JP2018161595A - Cleaning device and cleaning method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide the cleaning device and method capable of efficiently removing foreign matters adhered to the materials to be cleaned.SOLUTION: There is provided a cleaning device comprising: a friction tank 11 bearing a first recess part 11a having a capacity capable of inserting a part 301a to be cleaned of a material 301 to be cleaned; several cleaning grains 12 put in the first recess part 11a; and relative displacement means relatively displacing the friction tank 11 and the material 301 to be cleaned.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention mainly relates to a cleaning device and a cleaning method for removing foreign matter adhering to a nozzle of an electrospray device.

  Conventionally, an electrospray apparatus that deposits a solution material sprayed from a nozzle as a thin film on a substrate is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an electrospray apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1. The electrospray apparatus 300 includes a nozzle 301 and a substrate support 302, and a substrate 303 is placed and held on the surface of the substrate support 302 on the nozzle 301 side. The substrate support unit 302 is grounded, and a voltage difference is generated between the nozzle 301 and the substrate support unit 302 when the voltage application unit 304 applies a voltage to the nozzle 301, and the lines of electric force as indicated by chain lines in FIG. Is formed. The charged solution material sprayed from the nozzle 301 flies toward the substrate support portion 302 along the electric lines of force to form a spray. The solution material adheres to the substrate 303 placed between the nozzle 301 and the substrate support portion 302, whereby a coating film made of the solution material is formed on the substrate 303.

JP 2014-147891 A

  However, in the electrospray apparatus 300 shown in FIG. 4, the spray form may become unstable over time. Specifically, according to the type of the solution material, it solidifies as time passes while adhering to the tip of the nozzle 301, and from the state where no foreign matter adheres to the nozzle 301 as shown in FIG. There is a case where the solidified solution material is attached as a foreign substance 305 as shown in (b), and if spraying is performed with the foreign substance 305 attached in this way, the nozzle 301 is clogged or the nozzle 301 and the substrate support section 302 are attached. There has been a problem that the spray form becomes unstable due to a change in the electric field lines between and.

  This invention is made | formed in view of the said problem, and it aims at providing the cleaning apparatus and cleaning method which can remove the foreign material adhering to a to-be-cleaned object efficiently.

  In order to solve the above problems, a cleaning device of the present invention includes a friction tank having a first recess having a volume into which a portion to be cleaned of an object to be cleaned can be inserted, and a plurality of portions placed in the first recess. It is characterized by comprising cleaning grains, and a relative moving means for relatively moving the friction tank and the object to be cleaned.

  According to the cleaning device, it is possible to efficiently remove foreign matters attached to the object to be cleaned. Specifically, by relatively moving the friction tank and the object to be cleaned by the relative moving means, the cleaning particles in the friction tank and the object to be cleaned can be continuously collided. Thus, when the cleaning particles and the object to be cleaned collide with each other, friction is generated between the foreign matter adhering to the cleaning portion of the cleaning object and the cleaning particle, and the foreign matter can be scraped off from the cleaning portion.

  Moreover, the said cleaning grain is good in it being a spherical body.

  By doing so, the object to be cleaned can easily move in the first recess.

  In addition, a first liquid is also placed in the first recess, and the specific gravity of the first liquid is preferably smaller than the specific gravity of the cleaning grains.

  By carrying out like this, the foreign material which peeled off from the to-be-cleaned part can prevent reattaching to a to-be-cleaned object. Further, since the specific gravity of the first liquid material is smaller than the specific gravity of the cleaning particles, the frictional force generated when the cleaning particles collide with the portion to be cleaned tends to increase.

  The first liquid material may be a solvent that dissolves foreign matter adhering to the portion to be cleaned.

  By doing so, the foreign matter is melted by the first liquid, and the foreign matter can be prevented from reattaching to the object to be cleaned.

  In addition, it is preferable to further include a liquid immersion tank having a second recess having a volume into which the portion to be cleaned can be inserted, and the second liquid material being placed in the second recess.

  Foreign matter that was about to be peeled off from the portion to be cleaned can be obtained by removing the foreign matter in the first recess of the friction tank and then inserting the portion to be cleaned into the second liquid body in the second recess of the immersion bath. Can be washed away. Further, the foreign matter is softened by inserting the portion to be cleaned into the second liquid body in the second concave portion of the immersion bath before removing the foreign matter in the first concave portion of the friction tank, and the foreign matter caused by the cleaning particles. It becomes easy to remove.

