Patent ID: 6049980
Filing Date: 2000-04-18
Classification: B01J,F01N,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of producing a honeycomb body having a plurality of passages through which a fluid can flow, comprising the steps of:providing an apparatus having:(i) a first former segment and a second former segment each having an inner surface;(ii) a third former segment and a fourth former segment each having an inner surface; and(iii) a holding device centrally disposed with respect to the former segments, wherein the inner surface of the first former segment faces the inner surface of the second former segment, the inner surface of the third former segment faces the inner surface of the fourth former segment, and the former segments are movable towards the holding device from a first position to a second position at which the inner surfaces of the former segments in combination define an inner peripheral shape;providing a stack of metal sheets;positioning said stack of metal sheets within said apparatus such that said stack is held by said holding device; thenlinearly displacing said first former segment and said second former segment towards one another and toward said holding device until said first former segment and said second former segment each bears against said stack; thenrotationally displacing said first former segment and said second former segment around said holding device, thereby bending said stack about said holding device until said stack is shaped into a body having a peripheral outline that generally corresponds in shape to said inner peripheral shape; thenlinearly displacing said third former segment and said fourth former segment towards one another and toward said holding device until said third former segment and said fourth former segment each bears against said body; andforcing each of said former segments against said body, thereby providing said body with a final peripheral outline that corresponds in shape to said inner peripheral shape.