Exhaust stack
An improved exhaust stack for use with commercial vehicles such as semi-truck tractors. The improved exhaust stack includes an outer tubular portion that, if desired, can be chrome plated; an inner tubular portion that is coaxially aligned with the outer tubular portion and cooperates there with to define an annular shaped flow passageway; and a venturi tube section mounted within the upper extremity of the outer tubular portion, the venturi tube section being in communication with the inner tubular portion and with the annular shaped flow passageway.
Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTNot Applicable
INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISCNot Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to vehicle exhaust systems. More particularly, the invention concerns an improved exhaust stack for use with commercial vehicles, such as semi-truck tractors.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CRF 1.97 and 1.98
In recent years, elongated, vertically extending, chrome plated exhaust stacks have become very popular with truckers particularly for use with commercial semi-truck tractors. While the chrome plated exhaust stacks are quite attractive, when the vehicle exhaust system includes a catalytic converter, and after the engine has been run for a relatively short period of time, the exterior surface of the exhaust stack becomes extremely hot thereby constituting an undesirable safety hazard. The thrust of the present invention is to provide a novel improved vehicle stack that uniquely addresses this prior art stack heating problem.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONBy way of brief summary, the improved exhaust stack of the present invention comprises an outer tubular portion that, if desired, can be chrome plated; an inner tubular portion that is coaxially aligned with the outer tubular portion and cooperates therewith to define an annular shaped flow passageway; and a venturi tube section mounted within the upper extremity of the outer tubular portion, the venturi tube section being in communication with the inner tubular portion and with the annular shaped flow passageway.
Referring to
Referring particularly to
Mounted within outer tubular portion 22 proximate the upper extremity thereof is a uniquely configured tapered tube, or venturi component 30. As best seen by referring to
To maintain the inner tube 24 centered with respect to outer tube 22, a centering ring 38 of the construction illustrated in
In using the improved exhaust stack of the invention, the exhaust stack is mounted to the truck trailer in the manner illustrated in
Having now described the invention in detail in accordance with the requirements of the patent statutes, those skilled in this art will have no difficulty in making changes and modifications in the individual parts or their relative assembly in order to meet specific requirements or conditions. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, as set forth in the following claims.
Claims
1. An improved exhaust stack for use with a vehicle having an engine exhaust, comprising:
- (a) an outer tubular portion having an upper extremity;
- (b) an inner tubular portion having an inlet in communication with the engine exhaust, said inner tubular portion being disposed within said outer tubular portion and cooperating therewith to define an annular shaped flow passageway; and
- (c) a venturi tube mounted within said outer tubular portion and being in communication with said annular shaped flow passageway and with said inner tubular portion.
2. The improved exhaust stack as defined in claim 1 in which said venturi tube is mounted proximate said upper extremity of said outer tubular portion.
3. The improved exhaust stack as defined in claim 1 in which said inner tubular portion has an outlet in communication with atmosphere and in which said annular shaped flow passageway is in communication with atmosphere.
4. The improved exhaust stack as defined in claim 1 in which said venturi tube has an inlet of a first diameter, an outlet of a second lesser diameter and a tapered wall interconnecting said inlet and said outlet.
5. An improved exhaust stack for use with a vehicle having an engine exhaust, comprising:
- (a) an outer tubular portion having an upper extremity;
- (b) an inner tubular portion disposed within said outer tubular portion and cooperating therewith to define an annular shaped flow passageway having an air inlet port; and
- (c) a tapered tube mounted within said outer tubular portion proximate the upper extremity thereof, said tapered tube having an inlet section of a first diameter, an outlet section of a second lesser diameter and a tapered wall interconnecting said inlet section and said outlet section.
6. The improved exhaust stack as defined in claim 5 in which said inner tubular portion is coaxially aligned with said outer tubular portion.
7. The improved exhaust stack as defined in claim 5 further including a centering ring disposed within said outer tubular portion and disposed in engagement with said inner tubular portion.
8. The improved exhaust stack as defined in claim 5 in which said inlet and outlet sections of said tapered tube are generally cylindrical.
9. The improved exhaust stack as defined in claim 5 in which said tapered wall of said tapered tube extends at an angle of between four and eight degrees with respect to vertical.
10. An improved exhaust stack for use with a vehicle having an engine exhaust, comprising:
- (a) an outer tubular portion having an upper extremity;
- (b) an inner tubular portion disposed within said outer tubular portion and cooperating therewith to define an annular shaped flow passageway having an inlet port in communication with atmosphere, said inner tubular portion being coaxially aligned with said outer tubular portion;
- (c) a tapered tube mounted within said outer tubular portion proximate the upper extremity thereof, said tapered tube having a generally cylindrically shaped inlet section of a first diameter, a generally cylindrically shaped outlet section of a second lesser diameter and a tapered wall interconnecting said inlet and said outlet sections, said tapered wall extending at an angle of between about four and about eight degrees with respect to vertical; and
- (d) a centering ring disposed within said outer tubular portion and in engagement with said inner tubular portion for centering said inner tubular portion.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 9, 2010
Publication Date: Sep 15, 2011
Inventor: Gil Contreras (Sierra Madre, CA)
Application Number: 12/661,063
International Classification: F01N 13/08 (20100101);