Dust collector

Abstract

To improve suction force of both longitudinal ends of a duct collector.SOLUTION: A dust collector (10) includes: two dust removal heads (21) each of which has a body (22) formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a plurality of jet parts (70) which jet a gas to the oblique lower side and in each of which a supply chamber extending in a longitudinal direction of the body is formed in the body and the jet parts are arranged in the longitudinal direction and communicate with the supply chamber; and a hood (11) having a connection part (16) connected to a duct which suctions the gas and a pair of side surface parts (13) which fix the two dust removal heads so that the dust removal heads face each other with their longitudinal directions matched, the hood (11) forming a suction passage which suctions the gas between a space (S) between the bodies of the two dust removal heads and the connection part. The connection part is provided at an upper part in a center portion in the longitudinal direction at the hood. The hood includes partition parts (60) which partition both ends in the longitudinal direction in the space of the bodies facing each other obliquely from a height of a lower part (22a) of the body toward the connection part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 14

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a dust removal device for removing dust from precision objects to be removed, such as exposure masks and glass substrates. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, there is a dust removal device that includes two dust removal heads that eject gas to be blown onto a target to be removed from, and a rectangular cylindrical hood that has an upper opening connected to a duct that sucks in air and that sucks in air from a lower opening, and that is attached to the hood so that the gas ejected from the two dust removal heads faces the lower inside of the hood, and that causes the gas ejected from the two dust removal heads to collide with each other on the lower inside of the hood and is sucked into the duct through the hood (see Patent Document 1). The dust removal head described in Patent Document 1 includes a main body formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape and a plurality of ejection parts that eject gas. Inside the main body, a supply chamber is formed that extends in the longitudinal direction of the main body (hereinafter simply referred to as the "longitudinal direction"), and a plurality of ejection parts aligned in the longitudinal direction are each connected to the supply chamber. Then, gas is introduced into the supply chamber, and the gas is supplied to each of the plurality of ejection parts through the supply chamber. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-160252 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the dust removal device described in Patent Document 1, a duct is connected to the upper part of the center of the hood in the longitudinal direction. The space between the bodies of the dust removal heads facing each other is sucked upward by the hood. In order to supply a required amount of gas from the supply chamber to a plurality of ejection parts, it is necessary to increase the flow passage area of ​​the supply chamber, and the height of the body of the dust removal head is likely to be high. For this reason, in the space between the bodies of the dust removal heads facing each other, the gas at both ends in the longitudinal direction tends to stagnate without flowing toward the duct. As a result, the suction force at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the dust removal device decreases, and dust may remain on the target to be removed in the part where the suction force is reduced. In particular, when a frame is attached to the outer edge of the target to be removed and the frame part is higher than other parts, dust is likely to remain near the inside of the frame.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and a main object of the present invention is to improve the suction force at both longitudinal ends of a dust remover. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The first means for solving the above problem is Two dust removal heads each having a main body formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape and a plurality of ejection parts that eject gas obliquely downward toward a dust removal target, a supply chamber extending in a longitudinal direction of the main body is formed inside the main body, and the plurality of ejection parts are arranged in the longitudinal direction and each communicate with the supply chamber; A dust removal device comprising: a connection part connected to a duct that sucks in gas; and a pair of side parts that fix the two dust removal heads so that they face each other with the longitudinal direction aligned; and a hood that forms a suction flow path that sucks in gas between a space between the main bodies of the two dust removal heads and the connection part, The connection portion is provided at an upper portion of the center of the hood in the longitudinal direction, The hood has partitions that partition both ends in the longitudinal direction in the space between the opposing main bodies obliquely from the height of the lower part of the main body toward the connection part.

[0007] According to the above configuration, the two dust removal heads have a main body formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape and a plurality of ejection parts that eject gas obliquely downward toward the object to be removed. A supply chamber extending in the longitudinal direction of the main body is formed inside the main body, and the plurality of ejection parts are arranged in the longitudinal direction and each communicate with the supply chamber. Therefore, by introducing gas into the supply chamber, the gas can be supplied to each of the plurality of ejection parts via the supply chamber. Then, the gas can be ejected obliquely downward from the plurality of ejection parts arranged in the longitudinal direction toward the object to be removed, and dust attached to the object to be removed can be blown away.

[0008] A pair of side portions of the hood are fixed so that the two dust removal heads face each other with the longitudinal direction aligned. The hood forms a suction flow path for sucking in the gas between the space between the main bodies of the two dust removal heads and a connection portion connected to a duct for sucking in the gas. Therefore, the dust blown off from the target to be removed can be sucked into the duct from the space between the main bodies of the two dust removal heads via the hood together with the gas ejected from the ejection portions of the two dust removal heads.

[0009] Here, in order to supply the necessary amount of gas from the supply chamber to the multiple ejection parts, it is necessary to increase the flow path area of ​​the supply chamber, and the height of the main body of the dust removal head tends to be high. Therefore, in the space between the opposing main bodies, the gas at both ends in the longitudinal direction tends to stagnate without flowing toward the duct. In this regard, the hood is provided with a partitioning portion that partitions the both ends in the longitudinal direction in the space between the opposing main bodies obliquely from the height of the lower part of the main body toward the connection part. Therefore, even if the height of the main body of the dust removal head is increased, the gas at both ends in the longitudinal direction in the space between the opposing main bodies tends to flow along the partitioning portion toward the connection part, i.e., the duct. Therefore, the suction force at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the dust removal device can be improved, and dust can be prevented from remaining on the target to be removed.

[0010] In a second aspect, the hood includes a cover portion that covers the upper sides of the main bodies of the two dust removal heads and the upper side of the partition portion. With this configuration, the cover portion can easily cover the space between the main bodies of the two dust removal heads and the space between the connection portion, thereby preventing gas from leaking from the hood.

[0011] In a third aspect, the partition is fixed to the cover. With this configuration, the partition can be easily attached by utilizing the cover.

[0012] In the fourth means, a rectangular intermediate block is provided at both longitudinal ends of the opposing main bodies, which are sandwiched between the opposing main bodies and abut against the main bodies, and an inclined surface is formed on the lower part of the intermediate block facing the space, which is inclined relative to the bottom surface of the intermediate block, and the lower part of the partition is fixed to the inclined surface.

[0013] According to the above configuration, rectangular parallelepiped intermediate blocks are provided at both ends of the opposing main bodies in the longitudinal direction, sandwiched between the opposing main bodies and abutting against the main bodies. Therefore, the distance between the opposing main bodies, i.e., the width of the space between the opposing main bodies, can be determined by the intermediate blocks. An inclined surface is formed on the lower part of the intermediate block on the space side, inclined relative to the bottom surface of the intermediate block, and the lower part of the partition is fixed to the inclined surface. Therefore, the partition can be easily attached by utilizing the intermediate block that determines the width of the space between the opposing main bodies.

