JP4741677B2 - Method and apparatus for plugging particulate filter - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to the filling of selected cells of a honeycomb structure with a flowable material, and more particularly to honeycomb structures for the production of ceramic filter bodies and other selectively sealed cells of honeycomb structures. Relates to a method and apparatus for selectively manifolding, ie plugging.

  Honeycomb structures having a cross-sectional cell density of about 10 to 100 cells or more per square centimeter have a variety of applications including solid particulate filter bodies and stationary heat exchangers. In wall flow particulate filter applications, selected cells of the structure need to be sealed or plugged, such as by manifolding, at one or both of its respective ends. The term “sealed” and other corresponding grammatical forms, ie, sealant, seal, etc. are used herein to refer to porous and non-porous methods that close the open cross-sectional area of the cell. It is done.

  Reference number 10 (FIG. 1) is generally a well-known solid particulate filter body, which is a matrix of intersecting thin porous walls 14 surrounded by an outer wall 15 provided as a circular cross-section in the illustrated example. The filter body manufactured using the honeycomb structure 10 formed by the above. The wall 14 extends across and between the second end face 20 opposite the first end face 18, extends between the end faces 18, 20, and is open at those end faces. An adjacent hollow passage or channel 22 of the filter body 10 is formed. The outer wall 15 (or skin) defines the outer edge 16 for both the first end face 18 and the second end face 20. To form the filter 10 (FIGS. 2 and 3), one end of each of the cell passages 22 is sealed. That is, the first subset 24 of the cell channels 22 is sealed with the first end face 18 of the filter 10, and the second subset 26 of the cell channels 22 is sealed with the second end face 20 of the filter 10. If all of the channels 22 are the same size, any of the end faces 18, 20 may be used as the inlet face of the resulting filter 10.

  In operation, a contaminated fluid (eg, containing particulate matter such as exhaust soot) is brought under pressure to the inlet face and enters the filter 10 through a cell channel having an open end at the inlet face. These cell channels are sealed at the opposite end face, i.e. the outlet face of the filter, so that the contaminating fluid is pushed through the thin porous wall 14 and sealed at the inlet face and open at the outlet face. Is pushed into the cell channel. Solid particulate contaminants in the fluid that are too large to pass through the porous openings in the wall are left behind and the washed fluid is discharged from the filter 10 through the outlet cell.

  For mass production of such filters and heat exchangers, it is highly desirable to be able to seal selected cell edges as quickly and cheaply as possible. Known methods for plugging include the use of a mask with a number of openings extending through it to selectively manifold the honeycomb structure in the manufacture of a solid particulate filter body (from Patent Document 1). 4). Rarely, these masks have generally been used with aqueous binders such as methylcellulose, plasticizers and foam type cements formed into pastes by mixing water and ceramic raw materials (eg, Patent Document 5). checking). When this foam type cement is used, both ends of the honeycomb structure are covered with a flexible or rigid plate having holes through which the cement is pushed into the end of the cell. In one particular application, the cement is pushed through an associated mask by means of a servo-driven piston-based plugging device (see FIG. 1 of US Pat. No. 6,096,049), where the device moves the cement filling, Make the necessary plugs in the cell channel.

  This special process includes large variability in the overall length of the plug, thereby mask displacement with respect to the filter body that prevents the cell from being plugged, and the formation of unplugged cells with dry cement that "drops" into new cement before application. There are a number of drawbacks to include. This process generally uses a pre-formed mask from silicon that is reused for plugging of multiple honeycomb structures. Reusable masks may not be as effective in plugging cells because they cannot adapt to variations between honeycomb structures. The equipment used in these conventional processes is not compatible with laser cut polymer masks. This is because these laser cutting masks are with cemented structures when the associated plugging device is open for component removal (see US Pat. Another problem with silicon masks (as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,057,836) is the size such that the masks are aligned with the outer edge of the filter so that the cement flows along the outer edge of the filter and there It is to adhere.

