Manufacturing method of plugged honeycomb structure

Abstract

This method is a manufacturing method of a plugged honeycomb structure including porous partition walls which form a plurality of cells divided as channels of a fluid in the form of a honeycomb and a plugging portion formed at one opening end portion of a predetermined cell of a cylindrical honeycomb structure. Openings of all cells of a honeycomb structure are filled with a slurry-like plugging material. Separately, an image of end-surface cells of the honeycomb structure is picked up with a camera. A photo-setting or thermosetting resin film is attached to an end surface of the honeycomb structure in which all of the cells are plugged. After a plugging pattern is printed on the film, the honeycomb structure to which a printed film is attached is irradiated with light or heat by use of a light or heat source. In consequence, only target film portions are allowed to set. At cell portions which have not set, film portions which have not set are removed together with a plugging material with pressurizing air or sandblast.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1( a) to 1(e) are step diagrams showing a printing step on a film formed on a honeycomb structure end surface according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 2( a) to 2(d) are step diagrams subsequent to FIGS. 1(a) to 1(e), showing a setting step by irradiation of a honeycomb structure with light or heat and a step of fixing a plugging material;

FIGS. 3( a) to 3(g) are step diagrams showing another embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 4( a) to 4(d) are step diagrams showing still another embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 5( a) to 5(e) are step diagrams showing a further embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 6( a) and 6(b) are step diagrams showing a conventional manufacturing method of a plugged honeycomb structure; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a constitution of the plugged honeycomb structure.

Claims

1. A manufacturing method of a plugged honeycomb structure including porous partition walls which form a plurality of cells divided as channels of a fluid in the form of a honeycomb and a plugging portion formed at one opening end portion of a predetermined cell of a cylindrical honeycomb structure, the method comprising: picking up an image of an end surface of the honeycomb structure beforehand;then synthesizing a predetermined plugging pattern at an end-surface cell group of the honeycomb structure end surface by processing of the picked-up image;printing the resulting synthetic image on a photo-setting or thermosetting resin film formed on the honeycomb structure end surface;then irradiating the honeycomb structure end surface with light or heat;leaving a portion which has set while removing the film to form an opening having the predetermined plugging pattern at the photo-setting or thermosetting resin film; andfilling the cells of the honeycomb structure with a plugging material to form the plugging portions.

2. The manufacturing method of the plugged honeycomb structure according to claim 1, wherein the synthesized plugging pattern is printed beforehand on the photo-setting or thermosetting resin film; and the film is attached to the end surface of the honeycomb structure.

3. A manufacturing method of a plugged honeycomb structure including porous partition walls which form a plurality of cells divided as channels of a fluid in the form of a honeycomb and a plugging portion formed at one opening end portion of a predetermined cell of a cylindrical honeycomb structure, the method comprising:filling all of the cells of a honeycomb structure end surface with a plugging material beforehand;then forming a photo-setting or thermosetting resin film on the end surface;picking up an image of the end surface of the honeycomb structure beforehand;then synthesizing a predetermined plugging pattern at an end-surface cell group of the honeycomb structure end surface by processing of the picked-up image;printing the resulting synthetic image on the photo-setting or thermosetting resin film formed on the honeycomb structure end surface;then irradiating the honeycomb structure end surface with light or heat so that the photo-setting or thermosetting resin film of the predetermined cell sets;removing the photo-setting or thermosetting resin film which has not set together with the plugging material;then removing the photo-setting or thermosetting resin film which has set to form the plugging portions.

4. A manufacturing method of a plugged honeycomb structure including porous partition walls which form a plurality of cells divided as channels of a fluid in the form of a honeycomb and a plugging portion formed at one opening end portion of a predetermined cell of a cylindrical honeycomb structure, the method comprising:filling all of the cells of the honeycomb structure with a plugging material containing a photo-setting or thermosetting resin beforehand;irradiating an end surface with laser in the form of a plugging pattern based on information of a honeycomb structure end surface image picked up beforehand so that the plugging material of the predetermined cell sets; andremoving the plugging material which has not set to thereby form the plugging portions.

5. A manufacturing method of a plugged honeycomb structure including porous partition walls which form a plurality of cells divided as channels of a fluid in the form of a honeycomb and a plugging portion formed at one opening end portion of a predetermined cell of a cylindrical honeycomb structure, the method comprising:filling all of the cells of a honeycomb structure end surface with a plugging material beforehand;then forming a photo-setting or thermosetting resin film on the end surface of the honeycomb structure;then irradiating the end surface with laser in the form of a plugging pattern based on information of a honeycomb structure end surface image picked up beforehand so that the photo-setting or thermosetting resin film of the predetermined cell sets;removing the photo-setting or thermosetting resin film which has not set together with the plugging material; andthen removing the photo-setting or thermosetting resin film which has set to thereby form the plugging portions.