Processing device

Abstract

To provide a processing device which enables the inside of a water case to be washed while inhibiting increase of costs.SOLUTION: A processing device 1 includes: a chuck table 10; a spindle 22; a spindle housing 23 which rotatably supports the spindle 22 and includes a coolant passage 24 therein; a cutting unit 20 which cuts a workpiece while supplying cut water; and a water case 50 which is disposed at an outer periphery of the chuck table 10 and receives the cut water in a movable area of the chuck table 10. The water case 50 includes a washing water jet nozzle 60 which is disposed on an inner wall and jets a coolant 26 into the water case 50 as washing water. A coolant passage 61 for causing the coolant 26 discharged from the spindle housing 23 to the washing water jet nozzle 60 is disposed between the spindle housing 23 and the washing water jet nozzle 60.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a processing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] A silicon wafer on which a plurality of devices such as ICs (Integrated Circuits) and LSIs (Large Scale Integration) are formed on the surface (hereinafter simply referred to as a workpiece) is ground on the back surface to a predetermined thickness and then divided into individual devices by a cutting apparatus, and is used in electric devices such as mobile phones and personal computers.

[0003] As a cutting apparatus for dividing the workpiece into individual devices, a known cutting apparatus is used. The cutting apparatus includes a chuck table for holding the workpiece, a spindle, a cutting blade attached to the tip of the spindle, and moving means for moving the chuck table in the X-axis direction. The cutting blade is positioned at a position outside the outer periphery of the workpiece and at a predetermined height position from the chuck table, and the cutting blade and the chuck table are relatively moved to cut the workpiece. By repeating this, the workpiece is divided into individual devices (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] Further, during cutting, cutting is performed while supplying cutting water to the cutting blade. And in order to prevent this cutting water from entering the X-axis movement mechanism of the cutting apparatus and other parts inside the apparatus, a water case is disposed in the movement area of the chuck table to receive the cutting water (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0005] The cutting water used for cutting contains cutting chips (contaminants) of the workpiece. And the cutting water containing the cutting chips flows into the water case. Then, the cutting chips adhere to the bottom and inner wall of the water case and accumulate. The accumulated cutting chips may scatter and adhere to the workpiece.

[0006] Therefore, it is necessary to regularly clean the inside of the water case. Currently, however, the operator stops the cutting device and cleans it manually.

[0007] In addition, in order to eliminate this cleaning operation, for example, it is also conceivable to provide a cleaning mechanism in the water case (such as providing a nozzle for injecting cleaning water into the water case) (see, for example, Patent Document 3).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0008]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0009] However, the cutting device shown in Patent Document 3 is costly because it provides a cleaning mechanism with a complex configuration.

[0010] An object of the present invention is to provide a processing device that can clean the inside of the water case while suppressing a rise in cost.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0011] In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, a processing apparatus according to the present invention is a processing apparatus including a chuck table for holding a workpiece, a spindle, a spindle housing that rotatably supports the spindle and has a cooling water passage inside, a processing unit that processes the workpiece with a processing means fixed to the tip of the spindle while supplying processing water, a moving unit that moves the chuck table, and in a moving region of the chuck table, a water case disposed on the outer periphery of the chuck table for receiving the processing water supplied when processing the workpiece, and at least includes: the water case is provided with a cleaning water injection nozzle disposed on the inner wall of the water case for injecting cleaning water into the water case to clean the inside of the water case; and a cooling water passage for flowing the cooling water discharged from the spindle housing to the cleaning water injection nozzle is disposed between the spindle housing and the cleaning water injection nozzle.

[0012] In the above processing apparatus, the cooling water passage may further include a microbubble generation unit for generating microbubbles in the cooling water.

Effect of the Invention

[0013] The present invention has an effect that the inside of the water case can be cleaned while suppressing an increase in cost.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0015] A mode (embodiment) for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited by the content described in the following embodiments. Further, the constituent elements described below include those that can be easily assumed by those skilled in the art and substantially the same ones. Furthermore, the configurations described below can be combined as appropriate. Also, various omissions, substitutions, or changes in the configuration can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0016] [Embodiment 1] A processing apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a configuration example of the processing apparatus according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically showing a chuck table of the processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 and a water case partially cut away. FIG. 3 is a view schematically showing a cutting unit and the like of the processing apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

[0017] (Workpiece) The processing apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 1 is a cutting apparatus for cutting a workpiece 200. The workpiece 200 to be processed by the processing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a wafer such as a disk-shaped semiconductor wafer or an optical device wafer made of silicon, gallium arsenide, SiC (silicon carbide), or sapphire as a base material. In the workpiece 200, a device 203 is formed in a region partitioned in a lattice shape by a plurality of division planned lines 202 formed in a lattice shape on the surface 201.

