Cleaning surfaces

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a cleaning surface (100) for a contact cleaning apparatus. The cleaning surface includes a substrate (110) separably mounted on the contact cleaning apparatus, the substrate supporting a first polymer layer (130) having a surface (132). First topographical features (140) or layers are applied to and / or formed on at least a portion of the first polymer layer, and the first polymer layer is radiation cured. The present disclosure also relates to a method of forming a contact cleaning surface.

Description

[0001] Related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of UK (GB) Patent Application No. 2008260.8, filed June 2, 2020, entitled "Cleaning Surfaces". The entire contents of UK (GB) Patent Application No. 2008260.8 are expressly incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This invention relates to a contact cleaning surface for contact cleaning equipment, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a contact cleaning surface comprising a substrate having morphological features, the substrate being detachably mounted to said equipment. The invention also relates to a method for forming a contact cleaning surface. Background Technology

[0004] Contact cleaning is used to clean substrate surfaces or workpieces. Once cleaned, the workpiece can be used in a variety of complex processes, such as the manufacture of electronic devices, photovoltaic devices, and flat panel displays. Typically, rubber or elastic contact cleaning rollers are used to remove dirt particles from the substrate surface, and then adhesive rollers can be used to remove the dirt particles or debris from the cleaning rollers. This ensures that the cleaning rollers are free of debris and allows them to operate at maximum efficiency in removing dirt particles from the substrate surface or workpiece.

[0005] The cleaning roller typically comprises a roller shaft or roller core coated with an elastomeric coating on its outer surface. The elastomeric coating is then cured on the roller core, forming the cleaning surface on its outer surface. Optionally, the cleaning surface may be micro-roughened to increase and / or maximize the surface area contact between the cleaning surface and the small particles that cause dirt.

[0006] Alternatively, known cleaning rollers are formed by attaching a polymer-coated flexible substrate cut from a flexible sheet to the roller core. The polymer-coated flexible substrate is then fixed to the roller core using adhesives or laser welding.

[0007] One drawback of the prior art is that applying the elastic coating directly to the roll core makes the coating difficult to remove at the end of its service life. It is also difficult to apply micro-roughening to the outer surface of the elastic coating formed around the roll core.

[0008] The system, which uses flexible substrates cut from flexible sheets to form continuous lengths of sheet, cannot provide customization or adaptation for devices to which the sheet is attached. Attaching the substrates to the roller core using adhesives also makes them difficult to remove at the end of their service life.

[0009] Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a contact cleaning surface that can be easily adapted to the contact cleaning application in which it is intended to be used. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for forming a contact cleaning surface that offers maximum flexibility in its form and function. Some embodiments offer the advantage that the surface is adaptable or customizable, so that various portions of the contact cleaning surface can be optimized or modified in different ways. In this way, the contact cleaning surface can be adjusted or customized for various aspects of the substrate surface, workpiece, or multiple workpieces being cleaned by the contact cleaning equipment, such as the shape, orientation, or surface characteristics of the substrate surface, workpiece, or multiple workpieces. Summary of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, a cleaning surface for contact cleaning equipment is provided according to the appended claims.

[0011] According to the present invention, a contact cleaning roller according to the appended claims is provided.

[0012] According to the present invention, a contact cleaning system according to the appended claims is provided.

[0013] According to the present invention, a method for forming a cleaning surface for contacting a cleaning device is provided in accordance with the appended claims.

[0014] According to a first aspect of the invention, a cleaning surface for contacting a cleaning device is provided, comprising:

[0015] A substrate, detachably mounted on the contact cleaning device, supports a first polymer layer having a surface.

[0016] The first morphological feature or layer is applied to and / or formed on at least a portion of the first polymer layer.

[0017] And therein, the first polymer layer is radiation-cured.

[0018] In some embodiments, a second morphological feature or layer is applied to and / or formed on at least one other portion of the polymer layer. Thus, the debris collection efficiency of the clean surface is customized to varying degrees within the first morphological feature, within the second morphological feature, and outside the first and second morphological features.

[0019] In some embodiments, the second morphological feature differs in size from the first morphological feature. In some embodiments, the first morphological feature comprises a regular or irregular pattern. In these ways, when the cleaning surface is used to collect debris from the contact cleaning system, the portion of the cleaning roller that contacts the substrate surface or workpiece to be cleaned has a customized area along its length. The customized area in contact with the substrate surface or workpiece to be cleaned can vary as the cleaning roller rotates. Therefore, the area is customized to correspond to different aspects of the substrate surface or workpiece being cleaned.