[0014] In the fifth aspect, the partition portion above the space is connected to the upper portion of the main body and the pair of side portions, and the upper portion of the partition portion is not covered. With this configuration, the partition portion and the pair of side portions can form a gas suction flow path above the space between the opposing main bodies. Therefore, even if a cover portion that covers the upper portion of the partition portion is omitted, the gas suction flow path can be formed by the hood.

[0015] In a sixth aspect, a connecting member is provided to connect the main bodies of the two dust removal heads to the partitioning portion. With this configuration, even if a cover portion that covers the upper part of the main bodies of the two dust removal heads and the upper part of the partitioning portion is omitted, the connecting member makes it easy to attach the partitioning portion.

[0016] If the lower end of the partition is located at the same height as the lower end of the main body, the distance from the lower end of the main body to the partition becomes too short at both ends of the dust remover in the longitudinal direction, making it difficult for gas to flow upward. As a result, the upward suction force at both ends of the dust remover in the longitudinal direction decreases, and there is a risk that the gas ejected from the ejection part will leak out from below the main body.

[0017] In this regard, in the seventh aspect, the lower end of the partitioning section is disposed at a predetermined height above the lower end of the main body. This makes it possible to prevent the distance from the lower end of the main body to the partitioning section from becoming too short at both longitudinal ends of the dust collector, thereby making it possible to prevent a decrease in the upward suction force. This makes it possible to prevent the gas ejected from the ejection section from leaking to the outside from below the main body.

[0018] Specifically, the predetermined height may be 5 to 30 mm as in the eighth aspect. With this configuration, the upward suction force can be improved at both ends of the dust remover in the longitudinal direction.

[0019] Specifically, as in the ninth means, a configuration can be adopted in which the partition portion has a narrow portion inserted into the space between the opposing main bodies, and a wide portion connected to the pair of side portions above the space.

[0020] In the tenth aspect, a support member is provided for supporting the lower portion of the wide portion. With this configuration, the middle of the partitioning portion can be supported by the support member, and gas leakage from the gap between the dust removal head and the partitioning portion can be suppressed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a dust removal device according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a connected state of the supply block. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of part A in FIG. 3 . [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the feedblock and ejector plate. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the upper surface side of the ejection plate. [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the underside of the ejection plate. [Figure 11] FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional perspective view of two dust removal heads. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a side view showing the angle of the ejection plate relative to the photomask. [Figure 14] 11 is a perspective view showing the dust removal device with one first long side portion and one second long side portion removed. FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional perspective view showing a fixing manner of a partition portion of the first embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional perspective view showing a fixing manner of a partition portion of the first embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a fixing manner of a partition portion in the first embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a dust removal device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 19]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a hood according to a second embodiment. [Figure 20] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a fixing manner of a partition portion in the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] (First embodiment) Hereinafter, a first embodiment of a dust remover that removes dust from a photomask used in an exposure apparatus will be described with reference to the drawings. The dust remover ejects air (gas) onto the upper surface of the photomask to remove dust, and then sucks up the removed dust and discharges it into a duct.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1, the dust removal device 10 includes a dust removal head assembly 20, a hood 11, and the like.

[0024] A hood 11 is attached to the upper part of the dust removal head assembly 20. The hood 11 includes a pair of first long side parts 12, a pair of second long side parts 13, a pair of short side parts 14, an upper base 15, a connecting part 16, etc., and is formed in a cylindrical shape as a whole. An opening 15a is formed in the upper base 15. The connecting part 16 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The lower part of the connecting part 16 is connected to the upper base 15, and the upper part of the connecting part 16 is connected to a duct (not shown). The duct is connected to a suction device (not shown), and sucks air inside the hood 11, and in turn sucks air from the opening on the lower side of the hood 11. That is, the hood 11 forms a suction flow path for sucking air between the dust removal head assembly 20 and the connecting part 16.

[0025] The first long side portion 12 is formed in a rectangular plate shape. The longitudinal direction of the first long side portion 12, the longitudinal direction of the dust removal head assembly 20, and the longitudinal direction of the dust removal device 10 coincide with each other. The longitudinal direction of the first long side portion 12 coincides with the horizontal direction, and the short side direction of the first long side portion 12 coincides with the vertical direction.

[0026] The second long side surface portion 13 is formed in a trapezoidal plate shape. The longitudinal direction (length direction of the long side) of the second long side surface portion 13, the longitudinal direction of the first long side surface portion 12, the longitudinal direction of the dust head assembly 20, and the longitudinal direction of the dust removal device 10 coincide with each other. The longitudinal direction of the second long side surface portion 13 coincides with the horizontal direction, and the short side direction (height direction of the trapezoid) of the second long side surface portion 13 coincides with the vertical direction. The first long side surface portion 12 and the second long side surface portion 13 form a side surface portion, and a pair of first long side surface portions 12 and a pair of second long side surface portions 13 form a pair of side surfaces.

[0027] The short side portion 14 is formed in a rectangular plate shape. The longitudinal direction of the short side portion 14 coincides with the longitudinal direction of the oblique side of the second long side portion 13. The lateral direction of the short side portion 14 coincides with the horizontal direction. A pair of long sides of the short side portion 14 are each connected to the oblique side of the second long side portion 13. As a result, the short side portion 14 is inclined obliquely upward from the longitudinal end of the dust removal head assembly 20 toward the connection portion 16.

[0028] The upper base 15 is formed in a plate shape, and its plate surface (main surface) is arranged horizontally. The upper base 15 is connected to the upper ends of the pair of second long side surface portions 13 and the upper ends of the pair of short side surface portions 14. The lower end of the connection portion 16 is connected to the upper surface of the upper base 15. The connection portion 16 is provided at the upper part of the center in the longitudinal direction of the hood 11. The suction flow passage formed inside the pair of second long side surface portions 13 and the pair of short side surface portions 14 and the suction flow passage formed inside the connection portion 16 are connected via the opening 15a of the upper base 15. The pair of second long side surface portions 13, the pair of short side surface portions 14, and the upper base 15 form a cover portion.

[0029] 2 is a perspective view of the dust removal head assembly 20. The dust removal head assembly 20 includes two dust removal heads 21, four joint blocks 50, two intermediate blocks 42, a connecting plate 20a, and the like.

