WO2012165432A1 - Sealing device and method for producing honeycomb structure body - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a sealing device by which sealing can be effectively performed and which can be easily cleaned, and also provided is a method for producing a honeycomb filter. A sealing device (100) is provided with: a main body (10) comprising a recess (10d) and a communication passage (10e) which opens at the inner surface of the recess (10d); an elastic plate (20) arranged on the main body (10) to cover the recess (10d); a scraper (202); a scraper support unit (205) to support the scraper (202) so that the scraper (202) can be in contact with a surface of the elastic plate (20); and a movement unit (40) to move the scraper (202) which is in contact with the surface of the elastic plate (20), along the surface of the elastic plate (20), relative to the elastic plate (20).

Description

Sealing device and method for manufacturing honeycomb structure

The present invention relates to a sealing device and a method for manufacturing a honeycomb structure.

Conventionally, the honeycomb filter structure is DPF (Diesel
It is widely known for use in particulate filters). This honeycomb filter structure has a structure in which one end side of some through holes of a honeycomb structure having a large number of through holes is sealed with a sealing material, and the other end side of the remaining through holes is sealed with a sealing material. Patent Document 1 discloses a method for manufacturing such a honeycomb filter structure. In Patent Document 1, the sealing material is supplied to the end of the through hole of the honeycomb structure by pressing the sealing material with the piston 8 against one end of the honeycomb structure 1 disposed in the cylinder 7.

Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 63-24731

However, in the conventional method, it is difficult to separate the piston from the honeycomb structure after sealing one end side of the honeycomb structure with a sealing material, and the production efficiency is lowered. Further, in the conventional method, it is troublesome to clean the sealing material remaining on the surfaces of the piston 8 and the cylinder 7 before the next sealing process is performed after the sealing process is completed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a sealing device and a honeycomb filter manufacturing method that can efficiently perform sealing and that can be easily cleaned.

A sealing device according to the present invention includes a main body having a recess and a communication path that opens to the inner surface of the recess,
An elastic plate disposed on the main body so as to cover the recess;
With scraper,
A scraper support that supports the scraper so as to be in contact with the surface of the elastic plate;
A moving unit that moves a scraper that contacts the surface of the elastic plate relative to the elastic plate along the surface of the elastic plate.

According to the present invention, the sealing material can be supplied to the through holes of the honeycomb structure by the following procedure. First, the elastic plate is deformed along the concave portion of the main body portion by discharging the fluid in the concave portion of the main body portion through the communication path, thereby forming the concave portion of the elastic plate. Next, a sealing material is supplied into the recess of the elastic body. Subsequently, one end face of the honeycomb structure is disposed at a position facing the recess. Subsequently, the elastic plate is moved toward one end surface of the honeycomb structure by supplying a fluid between the main body portion and the elastic plate through the communication path. Thereby, the sealing material in the recessed part of an elastic board is supplied in the through-hole of a honeycomb structure.

Thereafter, the elastic plate can be deformed into a convex shape in a direction opposite to the concave portion of the main body portion by further supplying a fluid between the main body portion and the elastic plate via the communication path. Thereby, the honeycomb structure can be easily separated from the main body.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, the residue of the sealing material adhering to the surface of the elastic plate can be easily scraped by the scraper after the honeycomb structure is separated from the elastic plate by the moving unit, so that the next sealing Work can be done quickly.

Here, it is preferable that the moving unit rotationally moves one of the scraper or the main body about an axis that intersects the surface of the elastic plate, particularly the elastic plate in contact with the scraper.

According to this, the mechanism is simpler than the reciprocating linear motion, and scraping can be performed quickly.

The scraper support part preferably supports the scraper so as to contact the surface of the elastic plate protruding in a convex shape from the main body part.

This makes it easy to bring the scraper and the elastic plate into close contact.

Further, it is preferable that the edge of the scraper that contacts the elastic plate has a shape in which the central portion is recessed from both ends in the rotational radius direction when viewed from the direction orthogonal to the axis. In other words, the edge of the scraper that contacts the elastic plate preferably has a concave shape when viewed from the direction in which the scraper moves relative to the elastic plate.

According to this, scraping in a state where the elastic plate is inflated into a convex shape becomes easy.

Further, the edge of the scraper that contacts the elastic plate is viewed from the direction of the shaft toward the upstream side or the downstream side in the rotational direction of the elastic plate with respect to the scraper as it goes from the shaft toward the outer side in the rotational radius direction. It is preferable to be curved like this.

Furthermore, it is also preferable that the scraper has a spiral shape centered on the axis when viewed from the direction of the axis.

According to these, the scraped off deposits can be collected near the center or the outer periphery, and the deposits can be easily collected and reused.

It is preferable that the scraper support portion is further capable of moving the scraper between a position where the scraper is brought into contact with the surface of the elastic plate and a position where the scraper is separated from the surface of the elastic plate.

According to this, it is easy to retract the scraper during the sealing operation, and the manufacturing time and labor can be reduced.

Moreover, it is preferable that a main-body part is further provided with the pipe | tube extended from the said main-body part, and was connected with the said communicating path, and the rotary joint is connected to the said pipe | tube.
According to this, since this pipe can be rotated as an axis, and further, it can be connected to the outside through this pipe and a rotary joint, it is easy to put in and out the fluid through the communication path. In this case, in particular, a fluid supply / discharge portion connected to the rotary joint, supplying fluid to the recess through the communication path, and discharging fluid in the recess through the communication path is further provided. Is preferred.

Moreover, it is preferable to further include an auxiliary bearing that is fixed to the main body and supports the main body so as to be rotatable about the vertical axis. In this case, the main body can be rotated more smoothly.
The elastic plate is preferably a rubber plate.