[0020] In some embodiments, the substrate provides dimensional stability to the cleaning surface. In some embodiments, the substrate comprises a plastic film or a metal foil. In some embodiments, the substrate comprises a mesh. The substrate and the polymer layer supported thereon are flexible so that the cleaning surface can be mounted onto a contact cleaning roller. Due to its properties, such as its composition and / or its thickness, the substrate is able to provide dimensional stability to the cleaning surface without hindering its mounting around the cleaning roller core. Thus, the substrate provides the cleaning surface with better compatibility with the cleaning roller without compromising its elasticity.

[0021] In some embodiments, the first polymer layer includes an antistatic agent. In some embodiments, the first polymer layer is electrostatic dissipative. Thus, the cleaning surface can be adjusted to mitigate the effects of static electricity buildup on the cleaning roller or in the contact cleaning system, thereby preventing damage to the surface of the workpiece or substrate to be cleaned.

[0022] In some embodiments, the first polymer layer comprises an elastomer.

[0023] In some embodiments, the cleaning surface may be formed as a cylinder or a cylindrical cap. In some embodiments, the cleaning surface is provided as a strip or sheet. Thus, the cleaning surface can be adapted to different cleaning rollers and different contact cleaning systems.

[0024] In some embodiments, a second polymer layer is provided between the substrate and the first polymer layer. In some embodiments, the second polymer layer comprises a polymer different from that of the first polymer layer. Thus, the second polymer layer can improve compatibility between the substrate and the first polymer layer. The second polymer layer can provide additional properties to the cleaned surface, such as antistatic or static dissipation properties.

[0025] According to a second aspect of the invention, a contact cleaning roller is provided, comprising a roller core and a contact cleaning surface detachably mounted on at least a portion of the roller core, the contact cleaning surface comprising:

[0026] Substrate, supporting a first polymer layer having a surface,

[0027] The first morphological feature or layer is applied to and / or formed on at least a portion of the first polymer layer.

[0028] And the first polymer layer is cured.

[0029] According to a third aspect of the invention, a contact cleaning apparatus is provided, wherein the contact cleaning roller includes a roller core and a contact cleaning surface detachably mounted on at least a portion of the roller core, the contact cleaning surface comprising:

[0030] Substrate, supporting a first polymer layer having a surface,

[0031] The first morphological feature or layer is applied to and / or formed on at least a portion of the first polymer layer.

[0032] And the first polymer layer is cured.

[0033] In some embodiments, the contact cleaning roller is adapted to operably and movably interact with a workpiece surface, such that the contact cleaning surface collects debris from the workpiece surface. In this manner, when the cleaning surface is used to collect debris in the contact cleaning system, the portion of the cleaning roller in contact with the workpiece has one or more customized regions along its length. The customized regions in contact with the workpiece can change as the contact cleaning roller rotates. Therefore, the regions are customized to correspond to different aspects of the workpiece being cleaned.

[0034] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a method for forming a cleaning surface for contacting a cleaning device is provided, comprising:

[0035] A substrate is provided, which is detachably mounted onto the contact cleaning device.

[0036] A polymer layer is applied to the substrate to form a clean surface.

[0037] And to provide at least a first morphological feature or layer onto at least a portion of the polymer layer.

[0038] In some embodiments, the method further includes radiation curing of the polymer layer, wherein providing the at least first morphological feature occurs before, during, or after the curing process.

[0039] In some embodiments, the method further includes mounting the substrate onto the contact cleaning device after curing the polymer layer.

[0040] In some embodiments, the at least one morphological feature is provided by masking, printing, or embossing the polymer layer. Thus, the morphological feature is applied to and / or formed on the surface of the polymer layer by known means.

[0041] In some embodiments, the mask comprises negative or positive photoresist.

[0042] In some embodiments, the at least one morphological feature comprises a plurality of morphological features sequentially provided on the polymer layer. This allows the cleaning surface to be tailored or customized in stages, maximizing flexibility during manufacturing and enabling highly specialized customization of the cleaning surface for specific aspects of the workpiece or specific cleaning applications.

[0043] In some embodiments of all aspects of the invention, the curing radiation is ultraviolet radiation.

[0044] In some embodiments of all aspects of the invention, the curing radiation is microwave radiation.