  Moreover, in order to solve the said subject, the cleaning apparatus of this invention has a 1st recessed part which has the volume which can insert the to-be-cleaned part of a to-be-cleaned object, and a some cleaning particle is in the said 1st recessed part. It is characterized by having the friction process which produces friction continuously between a plurality of above-mentioned cleaning grains and the above-mentioned part to be cleaned by making relative movement of the friction tank and the object to be cleaned.

  According to the cleaning method, it is possible to efficiently remove foreign matters attached to the object to be cleaned. Specifically, foreign matters can be scraped off from the portion to be cleaned by generating friction continuously between the plurality of cleaning grains and the portion to be cleaned in the friction step.

  According to the cleaning device and the cleaning method of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently remove foreign matters attached to an object to be cleaned.

It is the schematic which shows the cleaning apparatus in one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the cleaning method in one Embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic which shows the friction process in this invention. It is the schematic which shows a general electrospray apparatus. It is the schematic which shows the electrospray nozzle before and behind adhesion of a foreign material.

  Embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and is a front sectional view.

  The cleaning device 1 includes a friction unit 10, a liquid immersion unit 20, and a nozzle movement unit 30. By moving the nozzle 301, the friction unit 10, and the liquid immersion unit 20 relative to each other by the nozzle movement unit 30, friction is generated. In the unit 10, the foreign matter 305 adhering to the portion to be cleaned 301 a that is the tip of the nozzle 301 is scraped off by friction, and the foreign matter 305 that is about to peel off from the portion to be cleaned 301 a in the liquid immersion unit 20 is washed away. Removed from. Here, the nozzle 301 is a nozzle 301 used in the electrospray apparatus 300 as shown in FIG. 3, and is an object to be cleaned in this description. Further, a plurality of nozzles 301 in this embodiment are arranged as shown in FIG.

  In this description, the vertical direction is referred to as the Z-axis direction, and the direction in which the nozzles 301 are arranged in FIG. 1 in the horizontal direction is referred to as the X-axis direction, and the direction orthogonal to the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction is referred to as the Y-axis direction.

  The nozzle 301 is a tubular member made of a conductor such as stainless steel, and the opening is provided downward. The nozzle 301 is connected to a liquid feeding unit (not shown) via a pipe, and the solution material fed from the liquid feeding unit is filled into the nozzle 301. In this embodiment, a tubular body having an inner diameter of 0.3 mm and an outer diameter of 0.5 mm is used as the nozzle 301. As described above, in the present embodiment, a plurality of nozzles 301 are arranged.

  In addition, a voltage application unit 304 is connected to the nozzle 301 via a voltage application bar 304a. The voltage application unit 304 is, for example, a DC power source, and can apply a voltage of about several kV to several tens of kV from the voltage application unit 304 to the nozzle 30301. As shown in FIG. 3, in the state facing the grounded substrate support portion 302, by applying a voltage from the voltage application portion 304 to the nozzle 301, the solution material is sprayed between the nozzle 301 and the substrate support portion 302. Form. The solution material adheres to the substrate 303 placed between the nozzle 301 and the substrate support portion 302, whereby a coating film made of the solution material is formed on the substrate 303.

  However, depending on the type of the solution material, it solidifies as time passes while adhering to the tip of the nozzle 301, and the solidified solution material remains as a foreign substance 305 as shown in FIG. A region where such foreign matter 305 may exist and a portion to be cleaned according to the present invention is referred to as a portion to be cleaned 301a in this description.

  The friction unit 10 includes a friction tank 11, cleaning grains 12, and a first liquid body 13.

  The friction tank 11 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped bathtub shape, and is provided with a first recess 11a so as to have an opening upward. The first recess 11a has a volume into which the portion to be cleaned 301a can be inserted. In the present embodiment, the portions to be cleaned 301a of the four nozzles 301 can be simultaneously inserted as shown in FIG. Have a large volume.