A sealing material, such as a masking tape, across regularly selected rows and selected columns of regularly spaced cells in substantially mutually parallel rows and substantially mutually parallel columns. Masks for manifolding have been formed by applying a piece of flexible web with an impermeable adhesive substrate. Alternatively, these cells provide a matrix of strips covered with an elastic and impermeable reusable material such as a metal foil, which are then joined together underneath Regardless of the presence or absence of a gasket, it is formed by fitting over an open surface of a structure having an opening through the matrix and the gasket location opposite the cell channel to be filled. Provide the honeycomb structure with cells arranged in mutually parallel rows and mutually parallel columns, alternating with alternating columns of cells with strips of suitable soft material such as masking tape or joined thin metal pieces The half-open ends of the subset of cells arranged in a checkered pattern across the open faces. After filling the strip ends, the strips are removed and strips are applied to cover the remaining alternating columns and remaining alternating rows, thereby creating a checkered pattern of end faces for filling. The open end of the other half of the subset of cells is exposed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,856 U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,728 US Pat. No. 4,557,682 US Pat. No. 4,557,773 U.S. Pat. No. 4,455,180

  Both of these embodiments have greater flexibility to deal with surface height variations and should be filled, including cell edges that may be damaged than those of rigid plate embodiments. No cell edges are masked well. However, both embodiments generally have to be applied twice to each end face. This is a significant limitation with respect to tape pieces that must be applied individually across each end face, which is a time consuming operation. The reusable matrix and gasket of the second embodiment may be applied and removed more quickly, but not as easily applied to strain at the cell location of the end face as in the rigid plate embodiment. . Furthermore, such techniques cannot be performed as the cell density increases.

  In addition, variations in the surface of the plugging material of the plugging device can be transferred into the substrate, resulting in variations in the plug insertion length. It is therefore desirable to have an initial surface that is substantially flat and that is pushed with a uniform force so that all of the resulting plugs can be of similar length. The insertion length should be deep enough to ensure a good closure of the sealed channel, but as the plug length increases, it can be limited as the surface area of the porous wall decreases. desirable.

  A method of manifolding or plugging an extruded honeycomb structure, such as a ceramic particulate collection device for a diesel engine, for use with a laser cut polymer mask using existing cement compositions and rheology It is desirable to have a method that is compatible, has reduced plug length variability, minimizes plug loss, and eliminates plug material sticking out of the cell channel to which the plug material is applied. The method should be extremely repeatable and precise, be easily applied and reduce unintended deformation of the honeycomb structure.

  According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for plugging a honeycomb structured channel, wherein a honeycomb structure having a mask at an end thereof is directed to a plugging material pre-plugging chamber, and a plurality of flow control members are arranged. The method includes the steps of aligning the passages, transferring at least a portion of the plugging material from the reservoir to the preplugging chamber, and forming a putty of the plugging material in the preplugging chamber. The flow control member preferably includes a movable member and a stationary member having a plurality of openings formed therein. The flow of the plugging material is controlled by shifting or aligning the openings by the movement of the movable member.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a honeycomb plugging device for controlling the flow of plugging material to a honeycomb structure provided with a mask, a storage tank for holding at least a part of the plugging material, and plugging A movable member having a front plugging chamber for forming a putty of material and a flow control member between the reservoir and the front plugging chamber, the flow control member having a plurality of openings formed therein, and a plurality of openings There is provided a plugging device including a stationary member having a controllable flow of the plugging material by shifting the opening.

  The method and apparatus of the present invention can be used with existing cement compositions and rheology and is suitable for use with laser cut polymer masks. Advantageously, the method and apparatus of the present invention reduces plug length variability, minimizes plug loss, and prevents plugging material from sticking out of the cell channel where the plugging material is applied. The methods and apparatus described herein are extremely repeatable and precise, are easily applied, reduce unintentional deformation of the honeycomb structure, and apply particularly well to the proposed use.

  These and other advantages of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following description, claims and appended drawings.

  For purposes of this description, the terms “upward”, “downward”, “right”, “left”, “backward”, “forward”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, and derivatives thereof are shown in FIG. 4 relates to the invention directed at 4. However, it should be understood that the present invention contemplates a variety of alternative directions and process sequences, unless explicitly specified otherwise. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the following description are exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. . Therefore, specific dimensions and other physical features related to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered limiting unless the claims explicitly state otherwise.

  Solid particulate matter filter bodies, such as filter body 10, and honeycomb structures for other applications are formed from a variety of materials, including ceramic, glass ceramic, glass, metal, by a variety of methods with selected materials. . Honeycomb structures with thin porous interconnected walls that are always uniformly formed for solid particulate matter filtration applications can be plastic molded to form a porous core after firing and center it. It is preferably produced from a fine-grained material that can be sintered. Suitable materials include metals, ceramics, glass ceramics, and other ceramic based mixtures. A method of forming such ceramic honeycomb monoliths from extruded cordierite material, which is preferred in solid particulate matter filtration applications, is described and claimed in commonly assigned US Pat. No. 5,258,150.

