DEVICE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A HONEYCOMB STRUCTURE AND A HONEYCOMB STRUCTURE

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for producing a honeycomb structure from strip material comprising a supply and forming device, which forms a structured strip from the strip material and additionally determines a conveying speed of the structured strip, and a stop device comprising a feed channel, wherein the stop device is disposed downstream of the forming device such that the structured strip can be supplied to the feed channel, and wherein the honeycomb structure comprises a stop edge, which runs parallel to the feed channel, and wherein the stop device comprises a stop and stop means, which are designed in a movable manner such that the structured strip can be connected to a stop edge of the honeycomb structure.

Description

The invention concerns a device for production of a honeycomb structure according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention further concerns a method for production of a honeycomb structure according to the preamble of claim 19. The invention further concerns a honeycomb structure according to the preamble of claim 32.

PRIOR ART

Use of honeycomb core materials in the production of structural elements, like doors, floors, side walls or ceiling walls, is known. Ordinarily the honeycomb core material is joined on one side or both sides to a cover layer in order to form a plate-like structural element. The honeycombs are configured as hexagonal honeycombs, which are also referred to as honeycomb-like structures.

Document WO 2008/003015 discloses a device and method for production of a honeycomb structure. The honeycomb structure disclosed in it has the drawback that it has only restricted stability. The use possibilities of lightweight walls produced with such honeycomb structures are therefore limited.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

The task of the invention is to form economically more advantageous honeycomb structures that can be produced especially cost-effectively, which have increased stability and, in particular, permit production of more advantageous lightweight walls.

This task is solved, in particular, with a device for production of a honeycomb structure from strip material, comprising a feed and forming device, which forms a structured strip from the strip material and also determines a conveyance speed of the structured strip, and also including a stop device with a feed channel, in which the stop device is positioned after the forming device so that the structured strip can be fed to the feed channel and in which the honeycomb structure has a stop edge, which runs parallel to the feed channel and in which the stop device includes a stop and stop means, configured movable so that the structured strip can be connected to a stop edge of the honeycomb structure. Dependent claims 2 to 18 concern additional advantageous embodiments of the devices.

The task is further solved in particular with a method for production of a honeycomb structure from strip material where the strip material is formed into a structured strip and in which the structured strip is fed to a stop edge of honeycomb structure and in which the structured strip is joined to the stop edge so that the structured strip becomes part of the honeycomb structure.

Dependent claims 20 to 30 concern additional advantageously configured method steps.

The task is further solved with a honeycomb structure comprising a number of structured strips, in which each strip has contact sections and in which opposite contact sections and two adjacent structured strips are mutually joined to form a thermoplastic or thermosetting joint and in which the structured strips in the transitional area between the contact sections have deflections running in arc-like fashion, but no kinks.

The production device according to the invention in a preferred embodiment is configured to a certain extent similarly to a loom. A woven fabric produced with a loom has warp and weft threads in which the weft threads are held together by the warp threads. In weaving terminology the structured strip to be fed according to the invention corresponds to a weft thread. The function of the warp thread is taken over in the production device according to the invention and in the produced honeycomb structure by fixed joining of the fed structured strip to the honeycomb structure, in which case this joint can be configured as a thermoplastic joint, a thermosetting joint or a glue joint. Because of the relatively large similarity between the production device according to the invention and a loom, like an air or gripper loom, the production device according to the invention has a number of properties that were previously known only in looms. As in looms, the production device according to the invention permits feed of a number of possibly also differently structured strips in which the structured strips can differ, for example, in terms of structure, weight, width B, color or material. In addition to structured strips, a number of other materials or structures can be fed, for example, a channel having a channel element. The structure of the honeycomb structure according to the invention is preferably formed from strip-like material containing cellulose or paper. If necessary, however, it is possible to include additional other material in the honeycomb structure. As a first approximation, it can be assumed that such materials can be joined to the stop edge of the honeycomb structure, which can be firmly joined to the stop edge of the honeycomb structure, for example, also by gluing.

The production device according to the invention includes at least a feed device, which can supply a structured strip to the stop device. The stop device includes a feed channel into which the structured strip can be introduced and then stopped on a stop edge of a honeycomb structure. A variety of possible honeycomb structures can be produced with the production device according to the invention, since the production device according to the invention has extraordinarily high flexibility.

The honeycomb structure according to the invention has the advantage that it consists of a number of structured strips, which are joined to each other via a thermoplastic joint or thermosetting joint. The honeycomb structure therefore has advantageous mechanical stability.

The method according to the invention has the advantage that the honeycomb structure can be produced cost-effectively. In addition, the honeycomb structure can be produced in a number of possible forms and widths. The honeycombs can be produced in a number of possible geometric shapes. In another advantageous method linear or straight honeycomb strips are produced in a first partial method step and in a second partial method step the linear honeycomb strips are joined to each other, for example, by gluing, so that a flat honeycomb structure is formed. This method permits individual honeycomb strips to be produced in a number of possible geometric shapes, for which reason the honeycomb structures can also be produced in a number of possible structures. The honeycomb strips of the structured strips can be produced in a variety of widths, in which case this width determines the height of the honeycomb structure, for which reason honeycomb structures of different constant height can be produced in a very simple fashion. It is also possible to produce honeycomb strips or structured strips with different width, which makes it possible to produce a honeycomb structure with different height.

The method according to the invention permits production of honeycomb structures or honeycomb strips, starting from a strip material or starting from a strip-like material. Cellulose is advantageously used as strip material, in which case the strip material is provided and coated preferably with the thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic or in which the strip material is impregnated with a thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic before the honeycomb structure is produced as strip material. The strip material can also consist of another material, for example, a plastic.

It can prove to be advantageous to provide the strip material and/or honeycomb structure with a silicate, by dipping it into a silicate or spraying it with silicate, which permits production of fireproof or fire-retardant honeycomb strips or strip material and therefore also production of honeycomb structures with such properties.

In another advantageous embodiment the honeycomb strips or structured strips can also be produced in three dimensions, in which case a honeycomb structure comprising a number of such honeycomb strips or structured strips also has a three-dimensional course. The method according to the invention therefore permits production of honeycomb structures according to requirements in a number of possible three-dimensionally extending structures.

The method according to the invention and the device according to the invention for production of honeycomb structures permit cost-effective production of the honeycomb structures and also permit production of honeycomb structures in a number of shapes and thicknesses, and with a number of possible honeycomb geometries. The honeycomb structures according to the invention can serve as core material. The honeycomb structures according to the invention can also be provided on both sides with a cover plate in order to produce especially lightweight walls with a sandwich structure, in which case the lightweight walls consist of a core with a honeycomb structure and cover plates arranged on both sides of the honeycomb structure.

The invention is explained in detail below with reference to practical examples.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings used to explain the practical examples show:

FIG. 1—a schematic perspective view of the production device;

FIG. 1 a—a schematic, perspective view of another production device;

FIG. 2—a perspective view of a heating device;

FIG. 3—a perspective view of a forming device;

FIG. 4—a perspective view of a joining device;

FIG. 5, 5a, 5b—several practical examples of a first embossing wheel;

FIG. 6, 6a, 6b, 6c—several practical examples of structured strips;

FIG. 7, 7a—two practical examples of a honeycomb strip;

FIG. 8 a, 8b, 8c, 8d, 8e, 8f—differently configured structured strips;

FIG. 9 a, 9b, 9c, 9d, 9e—differently configured honeycomb strips;

FIG. 10—schematic side view of the production device;

FIG. 10 a—schematic side view of another production device;

FIG. 10 b—a detailed view of the press device depicted in FIG. 10a;

FIG. 10 c—another practical example of a forming and feed device;

FIG. 10 d—a practical example of a guide device with stop;

FIG. 10 e—a detailed view of the press device depicted in FIG. 10d;

FIG. 10 f, 10g, 10h, 10i—different methods steps during joining of a structured strip to a honeycomb structure;

FIG. 10 k—schematic top view of a stop device;

FIG. 10 l, 10m, 10n, 10o—different method states during joining of a structured strip to a honeycomb structure in a top view on the stop device;

FIG. 10 p—schematic top view of a stop device having a device to support feed by means of a gaseous fluid;

FIG. 11—schematically, another practical example of a forming device;

FIG. 12—schematically, a guide device for forming of a honeycomb strip;

FIG. 13—a side view of the three-dimensionally shaped honeycomb structure;

FIG. 14—another practical example of a two-dimensionally shaped honeycomb structured;

FIG. 15—a detail view of joining of a honeycomb structure to a cover plate;

FIG. 16—side view through a honeycomb structure provided with cover layers;

FIG. 17—schematic side view of another production device;

FIG. 18—a top view of a cutting device, especially for production of narrower strips;

FIG. 19—another practical example of a production device;

FIG. 20—another practical example of a press device;

FIG. 21—another practical example of a production device;

FIG. 22—another practical example of a production device;

FIG. 23—schematic top view of another practical example of a production device;

FIG. 24—side view of a produced honeycomb structure;

FIG. 24 a—a top view of a produced honeycomb structure;

FIG. 25—a side view of a strip;

FIG. 25 a—a top view of another produced honeycomb structure;

FIG. 25 b—a view of the front of the honeycomb structure depicted in FIG. 25a;

FIG. 26—a side view of a first embossing wheel with a ferromagnetic sprocket;

FIG. 26 a—a perspective view of the embossing wheel depicted in FIG. 26;

FIG. 26 b—a detailed view of intermeshing of the embossing teeth of the first and second embossing wheels;

FIG. 26 c—a section along line c-c of the embossing wheel depicted in FIG. 26;

FIG. 26 d—a side view of another practical example of an embossing tooth;

FIG. 27—a schematic side view of two embossing wheels arranged next to each other;

FIG. 28—a strip with stipulated shape with protruding tabs;

FIG. 28 a—a top view of a strip according to FIG. 28 arranged in a honeycomb structure;

FIG. 29—a schematic top view of another production device;

FIG. 29 a—a side view of a sandwich plate during production;

FIG. 29 b—a schematic top view of another production device;

FIG. 29 c—a side view of another sandwich plate during production.