[0018] The device 203 is, for example, an integrated circuit such as an IC (Integrated Circuit) or an LSI (Large Scale Integration), an image sensor such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor), an MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems), or various memories (semiconductor memory devices).

[0019] Further, the workpiece 200 of the present invention may be a so-called TAIKO (registered trademark) wafer in which the central portion is thinned and a thick portion is formed on the outer peripheral portion. In addition to the wafer, a resin package substrate such as a rectangular QFN (Quad Flat No leaded) package substrate having a plurality of devices sealed with resin, a ceramic substrate, a ferrite substrate, or a substrate containing at least one of nickel and iron, a glass substrate, etc. may also be used. In Embodiment 1, an adhesive tape 206 with an annular frame 205 attached to the outer peripheral edge is adhered to the back surface 204 on the back side of the surface 201 of the workpiece 200, and the workpiece 200 is supported by the annular frame 205.

[0020] (Processing device) The processing device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a cutting device that holds the workpiece 200 on the chuck table 10 and cuts it with a cutting blade 21, which is a processing means, along the division planned line 202. As shown in FIG. 1, the processing device 1 includes a chuck table 10 that sucks and holds the workpiece 200 on the holding surface 11, a cutting unit 20 that cuts the workpiece 200 held on the chuck table 10 by the cutting blade 21 while supplying cutting water, which is processing water, an imaging unit 30 that images the workpiece 200 held on the chuck table 10, and a control unit 100.

[0021] Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the processing apparatus 1 includes a moving unit 40 that relatively moves the chuck table 10 and the cutting unit 20. The moving unit 40 includes an X-axis moving unit 41 (corresponding to the moving unit) that is a machining feed unit for machining and feeding the chuck table 10 in the X-axis direction, which is a cutting direction parallel to the horizontal direction; a Y-axis moving unit 42 that is an indexing feed unit for indexing and feeding the cutting unit 20 in the Y-axis direction parallel to the horizontal direction and orthogonal to the X-axis direction; a Z-axis moving unit 43 that is a cutting feed unit for cutting and feeding the cutting unit 20 in the Z-axis direction parallel to the vertical direction orthogonal to both the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction; and at least a rotational moving unit 44 that rotates the chuck table 10 around an axis parallel to the Z-axis direction.

[0022] The X-axis moving unit 41 relatively machines and feeds the chuck table 10 and the cutting unit 20 along the X-axis direction by moving a moving plate 4 (shown in FIG. 2) that supports the chuck table 10 and the rotational moving unit 44 in the X-axis direction, which is the machining feed direction. Further, the X-axis moving unit 41 is also a cutting feed unit that is installed on the apparatus main body 2 and reciprocates the chuck table 10 in the X-axis direction, which is the cutting direction.

[0023] The Y-axis moving unit 42 is installed on a support frame 3 erected from the apparatus main body 2, and relatively indexes and feeds the chuck table 10 and the cutting unit 20 along the Y-axis direction by moving the cutting unit 20 in the Y-axis direction, which is the indexing feed direction. The Z-axis moving unit 43 is installed on a second moving plate 5 that is movably provided in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis moving unit 42, and relatively cuts and feeds the chuck table 10 and the cutting unit 20 along the Z-axis direction by moving the cutting unit 20 in the Z-axis direction, which is the cutting feed direction. The rotational moving unit 44 is disposed on the moving plate 4.

[0024] The X-axis moving unit 41, the Y-axis moving unit 42, and the Z-axis moving unit 43 include a well-known ball screw rotatably provided around an axis, a well-known motor for rotating the ball screw around the axis, and a well-known guide rail for movably supporting the chuck table 10 or the cutting unit 20 in the X-axis direction, Y-axis direction, or Z-axis direction. The rotational movement unit 44 includes a well-known motor or the like for rotating the chuck table 10 around an axis.

