joint coupling geometry of the main body at the first joint comprising at least one protrusion extending towards the inlet structure or a recess extending away from the inlet structure and/or at least one groove extending away from the inlet structure and/or at least one protrusion extending towards an outside of the exhaust gas converter body structure or a recess extending towards the inside of the exhaust gas converter body structure and/or at least one opening; and/or   the second joint coupling geometries comprise a second joint coupling geometry of the outlet structure at the second joint comprising at least one protrusion extending towards the main body or a recess extending away from the main body and/or at least one groove extending away from the main body and/or at least one protrusion extending towards an outside of the exhaust gas converter body structure or a recess extending towards the inside of the exhaust gas converter body structure and/or at least one opening; and/or   the second joint coupling geometries comprise a second joint coupling geometry of the main body at the second joint comprising at least one protrusion extending towards the outlet structure or a recess extending away from the outlet structure and/or at least one groove extending away from the outlet structure and/or at least one protrusion extending towards an outside of the exhaust gas converter body structure or a recess extending towards the inside of the exhaust gas converter body structure and/or at least one opening.   
     
     
         3 . The exhaust gas converter body structure according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first joint coupling geometries comprise a first joint coupling geometry of the inlet structure at the first joint comprising at least one protrusion extending towards an outside of the exhaust gas converter body structure and a first joint coupling geometry of the main body at the first joint comprising at least one groove extending away from the inlet structure; and/or   the first joint coupling geometries comprise a first joint coupling geometry of the inlet structure at the first joint comprising at least one recess extending towards the inside of the exhaust gas converter body structure and the first joint coupling geometries comprise a first joint coupling geometry of the main body at the first joint comprising at least one groove extending away from the inlet structure; and/or   the second joint coupling geometries comprise a second joint coupling geometry of the outlet structure at the second joint comprising at least one protrusion extending towards an outside of the exhaust gas converter body structure and the second joint coupling geometries comprise a second joint coupling geometry of the main body at the second joint comprising at least one groove extending away from the outlet structure; and/or   the second joint coupling geometries comprise a second joint coupling geometry of the outlet structure at the second joint comprising at least one recess extending towards the inside of the exhaust gas converter body structure and the second joint coupling geometries comprise a second joint coupling geometry of the main body at the second joint comprising at least one groove extending away from the outlet structure; and/or   the first joint coupling geometries comprise a first joint coupling geometry of the inlet structure at the first joint comprising at least one groove extending away from the main body and the first joint coupling geometries comprise a first joint coupling geometry of the main body at the first joint comprising at least one protrusion extending towards an outside of the exhaust gas converter body structure; and/or   the second joint coupling geometries comprise a second joint coupling geometry of the outlet structure at the second joint comprising at least one groove extending away from the main body and the second joint coupling geometries comprise a second joint coupling geometry of the main body at the second joint comprising at least one protrusion extending towards an outside of the exhaust gas converter body structure.   
     
     
         4 . The exhaust gas converter body structure according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the main body is reflection-symmetric or rotation-symmetric except for a main body first joint coupling geometry associated with the first joint coupling geometries and a main body second joint coupling geometry associated with the second joint coupling geometries; and/or   the inlet structure is rotationally symmetrical apart from an inlet structure first joint coupling geometry associated with the first joint coupling geometries; and/or   the outlet structure is rotationally symmetrical apart from an outlet structure second joint coupling geometry associated with the second joint coupling geometries.   
     
     
         5 . The exhaust gas converter body structure according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 the main body has, at a distance from the main body first joint coupling geometry, a point-symmetric or axis-symmetric or circular sectional area or oval sectional area; and/or   the main body has, at a distance from the main body second joint coupling geometry, a point-symmetric or axis-symmetric or circular sectional area or oval sectional area; and/or   the inlet structure has, at a distance from the inlet structure first joint coupling geometry, an asymmetric sectional area; and/or   the outlet structure has, at a distance from outlet structure second joint coupling geometry, an asymmetric sectional area.   
     
     
         6 . The exhaust gas converter body structure according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first exhaust pipe that engages the inlet structure at a third joint, the inlet structure and the first exhaust pipe having complementary third joint coupling geometries at the third joint, wherein the third joint coupling geometries of the inlet structure and the first exhaust pipe are either asymmetric or reflection-symmetric with respect to exactly one axis of symmetry; and/or   a second exhaust pipe that engages the outlet structure at a fourth joint, the outlet structure and the second exhaust pipe having complementary fourth joint coupling geometries at the fourth joint, wherein the fourth joint coupling geometries of the outlet structure and the second exhaust pipe are at either asymmetric or reflection-symmetric with respect to exactly one axis of symmetry.   
     
     
         7 . An exhaust gas converter body structure comprising:
 a main body;   an inlet structure;   an outlet structure, the main body being coupled to the inlet structure and being coupled to the outlet structure and the main body being configured for receiving an exhaust gas converter with the exhaust gas converter disposed between the inlet structure and the outlet structure;   a first exhaust pipe engaged with the inlet structure at a pipe and inlet joint, the inlet structure and the first exhaust pipe having a complementary pipe and inlet joint coupling geometries at the pipe and inlet joint, the pipe and inlet joint coupling geometries being either asymmetric or reflection-symmetric with respect to exactly one axis of symmetry; and/or   a second exhaust pipe engaged with the outlet structure at a pipe and outlet joint, the outlet structure and the second exhaust pipe having a complementary pipe and outlet joint coupling geometries, the pipe and outlet joint coupling geometries of the outlet structure and the second exhaust pipe being either asymmetric or reflection-symmetric with respect to exactly one axis of symmetry.   
     
