Patent ID: 7410621

Claim:
A catalytic converter comprising: housing having sidewalls defining a catalyst chamber, an inlet opening and an outlet opening communicating with an interior of said catalyst chamber to provide a fluid flow path through said housing from said inlet opening through said chamber and out of said outlet opening; a catalyst substrate mounted in said chamber and having a flow direction aligned with said fluid flow path, said catalyst substrate having a peripheral mantle extending thereabout, said peripheral mantle having a peripheral outer wall and a pair of spaced-apart end walls extending inwardly therefrom, said catalyst substrate being disposed between said end walls with one of said end walls being a forward end wall upstream of said catalyst substrate and facing toward said inlet opening, the other of said end walls being a rearward end wall downstream of said catalyst substrate and facing toward said outlet opening; said housing having a sealing surface in said chamber transverse to said flow direction and facing said forward end wall of said peripheral mantle; locating means secured to said housing for locating said catalyst substrate relative to said chamber, said locating means including engaging means for engaging said peripheral mantle to limit movement of said catalyst substrate away from said sealing surface and maintain said forward end wall in closely spaced arrangement with said sealing surface to define a labyrinth seal therebetween and avoid fluid leakage between said housing and said catalyst substrate to promote fluid flow through said substrate; and said chamber further having a lateral access port through said housing for removal/installation of said catalyst substrate therein without axial separation of said housing.