  A plurality of cleaning grains 12 are placed in the first recess 11a. The cleaning grains 12 have a spherical shape and are spread on the bottom of the first recess 11a to form an aggregate. The cleaning grain 12 has a diameter of 0.5 mm, is larger than the inner diameter (0.3 mm) of the nozzle 301, and does not enter the inside of the nozzle 301. Further, the diameter is not more than twice the inner diameter of the nozzle.

  The cleaning particles 12 are softer than the nozzles 301 so as not to damage the nozzles 301. In the present embodiment, the cleaning particles 12 are made of ceramic or the like.

  In addition, the height (Z-axis direction dimension) of the aggregate of the cleaning grains 12 spread in the first recess 11a is larger than the Z-axis direction dimension of the cleaned part 301a of the nozzle 301, and the cleaned part It is possible to embed the entire 301 a in the aggregate of the cleaning grains 12.

  Further, not only the cleaning particles 12 but also the first liquid material 13 is injected into the first recess 11a. In the present embodiment, the first liquid body 13 is a solvent capable of dissolving the foreign matter 305, that is, a solvent used for the solution material.

  In the present embodiment, the specific gravity of the first liquid body 13 is smaller than the specific gravity of the cleaning particles 12. Further, the water surface of the first liquid body 13 injected into the first recess 11 a is at a position higher than the highest vertex of the aggregate of the cleaning grains 12, and the entire cleaning grains 12 in the first liquid body 13. Is in a sunk form.

  The liquid immersion unit 20 includes a liquid immersion tank 21 and a second liquid material 22.

  The immersion tank 21 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped bathtub-like shape, and is provided with a second recess 21a so as to have an opening in the upward direction. The second recess 21a has a volume into which the portion to be cleaned 301a can be inserted. In the present embodiment, the portion to be cleaned 301a of the four nozzles 301 is provided in the same manner as the first recess 11a of the friction tank 11. It has a volume that can be inserted simultaneously.

  The second liquid material 22 is injected into the second recess 21a. In the present embodiment, the second liquid material 22 is a solvent used for the solution material, like the first liquid material 13. The depth (dimension in the Z-axis direction) of the second liquid material 22 injected into the second recess 21a is larger than the dimension in the Z-axis direction of the portion to be cleaned 301a of the nozzle 301, and the entire portion to be cleaned 301a. Can be immersed in the second liquid body 22.

  The nozzle moving unit 30 is a relative moving means in this description, and includes a Y-axis direction moving device 31, a Z-axis direction moving device 32, and an X-axis direction moving device 33, and the nozzle 301 is moved in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis. The nozzle 301 (object to be cleaned) and the friction tank 11 are relatively moved by moving in the direction and the Z-axis direction. Similarly, the nozzle 301 and the immersion tank 21 are relatively moved.

  The Y-axis direction moving device 31 is a linear motion mechanism composed of a linear stage and the like, and is driven by a control device (not shown) to move the voltage application bar 304a to which the nozzle 301 is attached in the Y-axis direction.

  The Z-axis direction moving device 32 is a linear motion mechanism composed of a linear stage or the like, and is driven by a control device (not shown) to move the Y-axis direction moving device 31 in the Z-axis direction to move the nozzle 301 to Z. Move in the axial direction.

  The X-axis direction moving device 33 is a linear motion mechanism including a linear stage, and the Z-axis direction moving device 32 fixed to the rib 34 is moved in the X-axis direction by being controlled by a control device (not shown). As a result, the nozzle 301 is moved in the X-axis direction.

  Although not shown in FIG. 1, a grounded substrate support portion for placing a substrate is provided along with the friction unit 10 and the liquid immersion unit 20, and the nozzle 301 is moved to the substrate by the nozzle moving unit 30. The solution material can be applied to the substrate placed on the substrate support portion by moving to above the support portion.

  Next, a cleaning method using the above cleaning device 1 will be described. Moreover, the flowchart of this cleaning method is shown in FIG.

  First, the nozzle 301 is moved to above the first concave portion 11a of the friction tank 11 by the nozzle moving unit 30 (step S1).

  Next, the nozzle 301 is lowered by the nozzle moving unit 30, and the portion to be cleaned 301a of the nozzle 301 is buried in the aggregate of the cleaning particles 12 (step S2).