A method for manufacturing a honeycomb structure having a plurality of through-holes whose ends are sealed according to the present invention includes a main body having a recess and a communication passage opening in an inner surface of the recess, and an elastic plate covering the recess. Preparing the device;
Forming a recess in the elastic plate by discharging the fluid in the recess through the communication path;
Supplying a sealing material into the recess of the elastic plate;
Disposing one end face of the honeycomb structure having a plurality of through holes at a position facing the concave portion;
After the step of supplying the sealing material, the sealing material in the recess of the elastic plate is supplied to the honeycomb structure by supplying a fluid between the main body portion and the elastic plate through the communication path. And a process of
Separating the honeycomb structure from the elastic plate after the step of supplying the sealing material to the honeycomb structure;
Scraping the sealing material remaining on the surface of the elastic plate after the separation with a scraper.

Here, it is preferable that the elastic plate in the step of scraping is inflated by the fluid supplied between the main body portion and the elastic plate via the communication path and is brought into close contact with the scraper.

According to the present invention, there are provided a sealing device and a honeycomb filter manufacturing method that can perform sealing efficiently and are easy to clean.

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a sealing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a view taken along the line II-II of the sealing device of FIG. FIG. 3 is a view taken along the line III-III of the sealing device of FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of the sealing device of FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the honeycomb structure used in the sealing device of FIG. 1, and FIG. 5B is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 5A. 6A is a perspective view of a mask placed on the elastic plate 20 of FIG. 1, and FIG. 6B is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 6A. 7A is a partial cross-sectional view for explaining the operation of the sealing device of FIG. 1, and FIG. 7B is a partial cross-sectional view subsequent to FIG. 8A is a partial cross-sectional view subsequent to FIG. 7B, and FIG. 8B is a partial cross-sectional view subsequent to FIG. 8A. 9A is a partial cross-sectional view subsequent to FIG. 8B, and FIG. 9B is a partial cross-sectional view subsequent to FIG. 9A. FIG. 10A is a partial cross-sectional view subsequent to FIG. 9B, and FIG. 10B is a partial cross-sectional view subsequent to FIG. FIG. 11A is a partial cross-sectional view subsequent to FIG. 11B, and FIG. 11B is a partial cross-sectional view subsequent to FIG. 11A. FIG. 12 is a schematic top view of the sealing device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 13 is a view taken along the line XII-XII of the sealing device of FIG. FIG. 14 is a schematic top view of a sealing device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 15 is a view taken along arrow XIV-XIV of the sealing device of FIG.

Preferred embodiments of the sealing device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description, the same reference numerals are used for the same elements or elements having the same function, and a duplicate description is omitted.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a sealing device 100 according to an example of this embodiment. The sealing device 100 according to the present embodiment mainly includes a main body unit 10, an elastic plate 20, a pump (fluid supply / discharge control unit) 50, a scraper 202, a scraper support unit 205, a rotation driving unit (moving unit) 40, a rotary joint ( Bearing) 60, a cross roller bearing (auxiliary bearing) 90, and a honeycomb structure holding portion 80.

The main body 10 is made of a rigid material. Examples of the rigid material include metals such as stainless steel and polymer materials such as fiber reinforced plastic. A recess 10 d is formed on the upper surface 10 a of the main body 10. In the present embodiment, the shape of the recess 10d is a columnar shape as shown in FIGS. The side surface 10b of the recess 10d is perpendicular to the upper surface 10a of the main body 10 and the bottom surface 10c is parallel. The diameter of the recess 10d can be set to 100 to 320 mm, for example. The depth of the recess 10d can be set to 0.2 to 20 mm, for example. On the outer peripheral surface of the main body portion, a groove 10s for hanging a belt 44 described later is formed in the circumferential direction.

The elastic plate 20 is disposed on the upper surface 10a of the main body 10 so as to cover the opening surface of the recess 10d. The elastic plate 20 has elasticity and can be easily deformed. As the elastic plate 20, a rubber plate is preferable. Examples of the rubber include natural rubber, and synthetic rubber such as styrene butadiene rubber, butadiene rubber, butyl rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, nitrile rubber, chloroprene rubber, fluorine rubber, silicone rubber, and urethane rubber. The thickness of the elastic plate 20 is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 0.3 to 3.0 mm.

The elastic plate 20 is fixed to the main body 10 by a ring member 25 and a bolt 31. The ring member 25 has an opening 25a at a position corresponding to the concave portion 10d of the main body 10 and thereby has an annular shape. And the ring member 25 is arrange | positioned on the elastic board 20 so that the center part (opposite part with the recessed part 10d) in the elastic board 20 may be exposed. Accordingly, the peripheral portion of the elastic plate 20 is sandwiched between the main body portion 10 and the ring member 25. Through-holes h are formed in the ring member 25 and the elastic plate 20, and screw holes j corresponding to the through-holes h are formed in the main body portion 10, and bolts 31 pass through these through-holes h. The peripheral portion of the elastic plate 20 is fixed in close contact with the portion around the recess 10d on the upper surface 10a of the main body 10 by being screwed into the screw hole j and fixed.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inner diameter of the opening 25 a of the ring member 25 is preferably larger than the inner diameter of the recess 10 d of the main body 10.

The main body 10 further has a communication passage 10e that opens to the bottom surface 10c of the recess 10d. In the present embodiment, the communication path 10e opens to the bottom surface 10c of the recess 10d, but may be open to the inner surface of the recess 10d. For example, the communication path 10e may open to the side surface 10b of the recess 10d. Further, the shape and number of openings of the communication passage 10e are not particularly limited.

The main body 10 is provided with a connecting pipe 14 extending vertically downward. The connecting pipe 14 communicates with the communication path 10e. The central axis ax of the connecting pipe (tube) 14 passes through the elastic plate 20 through the central axis of the cylindrical recess 10d.

