Electrically heatable honeycomb body and honeycomb unit comprising said honeycomb body

Abstract

An electrically heatable honeycomb body includes a large number of passages which are defined by partition walls made of an electroconductive material and which are substantially parallel to the direction of a gas flowing through the honeycomb body, and two ends which are the gas inlet and outlet sides of honeycomb body. At least one slit is formed to control, upon electrification of honeycomb body, the flow of electricity therein and consequently the heat generation therein. In order to make lower the temperature of the end of each outer slit close to each of the electrodes attached to the honeycomb body, than the temperature of the center of honeycomb body or the temperature of the end of each inner slit, the thickness of partition walls is made larger at the intersection points of partition walls, in the passages surrounding said end of each outer slit, or the cell number between two adjacent slits is made larger in outer slits close to each of the electrodes attached to the honeycomb body, than in inner slits. This honeycomb body can prevent cell rupture from occurring during repeated electrification and has excellent durability.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.