[0025] The chuck table 10 has a disk shape, and a holding surface 11 for holding the workpiece 200 is formed of porous ceramic or the like. Further, the chuck table 10 is movably provided by the X-axis moving unit 41 across a processing area below the cutting unit 20 and a loading / unloading area where the workpiece 200 is loaded and unloaded while being separated from below the cutting unit 20, so that it is movably provided in the X-axis direction. The chuck table 10 is supported by the rotational movement unit 44 and is rotatably provided around an axis parallel to the Z-axis direction by the rotational movement unit 44.

[0026] The chuck table 10 is connected to a vacuum suction source (not shown) and sucks and holds the workpiece 200 placed on the holding surface 11 by being sucked by the vacuum suction source. In the first embodiment, the chuck table 10 sucks and holds the back surface 204 side of the workpiece 200 via the adhesive tape 206. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of clamping portions 12 for clamping the annular frame 205 are provided around the chuck table 10. In the present invention, the adhesive tape 206 may not be attached to the workpiece 200, and the workpiece 200 may be directly held by the chuck table 10, and the chuck table 10 may not have a disk shape.

[0027] The cutting unit 20 is a processing unit in which a cutting blade 21 is fixed to the tip of a spindle 22 and cuts the workpiece 200 held by the chuck table 10. The cutting unit 20 is movably provided in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis moving unit 42 and movably provided in the Z-axis direction by the Z-axis moving unit 43 with respect to the workpiece 200 held by the chuck table 10.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 1, the cutting unit 20 is provided on a support frame 3 erected from the apparatus main body 2 via a Y-axis moving unit 42, a Z-axis moving unit 43, and the like. The cutting unit 20 can position the cutting blade 21 at an arbitrary position on the holding surface 11 of the chuck table 10 by the Y-axis moving unit 42 and the Z-axis moving unit 43.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 3, the cutting unit 20 includes a cutting blade 21, a spindle 22 that fixes the cutting blade 21 to its tip, a spindle housing 23 that is movably provided in the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction by the Y-axis moving unit 42 and the Z-axis moving unit 43, and a cutting water supply nozzle that supplies cutting water to the cutting blade 21.

[0030] The cutting blade 21 is an extremely thin grinding wheel having a substantially ring shape. In Embodiment 1, the cutting blade 21 is a so-called hub blade including an annular circular base and an annular cutting edge disposed on the outer peripheral edge of the circular base for cutting the workpiece 200. The cutting edge is made of abrasive grains such as diamond or CBN (Cubic Boron Nitride) and a bonding material (binder) such as metal or resin, and is formed to have a predetermined thickness. The cutting edge of the cutting blade 21 wears when cutting the workpiece 200. In the present invention, the cutting blade 21 may also be a so-called washer blade composed only of the cutting edge.

[0031] The spindle 22 rotates around its axis by a spindle motor provided in the spindle housing 23 to rotate the cutting blade 21.

[0032] The spindle housing 23 rotatably supports the spindle 22 around its axis and incorporates a spindle motor (not shown) that rotates the spindle 22 around its axis. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the spindle housing 23 includes a cooling water passage 24 for suppressing heat generated by the rotation of the spindle 22 around its axis inside.

[0033] The cooling water passage 24 extends from the proximal end to the distal end of the spindle housing 23 and then extends again from the distal end toward the proximal end. Cooling water 26 is supplied from a cooling water source 25 to the cooling water passage 24 from the proximal end side. The cooling water passage 24 once allows the cooling water 26 supplied from the proximal end side to flow toward the distal end and then flow again toward the proximal end to cool the spindle housing 23. The cooling water passage 24 discharges the cooling water 26 into a water case 50 described later from the proximal end side.

[0034] Note that the axes of the cutting blade 21 and the spindle 22 of the cutting unit 20 are set parallel to the Y-axis direction. The cutting unit 20 cuts a workpiece 200 with the cutting blade 21 fixed to the distal end of the spindle 22 that rotates about its axis while supplying cutting water from a cutting water supply nozzle to the cutting blade 21.

[0035] The imaging unit 30 is fixed to the spindle housing 23 of the cutting unit 20 so as to move integrally with the cutting unit 20. The imaging unit 30 includes an image sensor that photographs a region to be divided of the workpiece 200 before cutting held on the chuck table 10. The image sensor is, for example, a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) image sensor or a CMOS (Complementary MOS) image sensor. The imaging unit 30 photographs the workpiece 200 held on the chuck table 10 to obtain an image for performing alignment for positioning the workpiece 200 and the cutting blade 21, and outputs the obtained image to the control unit 100.