A rotary joint (bearing) 60 is provided at the lower end of the connecting pipe 14. Thereby, the main-body part 10 is supported rotatably about the axis | shaft of the connection pipe 14, ie, the vertical axis ax. The rotary joint 60 mainly includes an inner cylinder 61, an outer cylinder 62, a bearing 63, and a packing 64.
The inner cylinder 61 forms the lower end portion of the connection pipe 14. The outer cylinder 62 is disposed so as to surround the inner cylinder 61 from the outside. The bearing 63 is disposed between the inner cylinder 61 and the outer cylinder 62, and enables them to rotate relative to each other around the vertical axis. The packing 64 seals between the inner cylinder 61 and the outer cylinder 62 and suppresses fluid leakage and the like. A pump 50 is connected to the outer cylinder 62.

The pump 50 includes a cylinder 51, a piston 53 disposed in the cylinder 51, and a piston rod 54 connected to the piston 53. A motor 55 that reciprocates the piston rod 54 in the axial direction is connected to the piston rod 54. The piston rod 54 may be moved manually.

In the present embodiment, a closed space V formed by the main body 10, the connecting pipe 14, and the cylinder 51 is formed between the elastic plate 20 and the piston 53, and a fluid is contained in the closed space V. FL is filled. The fluid FL is not particularly limited, but a liquid is preferable, and spindle oil or the like is particularly preferable. The fluid FL may be a gas such as air. Then, by moving the piston 53, the fluid FL can be discharged from the inside of the concave portion 10d of the main body portion 10, whereby the elastic plate 20 is moved along the concave portion 1d like the elastic plate 20 ″ of FIG. While the concave portion of the elastic plate 20 can be formed by supplying the fluid FL to the concave portion 10d, the elastic plate 20 can be projected into a dome shape like the elastic plate 20 ′ of FIG. I can do it.

The rotation drive unit (moving unit) 40 includes a motor 41 having a rotation shaft 42, a pulley 43 fixed to the rotation shaft 42, and a belt 44 spanned between the pulley 43 and the groove 10 s of the main body 10. . By rotation of the motor 41, the main body 10 can be rotated around the axis of the connecting pipe 14, that is, the vertical axis ax, for example, in the direction of arrow A in FIG. The vertical axis ax passes through the center of the recess 10d.

Returning to FIG. 1, the main body 10 further includes a cross roller bearing 90 (bearing) to assist the main body 10 in rotating around the vertical axis ax of the connecting pipe 14. The cross roller bearing 90 includes an outer ring 91 fixed to a gantry or the like (not shown), an inner ring 92 fixed to the main body 10, and a plurality of cylindrical rollers 93 disposed between the outer ring 91 and the inner ring 92.

The scraper 202 scrapes off the residue of the sealing material adhering to the surface of the elastic plate 20, and is supported by the bar 204 of the scraper support part 205. In the present embodiment, the scraper 202 is a flat plate as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, and has a pair of main surfaces 202a and 202b and an edge 202e as shown in FIGS. The edge 202e contacts the surface of the elastic plate 20 'swelled in a dome shape as shown in FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the edge 202e is viewed from a direction perpendicular to the axis ax so as to come into linear contact from the vicinity of the top to the bottom of the elastic plate 20 ′ protruding in a dome shape. As seen, the central part is recessed as compared to the two end parts 202e1 and 202e2 in the rotational radius direction of the main body part ax. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, when viewed from the direction of the axis ax, the edge 202 e of the scraper 202 is located on the upstream side (rear side) in the rotational direction A of the elastic plate 20 with respect to the scraper 202 as it goes radially outward from the axis ax. ) Curved to head towards. Further, the outer end 202e2 of the edge 202e of the scraper 202 reaches the vicinity of the outer periphery of the dome-shaped elastic plate 20, and the inner end 202e1 of the edge 202e is a portion corresponding to the vertical axis ax serving as the vertex of the elastic plate 20, or It arrange | positions so that it may extend to the position exceeding a vertex part. Thereby, it is possible to efficiently scrape the residue of the sealing material on the surface of the elastic plate 20 by the edge 202e.

As the material of the scraper 202, materials such as resin and metal can be used. The thickness of the plate-shaped scraper 202 can be set to 0.5 to 2 mm, for example. In the present embodiment, the cross-sectional shape in the thickness direction of the edge 202e of the scraper 202 is a rectangle having corners perpendicular to both sides as shown in FIG. 4, but at least one of these corners is chamfered by a plane or a curved surface. It may be. The surface roughness Ra of the scraper 202 is preferably 3.2 or less.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the scraper 202 has a scraping side (the front side in the direction in which the scraper 202 moves relative to the surface of the elastic plate 20 ′, that is, the left side in the figure: the moving direction of the elastic plate 20 ′ is an arrow. The bar 204 is formed so that an angle θ1 formed by the principal surface 202a in the (A direction) and the tangent plane S of the elastic plate 20 ′ formed into a convex shape at the contact portion cp with the edge 202e becomes an obtuse angle, that is, more than 90 °. It is fixed to. A preferable θ1 is 95 to 135 °. In this embodiment, since the elastic plate 20 ′ is a curved surface, the contact portion cp with the edge 202e in the elastic plate 20 ′ does not exist on one plane, and the tangent plane S is defined for each position of the contact portion cp. Is done. The contact portion cp extends along the edge 202e as shown in FIG. 2, and θ1 is an obtuse angle over the entire contact portion cp extending in this way. As a result, when the elastic plate 20 ′ moves in the direction of arrow A, the residue can easily ride on the main surface 202a of the scraper 202, and post-processing such as cleaning and suctioning of the residue is facilitated. There is.

