Patent ID: 8161642
Filing Date: 2012-04-24
Classification: B28B,B65G,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for manufacturing a honeycomb structure, comprising: molding a ceramic material to form a pillar-shaped honeycomb molded body in which a number of cells are disposed substantially in parallel with one another in a longitudinal direction with a cell wall therebetween; firing said honeycomb molded body to obtain a honeycomb fired body; forming a honeycomb structure including the honeycomb fired body as a constituent unit; and inspecting the honeycomb structure, wherein said method for manufacturing a honeycomb structure further comprises: providing a holding apparatus comprising a first holding unit including at least two supporting rollers rotatable around rotation shafts which extend substantially parallel with each other, a second holding unit including at least one supporting roller rotatable around a rotation shaft, and at least one holding mechanism having said first holding unit and said second holding unit, wherein the rotation shafts of the supporting rollers of said first holding unit and the rotation shaft of the supporting roller of said second holding unit are substantially in parallel with each other, and by moving at least one of said first holding unit and said second holding unit, an object is configured to be held between said first holding unit and said second holding unit by using said supporting rollers; holding the honeycomb molded body, the honeycomb fired body, or the honeycomb structure with the holding apparatus by bringing the first holding unit and the second holding unit into contact with the side faces of the honeycomb molded body, the honeycomb fired body, or the honeycomb structure; lifting up and transporting the held honeycomb molded body to an apparatus used in the firing step, the held honeycomb fired body to an apparatus used in the forming step, or the held honeycomb structure to an apparatus used in the inspecting step; and after transporting, placing the honeycomb molded body, the honeycomb fired body, or the honeycomb structure on a predetermined place with an end face thereof facing down, wherein at least one of said first holding unit and said second holding unit has a coupling member that can expand and shrink, with the supporting roller of at least one of said holding units being coupled to said coupling member through the rotation shaft thereof, and wherein said holding apparatus further comprises a rotation stopping member that is made in contact with said rotation shaft or said supporting roller to stop the rotation of said supporting roller, in the case where said coupling member is shrunk by a predetermined distance.