Patent Publication Number: US-2023149986-A1

Title: Drawer-replaced cleaning apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) on Patent Application No(s). 110142942 filed in Taiwan, R.O.C. on Nov. 18, 2021, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present application relates to a cleaning apparatus, and in particular to a drawer-replaced cleaning apparatus. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In order to meet the needs of cleanliness, electrostatic discharge and so on, the current cleaning apparatus on the market, especially for the cleaning apparatus of semiconductors, electronic products and other related objects has become quite complicated, and wherein the cleaning module is not easy to replace. Each replacement of the cleaning module will take a lot of time, resulting in an increase in the cost of replacement and a decrease in the willingness to replace, so that the need for cleaning products cannot be effectively met. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, in order to solve the various problems of the traditional cleaning apparatus, the disclosure provides a drawer-replaced cleaning apparatus. 
     To achieve the above objective and other objectives, the present disclosure provides a drawer-replaced cleaning apparatus, which comprises: a box, having an accommodating space and a drawer, the drawer is located in the accommodating space, and may be pulled out from one side of the box, a bottom surface of the drawer has at least one mounting slot; at least one cleaning module, detachably disposed in the mounting slot; and a lifting power module, located in the accommodating space, and disposed below the cleaning module, the lifting power module passes through the mounting slot to push the cleaning module up away from the drawer, and the lifting power module is lowered so that the cleaning module is relocated in the mounting slot. 
     In an embodiment of the disclosure, a top end of the lifting power module and the cleaning module adsorbs to each other. 
     In an embodiment of the disclosure, the top end of the lifting power module and the cleaning module are magnetically adsorbed to each other. 
     In an embodiment of the disclosure, an outer periphery of the cleaning module is larger than the mounting slot. 
     In an embodiment of the disclosure, a periphery section of the mounting slot is trapezoidal. 
     In an embodiment of the disclosure, the number of both the cleaning modules and the mounting slots are two, the lifting power module passes through the two mounting slots to push the two cleaning modules up. 
     In an embodiment of the disclosure, the two mounting slots are connected to each other. 
     In an embodiment of the disclosure, the drawer-replaced cleaning apparatus further comprises a clamping module, disposed above the box. 
     In an embodiment of the disclosure, the clamping module includes a chuck and a power arm, the power arm is connected to the chuck by power, and drives the chuck to move. 
     In an embodiment of the disclosure, the drawer-replaced cleaning device further comprises a control module and an electrostatic real-time monitoring module, the control module is connected to the lifting power module and the electrostatic real-time monitoring module by signal. 
     Accordingly, it is very effortless to replace the cleaning module from the drawer-replaced cleaning apparatus of the present disclosure, allowing the cleaning module to be replaced in a high frequency, in order to easily maintain the cleanliness of the object to be cleaned. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic outside view of a drawer-replaced cleaning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is a schematic sectional view of the drawer-replaced cleaning apparatus according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  3    is a schematic view of a lifting power module pushing a cleaning module up according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  4    is a schematic view of reposition of the cleaning module according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  5    is a schematic view of pulling the drawer out and replacing the cleaning module according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG.  6    is a schematic perspective view of the drawer according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     To facilitate understanding of the present application, embodiments together with the attached drawings for the detailed description of the present application are provided. One skilled in the art can understand the object, characteristics and effects of this present application by the content described in the specification. It should be noted that various possible modifications and alterations to the details of the specification could be carried out by implementing or applying other different embodiments based on different views and applications without departing from the spirit of the present application. The related technical contents of the application will be described in detail by the embodiments. However, the disclosed contents should not be considered to limit the scope of the application. The description is provided as follows: 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   ,  FIG.  2    and  FIG.  5   , the drawer-replaced cleaning apparatus  100  of an embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: a box  2 , at least one cleaning module  3  and a lifting power module  4 . 
     The box  2  has an accommodating space S and a drawer  21 , the drawer  21  is located in the accommodating space S, and may be pulled out from one side of the box  2 , a bottom surface  211  of the drawer  21  has at least one mounting slot  211   a  (referring to  FIG.  6   ). 
