WO2003006184A1

WO2003006184A1 - Washing device and washing method

Info

Publication number: WO2003006184A1
Application number: PCT/JP2002/007137
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kiyoshi Mito; Katsuhisa Ohta; Shinji Masuoka; Yutaka Asada
Original assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha; Sharp Manufacturing System Kabushiki Kaisha
Priority date: 2001-07-13
Filing date: 2002-07-12
Publication date: 2003-01-23
Also published as: CN1527749A

Abstract

A vacuum ultrasonic washing device capable of easily maintaining airtightness without taking any special consideration by suppressing pressure differences between the inside and outside of major component parts and between the main component parts and providing an excellence in safety against fire and explosion even if inflammable washing fluid is used, wherein a washing tank (6) having a storage part (6a) for storing washing fluid (5) and storing a washed matter (3) in the storage part (6a) and an ultrasonic vibrator unit (7) having a specified space (7a) therein and providing ultrasonic vibration to the washing fluid (5) are installed in a vacuum container (1) allowed to be brought into a vacuum state, and the specified space (7a) of the ultrasonic vibrator unit (7) is open from an inlet (10a) into the vacuum container (1) through a check valve (11).

Description

Description Cleaning equipment and cleaning method

The present invention relates to a cleaning apparatus for cleaning electronic, mechanical, and molding-related parts, and a method for cleaning such parts. In particular, the present invention provides ultrasonic cleaning to water or a hydrocarbon-based cleaning liquid placed in a vacuum. The present invention relates to a cleaning apparatus for cleaning a part immersed in a cleaning liquid, and a cleaning method for ultrasonically cleaning a part under vacuum and then drying the part in a vacuum. Background art

Conventionally, fluorine-based solutions such as chlorofluorocarbons and chlorine-based solutions such as 1,1,1-trichloroethane have been often used as cleaning solutions for cleaning parts. However, these vaporized solutions are said to have the property of depleting the ozone layer, and in 1987, the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer, the force on the The phase-in convention was adopted in accordance with the stipulations on the gradual reduction and regulation of production volume for specified CFCs. Since then, it has been reviewed several times, and revisions have been made, such as the addition of regulated substances and the advancement of the regulatory schedule.

In Japan, the aforementioned Wien Treaty and the Montreal Protocol were ratified on September 30, 1998. This protocol determines that HCFC (hydrogen, chlorine, fluorine, and carbon compounds), which replaces CFCs (chlorine, fluorine, and carbon compounds), will be completely abolished by 2010. It is anticipated that the total abolition period will be further advanced in the future. In relation to these, regulations on water quality and air pollution are also being reviewed for chlorine systems, and the regulations are being strengthened every year.

On the other hand, activities related to the prevention of global warming are also becoming active.The Kyoto Conference on Global Warming Prevention in January 1997, obliged Japan to reduce greenhouse gases by 6%. Was. The targets of this greenhouse gas include HFCs (hydrogen, fluorine and carbon compounds) and perfluorocarbons, which are alternative fluorocarbons. This has also led to tighter emission regulations in Ron. Therefore, in the future, there is a need to have more than enough watch on regulatory trends, and it is also strongly required to take immediate measures.

Against this background, attention has recently been paid to cleaning parts using water or non-chlorine-based solutions, which are considered to be less likely to cause ozone layer destruction, but it is necessary to pay attention to the following points: There is.

First, water is used.First, although water itself is inexpensive, it requires many additional facilities related to water handling, and installation of such facilities requires a great deal of cost. That is. As ancillary equipment, besides the washing equipment itself, for example, water storage equipment, sedimentation / purification / sludge treatment equipment, drainage equipment, or pretreatment equipment when low-purity water is used, In addition, these installation spaces and auxiliary space for maintenance are required. Also: Needless to say, initial operation and maintenance costs are inevitable for the operation, maintenance, and drainage management of these facilities. In particular, in drainage management, care must be taken to ensure that the water quality standards are met when draining used water.

Second, the expected cleaning effect may not be obtained due to the wettability of water. The surface tension of water is 68.74 ± 0.05 dy n / cm at 45 ° C, and 72.7 ± 0.05 dyn / cm at 20 ° C, which is quite a base value. high. On the other hand, in conventional fluorine-based and chlorine-based solutions, for example, CFC113 at 1 ° dyn / cm 2 at 25 ° C, 25 dyn / cm2 at 1,0,1,1-trichloroethane. Only 13-1 Z 4 for cm and water. In other words, it can be said that water has poor wettability as compared with a solution that has been frequently used in the past. Therefore, when cleaning is performed using water in the same manner as in the past, water easily penetrates into overlapping parts and close contact parts between parts, or small holes and corners formed in parts. As a result, it becomes impossible to enter, and dirt or the like adhering to these portions cannot be cleaned, resulting in a poor cleaning effect.

Third, when cleaning is performed in an atmosphere with air mixed or in an environment such as a heated normal pressure, if the part to be cleaned has a metal part, the oxidizing power of the water will induce the mackerel. Therefore, prevention measures are indispensable. Especially in such an environment, Since the drying time is prolonged, water spots and the like are liable to occur, and the appearance is impaired even if the corners are washed.

On the other hand, when a non-chlorine-based solution such as a silicon-based, hydrocarbon-based, or alcohol-based solution is used, firstly, its boiling point is as high as about 200 ° C. Therefore, when the solution is vaporized under normal pressure and the parts are cleaned with steam, the steam temperature becomes extremely high, and problems such as thermal deformation and deterioration of the parts to be cleaned occur. However, there is also a problem that the drying property is inferior to that of a fluorine-based or chlorine-based solution that has been frequently used in the past. Second, hydrocarbon solutions have a low flash point of 50 to 80 ° C, so it is strongly required to ensure safety against fires and explosions.

As described above, there are various points to keep in mind when using water or a non-chlorine-based cleaning solution.However, in particular, with regard to the improvement of detergency and drying property and the securing of safety against hydrocarbons, It is desirable to use a so-called vacuum ultrasonic cleaning device that applies ultrasonic vibration to the cleaning liquid placed in a reduced-pressure environment to clean parts immersed in the cleaning liquid, or a vacuum-type drying device that can dry in a reduced-pressure environment. . This is because the cleaning and drying equipment that creates a reduced-pressure environment is a so-called closed system in which the piping system including the vacuum vessel has a closed structure. The internal oxygen concentration is extremely low, which can prevent ignition and, even if there is a defect in the piping system, the negative pressure does not cause the internal solution or vapor to leak out, ensuring safety. Because it leads to In addition, in the case of a cleaning apparatus, if the cleaning liquid is placed under reduced pressure when applying ultrasonic vibration to the cleaning liquid, it is possible to easily generate cavitation as a cleaning power, thereby improving the cleaning power. In the case of a drying device, the saturated vapor pressure is reduced under reduced pressure, so the boiling point of the solution is substantially reduced, and the solution can be easily evaporated compared to that in a normal pressure atmosphere, and the drying property is improved. This is because it is advantageous for.

Here, first, a conventional vacuum ultrasonic cleaning apparatus, for example, according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-33349, has a lid as shown in FIGS. A vibration plate 103 integral with the cover 107 is disposed on the bottom wall of the washing tank 101 storing the washing liquid 102, and one end is connected to the solenoid valve 104 and the vacuum pump 105. Connecting piping 1 0 6 a, 10 6 b force branching from the other end of 10 6 Connect to washing tank 10 1 and cover 10 7 respectively A vibrator 108 covered with a case is disposed inside the cleaning tank 101 (throw-in type), and the piping 106a and 106b are respectively connected. It is connected to the cleaning tank 101 and the vibrator 108 (see Fig. 15).