  According to an embodiment of the present invention, either the first end face 18 or the second end face 20 is covered with a mask 28 as shown in FIG. Forming a mask 28 in accordance with the processes described in US Pat. No. 6,673,300, assigned to the application and hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. In the illustrated example, the first end face 18 is covered by a mask 28 comprising a pressure-sensitive thin transparent or translucent film with an adhesive substrate formed from a thermoplastic material, preferably a polyester or PET material. . However, other materials such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyurethane may be used. The apertures correspond to a selected second subset 26 of cell channels 22 using aperture forming means (eg, a laser) controlled by an optical image analyzer, as described in the literature cited above. And formed through a mask.

  The exemplary mask 28 includes a central body 32 having an outer surface 34 and an opposite inner surface 36 with an opening 30 extending between the outer surface 34 and the inner surface 36. The opening 30 is arranged in the body 32 so as to coincide with the end of the second subset 26 of the cell channels 22 to be filled with the plugging material. It should be noted that larger openings may be provided to expose some adjacent cell channels 22 if desired. The mask 28 includes an outer peripheral portion 38 and an outer peripheral portion 40 extending radially outward from the outer edge 16 of the first end surface 18.

  The body 32 of the mask 28 is attached to the intersecting matrix of the walls 14 of the honeycomb structure 10 to hold the mask 28 in place. The mask can be applied with an acrylic adhesive or any similar adhesive material, and in certain embodiments, is applied to the mask 28 prior to placing the mask on the structure 10.

  The next step includes forming a plug in the selected subset of cell channels 22. In one embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the thin film material 42, which preferably consists of PET, preferably comprises a ceramic raw material together with an aqueous binder such as methylcellulose, a plasticizer and water, For example, it is covered with a flat putty. The film material 42 includes an outer periphery 46 and an outer edge 48, each extending outwardly from the outer edge 16 of the structure 10, as will be described below. As shown in the figure, the plugging material 44 is installed with respect to the film material 42 so that the plugging material 44 is not present on the outer peripheral portion 46 of the film material 42. In the illustrated example, the plugging material 44 is provided in the form of a flat putty of uniform thickness, but various thicknesses may be used.

  A film material 42 on which the plugging material 44 rests is preferably flat, surrounded by a clamping assembly 51 having a first clamping member 52 and a second clamping member 54, as shown in FIGS. It is placed on a plugging device based on a servo-driven piston with a piston 50. The piston 50 is shaped so as to correspond to the plugged honeycomb structure, and is approximately the size suitable for the part. The first and second clamping members 52, 54 of the clamping assembly 51 are used to seal the outer periphery 40 of the mask 28 with the outer periphery 46 of the film material 42. A directional force as indicated by the directional arrow 60 is applied to the film material 42 by the piston 50, thereby pushing the plugging material 44 through the opening 30 of the mask 28 and the second of the cell channels 22 of the honeycomb structure 10. Subset 26 is filled (FIG. 7) and a plurality of plugs 62 are formed.

  In the example best shown in FIG. 7, excess plugging material 44 is pushed laterally across the first end face 18 of the honeycomb structure 10 in the direction indicated by the directional arrow 64 and the outer periphery of the mask 28. Defined by the outer periphery 46 of the section 40 and the film material 42 and retained in a pocket 66 located between the clamping assembly 51 and the piston 50, so that excess plugging material is along the outer wall 15 of the honeycomb structure 10. It is prevented from being smeared. The piston 50 is then retracted from the first end face 18 of the honeycomb structure 10 and the mask 28 and film material 42 are removed from the end of the filter body 10. The filter body 10 may then be removed from within the associated plugging device. It should be noted that the honeycomb structure 10 may be arranged in any direction during the plugging process, including vertical and horizontal. In addition, the second subset 26 of the cell channels 22 located on the second end face 20 is plugged simultaneously with the first subset 24 of the cell channels 22, thereby significantly reducing the overall cycle time of the plugging process. It should be noted that

  The method of the present invention can utilize existing cement compositions and rheology and is suitable for use with laser cut polymer masks, reducing plug length variability and minimizing plug failure. Thus, the plugging material does not overflow from the cell channel to which the plugging material is applied. This method is extremely repeatable and precise, is easily applied, reduces unintentional deformation of the honeycomb structure, and applies particularly well to the proposed use.

