System and method of forming brush for cleaning surface
The brush contact surface is cut through the laser cutting system, and the problem of inconsistency in the brush surface in the prior art is solved, achieving efficient and uniform cleaning effect.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202380071503.5
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2023-08-14
- Filing Date
- 2023-08-15
- Publication Date
- 2025-05-13
AI Technical Summary
Prior Art When forming a brush for cleaning a surface, conventional methods lead to inconsistency in the application surface, affecting the cleaning quality.
The contact surface of the brush is cut with a laser cutting system to form a consistent convex tumor to avoid deformation and inhomogeneity caused by mechanical cutting, while preventing combustion and discoloration through fluid and pre-wetting brushes.
The brush surface is consistent and efficiently cleaned, avoiding uneven contact and damage to the surface, and improving the cleaning quality.
Smart Images

Figure CN119998937A_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0002] This application is a non-provisional patent application of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 399,387, filed on August 19, 2022, and entitled “Systems And Methods Of FormingABrush To CleanASurface,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Background Art
[0003] The present disclosure relates to substrate cleaning brushes, and more particularly to systems and methods of forming brushes for cleaning surfaces.
[0004] In the semiconductor manufacturing industry and other industries, brushes are used to remove contaminants from surfaces, such as from semiconductor wafers. Depending on the specific application, the cleaning of a substrate or surface may also involve the delivery of one or more substances (e.g., chemicals, ultrapure water (UPW), deionized water (DIW), etc.) to the substrate or surface. However, some conventional methods of forming such brushes result in inconsistencies in the application surface, which may affect the quality of the cleaning.
[0005] The limitations and disadvantages of conventional methods of forming or adjusting a brush will become apparent to those skilled in the art by comparing the conventional methods with certain aspects of the present methods and systems as described in the remainder of this disclosure with reference to the accompanying figures. Summary of the invention
[0006] A system and method of forming a brush for contact cleaning applications is disclosed, substantially as illustrated by and described in conjunction with at least one of the accompanying drawings, and as more fully set forth in the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] These and / or other aspects will become apparent and more readily understood from the following description of exemplary embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
[0008] Figure 1 Example systems for forming brushes for contact cleaning applications according to aspects of the present disclosure are presented.
[0009] Figure 2A and Figure 2B Example views of a laser system for cutting a protuberance in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure are shown.
[0010] Figure 3A and Figure 3B Several views of example brushes according to aspects of the present disclosure are shown.
[0011] Figure 4A and Figure 4B Various views of example brushes and nubs are shown in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
[0012] Figure 5A and Figure 5B Various views of example brushes and nubs are shown in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
[0013] Fig. 6A and Figure 6B Examples of a brush before laser cutting and a brush after laser cutting are shown according to aspects of the present disclosure.
[0014] Figure 7 Example graphs of brush radius variation for comparative example molded brushes and brushes cut by the disclosed laser system are provided in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
[0015] Fig. 8A and Figure 8B Example details of sample images showing laser cut and mechanically cut nodule surfaces.
[0016] Fig. 9A and Fig. 9B Example details of sample images showing laser cut and mechanically cut nodule surfaces.
[0017] Fig. 10A and Fig. 10B Views of two example brushes and nubs are provided in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
[0018] Fig.11A and Fig. 11B A diagrammatic representation of cutting a protuberance by a laser process and a mechanical grinding process in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure is shown.
[0019] Fig.12 and Fig.13 Example brushes having a plurality of different cut patterns are shown in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure.
[0020] Fig.14 A flow chart representing an example method of forming a brush via a laser cutting process in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure is presented.
[0021] The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Where appropriate, similar or identical reference numerals are used to refer to similar or identical components. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0022] Different applications and processes can benefit from physical cleaning of surfaces. For example, in semiconductor manufacturing, semiconductor wafers can be cleaned to remove potentially damaging contaminants during one or more stages of manufacturing microelectronic devices on the wafer. Cleaning can be provided by, for example, a brush that contacts the surface to be cleaned.