[0030] The two dust removal heads 21 are disposed parallel to each other and facing each other. The two dust removal heads 21 are attached to the pair of first long side surface portions 12 (see FIG. 1), respectively. The longitudinal direction of the two dust removal heads 21 coincides with the longitudinal direction of the dust removal head assembly 20. The dust removal head 21 includes six (a plurality of) supply blocks 22. The six supply blocks 22 are arranged in the longitudinal direction (predetermined direction) of the dust removal head 21 (dust removal device 10) and connected to each other. The length of the dust removal head 21 in the longitudinal direction is, for example, 600 to 800 mm. The six supply blocks 22 form a main body, and the main body is divided into the six supply blocks 22 (main body components).

[0031] The two intermediate blocks 42 are arranged parallel to each other and facing each other. The intermediate blocks 42 are formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The two intermediate blocks 42 are sandwiched between the opposing supply blocks 22 and joint blocks 50 at both longitudinal ends of the opposing dust removal heads 21. The intermediate blocks 42 abut against the opposing joint blocks 50, respectively. That is, the intermediate blocks 42 define the distance between the opposing joint blocks 50. The intermediate blocks 42 abut against the opposing supply blocks 22, respectively. The intermediate blocks 42 define the distance between the opposing supply blocks 22, that is, the width of the space S between the opposing supply blocks 22.

[0032] A joint block 50 is provided between the dust removal heads 21 and the intermediate blocks 42. The connecting plate 20a is a rectangular frame-shaped plate material, and connects the two dust removal heads 21, the two intermediate blocks 42, and the four joint blocks 50 in a rectangular frame shape.

[0033] A port 51 is provided in the joint block 50 disposed at one end in the longitudinal direction of the dust removal head 21, to which clean air (clean dry air) at high pressure (predetermined pressure) is supplied. Air is supplied at an equal flow rate to the ports 51 of the two dust removal heads 21. The port 51 is provided at one end in the longitudinal direction of the dust removal device 10.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 3, each supply chamber 23 is formed inside each supply block 22. The supply chamber 23 is formed as a rectangular prism-shaped space and extends in the longitudinal direction of the dust removal head 21. Adjacent supply chambers 23 communicate with each other. The supply chamber 23 of the supply block 22 at one end in the longitudinal direction of the dust removal head 21 communicates with the port 51 via a joint flow path 52 formed inside the joint block 50. The supply chamber 23 of the supply block 22 at the other end in the longitudinal direction of the dust removal head 21 is closed by a blind bolt 53 (blind cover) at the end where it communicates with the joint flow path 52 formed inside the joint block 50. The flow path area of ​​the supply chamber 23 is larger than the flow path area of ​​the joint flow path 52.

[0035] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of feed block 22.

[0036] Supply block 22 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape. A triangular groove 29 having a right-angled triangular cross section is formed in the lower base (bottom) of supply block 22. Triangular groove 29 is formed over the entire length of supply block 22 in the longitudinal direction (predetermined direction). Two openings 33 are formed in bottom surface 29a (predetermined plane), which is the bottom surface with the larger area of ​​triangular groove 29 (see FIG. 8). Storage grooves 34 for storing sealing members such as O-rings are formed around the two openings 30 in the lower base of supply block 22.

[0037] A first communication passage 24 that connects supply chamber 23 to the outside in the longitudinal direction is formed at both longitudinal ends of supply block 22. Two openings 30 are formed in the upper bottom part (bottom part) of supply block 22. Storage grooves 31 that store sealing members such as O-rings are formed around each of the two openings 30 in the upper bottom part of supply block 22.

[0038] The supply block 22 is formed with a communication passage 25 that connects the supply chamber 23 to each of the two openings 30. The supply block 22 is formed with a communication passage 27 that extends parallel to the communication passage 25. The supply block 22 is formed with a communication passage 26 that connects the communication passage 25 to the communication passage 27. The supply block 22 is formed with a communication passage 28 that connects the communication passage 27 to the opening 33. In the longitudinal direction of the supply block 22, the communication passages 25, 27, and 28 have the same length. The flow path area of ​​the communication passage 26 is smaller than the flow path area of ​​the communication passage 25 and the flow path area of ​​the communication passage 27.

[0039] The two openings 30 are covered by connecting plate 20a. A seal member stored in storage groove 31 seals the gap between the upper bottom of supply block 22 and connecting plate 20a. A second communication passage is formed by communicating passages 25-28. That is, the second communication passage extends from supply chamber 23 to the side opposite opening 33, then turns back to the side of opening 33 and is connected to opening 33. In the second communication passage, the flow path surface area of ​​communicating passage 26, which is the turned back portion, is smaller than the flow path area of ​​the other portions. The second communication passage opens to bottom surface 29a.

[0040] In the longitudinal direction of supply block 22, a first engagement portion 35 communicating with supply chamber 23 is provided at one end of supply block 22, and a second engagement portion 36 communicating with supply chamber 23 and engaging with first engagement portion 35 of an adjacent supply block 22 is provided at the other end of supply block 22. First engagement portion 35 and second engagement portion 36 are formed as annular recesses.

[0041] As shown in Fig. 5, adjacent supply blocks 22 are connected via a connecting ring 37. As shown in Fig. 6, the connecting ring 37 includes a rectangular cylindrical (annular) ring body 37b. An annular ridge 37a is provided on the outer circumferential edge of the ring body 37b. The ridge 37a is provided in the center of the ring body 37b in the central axis direction.

[0042] FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of part A in FIG. 3. The connecting ring 37 is fitted to the inner circumferential surfaces of the two first communication passages 24, the first engagement portion 35, and the second engagement portion 36. That is, the first engagement portion 35 and the second engagement portion 36 are engaged via the connecting ring 37. The first engagement portion 35 and the second engagement portion 36 are separated by a protrusion 37a of the connecting ring 37. A seal member 38 such as an O-ring is housed in each of the first engagement portion 35 and the second engagement portion 36. The gap between the first engagement portion 35 (supply block 22) and the ring body 37b of the connecting ring 37 is sealed by the seal member 38. The gap between the second engagement portion 36 (supply block 22) and the ring body 37b of the connecting ring 37 is sealed by the seal member 38. The seal member 38 is compressed in the radial direction of the connecting ring 37. Therefore, even if there is variation in the relative longitudinal positions of adjacent supply blocks 22, the sealing member 38 can stably seal between the first engagement portion 35 and the connecting ring 37, and between the second engagement portion 36 and the connecting ring 37.

[0043] 8 is a perspective view showing the lower part of supply block 22 and jet plate 70. Jet plate 70 is attached to bottom surface 29a. A seal member stored in storage groove 34 seals the gap between bottom surface 29a (the lower bottom part of supply block 22) and jet plate 70. Jet plate 70 jets air to be blown onto the photomask.

