Patent Publication Number: US-7716772-B2

Title: Cleaning apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The invention relates to a cleaning apparatus, and more particularly to a cleaning apparatus for cleaning emitters of an ionizer. 
     A glass substrate of a flat panel display is electrically isolated, and gathers static electricity during the manufacturing process of a flat panel display. The static electricity deteriorates characteristics of electric elements disposed on the glass substrate, and decreases reliability of the flat panel display. Thus, in the manufacturing process of flat panel display, an ionizer is provided to increase the amount of charged ions in the air for neutralizing static electricity on the glass substrate. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , ionizer  1  comprises a plurality of emitters  2  disposed on a side thereof. Emitters are made of silicon, titanium or other materials and tips thereof are cone-shaped. Charged ions are produced around the tips of emitters  2 . Ionizer  1  is vertically or horizontally disposed in process equipment, particularly in a passage for transporting glass substrates or a process chamber. 
     Tips of emitters  2  attract particles in the air and react with chemical gas in the process; thus, ion production efficiency thereof decreases over time. Conventionally, each emitter  2  is cleaned manually with a foam plastic and isopropyl alcohol (IPA) to recover ion production efficiency, which costs additional time and effort, and delays the manufacturing process. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to the present invention, a cleaning apparatus is provided. The cleaning apparatus comprises a housing, a driving mechanism and a plurality of cleaning elements. The driving mechanism is disposed in the housing. The cleaning elements are connected to the driving mechanism. The driving mechanism rotates the cleaning elements to clean the emitters. 
     The cleaning apparatus of the present invention cleans the emitters of the ionizer simultaneously and quickly, avoiding delay of the manufacturing process and reducing effort. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings, given by the way of illustration only and thus not intended to limit the disclosure. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an ionizer; 
         FIG. 2   a  is a side view of a cleaning apparatus of the invention; 
         FIG. 2   b  shows the cleaning apparatus of the invention cleaning the ionizer; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the cleaning apparatus of the invention; 
         FIG. 4   a  shows a cleaning element connected to a second roller; 
         FIG. 4   b  shows a modified example of the cleaning element; 
         FIG. 4   c  shows another modified example of the cleaning element; 
         FIG. 5   a  is a side view in direction A of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5   b  shows a modified example of the positioner; 
         FIG. 5   c  shows another modified example of the positioner. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As shown in  FIG. 2   a , the invention provides a cleaning apparatus  100  to clean the emitters mentioned above. The cleaning apparatus  100  comprises a housing  10 , a driving mechanism  20 , a switch  26 , a plurality of cleaning elements  30  and two positioners  40 . The housing  10  is cuboid and comprises a first end surface  101 , a second end surface  102 , a first planar surface  103  and a second planar surface  104 . The driving mechanism  20  is disposed in the housing  10 . The cleaning elements  30  arranged on the first planar surface  103  are connected to the driving mechanism  20  and rotated thereby. The switch  26  is disposed on the second planar surface  104  and activates the driving mechanism  20 . The positioners  40  are separately disposed on the first end surface  101  and the second end surface  102 . A power line  25  is coupled to the driving mechanism  20  to supply power. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2   b , the driving mechanism  20  rotates the cleaning elements  30  to clean the tips of the emitters  2 , and the positioners  40  abut a surface of the ionizer  1  to control a distance between the cleaning elements  30  and the emitters  2 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 3 , the driving mechanism  20  comprises a driver  24 , a first roller  21 , a plurality of second rollers  22 , a third roller  23 , a plurality of fastening structures  27  and a belt  28 . Driver  24  is an electric motor, which coaxially rotates the first roller  21 . The first roller  21  activates the belt  28  and the third roller  23 . The belt  28  contacts and rotates the second rollers  22 . The second rollers  22  are connected to the cleaning elements  30  via the fastening structures  27 , and rotate the cleaning elements coaxially. The diameter of the first roller  21  is greater than the diameter of the second rollers  22 . Thus, a rotation speed of the second roller  22  is faster than that of the first roller  21 . The cleaning elements  30  are disposed equidistantly along a straight line  105 , and rotation axes thereof are perpendicular to the straight line  105 . 
     The cleaning elements  30  are not limited to being disposed equidistantly, the arrangement can also correspond to the arrangement of the emitters. 
     The belt  28  is a flat belt. The invention is not limited to rotating the cleaning elements  30  via the belt. The cleaning elements  30  can also be rotated via other means (for example, gears). 
     As shown in  FIG. 4   a , the fastening structure  27  is disposed on the second roller  22 . The cleaning element  30  comprises a body  31  and brush hairs  32  to brush the emitters. The cleaning element  30  is detachably connected to the fastening structure  27  via fastener  29 . The fastener  29  is a bolt. Thus, the cleaning element  30  is connected to the second roller  22 . 
       FIG. 4   b  shows a modified example of the invention, wherein the brush hairs  32  are replaced with foam plastic  33  or other soft elastic materials to clean the emitters with isopropyl alcohol (IPA).  FIG. 4   c  shows another modified example of the invention, wherein the foam plastic  33  is replaced with a ceramic portion  34 . A recess  341  is formed on the ceramic portion  34  corresponding to the shape of the tip of the emitter. The ceramic portion  34  rubs away metal oxide or other obstinate products on the surface of the emitter. The invention can be modified in the material, shape or design of the cleaning elements according to the product to be removed from the emitters. 
       FIG. 5   a  is a side view in direction A of  FIG. 3 , in which the positioner  40  comprises a body  44 , a groove  42 , a second fastener  43  and a positioning portion  41 . The groove  42  is formed on the body  44 . The second fastener  43  fixes the body  44  on the housing  10  through the groove  42 . The positioning portion  41  is U-shaped and connected to the body  44  to abut the ionizer. The positioner  40  slides along a first axis Z via the groove  42  with respect to the second fastener  43  to control a distance between the cleaning elements  30  and the emitters to prevent the cleaning elements  30  from striking or damaging the emitters. 
       FIG. 5   b  shows a modified positioner  40 ′ of the invention, in which the positioning portion  41 ′ comprises two supporting arms  411  extending separately along the first axis.  FIG. 5   c  shows another modified positioner  40 ″ of the invention, wherein the positioning portion  41 ″ is arc-shaped. 
     The cleaning apparatus of the invention cleans the emitters of the ionizer simultaneously and quickly. Thus, delays in the manufacturing process are avoided and effort is reduced. 
     While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.