Patent ID: 8262764

Claim:
A sheet member for an exhaust gas treatment apparatus including inorganic fibers, the sheet member comprising: first and second outer layers; and a center layer; wherein the first outer layer, the center layer, and the second outer layer are laminated with each other such that both the first and the second outer layers are outermost layers; the center layer includes needle traces, and inorganic fibers having a diameter less than 3 micrometers; the first and the second outer layers include inorganic fibers having a diameter greater than approximately 3 micrometers; and the sheet member further includes a covering layer provided so as to cover at least a side face of the center layer, said side face facing an inlet of the exhaust gas treatment apparatus, said covering layer directly contacting the side face of the center laver and being arranged to be perpendicular to the center layer, wherein the sheet member is provided around at least a part of the exhaust gas treatment apparatus.