Therefore, by operating the vacuum pump 105 and opening the solenoid valve 104, the pressure inside the cleaning tank 101 is reduced to put the cleaning liquid 102 under vacuum, and the diaphragm is added to the cleaning liquid 102. Ultrasonic vibration is applied from 103 and the vibrator 108 to clean the immersed object to be cleaned. In addition, at the same time, the inside of the case that covers the cover 107 and the vibrator 108 is reduced in pressure through the same pipe 106, so that the case that covers the cover 107 and the vibrator 108 is also reduced. Since there is no pressure difference between the inside of the chamber and the inside of the washing tank 101, they can bend or deform without making the case that covers the diaphragm 103 and the vibrator 108 thicker. Disappears.

However, in such a cleaning device, a pressure difference is generated between the inside and outside of the washing tank 101 and the pipes 106a and 106b, and in FIG. Special care must be taken to maintain the airtightness between the components. For example, the connection between the pipe 106a and the cleaning tank 101, which are particularly weak parts for airtightness, the connection between the diaphragm 103 and the cover 107, and the pipe 106b and the cover At the connecting part with 107 (see Fig. 14) or cleaning tank 101 (see Fig. 15), seal with sealing material, welding material, fittings, etc. Appropriate selection of materials and sealing methods is important in design, and it is also necessary to give due consideration to deterioration of these sealing materials and sealing methods due to aging.

After the cleaning under vacuum is completed, usually, a compressed gas or air (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “vent gas”) is introduced into the cleaning tank 101 to change the pressure from the vacuum state to the normal pressure. (Hereinafter, may be referred to as a “vent”). This is because when removing the object to be cleaned from the cleaning tank 101, it is necessary to open the lid first, but if the inside of the cleaning tank 101 is kept in a vacuum state, the lid is crimped, This is because it is extremely difficult to open the lid. When vent gas is introduced into the cleaning tank 101 to perform this venting, the mist-like cleaning liquid 102 floating in the cleaning tank 101 is connected to the piping by negative pressure action. It is sucked by 106 a and 106 b, reaches the inside of the case that covers the cover 107 and the vibrator 108, and accumulates. Generally, diaphragm 1 or 3 108 is driven by electricity, and the charging section that controls the electric drive is provided inside the case that covers the cover 107 and the vibrator 108. If a flammable hydrocarbon-based cleaning solution is used, the live parts may become an ignition source and ignite the mist-like cleaning liquid 102 accumulated around the live parts, causing a fire or explosion. It also has the disadvantage that it is very likely to be caused.

Next, in a conventional vacuum-type drying apparatus, the object to be dried to which the cleaning liquid is attached is placed in a vacuum container, and the state of vacuum is applied, whereby the cleaning liquid attached to the object to be dried is vaporized. The necessary heat (evaporation latent heat) is removed from the material to be dried while boiling and evaporating, and vacuum drying proceeds. On the other hand, as the drying proceeds, the temperature of the material to be dried gradually decreases, and when this temperature falls below the saturated vapor pressure temperature, if the degree of vacuum in the vacuum vessel is in the same state, then, Since the boiling and evaporation of the cleaning liquid are stopped, in order to avoid this situation, generally, the vacuum capacity is further increased to increase the ultimate vacuum, or the temperature of the material to be dried at the start of evacuation is increased. In addition, a device for supplying heat to the material to be dried during evacuation is required.

For example, there is a hot air heating method in which hot air is blown into a vacuum vessel as a simple method to raise the temperature of the material to be dried at the start of evacuation ^). However, heating for a limited time causes the vacuum vessel to enter a dry state without the temperature of the side wall rising sufficiently, so that the gas of the evaporated cleaning solution contacts the side wall and cools and condenses. As a result, there is a problem in that it remains in the vacuum container and inhibits drying. Furthermore, when drying a dried object having a complicated shape having a thin tube or a complicated shape, a temperature difference is likely to occur particularly in each part, and the drying state in each part becomes uneven due to the temperature difference. As a result, there is a problem that the appearance of the washed and dried object to be dried is significantly impaired. As another method, there is also a steam injection heating method in which steam is forcibly injected toward the material to be dried.However, it is necessary to provide equipment for evaporating and a pump for injection to increase the cost. Will happen. Disclosure of the invention

The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and suppresses a pressure difference between inside and outside of a main component and between the components, so that airtightness can be easily achieved without special consideration. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vacuum ultrasonic cleaning apparatus which is capable of maintaining the above conditions and which is excellent in safety against fire and explosion even when a flammable cleaning liquid is used.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a cleaning method capable of efficiently and safely cleaning and drying electronic, mechanical, and molding-related parts.

In order to achieve the above object, a cleaning apparatus according to the present invention is directed to a cleaning apparatus for applying an ultrasonic vibration to a cleaning liquid placed under vacuum to clean an object to be cleaned immersed in the cleaning liquid, A cleaning tank for storing and holding the object to be cleaned, and a vibrator having a predetermined space therein and applying ultrasonic vibration to the cleaning liquid, provided in a vacuum chamber for cleaning capable of maintaining a vacuum state, A predetermined space is opened in the cleaning vacuum vessel. This allows the cleaning tank and the vibrating body to be under the same pressure, and there is no pressure difference between the inside and outside of the cleaning tank and the vibrating body. Airtightness can be maintained. A charging section for generating ultrasonic vibration is generally provided in a predetermined space of the vibrating body, but if a flammable cleaning liquid such as a hydrocarbon-based cleaning liquid is used as the cleaning liquid, the cleaning liquid leaks. If there is a risk of causing a fire or explosion when the charged part is in a predetermined space due to an ignition source, a purge gas for purging a predetermined space of the vibrator is supplied to the predetermined space. Preferably, a purge gas supply means is provided.

In addition, from the viewpoint of easily providing a vibrating body, a vibrator that emits ultrasonic vibration is provided in the predetermined space formed by a vibration plate through which ultrasonic vibration propagates and a cover mounted on the vibration plate. Wherein the diaphragm is disposed so that the predetermined space faces the outside of the cleaning tank so as to close an opening formed in a bottom wall or a side wall of the cleaning tank. It is preferable that the diaphragm is fixed by inserting a bolt from a peripheral portion of the diaphragm into a through hole penetrating the bottom wall or the side wall of the cleaning tank. However, the cleaning liquid stored in the cleaning tank may leak through the through-hole, but if the cleaning liquid leaks through the through-hole and does not enter the predetermined space, the vibrator may erode. Or the risk of fire or explosion from the charged part of the transducer as an ignition source is greatly reduced, so the cover is attached at the center side of the through hole on the diaphragm. Have been Further, in order to more reliably prevent the cleaning liquid leaking from the through hole from entering the predetermined space, the center of the diaphragm is depressed with respect to the cleaning tank more than the peripheral portion having the through hole. Preferably, the cover is mounted on the central portion of the diaphragm.

When the object to be cleaned after cleaning is removed from the cleaning liquid to above the cleaning tank, a portion of the cleaning liquid adheres to the object to be cleaned and drops out while being taken out, and the surroundings of the cleaning tank are randomly disordered, and the cleaning tank is not cleaned. To avoid this, the vibrating body provided on the side wall and bottom wall may be inadvertently wetted along the outer surface of the side wall. Preferably, the upper end of the side wall of the cleaning tank is bent outward and downward so as to keep away from the side wall of the tank.