[0023] To efficiently clean substrates, the disclosed example brushes contact the substrate to be cleaned in the presence of a fluid (e.g., a cleaning chemical). Conventional brushes are mounted or cast directly to a rotatable hollow base or spindle having holes that allow water, chemicals, or both to flow through the base or spindle, into and through the brush body, and onto the substrate or wafer to be cleaned.
[0024] Due to the construction of conventional disc brushes and / or roller brushes, conventional brushes may not be uniform on the application surface. This may result in the application surface not being adequately cleaned, generating debris and / or causing defects on the surface.
[0025] Thus, systems and methods for forming brushes for advanced semiconductor contact cleaning applications are disclosed. Specifically, one or more contact surfaces (e.g., knobs) of the brush can be cut out by a laser cutting system. The use of a laser cutting system avoids many problems associated with mechanical cutting or surface wear, such as deformation of the knobs, uneven contact surfaces, and / or inherent variability of the knob surface for different shapes and aspect ratios, which is important for unique applications. Further, the application of fluids and / or pre-wetted brushes avoids burning, discoloration, and resulting damage to the surface of the brush. The laser cutting system also allows surfaces (e.g., knobs) to be cut quickly and consistently, further preventing problems typically associated with the application of laser power.
[0026] In some examples, the brush is formed of polyvinyl acetal (PVA) suitable for advanced semiconductor cleaning applications including, but not limited to, post chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) cleaning. The disclosed method employs a computer numerical control (CNC) system having a carbon dioxide (CO2) laser to cut, trim, shape, or otherwise alter one or more surfaces of one or more protrusions or bumps of the brush.
[0027] In a disclosed example, a method of forming a brush for cleaning a surface includes forming a brush having a plurality of protrusions extending from a surface of the brush, the brush having a core extending through the brush; and cutting the plurality of protrusions via a laser system to a predetermined distance from a central axis of the brush.
[0028] In some examples, the method includes rotating the brush about a central axis to align a nub of the plurality of nubs with a beam of the laser system.
[0029] In some examples, the method includes moving a laser system along a surface of the brush to align a beam of the laser system with a protrusion of the plurality of protrusions.
[0030] In an example, a flat surface is formed on the plurality of protrusions via cutting by the laser system, the flat surface being tangent to a radius extending a predetermined distance from the central axis.
[0031] In an example, cutting via a laser system forms a surface on the plurality of protrusions, the angled surface being angled relative to a plane tangent to a radius extending a predetermined distance from the central axis.
[0032] In some examples, the method includes a length of the brush defined by a first portion and a second portion, wherein cutting via the laser system includes cutting a plurality of nubs at a predetermined distance along the first portion and cutting a plurality of nubs at a second predetermined distance along the second portion.
[0033] In some examples, the method includes directing a fluid through a brush during cutting.
[0034] In some disclosed examples, a system for forming a brush for cleaning a surface includes: a mandrel for mounting a brush, the brush including a plurality of protrusions extending from a surface of the brush; and a laser system for cutting the plurality of protrusions a predetermined distance from a central axis of the brush.
[0035] In some examples, the system includes a guide for depressing, deforming, or moving a first protrusion of the plurality of protrusions when the laser system cuts a second protrusion of the plurality of protrusions. In an example, the brush has a cylindrical shape and is defined by a first portion along the length of the cylindrical brush and a second portion having a first diameter and a second diameter greater than the first diameter. In an example, the first portion corresponds to a middle portion of the length of the brush and the second portion corresponds to an edge of the brush.
[0036] In some examples, the system includes an inlet to direct fluid from a fluid source through the brush and the plurality of protrusions to maintain a threshold amount of moisture in the brush while the laser system cuts the plurality of protrusions.
[0037] In some examples, the system includes a computer numerical control (CNC) machine that is used to hold and move one or both of the brush or laser systems.
[0038] In an example, the brush is formed of polyvinyl acetal (PVA).In an example, the laser system includes a CO2 laser source.