2, the bar 204 is fixed to the vertical shaft 208 so as to be rotatable in a range of a predetermined rotation angle (for example, 90 °) by a bearing 206 whose rotation angle is restricted. Here, the bearing 206 has a rotational position where the bar 204 is brought into contact with the elastic plate 20 protruding in a dome shape as shown by a solid line in FIG. 2 and from the elastic plate 20 as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. The scraper 202 can be swung in a range of an angle B between a rotation position that is not opposed to the exposed surface of the elastic plate 20. As shown in FIG. 1, the vertical shaft 208 is fixed to a base 210 that is independent of the rotation of the main body 10 by the motor 41.

A honeycomb structure holding portion 80 is provided on the main body portion 10. The honeycomb structure holding unit 80 includes a holder 81 that holds the honeycomb structure 70 and a pneumatic cylinder 82 to which the holder 81 is connected.

The holder 81 holds the honeycomb structure 70 so that the opening surface on one side of the through hole 70a faces the elastic plate 20 and the recess 10d as shown in FIG.

The pneumatic cylinder 82 has a cylinder 82a extending in the vertical direction and a piston 82b provided in the cylinder 82a. By adjusting the pressure supplied from the outside, the pressure on both the upper and lower sides of the piston 82b can be adjusted. It has become. As a result, the pneumatic cylinder 82 can move the holder 81 in the direction in which the honeycomb structure 70 and the elastic plate 20 approach each other and in the direction in which they move away from each other. Further, the pneumatic cylinder 82 presses the holding member 81 downward with a predetermined force in accordance with the gas supply pressure before and after the piston 82b, whereby the honeycomb structure 70 is placed on the elastic plate 20 with a mask ( It can be made to adhere to details later. Furthermore, the pneumatic cylinder 82 can also permit the holder 81 to move freely in the vertical direction by releasing the pressure before and after the piston. That is, the honeycomb structure holding unit 80 switches between a state in which the honeycomb structure 70 held by the holder 81 can be freely moved upward and a state in which the honeycomb structure 70 is fixed to the main body 10. Is possible.

An example of the honeycomb structure 70 used in the present embodiment is a cylindrical body in which a large number of through holes 70a are arranged substantially in parallel as shown in FIG. The cross-sectional shape of the through hole 70a is a square as shown in FIG. The plurality of through holes 70a are arranged in a square arrangement in the honeycomb structure 70, that is, such that the central axis of the through hole 70a is located at the apex of the square, respectively. The square size of the cross section of the through hole 70a can be set to, for example, 0.8 to 2.5 mm on a side.

Further, the length of the honeycomb structure 70 in the direction in which the through holes 70a extend is not particularly limited, but may be 40 to 350 mm, for example. Further, the outer diameter of the honeycomb structure 70 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 100 to 320 mm.

The material of the honeycomb structure 70 is not particularly limited, but a ceramic material is preferable from the viewpoint of high temperature resistance. Examples thereof include alumina, silica, mullite, cordierite, glass, oxides such as aluminum titanate, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, and metal. The aluminum titanate can further contain magnesium and / or silicon. Such a honeycomb structure 70 is usually porous.

Further, the honeycomb structure 70 may be a green molded body (unfired molded body) that becomes a ceramic material as described above by firing later. A green molded object contains the inorganic compound source powder which is a ceramic raw material, organic binders, such as methylcellulose, and the additive added as needed.

For example, in the case of a green molded body of aluminum titanate, the inorganic compound source powder includes an aluminum source powder such as α-alumina powder, and a titanium source powder such as anatase-type or rutile-type titania powder. Furthermore, magnesium source powders such as magnesia powder and magnesia spinel powder and / or silicon source powders such as silicon oxide powder and glass frit can be included.

Examples of the organic binder include celluloses such as methylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxyalkylmethylcellulose, and sodium carboxymethylcellulose; alcohols such as polyvinyl alcohol; and lignin sulfonate.

Examples of additives include a pore-forming agent, a lubricant and a plasticizer, a dispersant, and a solvent.

Examples of pore-forming agents include carbon materials such as graphite; resins such as polyethylene, polypropylene and polymethyl methacrylate; plant materials such as starch, nut shells, walnut shells and corn; ice; and dry ice.

Lubricants and plasticizers include alcohols such as glycerin; higher fatty acids such as caprylic acid, lauric acid, palmitic acid, arachidic acid, oleic acid and stearic acid; and stearic acid metal salts such as aluminum stearate.

Examples of the dispersant include inorganic acids such as nitric acid, hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid; organic acids such as oxalic acid, citric acid, acetic acid, malic acid and lactic acid; alcohols such as methanol, ethanol and propanol; ammonium polycarboxylate, poly Surfactants such as oxyalkylene alkyl ethers are listed.

As the solvent, for example, alcohols and water can be used. Examples of alcohols include monohydric alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, butanol and propanol; dihydric alcohols such as propylene glycol, polypropylene glycol and ethylene glycol.

The mask is disposed in the opening 25 a of the ring member 25 on the elastic plate 20. The material of the mask is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include metals and resins.

FIG. 6A shows an example of the mask 170 used in this embodiment. The mask 170 is a circular plate-like member and has a large number of through-holes 170a extending in the thickness direction. The cross-sectional shape of the through hole 170a is a square corresponding to the through hole 70a (see FIG. 5B) of the honeycomb structure 70, as shown in FIG. 6B. The plurality of through holes 170a are arranged in a staggered manner as shown in FIG. 6B, and each through hole 170a is formed of the plurality of square through holes 70a shown in FIG. 5B. These are disposed to face only the plurality of through holes 70ai that are not adjacent to each other in the vertical and horizontal directions. In order to facilitate positioning of the through hole 170a of the mask 170, the mask 170 is formed with an orientation flat 170b, and the ring member 25 may be provided with a projection 25b corresponding to the orientation flat correspondingly. .

In addition, the main body unit 10 may be provided with a vibrator 140 such as an ultrasonic vibrator.

