US 11,986,975 B2
Methods and apparatus for plugging cells of ceramic structures and honeycomb filters
Kyle Owen Beebe, Big Flats, NY (US); Robert John Locker, Corning, NY (US); Robert Arthur McIntosh, Corning, NY (US); and Joel Andrew Schultes, Corning, NY (US)
Assigned to Corning Incorporated, Corning, NY (US)
Appl. No. 17/264,230
Filed by CORNING INCORPORATED, Corning, NY (US)
PCT Filed Jul. 16, 2019, PCT No. PCT/US2019/041977
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 28, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/028035, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 6, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/712,587, filed on Jul. 31, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0299909 A1, Sep. 30, 2021
Int. Cl. B28B 11/00 (2006.01); B01D 46/00 (2022.01); B01D 46/24 (2006.01); B29C 70/74 (2006.01); B29C 70/76 (2006.01); F01N 3/022 (2006.01); F01N 3/28 (2006.01)
CPC B28B 11/007 (2013.01) [B01D 46/0001 (2013.01); B01D 46/2418 (2013.01); B29C 70/745 (2013.01); B29C 70/76 (2013.01); F01N 3/0222 (2013.01); F01N 3/2828 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for plugging a subset of cells of a honeycomb structure, comprising:
covering a first end face of the honeycomb structure with a mask that comprises a body having an outer edge and a plurality of openings, wherein the outer edge of the body extends outwardly to at least a portion of an outer edge of the first end face and the plurality of openings of the mask is coincident with a plurality of cells of the honeycomb structure;
providing a plenum defined by an outer edge, a movable plunger and a flow plate, wherein the outer edge of the plenum extends to at least the outer edge of the first end face of the honeycomb structure and the flow plate comprises a plurality of flow holes;
positioning a cylinder between the honeycomb structure and the plenum, the cylinder defined by an outer edge, the flow plate and the mask, wherein the outer edge of the cylinder extends to at least the outer edge of the first end face of the honeycomb structure;
dispensing plugging material into the plenum;
moving the plunger toward the flow plate with a force to push the plugging material through the plurality of flow holes of the flow plate into the cylinder, wherein the step of moving the plunger generates a pressure in the plenum and the cylinder that forces the plugging material through the plurality of openings of the mask and into the plurality of cells of the honeycomb structure to a predetermined depth within the cells; and
determining the pressure within the cylinder during the step of moving the plunger.