  Still another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. An apparatus 80 for plugging the honeycomb structure 10 shown in FIG. 8 will be described. This apparatus 80 is useful for high speed plugging of such a substrate 10 having a transparent or translucent mask 28 attached to its first end face 18. In addition, the base 10 may have another mask (not shown) on the second end face 20. The device 80 includes a volume of plugging material 44, a first fastening member 52, and a second fastening member 54. One or both of these members 52, 54 operate to releasably tighten the outer portion 40 of the mask 28.

  The outer portion 40 of the mask 28 extends radially outward from the outer edge 16 of the honeycomb structure 10. The mask 28 extends radially outward from the outer edge 16 when a portion of the mask 28 extends radially beyond the outer edge 16 while being disposed (attached) to the substrate 10. . In certain embodiments, the mask 28 extends approximately 1 inch beyond the outer edge 16 of the substrate 10, but may extend any distance sufficient to securely clamp the outer portion 40. There is no problem.

  Within the device 80, a volume of plugging material 44 is contained in a preplugging chamber 84. The pre-plugging chamber 84 has a shape that is substantially close to the shape of the first end face 18 of the base 10, for example, a circle or an ellipse. The pre-plugging chamber 84 contains a volume of plugging material 44, at least a portion of which is supplied to form the plug 62 in the substrate 10 (see FIG. 11). In certain embodiments, the preplug chamber 84 is sized to form a putty of the plug material 44. The putty of the plugging material 44 in the preplugging chamber 84 is substantially uniform in thickness so as to minimize the impact of the compressibility of the plugging material 44. This helps to form a plug 62 of uniform depth within the substrate 10.

  In the illustrated embodiment, the front plugging chamber 84 has a depth of about ½ inch (1.27 cm). Alternatively, the pre-plugging chamber 84 can have any depth that is sufficiently large to ensure the flow of the plugging material 44 sufficient to fill the entire cross-sectional area. Also, the pre-plugging chamber 84 should be small enough to minimize slumping of the plugging material 44 when the substrate 10 is plugged in the horizontal direction. Slumping occurs due to the liquid nature of the plugging material 44. There is nothing to hold the plugging material 44 in the preplugging chamber 84 when the device is opened while loading a new substrate 10. Thus, with sufficient time, the plugging material 44 will begin to flow from the preplugging chamber 84 and a slump will occur on the surface 86 of the material 44 in the preplugging chamber 84. It is therefore apparent that the next substrate mask 28 to be plugged should be quickly sealed between the clamping members 52, 54 immediately after removal of the previously plugged substrate.

  The storage tank 45 is preferably connected to the front plugging chamber 84, which also stores the plugging material 44. In operation, the piston 50 causes the material 44 in the reservoir 45 to pass through the passage 75 (see FIG. 11) aligned in the flow control member 74. By the movement of the piston 50, the plugging material 44 is transferred and the front plugging chamber 84 is replenished. The plugging material 44 pushed into the preplugging chamber 84 accompanies and pushes approximately the same amount of plugging material 44 out of the plugging chamber 84 to fill the selected channels of the substrate 10 to the desired plug depth. The piston 50 moves in the direction of an arrow 81 by an actuator 57 mounted between the piston 50 and the movable frame 94, for example.

  The flow of the plugging material 44 between the storage tank 45 and the front plugging chamber 84 is controlled by aligning or shifting the passages 75a and 75b of the flow control member 75 (FIG. 11). In one embodiment, the flow control member comprises a movable member 76, such as a movable shutter plate, and a stationary member 71, preferably the wall of the front plugging chamber 84. In order to allow flow through the flow control member 74, the movable member 76 is moved to a first position (FIG. 11), where a plurality of openings 75a are formed in the wall of the preplugging chamber 84. It is substantially aligned with a similar opening 75b.

  Referring now to FIG. 18, in one exemplary embodiment, the openings 75a, 75b formed in the movable member 76 and the stationary member 71 are circular in shape. The openings 75a, 75b are preferably spaced apart by an equally spaced "a" of about 5/16 inch (0.79 cm) and have a diameter "b" of about 1/4 inch (0.64 cm). Alternatively, the openings 75a, 75b are of any size, shape, or spatial proximity that allows the plugging material 44 to flow therethrough but still still sufficiently block the flow of the material 44 when displaced. It's okay. In certain preferred embodiments, the openings 75a, 75b formed in the movable member 76 and the stationary member 71 occupy about 25 percent of the possible surfaces of those members. Here, 100% occupancy is the same as not blocking the plugging material 44 during plugging. In one embodiment, the opening 75a of the movable member 76 is substantially the same as the opening of the stationary member 71 so that a smooth transition of the plugging material 44 from the reservoir 45 to the front plugging chamber 84 is possible. .