[0044] Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing the upper surface side of the ejection plate 70, and Fig. 10 is an exploded perspective view showing the lower surface side of the ejection plate 70. The ejection plate 70 (ejection part, ejection part for dust removal device) includes a first plate 71, a second plate 72, a third plate 80, etc.

[0045] The first plate 71 (first member) is formed, for example, from stainless steel (metal) of a certain thickness in the shape of a rectangular plate having a short side direction and a long side direction. The thickness of the first plate 71 is, for example, 0.3 to 0.7 mm, preferably 0.4 to 0.6 mm, and 0.5 mm in this embodiment. The first plate 71 is formed by rolling, and the thickness tolerance is ±5 μm. Two screw holes 71a aligned in the short side direction are formed at both ends and the center of the first plate 71 in the long side direction. The screw holes 71a are formed by etching the first plate 71.

[0046] The second plate 72 (second member) is formed, for example, from stainless steel (metal) of a certain thickness in the shape of a rectangular plate having a short side direction and a long side direction. The shape of the second plate 72 corresponds to the shape of the first plate 71. The thickness of the second plate 72 is preferably, for example, 0.1 to 0.3 mm, and is 0.1 mm in this embodiment. The second plate 72 is formed by rolling, and the tolerance of the thickness is ±5 μm. Two screw holes 72a aligned in the short side direction are formed at both ends and the center of the second plate 72 in the long side direction.

[0047] In the second plate 72, a plurality of notches 73, which open at one end in the short side direction, are formed adjacent (side by side) over the entire length in the long side direction. The notches 73 are formed in a rectangular shape. In the plurality of notches 73, an inclined portion 73b is formed in a predetermined range in the short side direction of the second plate 72 from the opening end 73a, which increases the length of the notches 73 in the long side direction as it approaches the opening end 73a. In other words, the plurality of notches 73 are shaped so that the opening end 73a side is wider. The screw holes 72a and the notches 73 are formed by etching the second plate 72.

[0048] In the second plate 72, each boundary 74 between the notches 73 is formed line-symmetrically with respect to a center line C that defines the center of the second plate 72 in the longitudinal direction. That is, each boundary 74 has a shape line-symmetrical with respect to its center line C. In the longitudinal direction of the second plate 72, the width of the tip of each boundary 74, i.e., the distance between the opening ends 73a of adjacent notches 73, is desirably 0.5 mm or less, and is 0.4 mm in this embodiment.

[0049] Half portions 74h, which are formed by splitting the boundary portion 74 in half, are formed at both ends of the second plate 72 in the longitudinal direction of the second plate 72. When two second plates 72 are adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction of the second plate 72, one boundary portion 74 is formed by the two half portions 74h (adjacent half portions 74h).

[0050] The third plate 80 (third member) is formed, for example, from stainless steel (metal) of a certain thickness in the shape of a rectangular plate having a short side direction and a long side direction. The shape of the third plate 80 corresponds to the shape of the first plate 71. The thickness of the third plate 80 is preferably, for example, 0.8 to 1.2 mm, and is 1.0 mm in this embodiment. The third plate 80 is formed by rolling, and the thickness tolerance is ±5 μm. Two screw holes 80a aligned in the short side direction are formed at both ends and the center of the third plate 80 in the long side direction.

[0051] Two (a plurality of) through holes 81 are formed in the third plate 80. The through holes 81 (inlet ports) are formed in a rectangular shape and extend between the screw holes 80a in the longitudinal direction of the third plate 80. The screw holes 80a are formed by etching the third plate 80.

[0052] In the third plate 80, a plurality of grooves 82 are formed extending from the through hole 81 toward the opening end 73a of the notch 73 in the short direction of the third plate 80. The depth of the grooves 82 is preferably 0.4 to 0.6 mm, and is 0.5 mm in this embodiment. The grooves 82 are formed by half-etching the third plate 80. The grooves 82 communicate with the through hole 81. When the ejection plate 70 is in an assembled state, each groove 82 forms a flow path that communicates the through hole 81 with each notch 73. The end 82a of the groove 82 on the side of the opening end 73a is located in front of the inclined portion 73b of the notch 73 (see FIG. 11). In the plurality of grooves 82, the flow path areas of the communication portions with the through hole 81 are equal to each other.

[0053] A plurality of grooves 83 similar to the groove 82 are formed in the third plate 80. The plurality of grooves 83 communicate with both ends of the through hole 81 in the longitudinal direction of the third plate 80. Each groove 83 communicates with two notches 73 (see FIG. 11). The other configuration of the groove 83 is similar to that of the groove 82. The two through holes 81 are each communicated with ten (the same number) of notches 73 by a plurality of grooves 82, 83 (flow paths).

[0054] The first plate 71, the second plate 72, and the third plate 80 are made of the same material (for example, SUS304). The first plate 71, the second plate 72, and the third plate 80 are diffusion bonded with the second plate 72 sandwiched between the first plate 71 and the third plate 80. The diffusion bonding is performed by, for example, pressing the first plate 71, the second plate 72, and the third plate 80 in the thickness direction with a predetermined pressure and heating them to 800 to 900°C in a vacuum furnace. In a state in which the first plate 71, the second plate 72, and the third plate 80 are bonded together, each slit is formed by the internal space of each notch 73 partitioned by the first plate 71, the second plate 72, and the third plate 80. The width of the slit in the thickness direction of the first plate 71, the second plate 72, and the third plate 80 is determined by the thickness of the second plate 72 and is 0.1 mm.

[0055] 12 is a vertical cross-sectional perspective view of the two dust removal heads 21. Note that the first long side surface portion 12 and the second long side surface portion 13 on the near side are omitted from illustration.

[0056] The second communication passages constituted by the communication passages 25-28 respectively communicate the supply chamber 23 with the multiple through holes 81 of the ejection plate 70. That is, the through holes 81 face the open ends of the second communication passages in the bottom surface 29a of the supply block 22 (see FIG. 8). In the longitudinal direction of the supply block 22 (dust removal head 21), the length of the second communication passage is equal to the length of the through holes 81.

[0057] Each supply block 22 is attached with a respective jet plate 70. That is, six (plural) jet plates 70 are attached in a line in the longitudinal direction of the main body to the main body formed by six (plural) supply blocks 22. The supply chamber 23 extends in the longitudinal direction of the main body along the plurality of jet plates 70.

[0058] The dust removal heads 21 are attached to the pair of first long side surface portions 12 so that air ejected from the slits of the ejection plate 70 of the two dust removal heads 21 is directed downward and inward of the hood 11. That is, the pair of first long side surface portions 12 and the pair of second long side surface portions 13 (pair of side surface portions) are fixed so that the two dust removal heads 21 face each other with their longitudinal directions aligned. The hood 11 forms a suction flow path for sucking air between the space S between the main bodies of the two dust removal heads 21 and the connection portion 16 (see FIG. 1).