Also, even if the dripped cleaning liquid flows down along the outer surface of the side wall of the cleaning tank, the lower end of the side wall of the cleaning tank has a bottom end in order to prevent the cleaning liquid from wrapping around the bottom wall provided with the vibrator and the like. It is good to project below the wall. Furthermore, if the cleaning liquid flowing down the outer wall of the side wall can be collected at a predetermined position, the recovery becomes easier.For example, the edge of the lower end portion of the side wall of the cleaning tank is uneven or has a flat surface. It may be inclined.

Further, the cleaning apparatus according to the present invention comprises: a cleaning tank for storing a cleaning liquid and accommodating an object to be cleaned; and a vibrator having a predetermined space therein and applying ultrasonic vibration to the cleaning liquid, comprising: A predetermined space of the vibrator is provided in the container, and the predetermined space of the vibrator is opened in the cleaning vacuum container. The cleaning liquid placed under vacuum is subjected to ultrasonic vibration to immerse the cleaning liquid in the cleaning liquid. Cleaning means for cleaning the cleaning object; a vacuum container for drying capable of holding the object to be cleaned which has been cleaned by the cleaning means as an object to be dried and taking a vacuum state; and a heating container for storing the heated solution And a pipe communicating the drying vacuum vessel and the heating vessel. One end of the pipe is opened toward the object to be dried, and the other end of the pipe is immersed in the solution. When the vacuum vessel for drying is in a vacuum state, A drying means which is opened and injects the solution in a boiling state from the one end of the pipe toward the object to be dried, and dries the object to be dried. As a result, the object to be cleaned is first subjected to safe ultrasonic cleaning under vacuum by the cleaning means, and then the heat is efficiently applied to the object to be dried in the vacuum state by the drying means. Dry in time Dried.

It is desirable that the solution sprayed toward the object to be dried has a low latent heat of vaporization that can be evaporated even if the temperature of the object to be dried is not so high.For example, if the solution is a hydrocarbon-based solution Good.

Also, when heating the solution, if a heat source such as a heater directly touches the solution, there is a risk of fire or explosion.To avoid this, the heating vessel is divided into two chambers by partition walls. It is preferable that one side contains the solution and the other side is provided with a heat source, and the heat from the heat source is applied to the solution through the partition wall so that the solution is heated.

In order to stabilize the state of the boiling solution sprayed toward the object to be dried and the temperature of the product to be dried, a drive valve is provided in the pipe path, and the It is preferable that the degree of opening and closing of the drive valve is adjusted based on a pressure in a vacuum vessel, a pressure in the heating vessel containing the solution, and a temperature of the solution.

In addition, if the condensed solution is heated by applying heat to the object to be dried and vaporized again to heat the object to be dried or the temperature in the vacuum vessel can be increased more rapidly, the efficiency will increase. Preferably, at least one of the inner side surface and the bottom surface of the drying vacuum container is provided with a heating means.

Then, from the viewpoint of suppressing the running cost of the solution sprayed toward the object to be dried, the solution is sprayed toward the object to be dried and the drying is performed in consideration of reuse of the solution without impairing the properties of the solution. It is preferable to include a solution condensing means for collecting and condensing the vaporized solution present in the vacuum container for use, and a supply means for supplying the solution condensed by the solution condensing means to the heating container.

Further, it is desirable that the solution injected toward the object to be dried is always in a purified new liquid state, and the solution injected toward the object to be dried and collected on the bottom surface of the vacuum chamber for drying is desirably used. It is preferable to provide a solution discharging means for collecting and discharging.

Further, a cleaning method according to the present invention for achieving the above object, comprises: a cleaning tank that stores a cleaning liquid and stores an object to be cleaned; and a vibrator that has a predetermined space therein and applies ultrasonic vibration to the cleaning liquid. A cleaning state that can be maintained in a vacuum state; A space is opened in the vacuum chamber for cleaning, a cleaning step of applying ultrasonic vibration to the cleaning liquid placed under vacuum, and cleaning the object to be cleaned immersed in the cleaning liquid; A vacuum container for drying capable of holding the object to be cleaned after drying as a material to be dried and maintaining a vacuum state, a heating container for storing a heated solution, and communicating the vacuum container for drying with the heating container. One end of the pipe is opened toward the object to be dried, the other end of the pipe is immersed in the solution, and the pipe is evacuated when the drying vacuum container is in a vacuum state. A drying step in which the solution is opened and the solution is sprayed in a boiling state from the one end of the pipe toward the object to be dried, and the object to be dried is dried. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a configuration of an entire cleaning apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention ₍ FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a main part of a cleaning unit in the cleaning apparatus of the first embodiment).

FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a state of leakage of the cleaning liquid.

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing a state in which the cleaning liquid drips.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a main part of a lower portion of a cleaning tank in a cleaning device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a cleaning unit in a cleaning device according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of part A of FIG. 6 schematically showing the state of leakage of the cleaning liquid.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the lower part of the cleaning tank in the cleaning device of the fourth embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the lower part of the cleaning tank in the cleaning device of the fifth embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the physical properties of the cleaning liquid.

FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of the entire drying apparatus according to the sixth embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a drying unit in a drying device according to a sixth embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a drying unit in the drying device according to the seventh embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a sectional view of a main part of a conventional cleaning apparatus.

FIG. 15 is a sectional view of a main part of another conventional cleaning apparatus. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, a cleaning device and a drying device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be sequentially described with reference to the drawings. It will be described in detail with reference to FIG. First, a cleaning device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of the entire cleaning apparatus, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the cleaning unit in FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the washing apparatus is roughly divided into a washing section and a distillation section. The distillation section is composed of a still, a primary tank, a drain tank, a reheater, a condenser, cooling water, hot water, a water removal unit, etc., but is not directly related to the present invention. Omitted.

First, the main configuration of the cleaning unit will be described below. 1 is a vacuum vessel (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a “vacuum vessel for cleaning” to distinguish it from the vacuum vessel 201 for drying described later), 2 is the lid of the vacuum vessel 1, and 3 is related to electronics, machinery, and molding. An object to be cleaned such as parts, 4 is a basket for storing the object to be cleaned 3, 5 is a hydrocarbon-based cleaning liquid, 6 is a cleaning tank for storing the object to be cleaned 3, and 7 is an ultrasonic vibrator unit.

The vacuum vessel 1 is formed in a cylindrical shape with an open upper end, and has a cleaning tank 6 and an ultrasonic oscillator unit 7 installed inside.A lid that rotates around the base shaft 2a is located at the open upper end. It has two. In other words, with the lid 2 rotated and opened, the net-like basket 4 containing the object 3 to be washed is put in and out of the vacuum vessel 1, while the vacuum vessel 1 is closed and closed. It has become so. In addition, vacuum evacuation □ 1a is formed on the bottom wall of the vacuum vessel 1, and a pressure sensor 17 for detecting the pressure in the vacuum vessel 1 is provided on the lid 2.

The cleaning tank 6 is roughly divided into a storage section 6a for storing the cleaning liquid 5 and a overflow collecting section 6h for collecting the cleaning liquid 5 overflowing from the storage section 6a, sharing the bottom wall 6d. A cleaning liquid supply □ 6 g for supplying the cleaning liquid 5 is formed on the side wall of the storage tank section 6 a, an opening 6 f is formed above the cleaning liquid supply □ 6 g, and a pair of upper and lower liquids sandwiching the opening □ 6 f is formed. Position sensor 15 is arranged. Here, the cleaning liquid 5 stored in the storage tank section 6a flows out of the opening □ 6f to the overflow collecting section 6h when it exceeds the opening □ 6f, and on the other hand, by the liquid level sensor 15. When the liquid level is detected and the liquid level drops, a new cleaning liquid 5 is supplied from the cleaning liquid supply D 6 g, so that a constant liquid level is always maintained. The cleaning liquid supply port 6 g is connected to a liquid supply pipe 35 communicating with a cleaning liquid temperature control tank 30 described later, and an opening 6 i is formed in the bottom wall 6 d of the overflow liquid recovery section 6 h. The storage section 6a is provided with a temperature sensor 16 for detecting the temperature of the cleaning liquid 5. The upper end 6c of the side wall 6b of the cleaning tank 6 is bent outward and downward, while the lower end 6e protrudes below the bottom wall 6d.