[0039] In some disclosed examples, a system for forming a brush for cleaning a surface includes: a mandrel for mounting a brush including a contact surface; a laser system for cutting one or more patterns in the contact surface; and an inlet for directing a fluid from a fluid source through the brush and the contact surface to maintain a threshold amount of moisture in the brush as the laser system cuts the contact surface.
[0040] In some examples, the laser system selectively cuts two or more portions of the contact surface to remove a desired amount of the skin layer at the two or more portions of the contact surface.
[0041] In some examples, the two or more parts include a plurality of protrusions, and the brush is configured to rotate about the central axis to align a protrusion of the plurality of protrusions with a beam of the laser system. In an example, the laser system is configured to move along the contact surface to align the beam of the laser system with a protrusion of the plurality of protrusions.
[0042] In some examples, the laser system includes a CO2 laser source to produce a beam that cuts the contact surface.
[0043] like Figure 1 Provided, the brush 100 can be suspended on a fixture (e.g., a spindle 108 or other support 108) configured to rotate around an axis 105. For example, the brush 100 is molded or otherwise formed on the spindle 108. In some examples, the brush 100 is formed separately and then mounted to the spindle 108. The brush 100 is defined by a brush body 110 having one or more protrusions 102 extending therefrom. The protrusions 102 will be arranged to contact a substrate (e.g., a surface) to clean and / or polish the substrate. The example brush 100 is a porous polymer foam that can be molded, machined, constructed using additive manufacturing techniques, and / or otherwise configured into an annular and / or cylindrical shape. Example polymer foams that can be used to implement the brush 100 include polyvinyl acetate foams, polyurethane foams, polyolefin foams, porous fluoropolymers, and / or silicone foams.
[0044] To achieve the desired consistent radial diameter, one or more nubs 102 may be cut by a laser beam 106 from a laser system 104 while the brush 100 is rotated about an axis 105. Further, the laser system 104 (or brush 100) may be translated along the axis 105 to cut nubs 102 disposed at different locations on the brush 100. The laser power from the laser system 104 may be applied within a range of values (e.g., approximately 100 watts to 500 watts) at a variety of cutting speeds. The applied laser power and / or cutting speed may be selected based on a number of factors, including nub shape, material density, number of nubs to be cut, number of cuts per nub (as a non-limiting list of factors).
[0045] In some examples, the motion of the associated CNC system controls the depth of each cut relative to the rotational axis 105 of the brush 100 so that each cut is a predetermined radius 112 of the brush 100. Figure 2A and Figure 2B As shown, the brush 100 can be moved (e.g., rotated, moved in one or more of the XYZ planes) relative to the laser system 104 and / or the laser beam 106 to control the angle of the cut. The parameters of the preprogrammed cutting operation can control the movement of the laser system 104 (and / or the brush 100) to cut, for example, a row of protrusions 102, and then the brush (and / or the laser system 104) can be rotated to process (e.g., cut) another row of protrusions around the periphery of the brush, such as an adjacent row of protrusions.
[0046] exist Figure 2A In the example shown in FIG. 1 , laser beam 106 cuts the nodule at an angle of 90 degrees relative to radius 112 . Figure 2B It is shown that one or more protrusions are cut at an angle Φ relative to the radius 112 at a given protrusion. Although shown as a single cut performed on the flat outer surface of the protrusion, in some examples, multiple cuts can be performed so that the outer surface of the protrusion presents a varying surface until a surface is formed for cleaning. In addition, the protrusions of the first portion of the brush can have one or more first cuts, while the protrusions of the second portion can have one or more second cuts. Depending on the surface to be cleaned, these portions can be linear (e.g., along the length of the brush), radial (e.g., along the circumference of the brush), and / or segmented at any number of regions along the outer surface of the brush (see, for example, Fig. 6A and Figure 6B ).
[0047] In some examples, during the laser cutting operation, one or more protrusions may be depressed, redirected, and / or otherwise moved to avoid unnecessary cutting of the protrusions. For example, a mechanical device (e.g., a paddle, plate, guide, etc.) may be used to compress the foam of a given protrusion to remove it from the path of the laser beam while cutting another protrusion.
