Washing device and washing method

Abstract

To efficiently wash objects using a compact cleaning device.SOLUTION: A washing device washes an object to be washed (S), and is provided with a support portion (14) that is arranged on the first surface (Sa) side of the object to be washed and supports the object to be washed, and one or more first supply ports (20) that supply a rotation fluid (Fa) to the object to be washed supported by the support portion, and washes the object to be washed while rotating it with the rotation fluid supplied from the first supply port.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cleaning device and a cleaning method for cleaning an object to be cleaned. [Background technology]

[0002] In processing equipment that processes workpieces, the workpieces are cleaned before and after processing. For example, when manufacturing semiconductor devices, workpieces such as wafers are subjected to processing such as grinding, polishing, cutting, and laser irradiation, and the processed workpieces are then transported to a cleaning equipment (a cleaning section provided in the processing equipment) to clean off dirt such as processing debris that has adhered during processing. Hereinafter, the object to be cleaned in the cleaning equipment will be referred to as the object to be cleaned.

[0003] In order to efficiently clean the entire object, a spinner-type cleaning device is used in which the object is rotatably supported and cleaned while being rotated (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-041653 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Spinner-type cleaning devices are easy to clean the entire object without complex operation of cleaning tools (cleaning nozzles, cleaning brushes, etc.). On the other hand, because the object is supported on a support surface and the support surface is rotated while cleaning is performed, a rotation mechanism such as a motor and transmission unit that rotates the support surface is required, and the rotation mechanism can sometimes limit the miniaturization of the cleaning device.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning device and a cleaning method that can efficiently clean an object with a small structure. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is a cleaning device equipped with a cleaning unit for cleaning an object to be cleaned, which includes a support part that is arranged on the first surface side of the object to be cleaned and supports the object to be cleaned, and one or more first supply ports that supply a rotational fluid to the object to be cleaned supported by the support part, and the object to be cleaned is cleaned while being rotated by the rotational fluid supplied from the first supply ports.

[0008] The support portion preferably has a side portion that supports the outer edge of the object to be cleaned and covers the outside of the object to be cleaned supported by the support portion. In one embodiment, the first supply port is formed on the inner periphery of the side portion.

[0009] The support part may further include one or more second supply ports on a support surface that supports the object to be cleaned, and the cleaning unit may clean the object to be cleaned in a state where the object to be cleaned is floated from the support surface by a flotation fluid supplied from the second supply ports.

[0010] The cleaning unit cleans at least one of the first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a side surface of the object to be cleaned. In one embodiment, the cleaning unit includes at least the first supply port and cleans the object to be cleaned with the rotational fluid. In one embodiment, the cleaning unit has, separate from the first supply port, a cleaning section that can be positioned to face at least one of the first surface and the second surface opposite the first surface of the object to be cleaned supported by the support section, and cleans the object to be cleaned using the cleaning section.

[0011] The cleaning device may further include a lid portion installed facing a second surface of the object to be cleaned opposite the first surface, and may have one or more third supply ports for supplying a fluid on the surface of the lid portion facing the object to be cleaned.

[0012] One aspect of the present invention is a cleaning method using the above-mentioned cleaning apparatus, comprising a support step of supporting an object to be cleaned on the support part, a rotation step of supplying the rotation fluid from the first supply port to rotate the object to be cleaned supported on the support part, and a cleaning step of cleaning the object to be cleaned while rotating it. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the above-described cleaning device and cleaning method, the object is rotated by the rotation fluid supplied from the first supply port while being cleaned, thereby enabling the object to be cleaned efficiently using a cleaning device with a small structure. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a support unit constituting the cleaning device of the first embodiment. [Figure 2] 3 is a perspective view of the cleaning apparatus of the first embodiment, in which an object to be cleaned is supported on a support unit. FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning apparatus of the first embodiment, in which an object to be cleaned is supported on a support unit. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a cleaning device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 5] 3 is a flowchart showing a processing flow by the cleaning device of the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 3 is a flowchart showing a processing flow by the cleaning device of the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a support unit constituting the cleaning device of the second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning device of the second embodiment, showing a state in which the object to be cleaned is supported on a support unit. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a state in which an object to be cleaned is supported on a support unit of a cleaning apparatus according to a third embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a cleaning device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 11]FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a state in which an object to be cleaned is supported by a support unit of a cleaning apparatus according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a cleaning device according to a fifth embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a cleaning device according to a sixth embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a plan view of a cleaning device according to a sixth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, a cleaning apparatus according to each embodiment of the present invention and a cleaning method using the cleaning apparatus according to each embodiment will be described. The cleaning apparatus according to each embodiment cleans a disk-shaped object S to be cleaned. The cleaning apparatus may be provided as part of a processing apparatus that processes the object S to be cleaned, or may be an apparatus independent of the processing apparatus. The cleaning apparatus may clean the object S after it has been processed by the processing apparatus, may clean the object S before processing, or may clean the object S before or after another process that does not involve processing (such as inspection, tape application or tape removal, or imaging). The object S to be cleaned is, for example, a semiconductor wafer, a package substrate, or an optical device wafer, but the material and type of the object S to be cleaned are not limited.