The ultrasonic vibrator unit 7 includes a vibrating plate 8 through which ultrasonic vibration propagates, a plurality of vibrators 9 mounted on the lower surface of the vibrating plate 8 to generate ultrasonic vibrations, and a vibrator surrounding each of the vibrators 9. An inner space 7 a is formed by a cover 10 attached to the lower surface of the plate 8 and surrounded by the vibration plate 8 and the cover 10. The diaphragm 8 has a central portion 8a to which the respective vibrators 9 are attached, which is raised one step above the peripheral portion 8b, and the cover 10 is attached on the central portion 8a. I have.

An opening 6j is formed in the bottom wall 6d of the storage tank 6a, and the diaphragm 8 is arranged so as to close the opening 6j with the upper surface of the central portion 8a of the diaphragm 8. A bolt 1 2 is inserted into a through hole (not shown) that penetrates the peripheral portion 8 b of the diaphragm 8, the bottom wall 6 d of the cleaning tank 6, and a Teflon (R) packing 13 sandwiched therebetween. And is fastened. The end of each of the vibrators 9 driven by electricity is provided with a charging section 9 a for controlling its electric drive. The cover 10 has a suction port 10 a and a vacuum vessel 1. And an exhaust port 10b to which a check valve 11 that allows the internal space Ίa to be opened only toward the exhaust port is formed.

The vacuum exhaust port 1a of the vacuum vessel 1 is connected to one end of a vacuum exhaust pipe 20 provided with solenoid valves 21 and 22 in a path, and the other end of the vacuum exhaust pipe 20 is connected to a vacuum pump 25. It is linked to Further, a gas-liquid separator 26 is provided downstream of the vacuum pump 25. On the other hand, the evacuation pipe 20 branches off between the solenoid valves 21 and 22 to form a branch pipe 20 a connected to the opening 6 i of the overflow collection part 6 h. A solenoid valve 23 is provided in the path a. That is, by opening the solenoid valves 21 and 22, the pressure in the vacuum vessel 1 is reduced, and the cleaning tank 6 and the ultrasonic transducer unit 7 are reduced in pressure. The internal space 7a of the ultrasonic transducer unit 7 is also depressurized through this. On the other hand, by opening the solenoid valve 23, the cleaning liquid 5 flowing out to the overflow collection part 6h is sucked into the branch pipe 20a. The air intake □ 10a of the cover 10 will be described later in detail, but the purging of the internal space 7a of the ultrasonic vibrator unit 7 from the start of the depressurization to the completion of the cleaning, and the vent after the completion of the cleaning It is used when it is connected to one end of the intake pipe 46. This intake pipe 46 has a flow meter 47, a check valve 48, etc. in the path, and the other end is branched into two, one of which is connected via a regulator 41, a solenoid valve 42, etc. It is connected to a gas cylinder 40 sealed with an inert gas such as nitrogen gas, and the other is connected to air 43 such as compressed air or open air via a solenoid valve 44 or a check valve 45. . That is, the cleaning device of the present embodiment is a form in which the purging action and the venting action are shared. Further, the gas and air 43 in the gas cylinder 40 can be selected as the gas for purging and venting. Of course, it is sufficient to provide only one of them. In addition, it is preferable to use an inert gas as a purge and vent gas from the viewpoint of preventive safety.

The operation of the cleaning apparatus having such a configuration and the state during the operation will be described below. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a basket 4 containing an object to be cleaned 3 is stored in a cleaning tank 6 provided in a vacuum container 1, and the cleaning liquid 5 stored in a storage tank 6a is supplied to the cleaning tank 5. Immerse and leave lid 2 closed. Next, when the vacuum pump 25 is operated and the solenoid valves 21 and 22 are opened, the air in the vacuum vessel 1 is sucked from the vacuum pump 1 a to the vacuum pump 25 through the vacuum pump pipe 20. Then, evacuation is started. At this time, by opening the solenoid valve 42 or the like or the solenoid valve 44 of the intake pipe 46, the internal space 7a of the ultrasonic vibrator unit 7 is called gas or air 43 in the gas cylinder 40. The purge gas is introduced from the intake port 10a and purged, and at the same time, it is sucked from the exhaust port 10Ob via the check valve 11 and the pressure is reduced. In addition, the solenoid valve 23 of the branch pipe 20a is also opened to suck the cleaning liquid 5 flowing out to the overflow collecting part 6h.

Then, when the vibrator 9 is actuated when the pressure in the vacuum vessel 1 detected by the pressure gauge 17 reaches a predetermined value (vacuum state), the ultrasonic vibration propagates through the diaphragm 8 to the cleaning liquid 5. The cavitation is generated in the cleaning liquid 5 and the immersed object 3 is cleaned.

After a lapse of a predetermined time, the cleaning of the object to be cleaned 3 is completed, and the process shifts to a vent. When the solenoid valve 22 or the solenoid valves 21 and 23 of the vacuum exhaust pipe 20 are closed, and then the solenoid valve 42 or the like or the solenoid valve 44 of the intake pipe 46 is opened, the gas cylinder 40 A vent gas such as a gas or air 43 is introduced from the check valve 11 through the intake unit 10a and the exhaust port 10b of the ultrasonic vibrator unit 7, and the pressure in the vacuum vessel 1 becomes normal pressure. Is returned to. Then, the lid 2 is opened, the basket 4 containing the washed object 3 is taken out of the vacuum vessel 1, and the process is completed.

Here, the cleaning liquid 5 that has flowed out into the overflow collecting section 6 h and the mist-like cleaning liquid 5 existing in the pressure vessel 1 are discharged from the vacuum exhaust port la of the vacuum vessel 1 and the overflow collecting section 6 h. The water is sucked from i through a vacuum exhaust pipe 20 to a vacuum pump 25 and purified through a gas-liquid separator 26 and a distillation unit. After that, the temperature is adjusted to about 40 ° C in the washing liquid temperature control tank 30 provided with the heating coil 31 and the cooling coil 32, and the liquid supply pump 36, the filter 37, and the solenoid valve 18 Are supplied from a cleaning liquid supply port 6 g to a storage tank 6 a via a liquid supply pipe 35 provided in the path. This supply is performed by operating the liquid supply pump 36, the solenoid valve 18 and the like based on the output from the liquid level sensor 15 provided in the storage section 6a.