[0036] Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the machining apparatus 1 includes an X-axis direction position detection unit (not shown) for detecting the position of the chuck table 10 in the X-axis direction, a Y-axis direction position detection unit (not shown) for detecting the position of the cutting unit 20 in the Y-axis direction, and a Z-axis direction position detection unit for detecting the position of the cutting unit 20 in the Z-axis direction. The X-axis direction position detection unit and the Y-axis direction position detection unit can be constituted by a linear scale parallel to the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction and a reading head. The Z-axis direction position detection unit detects the position of the cutting unit 20 in the Z-axis direction by the pulses of the motor. The X-axis direction position detection unit, the Y-axis direction position detection unit, and the Z-axis direction position detection unit output the positions in the X-axis direction of the chuck table 10, the positions in the Y-axis direction or the Z-axis direction of the lower end of the cutting edge of the cutting unit 20 of the cutting unit 20 to the control unit 100.

[0037] In the first embodiment, the positions in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction of the chuck table 10 and the cutting unit 20 of the machining apparatus 1 are determined based on a predetermined reference position (not shown). Further, in the first embodiment, the reference position in the Z-axis direction of the cutting unit 20 is the position where the holding surface 11 of the chuck table 10 and the lower end of the cutting edge of the cutting blade 21 are located on the same plane.

[0038] Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the machining apparatus 1 includes a water case 50 disposed on the outer periphery of the chuck table 10 in the X-axis direction movement region of the chuck table 10 to receive cutting water supplied when machining the workpiece 200. As shown in FIG. 2, the water case 50 is disposed on the X-axis movement unit 41 installed on the apparatus main body 2 so as to surround the periphery of the movement path of the chuck table 10 in the X-axis direction, and is formed in a frame shape with the longitudinal direction parallel to the X-axis direction. Since the water case 50 is formed in a frame shape, an opening 55 is formed inside. The opening 55 has the X-axis movement unit 41 disposed below the inside, and the chuck table 10 including the rotational movement unit 44 is movably disposed within the opening 55. Note that FIG. 2 shows a cutout of a part of the front side of the water case 50 in the drawing.

[0039] The water case 50 is formed in a gutter shape and includes a frame-shaped bottom wall 56 that forms an opening 55 on the inside and whose longitudinal direction is parallel to the X-axis direction, an inner wall 57 erected from the inner edge of the bottom wall 56, and an outer wall 58 erected from the outer edge of the bottom wall 56. The water case 50 receives cutting chips, cutting water, and cooling water 26 generated during cutting between the bottom wall 56, the inner wall 57, and the outer wall 58.

[0040] Further, the water case 50 includes a pair of long portions 51 parallel to the X-axis direction, which is the cutting direction (also the moving direction) of the chuck table 10, and short portions 52 that connect both ends of the long portions 51 to each other. The long portions 51 are composed of the bottom wall 56, the inner wall 57, and the outer wall 58, and the short portions 52 are composed of only the outer wall 58. The long portions 51 of the water case 50 are disposed at both ends in the Y-axis direction of the moving path that moves in the X-axis direction of the chuck table 10, and the short portions 52 are disposed at both ends in the X-axis direction of the moving path that moves in the X-axis direction of the chuck table 10.

[0041] Further, the water case 50 is provided with a drain port 53 (shown in FIGS. 2 and 3) for discharging the received cutting water and cooling water 26 to the outside. In Embodiment 1, the drain port 53 is provided at an end of the water case 50 near the loading / unloading area in the X-axis direction, and is connected to a waste liquid tank 54 (shown in FIG. 3) to discharge the cutting water and cooling water 26 received by the waste liquid tank 54.

[0042] Further, the processing device 1 includes a table cover 6 attached to the outer peripheral surface of the rotary movement unit 44 and covering the periphery of the chuck table 10, and bellows 7 attached to the table cover 6 and the outer wall 58 of each short portion 52 of the water case 50 to block the opening 55 inside the water case 50 and disposed parallel to the X-axis direction. Each bellows 7 is expandable and contractible in the X-axis direction, one end is attached to the outer wall 58 on one end side in the X-axis direction of the water case 50 and the table cover 6, and the other end is attached to the outer wall 58 on the other end side in the X-axis direction of the water case 50 and the table cover 6, and is disposed on both sides in the X-axis direction of the chuck table 10.

[0043] The bellows 7 covers the opening 55 inside the water case 50 to prevent the cutting water and the cooling water 26 from entering into the opening 55 inside the water case 50 which is the interior of the device. The bellows 7 has flexibility and can be bent freely, and bends along with the movement of the chuck table 10 to allow the movement of the chuck table 10 in the X-axis direction.