[0059] FIG. 13 is a side view showing the angle of the ejection plate 70 with respect to the photomask M. The bottom surface 29a of the supply block 22 forms a first angle θ1 with respect to the bottom surface 29b (horizontal plane) of the supply block 22. The ejection plate 70 is attached to the bottom surface 29a so that the first plate 71, the second plate 72, and the third plate 80 are parallel to the bottom surface 29a. For this reason, air is ejected from the slits of the ejection plate 70 parallel to the bottom surface 29a, and the angle between the traveling direction (arrow D1) of the air ejected from the slits of the ejection plate 70 (dust removal head 21) and the upper surface of the photomask M is the first angle θ1. The first angle θ1 is preferably 15 to 45°, more preferably 25 to 35°, and is 30° in this embodiment. That is, the ejection plate 70 ejects air obliquely downward toward the photomask M.

[0060] The distance h1 between the opening end of the slit in the ejection plate 70 of the dust removal head 21 and the upper surface of the photomask M is preferably 5 to 20 mm, and is 7.0 mm in this embodiment.

[0061] Incidentally, in order to supply the necessary amount of air from the supply chamber 23 to the multiple ejection plates 70, it is necessary to increase the flow path area of ​​the supply chamber 23, which tends to increase the height of the supply block 22 (main body) of the dust removal head 21. As a result, in the space S between the opposing main bodies, the air at both ends in the longitudinal direction tends to stagnate without flowing toward the duct (connection part 16). To solve this problem, the dust removal device 10 is provided with a partition part 60 as described below.

[0062] 14 is a perspective view showing the dust remover 10 with one of the first long side surface portions 12 and one of the second long side surface portions 13 removed. A fitting 54 is connected to the port 51 for connecting a pipe for supplying high-pressure clean air.

[0063] The hood 11 includes a partitioning section 60 that partitions both ends of the longitudinal direction of the space S between the bodies (six supply blocks 22) of the dust removal heads 21 facing each other, from the height of the lower portion 22a of the body toward the connecting portion 16. The partitioning section 60 (partitioning member) has a wide portion 60a, a narrow portion 60b, and a fixed portion 60c. The wide portion 60a is formed in a rectangular flat plate shape. The horizontal width of the wide portion 60a is equal (almost equal) to the distance between the pair of second long side portions 13. The narrow portion 60b is connected to the lower portion of the wide portion 60a and is formed in a rectangular flat plate shape. The horizontal width of the narrow portion 60b is equal (almost equal) to the distance between the bodies of the pair of dust removal heads 21, that is, the width of the space S between the bodies facing each other. The narrow portion 60b is inserted between the supply blocks 22 facing each other at both ends of the longitudinal direction of the body. Narrow portion 60b is sandwiched between opposing supply blocks 22 at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the main body, and abuts against supply blocks 22. The gap between narrow portion 60b and supply blocks 22 may be sealed by a seal member or the like.

[0064] As also shown in FIG. 15, flat fixed portions 60c (only one of them is shown) are provided at both ends of the wide portion 60a in the horizontal direction. The wide portion 60a and the two fixed portions 60c are formed by bending both ends of a flat member. The fixed portions 60c are arranged parallel to the second long side portion 13. A plurality of screw holes are formed in the fixed portion 60c. A flat fixed portion 60e is provided at the upper end of the wide portion 60a. The wide portion 60a and the fixed portion 60e are formed by bending the end of the flat member. The fixed portion 60e is arranged parallel to the upper base 15. A plurality of screw holes are formed in the fixed portion 60e. In the upper base 15, screw holes are formed at positions corresponding to the screw holes of the fixed portion 60e.

[0065] An inclined surface 42b inclined with respect to the bottom surface 42a (horizontal surface) of the intermediate block 42 is formed at the lower part of the space S side of the intermediate block 42. In the short direction (direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and horizontal) of the dust remover 10, the inclined surface 42b is formed over the entire length of the intermediate block 42. That is, in the intermediate block 42, the inclined surface 42b is formed over the entire length between the opposing supply blocks 22 (main body). The inclined surface 42b is a surface that defines the angle of the partition section 60, and is inclined with respect to the bottom surface 42a by, for example, 25 to 55°, preferably 30 to 50°, more preferably 35 to 45°, and in this embodiment, 40°. A plurality of screw holes are formed in the inclined surface 42b.

[0066] In the narrow portion 60b of the partitioning portion 60, a screw hole is formed at a position corresponding to the screw hole in the inclined surface 42b of the intermediate block 42. The lower portion of the narrow portion 60b of the partitioning portion 60 is fixed to the inclined surface 42b of the intermediate block 42 with a screw. The fixed portion 60e of the partitioning portion 60 is fixed to the upper bottom 15 with a screw. In addition, a screw hole is formed in the lower portion of the wide portion 60a. The connecting member 61 (supporting member) is formed in a triangular prism shape, and its inclined surface is arranged parallel to the wide portion 60a. In the inclined surface of the connecting member 61, a screw hole is formed at a position corresponding to the screw hole in the lower portion of the wide portion 60a. The connecting member 61 is fixed to a connecting member 63 described later with a screw (see FIG. 14). The lower portion of the wide portion 60a of the partitioning portion 60 is fixed to the inclined surface of the connecting member 61 with a screw. As a result, the lower portion of the wide portion 60a of the partition portion 60 (the middle portion of the partition portion 60) is fixed to the connecting member 63 (and thus the connecting plate 20a). That is, the connecting member 61 supports the lower portion of the wide portion 60a.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 16, the lower end 60g of the partitioning section 60 (narrow width section 60b) is disposed at a predetermined height h3 above the lower end 22b of the supply block 22 (main body). The predetermined height h3 is, for example, 5 to 30 mm, preferably 15 to 20 mm, and more preferably 20 mm. With this configuration, the distance until the air flowing upward hits the narrow width section 60b (partitioning section 60) is extended by the predetermined height h3 at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the dust remover 10, compared to a case in which the lower end 60g of the partitioning section 60 is disposed at the same height as the lower end 22b of the supply block 22. As a result, the flow velocity of the air flowing upward is increased until it hits the narrow width section 60b at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the dust remover 10.

[0068] If the lower end 60g of the partitioning section 60 is disposed at the same height as the lower end 22b of the main body, the distance from the lower end 22b of the main body to the narrow width section 60b (partitioning section 60) becomes too short at both longitudinal ends of the dust remover 10, making it difficult for air to flow upward. As a result, the upward suction force at both longitudinal ends of the dust remover 10 decreases, and there is a risk that the air ejected from the ejection plate 70 will leak to the outside from below the main body.

