Support tray for extruded ceramic ware and method
AssigneeCorning Incorporated
InventorsDouglas M Noni, Wei Xu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Honeycomb extrudate is made by extruding a plasticized ceramic-forming batch material to form a length of wet honeycomb extrudate, transferring the extrudate to a support tray, and transferring the tray and extrudate to a dryer, the tray being capable of contactingly supporting greater than one-third of the circumferential surface of the wet extrudate. The extrudate is subject to reduced handling damage, e.g. from forces of gravitational and/or lateral acceleration arising during transfer.
Claims5
A method for manufacturing a honeycomb structure having a circular, oval, or elliptical transverse cross-section comprising the steps of:
- extruding a plasticized ceramic-forming batch material through a honeycomb extrusion die to form a length of wet honeycomb extrudate having a longitudinal axis and a circumferential surface;
- transferring the length of wet honeycomb extrudate to a support tray body, the tray body comprising a transverse cross-section along its axial length and an upper surface having a concave portion that is configured to receive the extrudate and that is capable of contactingly supporting greater than one-third of the circumferential surface of the extrudate, the concave portion being configured to match the shape of the circumferential surface and defining a circular, oval or elliptical arc and wherein, subsequent to transferring the extrudate to the support tray body, the concave portion is directly adjacent the circumferential surface of the extrudate over 40% or more of the circumferential surface of the extrudate;
- transporting the support tray body bearing the extrudate to a dryer wherein, during the transporting of the tray body to the dryer, the extrudate is subjected to a lateral acceleration of greater than 0.25 g, the lateral acceleration being transverse to the longitudinal axis of the extrudate;
- and
- drying the extrudate while supported on the support tray body
- wherein the tray body comprises at least one material selected from bonded alumina and aluminosilicate fibers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.