Examples of the vacuum pump 25 include a reciprocating type, a liquid ring type, and a rotary type vacuum pump. In the cleaning apparatus of the present embodiment, a liquid ring type vacuum pump is used for the following reasons. Has adopted. The liquid ring vacuum pump 25 sucks the cleaning liquid 5 flowing out from the opening 6 f of the storage tank section 6 a into the overflow collecting section 6 h and the mist cleaning liquid 5 existing in the pressure vessel 1. However, unlike a normal seal-type vacuum pump, there is little spark or heat generation due to friction on the metal sliding surface, so that the liquid is in contact with the rotating part of the pump with a liquid in between, and the safety is high. Because there is no. On the other hand, the liquid ring vacuum pump 25 generates severe noise due to the cavity when the degree of vacuum used reaches the saturated vapor pressure of the replenisher, and the pump cannot be used. Generally, an air ejector is arranged at the front stage of the path to suck air. However, in the cleaning device of the present embodiment, the role of the air ejector is replaced by the supply of purge gas. Since the inside space 7a of the ultrasonic vibrator unit 7 has been cut off from the outside except for the supply of the purge gas and the vent gas, the mist-like cleaning liquid 5 existing in the pressure vessel 1 is not filled. Since it does not enter the internal space 7a and is always kept in a purged and vented state, even if the cleaning liquid 5 leaks into the internal space 7a due to a defect of the diaphragm 8, etc. The exhaust gas is forcibly discharged from the check valve 11 via the exhaust □ 10 b. In other words, the charged portion 9a of the vibrator 9 provided in the internal space 7a serves as an ignition source, and there is no occurrence of a state in which the cleaning solution 5 is ignited to cause a fire or explosion. By the way, When the cleaning liquid 5 is a hydrocarbon, the explosion range is about 0.8 to 5.5 vol.% (See FIG. 10). However, in the cleaning apparatus of this embodiment, the internal space 7a is always purged. And venting to avoid this explosion area.

Further, since the cover 10 forming the internal space 7a of the ultrasonic vibrator unit 7 is attached to the diaphragm 8 on the center side from the bolt 12, the cleaning liquid 5 is temporarily provided. Even if it leaks through the through hole (2) and the packing (13) (hatched part in Fig. 3), it does not enter the internal space 7a. Moreover, by raising the central portion 8a of the diaphragm 8, it becomes more advantageous to prevent the above-mentioned leaked cleaning liquid 5 from entering the internal space 7a, and furthermore, from the shape thereof. Since the deformation resistance of the diaphragm 8 itself increases, when the bolts of the diaphragm 8 are fastened, deformation such as waving or undulation of the diaphragm 8 due to the tightening torque is less likely to occur, and careful management of the tightening torque is greatly improved. This also has the effect of reducing emissions. For example, in experiments conducted by the inventors, the number of installation steps was reduced by about 20%.

The cleaning tank 6 and the ultrasonic transducer unit 7, which are the main components, are both placed under the same vacuum in the vacuum vessel 1, and there is no pressure difference between the inside and outside. There is no load on the related parts to be connected. Therefore, for example, the plate thickness of the diaphragm 8 is usually about 3 to 4 mm in consideration of the strength with respect to the pressure difference and the propagation efficiency of ultrasonic vibration, but in the cleaning device of the present embodiment, Since it is not necessary to consider the pressure difference, a plate thickness of about 2-3 mm used under normal pressure is sufficient. By the way, as shown in FIG. 4, when removing the cleaning target 3 from the cleaning liquid 5 above the cleaning tank 6, part of the cleaning liquid 5 adheres to the cleaning target 3 and the basket 4. Droplets 5 a dropping out while being taken out, dirty randomly around the cleaning tank 6, and flow down along the outer surface of the side wall 6 b of the cleaning tank 6, and ultrasonic waves provided on the side wall 6 b and bottom wall 6 d The transducer unit 7 is wetted carelessly. In particular, since the internal space 7a of the ultrasonic vibrator unit 7 is provided with a charged portion 9a of the vibrator 9 serving as an ignition source, from the viewpoint of safety against fire and explosion, It is preferable to avoid the situation. Therefore, in the cleaning apparatus of the present embodiment, the droplet 5a is moved away from the side wall 6b of the cleaning tank 6 by the upper end 6c of the side wall 6b of the cleaning tank 6 bent outward and downward, and the cleaning is performed. Of the side wall 6 b projecting below the bottom wall 6 d of the tank 6 The lower end 6 e prevents the droplet 5 a flowing down the outer surface of the side wall 6 b of the cleaning tank 6 from flowing around the bottom wall 6 d provided with the ultrasonic vibrator unit 7. .

Next, a cleaning device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a main part of a lower portion of a cleaning tank in the cleaning apparatus according to the second embodiment. In the drawings, parts having the same names and the same functions as those of the cleaning device of the first embodiment are _denoted by the same reference numerals, overlapping description will be omitted, and different points will be described. The same applies to the cleaning device of the embodiment.

Features of the cleaning apparatus of the second embodiment is that the bottom wall 6 d inner surface of the cleaning tank 6 in the cleaning apparatus of the first embodiment is provided with the ultrasonic vibrator Yuni' preparative 7 to be flush _£ The raised central portion 8a of the diaphragm 8 is fitted into the opening 6j of the cleaning tank 6, and the diaphragm 8 is attached so that the inner surface of the bottom wall 6d is flush. Therefore, foreign substances and residues taken into the cleaning liquid 5 from the cleaning object 3 are unlikely to stagnate, and are quickly diffused throughout the cleaning liquid 5 to ensure high-quality cleaning performance, and also facilitate cleaning and maintenance. . Next, a cleaning apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a cleaning unit in the cleaning device of the third embodiment, and FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of part A of FIG. 6 showing leakage of the cleaning liquid.

A feature of the cleaning apparatus of the third embodiment is that the cleaning tank 6 is vertically long, and the ultrasonic vibrator unit 7 is provided on the side wall 6 b of the cleaning tank 6. The washing tank 6 is roughly divided into a storage tank section 6a and an overflow liquid collecting section 6h, sharing the bottom wall 6d and one side wall 6b. An opening 6 k is formed in one side wall 6 b of the storage tank 6 a, and the diaphragm 8 is arranged so as to close the opening 6 k at the center 8 a of the diaphragm 8. Bolts 12 are fastened to through holes (not shown) that penetrate the peripheral portion 8 b, one side wall 6 b of the cleaning tank 6, and the packing 13 sandwiched therebetween. Further, a gutter-like projection 8c is provided on the periphery 8b of the diaphragm 8 so as to surround the bolts 12 so as to surround the bolts 12. <Thus, the object 3 to be cleaned is used for screen printing. In the case of a relatively large and slender shape such as a silk screen plate, ultrasonic vibration can be applied from the side while the object to be cleaned 3 is standing, and cleaning can be performed efficiently. Also, even if the cleaning liquid 5 leaks through the through hole of the bolt 12 and the packing 13 (the hatched portion in FIG. 7), Since it can be received by the gutter-shaped projection 8 c provided on the plate 8, it does not enter the internal space 7 a of the ultrasonic vibrator unit 7.

Further, in the cleaning device of the present embodiment, the upper end portion 6c of the side wall 6b of the cleaning tank 6 bent outward and downward causes droplets that drip when removing the object 3 to be cleaned after cleaning. The ultrasonic vibrator unit 7 provided on one side wall 6b of the cleaning layer 6 is removed because it is collected in the cleaning tank 6 or is further distant from the side wall 6b of the cleaning tank 6. Do not inadvertently get wet. In other words, even if the cleaning liquid 5 is flammable, there is no situation in which the charging section 9a of the vibrator 9 provided in the internal space 7a of the ultrasonic vibrator unit 7 becomes a source of ignition and a fire or Safety against explosion can be ensured.

Next, cleaning apparatuses according to fourth and fifth embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 8 is a side view of the lower portion of the cleaning tank in the cleaning device of the fourth embodiment, and FIG. 9 is a side view of the lower portion of the cleaning tank in the cleaning device of the fifth embodiment.