[0045] Instruction manual illustrations

[0046] Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0047] Figure 1 shows a) a cross-sectional view and b) a top view of a first example embodiment of a clean surface according to a first aspect of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 2 shows a) a cross-sectional view and b) a top view of a second exemplary embodiment of a clean surface according to the first aspect of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 3 The image shown in Figure 2 is a perspective view of the cleaning surface mounted onto the contact cleaning roller.

[0050] Figure 4 A first method according to another aspect of the invention is shown;

[0051] Figure 5 A second method according to another aspect of the invention is shown; and

[0052] Figure 6 A perspective view of a third exemplary embodiment of a cleaning surface mounted on a contact cleaning roller is shown.

[0053] In the accompanying drawings, similar reference numerals denote similar parts. Detailed Implementation

[0054] The use of certain terms in the following description is for convenience only and not restrictive. The terms 'upper' and 'lower' specify the orientation of the reference point in the diagram and are related to the orientation during assembly of the described components; their specific meanings are readily understood from the context of the specification.

[0055] Furthermore, as used herein, the terms "connected," "attached," "coupled," and "mounted" are intended to include direct connections between two components without any other component in between, as well as indirect connections between components in which one or more other components are located between the aforementioned components. The term includes the words specifically mentioned above, their derivatives, and words with similar meanings.

[0056] Furthermore, unless otherwise stated, the use of ordinal adjectives such as "first," "second," "third," etc., merely indicates that different instances of similar objects are mentioned, and does not imply that the objects described in this way must be in a given order in time, space, hierarchy, or any other way.

[0057] Referring now to FIG. 1, a cleaning surface 100 according to a first aspect of the present invention is shown. The cleaning surface 100 includes a substrate 110 supporting a polymer layer 130 having a surface 132. A portion of the surface 132 of the polymer layer 130 has a first morphological feature 140, and the polymer layer 130 is radiation-cured to fix the morphological feature. In this way, the portion can be adjusted to customize the cleaning surface 100 for a specific cleaning task.

[0058] The substrate 110 is formed of a plastic film to provide an upper surface and a lower surface that extend substantially parallel to each other. The substrate 110 is rectangular and includes a pair of parallel long sides 112, 114 and a pair of parallel short sides 116, 118, the long sides being perpendicular to the short sides.

[0059] The polymer layer 130 extends substantially across the entire upper surface of the substrate. Provided as a coating of the substrate 110, the polymer layer 130 is applied to substantially cover the upper surface of the substrate. Once applied, the polymer layer 130 provides a surface 132 for the cleaning surface 100. The polymer layer 130 can be any polymer suitable for contacting cleaning debris from the workpiece, such as an elastic coating. Non-limiting example materials for the polymer layer include silicone rubber, polyurethane, and polyether.

[0060] A first morphological feature 140 is provided on the surface 132 of the polymer layer. The first morphological feature 140 extends with a uniform width between the long sides 112 and 114 in a direction parallel to the short sides 116 and 118. In this way, the first morphological feature 140 forms a region extending across the surface 132.

[0061] The first morphological feature 140 is provided as a series of grooves 142 formed on the surface 132. Each of the grooves 142 is substantially identical to each other and is arranged such that these grooves together provide a regular pattern. In other words, the first morphological feature 140 forms a uniformly textured surface. The series of grooves 142 significantly increases the surface area of ​​the surface 132 in the region of the first morphological feature 140, thereby adjusting the debris collection efficiency in the region of the first morphological feature 140.

[0062] Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the cleaning surface 200. The features described thereon are the same as in the previous embodiment, and the reference numerals are also the same, except that the first digit is "2". The embodiment shown in Figure 2 is similar to the embodiment shown in Figure 1, such that the cleaning surface 200 includes a substrate 210 on which a polymer layer 230 is supported, having a first morphological feature 240 on its surface 232. A second morphological feature 250 is also present on its surface 232.

[0063] The second topographic feature 250 extends with a uniform width between the long sides 212 and 214 in a direction parallel to the short sides 216 and 218 and parallel to the first topographic feature 240. In this way, the second topographic feature 250 forms a region extending across the surface 232. The width of the second topographic feature 250 across the surface 232 is narrower than the width of the first topographic feature 240.

[0064] The first morphological feature 240 is provided as a series of first grooves 242 on the surface 232. Similar to the example described in FIG1, the series of first grooves 242 increases the surface area of ​​the surface 232 in the region of the first morphological feature 240 to adjust the debris collection efficiency in that region.