[0048] During the example cutting operation, the brush 100 is kept moist to prevent contamination, burning, deformation, and / or other damage to the PVA material. The moisture level can range from light saturation (e.g., 5% by weight) to nearly full saturation (e.g., about 300% by weight). The moisturizer can be any suitable fluid (e.g., water or a chemical solution) and the brush is pre-moistened prior to cutting. In some examples, if reasonably constant saturation rather than full saturation is desired, a fluid can be passed through the brush 100 during the cutting process.
[0049] Although the disclosed examples describe PVA-based foam materials for advanced semiconductor cleaning applications, the technology and resulting brush structures can be extended to any porous polymer cleaning products (e.g., polyurethanes, polyolefins, polyesters, porous fluoropolymers, etc.). Example brushes can be configured with different geometries, including shaped protrusions cut by the disclosed systems and methods, which extend from the brush body to contact the surface. In some examples, the contact surface is configured with microtextures to achieve one or more tribological effects.
[0050] As used herein, chemicals or process chemicals may refer to any substance that may be applied via the disclosed brushes, including water, such as deionized water (DIW) and / or ultrapure water (UPW).
[0051] The disclosed example brushes can include an annular porous polymer brush body configured to rotate about an axis during cutting. In some examples, the brush is constructed via at least one of molding, machining, or additive manufacturing.
[0052] Some conventional molded foam products are produced with a "skin" or film layer on the surface of the part. For post-CMP applications and other critical contact semiconductor cleaning processes, the surface of the skin layer can easily capture unwanted process debris such as Figure 3A and Figure 3B Process debris often accumulates on the surface of the protrusions, which can cause scratching or cross-contamination of the surface to be cleaned. For example, for many semiconductor contact cleaning applications, such defects can cause damage to the wafer and / or yield loss.
[0053] like Figure 4AAs shown, a given knob 102 has a substantially uniform epidermis on the side surface 114A and the contact surface 114B, such that fluid flows across both knob surfaces. The disclosed laser cutting process provides a quick and efficient way to remove the epidermis from a molded polymer foam (such as PVA) while also cutting the knob to meet a desired brush diameter. Removing the epidermis from a surface of the brush (e.g., the knob surface) has the effect of reducing the surface energy of the knob, providing a porous surface that is less likely to capture process debris, and / or allowing the brush to be easily rinsed (e.g., cleaned in place). For example, fluid flowing through a molded polymer foam tends to follow the path of least resistance. The epidermis may impede such flow. However, by cutting at one surface of the brush (such as the open contact surface 114B of the knob), the fluid will selectively flow across the contact surface 114B rather than the side surface 114A, thereby hydrodynamically forcing debris away from the knob contact surface, such as Figure 4B shown.
[0054] In some foam molding operations, the consistency and uniformity of the product (including external dimensions) depends on the precision of the mold, the mold assembly, the molding process conditions, the demolding process, and / or the variability of the raw materials used. The disclosed laser cutting system and / or process allows the shape and / or size of the brush 100 and roller assembly to be controlled regardless of most factors that lead to molded inferior product quality, especially dimensional control.
[0055] For conventional roller brushes, the laser cut line can be placed at a radial distance 112 relative to the brush rotation axis 116 to produce a concentric roller of desired dimensions from an otherwise imperfect molded product, such as Figure 5A A substantially uniform concentric roller brush (eg, formed from PVA) provides maximum boss-substrate contact and thus provides a more efficient cleaning process.