A feature of the cleaning apparatuses of the fourth and fifth embodiments is that the edge of the lower end 6e of the cleaning tank 6 in the cleaning apparatus of the first embodiment is deformed. In the cleaning device of the fourth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the edge of the lower end 6 e is uneven, so that the droplet a flows down along the outer surface of the side wall 6 b of the cleaning tank 6, and collects and drops on the convex portion by its own weight. In the cleaning device of the fifth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the edge of the lower end 6e is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane, so that the droplet 5a is applied to the outer surface of the side wall 6b of the cleaning tank 6. It flows down and gathers on the lowest slope part due to its own weight and drops. Therefore, since the position where the droplet 5a is dropped is determined, the recovery of the droplet 5a becomes easy.

Subsequently, a drying apparatus according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of the entire drying apparatus, and FIG. 12 is a sectional view of a main part of the drying unit in FIG. 11. The drying apparatus is roughly divided into a drying section and a distillation section, as shown in FIG. The distillation section includes a still, a reheater, a condenser, a cold heat source, a warm heat source, a moisture removal unit, and the like. However, since the distilling unit is not directly related to the present invention, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

First, the main configuration of the drying section will be described below. 201 is a vacuum vessel (below, ), 202 is the lid of the vacuum vessel 201, and 203 is the object to be dried, such as electronics, machinery, molding parts, etc., which has been washed with the cleaning liquid. (For example, the object to be cleaned 3 washed with the cleaning liquid 5 using the above-described cleaning apparatus), 204 is a basket for storing the object to be dried 203, 205 is a heating vessel, 206 is a hydrocarbon-based solution, and 2007 is A coiled heater, 208 is a heating medium, 209 is a communication pipe for communicating the vacuum vessel 201 with the heating vessel 205, and 210 is an air-driven valve for opening and closing the communication pipe 209.

The vacuum vessel 201 is formed in a cylindrical shape with the upper part opened above the drying part, and the open upper part is provided with a lid 202 that rotates about a base shaft 202a. In other words, in a state where the lid 202 is rotated and opened, the net-like basket 204 containing the material 203 to be dried is put in and out of the vacuum container 201, while the vacuum container 201 is closed and closed. Is to be sealed. In addition, a vacuum exhaust port 201 a and an intake port 201 b are formed on the side of the vacuum vessel 201, and heaters 221, 222 are provided on a bottom face and an inner face of the vacuum vessel 201, respectively. Further, a pressure sensor 231, a temperature sensor 232, and a liquid level sensor 233 are provided.

The heating vessel 205 forms the lower part of the drying section and is divided into two upper and lower chambers by a metal partition wall 205a having excellent heat conductivity.The upper chamber 205b contains a solution 206. A pressure sensor 241, a temperature sensor 242, and a liquid level sensor 243 are provided. On the other hand, the lower chamber 205c is provided with a heater 207, a pressure sensor 244, a temperature sensor 245, and an overheating prevention switch 246, and contains a heating medium 208. In other words, the T heating medium 208 is heated by the operation of the heater 207, and the heat of the heated heating medium 208 is indirectly heated to the solution 206 through the partition wall 205a. The heating temperature of the solution 206 is directly detected by the temperature sensor 242 and indirectly detected by the temperature sensor 245. If the temperature rises abnormally, the overheating prevention switch 246 detects the heating temperature of the heater 207. Because of this, it can be said that the structure has extremely low risk of fire and explosion. The upper chamber 205b is provided with an exhaust CD 205d, a liquid supply d 205e, and an exhaust boil 205f.

The communication pipe 209 connects the vacuum vessel 201 and the heating vessel 205 to each other. The end 209a is open to the bottom of the vacuum vessel 201, the lower end 209b is immersed in the solution 206, and an air drive valve 210 is provided in the path.

The vacuum exhaust port 201 a of the vacuum vessel 201 and the exhaust D 205 d of the upper chamber 205 a of the heating vessel 205 are connected to each of two ends branched from the vacuum exhaust pipe 250, and the branched vacuum exhaust is performed. Air drive valves 251 and 252 are provided in the path of the pipe 250, respectively, while the other end of the vacuum exhaust pipe 250 is connected to a vacuum pump 253. Further, a separator 254 is provided downstream of the vacuum pump 253. That is, the upper chamber 205a of the vacuum vessel 201 or the heating vessel 205 is depressurized by opening and closing the air drive valve 251 or 252.

The suction port 201b of the vacuum vessel 201 is used for returning the vacuum state of the vacuum vessel 201 to normal pressure (venting) after the drying, which will be described in detail later, is completed. 1 is connected to one end. The other end of the vent gas pipe 26 1 is branched into two pipes. One is a gas cylinder sealed with an inert gas such as nitrogen gas via an air drive valve 262 ゃThe other end is connected to an air 267 such as compressed air or open air through a check valve 265 and an air drive valve 266. In other words, the drying apparatus of the present embodiment has a configuration in which the gas in the gas cylinder 264 and the air 267 can be selected as the vent gas, but of course, only one of them is provided. I'll do it. From the viewpoint of preventive safety, it is preferable to use an inert gas as the vent gas.

The operation of the drying apparatus having such a configuration and the state during the operation will be described below. As shown in FIG. 11, a packet 204 containing the material 203 to be dried is housed in a vacuum vessel 201, the lid 202 is closed, the vacuum pump 253 is operated, and the air-driven valve 25 1 Open 2 52. Then, the air in the vacuum vessel 201 is sucked from the vacuum exhaust □ 201 a through the vacuum exhaust pipe 250 to the vacuum pump 253 to start vacuuming, and the upper chamber 205 b of the heating vessel 205 is started. The inside air is sucked from the exhaust □ 205 d to the vacuum pump 253 via the vacuum exhaust pipe 250, and the decompression is started. In addition, the heater 207 in the lower chamber 205c of the heating vessel 205 is operated to heat the solution 206 contained in the upper chamber 205b.

Then, the pressure in the vacuum vessel 201, the pressure in the upper chamber 205b of the heating vessel 205, When the temperature of the solution 206 reaches a predetermined value, the air-driven valve 210 of the communication pipe 209 is opened. Then, as shown in FIG. 12, the solution 206 is rapidly sucked from the lower end 209 b of the communication pipe 209 to the upper end 209 a and is jetted upward in a boiling state, so that the temperature in the vacuum vessel 201 rises rapidly. At the same time, heat is applied to the object 203 in the basket 204 to rapidly heat the object 203. Here, the solution 206 that has given heat to the material 203 to be dried loses enthalpy and falls, and accumulates on the bottom surface of the vacuum container 201.The solution 206 is injected into the solution 206 injected from the upper end 209a of the communication pipe 209. Therefore, the injection which also has an active bubbling effect is maintained and does not cause any substantial obstacle. However, if the amount exceeds a certain amount, an adverse effect occurs. Therefore, the liquid level sensor 233 detects this amount.

Next, after a lapse of a predetermined time such that the temperature of the object to be dried 203 becomes about 80 to 100 ° C., the heating of the object to be dried 203 is completed, and the process proceeds to drying. Here, the solution 206 accumulated on the bottom surface of the vacuum vessel 201 has an adverse effect on drying, and therefore, it is necessary to discharge the solution 206 from the vacuum vessel 201 before the drying is started. Therefore, in the drying apparatus of the present embodiment, the air drive valve 252 provided in the vacuum exhaust pipe 250 is further opened to reduce the pressure in the upper chamber 205b of the heating vessel 205. Then, the injection of the solution 206 from the upper end 209 a of the communication pipe 209 gradually decreases, and when the pressure in the upper chamber 205 b of the heating vessel 205 becomes equal to the pressure in the vacuum vessel 201, the vacuum vessel 20 The solution 206 stored on the bottom surface of 1 is drawn back into the upper chamber 205 b of the heating vessel 205 by its own weight, and is discharged from the vacuum vessel 201. In order to shorten the discharge time, it is effective to stop the evacuation of the vacuum vessel 201, and the air drive valve 251 may be temporarily closed.

