Tube joint and method of joining tubes in an engine exhaust system

1 . A tubing joint in an exhaust system of an engine comprising:

a first tube having a distal end and a curling end, wherein a tip of the curling end is curled radially outward and contacts an outer surface of the first tube to form a substantially circular bead at the curling end of the first tube;

a second tube having a far end and a mating end, the mating end being flared radially outward to define a seat that is shaped to conform with at least a portion of an external surface of the bead; and

wherein the first tube is joined to the second tube by positioning the bead of the curling end within the seat of the mating end.

2 . The tubing joint of claim 1 , and wherein an inner surface of the mating end of the second tube circumferentially overlaps at least ninety degrees of the external surface of the bead of the first tube.

3 . The tubing joint of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the first tube and the second tube has a bend therein.

4 . The tubing joint of claim 3 , wherein the first tube and the second tube are stainless steel, and wherein the joint does not include a gasket.

5 . The tubing joint of claim 2 , further comprising a V-band clamp that extends around a circumference of the joint, and wherein the V-band clamp axially and radially overlaps the seat of the mating end and the bead of the curling end.

6 . The tubing joint of claim 1 , wherein substantially adjacent to a tip of the mating end there is a radially inward dimple that contacts the external surface of the bead.

7 . The tubing joint of claim 1 , wherein an inner surface of the mating end of the second tube circumferentially overlaps over one hundred eighty degrees of the external surface of the bead of the first tube, and wherein substantially the entire seat contacts the external surface of the bead.

8 . The tubing joint of claim 7 , wherein the first tube and the second tube are stainless steel, and wherein the joint does not include a gasket.

9 . A method of connecting a first tube to a second tube in an engine exhaust system with a substantially leak free joint, comprising:

creating a substantially circular radially outward bead at a join end of the first tube by moving a curling die relative to the first tube along an axis, the curling die containing a groove having a radius such that a tip of the join end bends radially outward and around to contact an outer surface of the first tube to form the bead;

forming a seat in a mating end of the second tube using a second die to flare the mating end radially outward and a third die to shape the seat so that a least a portion of the seat substantially conforms to at least ninety degrees of a circumference of an external surface of the substantially circular bead;

positioning the substantially circular bead of the first tube within the seat of the mating end of the second tube such that the portion of the seat is in contact with the external surface of the bead.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising first clamping the first tube into a fixed position, and wherein the curling die is moved relative to the first tube by forcing the first die toward the join end of the first tube.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first tube is a bent tube.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the first tube and the second tube are stainless steel, and the joint is created without a gasket.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising adding a radially inward dimple to a tip of the mating end of the second tube, the dimple contacting the external surface of the bead.

14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the seat substantially conforms to at least one hundred eighty degrees of the circumference of the external surface of the substantially circular bead.

15 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising positioning a V-band clamp around a circumference of the joint such that the clamp radially and axially overlaps the seat and the bead.

16 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the seat does not extend around the entire circumference of the bead.

17 . A substantially leak free joint connecting conduits in an exhaust system of an engine, comprising:

a first exhaust conduit extending between a first distal end and a first join end;

a second exhaust conduit extending between a second distal end and a second join end;

a joint connecting the first join end to the second join end, the joint comprising:

a substantially circular bead formed by a tip of the first join end curled radially outward and around until it contacts an outer surface of the first exhaust conduit;

a mating surface formed in the second join end that defines an at least partially axially open seat flared radially outward from the second exhaust conduit, at least a portion of the seat shaped to substantially conform to at least ninety degrees of a circumference of an external surface of the substantially circular bead; and

wherein the external surface of the substantially circular bead directly contacts the seat of the mating surface such that the portion of the seat curves around a portion of the circumference of the bead.

18 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the joint does not include a gasket.

19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the first conduit and the second conduit are stainless steel.

20 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein at least one of the first tube and the second tube has a bend therein.

21 . The apparatus of claim 20 , further comprising a V-band clamp that extends around a circumference of the joint and axially and radially overlaps the seat and the bead.

22 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein an inner surface of the seat circumferentially overlaps at least one hundred eighty degrees of the external surface of the bead, and wherein substantially the entire seat contacts the external surface of the bead.

23 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the seat does not overlap the entire circumference of the bead.