[0056] The laser system can also be configured to easily design the profile of non-concentric brushes, customize, and / or produce non-concentric brushes when the cleaning process requires offset brush contact on the substrate. Fig. 6A and Figure 6B A standard laser cutting operation may be one in which the contact surface of each protuberance has a similar radius measured from the central axis (e.g., Figure 5A and Figure 5B). In an alternative example of Case 1, a first radius 112 from the axis 105 is maintained at a first end of the brush while the laser cutting ramps to a second radius 112A at the second end, resulting in a tapered brush. In an example of Case 2, the middle portion of the brush has a first radius 112B that is greater than a second radius 112C at both ends of the brush, resulting in a middle-biased brush. In an example of Case 3, the first radius 112D at the middle portion of the brush is less than the second radius 112E at both ends of the brush, resulting in an edge-biased brush. Such focused alternative geometries can be particularly useful for advanced cleaning applications that are sensitive to brush over-compression and / or have cleaning / defect requirements that vary from center to edge along the length of the brush (e.g., post-metal CMP applications).
[0057] Figure 7 An example graph comparing the variation in brush radius of an example molded brush and a brush cut by a disclosed laser system is provided in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. As shown, the variation in brush roll radius varies widely among molded brushes. In contrast, laser cut brushes have an overall consistent brush roll radius.
[0058] The disclosed laser cutting systems and methods can provide surfaces comparable to mechanically cut surfaces. FIG. 8A to FIG. 10B The quality of the brush and / or protuberance surface processed by the disclosed laser cutting operation is shown compared to a mechanically cut surface. The cut quality or surface topography is typically measured qualitatively by a non-contact roughness meter (e.g., via interferometry) or by scanning electron microscope images, such as Fig. 8A and Figure 8B The surface morphology of the cut surface depends on the average pore size and porosity (eg, pore distribution) of the material being cut.
[0059] Conventional mechanical cutting and / or grinding of protuberances may be difficult. For example, porous polymer protuberance materials are flexible, so when mechanical forces associated with blade cutting and / or grinding are applied to the protuberances, the cutting surface may deform and / or fail to cut and / or remove the epidermis from the entire protuberance surface, such as Fig. 9B As shown. The ground PVA brush protrusion with mechanical flexibility will determine the contour of the protrusion contact surface, thereby changing the shape of the molded feature. Fig. 9A As shown, because there is little or no deformation of the nub during the laser cutting process, the entire nub surface can be removed in a single pass without deforming the nub, resulting in a shape similar to that of the molded nub / feature.
[0060] Another advantage of the laser cutting system and method is that the cutting quality is independent of the bump geometry, size, and / or density. For example, there are many different post-CMP cleaning applications. Depending on the nature of the surface to be cleaned (e.g., metal or dielectric) and the defect tolerance, a brush with a different bump design / configuration may be required for a particular application. Unlike the grinding process, which depends largely on compression, processing speed, contact area, and other tribological phenomena, the laser cutting process is more consistent. Smaller diameter, high bump density brushes (e.g., Fig. 10A ) produces a similar effect to a larger, lower nub density brush (as Fig. 10B The same cutting quality (e.g., morphology) is achieved by
[0061] The grinding process also depends greatly on the uniformity of the molded brush. For example, a more uniform brush will grind more evenly. A less uniform brush will often exhibit well-ground areas (e.g., open contact surface) and under-ground areas on the same brush, and / or a knob profile that varies due to variable contact pressure on the brush during the grinding operation, such as Fig. 11B As shown. The resulting variation in brush cut / topography produces a non-ideal clean brush. In contrast, the disclosed laser system and process compensates for the non-uniformity of the incoming brush by adjusting the cutting depth without the need for process corrections, such as Fig.11A shown.
[0062] Fig.12 A brush 100 is shown having an example patterned contact surface 102B. Fig.13 Another example patterned contact surface 102C is shown. In such an example, the brush itself can be molded with or without any protrusions or projections. The laser cutting system and method can be configured to cut patterns, designs, and / or other variables on the surface of the brush. In some examples, the brush can include multiple parts or regions, each of which has a specific contact surface. As a non-limiting example, the first part can be defined by a protrusion and / or pattern with a first size, geometry, and / or density, and the second part can be defined by a protrusion and / or pattern with a second size, geometry, and / or density. These parts can alternate, be unique, adjacent, and can extend along the length of the brush, around the circumference of the brush, or around any arrangement of the brush to adapt to the desired cleaning application. The size, geometry, and / or position of the multiple cutouts can be designed to regulate the flow of liquid through the surface of the brush body.