  Next, the friction tank 11 and the nozzle 301 are relatively moved by the nozzle moving unit 30 so that the portion to be cleaned 301a continuously moves in the friction tank 11 for a predetermined time (step S3). This process is called a friction process in this description, and in this embodiment, the nozzle 301 is repeatedly reciprocated in the Z-axis direction for a predetermined time.

  By this friction process, the portion to be cleaned 301a relatively moves continuously within the aggregate of cleaning grains 12 for a predetermined time. At this time, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 3, the cleaning target 301 a and the cleaning particle 12 continuously collide by the movement of the cleaning target 301 a, and the cleaning particle 12 is pushed away. Friction occurs with the surface of the portion to be cleaned 301a. Here, when the foreign matter 305 exists on the surface of the portion to be cleaned 301a, friction is generated between the surface of the cleaning particles 12 and the foreign matter 305, and the foreign matter 305 is scraped off from the portion to be cleaned 301a.

  In the present embodiment, since the cleaning particles 12 are spheres, the cleaning particles 12 that are pushed away by colliding with the portion to be cleaned 301a can easily move while the cleaning particles 12 are filled in the first recess 11a. Thus, the portion to be cleaned 301a can easily move in the first recess 11a. As a result, the frequency of friction between the portion to be cleaned 301a and the cleaning grains 12 is increased, and the foreign matter 305 can be efficiently removed. In the present embodiment, as described above, the diameter of the cleaning particles 12 is larger than the inner diameter of the nozzle 301 and not more than twice the inner diameter, and the cleaning particles 12 do not enter the nozzle 301 and cause clogging. As described above, the cleaning particles 12 are large, and the frequency of friction with the portion to be cleaned 301a is prevented from decreasing.

  In the present embodiment, as described above, the first liquid material 13 is injected into the first recess 11a. Accordingly, the foreign matter 305 peeled off from the portion to be cleaned 301a drifts in the first liquid body 13 and is separated from the portion to be cleaned 301a, so that the foreign matter 305 can be prevented from reattaching to the portion to be cleaned 301a. Further, since the first liquid body 13 is a solvent of the solution material, at least a part of the foreign matter 305 is melted by the first liquid body 13, and thus the foreign matter 305 is further prevented from reattaching to the nozzle 301. be able to.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, the specific gravity of the 1st liquid body 13 is smaller than the specific gravity of the cleaning grain 12 as above-mentioned. If the specific gravity of the first liquid material 13 is larger than the specific gravity of the cleaning particles 12, the cleaning particles 12 float and disperse in the first liquid material 13, and the cleaning particles 12 are individually cleaned in the aggregate of the cleaning particles 12 more than necessary. Since the particles 12 are easy to move, there is a risk that no frictional force will be generated even if the cleaning particles 12 and the portion to be cleaned 301a collide with each other in the friction process. On the other hand, by making the specific gravity of the first liquid body 13 smaller than the specific gravity of the cleaning particles 12, the frictional force generated when the cleaning particles 12 collide with the portion to be cleaned 301a tends to increase.

  In the present embodiment, the movement direction of the nozzle 301 in the friction process is the Z-axis direction, but it may be the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction, or a combination thereof. Further, when the nozzle 301 is moved in the Z-axis direction, there may be a moment when at least a part of the portion to be cleaned 301a comes out from the aggregate of the cleaning grains 12 and the first liquid body 13, but that may be sufficient.

  After completion of the friction process, the nozzle 301 is raised by the nozzle moving unit 30 and moved to above the second recess 21a of the liquid immersion tank 21 (step S4).

  Next, the nozzle 301 is lowered by the nozzle moving unit 30, and the portion to be cleaned 301a of the nozzle 301 is immersed in the second liquid material 22 (step S5).

  Next, the state where the portion to be cleaned 301a is immersed in the second liquid material 22 is continued for a predetermined time (step S6). This process is called a liquid immersion process in this description.

  By this liquid immersion process, the foreign matter 305 that could not be removed in the friction step, in particular, the foreign matter 305 that has been peeled off from the portion to be cleaned 301a is washed away and removed.

  The nozzle 301 and the immersion tank 21 may be moved relative to each other during the immersion process. The foreign matter 305 can be easily removed by the frictional force between the portion to be cleaned 301a and the second liquid 22. Further, at this time, if the nozzle 301 is moved in the Z-axis direction, there may be a moment when at least a part of the portion to be cleaned 301a comes out of the second liquid material 22, but that may be sufficient.