After the solution 206 remaining on the bottom surface of the vacuum vessel 201 is discharged, the air drive valve 210 of the communication pipe 209 is closed, and the evacuation of the vacuum vessel 201 is continued. The cleaning liquid adhering to the dried material 203 (for example, the cleaning liquid 5 when the cleaning is performed using the above-described cleaning apparatus) and the solution 206 evaporate while removing latent heat of evaporation from the material 203 to be dried, and are dried. . Needless to say, the upper chamber 205b of the ripening vessel 205 is always in a negative pressure environment.

When the drying is completed, the air drive valve 25 1 of the vacuum exhaust pipe 250 is closed. Next Then, the air drive valve 262 or 266 of the vent gas pipe 26 1 is opened, and the gas or air 267 in the gas cylinder 264 is introduced from the suction vent 201 b of the vacuum vessel 201, and the vacuum vessel 201 The internal pressure is returned to normal pressure. Then, the lid 202 is opened, the basket 204 containing the dried material to be dried 203 is taken out of the vacuum vessel 201, and the process is completed.

During the heating and drying of the object 203 to be dried, the vaporized cleaning solution / solution 206 present in the vacuum vessel 201 is sucked from the vacuum pump 201 a to the vacuum pump 253 via the vacuum pump pipe 250. After being purified through the separator 254 and the distillation section, it is filtered from the liquid supply port 205 e via the liquid supply port 205 e via the filter pipe 256 and the air drive valve 257 through the liquid supply pipe 255. It is thrown into the upper room 205 b of 205. This injection uses the negative pressure of the vacuum pump 253, so it can be performed only by opening and closing the air drive valve 257 without providing a dedicated pump. It operates according to the output of.

Here, the vacuum pump 253 may be a reciprocating type, a liquid ring type, a rotary type, or the like, but the drying device of the present embodiment employs a liquid ring type vacuum pump for the following reasons. are doing. Even if the cleaning liquid or solution 206 vaporized in the vacuum vessel 201 is sucked in, the liquid comes into contact with the pump rotating part via the liquid, so that unlike a normal seal-type vacuum pump, a metal slide is used. This is because sparks and heat generated by moving surface friction are small, and the safety is high and there is no problem.

Further, in order to utilize the solution 206 accumulated on the bottom surface of the vacuum vessel 201 again for heating the material 203 to be dried, the drying apparatus of the present embodiment is provided with a heater 22 1 on the bottom face of the vacuum vessel 201. I have. The solution 206 stored on the bottom surface of the vacuum vessel 201 is heated and vaporized by the heater 22 1, diffuses into the vacuum vessel 201, and gives heat again to the object 203 to be dried. In the experiments of the inventors, the drying time can be reduced by 20 to 25%, and this effect is extremely effective. Further, a heater 222 is provided on the inner surface of the vacuum vessel 201 in order to raise the temperature inside the vacuum vessel 201 more rapidly. Generally, the side surface of the vacuum vessel 201 has a large heat capacity, so it is difficult to raise the temperature. If the vaporized solution 206 in the vacuum vessel 201 comes into contact with this side face and condenses, the drying will be hindered. There is a possibility that the installation of this heater 222 The drying time was reduced by about 5% in our experiments.

The air-driven valve 210 provided in the communication pipe 209 includes a pressure sensor 231 of the vacuum vessel 201, a pressure sensor 241 of the heating vessel 205, and a temperature sensor 242. The degree of opening and closing is automatically adjusted based on the value output from the. Therefore, the state of the boiling solution 206 which is sprayed toward the object to be dried 203 and the state of the temperature of the object to be dried 203 can always be stabilized to an appropriate state. Of course, without providing such a mechanism for adjusting the degree of opening and closing, the air-driven valve 210 may be kept open and the solution 206 may be constantly jetted, but in particular, a complicated shaped cover may be used. In the case of dry matter 203, for example, if an adjustment mechanism that intermittently sprays the solution 206 is provided, the effective area where the solution 206 is sprayed by the action that the spray rapidly rises and falls This adjustment mechanism can be said to be extremely effective because it can easily reach areas that are difficult to reach by continuous injection.

Next, a drying apparatus according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 13 is a sectional view of a main part of a drying unit in the drying apparatus according to the seventh embodiment. Note that the 6 denoted by the same reference numerals perform the same functions with the same name as the drying device of the embodiment in the figure, and duplicate explanations are omitted describes points different _(first, drying of the embodiment In general, the object to be dried after cleaning is not completely free of dirt and foreign matters such as adherents (the shape and size of the parts to be dried). Or, depending on the degree of contamination, if it is expressed as an index with the adhesion weight of dirt and foreign matter being 100, it is sufficient if about 70 to 80 dirt or foreign matter can be removed by washing. On the other hand, about 20 to 30 pieces of dirt and foreign matter remain on the material to be dried and are brought into the drying device. A small amount for objects, but for several objects to be dried In particular, as the material is repeatedly dried, it is accumulated in the solution that heats the object to be dried and accumulates, and finally remains on the surface of the object to be dried after drying, leading to a deterioration in appearance quality. Therefore, the drying device of the present embodiment is intended to solve such a problem.

In the drying device of the present embodiment, a condensing coil 271 is provided on the inner surface of the vacuum vessel 201. The inside of the condensation coil 27 1 is provided with a cylindrical partition wall 27 2. A gutter-like portion 272a is formed at the lower portion of the partition 272, and a vacuum exhaust port 201a is formed near the gutter-like portion 272a. The heating vessel 205 is divided into a right chamber 205 h and a left chamber 205 i by a partition wall 205 g, and a heater 207 is provided in the right chamber 205 h, and the heater 207 is directly heated by the heater 207. The solution 206 to be removed is stored. Of course, heating may be performed indirectly via a heating medium. The right chamber 205 h is provided with an exhaust □ 205 d, a liquid supply port 205 e, and a discharge port 205 f, and a temperature sensor 242, an overheating prevention switch 246, and a liquid level sensor 243. Is provided. The upper end 209a of the communication pipe 209 that communicates the vacuum chamber 201 with the right chamber 205h of the heating vessel 205 passes through the bottom of the vacuum vessel 201 and opens inside the vacuum vessel 201, and the lower end 209b has the lower end 209b. The left chamber 205 i is immersed in the solution 206 ₍ while the left chamber 205 i serves as a collection tank for collecting the solution 206 collected on the bottom surface of the vacuum vessel 201, which will be described later). The upper end 2 1 1a of the collection pipe 2 1 1 is open to the bottom of the vacuum vessel 201, and the lower end 2 1 lb is open to the upper surface of the left chamber 205 i. An exhaust port 205 j and an exhaust port 205 k are formed in the chamber 205 i, and a liquid level sensor 247 is provided.

The remarkable operation of the drying apparatus having such a configuration will be described below. No.

First, during heating and drying of the object 203 to be dried, the vaporized cleaning liquid and the solution 206 existing in the vacuum vessel 201 are sucked from the vacuum exhaust 201 a by the suction force from the side wall and the partition wall 2 of the vacuum vessel 201. It passes through the gap with 72 and is cooled by the condensation coil 27 1 and liquefied. The liquefied solution 206 collects in the gutter-like portion 27 2 a, and is sucked from the vacuum exhaust port 201 a through the vacuum exhaust pipe 250 to the vacuum pump 253 via the edge X kuta 257 and the like. After being purified and passed through the separator 254, the filter 25

6 and the air-driven valve 257 are supplied via the liquid supply pipe 25

From 05e, it is thrown into the right chamber 205h of the heating vessel 205.

