Patent ID: 7484362

Claim:
A method of avoiding damage to a decoupling hose mounted between two tubes in a motor vehicle exhaust system, the hose comprising a deformable inner portion which is suitable for channeling the flow of exhaust gases and for being subjected in operation to deformations such as transverse deflections in shear, an outer portion in the form of a continuous leaktight sleeve having a flexible central zone and two rigid endpieces, and an intermediate portion in the form of a wad of thermal lagging which extends substantially over the entire length of the outer sleeve, each rigid endpiece extending at least over a length such that its peripheral end edge connected to the flexible central zone is situated in register with the inner portion of the hose which is subjected to deformations, wherein, in order to avoid any damage to the wad of thermal lagging by the peripheral end edge of each endpiece during transverse deflections in shear of the inner portion of the hose, the method comprising adapting the shape of each endpiece in such a manner that said peripheral end edge of each endpiece makes practically no contact with the wad of thermal lagging during maximum transverse deflection in operation of the inner portion of the hose.