[0063] Fig.14A flow chart representing an example method 200 of forming a brush for cleaning a surface is shown. At box 202, a brush is formed having a plurality of protrusions extending from the brush surface. The brush body can be constructed individually or in combination by at least one of molding, machining, additive manufacturing (e.g., 3D printing), and / or any other manufacturing technology. In some examples, the brush is formed by a smooth surface (e.g., without protrusions) and can be cut to have a variety of patterns. In some examples, the brush can be formed with a mandrel extending therethrough.
[0064] At block 204, a plurality of protrusions are cut via a laser system to be a predetermined distance from a central axis of the brush.
[0065] At block 206 , the brush may be rotated about the central axis to align a nub of the plurality of nubs with a beam of the laser system (eg, wherein the laser beam position is maintained relative to the brush, or the laser beam position is moved relative to the brush).
[0066] At block 208 , the laser system is moved along the surface of the brush to align a beam of the laser system with a nub of the plurality of nubs (eg, wherein the brush position is maintained relative to the laser beam, or the brush position is moved relative to the laser beam).
[0067] As disclosed herein, cutting via a laser system can produce a flat surface on multiple protrusions that is tangent to a radius extending a predetermined distance from the central axis, and / or produce a surface on multiple protrusions that is angled relative to a plane tangent to a radius extending a predetermined distance from the central axis.
[0068] At block 210 , the laser system optionally cuts a first set of nubs at a predetermined distance along a first portion of the brush, and / or at block 212 , cuts a second set of nubs at a second predetermined distance along a second portion.
[0069] At block 214 , fluid is optionally directed through the brush during cutting.
[0070] Although FIG. 10A to FIG. 1 Example microtextures and patterns are shown in 0C, but the microfeature shape, feature concentration or density, microfeature size, microfeature depth, and / or any other geometric aspect of the microfeatures can be modified to obtain the desired cleaning effect, unique tribological function (e.g., enhanced lubrication, increased friction, improved cleaning efficiency), and / or different flow characteristics. Different parts of the brush body 110 and / or different protrusions 102 can have different microtexture features or characteristics. The same or different microtextures can be used with different shapes of protrusions disclosed. The features and / or characteristics of the microtexture can be selected based on the type of cleaning process.
[0071] The present method and system can be implemented with hardware, software, and / or a combination of hardware and software. The present method and / or system can be implemented in a centralized manner in at least one computing system, such as a control circuit, or in a distributed manner, such as a control circuit, wherein different elements are spread across several interconnected computing systems. Any type of computing system or other device adapted to perform the method described herein is suitable. A typical combination of hardware and software may include a general computing system with a program or other code, which controls the computing system when loaded and executed so that the computing system performs the method described herein. Another typical implementation may include one or more application specific integrated circuits or chips. Some implementations may include non-transient machine-readable (e.g., computer-readable) media (e.g., flash memory, optical disk, magnetic storage disk, etc.), which stores one or more code lines executable by a machine, thereby causing the machine to perform the process described herein. As used herein, the term "non-transient machine-readable medium" is defined as including all types of machine-readable storage media and excluding propagation signals.
[0072] As used herein, the terms "circuit" and "circuitry" refer to physical electronic components (i.e., hardware) and any software and / or firmware ("code") that can configure, be executed by, and / or otherwise be associated with hardware. As used herein, for example, a particular processor and memory may constitute a first "circuit" when executing a first line or more lines of code, and may constitute a second "circuit" when executing a second line or more lines of code. As used herein, "and / or" refers to any one or more of the multiple items combined by "and / or" in the list. As an example, "x and / or y" refers to any element in the three-element set {(x), (y), (x, y)}. In other words, "x and / or y" refers to "one or both of x and y". As another example, "x, y and / or z" refers to any element in the seven-element set {(x), (y), (z), (x, y), (x, z), (y, z), (x, y, z)}. In other words, "x, y and / or z" refers to "one or more of x, y and z". As used herein, the term "exemplary" means serving as a non-limiting example, instance, or illustration. As used herein, the terms "eg" and "for example" elicit a list of one or more non-limiting examples, instances, or illustrations. As used herein, a circuit system is "operable" to perform a function when the circuit system includes the necessary hardware and code (if necessary) to perform the function, regardless of whether the performance of the function is disabled or not enabled (e.g., by a user-configurable setting, a factory adjustment, etc.).