[0044] Also, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the processing device 1 is provided with a cleaning water injection nozzle 60 in the water case 50. The cleaning water injection nozzle 60 is disposed on the inner wall of the water case 50 and injects the cooling water 26 which is the cleaning water into the water case 50 to clean the water case 50. In Embodiment 1, the cleaning water injection nozzle 60 is disposed on the inner surface (corresponding to the inner wall) of the outer wall 58 of the short hand portion 52 near the processing area of the water case 50, and injects the cooling water 26 toward the short hand portion 52 near the loading / unloading area.

[0045] Also, in Embodiment 1, as shown in FIG. 3, between the spindle housing 23 and the cleaning water injection nozzle 60, a cooling water flow path 61 is disposed for flowing the cooling water 26 discharged from the cooling water path 24 inside the spindle housing 23 to the cleaning water injection nozzle 60. In Embodiment 1, the cooling water flow path 61 is a pipe with one end connected to the opening of the cooling water path 24 at the base end of the spindle 22 and the other end connected to the cleaning water injection nozzle 60.

[0046] The control unit 100 controls each component of the processing apparatus 1 to cause the processing apparatus 1 to perform a processing operation on the workpiece 200. The control unit 100 is a computer having an arithmetic processing unit with a microprocessor such as a CPU (central processing unit), a storage device having a memory such as a ROM (read only memory) or a RAM (random access memory), and an input / output interface device. The arithmetic processing unit of the control unit 100 performs arithmetic processing according to a computer program stored in the storage device, and outputs a control signal for controlling the processing apparatus 1 to each component of the processing apparatus 1 via the input / output interface device.

[0047] The control unit 100 is connected to a display unit (not shown) composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display device that displays the state and image of the processing operation, and an input unit (not shown) used when an operator registers processing content information and the like. The input unit is composed of at least one of a touch panel provided on the display unit and an external input device such as a keyboard.

[0048] (Processing operation) When starting the processing operation of the processing apparatus 1, the operator registers the processing conditions in the control unit 100 and places the workpiece 200 before cutting on the holding surface 11 of the chuck table 10. Thereafter, when the control unit 100 receives an instruction to start the processing operation from the operator, the processing apparatus 1 starts the processing operation. When starting the processing operation, the processing apparatus 1 sucks and holds the back surface 204 side on the holding surface 11 of the chuck table 10 via the adhesive tape 206, and clamps the annular frame 205 with the clamp portion 12.

[0049] In the machining operation, the machining apparatus 1 moves the X-axis moving unit 41 toward the machining area with the chuck table 10, the imaging unit 30 captures an image of the workpiece 200, and performs alignment based on the image captured by the imaging unit 30. The machining apparatus 1 supplies the cooling water 26 from the cooling water supply source 25 to the cooling water passage 24 while rotating the cutting blade 21 around its axis, relatively moves the workpiece 200 and the cutting unit 20 along the division planned line 202, and cuts the cutting blade 21 into each division planned line 202 while supplying the cutting water from the cutting water supply nozzle to divide the workpiece 200 into individual devices 203.

[0050] The machining apparatus 1 receives the cutting chips, cutting water, etc. generated by the cutting process with the water case 50, and the cooling water 26 that has cooled the spindle housing 23 is sprayed into the water case 50 from the washing water injection nozzle 60. When the machining apparatus 1 cuts all the division planned lines 202 of the workpiece 200 and divides the workpiece 200 into individual devices 203, it moves the workpiece 200 divided into individual devices 203 toward the loading / unloading area, releases the suction holding of the holding surface 11 and the clamping of the clamping portion 12 in the loading / unloading area, and ends the machining operation.

[0051] As described above, the machining apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment is provided with the washing water injection nozzle 60 that is disposed on the inner surface of the outer wall 58 of the short hand portion 52 near the machining area of the water case 50 and sprays the cooling water 26 toward the short hand portion 52 near the loading / unloading area. Therefore, even without a washing mechanism having a complicated configuration for washing the inner surface of the water case 50, it is possible to suppress the adhesion of cutting chips and the like to the inner surface of the water case 50 at low cost and wash the inner surface of the water case 50.

[0052] As a result, the machining apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment has the effect of being able to wash the inside of the water case 50 while suppressing an increase in cost.