  In order to stop the movement of the plugging material 44 into the preplugging chamber 84, the movable member 76 is moved to a second position in which the passage 75a of the movable member 76 and the passage 75b of the stationary member 71 are shifted (see FIG. 8). ). The movable member 76 is linearly slidable in the direction of the arrow 73 (FIG. 11) and is moved by the actuator 77. In one embodiment, the movable member 76 moves less than 0.5 inch (1.27 cm), preferably less than 1/4 (0.63 cm), and takes less than 1 second to complete the block. After the plurality of passages 75 a and 75 b between the movable member 76 and the stationary member 71 are shifted, the plugging material 44 can be replenished to the storage tank 45.

  In operation, the flow control member 74 is opened and then the piston 50 moves toward the substrate 10. Once the piston 50 begins to push the plugging material 44 into the substrate 10, the piston 50 does not stop until the plug 62 reaches the desired depth. This helps to form a plug 62 of uniform depth.

  Once the piston 50 has pushed the desired portion of the plugging material 44 to the desired depth within the substrate 10, the piston 50 is stopped and slightly retracted so that the pressure accumulated by the plugging process can be released. The piston 50 has a sensor (not shown) that measures the force applied to the piston 50 by the plugging material 44. Once the force of the plugging material 44 against the piston 50 reaches zero or less, the piston 50 is stopped. At this point, the pressure is released and the movable member 76 is actuated to close (shift) the passages 75a, 75b between the reservoir 45 and the front plugging chamber 84. Once the movable member 76 closes the passage, the honeycomb structure 10 can be removed from the front plugging chamber 84 by first separating the mask 28 and the front plugging chamber 84 and then cutting between them. . Once the flow control member 74 is closed, the plugging material 44 can be replenished to the storage tank 45. In order to replenish the storage tank 45, a pressurized supply source 47 (FIG. 8) of the plugging material 44 is connected to the storage tank 45. When the valve is opened, the plugging material 44 can flow into the reservoir 45 when the piston 50 is retracted.

  The depth of insertion of the plugging material 44 into the honeycomb structure 10 (ie, the length of the plug 62) is controlled by a number of variables. One such control is the speed of the actuator 57 and the resulting pressure and flow rate. In certain embodiments, to obtain a uniform flow of plugging material 44 into the substrate 10, the piston 50 is moved at a speed of less than 2 mm / sec, thereby causing the plugging material 44 to move to about 100 and 750 psi (0 A pressure of between .69 and 5.17 MPa occurs. Further control of the plug depth may be performed by controlling the viscosity of the plugging material 44. The viscosity of the plugging material 44 is limited in order to control the occurrence of slumping when the substrate 10 is plugged horizontally.

  Referring now to FIG. 11, in a preferred embodiment, the first clamping member 52 includes a first surface 53 located around the front plugging chamber 84 and surrounding its outer portion. Similarly, the second clamping member 54 includes a second surface 55, which is preferably substantially opposite to and parallel to the first surface 53. In one embodiment, the second clamping member 54 has an elastomeric or polymeric material, preferably polyurethane, soft surface 96 that deforms to improve sealing while clamping the mask 28. To tighten the mask 28, the first surface 53 is brought into contact with the outer portion 40 of the mask 28. Similarly, the second surface 55 is brought into contact with the outer portion 40 of the mask 28. These surfaces seal the pre-plugging chamber 84 so that during the process of transferring the plugging material 44, the plugging material prevents the plugging material from leaking to the sides of the substrate 10 or from between the surface 53 and the mask 28. The mask 28 is compressed with sufficient force. Of course, the first surface 53 and the second surface 55 do not need to be flat or parallel, and any configuration capable of sealing can be used.

  9-10, the second clamping member 54 includes a ring that substantially surrounds the outer periphery of the substrate 10. As shown in FIG. The inner periphery of the second fastening member 54 is preferably larger in the radial direction than the outer edge 16 of the honeycomb structure 10. By controlling the gap 83 formed between the inner periphery of the second fastening member 54 and the outer edge 16 of the base body 10, the insertion depth of the plug 62 near the outer edge 16 of the base body 10 can be controlled. it can. The larger the gap 83 is, the shorter the plug 62 near the outer edge 16 is. The smaller the gap 83 is, the longer the plug 62 is. Thus, in one example, the gap 83 is set so that the plug 62 near the outer edge 16 is substantially the same depth as the other plugs 62, and the plug depth is uniform across the substrate. In certain embodiments, the gap 83 is between 0.1 inches (2.54 mm) and 0.5 inches (12.7 mm), preferably about 0.25 inches (6.4 mm).