In principle, the same parts in the drawings are provided with the same reference numbers.

Ways to Execute the Invention

FIG. 1 schematically and three-dimensionally depicts a device 1 for continuous production of a honeycomb structure 10. The honeycomb structure 10 lies on a conveyor belt 9 moving in a conveying direction 9a, in which honeycomb strips 13 are continuously fed in the conveying direction 9a to the rear end of honeycomb structure 10 and glued at the end to the honeycomb structure 10 so that the glued honeycomb strips 13 become a part of the honeycomb structure 10 and thereupon an additional honeycomb strip 13 can be glued onto the honeycomb structure 10. The depicted production device 1 includes two not visible holding devices 20 with feed rolls, on which a strip material 2, especially paper strips or cellulose strips, are stored. The strip material 2 preferably has a constant width B, width B preferably lying in the range between 2 cm and 25 cm. The width B determines the desired height in the honeycomb structure 10 so that, depending on the desired height of the honeycomb structure 10, a correspondingly wide strip material 2 is used to produce the honeycomb strip 13.

The strip material 2 is preferably pre-impregnated or impregnated or coated with a polymer material. The strip material 2 preferably consists of cellulose, especially paper or scrap paper. The strip material 2, however, could also be configured as a woven fabric, especially as a glass fiber fabric. The strip material 2 could also be configured as a fiberglass mat or ceramic paper. The strip material 2 could also consist of plastic, especially a thermoplastic.

A thermosetting plastic is especially suited as polymer material. Thermosetting plastics include amino plastics and phenolic plastics, both of which are joined to each other via methylene bridges (—CH₂—) or methylene ether bridges, but also synthetic resins, like melamine resin, phenolic resin or a melamine resin-phenolic resin derivative, epoxy resins, crosslinked polyacrylates and other crosslinked polymers. However, a thermoplastic is also suitable as polymer material, also called plastomers, which can be deformed in a specified temperature range. Thermoplastics include, for example, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polyamide (PA), polylactate (PLA), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyether ketone (PEEK) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

The practical example of a device 1 depicted in FIG. 1 uses strip material 2, 2a, 2b consisting of a synthetic resin-coated or thermosetting plastic-coated paper strip or cellulose strip to produce the honeycomb structure 10. The strip material 2 is stored on feed rolls (not shown). A heating device 3 is arranged following the feed rolls, which heats the strip material 2, 2a, 2b removed from the feed rolls before the heated strip material 2c, 2d reaches the forming device 4, 5, which produces structured strips 2e, 2f from the previously unstructured strips 2c, 2d by forming. The structured strips 2e, 2f produced after this processing step are fed to a joining device 6, in which the two strips 2e, 2f are positioned opposite each other in their running direction and are pressed against each other so that the opposite surfaces 2h, 2i, also referred to as contact sections, mutually touch. A chemical reaction with a thermosetting plastic means that the two contact sections 2h, 2i of the two strips 2e, 2f form a thermosetting joint, which forms a connection after cooling that can no longer be plastified by thermal effects. The two joined strips 2e, 2f form a honeycomb structure 2g, which is cut by means of a cutting device 7 so that the honeycomb structure 2g becomes a honeycomb strip 13 after the cutter. In the depicted practical example the honeycomb strip 13 lies on a support 8, which is mounted to pivot around a center of rotation 8b in rotational direction 8a. It can prove to be advantageous to cool the honeycomb structure 2g or the honeycomb strip 13 situated on support 8 by means of a corner device 11, for example with supplied air 11a in order to cool the heated honeycomb strip 13 in so doing.

The method for continuous production of a honeycomb structure 10 can therefore occur, in that two strip materials 2a, 2b provided with a polymer material are formed to structured strips 2e, 2f; the two structured strips 2e, 2f are combined and joined to each other to a honeycomb structure 2g, in which case a thermoplastic or thermosetting joint is formed between the two structured strips 2e, 2f, the honeycomb structure 2g is cut in a predetermined length to a honeycomb strip 13, honeycomb strip 13 has a stop side 13b intended to stop on a stop edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10, the stop side of the honeycomb strip 13 and/or the stop edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10 is provided with glue and the stop side 13b of the honeycomb strip 13 is fed to the stop edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10 and glued to it so that the honeycomb strip 13 forms part of honeycomb structure 10, in which case the last supplied and glued-on honeycomb strip 13 forms a stop edge 10a, to which the next honeycomb strip 13 is glued.

FIG. 2 shows the heating device 3 depicted in FIG. 1 in detail. It includes six heatable, rotatable rolls 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, each two opposite rolls producing a mutual pressure in order to exert a pressure force on the strip material 2. The fed strip material 2 is heated, on the one hand, in the heating device 3 and pressed under pressure, on the other hand, so that the synthetic resin is heated and the strip material 2 is preferably fully impregnated by synthetic resin. In an advantageous embodiment the surfaces of the rolls 3a to 3f are coated with a dirt-repellant layer or with a non-stick surface. The rolls 3a to 3f could be made, for example, from chromium steel and have a surface coating of nanoparticles, which prevent adhesion of contaminants, like synthetic resin. Advantageously a cleaning device 19 is also provided, which is only depicted schematically in FIG. 2 and which serves especially to clean contaminants from the surfaces of rolls 3a to 3f, which come in contact with the strip material 2, 2a, 2b.

FIG. 3 shows a practical example of a forming device 4 in detail. The heated and therefore particularly flexible and simple deformable strip material 2c is fed to the forming device 4 and then has the predefined structure because of the shape of the forming device 4. In the depicted practical example two opposite embossing wheels 4a, 4b are used for this purpose, a first embossing wheel 4a, which engages in a second embossing wheel 4b. The embossing wheels 4a, 4b are configured as gears with embossing teeth 4c arranged at a spacing in the peripheral direction, in which recesses 4d or base surfaces 4d with subsequent side surfaces 4g are arranged in the peripheral direction between the embossing teeth 4c. In the depicted practical example a second embossing wheel 4b is configured opposite the first embossing wheel 4a so that one embossing tooth 4c of the first embossing wheel 4a engages in a recess 4d of the second embossing wheel 4b and vice versa so that, as shown in FIG. 3, strip material 2c is shaped into the shape specified by the geometry of the embossing wheels 4c so that a structured strip 2e is formed with a lower surface 2i, an upper surface 2h and side surfaces 2k. Since the structure of the structured strip 2e is determined by the geometry of the embossing wheels 4a, 4b, it is possible in very simple fashion to generate structured strips 2a with different structure so that embossing wheels 4a, 4b with a differently shaped peripheral surface are used. For example, the surface of the first embossing wheel 4a running in the peripheral direction can be altered so that the embossing tooth 4c has a wider or narrower surface in the peripheral direction or that the base surface 4d has a wider or narrower surface in the peripheral direction or that the embossing tooth 4c has a different shape and, for example, is configured round, or that the side surfaces 4g are configured differently with respect to shape or also with respect to depth. In addition, the total diameter of the embossing wheel 4a can be chosen according to requirements, which means that structured strips 2e can be produced in a large variety of shapes because of the variety of arrangement possibilities and configuration possibilities of embossing teeth 4c, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 8a to 8f.

The forming device 5 depicted in FIG. 1 is configured identical to the forming device 4 depicted in FIGS. 1 and 3.

FIGS. 9 a to 9e show practical examples of differently configured honeycomb strips 13, which consist of two combined and joined structured strips 2e. FIG. 9a shows a large honeycomb structure. FIG. 9b shows a honeycomb structure having the same shape as the honeycomb structure depicted in FIG. 9a, in which the honeycomb structure according to FIG. 9b is configured much smaller in terms of dimension. FIG. 9c shows another honeycomb structure 13, which, however, has a much larger length in the running direction in comparison with the variant according to FIG. 9b, which can be obtained by configuring the embossing tooth 4c much longer in the peripheral direction than the embossing tooth 4c used to produce the structure according to FIG. 9b. FIG. 9d shows another practical example of a structured strip 2e, which has a semi-round trend. This structure can also be produced by a correspondingly shaped surface trend of the first and second embossing wheel 4a, 4b. FIG. 9e shows another practical example, in which, in contrast to the practical example according to FIG. 9c, round transitional sites were embossed. By corresponding configuration of the surface of the first and second embossing wheel 4a, 4b running in the peripheral direction, structured strips 2e can therefore be produced in a variety of possible structures and geometric dimensions.