[0016] The Z-axis direction shown in the drawings of each embodiment is the vertical direction of the cleaning device, with the +Z direction side being the top and the -Z direction side being the bottom. The Z-axis direction is also the thickness direction of the object S to be cleaned when cleaning with the cleaning device. When cleaning the object S to be cleaned, the cleaning device of each embodiment supplies a rotation fluid and rotates the object S to be cleaned by the force of the rotation fluid. In the cleaning device of each embodiment, the direction in which the object S to be cleaned rotates is defined as the rotation direction. The object S to be cleaned rotates along a horizontal plane that is generally perpendicular to the Z-axis direction.

[0017] 1 to 4 show a cleaning apparatus 10 of a first embodiment. The cleaning apparatus 10 includes a support unit 11 that supports an object to be cleaned S, and a cleaning unit 12 (shown in FIG. 3) that cleans the object to be cleaned S supported by the support unit 11. The object to be cleaned S has a first surface Sa supported by the support unit 11, a second surface Sb on the opposite side, and a side surface Sc on the outer periphery that connects the first surface Sa and the second surface Sb. When the object to be cleaned S is supported by the support unit 11, the first surface Sa is the lower surface and the second surface Sb is the upper surface.

[0018] The support unit 11 is ring-shaped and supports the outer edge of the object to be cleaned S. The central part of the support unit 11 has a hollow part 19 that penetrates in the vertical direction, and the central part of the object to be cleaned S is not supported by the support unit 11. For example, if the object to be cleaned S is a semiconductor wafer or an optical device wafer, the central part of the object to be cleaned S on which devices are formed is located corresponding to the hollow part 19 of the support unit 11, and only the outer edge part on which devices are not formed is supported by the support unit 11.

[0019] A communication section 13 is formed in a portion of the circumferential direction of the support unit 11. The communication sections 13 are arranged in two locations approximately symmetrically around the center of the ring-shaped support unit 11, and are formed as spaces that communicate between a hollow section 19 on the inside in the radial direction of the support unit 11 and the outside. The main function of the communication sections 13 is to discharge fluid that has flowed into the hollow section 19 side to the outside of the support unit 11, and the configuration of the communication sections 13 is not limited as long as it fulfills this function.

[0020] For example, Figures 1 and 2 show a configuration in which the support unit 11 is completely divided into two in the circumferential direction by two communicating portions 13, but unlike the configuration shown, the support unit 11 may be constructed of an integrally structured member, at least a portion of which is circumferentially continuous, even at the communicating portions 13.

[0021] The support unit 11 has a support portion 14 and a side portion 15. The support portion 14 and the side portion 15 are integrally formed. The support portion 14 is a ring-shaped portion arranged on the inner periphery of the support unit 11, and has a thickness in the vertical direction that is smaller than that of the side portion 15. The support portion 14 has a flat, annular support surface 16 facing upward. Also, on the inner periphery of the support surface 16, there is a stepped discharge portion 17 formed lower than the support surface 16. On the inner periphery side of the support portion 14, there is a hollow portion 19 that penetrates in the vertical direction. Note that the discharge portion 17 is not essential.

[0022] The side portion 15 is a ring-shaped portion arranged on the outer periphery of the support unit 11, and is thicker in the vertical direction than the support portion 14. The side portion 15 is provided with a cylindrical inner peripheral surface 18 that extends upward from the outer edge of the support surface 16.

[0023] 2 and 3, the object S to be cleaned that has been transported to the cleaning apparatus 10 is supported by the support unit 11. More specifically, the object S to be cleaned is supported on an annular step formed by the support surface 16 of the support part 14 and the inner circumferential surface 18 of the side part 15. The support part 14 is arranged on the first surface Sa side of the object S to be cleaned, and is capable of supporting the outer edge of the object S to be cleaned (the area of ​​the first surface Sa that is close to the side surface Sc) on the annular support surface 16. The side part 15 is arranged to cover the outside of the side surface Sc of the object S to be cleaned, and the inner circumferential surface 18, which is a cylindrical surface with an inner diameter larger than the diameter of the object S to be cleaned, faces the side surface Sc.