  As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the second clamping member 54 preferably includes two pieces that can be separated in some manner such that the substrate 10 can be disposed therein. In one example, the second clamping member 54 is opened using a hinge 92. In another example, the second clamping member 54 opens by sliding the two parts in opposite linear directions, as in a clevis. In operation, the member 54 is opened and the substrate 10 with the mask 28 attached to the end face 18 is inserted therein.

  In addition, prior to plugging the substrate 10, the substrate must be positioned vertically and laterally by a positioning device 90 with respect to a volume of plugging material 44. The positioning device 90 is on the movable frame 72 that extends and contracts (perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 8). Alternatively, the positioning device 90 may be in a stationary position so that the honeycomb structure 10 can be placed on the positioning device 90 and then in the correct position for plugging.

  Referring now to FIG. 17, the positioning device 90 preferably includes a positioning clamp 91 for fixing the substrate 10 during movement and plugging. The clamp 91 moves up and down in the direction of the arrow 99 to release or fix the base body 10. In one embodiment, the locating clamp 91 comprises a soft surface 96 of elastomer or polymer material to protect and grip the substrate 10 and is contoured similar to the shape of the substrate 10. In one embodiment, the positioning device 90 comprises a roller 92 attached to a support frame 72 so that the elliptical base body 10 can rotate and center itself using gravity. In another embodiment, the positioning device 90 includes a V-shaped grip for holding the round substrate 10.

  In operation, the positioning device 90 with the positioning clamp 91 is extended, the positioning clamp 91 is retracted from the honeycomb structure 10 (see FIG. 17), and the honeycomb structure 10 can be placed on the positioning device 90. The positioning device 90 and positioning clamp 91 may be moved using an actuator or other suitable means. Once the substrate 10 is placed on the positioning device 90, the positioning clamp 91 is closed to fix the substrate 10 during operation of the positioning device 90. The positioning device 90 then directs the honeycomb structure 10 relative to the front plugging chamber 84 such that the first end face 18 of the substrate 10 is axially aligned with the front plugging chamber 84. Alternatively, any suitable method of positioning the substrate 10 relative to a volume of plugging material 44, including the hand, can be implemented. During operation of the substrate 10 by the positioning device 90, the second clamping member 54 is opened to receive the substrate 10. Once the substrate 10 is aligned with the pre-plugging chamber 84, the clamping member 54 closes around the substrate 10.

  Referring again to FIG. 8, in order to limit the movement of the honeycomb structure 10 during the plugging process, the device 80 further comprises a backup member 88 which is preferably retractable. If not supported, the substrate 10 will move due to the high pressure encountered during plugging. The backup member 88 includes a soft surface 85 of an elastomer or polymer material that protects against the second end surface 20, and protects the substrate 10 by applying a uniform pressure over the second end surface 20. Actuator 593 or other suitable means may be used to move or retract the position of backup member 88 along directional arrow 95. The actuator 93 moves the backup member 88 relative to the first frame 70 of the device 80 so that when the substrate 10 is plugged, the second end surface 20 of the substrate 10 (the mask 28 also adheres thereto). Position it in contact with the

  The device 80 may comprise a movable frame 94 that moves in the direction of arrow 97. The movable frame 94 holds the front plugging chamber 84, the storage tank 45, the flow control member 74, and the piston 50. To engage the substrate 10, the movable frame 94 moves the pre-plugging chamber 84 into contact with the mask 28 of the honeycomb substrate 10. The frame 94 then pushes the substrate 10 and the mask 28 so that the outer portion 40 of the mask is clamped between the first surface 53 and the second surface 55, as shown in FIG. During clamping, at least a portion of the outer portion 40 of the mask 28 adheres to the second surface of the second clamping member 54 due to the adhesive present on the inner surface 36 of the mask 28. Once the mask 28 is clamped, it is sealed against the surface 53 of the first clamping member 52, thereby sealing the pre-plugging chamber 84 and plugging material 44 into the mask opening 30. Through to facilitate the formation of the plug 62 as shown in FIG. In operation, the second end surface 20 of the substrate 10 comes into contact with the backup member 88 when the substrate 10 is pushed back and the mask 28 is tightened. In addition, the positioning clamp 91 may be opened and the base 10 may be slid on the positioning device 90. Once the substrate 10 is placed in the plugging position, the positioning clamp 91 is moved to fix the substrate 10 once again.