FIG. 4 shows a joining device 6 in detail. The two heated structured strips 2e, 2f are fed to the joining device 6. The task of the joining device 6 is to mutually position the two structured strips 2e, 2f in their running direction and weld them to each other. Mutual positioning in the running direction preferably occurs as shown so that a lower section 2i of the first structured strip 2e is brought into contact with an upper section 2i of the second structured strip 2f in order to produce mutual joining of the two strips 2e, 2f and thus generate a honeycomb structure 2g or honeycomb strip 13. The joining device 6 has a first and second guide wheel 6a, 6b. The guide wheels 6a, 6b are configured as gears with teeth 6f, these teeth 6f forming on their front a press surface 6c, in which case a recess 6d with side walls 6e is arranged between teeth 6f adjacent in the peripheral direction. The geometry of the press surfaces 6c, recesses 6d and side walls 6e is configured according to the geometry of the structured strips 2e, 2f so that the section 2i of the first structured strip 2e as well as the section 2h of the second structured strip 2f are preferably arranged opposite each other and then pressed together and joined so that the honeycomb structure 2g is formed. The joining device 6 depicted in FIG. 4, on the one hand, has the advantage that the hot and flexible structured strips 2e, 2f can be positioned very precisely by means of the teeth 6f engaging in the strips 2e, 2f in the running direction of strips 2e, 2f and, on the other hand, has the advantage that the mutually touching sections 2i, 2h of the two strips 2e, 2f are pressed against each other by the pressing force caused by the teeth 6f so that a particularly advantageous joint is formed, in which the two strips 2e, 2f are firmly joined to each other on the common contact sites after polymerization. This joint is also subsequently referred to as mutual “welding”. In an advantageous variant a cleaning device 19 shown only schematically is provided in order to clean the surfaces of the first and second guide wheels 6a, 6b from contamination, especially residues of the epoxy resin or synthetic resin.

FIG. 5 shows the first embossing wheel 4a with a number of teeth 4c arranged spaced in the peripheral direction in detail. FIG. 6 shows as an example a section of the first structured strip 2e, which was produced with the forming device 4 depicted in FIG. 3 in detail. The first structured strip 2e has upper sections 2h, lower sections 2i and side sections 2k. In addition, the strip 2e has transitional areas 2m, which are formed as kinks 2n. FIG. 7 shows a section of a honeycomb structure 2g and a section of a honeycomb strip 13 in detail. The first structured strip 2e and the second structured strip 2f are firmly joined to each other via the polymerized contact sites 2s, subsequently also referred to as “welding sites”.

FIGS. 5 a and 5b show additional practical examples of first embossing wheels 4a, which in contrast to the variant depicted in FIG. 5 have embossing teeth with geometry rounded in the peripheral direction so that especially at the transition sites of the embossing tooth 4c to the side surface 4g and side surface 4g to recess 4d a rounder arc-like transition is produced without kinks. In the practical example according to FIG. 5b certain embossing teeth 4c are missing in the peripheral direction. The strips 2e depicted in FIG. 8f could be formed with a forming device 4, which includes the first embossing wheel 4a depicted in FIG. 5b and a second embossing wheel 4b not shown, in which case the surface of the second embossing wheel 4b is configured opposite the surface of the first embossing wheel 4a in the peripheral direction in order to form the structured strip 2e depicted in FIG. 8f.

A forming device 4 comprising two intermeshing embossing wheels 4a, one of which is shown in FIG. 5a, has the advantage that because of the rounded embossing teeth 4c structured strips 2c can be formed as depicted in FIG. 6a or 6c. The structured strips 2e do not have a kink 2n in the transitional area 2m but have a curvature in transitional area 2m or an arc-like trend, for example, a curvature with a radius of curvature 2r.

FIG. 6 a shows a perspective view of a structured strip 2e, which, in contrast to the structured strip 2e depicted in FIG. 6, has arc-like transitional areas 2m, that is, transitional areas 2m without kinks 2n. FIG. 6c shows in a side view another practical example of a structured strip 2e with arc-like or curved transitional areas 2m. The structured strip 2e also has upper sections 2h, lower sections 2i and side surfaces 2k. The depicted strip 2e also has turning points 2q, at which an arc-like transitional area 2m grades into the next arc-like transitional area 2m. Between the two arc-like transitional areas 2m a linear section could also be arranged so that no distinct turning point 2q is formed between subsequent transitional areas 2m. The strip 2e depicted in FIG. 6c therefore has a curved trend, that is, a trend without kinks.

FIG. 6 b shows in a side view a partial section of the structured strip 2e depicted in FIG. 6 with kinks 2n. A shortcoming in this structured strip 2e is the fact that movement or loading of the strip 2e in direction 2o means that the kinks 2n are strongly loaded, since subsequent partial sections of the strip 2e are also moved in the movement direction 2p, which results in weakening or rupturing of kinks 2n. Quite in contrast to this, the structured strip 2e depicted in FIG. 6c with arc-like transitional areas 2m has the advantage that during movement of loading strip 2e in direction 2o no distinct loading site is formed because strip 2e is deformable at a variety of locations, just like a spring. In a structured strip 2e with arc-like transitional areas 2m, as depicted, for example, in FIGS. 6a and 6c, no kinks 2n are formed in the transitional area 2m and therefore no weakenings or ruptures. The structured strip 2e with arc-like transitional areas 2n therefore has significantly improved long-term behavior with respect to rupture. A sandwich plate having a honeycomb core with curved structured strips 2e as shown in FIG. 6c therefore also has improved tensile loading and improved vibrational loading. FIG. 7a shows a section of a honeycomb structure 2g and a section of a honeycomb strip 13 in detail, in which it is formed from structured strips 2e, 2f with arc-like transitional areas 2m. The first structured strip 2e and the second structured strip 2f are firmly joined or welded to each other via the polymerized contact sites 2s.

FIG. 10 shows in detail the production device 1 in a side view. The honeycomb structure 10 being produced lies on a support surface 9, in which the support surface 9 is moved in the conveying direction 9a. The honeycomb structure 2g is first pushed onto support 8 during the production process and then cooled in a preferred variant by means of a cooling device 11 by inflowing cooling air 11a. As soon as the honeycomb structure 2g has reached the prescribed length, it is separated with the cutting device 7 so that a honeycomb strip 13 is formed. The honeycomb strip 13 has a stop side 13b, which is provided by means of a glue feed device 12 with a glue, in which the surfaces coming in contact with honeycomb structure 10 in particular are provided with glue. The support 8 is mounted to rotate in rotational direction 8a so that the honeycomb strip 13a is rotated by 90°, as shown, and then placed on the support surface 9. A pusher 17 then pushes the honeycomb strip 13a in displacement direction 9a to stop edge 10a of honeycomb structure 10 until the honeycomb strip 13a with its stop side 13b lies against the stop edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10 so that it is glued to the stop edge 10a of honeycomb structure 10 and the honeycomb strip 13 becomes part of the honeycomb structure 10. This glued-on honeycomb strip 10b therefore now forms a stop edge 10a for a subsequent honeycomb strip 13a so that through this continuing process the honeycomb structure 10 becomes increasingly longer in the displacement direction 9a and the honeycomb structure 10 is so formed.

FIG. 1 a schematically and three-dimensionally depicts another practical example of a device 1 for continuous production of honeycomb structure 10. In contrast to the practical example depicted in FIG. 1, the production device 1 depicted in FIG. 1a uses only one structured strip 2e, which is fed in the feed direction 21, in which case the structured strip 2e is produced by means of the forming device 4, which comprises a first and second embossing wheel 4a, 4b. As soon as the completely required length of the strip 2e is introduced to support 8, it is cut with a cutting device 7 and the structured strip 2e then stopped against the stop edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10. A feed roll with strip material 2 is arranged in front of the forming device 4, in which case the strip material passes through a heating device 3 and then is fed as unstructured strip 2c to the forming device 4, whereupon the structured strip 2e is formed.

Stopping of the structured strip 2e against the stop edge 10a occurs in one possible variant as already described in FIG. 10, in that the structured strip 2e is fed to support 8, the structured strip 2e is then cut with a cutting device 7 and provided with a glue, whereupon the structured strip 2e is pivoted on the support surface 9 and the structured strip 2e is then fed, for example, by means of a pusher 17 to the stop edge 10a so that the structured strip 2e is glued to the honeycomb structure 10 so that the structured strip 2e just glued on now forms a stop edge 10a for another structured strip 2e to be fed.

An individual structured strip 2e, or a number of at least two structured strips 2e already joined to each other, also referred to as honeycomb strip 13, can be fed in a variety of ways to stop edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10. FIG. 10a schematically shows a structured strip 2e for a honeycomb strip 13, which lies on a support surface 9 and can be fed to the stop edge 10a by means of the pusher 17 moving in direction 17a. Beneath the support surface 9 a press device 21 is arranged, which includes punches 21a, 21b, which are positioned to move in the vertical direction 21c and in the horizontal direction 21d. FIG. 10b shows in a top view stopping of a structured strip 2e on the stop edge 10a by means of press device 21. The structured strip 2e is first fed to the stop edge 10a of honeycomb structure 10. The punches 21a, 21b are then raised in the vertical direction 21c and then forced against each other in the horizontal direction 21d so that the structured strip 2e is forced against the stop edge 10a. The punches 21a, 21b are then moved slightly back in the horizontal direction 21b and then moved in the vertical direction 21c until they are arranged beneath the support surface 9. The structured strip 2e is then joined to the honeycomb structure 10, forms part of the honeycomb structure 10 and also forms the stop edge 10a for a subsequent structured strip 2e to be stopped. At the location of a structured strip 2e a honeycomb strip 13 could also be stopped in the same way against the stop edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10. The arrangement depicted in FIG. 10b has the advantage that the press device 21 can exert via punches 21a, 21b a force on the stop edge 10a and the structured strip 2e so that the structured strip 2e is properly joined to the stop edge 10a. In an advantageous embodiment no glue is required for this joining because a thermoplastic or thermosetting joint is formed between the stop edge 10a and the structured strip 2e in contact with it. In an advantageous embodiment the punches 21a, 21b are heatable in order to heat the stop edge 10a and the structured strip 2e at the contact location and improve mutual joining in so doing.