[0065] The second topographic feature 250 is provided as a series of second grooves 252 on the surface 232. The second grooves 252 have a different profile shape and opening shape than the first grooves 242. The series of second grooves 252 increases the surface area of ​​the surface 232 within the region of the second topographic feature 250, but to a different degree than within the region of the first topographic feature 240. Therefore, the debris collection efficiency of the surface 232 is adjusted to different degrees within the first topographic feature 240, within the second topographic feature 250, and outside both the first and second topographic features 240.

[0066] Figure 3The cleaning surface 200 described above includes a first morphological feature 240 and a second morphological feature 250 provided on the surface 232 of the polymer layer 230. The entire cleaning surface 200 is mounted on a cleaning roller 300. The cleaning roller 300 includes a roller core 360 ​​having an axial length and a cylindrical outer surface. The cleaning surface 200 is mounted on the roller core 360 ​​such that the cleaning surface wraps around and covers the cylindrical outer surface.

[0067] When the cleaning surface 200 is formed, the lengths of the long sides 212 and 214 of the cleaning surface 200 are selected to correspond to the axial length of the roller core 360. The lengths of the short sides 216 and 218 of the cleaning surface 200 are also selected to correspond to the circumference of the roller core 360. Thus, when the cleaning surface 200 is mounted on the cleaning roller 300, it forms a single layer or sleeve around the roller core 360.

[0068] The cleaning surface 200 is mounted on the cleaning roller 300 such that the first morphological feature 240 and the second morphological feature 250 provide a circumferential band around the cleaning roller. Thus, when the cleaning roller is installed in the contact cleaning equipment and put into use to collect debris, the portion of the cleaning roller 300 that contacts the workpiece has an adjustment area along its contact region. Therefore, as the workpiece moves in the machine direction within the contact cleaning equipment, the cleaning roller 300 rotates to continuously apply a customized cleaning across the width of the workpiece.

[0069] Now for reference Figure 6 The figure shows another embodiment of the cleaning roller 600. The features described therein are the same as in the previous embodiment, and the reference numerals are also the same, except that the starting number is "6". Thus, a cleaning surface is mounted on the cleaning roller 600, with its substrate 610 wrapped around the cleaning roller core 660 so that the surface 632 faces outward.

[0070] The surface 632 has a topographic feature 640 across its entire outer surface 632. The topographic feature 640 extends continuously across the entire outer surface 632 of the cleaning surface. Therefore, the topographic feature 640 is configured to provide a consistent textured surface to the cleaning roller 600.

[0071] Now for reference Figure 4 The diagram illustrates a method 400 for forming a clean surface according to a fourth aspect of the invention. The method 400 first provides a substrate 410, such as substrates 110 and 210 described with reference to FIG1 to 3. A polymer layer 420 is then applied to the substrate to form a clean substrate. At least a first morphological feature or layer 430 is then provided on at least a portion of the polymer layer.

[0072] Figure 5 Another method 500 for forming a clean surface according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is shown. The features described therein are... Figure 4 The methods are the same, and the reference numerals are the same, except that the first number is "5" instead of "4". Figure 5 The illustrated embodiments and Figure 4 The illustrated embodiment is similar, in which a substrate is provided (510), a polymer layer (520) is applied to the substrate, and a first morphological feature or layer (530) is then provided on a first portion of the polymer layer. The method includes a further step (535): providing a second morphological feature or layer (535) on a second portion of the polymer layer. Thus, the cleaned surface is sequentially provided with multiple morphological features. The polymer layer is then cured by radiation (540).

[0073] Those skilled in the art will understand that the above embodiments are described by way of example only and not in any limiting sense, and various changes and modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Various modifications to the detailed examples described above are possible, for example, variations may exist in the number, shape, size, arrangement, assembly, or similar aspects of the contact cleaning surfaces, contact cleaning rollers, or adhesive rollers. In particular, the cross-sectional profiles of the various morphological features can present any suitable coverage, shape, or size.

[0074] In some embodiments, the morphological features include a series of uniform grooves arranged in a regular pattern. However, any regular or irregular pattern can be provided. The pattern may include grooves, openings, protrusions, or roughened areas, or any suitable combination thereof.

[0075] In some examples, the first morphological feature, or the first morphological feature and any additional morphological features, are arranged on the cleaning surface in any suitable orientation. Thus, when the cleaning surface is mounted onto the roller core, the morphological features can be provided in a variety of configurations, such that they form, for example, strips, spirals, or regular or irregular shapes. The morphological features can take the form of a single, uninterrupted shape, or be formed from smaller, discontinuous patterns.