[0069] At both longitudinal ends of the dust removal device 10, a quadrangular prism-shaped (rectangular parallelepiped-shaped) connecting member 62 is fixed to the connecting plate 20a with screws. The connecting member 63 is formed in a flat plate shape (groove-shaped) with both ends bent. Both ends of the connecting member 63 are fixed to the connecting member 62 with screws. The connecting member 63 has a plurality of screw holes formed along the longitudinal direction.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 17, a flat fixed portion 14a is provided at the lower end of the short side portion 14. The fixed portion 14a is arranged in parallel to the connecting member 62. A plurality of screw holes are formed in the fixed portion 14a. The fixed portion 14a of the short side portion 14 is fixed to the connecting member 62 with a screw. The lower portion of the second long side portion 13 is fixed to the connecting member 63 with a screw. With these, a cover portion (hood 11) composed of a pair of second long side portions 13, a pair of short side portions 14, and an upper base 15 is attached to the dust removal head assembly 20. The dust removal head assembly 20 is configured so that no gap is formed between the dust removal head assembly 20 and the hood 11, or the formation of a gap between the dust removal head assembly 20 and the hood 11 is suppressed. The cover portion covers the upper parts of the main bodies of the two dust removal heads 21 and the upper part of the partition portion 60. Above the space S, the wide portion 60a of the partition 60 is fixed to the second long side surface portion 13 (cover portion) by a screw via a fixed portion 60c.

[0071] The upper surface of the photomask M is placed opposite the lower surface of the dust remover 10 having the above-described configuration, and the photomask M is moved relatively in the short direction of the dust remover 10. As a result, dust adhering to the upper surface of the photomask M is removed by air ejected from the slits of the ejection plate 70, and the dust is sucked in by the duct connected to the connection part 16 of the hood 11.

[0072] At this time, the two ejection plates 70 eject air from two directions toward the upper surface of the photomask M. In particular, it has been confirmed through experiments and simulations by the present inventors that, since the first angle θ1 is set to 15 to 45°, the air between the bottom of the dust removal head 21 and the photomask M is drawn in the direction of the horizontal component of the speed of the air ejected from the slit due to negative pressure and the viscosity of the air. That is, the dust removed from the upper surface of the photomask M is suppressed from leaking out from below the dust removal device 10. It has been confirmed through experiments and simulations by the present inventors that, in the conventional dust removal device, a considerable amount of dust removed from the upper surface of the photomask M leaks out from below the dust removal device.

[0073] Furthermore, the air flow of the comparative example not provided with the partition section 60 and the present embodiment was simulated under the conditions of the distance h1 between the opening end of the slit of the ejection plate 70 of the dust removal head 21 and the upper surface of the photomask M=7.0 [mm], the supply amount of air supplied from one port 51=2000 [L / min], and the exhaust amount of air exhausted from the duct=9657 [L / min]. As a result, at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the dust removal device 10, the center in the lateral direction, and the lower end of the dust removal device 10, the upward flow speed of the air of the comparative example was 32.96 [m / s] and 35.44 [m / s], whereas the upward flow speed of the air of the present embodiment was 40.10 [m / s] and 38.05 [m / s]. That is, the dust removal device 10 of the present embodiment has improved suction force at both ends in the longitudinal direction compared to the dust removal device of the comparative example. As a result, in an experiment using an actual device, the particle removal rate at both ends of the photomask M facing both longitudinal ends of the dust removal device 10 was 80% in the comparative example, while it was 99% in this embodiment.

[0074] The present embodiment described above in detail has the following advantages.

[0075] The two dust removal heads 21 each have a rectangular parallelepiped main body (comprised of six supply blocks 22) and a plurality of jet plates 70 that jet air diagonally downward toward the photomask M. A supply chamber 23 extending in the longitudinal direction of the main body is formed inside the main body, and a plurality of jet plates 70 are arranged in the longitudinal direction and each communicate with the supply chamber 23. Therefore, by introducing air into the supply chamber 23, air can be supplied to each of the plurality of jet plates 70 via the supply chamber 23. Air can be jetted diagonally downward from the plurality of jet plates 70 arranged in the longitudinal direction toward the photomask M, and dust on the photomask M can be blown away.

[0076] A pair of first long side portions 12 (side portions) of the hood 11 fix the two dust removal heads 21 so that they face each other with their longitudinal directions aligned. The hood 11 forms a suction flow path for sucking air between the space S between the main bodies of the two dust removal heads 21 and a connection portion 16 connected to a duct that sucks in air. Therefore, dust blown off from the photomask M can be sucked into the duct from the space S between the main bodies of the two dust removal heads 21 via the hood 11, together with air ejected from the ejection plates 70 of the two dust removal heads 21.

[0077] The hood 11 is provided with a partitioning section 60 that partitions both ends of the space S between the opposing main bodies in the longitudinal direction obliquely from the height of the lower part 22a of the main body toward the connection section 16. Therefore, even if the height of the main body of the dust removal head 21 is increased, the air at both ends of the space S between the opposing main bodies in the longitudinal direction can be made to flow along the partitioning section 60 toward the connection section 16, i.e., the duct. This improves the suction force at both ends of the longitudinal direction of the dust removal device 10, and suppresses dust from remaining on the photomask M.

[0078] The hood 11 has a cover portion (consisting of a pair of second long side portions 13, a pair of short side portions 14, and an upper base 15) that covers the upper portions of the bodies of the two dust removal heads 21 and the upper portion of the partition portion 60. With this configuration, the space S between the bodies of the two dust removal heads 21 and the connection portion 16 can be easily covered by the cover portion, and air leakage from the hood 11 can be suppressed.

[0079] The partition 60 is fixed to the cover. With this configuration, the partition 60 can be easily attached by utilizing the cover.

[0080] At both longitudinal ends of the opposing main bodies, rectangular parallelepiped intermediate blocks 42 are provided, which are sandwiched between the opposing main bodies and abut against the main bodies. This allows the intermediate blocks 42 to determine the distance between the opposing main bodies, i.e., the width of the space S between the opposing main bodies. An inclined surface 42b inclined relative to the bottom surface of the intermediate block 42 is formed at the lower part of the intermediate block 42 on the space S side, and the lower part of the partition 60 is fixed to the inclined surface 42b. This allows the partition 60 to be easily attached by utilizing the intermediate block 42, which determines the width of the space S between the opposing main bodies.