[0053] 〔Second Embodiment〕 The processing apparatus according to Embodiment 2 will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing a cutting unit and the like of the processing apparatus according to Embodiment 2. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration example of the microbubble generation unit shown in FIG. 4. Note that the same reference numerals are given to the same parts as in Embodiment 1 in FIG. 4, and the description thereof is omitted.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 4, the processing apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 2 has the same configuration as that of Embodiment 1, except that the cooling water flow path 61 further includes a microbubble generation unit 70. The microbubble generation unit 70 generates microbubbles 27 (shown in FIG. 5) defined in ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 20480-1:2017 in the cooling water 26 supplied to the cleaning water injection nozzle 60.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 5, the microbubble generation unit 70 includes a cylindrical main flow path 71 that supplies the cooling water 26 from the spindle housing 23 to the cleaning water injection nozzle 60, a throttle portion 72 provided in the main flow path 71 and having a minimum flow path cross-sectional area, a cylindrical intake air flow path 74 that opens to the throttle portion 72 in the main flow path 71, and a spherical ball 76 that is a valve body for opening and closing a valve port 75 provided in the intake air flow path 74. When the cooling water 26 is supplied from the spindle housing 23 toward the cleaning water injection nozzle 60 in the main flow path 71, the microbubble generation unit 70 accelerates the flow rate of the cooling water 26 at the throttle portion 72, and the cooling water 26 whose flow rate is accelerated at the throttle portion 72 sucks the intake air flow path 74.

[0056] Then, the microbubble generation unit 70 sucks outside air 28 through the intake passage 74 into the main flow passage 71 as the ball 76 opens the valve port 75, mixes the outside air 28 with the cooling water 26, and generates microbubbles 27 in the cooling water 26. The microbubble generation unit 70 supplies the generated microbubbles 27 together with the cooling water 26 to the cleaning water injection nozzle 60. In Embodiment 2, the cleaning water injection nozzle 60 injects the microbubbles 27 together with the cooling water 26. Note that in Embodiment 2, the microbubble generation unit 70 is a so-called aspirator, but the present invention is not limited to an aspirator.

[0057] Further, when the supply of the cooling water 26 to the main flow passage 71 is stopped, the suction of the intake passage 74 is stopped, and the ball 76 closes the valve port 75 in the microbubble generation unit 70.

[0058] Since the processing apparatus 1 according to Embodiment 2 includes the cleaning water injection nozzle 60 that is disposed on the inner surface of the outer wall 58 of the short portion 52 near the processing region of the water case 50 and injects the cooling water 26 toward the short portion 52 near the loading / unloading region, it is possible to clean the inside of the water case 50 while suppressing an increase in cost as in Embodiment 1.

[0059] Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. That is, various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. In the present invention, a plurality of cleaning water injection nozzles 60 may be provided. Further, in the present invention, the processing apparatus 1 is not limited to a cutting apparatus that cuts the workpiece 200, and may be a grinding apparatus that grinds the workpiece 200, a polishing apparatus that polishes the workpiece 200, or a tool cutting apparatus that performs tool cutting on the workpiece 200. In this case, the processing means is a grinding wheel, a polishing wheel, or a tool.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0060] 1 Processing apparatus 10 Chuck table 20 Cutting unit (processing unit) 21 Cutting blade (processing means) 22 Spindle 23 Spindle housing 24 Cooling water channel 26 Cooling water (washing water) 27 Microbubble 41 X-axis movement unit (movement unit) 50 Water case 60 Washing water injection nozzle 61 Cooling water flow path 70 Microbubble generation unit 200 Workpiece

Claims

1. A processing apparatus comprising: a chuck table for holding a workpiece; a spindle, a spindle housing that rotatably supports the spindle and has a cooling water passage inside, and a processing unit that processes the workpiece with a processing means fixed to the tip of the spindle while supplying processing water; a moving unit for moving the chuck table; a water case disposed on the outer periphery of the chuck table in the moving region of the chuck table for receiving the processing water supplied when processing the workpiece; at least comprising: The water case is provided with a cleaning water injection nozzle disposed on the inner wall of the water case for injecting cleaning water into the water case to clean the inside of the water case; A processing apparatus, wherein a cooling water flow path for flowing the cooling water discharged from the spindle housing to the cleaning water injection nozzle is disposed between the spindle housing and the cleaning water injection nozzle.

2. The processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a microbubble generation unit for generating microbubbles in the cooling water in the cooling water flow path.

Images