Exhaust line catalyst or muffler shell for motor vehicle and method of producing one such shell

Abstract

The invention relates to an exhaust line catalyst or muffler shell for a motor vehicle. The inventive shell comprises a tube ( 8 ) which is produced by rolling and welding a metal strip ( 12 ). At least one of the ends ( 9, 10 ) of the aforementioned tube ( 8 ) comprises a deformation produced by means of flow turning, such as to define an exhaust gas inlet ( 4 ) and/or outlet ( 5 ). The weld line ( 15 ) which closes the rolled metal strip ( 12 ) forms an angle ( 16 ) in relation to the axis ( 17 ) of the tube ( 8 ) at least in the flow turning-shaped segment(s) ( 13, 14 ) thereof. The invention also relates to a method of producing one such shell.

1 . Muffler or exhaust line catalyst for a motor vehicle, comprising: 
 a tube manufactured by rolling and welding a metal strip, said tube having, at one at least of end thereof, a deformation by flospinning forming an inlet and/or an outlet cone for exhaust gases, wherein, at least in a portion of the tube shaped by flospinning, a weld line ensuring closing of a rolled metal strip, forms an angle with respect to an axis of said tube.    
   
   
       2 . Muffler or exhaust line catalyst for a motor vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein said weld line at a level of the tube describes a spiral.  
   
   
       3 . Process for manufacturing a muffler or exhaust line catalyst shell for a motor vehicle being comprised of an inlet and/or outlet cone ending through a reduced diameter tube section, said process comprising steps of: 
 making a tube by rolling and welding a metal strip into a spiral; and    deforming an end of said tube by flospinning, forming an inlet and/or outlet cone.