[0081] The lower end 60g of the partitioning section 60 is disposed at a predetermined height h3 above the lower end 22b of the main body. Therefore, at both ends of the dust remover 10 in the longitudinal direction, the distance from the lower end 22b of the main body to the partitioning section 60 can be prevented from becoming too short, and the upward suction force can be prevented from decreasing. Therefore, the air ejected from the ejection plate 70 can be prevented from leaking to the outside from below the main body. In particular, by setting the predetermined height h3 to 5 to 30 mm, the upward suction force can be improved at both ends of the dust remover 10 in the longitudinal direction.

[0082] The dust remover 10 includes a connecting member 61 (supporting member) that supports the lower portion of the wide portion 60a. With this configuration, the middle of the partition portion 60 can be supported by the connecting member 61, and air leakage from the gap between the dust removal head 21 and the partition portion 60 can be suppressed.

[0083] The wider the photomask M, i.e., the longer the longitudinal length of the dust remover 10, the more likely dust remains on the photomask M in the portions facing both longitudinal ends of the dust remover 10. In this regard, since the suction force of both longitudinal ends of the dust remover 10 can be improved, dust can be prevented from remaining on the photomask M even when the photomask M is wide.

[0084] When a frame is attached to the outer edge of the photomask M and the frame is higher than the other parts, dust is likely to remain near the inside of the frame. In this regard, the upward suction force can be improved at both longitudinal ends of the dust removal device 10, so dust can be prevented from remaining near the inside of the frame.

[0085] Second embodiment Hereinafter, a second embodiment in which the hood 11 is modified will be described, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment. Note that the same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be repeated.

[0086] As shown in FIG. 18, a dust remover 10 of the present embodiment includes a hood 111 instead of the hood 11 of the first embodiment.

[0087] A hood 111 is attached to the upper part of the dust removal head assembly 20. The hood 111 includes a pair of first long side surfaces 12, a pair of second long side surfaces 113, a pair of partitions 160, an upper base 15, a connecting portion 16, etc., and is formed into a cylindrical shape as a whole. The first long side surface portions 12 and the connecting portion 16 are the same as those in the first embodiment. The duct is connected to a suction device (not shown), and sucks air inside the hood 111, and in turn sucks air from an opening on the lower side of the hood 111. In other words, the hood 111 forms a suction flow path for sucking air between the dust removal head assembly 20 and the connecting portion 16.

[0088] As also shown in FIG. 19, the second long side surface portion 113 is formed in a trapezoidal plate shape. The length of the second long side surface portion 113 in the longitudinal direction is shorter than the length of the second long side surface portion 13 in the longitudinal direction of the first embodiment. The longitudinal direction (long side length direction) of the second long side surface portion 113, the longitudinal direction of the first long side surface portion 12, the longitudinal direction of the dust removal head assembly 20, and the longitudinal direction of the dust removal device 10 coincide with each other. The longitudinal direction of the second long side surface portion 113 coincides with the horizontal direction, and the short side direction (height direction of the trapezoid) of the second long side surface portion 113 coincides with the vertical direction. The first long side surface portion 12 and the second long side surface portion 113 form a side surface portion, and a pair of first long side surface portions 12 and a pair of second long side surface portions 113 form a pair of side surfaces.

[0089] The partitioning section 160 realizes the same function as the partitioning section 60 of the first embodiment, and has a configuration similar to that of the partitioning section 60. That is, the partitioning section 160 (partitioning member) partitions both ends of the longitudinal direction of the space S between the main bodies (six supply blocks 22) of the facing dust removal heads 21 obliquely from the height of the lower portion 22a of the main body toward the connection section 16. The longitudinal direction of the partitioning section 160 coincides with the length direction of the oblique side of the second long side surface portion 113. The short side direction of the partitioning section 160 coincides with the horizontal direction.

[0090] The partition 160 has a wide portion 160a and a narrow portion 160b. The wide portion 160a is formed in a rectangular flat plate shape. The horizontal width of the wide portion 160a is equal (approximately equal) to the distance between the pair of second long side surface portions 113. A pair of long sides of the wide portion 160a are connected to the oblique sides of the second long side surface portions 113. As a result, the wide portion 160a is inclined obliquely upward from the upper end of the dust removal head assembly 20 toward the connection portion 16. The narrow portion 160b is connected to the lower portion of the wide portion 160a and is formed in a rectangular flat plate shape. The horizontal width of the narrow portion 160b is equal (approximately equal) to the distance between the main bodies of the pair of dust removal heads 21, that is, the width of the space S between the main bodies facing each other. The narrow portion 160b is inserted between the supply blocks 22 facing each other (space S) at both ends of the main body in the longitudinal direction. Narrow portion 160b is sandwiched between opposing supply blocks 22 at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the main body, and abuts against supply blocks 22. The gap between narrow portion 160b and supply blocks 22 may be sealed by a seal member or the like.

[0091] The upper base 15 is formed in a plate shape, and its plate surface (main surface) is arranged horizontally. The upper base 15 is connected to the upper ends of the pair of second long side surface portions 113 and the upper ends of the pair of partition portions 160. An opening 15a is formed in the upper base 15. The lower end of the connection portion 16 is connected to the upper surface of the upper base 15. The connection portion 16 is provided at the upper part of the center in the longitudinal direction of the hood 111. A suction flow passage formed inside the pair of second long side surface portions 113 and the pair of partition portions 160 and a suction flow passage formed inside the connection portion 16 are connected via the opening 15a in the upper base 15.

[0092] The partition 160 is inclined, for example, at 25 to 55° with respect to the upper base 15 (horizontal), desirably at 30 to 50°, and more desirably at 35 to 45°, and in this embodiment at 40°.

[0093] As shown in FIG. 20, the lower part of the narrow part 160b of the partitioning part 160 is fixed to the supply block 22 by a screw via a connecting member 64. The connecting member 64 has a portion along the narrow part 160b and a portion along the inner side surface of the supply block 22. The lower part of the wide part 160a of the partitioning part 160 is fixed to the supply block 22 by a screw via a connecting member 162. That is, the connecting member 162 (supporting member) supports the lower part of the wide part 160a. The connecting member 162 has a portion along the wide part 160a and a portion along the inner side surface of the supply block 22. In addition, the lower part of the wide part 160a of the partitioning part 160 and the lower part of the second long side surface part 113 are fixed to the connecting member 162 by a screw via a connecting member 163. That is, the connecting member 163 (supporting member) supports the lower part of the wide part 160a. The connecting member 163 has a portion along the wide portion 160a and a portion along the second long side surface portion 113. That is, the portion of the partitioning portion 160 above the space S is connected to the upper portion of the main body (supply block 22) and the pair of second long side surface portions 113. With these configurations, no gap is formed between the dust removal head assembly 20 and the hood 111, or the formation of a gap between the dust removal head assembly 20 and the hood 111 is suppressed. The upper portion of the partitioning portion 160 is not covered, and the covering portion (composed of the pair of second long side surface portions 13, the pair of short side surface portions 14, and the upper base 15) of the first embodiment is not present.