[0024] The side portion 15 is formed with a plurality of first supply ports 20 that open to the inner circumferential surface 18. The plurality of first supply ports 20 are provided at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction of the support unit 11 (the rotation direction of the object S to be cleaned). The plurality of first supply ports 20 are also arranged in the vertical direction at positions on the inner circumferential surface 18 near the lower end that is close to the support surface 16. The plurality of first supply ports 20 arranged in this manner are positioned opposite the side surface Sc of the object S to be cleaned supported by the support unit 11.

[0025] 3 and 4, a fluid supply path 21 extending in the circumferential direction is provided inside the support unit 11. The fluid supply path 21 is an annular flow path arranged on the outer circumferential side of the inner circumferential surface 18, and is formed in an arc shape with a larger radius of curvature than the inner circumferential surface 18. A plurality of first supply ports 20 are formed as flow paths branching from the fluid supply path 21 and extending toward the inner circumferential surface 18. As shown in FIG. 4, each of the first supply ports 20 has a shape in which, in a plan view, the circumferential position changes as it moves away from the fluid supply path 21 and closer to the inner circumferential surface 18. In other words, each of the first supply ports 20 has a flow path shaped to include a component in the rotational direction of the object S to be cleaned supported by the support unit 11 (i.e., non-parallel to the radial direction of the object S to be cleaned).

[0026] A fluid supply source 22 is provided to supply fluid to the fluid supply path 21, and the fluid supply source 22 is connected to the fluid supply path 21 via an on-off valve. The fluid supply source 22 includes a tank for storing the fluid and a pump for pressure-feeding the fluid from the tank. The fluid supplied by the fluid supply source 22 is at least one of a liquid such as pure water, pure water containing a chemical such as a surfactant, a two-fluid mixture of air and water, and a gas such as air. From the viewpoints of ease of acquisition, operating costs, and environmental impact after use, the fluid supplied by the fluid supply source 22 is preferably water or air. However, if the material or type of the object S to be cleaned is inappropriate for contact with water or air, a fluid other than water or air may be supplied from the fluid supply source 22.

[0027] When fluid supply source 22 is capable of supplying both liquid and gas, fluid supply source 22 is configured to include a liquid supply source and a gas supply source, and the type of fluid to be supplied to fluid supply path 21 is selected by the operation of on-off valves provided in the flow paths connected to the liquid supply source and the gas supply source, respectively. A mixed fluid (two-fluid) containing both liquid and gas may be supplied from fluid supply source 22.

[0028] One circumferential end face of the support unit 11 facing the communicating portion 13 has an inlet 211 that introduces fluid supplied from the fluid supply source 22 into the fluid supply path 21, and the other circumferential end face of the support unit 11 has an outlet 212 that can discharge fluid that has flowed through the fluid supply path 21.

[0029] The fluid supplied from the fluid supply source 22 to the inlet 211 of the fluid supply path 21 flows in the flow direction Ta (see FIG. 4 ) inside the fluid supply path 21, which is arc-shaped in a plan view. Each of the multiple first supply ports 20 is formed at a branch point from the fluid supply path 21 so as to form an acute angle with respect to a tangent to the flow direction Ta, making it easier for the fluid passing through the inside of the fluid supply path 21 to enter each of the first supply ports 20. Then, the fluid that has entered the first supply ports 20 is ejected from the outlets of the first supply ports 20 formed on the inner circumferential surface 18.

[0030] The fluid sprayed from the first supply port 20 is referred to as the rotational fluid Fa. In FIGS. 3 and 4, the rotational fluid Fa is conceptually indicated by an arrow. The rotational fluid Fa sprayed along the shape of the first supply port 20 is directed so as to include a component in the rotational direction of the object S to be cleaned. Specifically, the rotational direction of the object S to be cleaned is approximately the same as the direction Ta of movement of the fluid along the fluid supply path 21. As shown in FIG. 4, the direction of the rotational fluid Fa is a combination of a component along the direction Ta of movement and a radial component from the fluid supply path 21 toward the center of the support unit 11 (the hollow portion 19 side). Therefore, the rotational fluid Fa advances in the rotational direction of the object S to be cleaned while tilting toward the center of the support unit 11 in a plan view.

[0031] The rotational fluid Fa sprayed from the first supply port 20 hits the side surface Sc of the object S to be cleaned, which the outlet of the first supply port 20 faces, and the outer edges of the first surface Sa and second surface Sb adjacent to the side surface Sc, and a rotational force acts on the object S. As a result, the object S supported by the support unit 11 can be rotated using the force of the rotational fluid Fa.