(Production method)
Then, the manufacturing method of the sealing body using the above-mentioned sealing apparatus 100 is demonstrated. First, from the state of FIG. 1, the pneumatic cylinder 82 is driven in advance and pulled up above the holder 81 that holds the honeycomb structure 70, and the bar 204 is moved so that the two-dot chain line in FIG. The scraper 202 is positioned away from the elastic plate 20. Next, by pulling the piston 53 of the pump 50 downward, the fluid FL is discharged downward from the recess 10 d of the main body 10. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7A, the elastic plate 20 is deformed and is brought into close contact with the side surface 10b and the bottom surface 10c of the recess 10d, whereby the recess 20d of the elastic plate 20 is formed.

Subsequently, the sealing material 130 is supplied into the recess 20 d of the elastic plate 20.

(Sealing material)
The sealing material 130 is not particularly limited as long as it can close the end portion of the through hole 70a of the honeycomb structure 70, but is preferably liquid. For example, the sealing material may be a slurry containing a ceramic material or a ceramic raw material, a binder, preferably a lubricant, and a solvent. Examples of the ceramic material include the constituent material of the above-described honeycomb structure and the raw material thereof.

Examples of the binder include celluloses such as methylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxyalkylmethylcellulose, and sodium carboxymethylcellulose; alcohols such as polyvinyl alcohol; and organic binders such as lignin sulfonate. The amount of the binder used can be, for example, 0.1 to 10% by mass when the sealing material is 100% by mass.

Lubricants include alcohols such as glycerin, caprylic acid, lauric acid, palmitic acid, higher fatty acids such as alginate, oleic acid and stearic acid, and stearic acid metal salts such as aluminum stearate. The addition amount of the lubricant is usually 0 to 10% by mass, preferably 1 to 10% by mass, more preferably 1 to 5% by mass with respect to 100% by mass of the sealing material.

As the solvent, for example, alcohols and water can be used. Examples of alcohols include monohydric alcohols such as methanol, ethanol, butanol and propanol; dihydric alcohols such as propylene glycol, polypropylene glycol and ethylene glycol. Of these, water is preferable, and ion-exchanged water is more preferably used from the viewpoint of few impurities. The amount of the solvent used can be, for example, 15 to 40% by mass when the sealing material is 100% by mass.
The viscosity of the sealing material is preferably 5 to 50 Pa · s at 23 ° C. as measured by a coaxial double cylinder method using a rotational viscometer.

When such a sealing material 130 is supplied into the recess 20d, as shown in FIG. 7 (a), if the sealing material 130 does not spread in the horizontal direction in the recess 20d and the thickness becomes uneven, this is flattened. Turn into. The reason is that if the sealing step is performed as it is, the length of the sealing portion becomes non-uniform or a sealing failure tends to occur. Specifically, the motor 41 of the rotation driving unit 40 is driven to rotate the main body unit 10. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 7B, a centrifugal force is applied to the sealing material 130 in the horizontal direction, and the sealing material 130 can be spread throughout the recess 20d. Moreover, the flatness of the surface of the sealing material 130 is also improved. The rotational speed of the main body 10 is not particularly limited, but is preferably about 30 to 300 rpm. The rotation time is not particularly limited, but is preferably about 3 to 20 seconds.

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 8A, a mask 170 is set on the elastic plate 20 so as to cover the concave portion 10 d of the main body 10, and then the holding tool 81 is moved downward by the pneumatic cylinder 82. By bringing the honeycomb structure 70 into contact with the mask 170, a part of the through holes 70 a of the honeycomb structure 70 and the through holes 170 a of the mask 170 are communicated, and further, the holding tool 81 is pressed downward by the pneumatic cylinder 82. Then, the honeycomb structure 70 is fixed to the mask 170 and the main body 10. Note that, as shown in FIG. 8A, the outer diameter of the mask 170 is preferably larger than the inner diameter of the recess 10 d of the main body 10.

Next, by moving the piston of the pump 50 upward, the fluid FL is supplied between the concave portion 10d and the elastic plate 20 through the communication passage 10e, and as shown in FIG. The elastic plate 20 moves toward the mask 170. As shown in FIG. 9A, this step is preferably performed until the elastic plate 20 comes into contact with the mask 170 and the deformation of the elastic plate 20 is eliminated.

Thereby, the sealing material 130 is supplied into a part of the through holes 70a of the honeycomb structure 70 through the through holes 170a of the mask 170, and the sealing portion 70p is formed.

Subsequently, after the downward pressing of the honeycomb structure 70 by the pneumatic cylinder 82 is stopped so that the honeycomb structure 70 can freely move upward, the piston 53 is further raised to move the elastic plate 20 and the main body portion 10 together. Further, fluid FL is supplied. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 9B, the elastic plate 20 is deformed into a convex shape upward, and the mask 170 and the honeycomb structure 70 move upward. At this time, since the peripheral portion of the elastic plate 20 deformed into a convex shape is separated from the mask 170, the mask 170 and the honeycomb structure 70 can be easily separated from the main body portion 10. In this case, production efficiency can be increased, and the sealed honeycomb structure can be manufactured at low cost.

Subsequently, the honeycomb structure 70 is removed from the holder 81. If it does so, as shown to (a) of FIG. 10, the surface of the elastic board 20 will be in the state protruded in the dome shape. At this time, the residue 130 a of the sealing material 130 used for the sealing work is attached to the surface of the elastic plate 20. If the sealing step is performed again with the residue 130a attached, it becomes difficult to accurately control the amount of the sealing material 130 stored in the recess 20d of the elastic plate 20 and to accurately control the composition of the sealing material 130. The solidified sealing material 130 may gradually accumulate and make the sealing process impossible. Therefore, it is necessary to remove the residue 130a of the sealing material 130 attached to the elastic plate 20.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10B, the position of the bar 204 is moved, and the position of the scraper 202 is set to a position where the edge 202e of the scraper 202 contacts the elastic plate 20 'protruding in a dome shape. Further, the motor 41 is driven to rotate the main body 10. The number of rotations is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 5 to 20 rpm. The rotation time is not particularly limited, but is preferably about 3 to 12 seconds.