  As shown in FIG. 12, according to yet another embodiment of the present invention, a method for plugging a honeycomb structure 10 includes attaching a mask 28 to a first end face 18 of the honeycomb structure 10 to provide a volume of plugging material. 44, the outer portion 40 of the mask 28 is tightened, and a part of the plugging material 44 is transferred into the honeycomb structure 10.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of plugging a honeycomb structure 10 is provided, as best shown in FIG. This method of the present invention directs the honeycomb structure 10 adjacent the preplugging chamber 84 of the plugging material 44, transfers at least some of the plugging material 44 into the honeycomb structure 10, cuts the plugging material 44, and Each step of forming a substantially flat surface on the plugging material 44 in the preplugging chamber 84. In one embodiment, the step of transferring the plugging material 44 into the substrate is performed on the honeycomb substrate 10 oriented horizontally as shown in FIG.

  Once the transfer process is performed and the movable member 76 partitions the storage tank 45, the front plugging chamber 84 is separated from the mask 28 and the honeycomb structure 10, thereby forming a gap 89 as shown in FIG. . The movable member 94 is separated by moving with respect to the frame 70 by the actuator 78. The separation step prepares the plugging material for a subsequent cutting step. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the separation, or gap 89, is ¼ inch (6.4 mm) or less and preferably about 3 mm during the cutting process.

  After the separation process is complete, a cutting member 98, preferably a wire, directed adjacent the outer surface 34 of the mask 28 is actuated and moved through the plugging material 44 to cut it. Alternatively, the cutting member 98 can be in the shape of a knife or any other shape suitable for forming a substantially flat surface of the plugging material 44 in the preplugging chamber 84. The cutting member 98 is preferably movably mounted between two mounting blocks 87 (FIG. 13), each block being moved by a respective actuator 79. Alternatively, the cutting member 98 can be moved across the plugging material in any suitable manner, including manual operations.

  Actuator 79 moves mounting block 87 and hence wire 98 in the direction of arrow 82, preferably from top to bottom, adjacent to first surface 53 and adjacent to mask 28, plugging material. 44 through substantially completely. In certain instances, the cutting member 98 contacts the first surface 53 while cutting, thereby ensuring a surface 86 of the plugging material 44 that is in the same plane as the first surface 53. The surface 86 is then ready to be transferred directly to another end of the honeycomb structure 10 or into the next substrate to be plugged. The cutting step is preferably performed at a speed between 0.75 mm / sec and 5 mm / sec. In one embodiment, the cutting member 98 is approximately 0.032 inches (0.81 mm) in diameter and has a suitable tensile strength to withstand movement through the hardened stainless steel music wire or plugging material 44. Manufactured from materials. After the cutting member 98 has passed through the plugging material 44, when the cutting member 98 is retracted into place (FIG. 13), it is separated from the surface 86 so that the member 98 does not contact the formed surface 86. Moved. When cut, the plugged substrate 10 may be removed from the positioning device 90 by retracting the clamp 91, opening the second clamping member 54, and retracting the backup member 88.

  The cutting process forms a flat or substantially flat surface 86 on the remaining portion of the plugging material 44 in the preplugging chamber 84. Thereby, the pre-plugging chamber 84 is ready for the plugging operation of the next substrate. The term “substantially flat” means that the variation across the surface 86 from the average varies no more than 2 mm, more preferably less than 1 mm, immediately after cutting. In addition, the cutting process leaves the plugging material 44 on the outer surface 34 of the mask 28 with a thickness “t” that is less than 0.25 inches (6.4 mm).

  It is preferable to clean the cutting member 98 after each cut. The cleaning process is performed in one example by passing the cutting member 98 through a container 59 containing the fluid 56 and cleaning the cutting member 98, as shown in FIGS. The fluid 56 is preferably water or any other solvent that flushes or dissolves the plugging material 44. If desired, the cleaning step may include flowing into the vessel 59 or forced agitation of the fluid in a manner that exposes the cutting member 98 to a high pressure fluid flow. Alternatively, the cleaning step may be performed using a cleaning member such as a scraper 100 as shown in FIG. The scraper 100 is clamped around the cutting member 98 by moving in the direction of the arrow 101. The scraper 100 is then moved across the length of the cutting member 98, thereby scooping the plugging material 44 from the member 98. When reaching the mounting block 87 (FIG. 13) of the cutting member 98, the plugging material 44 is blown off or otherwise dropped from the scraper 100 and the cutting member 98.

