초록 ▼

Method and apparatus for cleaning and/or drying objects that may have been wetted or contaminated in a manufacturing process. The objects are submerged in a rinse liquid in an enclosed chamber, and aerosol particles from a selected liquid are introduced into the chamber above the rinse liquid surfac

Method and apparatus for cleaning and/or drying objects that may have been wetted or contaminated in a manufacturing process. The objects are submerged in a rinse liquid in an enclosed chamber, and aerosol particles from a selected liquid are introduced into the chamber above the rinse liquid surface, forming a thin film on this surface. As the rinse liquid is slowly drained, some aerosol particles settle onto the exposed surfaces of the objects, and displace and remove rinse liquid residues from the exposed surfaces by a "chemical squeegeeing" effect. Surface contaminants are also removed by this process. Chamber pressure is maintained at or near the external environment pressure as the rinse liquid is drained from the chamber. Inert gas flow is employed to provide aerosol particles of smaller size and/or with greater dispersion within the chamber. Continuous filtering and shunt filtering are employed to remove most contaminants from the selected liquid. A flow deflector redirects initial flow of the selected liquid to a supplementary filter, to remove most of the contaminant particle "spike" that appears when a system is first (re)activated. An improved surface for aerosol particle production is provided.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.]1. Apparatus for drying and cleaning an object, the apparatus comprising:an enclosed chamber that receives and contains a selected object to be cleaned and dried, the enclosed chamber having an openable entryway that allows the selected object to be placed into, and to be

[ What is claimed is:] [1.]1. Apparatus for drying and cleaning an object, the apparatus comprising:an enclosed chamber that receives and contains a selected object to be cleaned and dried, the enclosed chamber having an openable entryway that allows the selected object to be placed into, and to be removed from, the enclosed chamber, the enclosed chamber having a first aperture in fluid communication with a rinse liquid source that delivers a rinse liquid having a selected surface tension into the enclosed chamber to clean the selected object by partly or fully submerging the selected object in the rinse liquid, and the enclosed chamber having a second aperture that allows the rinse liquid to exit from the enclosed chamber at a volume flow rate r1 that lies in a first selected volume flow range;a first selected liquid reservoir in fluid communication with the enclosed chamber for delivering a selected liquid to the enclosed chamber, wherein the selected liquid has a surface tension that is substantially lower tn the surface tension of the rinse liquid;ultrasonic drive means for drying the object by forming a film of aerosol particles of the selected liquid on a surface of the rinse liquid the ultrasonic drive means comprising;a vibrating head, having a head axis and having a third aperture that is in fluid communication with the enclosed chamber, that receives the selected liquid at a volume flow rate r2 that lies in a second selected volume flow range and vibrates to cause the selected liquid to form aerosol particles within the enclosed chamber so that a film of aerosol particles of the selected liquid is formed on the rinse liquid surface to remove rinse liquid from at least one surface of the object;a inert gas plenum having a plenum aperture and being located adjacent to the vibrating head; andan inert gas source, connected to the ultrasonic drive means, to deliver an inert gas into the inert gas plenum such that the inert gas is expelled from the inert gas plenum at the plenum aperture in one or more, elected directions to cause the aerosol particles to move away from the vibrating head at increased angles relative to the vibrating head axis, relative to movement of the aerosol particles when the inert gas source is not present.