The production device 1 for honeycomb structures 10 depicted in FIG. 1a includes in particular a feed device 32, a stop device 34, a control device 30 and a support surface 9. The feed device 32 includes especially a forming device 4, a heating device 3, as well as a cutting device 7. The stop device 34 includes all necessary means in order to stop the structured strip 2e on the honeycomb structure 10 so that the structured strip 2e becomes part of the honeycomb structure 10. The means required for the stop device 34 are shown in the subsequent figures. The control device 30 is of special significance for operation of the production device 1. In one possible embodiment the control device 30 controls the heat generated by the heating device 3 and the speed of the forming device 4. The speed of the forming device 4 is of special significance, since it determines, on the one hand, the feed speed of the structured strip 2e in the conveying direction 21 to the stop device 34. In addition, the rotational speed of the forming device 4 determines the takeoff speed of the strip material 2 from the feed roll and the speed of the unstructured strip 2c. This speed also determines the dwell time of the unstructured strip 2c in the heating device 3. In another advantageous embodiment the forming device 4 also has a heating device, which is controllable via the control device 30.

In the depicted practical example the control device 30 is connected via an electrical line 31a to a speed sensor (not shown) in order to measure the speed of the unstructured strip 2c. An electrical line 31b is connected to the heating device 3 in order to supply it with the target value for the heat energy to be released and/or to measure the temperature in the heating device and/or the unstructured strip 2c. An electrical line 3c is connected to the forming device 4 in order to control the rotational speed of the embossing wheels 4a, 4b and to control the mutual pressing pressure of the embossing wheels 4a, 4b and the heat released by the embossing wheels 4a, 4b. An electrical line 31d controls a motor (not shown), which controls the rotational movement 8a of the support 8. An electrical line 31e controls a motor (not shown), which controls the displacement speed of the support surface 9 in the movement direction 9a. An electrical line 31f controls a cutting device 7 in order to separate the structured strips 2e. An electrical line 31g detects a signal of a sensor 24, which detects the location of the structured strip 2e and which especially detects complete entry of strip 2e. An electrical line 31h controls any cutting or punching device 23 that is present, which changes the strip material 2 in its shape by cutting or punching. Production device 1 can also include a number of additional sensors and/or actuators, which are not shown in detail, and which can be monitored and/or controlled especially by the control device 30.

FIG. 10 c discloses partial components of a particularly advantageous production device 1. The feed device 32, including the heating device 3, the forming device 4, as well as the cutting device 7, is configured and arranged so that the structured strip 2e is fed aligned to the support surface 9 so that it need not longer be turned as shown in FIGS. 1 and 1a, but already has the required position for stopping against the stop edge 10a. The structured strip 2c is introduced over the width of the support surface 9, in which the strip 2e has an upright position or in which the strip 2e runs perpendicular to the support surface 9. In an advantageous embodiment a guide device 26 is provided, which limits the movement freedom of the structured strip 2e at least on one side so that it is reliably and preferably almost linearly introduced over the support surface 9. In an advantageous embodiment the guide device 26 also includes an entry area 26a, 26b that widens funnel-like, only the footprint of the entry area 26b being shown.

FIG. 10 d shows another practical example of a guide device 26, which is configured as a stop 27. The stop 27 preferably has a structure on the side facing the structured strip 2e so that it corresponds to the course of the structured strip 2e, that is stop side 27h facing the structured strip 2e has recessed sites 27a, raised sites 27b and sloped sites 27c, which corresponds with a geometric trend of the structured strip 2e. In an advantageous embodiment the stop side 27h also has holes 27d, through which a gaseous fluid can be released or drawn in. In another advantageous embodiment the support surface 9 has perforation 9b, only one perforation 9b being shown, in which case a perforation 9b is preferably arranged directly before each recessed site 27a and directly before each raised site 27b. A punch 21 is preferably arranged in the perforation 9b, which is described below in detail. In another advantageous embodiment the guide device 26 with a stop 27 is mounted to move at least in the movement direction 27e of the guide device 26 or at least in the vertical direction 27b or at least in the movement direction 27g of the support surface 9.

FIG. 10 e shows a cutout of a honeycomb 10 with stop edge 10a, in which a structured strip 2e is joined to this stop edge 10a. For this purpose a punch is raised from beneath the support surface 9 so that the stop edge 10a and the structured strip 2e come to lie between the raised site 27b of the stop 27 and punch 21a, in which case punch 21a produces a pressing force in movement direction 21c in order to cause mutual joining of the sections of the stop edge 10a and the structured strip 2e lying between the raised site 27b and the punch 21a. This stopping of the structured strip 2e against the stop edge 10a is explained in FIGS. 10f to 10i in four consecutive method steps in detail. In FIG. 10f the punch 21a is situated beneath the surface of the support surface 9. In FIG. 10g the punch 21a is raised through the perforation 9b and the structured strip 2e is also introduced. In FIG. 10h the punch 21a is moved in direction 21c and the strip 2e is welded to the stop edge 10a and in FIG. 10i the punch 21a is attracted downward again.

FIGS. 10 k to 10p show another possible method for stopping of the structured strip 2e against the stop edge 10a in detail. FIG. 10k shows in a top view the elements required for stopping. The stop 27 includes holes 27d for a gaseous fluid. The gas can flow from holes 27d or gas can be drawn in via holes 27d. The stop side 27h has recessed sites 27a, raised sites 27b and sloped sites 27c, in which a first set of punches 21a is arranged opposite the recessed sites 27a and a second set of punches 21b is arranged opposite the raised sites 27b. In addition, the honeycomb structure 10 with stop edge 10a and an introduced structured strip 2e are also shown. In FIG. 10k the arrangement of the punches 21a, 21b recognizable from the top is shown, in which it is not depicted whether the punches 21a, 21b protrude above the support surface 9.

FIGS. 10 l to 10o now show a possible stop method in detail. The punches 21b protrude above the support surface 9 and are arranged directly behind the stop edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10. An intermediate space is formed between the stop edge 10a and the stop 27, in which the structured strip 2e was introduced. Subsequently, in the method step depicted in FIG. 10m, the two punches 21b are moved in direction 21c toward stop 27 so that the stop edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10 and the structured strip 2e are pressed against each other along the length of the punch 21b and along the length of raised site 27b. The punches 21b are then moved downward and a gaseous fluid, like air, is blown from the holes 27d so that the stop edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10 is pushed away from stop 27. FIG. 10n shows a subsequent method step in which the punches 21a are raised and engage in the honeycomb structure 10. The entire stop 27 is then shifted leftward so that the raised sites 27b of stop 27 come to lie opposite the punches 21a. In addition, the structured strip 2e is introduced between the stop 27 and the stop edge 10a. As soon as this introduction occurs, the punches 21a are pushed in direction 21c to stop 27, in which case the raised sites 27b are arranged opposite punches 21a in order to press the structured strips 2e along the section of the punches 21 against the stop edge 10a and thus join the structured strip 2e to the honeycomb structure 10. The punches 21c are then moved downward and the stop 27, as shown in FIG. 10l is moved rightward again in the movement direction 27e so that the method can continue with the state depicted in FIG. 10l.

FIG. 10 l shows the stop device 34 in one possible entry position, during which the structured strip 2e is introduced in the feed direction 21. FIG. 10p shows the stop device 34 in another possible entry position, during which the structured strip 2e is introduced to the feed direction 21. The punches 21a are then in the raised position so that the structured strip 2e is introduced between punches 21a and stop 27 and, if necessary, guided by the punches 21a and stop 27. It can prove advantageous to provide punches 21a and/or stop 27 with channels 27h, 21f that conduct fluid, which are arranged so that a gaseous fluid emerging from these channels 27h, 21f causes a force acting in the feed direction 21 on the structured strip 2e. The channels 27a, 21f run within the stop 27 or within the punch 21a, for which reason the channels 27a, 21f are only indicated. The outflowing gaseous fluid can also heat or cool the structured strip 2e, depending on the requirements, in which case the temperature and/or the outflow velocity of the gaseous fluid is chosen accordingly. An additional possibility for mechanically supporting introduction of the structured strip 2e is disclosed in FIG. 10l. For this purpose a pull-in device 35 is used, which is configured so that it can grasp the front part of the tip 2e and pull the strip 2e in the entry direction 21 through the opened partition, in the depicted practical example from right to left, in which case the strip 2e is grasped on the right side and pulled leftward by the pull-in device 35 through the opened partition. The pull-in device 35 in the depicted practical example is configured as a gripper 35a, which can grasp the tip of the strip 2e. The gripper 35a is fastened to a rod 35b, which can be moved in direction 35c so that the gripper 35a can be moved to the input area of the opened partition, i.e., up to the right side of the stop device 34 in the depicted practical example so that the gripper 35a can grasp the tip of the strip 2e and can fully pull the strip 2e through the opened partition, in which case the gripper 35a is moved in the entry direction 21. After complete introduction of strip 2e, the gripper 35a releases the tip of strip 2e so that the gripper 35a is ready to introduce a subsequent strip 2e. Instead of a gripper 35a, another device could also be used, which is capable of holding the tip or front section of the strip 2e, for example, the device can generate a vacuum that holds strip 2e.