     As shown in  FIG.  2   , at least one cleaning module  3  is detachably disposed in the mounting slot  211   a . In the present embodiment, the cleaning module  3  includes a cleaning cloth member  31  and a bearing case  32 , the cleaning cloth member  31  is disposed in the bearing case  32  to wipe the object to be cleaned (not shown), the cleaning cloth member  31  is a dust-free cloth (anti-static material electronic grade clean room special wipe). The bearing case  32  is detachably mounted in the mounting slot  211   a  from a top of the drawer  21 , however, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, the structure and material of the cleaning module  3  may be changed. In the present embodiment, the object to be cleaned is a photomask, the cleaning cloth member  31  wipes the outside of the photomask protective film, however, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, the object to be cleaned may be other kinds of products, such as circuit boards or other electronic elements. 
     The lifting power module  4  is located in the accommodating space S, and disposed below the cleaning module  3 . As shown in  FIG.  3   , the lifting power module  4  passes through the mounting slot  211   a  to push the cleaning module  3  up away from the drawer  21 , and contact with the object to be cleaned. Depending on the design, the lifting power module  4  can push the cleaning module  3  up to the top surface of the box  2  or even exceed the box  2 ; the lifting power module  4  may also push the cleaning module  3  but still let the cleaning module  3  located in the accommodating space S (i.e., not higher than the top surface of the box  2 ), the object to be cleaned is moved to the accommodating space S in contact with the cleaning module  3 . The lifting power module  4  is an electric actuating member, such as a cylinder, a stepper motor or a servo motor. 
     As shown in  FIG.  4   , when the cleaning module  3  finishes the cleaning or needs to be replaced, the lifting power module  4  is lowered so that the cleaning module  3  is relocated in the mounting slot  211   a . The lifting power module  4  continues to lower, the cleaning module  3  is supported by the bottom surface  211  of the drawer  21  and separated from the lifting power module  4 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  5   , since the lifting power module  4  and the cleaning module  3  have been separated, after the drawer  21  is pulled out, the cleaning module  3  can be easily and directly replaced (the old cleaning cloth member  31  can be removed or the entire cleaning module  3  is directly replaced). When a new cleaning module  3  is placed in the mounting slot  211   a , the drawer is inserted back into the box  2  again to continue the cleaning process. Relative to the prior art, it is very effortless to replace the cleaning module  3  from the drawer-replaced cleaning apparatus  100  of the present disclosure, allowing the cleaning module  3  to be replaced in a high frequency, in order to easily maintain the cleanliness of the object to be cleaned. 
     Further, in the present embodiment, a top end of the lifting power module  4  (adsorption head  41 ) and a base of the cleaning module  3  (bearing case  32 ) adsorbs to each other. When the adsorption head  41  and the bearing case  32  adsorb each other, the synchronous movement of the two will be more stable to avoid separation or dislocation caused by vibration, inertia and other factors during the movement. In the present embodiment, the top end of the lifting power module  4  (adsorption head  41 ) and the base of the cleaning module  3  (bearing case  32 ) are magnetically adsorbed to each other, i.e., at least one of the two is a ferromagnetic material, the other is a paramagnetic material or is also a ferromagnetic material. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, in other embodiments, the adsorption head  41  and the bearing case  32  may be adsorbed to each other by the application of other principles, such as airflow adsorption. These adsorptions are mainly easy to control and separate electrically. 
     Further, as shown in  FIG.  2   , in the present embodiment, an outer periphery of the cleaning module  3  is larger than the mounting slot  211   a . Therefore, when the cleaning module  3  is mounted from the top of the bottom surface  211 , the cleaning module  3  may be stuck in the mounting slot  211   a . In order to make the cleaning module  3  more firmly located in the mounting slot  211   a  without falling down, preferably a lower part of the cleaning module  3  may be slightly smaller than the mounting slot  211   a , so that a part of the cleaning module  3  passes through the mounting slot  211   a , the part of the outer periphery that is greater than the mounting slot  211   a  is stuck in the mounting slot  211   a , thereby achieving a stable effect. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, in other embodiments, the shapes of the cleaning module  3  and the mounting slot  211   a  may have different forms and patterns. 
     Further, as shown in  FIG.  2   , in the present embodiment, a periphery section of the mounting slot  211   a  is trapezoidal, a trapezoidal bevel is used to dispersedly support the weight of the cleaning module  3  in order to avoid the deformation of the drawer  21 , and can also guide the installation of the cleaning module  3 . 