  In the foregoing description, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that changes may be made to the method and apparatus for plugging the honeycomb substrate without departing from the concepts disclosed herein. Such modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims, unless explicitly stated otherwise by language. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should be considered with reference to the appended claims, and is understood not to be limited to the details of construction and operation shown and described in the specification and drawings.

A perspective view of an extruded filter body including a first end having a plurality of open end cell channels. A perspective view of an extruded filter body with the first subset of cell channels plugged and the second subset of cell channels open. Side view of the second end of the filter body, with the first subset of cells open-ended and the second subset of cells plugged The perspective view of the 1st end part of the extrusion filter body covered with the cut mask Side view of a piston of a plugging device covered by a mask and an extrusion filter body covered by a mask and a film material and plugging material putty placed on a film-coated piston assembly. Side view of an extruded filter body with the peripheral edge of the mask sealed by the peripheral edge of the thin film Side view of an extruded filter body with plugging material located in selected cell channels of the filter body Sectional side view of an embodiment of the device according to the invention FIG. 6 is a partial front view of an embodiment of a clamping piston according to yet another aspect of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a partial front view of an embodiment of a clamping piston according to yet another aspect of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of a movable flow control member according to yet another aspect of the present invention. Flow chart showing each step according to the method of the present invention. Front sectional view of an embodiment of a cutting device according to another aspect of the dish of the present invention 1 is a partial cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of a cutting device illustrating a cutting operation according to aspects of the present invention. 1 is a partial cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of a cutting device illustrating a cutting operation according to aspects of the present invention. Flow chart showing each step according to the method of the exemplary embodiment Sectional front view of a positioning device according to an exemplary embodiment Front view of a movable flow control member according to an exemplary embodiment Side view of a cleaning member according to an exemplary embodiment

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Honeycomb structure 14 Porous wall 22 Channel 28 Mask 30 Opening 44 Plugging material 45 Reservoir 62 Plug 74 Flow control member 80 Device for plugging honeycomb structure 84 Preplugging chamber 90 Positioning device 98 Cutting member

Claims (8)

An apparatus for plugging the mask with honeycomb structure,
(a) a storage tank for holding at least a part of the plugging material;
(b) a pre-plugging chamber containing a putty of plugging material; and
(c) provided between the storage tank and the front plugging chamber,
A movable member having a plurality of openings, and a stationary member having a plurality of openings,
It includes a, the more it or by moving the movable member relative to the stationary member shifting or aligned with the opening of the stationary member and the opening of the movable member, from the reservoir of the previous plugging chamber controls the flow of plugging material, whereby said plugging the mask with honeycomb flow that controls the flow into the body motion control member material,
With a device. The movable member is
(i) a first position with the opening of the movable member and the opening of the stationary member you substantially aligned, and
(ii) a second position where the opening of the movable member and the opening of the stationary member are displaced;
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the taking. A method of plugging the channel of the honeycomb structure using the apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein,
The honeycomb structure having a mask end, arranged so that the mask is brought into contact with the front plugging chamber of the device,
Wherein the movable member of the flow control member is adjusted to an appropriate positional relationship with respect to the stationary member, is aligned with the opening of the stationary member and the opening of said movable member,
Wherein at least a portion of the plugging material from the reservoir through the opening of the stationary member and the opening of said movable member, and transferring the previously plugging Chang server,
Pushing the plugging material in the preplugging chamber through the mask into the desired channel of the honeycomb structure;
A method comprising each step. The method of claim 3, wherein the to whether the movable member 0.5 inches (1.27 cm) Not Mando. 5. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising the step of shifting the opening of the movable member and the opening of the stationary member of the flow control member. 6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising the step of replenishing the storage tank with a plugging material after the step of shifting the opening of the movable member and the opening of the stationary member . The method according to claim 5 or 6 , further comprising the step of releasing the pressure on the plugging material before the step of shifting the opening of the movable member and the opening of the stationary member . 8. A method as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 7 , wherein the step of shifting the opening of the movable member and the opening of the stationary member takes less than one second to complete.

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