FIG. 11 schematically depicts another practical example of forming device 4. Instead of an embossing wheel 4a, 4b configured as a gear, in this practical example two oppositely arranged punches 4e, 4f are used, which are mounted movable perpendicular to the running direction of strip 2c and which can deform the strip 2c so that the structured strip 2e is formed.

FIG. 12 schematically depicts a top view of a possible variant of a support 8, which in contrast to the variant depicted in FIGS. 1 and 10, however, does not have a linear but a curved guide device 14 with side guides 14a and 14 so that the still flexible honeycomb structure 2g acquires a curvature during introduction into the guide device 14. The honeycomb strip 13 occurring after cutting with the cutting device 7 therefore has a curved shape.

FIG. 13 shows a side view of a composite plate 21 comprising a honeycomb structure 10 formed from a number of honeycomb strips 13 depicted in FIG. 12, in which the honeycomb structure 10 is joined on both sides to a lower cover plate 15 and upper cover plate 16.

Since the honeycomb structure 2g fed in the guide device 14 is still relatively soft and deformable, honeycomb structures 2g and therefore honeycomb strips 13 can be formed with a wide variety of two- or three-dimensional shapes, in which the shape of the honeycomb strip 13 is dictated by the corresponding guide device 14. FIG. 14 shows another practical example of a honeycomb strip 13. This can extend in a two- or three-dimensional direction in a variety of shapes and, as depicted in FIG. 10 can then be stopped on a stop edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10. The support 9 must then naturally be configured according to the course of the honeycomb structure 10. In an advantageous variant, as shown in FIG. 13, the lower cover plate 15 of the composite plate 21 being produced is used as support 9. It is therefore possible to produce honeycomb structures 10 and therefore composite plates 21 in a variety of two- or three-dimensional shapes.

FIG. 15 shows a detail view of a section through a composite plate 21 with honeycomb strips 13. The honeycomb strip depicted in cross section is produced, as shown in FIG. 7, from two strips 2e, 2f, which are joined firmly to each other via the mutual contact surfaces 2h, 2i. The honeycomb strip 13 is connected firmly to the lower cover plate 15 via a liquid joining agent 22, especially a glue. In a particularly advantageous variant not only is the face of the honeycomb strip 13 facing cover plate 15 provided with glue 22, but lateral bulge-like glue sites 22a, 22b are formed, which offer the particular advantage that the honeycomb strip 13 is better secured with reference to the forces acting in the running direction 22c. The laterally arranged glue sites 22a, 22b therefore increase the strength of the composite plate 21, especially with reference to shear forces acting in direction 22c.

FIG. 16 shows a side view of another practical example of a composite plate 21 with honeycomb structure 10 and with lower cover plate 15 and upper cover plate 16. The honeycomb structure 10 is formed from a number of honeycomb strips 13 arranged next to each other with sometimes different width, in which the width of the honeycomb strips 13 was chosen so that the honeycomb structure 10 has a varying height trend. In an advantageous embodiment the strip material 2 could have an increasing width B so that the section 21a of the composite plate 21 depicted in FIG. 16 can be produced in simple fashion with the production device 1 depicted in FIGS. 1 and 5, in which the produced honeycomb strips 13 become increasingly wider.

FIG. 17 schematically depicts another practical example of a production device 1, which in contrast to the production device 1 depicted in FIG. 10 can simultaneously produce three honeycomb strips 13, in which case it has three separate supports 8 and the three separate joining devices 6 positioned in front and the three separate forming devices 4, 5. The produced honeycomb strips 13 are placed in succession as honeycomb strips 13a on the conveyor belt 9, where they are pushed individually by means of a pusher 17 moving in direction 17b to the stop edge 10a of honeycomb structure 10 and glued there to the honeycomb structure 10. The pusher 17 is connected to a drive device via a rod 17a. The production device 1 can be configured in a number of possibilities and also in variants with only two or four or even more simultaneously producible honeycomb strips 13. A production device 1 configured in this way permits particularly rapid and high-performance production of the honeycomb structure 10.

Instead of pusher 17 or in addition to pusher 17, other devices can be helpful, which permit secure joining and insertion of the honeycomb strip 13 in the honeycomb structure 10. A press device 21 is depicted as a possible practical example of such a device in FIG. 21, which includes punches 21a, 21b and 21d, which are configured so that they can engage into the internal space 21 of honeycomb strips 13 via movement in direction 21c in order to press at least two adjacent honeycomb strips 13 against each other and join them in so doing. The press device 21 preferably has a number of punches 21a, 21b, 21c arranged next to each other perpendicular to the depicted view, preferably enough so that one punch 21a, 21b, 21c can engage in each internal space 21 of a honeycomb strip 13. In an advantageous embodiment the pusher 17 could also be dispensed with by moving the press device 21 so that the group of at least two honeycomb strips joined to each other becomes the stop edge 10a and is joined to the honeycomb structure 10.

For the production device 1 depicted in FIG. 17, as shown in FIG. 18, it has proven to be particularly advantageous to use a strip band 2 with triple width 3b, which is pulled off in direction A and cut by means of two cutting device 18 so that three strips 2c of width B are then available, each of which is fed to a heating device 3 and the subsequent forming devices 4, 5 and the subsequent joining devices 7.

FIG. 19 shows another practical example of a production device 1. This production device 1 has two feeds 20, on which strip material 2 stored on rolls is positioned. The strip material 2a, 2b is pulled from the roll and fed to the forming device 4 and the forming device 5 in order to produce structured strips 2e, 2f. Production device 1 depicted in FIG. 19 is suitable, for example, to produce fireproof honeycomb structures 10. For this purpose the strip material 2, 2a, 2b is provided with a silicate, by impregnating the strip material 2, 2a, 2b with a silicate, for example, a two-component silicate resin. A paper, for example, cellulose, or a ceramic fiber paper or fiberglass mat is suitable as strip material 2, 2a, 2b. The strip material 2, 2a, 2b is either impregnated with silicate before it is stored on the roll or the strip material 2 is provided with silicate after pulling from the roll by passing the strip materials 2a, 2b through a silicate liquid before they are fed to the forming devices 4, 5. Honeycomb structure 10 is otherwise produced as described with FIG. 1 by joining the two structured strips 2e, 2f in a joining device 6, then generating a honeycomb strip 13 and gluing it to the honeycomb structure 10.

FIG. 20 shows another practical example of a press device 3 comprising two conveyor belts 3h, which are mounted to move on deflection rolls 3g in their running direction. The conveyor belts 3h and/or the deflection rolls 3g exert a pressing force on the strip material 2 running in between. It can prove advantageous to arrange an additional press device 3i and/or heating device 3i in order to produce additional pressing force on the strip material 2 and/or to heat the strip material 2.

In the depicted practical example the heating rolls 3a-3f and/or the embossing wheels 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b and/or the guide wheels 6a, 6b are each configured with roughly the same width as the strip material 2. However, it can prove advantageous to configure the mentioned rolls and wheels relatively wide, for example, 10 cm or even 20 cm wide so that a strip material 2 of different width up to 10 cm width or up to 25 cm width can be processed without changing the rolls and wheels. The geometric configuration of the structure of strips 2e, 2f can be changed simply on this account by replacing the embossing wheels 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b of the forming devices 4, 5 with embossing wheels 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, which are configured so that the strips 2e, 2f can be correspondingly formed. The invention therefore has the advantage that the structure of the strips 2e, 2f can be simply altered by replacing the embossing wheels 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b.

FIG. 22 schematically and three-dimensionally depicts production of a honeycomb structure 10 in which the honeycomb structure 10 lies on a conveyor belt 9 moving in a conveying direction 9a. The honeycomb structure 10 has a stop edge 10a to which structured strips 2e are fed in a manner not shown and stopped on it. Feeding of the strip 2e could occur with a stop device 34 as depicted in FIGS. 10l to 10o. The produced honeycomb structure 10 has an intermediate space 10f as well as a first partial honeycomb structure 10g and a second partial honeycomb structure 10h. The first honeycomb structure 10g is possible, for example, by means of a gripper 35 depicted in FIG. 10l, in which the gripper 35 positions the structured strip 2e intended for the first partial honeycomb structure 10g on this stop edge 10a of the first partial honeycomb structure 10a so that it can be stopped there. Generation of an intermediate space 10f has the advantage that a sandwich structure, whose honeycomb core 10 is covered with a cover layer, has a cavity within the honeycomb core 10, namely, the intermediate space 2f.