     Further, as shown in  FIG.  2   , in the present embodiment, the number of both the cleaning modules  3  and the mounting slots are two (mounting slots  211   a ,  211   b ), the lifting power module  4  passes through the two mounting slots  211   a ,  211   b  to push the two cleaning modules  3  up. The two cleaning modules  3  are separated from each other at a certain distance for cleaning the two sides of the photomask protective film in the present embodiment. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, in other embodiments, the number of the cleaning modules  3  and the mounting slots may be changed as necessary. 
     Further, as shown in  FIGS.  2  to  6   , in the present embodiment, the two mounting slots  211   a ,  211   b  are connected to each other. The purpose of connecting to each other is to enable a lifting rod  42  of the lifting power module  4  to pass, wherein one end of the lifting rod  42  is connected to a power source (not shown), and the other end of the lifting rod  42  is connected to the two adsorption heads  41 . However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, in other embodiments, the setting of the lifting rod  42  may be changed to make the lifting rod  42  not pass through the drawer  21  in the movement stroke of the lifting power module  4 , so the two mounting slots  211   a ,  211   b  do not need to be connected to each other. In other embodiments, the two cleaning modules  3  are independently driven by two lifting power modules  4 , in this case the two mounting slots  211   a ,  211   b  do not need to be connected to each other. 
     In the present embodiment, as shown in  FIG.  6   , a length of a connecting part  211   c  is slightly shorter than two mounting slots  211   a ,  211   b , so that the two cleaning modules  3  are each firmly located in the mounting slots  211   a ,  211   b , however, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. 
     Further, as shown in  FIG.  1   , the drawer-replaced cleaning apparatus  100  further comprises a clamping module  5 , disposed above the box  2 , for clamping an object to be cleaned. In the present embodiment, the clamping module  5  clamps the object to be cleaned in a manner of air flow suction, however, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, may clamp by direct mechanical contact in mechanics, or clamps by using electromagnetism and other scientific principles. 
     Further, as shown in  FIG.  1   , the clamping module  5  includes a chuck  52  and a power arm  51 , the power arm  51  is connected to the chuck  52  by power, and drives the chuck  52  to move (as shown by the arrow). The power arm  51 , for example, is a stepper motor or servo motor or other electrically actuated member. By the movable clamping module  5 , the object to be cleaned may be clamped to the top of the cleaning module  3  and wiped. 
     Further, as shown in  FIG.  2   , in the present embodiment, the drawer-replaced cleaning device  100  further comprises a control module  6  and an electrostatic real-time monitoring module  7 , the control module  6  is connected to the lifting power module  4 , the power arm  51  and the electrostatic real-time monitoring module  7  by signal. The electrostatic real-time monitoring module  7  detects the static electricity of the environment, the object to be cleaned or the apparatus, and the control module  6  determines whether to stop cleaning or let the electrostatic real-time monitoring module  7  release the neutralizing charge in real time according to the detection data of the electrostatic real-time monitoring module  7 . The control module  6 , for example, is a control chip or a control circuit. 
     Further, as shown in  FIG.  2   , in the present embodiment, the drawer-replaced cleaning device  100  further comprises a skew rectifying module  8 , connected to control module  6  by signal. The control module  6  determines whether the object to be cleaned clamped by the clamping module  5  is skewed according to the detection signal of the skew rectifying module  8 , and controls the lifting power module  4  to stop cleaning, the power arm  51  adjusts the position or returns to the original position. The skew rectifying module  8 , for example, is a device using the principle of optical skew rectification, using an emitted light (usually infrared) and judging whether the reflected signal or the receiving signal on the other side is abnormal, thereby determining whether the object to be cleaned is skewed during the process of movement. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, the skew rectifying module  8  may be a skew rectifying device applying other principles. 
     Further, as shown in  FIG.  1   , in the present embodiment, the drawer-replaced cleaning device  100  further comprises a frame  1  and a set of moving wheels  9 , the box  2  is disposed in frame  1 , the moving wheels  9  are disposed at a bottom of the frame  1 . The frame  1  makes components of the drawer-replaced cleaning apparatus  100  integrated, the moving wheels  9  can make each component move together with the frame  1 . 
     While the present application has been described by means of specific embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand the above description is merely embodiments of the application, and it should not be considered to limit the scope of the application. It should be noted that all changes and substitutions which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the embodiments are intended to be embraced in the scope of the application. Therefore, the scope of the application is defined by the claims.