[0073] Although the present method and / or system has been described with reference to certain embodiments, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the scope of the present method and / or system. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt specific circumstances or materials to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present method and / or system is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed. Rather, the present method and / or system will include all embodiments that fall within the scope of the appended claims, both literally and according to the doctrine of equivalents.
Claims
1. A method of forming a brush for cleaning a surface, the method comprising: forming a brush having a plurality of nubs extending from a surface of the brush, the brush having a mandrel extending through the brush; as well as The plurality of protrusions are cut via a laser system to be a predetermined distance away from a central axis of the brush.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: The brush is rotated about the central axis to align a protrusion of the plurality of protrusions with a beam of the laser system.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: The laser system is moved along the surface of the brush to align a beam of the laser system with a protrusion of the plurality of protrusions.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein: The cutting via the laser system produces a flat surface on the plurality of protrusions that is tangent to a radius extending the predetermined distance from the central axis.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein: The cutting via the laser system creates a surface on the plurality of bosses that is angled relative to a plane tangent to a radius extending the predetermined distance from the central axis.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein: The length of the brush is defined by a first portion and a second portion, wherein the cutting via the laser system comprises: cutting the plurality of protrusions at the predetermined distance along the first portion; and cutting the plurality of protrusions at a second predetermined distance along the second portion.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: A fluid is directed through the brush during the cutting.
8. A system for forming a brush for cleaning a surface, the system comprising: a mandrel for mounting a brush, the mandrel comprising a plurality of protrusions extending from a surface of the brush; as well as A laser system is used to cut the plurality of protrusions to be a predetermined distance from a central axis of the brush.
9. The system of claim 8, further comprising a guide configured to depress, deform, or move a first protrusion among the plurality of protrusions when the laser system cuts a second protrusion among the plurality of protrusions.
10. The system of claim 8, wherein: The brush has a cylindrical shape and is defined by a first portion along the length of the cylindrical brush having a first diameter and a second portion having a second diameter greater than the first diameter.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein: The first portion corresponds to a middle portion of the length of the brush and the second portion corresponds to an edge of the brush.
12. The system of claim 8, further comprising an inlet for directing fluid from a fluid source through the brush and the plurality of protrusions to maintain a threshold amount of moisture in the brush while the laser system cuts the plurality of protrusions.
13. The system of claim 8, further comprising a computer numerical control (CNC) machine for securing and moving one or both of the brush or the laser system.
14. The system of claim 8, wherein: The brush is formed from polyvinyl acetal (PVA).
15. The system of claim 8, wherein: The laser system includes a CO2 laser source.
16. A system for forming a brush for cleaning a surface, the system comprising: a mandrel for mounting a brush including a contact surface; a laser system for cutting one or more patterns into the contact surface; as well as An inlet is provided for directing fluid from a fluid source through the brush and the contact surface to maintain a threshold amount of moisture in the brush while the laser system cuts the contact surface.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein: The laser system selectively cuts two or more portions of the contact surface to remove a desired amount of skin layer at the two or more portions on the contact surface.
18. The system of claim 16, wherein: The two or more parts include a plurality of protrusions, and the brush is configured to rotate about a central axis to align a protrusion of the plurality of protrusions with a beam of the laser system.
19. The system of claim 18, wherein: The laser system is configured to move along the contact surface to align a beam of the laser system with a protrusion of the plurality of protrusions.
20. The system of claim 16, wherein: The laser system includes a CO2 laser source to produce a beam that cuts the contact surface.