FIG. 23 schematically depicts a practical example of the production device according to the invention for production of a honeycomb structure 10. The production device 1 includes at least a feed device 32 to feed a structured strip 2e, and includes a stop device 34 in order to position the structured strip 2e in front of the stop edge 10a and then join it to the honeycomb core 10. The stop device 34, on the one hand, forms a feed channel 34a in order to introduce the structured strip 2e, starting from the feed device 32, and position it in front of the stop edge 10a. The stop device 34 also includes stop means, like punches 21a, 21b, in order to join the structured strip 2e to the stop edge 10a so that the strip 2e becomes part of the honeycomb structure 10. The production device 1 according to the invention is similar to a loom. A fabric produced with a loom has warp threads and weft threads in which the weft threads are held together by the warp threads. In weaving terminology the structured strip 2e being introduced corresponds to a weft thread. The function of the warp thread is assumed in the production device 1 according to the invention or the honeycomb structure 10 produced in it by the fixed joining of the introduced structured strip 2e with the honeycomb structure 10, in which this joining is configured as a thermoplastic joint, a thermosetting joint or a glue joint. Because of the relatively large similarity between the production device according to the invention and a loom, for example, an air or gripper loom, the production device 1 according to the invention has a number of properties that were previously known only in looms. As in looms, the production device 1 according to the invention permits introduction of a variety of possible, also differently structured strips 2e, 2f, in which the structured strips 2e, 2f can differ with respect to structure, weight, width B, color or material. In addition to structured strips 2e, 2f, a number of other materials or structures 28a, 28b, 28c can also be introduced, for example, a channel element 28a having a channel 28, as shown in FIGS. 24 and 24a. The structure of the honeycomb structure 10 according to the invention is preferably formed from strip-like material containing cellulose or paper. If necessary, however, it is possible to include additional other materials of the honeycomb structure 10. As a first approximation it can be assumed that such materials can be joined to the stop edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10, which can be firmly joined to the stop edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10, for example, also by gluing. If the honeycomb structure 10, however, is additionally joined to the support surface 9 by configuring the support surface 9 as a lower cover plate, or by covering the honeycomb structure 10 additionally with an upper cover plate, this lower and/or upper cover plate can assume the function of “warp thread” at least partially so that introduced materials need not necessarily be joined to the honeycomb structure 10 via the stop edge 10a. It would therefore even be possible to form an intermediate space 10f, as depicted in FIG. 22, in which this intermediate space 10f, in contrast to the variant depicted in FIG. 22, would run perpendicular to the displacement direction 9a. The production device 1 depicted in FIG. 23 has a feed device 32 on both sides, which can feed a structured strip 2e, 2f to the stop device 34. A number of feed devices 33 can be provided, in which the individual feed devices 32 form geometrically differently shaped structured strips, for example, structured strips of different width B. In addition, feed devices can also be provided in order to feed other materials or other structures 28a, 28b, 28c to the stop device 34.

FIG. 24 shows in a side view and FIG. 24a in a top view a selection from a variety of possibilities for production of honeycomb structures 10 with the production device 1 according to the invention. The displacement direction during production of the honeycomb structure 10 occurs in direction 9a, for which reason the structure of the depicted honeycomb structure 10 is started with the first introduced strip, the strip 2e depicted on the right. It should then be noted that in conjunction with the description of FIGS. 24 and 24a the term “strip” is used, although the honeycomb structure 10 no longer has strips, but forms an overall structure. With the term “strip” it is subsequently only explained how the honeycomb structure 10 was constructed, in which the depicted honeycomb structure 10 no longer has any “strips”, since these are firmly joined to each other or melted to other or welded to each other. Beginning from the right the honeycomb structure 10 was produced by first stopping a strip 2e and then a strip 2f and a strip 2e. A through element 28a was then stopped, which has a continuous channel 10e and which consists, for example, of a plastic or metal. A strip 2f and then a metal strip 28c were then introduced. Subsequently, a narrower strip 2f1 was introduced, in which this was stopped flush with honeycomb structure 10 on the top so that a recess 10d is produced on the bottom. In order to stop the narrow strip 2f1 it is necessary to arrange it previously precisely on stop 27 in a horizontal direction. This can occur by means of the arrangement depicted in FIG. 10d so that the narrow strip 2f1 lies on the support surface 9 lying on stop 27 at the recessed site 27a, raised site 27b and sloped site 27c. Thereupon a vacuum is generated via holes 27d so that the narrow strip 2f1 lies firmly against stop 27. Thereupon the stop 27 is moved upward in movement direction 27f and the narrow strip 2f1 then stopped as depicted in FIG. 10e against the stop edge 10a and therefore joined to the honeycomb structure 10. Instead of stop 27, the support surface 9 and/or the honeycomb structure 10 could naturally also be moved in the vertical direction in order to position the strip 2f1 relative to the honeycomb structure 10. Displacement of the stop 27 in the displacement direction 27f has the advantage that a strip 2e held by the stop 27 can be positioned quickly and precisely relative to honeycomb structure 10 and stopped. Back to FIG. 24 two narrow strips 2e2 and 2f2 would then be stopped following the narrow strip 2f1, in which no height adjustment of the stop 27 is necessary to stop these narrow strips 2e2 and 2f2, since these strips lie on the support surface 9 and are therefore positioned on the stop edge 10a of honeycomb structure 10. A strip 2e was then stopped. The narrow strip 2f1 was then stopped first in the same way as the already previously described narrow strip 2f1. The narrow strip 2e2 was then introduced on the support surface 9 and, as depicted in FIG. 10e, also stopped against the stop edge 10a and therefore joined to the honeycomb structure 10. In the practical example according to FIG. 24 this process was repeated, whereupon metal strip 28 was introduced and then a structured strip 2f introduced, which forms the stop edge 10a. A continuous cavity 10e was formed between strips 2f1 and 2e2, which can be used, for example, as a channel, for example, to pass through lines like electrical or water lines. The narrow strips 2f1, 2f2 and/or 2e2 can be furnished via a feed device 32 by positioning a feed roll with strip material 2 of this narrow width. Another possibility of producing narrow strips 2f1, 2f2, 2e2 consists of processing the strip material 2 with a cutting device 23 depicted in FIG. 1a so that narrower strips with the required width can be generated starting from a strip material 2 with the stipulated width B.

By means of a cutting or punching device 23 a strip material 2 with stipulated width B can be changed to a number of possibilities in order to produce in the strip material 2 the desired cutout sites 2u or perforations 2v. FIG. 25 shows as an example an unstructured strip 2, 2a with a cutout site 2u and a perforation 2v. FIG. 25a shows a top view of a honeycomb structure 10 in which the unstructured strip 2a depicted in FIG. 25 was used by feeding it to the forming device 32 and then feeding the structured strip 2e to the stop device 34 and stopping it against the stop edge 10a with a honeycomb structure 10. If all unstructured strips 2a would be generated with identically arranged cutout sites 2u and/or perforations 2v, these would then run precisely in the running direction 9a in FIG. 25a. In the practical example according to FIG. 25a the position of the cutout site 2u and the perforation 2v was changed in succession so that the depicted trend of the cutout site 2u and the perforation 2v was formed in a honeycomb structure 10. FIG. 25b shows a front view of the honeycomb structure 10 depicted in FIG. 25a.

FIG. 26 b shows a cutout of the forming device 4, namely meshing of the teeth 4c of the first and second embossing wheels 4a, 4b in order to form the unstructured strip 3c into a structured strip 2e. In a particularly advantageous embodiment the surface of the teeth 4c is configured in the peripheral direction of the embossing wheels 4a, 4b so that during rolling of the embossing wheels 4a, 4b a linear or flat pressing site 4p is produced, which runs continuously along the unstructured strip 2c. In an advantageous embodiment the transition site between the unsaturated strip 2c and the structured strip 2e is situated on the pressing site 4p. In a preferred embodiment the pressing site 4p is relatively short in the peripheral direction of the embossing wheels 4a, 4b and preferably has a length 4u between 1 mm and 10 mm. The shorter the length 4u of the pressing site 4p, the higher the surface pressure produced at the pressing site 4p on strips 2c, 2e. A high surface pressure gives the advantage that the cellulose in strip 2c, 2e crosslinks well with the thermoplastic or thermosetting material. The surface pressure, for example, has a pressure in the range between 10 and 50 bar, especially about 20 bar.

FIG. 26 shows in a side view a first embossing wheel 4a, whose outer part 4q consists of a ferromagnetic material and whose inner part 4r consists of a non-ferromagnetic material or an electrically non-conducting material. FIG. 26a shows the first embossing wheel 4a in FIG. 26 in three-dimensional view. FIG. 26c shows a section through the first embossing wheel 4a along line C-C, in which the outer part 4q and the inner part 4r are visible. In the running direction of the outer part 4a and at spacing relative to embossing wheel 4a an induction device 4n is arranged on both sides, which is formed as a Helmholz coil in the depicted practical example. This induction device 4n together with the outer part 4q forms an induction heater, in which case the heat generated in the outer part 4q can be controlled via the current and frequency fed to the Helmholz coil. In an advantageous embodiment the inner part 4a consists of a good heat-conducting material so that heat generated in the outer part 4q can also be quickly taken off again. It can prove advantageous to also provide a cooling device, for example, a fan arranged next to embossing wheel 4a. The arrangement depicted in FIG. 26c permits rapid and very precise hating of the outer part 4q and very rapid and very precise heating or also cooling of the strip 2c, 2e situated between the embossing wheels 4a, 4b. If the embossing wheel 4a is additionally provided with a cooling device, heating or cooling of the strip 2c, 2e can occur even more precisely. The temperature, in addition to pressure, is the most important parameter for influencing the chemical reaction occurring in strip 2c, 2e, which occurs based on polymerization. The temperature is preferably regulated so that the strip 2c, 2e situated in the embossing wheel 4a, 4b has a temperature in the range between 120 and 180° C.