Thereby, the residue 130a of the sealing material 130 remaining on the surface of the elastic plate 20 can be scraped off by the edge 202e of the scraper 202, and the scraped residue 130a is removed from the main surface 202a (see FIG. 4)). In this way, the cleaning of the upper surface of the elastic plate 20 is completed.

Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 11A, the position of the bar 204 is moved to retract the scraper 202 from the elastic plate 20, and then the honeycomb structure 70 that is turned upside down is held by the holder 81. To do. Next, a similar sealing material injection operation is performed using the mask 170 ′ in which the mask 170 and the through-holes 170 a are arranged in a staggered arrangement opposite to each other. Thereby, as shown to (a) of FIG. 11, the other end side of the remaining through-holes 70a is sealed by the sealing material, and the sealing part 70p is formed. Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 11B, the mask 170 ′ and the honeycomb structure 70 can be easily separated from the main body 10 and the elastic plate 20 by deforming the elastic plate 20 into a convex shape upward. I can do it.

In this way, a honeycomb filter can be manufactured by drying, firing, etc., the honeycomb structure 70 in which both ends of the through hole 70a are sealed.

According to this embodiment, in addition to injecting the sealing material held in the recess 20d of the elastic plate 20 into the honeycomb structure by deformation of the elastic plate, the sealing material on the surface of the elastic plate 20 after sealing by the scraper 202 is provided. Therefore, the elastic plate 20 can be quickly and easily cleaned, and the next sealing operation can be immediately performed.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the scraper support part 205 supports the scraper 202 so as to contact the surface of the elastic plate 20 protruding in a convex shape from the recess 10d, so that the elastic plate 20 protruded in a convex shape is the scraper. It closely adheres to 202 and has a high effect of removing the residue 130a. In particular, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the edge shape of the scraper 202 has a shape in which the central portion is recessed from both ends 202e1 and 202e2 in the rotational radius direction when viewed from the direction orthogonal to the axis ax. Therefore, scraping with the scraper 202 can be particularly easily performed in a state where the elastic plate 20 is inflated into a convex shape, and the elastic plate 20 is easily brought into close contact with the edge 202e of the scraper 202, so that the cleaning efficiency is increased.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, when viewed from the direction of the axis ax, the edge 202 e of the scraper 202 is located on the upstream side (rear side) in the rotational direction A of the elastic plate 20 with respect to the scraper 202 as it goes radially outward from the axis ax. ) Curved to head towards. As a result, the scraped residue is collected in the central portion and can be easily collected.

Furthermore, since the scraper support part 205 can move the scraper 202 between a position in contact with the elastic plate 20 and a position away from the elastic plate 20, the scraper 202 can be retracted while cleaning is not performed. In addition, the elastic plate can be quickly cleaned.

Further, in the present embodiment, since the rotary joint 60 connected to the main body portion is provided, it is not necessary to perform operations such as detachment of the pipe for supplying and discharging the fluid before and after the rotation of the main body portion 10. Accordingly, the working time can be reduced.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, since the cross roller bearing 90 as the auxiliary bearing is provided, even when the weight of the main body 10 is large, it can be rotated stably.

(Modification of the first embodiment)
Subsequently, a modification of the first embodiment will be described. This embodiment is different from the first embodiment described above in that the main body 10, that is, the elastic plate 20 ′ rotates in the direction of the arrow C instead of the direction of the arrow A in FIGS. 2 to 4.

Thereby, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the scraper 202 has a main surface 202b on the scraping side (the front side in the direction in which the scraper 202 moves relative to the elastic plate 20 ′, that is, the right side in the drawing). The angle θ2 formed by the tangent plane S of the elastic plate 20 ′ having a convex shape at the contact portion cp with the edge 202e is fixed to the bar 204 so as to be an acute angle, that is, less than 90 °. A preferable θ2 is 5 to 89 °. Also in this embodiment, θ2 is an acute angle over the entire contact portion cp. In the present embodiment, when the elastic plate 20 ′ moves in the direction of arrow C, the scraper 202 easily follows surface irregularities and the like, and the residue is efficiently scraped off by the main surface 202 b of the scraper 202, so that there is little scraping residue. .

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, when viewed from the direction of the axis ax, the edge 202e of the scraper 202 goes radially outward from the axis ax, and the downstream side (front side) in the rotational direction C of the elastic plate 20 with respect to the scraper 202. Curved to head toward. As a result, the scraped residue is collected in the peripheral portion and can be easily collected.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The sealing device 100 of the present embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the structure of the scraper 202. The scraper 202 has a plurality of plate members 202a. These plate members 202a extend radially from the central portion of the elastic plate 20 outward in the radial direction. The main surface on the scraping side of the plate member 202a is not inclined with respect to the vertical axis ax, and is parallel to the vertical axis ax. Further, the plate member 202a is directed toward the upstream side (rear side) in the rotational direction of the elastic plate 20 with respect to the plate member 202a (traveling direction: arrow A) as viewed from the axis ax direction toward the radially outer side from the axis ax. Is curved. Further, as shown in FIG. 13, as in the first embodiment, the shape of the lower end (edge, contact portion) 202ae of the plate member 202a is larger than both end portions 202ae1 and 202ae2 when viewed from the direction orthogonal to the axis ax. The central portion is recessed, and the surface of the elastic plate 20 protruding like a dome can be easily scraped off. The plurality of plate members 202a are fixed to the bar 204 by a ring-shaped fixture 204a. Further, a pipe L1 is connected to a central portion where the end portions of the plate member 202a are gathered, and a pump P1 that sucks up the residue of the sealing material scraped off by the plate member 202a is connected to the pipe L1.

