End-face heating apparatus, end-face drying method for honeycomb aggregated body, and method for manufacturing honeycomb structured body

Abstract

An end-face heating apparatus of the present invention comprises: a heating tool that is placed almost in parallel with an end face of a honeycomb aggregated body in which a plurality of pillar-shaped honeycomb fired bodies are integrated with one another by interposing a sealing material paste layer formed on the side face of the honeycomb fired body; a heating tool translation device for translating said heating tool toward said honeycomb aggregated body; and a holding jig that holds said honeycomb aggregated body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view that schematically shows one example of a ceramic filter.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view that schematically shows a honeycomb fired body that constitutes the ceramic filter; and

FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 2A.

FIGS. 3A to 3C are explanatory views that schematically show a process in which the end faces of a honeycomb aggregated body are heated by using an end-face heating apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are cross-sectional views which illustrate the sealing material paste injection device provided with a cylindrical (can-type) jig that is used upon filling of the sealing material paste between the honeycomb fired bodies.

FIG. 5A is an explanatory drawing that illustrates the method for calculating the parallelism of each honeycomb aggregated body; and FIG. 5B is an explanatory drawing that illustrates the method for calculating the squareness of each honeycomb aggregated body.

Claims

1. An end-face heating apparatus comprising: a heating tool that is placed almost in parallel with an end face of a honeycomb aggregated body in which a plurality of pillar-shaped honeycomb fired bodies are integrated with one another by interposing a sealing material paste layer formed on the side face of the honeycomb fired body;a heating tool translation device for translating said heating tool toward said honeycomb aggregated body; anda holding jig that holds said honeycomb aggregated body.

2. The end-face heating apparatus according to claim 1, comprising two of said heating tools,whereinthe two heating tools are placed at either end of said honeycomb aggregated body such that they are almost in parallel with each other.

3. The end-face heating apparatus according to claim 1, whereinthe parallelism with respect to the contact face of said heating tool which contacts the end face of said honeycomb aggregated body is set to about 0.1 mm or less.

4. A method for drying an end face of a honeycomb aggregated body, using an end-face heating apparatus for drying at least an end face neighborhood of a honeycomb aggregated body in which a plurality of pillar-shaped honeycomb fired bodies are integrated with one another by interposing a sealing material layer that is formed on the side face of the honeycomb fired body, said end-face heating apparatus provided with a heating tool, a heating tool translation device, and a holding jig; andcomprising:holding said honeycomb aggregated body with said holding jig;translating said heating tool with said heating tool translation device thereafter; andpressing said heating tool against an end face of said honeycomb aggregated body to apply heat to the end face neighborhood of said honeycomb aggregated body so that the sealing material paste layer at the end face neighborhood is dried.

5. The method for drying an end face of a honeycomb aggregated body according to claim 4, whereinsaid end-face heating apparatus comprises two of said heating tools, and by simultaneously pressing said heating tools against both of the end faces of said honeycomb aggregated body, the end face neighborhoods of both end faces of said honeycomb aggregated body are simultaneously heated so that the sealing material paste layers at the end face neighborhoods of both end faces are dried.

6. The method for heating an end face of a honeycomb aggregated body according to claim 4, whereinthe parallelism with respect to the contact face of said heating tool which contacts the end face of said honeycomb aggregated body is set to about 0.1 mm or less.

7. The method for drying an end face of a honeycomb aggregated body according to claim 4, whereinsaid heating tool is pressed against the end face of the honeycomb aggregated body at a pressure of at least about 400 N and at most about 600 N.

8. The method for drying an end face of a honeycomb aggregated body according to claim 4, whereinthe surface temperature of said heating tool is about 200° C. or more, but less than about 400° C.

9. A method for manufacturing a honeycomb structured body, comprising: manufacturing a pillar-shaped honeycomb molded body through molding of a ceramic material, the honeycomb molded body having a structure in which a number of cells are placed in parallel with one another in the longitudinal direction with a partition wall therebetween;preparing a honeycomb fired body by firing the honeycomb molded body;manufacturing a honeycomb aggregated body by integrating a plurality of said honeycomb fired bodies with one another by interposing a sealing material paste layer that is formed on the side face of the honeycomb fired body thereafter;carrying out an end-face drying to dry at least an end face neighborhood of the honeycomb aggregated body by an end-face heating apparatus; andfurther drying the entire sealing material paste layer on the side face of said honeycomb fired body,whereinsaid end-face heating apparatus comprises a heating tool, a heating tool translation device and a holding jig, andsaid end-face drying comprises:holding said honeycomb aggregated body with said holding jig;translating said heating tool with said heating tool translation device thereafter; andpressing said heating tool against an end face of said honeycomb aggregated body to apply heat to the end face neighborhood of said honeycomb aggregated body so that the sealing material paste layer at the end face neighborhood is dried.

10. The method for manufacturing a honeycomb structured body according to claim 9, whereinsaid end-face heating apparatus comprises two of said heating tools, andin said end-face drying, the end face neighborhoods of both end faces of said honeycomb aggregated body are simultaneously heated by simultaneously pressing said two heating tools against both of the end faces of said honeycomb aggregated body so that the sealing material paste layers at the end face neighborhoods of both end faces are dried.

11. The method for manufacturing a honeycomb structured body according to claim 9, whereinthe parallelism with respect to the contact face of said heating tool which contacts the end face of said honeycomb aggregated body is set to about 0.1 mm or less.

12. The method for manufacturing a honeycomb structured body according to claim 9, whereinsaid heating tool is pressed against the end face of the honeycomb aggregated body at a pressure of at least about 400 N and at most about 600 N.

13. The method for manufacturing a honeycomb structured body according to claim 9, whereinthe surface temperature of said heating tool is about 200° C. or more, but less than about 400° C.