[0076] In some embodiments, the substrate is a plastic film. Alternatively, the substrate may be a mesh, such as a woven or non-woven textile, or a shaped grid or lattice. The film or mesh may be formed from a polymer, such as polyethylene or nylon. Alternatively, the substrate may be a metal foil, such as aluminum, steel, or copper.

[0077] In some embodiments, the antistatic agent may comprise conductive fibers dispersed within the polymer layer, such as nanowires made of, for example, silver or carbon nanotubes. The static dissipating agent may be, for example, a cyclic siloxane or a metal salt.

[0078] In some embodiments, the polymer layer is provided as a relatively thin film, for example, having an average thickness ranging from about 1 mm to about 6 mm. The substrate may be provided with a thickness ranging from about 25 micrometers to about 3 millimeters.

[0079] In some embodiments, the polymer layer may include adjacent portions of different polymers. Optionally, different morphological features may be applied to each polymer in the polymer layer, thereby providing morphological features jointly customized by the physical form of the surfaces and the polymer material to which they are formed.

[0080] In some example methods, radiation curing of the polymer layer can be performed as a single step, after all morphological features have been formed. Alternatively, each morphological feature can be formed and then cured locally in sequence. Or, one or more morphological features can be formed and cured simultaneously.

[0081] In some example methods, radiation curing can use ultraviolet or microwave radiation. Alternatively, other radiation curing methods, such as infrared or visible light, can also be used.

[0082] The polymer layer may be radiation-cured before being mounted onto the cleaning roller on the cleaning surface, or the polymer layer may be radiation-cured after mounting.

Claims

1. A cleaning surface for a contact cleaning apparatus, comprising: a substrate separably mountable to the contact cleaning apparatus, the substrate supporting a first polymer layer having a surface, wherein the first polymer layer comprises an elastomer, wherein a first topographical feature or layer is applied to and / or formed on at least a portion of the first polymer layer, and wherein the at least a portion of the first polymer layer having the first topographical feature or layer is cured by radiation to fix the first topographical feature, wherein forming the first topographical feature occurs before or during the curing.

2. The cleaning surface of claim 1, wherein a second topographical feature or layer is applied to and / or formed on at least one other portion of the polymer layer.

3. The cleaning surface of claim 2, wherein the second topographical feature is different in size from the first topographical feature.

4. The cleaning surface of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first topographical feature comprises a regular or irregular pattern.

5. The cleaning surface of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the substrate provides dimensional stability to the cleaning surface.

6. The cleaning surface of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the substrate comprises a plastic film or a metal foil.

7. The cleaning surface of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the substrate comprises a mesh.

8. The cleaning surface of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first polymer layer comprises an antistatic agent.

9. The cleaning surface of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first polymer layer is electrostatically dissipative.

10. The cleaning surface of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cleaning surface is formable into a cylinder or a cylindrical cap.

11. The cleaning surface of any one of the preceding claims, wherein a second polymer layer is provided between the substrate and the first polymer layer.

12. The cleaning surface of claim 11, wherein the second polymer layer comprises a different polymer than the first polymer layer.

13. The cleaning surface of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the cleaning surface is provided as a belt or a sheet.

14. A contact cleaning roller comprising a roller core, wherein a contact cleaning surface according to any one of claims 1 to 13 is separably mountable on at least a portion of the roller core.

15. A contact cleaning apparatus comprising the contact cleaning roller of claim 14.

16. The contact cleaning apparatus of claim 15, wherein the contact cleaning roller is adapted to operably interactably moveable with a workpiece surface such that the contact cleaning surface collects debris from the workpiece surface.

17. A method of forming a cleaning surface for a contact cleaning apparatus, comprising: providing a substrate separably mountable to the contact cleaning apparatus, applying a polymer layer to the substrate to form a cleaning surface, wherein the polymer layer comprises an elastomer, providing at least a first topographical feature or layer on at least a portion of the polymer layer, and curing the at least a portion of the polymer layer having the first topographical feature or layer by radiation to fix the first topographical feature. fixing the first topographical feature by radiation curing the at least one portion of the polymer layer having at least the first topographical feature or layer, wherein providing the at least first topographical feature or layer occurs prior to or during the curing.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising mounting the substrate to the contact cleaning apparatus after curing the polymer layer.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein at least the first topographical feature is provided by masking, printing, or stamping the polymer layer.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the mask comprises a negative or positive photoresist.

21. The method of any one of claims 18 to 20, wherein at least the first topographical feature comprises a plurality of topographical features provided in sequence on the polymer layer.

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