Patent ID: 7384613

Claim:
Catalyst for an internal combustion engine having a throughflow direction, particularly of a motor vehicle, comprising: a housing ( 2 ), which is assembled from at least two housing portions ( 3 , 4 ), telescopically inserted one into another in the throughflow direction ( 7 ) of the housing ( 2 ), wherein a first monolith ( 5 ) is mounted in a first housing portion ( 3 ), wherein a second monolith ( 8 ) is mounted in a second housing portion ( 4 ), wherein, in an insertion region ( 10 ), an outer end section ( 12 ) of the second housing portion ( 4 ) and an inner end section ( 11 ) of the first housing portion ( 3 ) inserted into the outer end section ( 12 ) mutually overlap, wherein a transition zone ( 13 ), in which the first and second monoliths ( 5 , 8 ) are spaced apart from one another in the throughflow direction ( 7 ), is formed within the insertion region ( 10 ), wherein in the transition zone ( 13 ), the cross sections of the first and second housing portions ( 3 , 4 ) are matched to each other such that a gap ( 14 ) is formed transversely of the throughflow direction ( 7 ), passing around, closed in the circumferential direction, between the inner end section ( 11 ) and the outer end section ( 12 ), wherein the inner end section ( 11 ) of the first housing portion ( 3 ) has a cross section which widens out toward the second monolith ( 8 ), wherein the outer end section ( 12 ) of the second housing portion ( 4 ) has a cross section which tapers as far as abutment on the first housing portion ( 3 ), and wherein in its tapering region, the outer end section ( 12 ) is more strongly inclined with respect to the throughflow direction ( 7 ) in the insertion region ( 10 ) than the widening region of the inner end section ( 11 ).