     
         8 . The exhaust gas converter body structure according to  claim 6 , wherein:
 the pipe and inlet joint coupling geometries comprise a pipe and inlet joint coupling geometry of the inlet structure at the pipe and inlet joint comprising at least one protrusion extending towards the first exhaust pipe or a recess extending away from the first exhaust pipe and/or at least one groove extending away from the first exhaust pipe and/or at least one protrusion extending towards an outside of the exhaust gas converter body structure or a recess extending towards an inside of the exhaust gas converter body structure and/or at least one opening; and/or   the pipe and inlet joint coupling geometries comprise a pipe and inlet joint coupling geometry of the first exhaust pipe at the pipe and inlet joint, comprising at least one protrusion extending towards the inlet structure or a recess extending away from the inlet structure and/or at least one groove extending away from the inlet structure and/or at least one protrusion extending towards an outside of the exhaust gas converter body structure or a recess extending towards the inside of the exhaust gas converter body structure and/or at least one opening; and/or   the pipe and outlet joint coupling geometries comprise a pipe and outlet joint coupling geometry of the outlet structure at the pipe and outlet joint, comprising at least one protrusion extending towards the second exhaust pipe or a recess extending away from the second exhaust pipe and/or at least one groove extending away from the second exhaust pipe and/or at least one protrusion extending towards an outside of the exhaust gas converter body structure or a recess extending towards the inside of the exhaust gas converter body structure and/or at least one opening; and/or   the pipe and outlet joint coupling geometries comprise a pipe and outlet joint coupling geometry of the second exhaust pipe at the pipe and outlet joint comprising at least one protrusion extending towards the outlet structure or a recess extending away from the outlet structure and/or at least one groove extending away from the outlet structure and/or at least one protrusion extending towards an outside of the exhaust gas converter body structure or a recess extending towards the inside of the exhaust gas converter body structure and/or at least one opening.   
     
     
         9 . The exhaust gas converter body structure according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the pipe and inlet joint coupling geometries comprise a pipe and inlet joint coupling geometry of the inlet structure at the pipe and inlet joint, comprising at least one protrusion extending towards an outside of the exhaust gas converter body structure and a pipe and inlet joint coupling geometry of the first exhaust pipe at the a pipe and inlet joint, comprising at least one groove extending away from the inlet structure; and/or   the pipe and inlet joint coupling geometries comprise a pipe and inlet joint coupling geometry of the inlet structure at the pipe and inlet joint, comprising at least one recess extending towards the inside of the exhaust gas converter body structure and a pipe and inlet joint coupling geometry of the first exhaust pipe at the pipe and inlet joint, comprising at least one groove extending away from the inlet structure; and/or   the pipe and outlet joint coupling geometries comprise a pipe and outlet joint coupling geometry of the outlet structure at the pipe and outlet joint, comprising at least one protrusion extending towards an outside of the exhaust gas converter body structure and pipe and outlet joint coupling geometry of the second exhaust pipe at the pipe and outlet joint comprising at least one groove extending away from the outlet structure; and/or   the pipe and outlet joint coupling geometries comprise a pipe and outlet joint coupling geometry of the outlet structure at the pipe and outlet joint, comprising at least one recess extending towards the inside of the exhaust gas converter body structure and a pipe and outlet joint coupling geometry of the second exhaust pipe at the pipe and outlet joint comprising at least one groove extending away from the outlet structure; and/or   the pipe and inlet joint coupling geometries comprise a pipe and inlet joint coupling geometry of the inlet structure at the pipe and inlet joint, comprising at least one groove extending away from the first exhaust pipe and a pipe and inlet joint coupling geometry of the first exhaust pipe at the pipe and inlet joint, comprising at least one protrusion extending towards an outside of the exhaust gas converter body structure; and/or   the pipe and outlet joint coupling geometries comprise a pipe and outlet joint coupling geometry of the outlet structure at the pipe and outlet joint, comprising at least one groove extending away from the second exhaust pipe and a pipe and outlet joint coupling geometry of the second exhaust pipe at the pipe and outlet joint, comprising at least one protrusion extending towards an outside of the exhaust gas converter body structure.   
     
     
         10 . The exhaust gas converter body structure according to  claim 7 ,
 the pipe and inlet joint coupling geometries comprise a pipe and inlet joint coupling geometry of the first exhaust pipe at the pipe and inlet joint and the first exhaust pipe is either reflection-symmetric or rotation-symmetric apart from the inlet joint coupling geometry of the first exhaust pipe at the pipe and inlet joint; and/or   the pipe and inlet joint coupling geometries comprise a pipe and outlet joint coupling geometry of the second exhaust pipe at the pipe and outlet joint and the second exhaust pipe is either reflection-symmetric or rotation-symmetric apart from the outlet joint coupling geometry of the second exhaust pipe at the pipe and outlet joint.