Also in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13, the residue of the sealing material on the surface of the elastic plate 20 protruding in a dome shape can be scraped off. In particular, in this embodiment, since the plate member 202a is curved upstream in the rotational direction of the elastic plate 20, the scraped sealant residue is removed from the rotary shaft by the relative rotation of the scraper 202 and the elastic plate 20. Can be gathered in the vicinity of the vertical axis ax. Therefore, the scraped sealing material can be easily collected and reused.
In the present embodiment, the main body 10, that is, the elastic plate 20, can be rotated not in the A direction but in the opposite C direction. In this case, as viewed from the axis ax direction, the curve is curved toward the downstream side (front side) of the rotation direction of the elastic plate 20 relative to the plate member 202a (traveling direction: arrow C) as it goes radially outward from the axis ax. ing. Thereby, the residue of the sealing material scraped off collects on the outer peripheral side.

(Third embodiment)
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The sealing device 100 of the present embodiment is different from the second embodiment in the structure of the scraper 202. The scraper 202 has a spiral shape centered on the vertical axis ax when viewed from the vertical axis ax. The shape of the spiral is not particularly limited, and examples include spiral shapes such as logarithmic spirals, Archimedean spirals, and the like. The direction of the spiral of the scraper 202 is such that the rotation direction from the center to the outside is opposite to the direction A in which the elastic plate 20 rotates.
Also according to this embodiment, the residue of the sealing material on the surface of the elastic plate 20 protruding like a dome can be scraped, and the scraped residue can be gathered up to the vicinity of the vertical axis ax along with the rotation. it can.
In the present embodiment, the main body 10, that is, the elastic plate 20, can be rotated not in the A direction but in the opposite C direction. In this case, as viewed from the axis ax direction, the direction of the spiral of the scraper 202 is the same as the direction C in which the elastic plate 20 rotates in the direction of rotation from the center to the outside. In this case, the scraped residue of the sealing material collects on the outer peripheral side.

In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, A various deformation | transformation aspect is possible.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, three types of scraper 202 are exemplified, but the shape of the scraper is not limited to the above-described structure, and the scraper 202 may be an object that can come into contact with the elastic plate 20 and scrape off deposits on the surface. That's fine.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the scraper support part 205 includes the retracting mechanism that moves the scraper 202 between the contact position with the elastic plate 20 and the non-contact position, but this need not be provided. For example, the scraper support part 205 can be provided with a mechanism that fixes the scraper 202 so as to contact the elastic plate 20 during cleaning, and allows the scraper 202 to be detached at times other than cleaning.

In the above embodiment, in order to easily scrape the surface of the elastic plate 20 swelled in a convex shape, the shape of the edge 202e of the scraper 202 is a shape in which the central portion is recessed from both ends, that is, with respect to the elastic plate 20. Although the concave shape is seen from the direction in which the scraper 202 relatively moves, for example, a linear shape may be used. Even in this case, the elastic plate can be expanded to some extent, and the present invention can be implemented even if the surface of the flat elastic plate 20 that is not expanded is scraped off.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the edge 202e of the scraper 202 as viewed from the direction of the axis ax is directed to the upstream side (rear side) or the downstream side in the rotation direction of the elastic plate 20 with respect to the scraper 202 as it goes radially outward from the axis ax. Although it curves so that it may go to the side (front side), even if it is the linear form extended in a radial direction without curving, it is possible to implement. In this case, the scraped residue does not collect particularly on either side in the radial direction, but such a scraper 202 is easy to manufacture.

In the first embodiment and the modification thereof, the angle formed by the scraping side main surfaces 202a and 202b of the scraper 202 and the tangent plane S at the contact portion cp between the edge 202e of the elastic plate 20 ′ having a convex shape. θ1 and θ2 are obtuse angles or acute angles, but may be right angles.
In the second embodiment and the third embodiment, these angles are right angles, but may be acute angles or obtuse angles.

In the above embodiment, the vertical axis ax is the central axis of the concave portion 10d of the main body 10 and is orthogonal to the apex of the elastic plate 20 that is convex, but is eccentric with respect to the cylinder of the concave portion 10d. Even if the main body 10 is rotated around the axis ax to be scraped, scraping is possible. The rotation axis preferably intersects the surface of the elastic plate 20 in contact with the scraper 202. Further, the rotation axis ax is not necessarily a vertical axis.

Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the scraper 202 is fixed and the main-body part 10, ie, the elastic board 20, is rotating with respect to the scraper 202, the elastic board 20 may be fixed and the scraper 202 may be rotated, Implementation is possible even if both are rotated.

Also, the configuration of the rotation drive unit (moving unit) 40 is not limited to the above-described one, and various forms are possible. Further, the embodiment can be implemented in such a manner that the moving unit does not relatively rotate the elastic plate 20 and the scraper 202 but relatively moves them linearly, for example, reciprocating linearly.

Further, although the elastic plate 20 is fixed to the main body 10 by the ring member 25 and the bolt 31, the fixing method is not particularly limited. For example, the elastic plate 20 may be fixed to the upper surface 10a of the main body 10 by an adhesive. Further, the sealing device 100 may have a structure in which the elastic plate 20 can be easily replaced.

In the above-described embodiment, the rotary joint 60 and the cross roller bearing 90 each function as a bearing that supports the main body 10 so as to be rotatable around the vertical axis. However, the present invention is not limited to this. May be included, or only the cross roller bearing 90 may be included. When the rotary joint 60 is not provided, for example, after discharging the fluid from the recess 10d, the communication path 10e is closed to maintain the reduced pressure, and the communication path is separated from the pump and the like. What is necessary is just to connect the communicating path 10e and a pump.

