Patent ID: 6863154

Claim:
A vibration absorbing apparatus for an exhaust system of an engine arranged transversely in a vehicle body, wherein said exhaust system includes, an exhaust manifold extending downwardly relative to the engine and connected to exhaust ports opened in a rear side of said engine, and an exhaust pipe connected to said exhaust manifold, and comprising a primary exhaust pipe portion and a secondary exhaust pipe portion, wherein the primary exhaust pipe portion is connected to a downstream end of said exhaust manifold, has a curved portion and extends downward and rearward, and wherein the secondary exhaust pipe portion is connected to said primary exhaust pipe portion via a flexible tube, extends rearward and includes a catalytic converter, said vibration absorbing apparatus comprising: a spherical joint disposed between the downstream end of said exhaust manifold and an upstream end of said primary exhaust pipe portion, said spherical joint being located close to said engine; and a resilient support member provided with said secondary exhaust pipe portion for supporting said exhaust pipe relative to the vehicle body; wherein said resilient support member is disposed upstream of said catalytic converter, and said resilient support member is disposed downstream of said flexible tube; and said resilient support member comprising a support plate secured to said vehicle body, a resilient damper block supported on said support plate and having a rod-insertion hole, and a rod inserted into the rod-insertion hole and fixed relative to said secondary exhaust pipe portion, said rod being fixed to a connecting portion between said flexible tube and said secondary exhaust pipe portion.