Dielectric drying method and dielectric drying apparatus for ceramic formed bodies, and method for producing ceramic structures

1 . A dielectric drying method for ceramic formed bodies, the method comprising drying a plurality of ceramic formed bodies placed side by side in a direction perpendicular to a conveying direction on upper surfaces of drying tables by conveying the ceramic formed bodies between electrodes of an upper electrode and a lower electrode, and applying a high frequency between the electrodes,

wherein, in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the ceramic formed body, a distance between the electrodes in two end regions between which a central region is interposed is shorter than a distance between the electrodes in the central region.

2 . The dielectric drying method for ceramic formed bodies according to claim 1 , wherein a distance between each of upper end faces of the ceramic formed bodies located in the two end regions and the upper electrode is 50 to 95% of a distance between each of the upper end faces of the ceramic formed bodies located in the central region and the upper electrode.

3 . The method dielectric drying for ceramic formed bodies according to claim 1 , wherein the upper electrode has flat surface portions each parallel to the upper end face of the ceramic formed body in the central region and the two end regions, and the upper electrode has an inclined portion between the flat surface portion in the central region and the flat surface portion in each of the two end regions.

4 . The dielectric drying method for ceramic formed bodies according to claim 1 , wherein, in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the ceramic formed body, a length of the upper electrode in each of the two end regions is 5 to 40% of the total length of the upper electrode.

5 . The dielectric drying method for ceramic formed bodies according to claim 1 , wherein, in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the ceramic formed body, a length of the upper electrode in the central region is 20 to 90% of the total length of the upper electrode.

6 . The dielectric drying method for ceramic formed bodies according to claim 1 , wherein each of the drying tables has a perforated plate at a portion that is brought into contact with a lower end face of the ceramic formed body.

7 . The dielectric drying method for ceramic formed bodies according to claim 1 , wherein each of the ceramic formed bodies has a moisture content of from 1 to 60%.

8 . The dielectric drying method for ceramic formed bodies according to claim 1 , wherein the ceramic formed bodies are honeycomb formed bodies, each of the honeycomb formed bodies comprising a partition wall that defines a plurality of cells each extending from a first end face to a second end face.

9 . The dielectric drying method for ceramic formed bodies according to claim 1 , wherein an auxiliary electrode is placed on each of the upper end face of the ceramic formed bodies.

10 . The dielectric drying method for ceramic formed bodies according to claim 9 , wherein a thickness of the auxiliary electrode at a portion that is brought into contact with each of the upper end faces of the ceramic formed bodies located in the two end regions is higher than that of the auxiliary electrode at a portion that is brought into contact with each of the upper end faces of the ceramic formed bodies located in the central region.

11 . The dielectric drying method for ceramic formed bodies according to claim 9 , wherein the auxiliary electrode is a perforated plate.

12 . The dielectric drying method for ceramic formed bodies according to claim 9 , wherein an auxiliary electrode member comprising a laminate of the auxiliary electrode and a low dielectric loss material is placed on each of the upper end faces of the ceramic formed bodies located in the central region, and wherein the auxiliary electrode member has substantially the same thickness as that of the auxiliary electrode placed on each of the upper end faces of the ceramic formed bodies located in the two end regions.

13 . The dielectric drying method for ceramic formed bodies according to claim 9 , wherein auxiliary electrode members comprising a laminate of the auxiliary electrode and a low dielectric loss material and having substantially the same thickness are placed on the upper end faces of the ceramic formed bodies located in the central region and in the two end regions.

14 . The dielectric drying method for ceramic formed bodies according to claim 12 , wherein the low dielectric loss material is fluororesin.

15 . The dielectric drying method for ceramic formed bodies according to claim 9 , wherein an auxiliary electrode member having a hollow region inside the auxiliary electrode is placed on each of the upper end faces of the ceramic formed bodies located in the central region, and wherein the auxiliary electrode member has substantially the same thickness as that of the auxiliary electrode placed on each of the upper end faces of the ceramic formed bodies located in the two end regions.

16 . The dielectric drying method for ceramic formed bodies according to claim 9 , wherein auxiliary electrode members each comprising a hollow region inside the auxiliary electrode and having substantially the same thickness are placed on the upper end faces of the ceramic formed bodies located in the central region and in the two end regions.

17 . A method for producing ceramic structures, comprising the dielectric drying method for the ceramic formed bodies according to claim 1 .