  After completion of the liquid immersion process, the nozzle 301 is raised by the nozzle moving unit 30 (step S7).

  Finally, the portion to be cleaned 301a is dried by air blow or the like (step S8), and the cleaning of the portion to be cleaned 301a is completed.

  Since the friction unit 10 and the liquid immersion unit 20 contain a large number of foreign substances 305 by repeatedly performing the friction process and the liquid immersion process, regular maintenance is required. At this time, the entire friction unit 10 and the liquid immersion unit 20 may be replaced, and the first liquid body 13 and the second liquid body 22 are continuously injected into the first concave portion 11a and the second concave portion 21a. The foreign matter 305 may be pushed away from the first concave portion 11a and the second concave portion 21a by overflowing.

  With the above cleaning device and cleaning method, it is possible to efficiently remove foreign substances adhering to the object to be cleaned.

  The embodiments and examples disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is shown not by the above description of the embodiments and examples but by the scope of claims for patent, and includes all modifications (modifications) within the meaning and scope equivalent to the scope of claims for patent. For example, in the above description, the cleaning target is the nozzle 301 of the electrospray apparatus, but this is not a limitation.

  In the above description, the cleaning unit 12 contains the cleaning particles 12 and the first liquid material 13, but only the cleaning particles 12 may be contained.

  In the above description, the cleaning particles 12 are spherical. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, it may be a polyhedron or may have protrusions formed on the surface of the sphere. Moreover, the cleaning grains 12 having a plurality of types of shapes may be mixed in the first recess 11a.

  Moreover, although the magnitude | size of the cleaning grain 12 is uniform in description of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the cleaning grain 12 of several types of magnitude | sizes may be mixed in the 1st recessed part 11a.

  In the above description, the liquid immersion process is performed after the friction process, but the liquid immersion process may be performed before the friction process. By performing the friction step after softening the foreign matter 305 by the immersion process, the foreign matter 305 can be easily removed from the nozzle 301 in the friction step. In addition, a liquid immersion process may be provided before and after the friction process, and the friction process and the liquid immersion process may be alternately repeated.

  In the above description, the first liquid body 13 of the friction unit 10 and the second liquid body 22 of the immersion unit 20 are both solvents for the foreign matter 305 and are the same, but different liquids may be used. good.

  In this description, the nozzle moving unit 30 is provided as the relative moving means. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the nozzle 301 and the friction unit 10 may be moved relative to each other by using human power as the relative moving means.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cleaning apparatus 10 Friction unit 11 Friction tank 11a 1st recessed part 12 Cleaning grain 13 1st liquid body 20 Immersion unit 21 Immersion tank 21a 2nd recessed part 22 2nd liquid body 30 Nozzle movement unit 31 Y axial direction Moving device 32 Z-axis direction moving device 33 X-axis direction moving device 34 Rib 300 Electrospray device 301 Nozzle (object to be cleaned)
301a To-be-cleaned part 302 Substrate support part 303 Substrate 304 Voltage application part 304a Voltage application bar 305 Foreign matter

Claims (6)

A friction tank having a first recess having a volume into which a portion to be cleaned of a cleaning object can be inserted;
A plurality of cleaning grains placed in the first recess;
Relative movement means for relatively moving the friction tank and the object to be cleaned;
A cleaning device comprising:   The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning grains are spheres.   The first liquid body is also placed in the first recess, and the specific gravity of the first liquid body is smaller than the specific gravity of the cleaning grains. The cleaning device described.   The cleaning apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first liquid material is a solvent that dissolves foreign matter attached to the portion to be cleaned.   5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a liquid immersion tank having a second recessed portion having a volume into which the portion to be cleaned can be inserted, and a second liquid material placed in the second recessed portion. The cleaning apparatus in any one.   By having a first recess having a volume into which a portion to be cleaned of the object to be cleaned can be inserted, and relatively moving the friction tank containing the plurality of cleaning grains in the first recess and the object to be cleaned, A cleaning method, comprising: a friction step for continuously generating friction between the plurality of cleaning grains and the portion to be cleaned.

Images