Second, the solution 206 collected on the bottom surface of the vacuum vessel 201 is not drawn back through the communication pipe 209 as in the drying device of the sixth embodiment, but is collected by the collection pipe 21.

It is collected in the left chamber 2005 i, which is a collection tank, through 1. This is an exhaust 205 This can be achieved by opening the air drive valves 256, 258 provided in the vacuum exhaust pipe 250 connected to the vacuum pump 253 from j, and reducing the pressure in the left chamber 205i. Therefore, the solution 206 collected on the bottom of the vacuum vessel 201 contains dirt, foreign matter, oil, etc. remaining on the object 203 after washing, but the individual collection tank (left) The solution 206 in the right chamber 205 h is always kept in a clean, uncontaminated, fresh liquid state by being collected in the chamber 205 i), and is repeatedly dried, for example. Even if it does not impair the appearance of the object to be dried after drying.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the first to seventh embodiments, and various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the cleaning apparatus according to the first to fifth embodiments, the ultrasonic vibrator unit 7 is provided inside the storage tank portion 6a of the cleaning tank 6 (throw-in type), and the ultrasonic vibrator unit 7 The check valve 11 connected to the exhaust port 10 b may be penetrated through the cleaning tank 6 and opened into the vacuum vessel 1. Further, diaphragm 8 may have a flat shape in which central portion 8a is not raised with respect to peripheral portion 8b.

On the other hand, in the drying apparatuses according to the sixth and seventh embodiments, non-flammable water may be used as the solution 206 instead of the hydrocarbon-based solution, but the drying property is taken into consideration. It is preferable to use a hydrocarbon-based solution whose latent heat of vaporization is as low as about 1Z10 with respect to water. In addition, the drying apparatus may include a cleaning step. In this case, it is preferable that the cleaning liquid used for cleaning before drying and the solution 206 used for the drying step are of the same type. Furthermore, the heater 221 provided on the bottom surface of the vacuum vessel 201 can be used to heat and vaporize the solution 206 stored on the bottom face of the vacuum vessel 201 as long as it can be vaporized. It may be a jacket-type heater that covers the area.

Of course, the cleaning device and the drying device of the above embodiment can be appropriately combined, and in this case, the process from cleaning to drying can be performed efficiently and safely, which is extremely useful. Industrial applicability

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The cleaning apparatus and the cleaning method of the present invention are useful for cleaning and drying of electronic, mechanical, and molding-related parts. '

Claims

The scope of the claims

1. In a cleaning apparatus for applying an ultrasonic vibration to a cleaning liquid placed under vacuum to wash an object to be cleaned immersed in the cleaning liquid,

A cleaning tank that stores the cleaning liquid and stores the object to be cleaned, and a vibrator that has a predetermined space therein and applies ultrasonic vibration to the cleaning liquid is provided in a cleaning vacuum container that can take a vacuum state, A cleaning device, wherein a predetermined space of the vibrator is opened in the cleaning vacuum container.

2. The cleaning device according to claim 1,

Purge gas supply means for supplying a purge gas for purging a predetermined space of the vibrating body to the predetermined space is provided.

3. The cleaning device according to claim 1 or 2,

A vibrator that emits ultrasonic vibration is provided in the predetermined space formed by a vibration plate through which ultrasonic vibration propagates and a cover attached to the vibration plate, and a bottom wall of the cleaning tank is provided. Alternatively, the diaphragm is arranged so that the predetermined space faces the outside of the cleaning tank so as to close an opening formed in a side wall, and a bottom of the cleaning tank is arranged from a peripheral portion of the diaphragm. A bolt is passed through a through hole that penetrates a wall or a side wall, and the cover is attached to the diaphragm closer to the center than the through hole on the diaphragm.

4. The cleaning device according to claim 3,

A central portion of the diaphragm is depressed with respect to the cleaning tank from a peripheral portion having the through hole, and the cover is mounted on the central portion of the diaphragm.

5. The cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 4, wherein an upper end portion of a side wall of the cleaning tank is bent outward and downward.

6. The cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1, 2 and 4, wherein a lower end portion of a side wall of the cleaning tank projects below a bottom wall.

7. The cleaning device according to claim 6, wherein

The edge of the lower end of the side wall of the cleaning tank is uneven.

8. The cleaning device according to claim 6, wherein The edge of the lower end of the side wall of the cleaning tank is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane.

9. A cleaning tank that stores a cleaning liquid and stores an object to be cleaned, and a vibrator that has a predetermined space therein and applies ultrasonic vibration to the cleaning liquid are provided in a cleaning vacuum container that can take a vacuum state, A predetermined space of the vibrator is opened in the cleaning vacuum vessel, and the cleaning liquid placed under vacuum is subjected to ultrasonic vibration to wash the object to be cleaned immersed in the cleaning liquid. Means,

A vacuum container for drying capable of holding the object to be cleaned, which has been washed by the cleaning means, as a material to be dried and capable of maintaining a vacuum state; a heating container for storing a heated solution; and a vacuum container for drying. A pipe communicating with the heating vessel, one end of the pipe is opened toward the object to be dried, the other end of the pipe is immersed in the solution, and the drying vacuum vessel is in a vacuum state. When the pipe is opened, the solution is sprayed from the one end of the pipe toward the object to be dried in a boiling state, and drying means for drying the object to be dried.

A cleaning device, comprising:

10. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

The solution is a hydrocarbon-based solution.

11. The cleaning device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein

The heating container is divided into two chambers by a partition, one of which contains the solution, and the other of which is provided with a heat source,

Heat from the heat source is applied to the solution through the partition, and the solution is heated.

1 2. The cleaning device according to claim 9 or 10,

A drive valve is provided in the path of the pipe,

The degree of opening and closing of the drive valve is adjusted based on the pressure in the drying vacuum vessel, the pressure in the heating vessel containing the solution, and the temperature of the solution.

13. The cleaning device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein

A heating means is provided on at least one of the inner side surface and the bottom surface of the drying vacuum container.

14. The cleaning device according to claim 9 or 10, A solution condensing unit that collects and condenses the vaporized solution that is sprayed toward the object to be dried and that is present in the drying vacuum container, and supplies the solution condensed by the solution condensing unit to the heating container. Supply means.

15. The cleaning device according to claim 14, wherein

Further, a solution discharging means is provided for collecting and discharging the solution sprayed toward the object to be dried and collected on the bottom surface of the drying vacuum container.

16. A cleaning tank that stores a cleaning liquid and stores an object to be cleaned and a vibrator that has a predetermined space therein and applies ultrasonic vibration to the cleaning liquid are provided in a cleaning vacuum container that can take a vacuum state. A predetermined space of the vibrating body is opened in the cleaning vacuum vessel, and the cleaning liquid placed in a vacuum is subjected to ultrasonic vibration to clean the cleaning object immersed in the cleaning liquid. A washing step;

A vacuum container for drying capable of holding the object to be cleaned having undergone the washing process as an object to be dried and taking a vacuum state; a heating container for storing a heated solution; a vacuum container for drying; and the heating container. One end of the pipe is opened toward the object to be dried, the other end of the pipe is immersed in the solution, and the drying vacuum vessel is in a vacuum state. A cleaning step, wherein the pipe is opened, and the solution is sprayed in a boiling state from the one end of the pipe toward the object to be dried, and the object to be dried is dried.