Strap for securing exhaust treatment device

Abstract

A strap for securing an exhaust treatment device is disclosed. The strap may have a coupler on a first end and a loop on a second end. The loop may include an inner portion, a curved portion, and an outer portion of the strap. The outer portion of the strap may be secured to the inner portion of the strap at a point of securement to form the loop. The outer portion may form an angle with respect to the inner portion that is no greater than about 10 degrees as the outer portion diverges from abutting the inner portion.

1 . A strap for securing an exhaust treatment device, comprising:
 a coupler on a first end; and   a loop on a second end, the loop including an inner portion, a curved portion, and an outer portion of the strap,   wherein the outer portion of the strap is secured to the inner portion of the strap at a point of securement to form the loop, wherein the outer portion forms an angle with respect to the inner portion that is no greater than about 10 degrees as the outer portion diverges from abutting the inner portion.   
     
     
         2 . The strap of claim wherein the angle is more preferably between about 8-10 degrees. 
     
     
         3 . The strap of  claim 1 , wherein the strap includes a first strap member and a second strap member, wherein the first strap member and the second strap member are coupled together via a pair of threaded couplers. 
     
     
         4 . The strap of  claim 1 , wherein the outer portion of the strap is secured to the inner portion of the strap via welding or mechanical fastening. 
     
     
         5 . The strap of  claim 1 , wherein the loop is a first loop and the coupler is a second loop, the first loop attaching to a cradle on a first side of the cradle, the second loop attaching to a second side of the cradle such that the strap passes around at least portion of an outer periphery of the exhaust treatment device and secures the exhaust treatment device to the cradle. 
     
     
         6 . The strap of  claim 5 , wherein a first loop length is no less than one third of an effective length of the strap, wherein the effective length is defined as a distance from the curved portion of the first loop to an end of the second loop, the loop length being defined as a distance from the curved portion of the first loop to the point of securement of the outer portion and the inner portion of the first loop. 
     
     
         7 . A strap for securing an exhaust treatment device, comprising:
 a first strap member including a coupler on a first end and a loop on a second end;   a second strap member including:
 a coupler on a first end configured to couple with the coupler of the first strap member, and 
 a loop on a second end, the loop including a flexible band of material being looped and secured to itself at a point of securement, wherein a loop length is no less than one third of an effective length of the strap, wherein the effective length is defined as a distance from an end of the loop of the first strap member to an end of the loop of the second strap member when the coupler of the first strap member is coupled to the coupler of the second strap member, the loop length being defined as a distance from an end of the loop of the second strap member to the point of securement. 
   
     
     
         8 . The strap of  claim 7 , wherein the loop length is one third of the effective length. 
     
     
         9 . The strap of  claim 7 , wherein the loop on the second end of the second strap member includes an inner portion, a curved portion, and an outer portion of the band of material, wherein the outer portion of the band is secured to the inner portion of the band at the point of securement, the outer portion forming an angle with respect to the inner portion that is no greater than about 10 degrees as the outer portion diverges from abutting the inner portion. 
     
     
         10 . The strap of  claim 9 , wherein the angle is more preferably between about 8-10 degrees. 
     
     
         11 . The strap of  claim 7 , wherein the coupler of the first strap member and the coupler of the second strap member include threaded couplers. 
     
     
         12 . The strap of  claim 7 , wherein the loop on the second end of the first strap member also includes a flexible band of material being looped and secured to itself at a point of securement, the flexible band of material for both the first strap member and the second strap member attaching to itself via welding or mechanical fastening. 
     
     
         13 . The strap of  claim 12 , wherein the loop of the first strap member and the loop of the second strap member are each attached to a cradle to secure an exhaust treatment device to the cradle, and wherein the first strap member and second strap member pass around at least portion of an outer periphery of the exhaust treatment device. 
     
     
         14 . The strap of  claim 13 , wherein the exhaust treatment device is selected from a group consisting of a diesel oxidation catalyst, a particulate filter, a selective catalytic reduction device, a lean NOx trap, a regeneration device, or a reductant mixing device. 
     
     
         15 . The strap of  claim 7 , wherein the second strap member includes a single piece of flexible material that is looped and secured to itself a first time to create the loop on the second end and looped and secured to itself a second time to create a part of the coupler on the first end. 
     
     
         16 . An exhaust treatment system comprising:
 a cradle;   an exhaust treatment device situated in the cradle;   a strap passing around at least a portion of the exhaust treatment device to secure the exhaust treatment device to the cradle, the strap including:
 a first loop on a first end of the strap connected to the cradle; and 
 a second loop on a second end of the strap connected to the cradle, the second loop including a flexible band of material being looped and secured to itself at a point of securement, wherein a loop length is no less than one third of an effective length of the strap, wherein the effective length is defined as a distance from an end of the first loop to an end of the second loop, the loop length being defined as a distance from the end of the second loop to the point of securement. 
   
     
     
         17 . The exhaust treatment system of  claim 16 , wherein the exhaust treatment device is selected from a group consisting of a diesel oxidation catalyst, a particulate filter, a selective catalytic reduction device, a lean NOx trap, a regeneration device, or a reductant mixing device. 
     
     
         18 . The exhaust treatment system of  claim 16 , wherein the strap includes a first strap member and a second strap member. 
     
     
         19 . The exhaust treatment system of  claim 18 , wherein the distance from the point of securement related to the first loop to the point where the first strap member contacts an outer surface of the exhaust treatment device is no less than about two inches. 
     
     
         20 . The exhaust treatment system of  claim 18 , wherein each of the first strap member and the second strap member are connected to a pivoting member that includes at least one pivot point.