Method and apparatus for forming an article with multi-cellular densities and/or geometries
AssigneeCorning Incorporated
InventorHarry A. Kragle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Novel method and apparatus for forming a substrate or honeycomb article with multi-cellular densities and/or multi-cellular geometries by positioning a pair of extrusion dies adjacent one another, such that one surrounds the other, and such that discharge slots of one die produce different cellular densities and/or geometries from that of the other. Further, an annular batch reservoir is formed between the mating surfaces of such dies so as to facilitate the flow of batch material from one die to the other, and an integral inner skin is formed between the differing cellular structures.
Claims20
A method of extruding an article with multi-cellular structures which comprises:
- flowing batch material within flow paths of given diameter and length longitudinally through a die assembly having adjacent die body portions;
- discharging batch material from one of said die body portions and forming a first cellular portion with a first cell density and geometry structure;
- discharging batch material from an adjacent die body portion and forming a second cellular portion with a different cell structure;
- collecting a portion of said batch material flowing through said die assembly within a reservoir formed between said adjacent die body portions;
- flowing such collected batch material from said reservoir for discharge from said die assembly in longitudinal alignment with mating surface portions of said adjacent die body portions;
- and
- forming an inner skin between said first and second cellular portions as said cellular portions are simultaneously discharged from said die body portions.
A method of extruding a unitary honeycomb structure having a portion with a cell structure of one density and geometry, and an adjacent portion with a different cell structure including a difference in at least one of cell density and cell geometry which comprises:
- providing a first die body having an inlet face, an outlet face, a plurality of feed holes of desired diameter and length in direct communication with said inlet face, and interconnected discharge slots, communicating with said feed holes, formed in said outlet face with a spacing and geometry for producing a honeycomb structure portion of one cell density and geometry;
- providing a second die body having an inlet face, an outlet face, a plurality of feed holes of desired diameter and length in direct communication with said inlet face, and interconnected discharge slots, communicating with said feed holes, formed in said outlet face with a spacing and geometry for producing a honeycomb structure portion with a different cell structure;
- positioning said first and second die bodies adjacent one another in contact with mating surface portions therebetween, and forming both a batch reservoir and a skin-forming recess between said mating surface portions;
- flowing batch material into the entrance of said feed holes at the inlet face of said first and second die bodies and longitudinally through said bodies;
- discharging said batch material at a desired flow velocity from the interconnected discharge slots of said first die body to form a first honeycomb structure portion of one cell density and geometry;
- discharging said batch material at a desired flow velocity from the interconnected discharge slots of said second die body to form a second adjacent honeycomb structure portion of a different cell structure;
- and
- simultaneously with the discharge of said first and second honeycomb structure portions from said die bodies, forming an inner skin therebetween and joining said honeycomb structure portions together into a unitary honeycomb structure having multi-cellular structures.
Apparatus for forming a unitary honeycomb structure with multi-cellular structures which comprises:
- first extrusion die means for forming a first honeycomb structure having a cell structure with a desired density and cell geometry;
- second extrusion die means for forming a second honeycomb structure having a cell structure different from that of said first honeycomb structure;
- means for securely maintaining said first and second extrusion die means in a mating surface relationship adjacent one another;
- batch reservoir means formed between said adjacent extrusion die means for supplying batch material from one of said die means to the other;
- and
- means for forming an inner integral skin between said first and second honeycomb structures for joining them together as a unitary honeycomb structure with multi-cellular structures.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.