FIG. 26 d shows in a side view another practical example of a particularly advantageous embodiment of an embossing tooth 4c of embossing wheel 4a. In contrast to the embossing teeth 4c depicted in FIG. 26 or 26b, the embossing tooth 4c depicted in FIG. 26d has a recess 4s, which has a length 4t in the peripheral direction. In a particularly advantageous embodiment of embossing wheel 4a each embossing tooth 4c has a recess 4s with the same length 4t, in which case the geometric shape of recess 4s is of subordinate significance. The recess 4s has the result that, during rolling of the embossing wheels 4a in the running direction of strip 2c, 2e, no pressure site 4p is formed in sections anywhere the recess 4s of embossing wheel 4a, 4b comes to lie against the opposite embossing wheel 4b, 4a so that no or only very limited pressure acts on the strip 2c, 2e in this section. In FIG. 6c such sections are designated 2x in a possible practical example. If the outer part 4q is heated, this has the result that the strip 2c, 2e in the section of length 4t or in the section 2x is exposed to a lower temperature, since the strip 2c, 2e is less heated at this site. This means that crosslinking or the chemical reaction occurring in strip 2c, 2e does not occur or occurs less quickly. A structured strip 2e can therefore be produced, which has sections with a different polymerization state in the running direction, for example, sections like the side surfaces 2k, in which polymerization is further advanced, and sections like section 2x in which polymerization and/or crosslinking of cellulose with the thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic is still not far advanced or has scarcely occurred or not occurred at all. Such a structured strip 2e can be joined particularly advantageously to the stop edge 10a with the honeycomb structure 10 since, as depicted in FIG. 10e, the sections situated between the stop 27 and punch 21a correspond to section 2x according to FIG. 6c. In a particularly preferred embodiment the punch 21a and the stop 27 are heated, preferably also with an induction heater. In addition, a pressure is preferably exerted via the punch 21a on this section situated between the stop 27 and punch 21a so that polymerization and/or crosslinking of the cellulose or thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic occurs and that two sections situated between stop 27 and punch 21a are mutually joined well or welded to each other. This produces a particularly advantageous joint so that the supplied structured strip 2e becomes a component of the honeycomb structure 10.

FIG. 27 shows a schematic side view of a forming device 4, comprising a first embossing wheel 4a, which is mounted on a hub 4k and is driven by a drive device 4h, for example, an electric motor. A second embossing wheel 4b is positioned on a hub 4l and is driven by a drive device 4i, for example, an electric motor. In an advantageous embodiment the two hubs 4k, 41 are connected to each other via a pressure generation device 4m, preferably via an electrically driven pressure generation device 4m in order to influence by corresponding control of this pressure generation device 4m the pressure force acting on strips 2c, 2e at the pressure site 4p depicted in FIG. 26b. In one possible embodiment at least the drive devices 4h, 4i are drivable by a control device 30 in order to control the rotational speed and to increase and reduce the rotational speed. In another advantageous embodiment an induction device 4p is also arranged at least on one of the embossing wheels 4a, 4b in order to heat the embossing wheels 4a, 4b as described in FIG. 26c. The induction device 4a is preferably also controllable by the control device 30, in which case temperature sensors (not shown) could also be connected to the control device 30, in which these temperature sensors detect the temperature of the embossing wheels 4a, 4b or the temperature of the strips 2c, 2e in order to produce controllable induction heating by means of the induction device 4n, which makes it possible to precisely control heating of the strip 2c, 2e. In another possible embodiment cooling devices 4o could also be provided, especially controllable cooling devices 4o in order to also cool the embossing wheels 4a, 4b, preferably to cool them via the control device 30.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment the forming device 4 is configured so that the embossing wheels 4a, 4b can be replaced, for example, by embossing wheels 4a, 4b with the same diameter but a different width D and/or embossing wheels 4a, 4b with differently arranged or geometrically differently configured teeth, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 5a and 5b and/or embossing wheels 4a, 4b with a larger or smaller diameter. In a particularly advantageous embodiment the forming and feed device 32 as well as the stop device 34 are configured so that they can process a maximum width B of strip 2c, 2e, as well as smaller strips 2c, 2e, for example, by configuring the height of the stop 27 to process a strip of maximum width B. The production device 1 according to the invention therefore has the advantage that the strips 2c, 2e, which can be processed with the same production device 1, can have any width below maximum width B. The structure produced with the forming device 4 of a structured strip 2e can be changed simply by replacing the two embossing wheels 4a and 4b. The production device 1 according to the invention is therefore extraordinarily flexible, because in an advantageous variant only the embossing wheels 4a, 4b are to be replaced in order to form a wide variety of honeycomb structures 10. If a cutting device 23 is used, the width B of the strip 2e can be determined via the cutting device 23. To avoid cutting waste, however, it can prove to be advantageous to also replace the strip material 2 together with replacement of embossing wheels 4a, 4b in order to use a strip material of appropriate width so that no cutting is required.

FIG. 28 shows a view of an unstructured strip 2a. It has cutout sites 2u and protruding tabs 2w. FIG. 28a shows a structured strip 2e formed from the strip 2a according to FIG. 28 in a top view in which the strip 2e was on a baseplate 9 and in which only the lower protruding tabs 2w lying on the baseplate 9 are shown. These tabs 2w have the advantage that a particularly advantageous connection between strip 2e and baseplate 9 is possible.

FIG. 29 shows in a top view and FIG. 29a in a side view production of a double layered sandwich structure 23 having a base layer 33a, a first honeycomb structure 33b, 10, an intermediate layer 33c, a second honeycomb structure 33d, 10 as well as a cover layer 33e. Structured strips 2e, 2f are fed to the stop edges 10a by means of a feed device 32, introduced and stopped by means of a stop device 34, as shown in FIG. 29 so that the first and second honeycomb structure 33b, 33d is formed. In addition a roll with intermediate layer 33 and cover layer 33e is positioned on the axes 33f, 33h so that, as shown in FIG. 29a, they are positioned on the corresponding honeycomb structure 33b, 33d.

FIG. 29 b shows in a top view and FIG. 29c in a side view the production of an additional double layered sandwich structure 33 having a base layer 33a, a first honeycomb structure 33b, 10, an intermediate layer 33c, a second honeycomb structure 33d, 10 as well as a cover layer 33e. A structured strip 2e is fed to the stop edge 10a by means of the feed device 32 and introduced to the stop by means of a stop device 34, as shown in FIG. 29b. An intermediate layer 33c is applied to the first honeycomb structure 33b by positioning it rotatable as a supply roll 33g above on an axis 33f. After complete production of the first honeycomb structure 33b and covering with the intermediate layer 33c, a structured strip 2f is then introduced by means of a feed device 32 in order to form a second honeycomb structure 33d, in which the strip 2f runs perpendicular to the structured strip 2e. Sandwich structure 33 is therefore formed with two honeycomb structures 33b, 33d running perpendicular to each other. It is also possible to leave out certain strips 2e in order to form a recess 10d or a through channel 10d in the sandwich structure 33.

One possible method for continuous production of a honeycomb structure 10 is characterized by the fact that two strip materials 2a, 2b provided with a polymer material or a silicate are shaped to structured strips 2e, 2f; that the two structured strips 2e, 2f are brought together and joined to a honeycomb structure 2g, in which a thermoplastic or thermosetting joint or silicate joint is formed between the two structured strips 2e, 2f, that the honeycomb structure 2g is cut in a predetermined length to a honeycomb strip 13, that the honeycomb strip 13 has a stop side 13b intended to stop on a stop edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10, that the stop side of the honeycomb strips 13 and/or the stop edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10 are provided with a glue, and that the stop side 13b of the honeycomb strip 13 is fed to the stop edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10 and glued to it so that the honeycomb strip 13 forms part of the honeycomb structure 10, in which case the last supplied and glued on honeycomb strip 13 forms a stop edge 10a to which the next honeycomb strip 13 is glued.

In another possible method the strip material 2a, 2b is provided with a polymer material and the strip material 2a, 2b is heated before structuring.

A possible device 1 for continuous production of a honeycomb structure 10 includes a feed 20 for at least two strip materials 2a, 2b, a forming device 4, 5 for structuring of each strip material 2a, 2b to a structured strip 2e, 2f, and a joining device 6 for mutual positioning and bringing together of the two structured strips 2e, 2f to a honeycomb structure 2g, a cutting device 7 for cutting of the honeycomb structure 2g to a honeycomb strip 13, a support surface 9 for positioning of the honeycomb strip 13, a glue feed device 12 to provide a stop side 13b of the honeycomb strip 13 and/or a stop edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10 with a glue, and a feed device 17 in order to feed the honeycomb strips 13 with their stop side 13b to the stop edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10 in order to glue the honeycomb strips 13 to the honeycomb structure 10.

One possible honeycomb structure includes a number of honeycomb strips in which each honeycomb strip consists of two strips comprising contact sections and in which opposite contact sections of the two strips are mutually joined to form a thermoplastic bond, a thermosetting bond or a silicate bond and in which each honeycomb strip has a stop edge 10a and a glue surface 13b and in which a stop edge 10a and a glue surface 13b of two adjacent honeycomb strips 13 are firmly joined to each other via a glue bond 22.

In an advantageous embodiment the device 1 for production of a honeycomb structure 10 from strip material 2 includes a feed and forming device 32, which forms a structured strip 2e, 2f from the strip material 2 and also determines a conveying speed of the structured strip 2e, 2f, as well as a stop device 34 with a feed channel 34a, in which the stop device 34 is arranged after the forming device 32 so that the structured strip 2e, 2f can be fed to the feed channel 34a and in which the honeycomb structure 10 has a stop edge 10a, which runs parallel to the feed channel 34a and in which the stop device 34 includes a stop 27 and a stop means 21a, 21b, which are configured to move so that the structured strip 2e, 2f can be joined to a stop edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10.