Further, the structure of the rotary joint 60 and the cross roller bearing 90 is not limited to the above-described structure. A bearing other than the rotary joint 60 and the cross roller bearing 90 may be used.

Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the piston pump provided with the cylinder 51, piston 53, and piston rod 54 is employ | adopted as the pump 50, if supply and discharge | emission of the fluid into the recessed part 10d are controllable. Others may be used. For example, a valve connected to a pressure source and capable of controlling supply of fluid from the pressure source, and a valve connected to a vacuum source such as a vacuum pump and capable of controlling discharge of fluid to the vacuum source may be used. .

Moreover, the shape of the recessed part 10d of the main-body part 10 is not specifically limited, It can set suitably according to the honeycomb structure 70 used as sealing object.
For example, the planar shape of the concave portion 10d viewed from above may be an ellipse, a rectangle, a square, or the like other than a circle. In this case, the size in the case of a rectangle or square can be, for example, 50 to 300 mm on a side. Further, the side surface 10b does not need to be vertical and the bottom surface 10c is not parallel to the upper surface 10a of the main body 10, and may be, for example, an inclined surface or a curved surface.

In the above embodiment, the honeycomb structure holding unit 80 includes the pneumatic cylinder 82, but is not limited thereto, and can be replaced with various mechanisms such as a gear mechanism.

Moreover, the honeycomb structure holding part 80 is not necessarily essential. For example, when supplying the sealing material, the weight is placed on the honeycomb structure 70 to fix the honeycomb structure to the main body 10, and when the honeycomb structure 70 is separated from the main body, the weight is removed. Then, the honeycomb structure may be movable. Further, when the honeycomb structure has a certain amount of weight, the honeycomb structure is fixed by its own weight, so that an embodiment without special fixing means is also possible.

The shape and structure of the honeycomb structure 70 are not limited to the above. For example, the outer shape of the honeycomb structure 70 may not be a cylinder, and may be a prism such as a quadrangular prism. Further, the cross-sectional shape of the through hole 70a of the honeycomb structure 70 may not be a square, and may be, for example, a polygon such as a rectangle, a triangle, a hexagon, or a circle. Furthermore, the arrangement of the through holes 70a may not be a square arrangement. For example, a triangular arrangement or a staggered arrangement may be used when the through hole has a square cross-sectional shape.

In the above embodiment, the plate-like mask 170 having a large number of through-holes is adopted, but the location shielded by the mask is also arbitrary. Further, the present invention can be implemented without using such a mask 170. For example, the plug may be plugged with a material that decomposes when heated in some of the through holes 70a of the honeycomb structure 70 before the sealing process, and the plug may be pyrolyzed after the sealing. In the present invention, even when a mask is not used, the honeycomb structure 70 can be easily separated from the main body 10 and the elastic plate 20 by the elastic plate 20 that is deformed into a convex shape after the sealing process. .

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Main-body part, 10e ... Communication path, 10d ... Recessed part, 14 ... Connection pipe (pipe), 20 ... Elastic plate, 30 ... Recessed part, 40 ... Rotation drive part (moving part), 50 ... Pump (fluid supply / discharge control part) ), 60 ... Rotary joint (bearing), 70 ... Honeycomb structure, 80 ... Holding part, 90 ... Cross roller bearing (bearing), 100 ... Sealing device, 170 ... Mask, 202 ... Scraper, 202 ... Edge, 205 ... Scraper Support part.

Claims (10)

A main body having a recess and a communication passage opening in the inner surface of the recess;
An elastic plate disposed on the main body so as to cover the recess;
With scraper,
A scraper support that supports the scraper so as to be in contact with the surface of the elastic plate;
And a moving unit that moves the scraper that contacts the surface of the elastic plate relative to the elastic plate along the surface of the elastic plate. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the moving unit rotates one of the scraper or the main body about an axis intersecting a surface of the elastic plate in contact with the scraper. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the scraper support part supports the scraper so as to contact a surface of the elastic plate protruding in a convex shape from the main body part. 4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein an edge of the scraper that contacts the elastic plate has a concave shape when viewed from a direction in which the scraper moves relative to the elastic plate. The edge of the scraper that contacts the elastic plate is viewed from the direction of the shaft so as to go upstream or downstream in the rotational direction of the elastic plate with respect to the scraper as it goes outward from the shaft in the radial direction of rotation. The device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, which is curved. 6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the scraper has a spiral shape centered on the axis when viewed from the direction of the axis. The scraper support portion is further capable of moving the scraper between a position where the scraper contacts the surface of the elastic plate and a position where the scraper moves away from the surface of the elastic plate. The apparatus according to claim 6. In the scraper, an angle formed by a front main surface in a direction in which the scraper moves relative to the elastic plate and a tangential plane of the elastic plate at a contact portion with the scraper is an acute angle. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, which is fixed to a scraper support. A step of preparing a device having a concave portion and a main body portion having a communication path that opens to the inner surface of the concave portion, and an elastic plate covering the concave portion;
Forming a recess in the elastic plate by discharging the fluid in the recess through the communication path;
Supplying a sealing material into the recess of the elastic plate;
Disposing one end face of the honeycomb structure having a plurality of through holes at a position facing the concave portion;
Supplying a sealing material in a recess of the elastic plate to the honeycomb structure by supplying a fluid between the main body and the elastic plate via the communication path;
Separating the honeycomb structure from the elastic plate after the step of supplying the sealing material to the honeycomb structure;
Scraping the sealing material remaining on the surface of the elastic plate after the separation with a scraper;
A method for manufacturing a honeycomb structure having a plurality of through holes whose ends are sealed. The method according to claim 9, wherein the elastic plate in the scraping step is inflated with a fluid supplied between the main body portion and the elastic plate via the communication path and is brought into close contact with the scraper.

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