Method for manufacturing a honeycomb-structured object

1. A method for manufacturing a honeycomb-structured object, the honeycomb-structured object having a plurality of through holes, the plurality of through holes having plugged ends, comprising:

pressing a plugging material against one end surface of the honeycomb-structured object using a plate;

wherein the pressing of the plate against the one end surface of the honeycomb-structured object fills ends of the through holes with the plugging material; and

after the through holes have been filled with the plugging material, protruding a portion of the plate toward the one end surface of the honeycomb-structured object;

wherein the protruding of the portion of the plate separates a portion of the plate from the one end surface of the honeycomb-structured object.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the portion of the plate that is protruding is a central portion of the plate.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a mask is interposed between the one end surface of the honeycomb-structured object and the plate; and

wherein the mask includes through holes that communicate with at least one of the plurality of through holes of the honeycomb-structured object.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the plate is an elastic plate; and

wherein the protruding is performed by deforming the portion of the plate in the form of a raised portion.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

pressing a plugging material against a second end surface of the honeycomb-structured object using the plate;

wherein the pressing of the plate against the second end surface of the honeycomb-structured object fills other ends of the through holes with the plugging material;

after the second end of the through holes have been filled with the plugging material, protruding a portion of the plate toward the second end surface of the honeycomb-structured object; and

wherein the protruding of the portion of the plate separates a portion of the plate from the second end surface of the honeycomb-structured object.

6. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

preparing a main body having a depressed portion and a communication path opening into an inner surface of the depressed portion,

wherein the plate is arranged so as to cover the depressed portion,

wherein the plate is an elastic plate;

removing a fluid that is located within the depressed portion via the communication path in order to deform the elastic plate;

wherein the deformation of the elastic plate forms a depressed portion in the elastic plate that conforms in shape to the depressed portion of the main body;

supplying the plugging material into the depressed portion of the elastic plate,

arranging the one end surface of a honeycomb-structured object having the plurality of through holes at a position opposed to the depressed portion of the elastic plate, and

supplying the fluid between the main body portion and the elastic plate via the communication path to eliminate the depressed portion of the elastic plate, and

supplying the fluid between the main body portion and the elastic plate via the communication path to deform a portion of the elastic plate in order to form the protruding of the portion of the elastic plate.

7. A method for manufacturing a honeycomb-structured object, the honeycomb-structured object having a plurality of through holes, the plurality of through holes having plugged ends, comprising:

pressing a plugging material against one end surface of the honeycomb-structured object using an elastic plate;

wherein the pressing of the plate against the one end surface of the honey-comb structured object fills ends of the through holes with the plugging material; and

after the through holes have been filled with the plugging material, deforming a portion of the elastic plate in the shape of a raised portion that is deformed toward the one end surface of the honeycomb-structured object;

wherein the deforming of the portion of the elastic plate pulls a peripheral portion of the elastic plate and a peripheral portion of the one end surface of the honey-comb structured object away from each other.

8. A method for manufacturing a honeycomb-structured object, the honeycomb-structured object having a plurality of through holes, the plurality of through holes having plugged ends, comprising:

providing a main body portion having a depressed portion and a communication path opening into an inner surface of the depressed portion, and

an elastic plate arranged so as to cover the depressed portion;

removing a fluid that is located within the depressed portion via the communication path in order to deform the elastic plate;

wherein the deformation of the elastic plate forms a depressed portion in the elastic plate that conforms to the shape of the depressed portion of the main body;

supplying a plugging material into the depressed portion of the elastic plate;

arranging one end surface of a honeycomb-structured object at a position opposed to the depressed portion of the elastic plate; and

supplying the fluid between the main body portion and the elastic plate via the communication path to eliminate the depressed portion of the elastic plate and to deform a portion in the elastic plate forming a protruding portion in the elastic plate;

wherein the protruding portion of the elastic plate separates a portion of the plate from the one end surface of the honeycomb-structured object.