The feed and forming device 32 advantageously includes a first and a second embossing wheel 4a, 4b with mutually intermeshing embossing teeth 4c, in which the first and second embossing wheel 4a, 4b are configured adjusted to each other so that the strip material 2 can be arranged between the first and second embossing wheel 4a, 4b and can be formed into the structured strip 2e, 2f during rotation of the first and second embossing wheel 4a, 4b, in which case the rotational speed of the first and second embossing wheel 4a, 4b also determines the conveying speed of the structured strip 2e, 2f.

The stop 27 and the stop means 21a, 21b are preferably configured movable so that the stop 27 and the stop means 21a, 21b include the structured strip 2c, 2f and the stop edge 10a from one side so that the structured strip 2e, 2f and the stop edge 10a can be pressed against each other.

In an advantageous embodiment the embossing wheels 4a, 4b are configured running in the peripheral direction so that the structured strips 2e, 2f have only arc-like deflections 2m but no kinks.

In an advantageous embodiment the first and second embossing wheels 4a, 4b are arranged replaceable, in which a number of sets of the first and second embossing wheel 4a, 4b are available, in which case a differently structured strip 2e, 2f can be produced with each set of a first and second embossing wheel 4a, 4b.

In an advantageous embodiment air nozzles and/or outlet openings 27h for a gaseous fluid are arranged along the feed channel 34a, which are aligned so that they support feed of the structured strip 2e, 2f in the feed channel 34a.

In an advantageous embodiment at least the rotational speed of the embossing wheels 4a, 4b and the heating device 3 and/or the induction device 4n are controlled with a control device 30 so that the structured strip 2e, 2f has a predetermined temperature in the feed and forming device 32.

In an advantageous embodiment a controllable cutting device 7 is arranged after the embossing wheels 4a, 4b, which cuts the structured strips 2e, 2f especially so that the length of the structured strip 2e, 2f corresponds essentially to the width of the honeycomb structure 10.

In an advantageous embodiment a storage device 36 is arranged between the embossing wheels 4a, 4b and the feed channel 34a for temporary storage of the structured strip 2e, 2f fed from the embossing wheels 4a, 4b.

In an advantageous method for production of a honeycomb structure 10 from strip material 2 the strip material 2 is formed to a structured strip 2e, 2f in which the structured strip 2e, 2f is fed to a stop edge 10a of a honeycomb structure 10 and in which the structured strip 2e, 2f is joined to the stop edge 10a so that the structured strip 2e, 2f becomes part of the honeycomb structure 10.

In an advantageous method step the embossing wheels are rotated quickly enough that the strip material 2 and/or the embossing wheels 4a, 4b are heated so that the structured strips 2e, 2f have a predetermined temperature between the embossing wheels 4a, 4b or after leaving the embossing wheels 4a, 4b.

In an advantageous method step the conveying speed of the structured strip 2e, 2f is determined by the rotational speed of the embossing wheels 4a, 4b.

In an advantageous method step sections 2x are generated in the structured strip 2e, 2f, on which the embossing wheels 4a, 4b have exerted no or reduced pressure force.

In an advantageous method step the structured strip 2e, 2f is fed synchronously to the stop edge 10a of the honeycomb structure 10 relative to the rotational speed of the embossing wheels 4a, 4b.

In another advantageous method step the embossing wheels (4a, 4b) are operated continuously.

In another advantageous method step the structured strip 2e, 2f is cut, in which case the structured strip 2e, 2f supplied after cutting by the embossing wheels 4a, 4b is temporarily stored at least until the structured strips 2e, 2f situated previously in the feed channel 34a has been removed from the feed channel 34a, and in which the subsequent, partially stored structured strip 2e, 2f is then introduced to the feed channel 34a.

Claims

1. Device for production of a honeycomb structure from strip material, comprising a feed and forming device, which forms a structured strip from a strip material and also determines a conveying speed of the structured strip, as well as comprising a stop device with a feed channel, wherein the stop device is arranged after the forming device so that the structured strip can be fed to the feed channel and wherein the honeycomb structure has a stop edge, which runs parallel to the feed channel and wherein the stop device includes a stop and stop means, which are configured movable so that the structured strip can be joined to a stop edge of the honeycomb structure.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the feed and forming device includes a first and second embossing wheel with mutually intermeshing embossing teeth, wherein the first and second embossing wheels are configured mutually adapted so that the strip material can be arranged between the first and second embossing wheels and can be formed to the structured strip during rotation of the first and second embossing wheels, in which case the speed of the first and second embossing wheels also determines the conveying speed of the structured strip.

3. Device according to claim 1, wherein the stop and the stop means are configured movable so that the stop and the stop means enclose the structured strip and the stop edge from one side each so that the structured strip and the stop edge can be pressed against each other.

4. Device according to claim 2, comprising one or more of a heating device arranged in the feed and forming device to the strip material wherein the heating device is arranged before the embossing wheels in terms of a feed direction, andan induction device arranged in the embossing wheel in order to heat the embossing teeth, wherein at least the embossing teeth of the embossing wheels comprise ferromagnetic material.

5. (canceled)

6. Device according to claim 2, wherein the embossing wheels are configured extending in the peripheral direction so that the structured strip has only arc-like deflections but no kinks.

7. Device according to claim 2, wherein the embossing wheels are configured extending in the peripheral direction so that the two embossing wheels lying on the strip material form a linear or flat pressure site, which runs continuously along the strip material during rotation of the embossing wheels.

8. Device according to claim 2, wherein the embossing teeth have a recess extending in the peripheral direction along a partial section, in order to produce only a slight or even no pressure force on the strip material running along the partial section so that the structured strip has sections which were exposed to a more limited pressure force.

9. Device according to claim 2, wherein the first and second embossing wheels are replaceable, in which case a number of sets of a first and second embossing wheels are available and differently structured strip can be produced with each set of a first and second embossing wheels.

10. Device according to claim 1, wherein the stop device includes a stop with a stop side, wherein the stop side in its extending direction has a number of a group of a consecutive raised site, transition site (27c), a recessed site and another transition site, which run essentially according to the geometric course of the structured strip, and wherein the stop side has holes through which a gaseous fluid can be supplied or withdrawn.

11. (canceled)

12. Device according to claim 1, wherein the stop device includes a stop with a stop side, wherein the stop side in its extending direction has number of a group of a consecutive raised site, a transition site, a recessed site and another transition site, which run essentially according to the geometric course of the structured strip, and wherein a stop means configured as a punch is arranged movable in front of the raised sites so that the stop means can be pressed against a corresponding raised site.

13. Device according to claim 1, wherein the stop device includes a stop with a stop side, wherein the stop side in its extending direction has number of group of a consecutive raised site, a transition site, recessed site and another transition site, which run essentially according to the geometric course of the structured strip, and wherein a stop means configured as a punch is arranged in front of the recessed sites so that the stop is mounted to move in its running direction in order to position a raised site relative to the stop means and wherein the stop means is arranged movable so that the stop means can be pressed against the opposite raised site.

14. Device according to claim 1, wherein air nozzles and/or outlet openings for a gaseous fluid are arranged along the feed channel, which are aligned so that they support feed of the structured strip into the feed channel.

15. (canceled)

16. Device according to, claim 4, wherein a control device controls at least the rotational speed of the embossing wheels as well as the heating device and/or the induction device so that the structured strip has a predetermined temperature in the feed and forming device.

17. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

19. Method for production of a honeycomb structure from strip material, wherein the strip material is formed to a structured strip, wherein the structured strip is fed to a stop edge of a honeycomb structure, and wherein the structured strip is joined to the stop edge so that the structured strip becomes part of the honeycomb structure.

20. (canceled)

21. Method according to claim 19, wherein the strip material is formed with two intermeshing embossing wheels to a structured strip.

22. Method according to claim 21 wherein one or more of the strip material and the embossing wheels are heated.

23. (canceled)

24. Method according to claim 15, wherein the structured strip is formed by the embossing wheels so that the structured strip has arc-like deflections but no kinks.

25. Method according to, claim 15, wherein sections are generated in the structured strip on which the embossing wheels exerted no or reduced pressure force.

26. (canceled)

27. Method according to claim 15, wherein the structured strip is fed synchronously to the rotational speed of the embossing wheels to the stop edge of the honeycomb structure.

28. (canceled)

29. Method according to claim 21, wherein the embossing wheels are operated continuously, wherein the structured strip is cut so that the structured strip fed by the embossing wheels after cutting is temporarily stored at least until the structured strip previously situated in the feed channel has been removed from the feed channel and that the subsequent partially stored structured strip is then introduced to the feed channel.

30. Method according to claim 14, wherein the structured strip is conveyed with support of a gaseous fluid.

31. (canceled)

32. Honeycomb structure comprising a number of structured strips in which each strip has contact sections and in which opposite contact sections of two adjacent structured strips are mutually joined to form a thermoplastic or thermosetting joint and in which the structured strip has arc-like deflections but no kinks in the transitional area between the contact sections.

33. Honeycomb structure according to claim 32, comprising a cavity extending channel-like.

34. Lightweight wall comprising a honeycomb structure according to claim 32.