[0094] The present embodiment described above in detail has the following advantages.

[0095] The hood 111 includes a partition section 160 that partitions both ends in the longitudinal direction in the space S between the opposing main bodies obliquely from the height of the lower portion 22a of the main body toward the connection section 16. Therefore, as in the first embodiment, the suction force of both ends in the longitudinal direction of the dust removal device 10 can be improved, and dust remaining on the photomask M can be suppressed.

[0096] Above the space S between the opposing main bodies, an air suction flow path can be formed by the partition 160 and the pair of second long side surfaces 113. Therefore, even if a cover covering the upper part of the partition 160 is omitted, the air suction flow path can be formed by the hood 111.

[0097] The dust removal heads 21 are provided with connecting members 64, 162 that connect the main bodies of the two dust removal heads 21 to the partitioning section 160. With this configuration, even if the cover parts that cover the upper parts of the main bodies of the two dust removal heads 21 and the upper part of the partitioning section 160 are omitted, the connecting members 64, 162 can easily attach the partitioning section 160.

[0098] The dust remover 10 includes connecting members 162, 163 (supporting members) that support the lower portion of the wide portion 160a. With this configuration, the middle of the partition portion 160 can be supported by the connecting members 162, 163, and air leakage from the gap between the dust removal head 21 and the partition portion 160 can be suppressed.

[0099] The above embodiment can be modified as follows: The same parts as those in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be incorporated herein.

[0100] The distance h1 can also be set to 2 to 30 mm.

[0101] The first angle θ1 can also be set to 10 to 50°.

[0102] The first engagement portion 35 and the second engagement portion 36 may be formed to directly engage with each other. For example, the first engagement portion 35 may be formed as an annular convex portion, the second engagement portion 36 may be formed as an annular concave portion, and the first engagement portion 35 and the second engagement portion 36 may be fitted together.

[0103] The entire bottom surface 29a (predetermined plane) may be formed on the supply block 22.

[0104] It is also possible to employ a configuration in which the bottom surface 29a and the direction in which air is ejected from the slits of the ejection plate 70 are not parallel to each other.

[0105] The first plate 71, the second plate 72, and the third plate 80 may be made of an aluminum alloy or a copper alloy.

[0106] The first plate 71, the second plate 72, and the third plate 80 may be joined by welding or by using an adhesive.

[0107] In the second plate 72, the boundaries 74 between the notches 73 may be omitted, and the multiple slits may be connected to each other. In that case, the multiple grooves 82 and grooves 83 may be connected to each other.

[0108] The partitions 60, 160 may be formed in a curved plate shape. Even in this case, it is sufficient that the partitions 60, 160 partition both ends in the longitudinal direction in the space S between the opposing main bodies obliquely from the height of the lower portion 22a of the main body toward the connecting portion 16. For example, the angle of the partitions 60, 160 with respect to the horizontal may be gradually increased from the height of the lower portion 22a of the main body toward the connecting portion 16.

[0109] At both ends of the dust removal device 10 in the longitudinal direction, two auxiliary dust removal heads facing each other in parallel can be arranged instead of the intermediate block 42. The longitudinal length of the auxiliary dust removal heads can be shorter than the longitudinal length of the dust removal heads 21. For example, the auxiliary dust removal heads can be provided with a configuration equivalent to one supply block 22 and one ejection plate 70 of the dust removal head 21. The auxiliary dust removal heads can be attached to the joint block 50 so that the air ejected from the slits of the ejection plates of the two auxiliary dust removal heads is directed downward and inwardly of the hoods 11, 111. With this configuration, the two dust removal heads 21 and the two auxiliary dust removal heads can eject air toward the upper surface of the photomask M from all four sides.

[0110] The gas ejected from the ejection plate 70 may be nitrogen, oxygen, argon, or the like.

[0111] The objects to be cleaned can also include liquid crystal substrates, wafers, glass substrates, etc.

[0112] The above-described embodiments and modified examples can be combined to the extent possible. [Explanation of symbols]

[0113] 10...dust removal device, 11...hood, 12...first long side portion (side portion), 13...second long side portion (side portion), 15...upper base, 16...connection portion, 20...dust removal head assembly, 21...dust removal head, 22...supply block, 22a...lower portion, 23...supply chamber, 60...partition portion, 70...ejection plate (ejection portion), 111...hood, 113...second long side portion (side portion), 160...partition portion.

Claims

1. Two dust removal heads each having a main body formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape and a plurality of ejection parts that eject gas obliquely downward toward a dust removal target, a supply chamber extending in a longitudinal direction of the main body is formed inside the main body, and the plurality of ejection parts are arranged in the longitudinal direction and each communicate with the supply chamber; A dust removal device comprising: a connection part connected to a duct that sucks in gas; and a pair of side parts that fix the two dust removal heads so that they face each other with the longitudinal direction aligned; and a hood that forms a suction flow path that sucks in gas between a space between the main bodies of the two dust removal heads and the connection part, The connection portion is provided at an upper portion of the center of the hood in the longitudinal direction, The hood is a dust removal device having a partition portion that partitions both ends of the longitudinal direction in the space between the opposing main bodies obliquely from the height of the lower part of the main body toward the connection portion.

2. The dust removal device according to claim 1 , wherein the hood includes a cover portion that covers an upper portion of the main bodies of the two dust removal heads and an upper portion of the partition portion.

3. The dust remover according to claim 2 , wherein the partition portion is fixed to the cover portion.

4. At both ends of the main bodies in the longitudinal direction, rectangular parallelepiped intermediate blocks are provided, which are sandwiched between the main bodies and abut against the main bodies, a lower portion of the intermediate block on the side of the space, the lower portion being inclined with respect to a bottom surface of the intermediate block; The dust remover according to claim 3 , wherein a lower portion of the partition is fixed to the inclined surface.

5. a portion of the partition above the space is connected to an upper portion of the main body and the pair of side portions, The dust removal device according to claim 1 , wherein an upper portion of the compartment is not covered.

6. The dust removal device according to claim 5 , further comprising a connecting member connecting the main body and the partition of the two dust removal heads.

7. The dust remover according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a lower end of the partitioning portion is disposed at a predetermined height above a lower end of the main body.

8. The dust removal device according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined height is 5 to 30 mm.

9. The dust removal device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the partition portion has a narrow portion inserted into the space between the opposing main bodies and a wide portion connected to the pair of side portions above the space.

10. The dust removal device according to claim 9 , further comprising a support member for supporting a lower portion of the wide portion.

Images