[0032] A plurality of first supply ports 20 are provided at predetermined intervals in the rotation direction (circumferential direction of the support unit 11) on the side portion 15 that covers the outside of the object S to be cleaned supported by the support portion 14. With this configuration, when the rotational fluid Fa is sprayed from the plurality of first supply ports 20, the rotational fluid Fa applies a force in the rotational direction to the object S to be cleaned and also applies a force pushing the object S toward the center in the radial direction, so that the object S to be cleaned can be rotated while stabilizing the position of the object S in the horizontal direction.

[0033] In this way, the rotational fluid Fa sprayed from the first supply port 20 hits the vicinity of the outer edge of the object S to be cleaned, causing the object S to rotate. The flow rate and flow rate of the rotational fluid Fa are set according to the pressure and amount of fluid supplied from the fluid supply source 22. Therefore, a control unit (not shown) that controls the cleaning device 10 can arbitrarily set the rotational speed of the object S to be cleaned, by controlling the operation of the fluid supply source 22.

[0034] The operation of the cleaning device 10, which will be described later, differs depending on the type of fluid supplied by the fluid supply source 22. For example, in a cleaning sequence, which will be described later, when the rotation fluid Fa is also used as cleaning water, the fluid supply source 22 is configured to be able to supply a liquid that functions as cleaning water. When a drying sequence, which will be described later, is performed in the cleaning device 10, the fluid supply source 22 is configured to be able to supply at least a gas so as not to interfere with the drying of the object S to be cleaned.

[0035] Furthermore, the rotational fluid Fa is liquid rather than gaseous, as it has higher viscosity and is therefore more likely to apply rotational force to the object S. Therefore, liquid and gas may be used depending on the rotational force required for the rotational fluid Fa.

[0036] In the illustrated configuration, the inlet 211 through which the fluid supplied from the fluid supply source 22 is introduced into the fluid supply path 21 and the outlet 212 through which the fluid is discharged from the fluid supply path 21 are formed on one end face and the other end face in the circumferential direction of the support unit 11 facing the communication portion 13, but the configuration of the inlet and outlet of the fluid supply path 21 is not limited to this. For example, the inlet and outlet of the fluid supply path 21 may be provided on the outer circumferential surface, inner circumferential surface, upper surface, or lower surface of the support unit 11. Furthermore, the outlet of the fluid supply path 21 may be limited to the first supply port 20 alone (no outlets other than the first supply port 20 may be provided in the fluid supply path 21), and the entire amount of the fluid passing through the fluid supply path 21 may be sprayed from the multiple first supply ports 20.

[0037] As described above, in the cleaning device 10, the object to be cleaned S is rotated via the rotation fluid Fa supplied from the support unit 11 without rotating the support unit 11, so no mechanical rotation mechanism is required to rotate the support unit 11, and the cleaning device 10 can be made small and simple in structure.

[0038] The support part 14 is formed with a plurality of second supply ports 23 that open to the support surface 16. The plurality of second supply ports 23 are provided at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction of the support unit 11 (the rotation direction of the object S to be cleaned). The plurality of second supply ports 23 thus arranged are positioned opposite the first surface Sa near the outer edge of the object S to be cleaned supported by the support unit 11.

[0039] As shown in Fig. 3, a fluid supply path 24 extending in the circumferential direction is provided inside the support unit 11. The fluid supply path 24 is an annular flow path arranged more inward than the inner circumferential surface 18 of the side portion 15, and is formed in an arc shape with a smaller radius of curvature than the fluid supply path 21. A plurality of second supply ports 23 are formed as flow paths branching from the fluid supply path 24 and extending toward the support surface 16. As shown in Fig. 3, each second supply port 23 extends generally in the vertical direction.

[0040] A fluid supply source 25 is provided to supply fluid to the fluid supply path 24, and the fluid supply source 25 is connected to the fluid supply path 24 via an on-off valve. The fluid supply source 25 includes a tank for storing the fluid, a pump for pressure-feeding the fluid from the tank, and the like. The fluid supplied by the fluid supply source 25 is at least one of a liquid and a gas, and if it is a liquid, water is preferred, and if it is a gas, air is preferred. Note that a fluid other than water or air may be supplied from the fluid supply source 25 depending on the material and type of the object S to be cleaned.

[0041] When fluid supply source 25 is capable of supplying both liquid and gas, fluid supply source 25 is configured to include a liquid supply source and a gas supply source, and the type of fluid to be supplied to fluid supply path 24 is selected by operating on-off valves provided in the flow paths connected to the liquid supply source and the gas supply source, respectively. A mixed fluid (two-fluid) containing both liquid and gas may also be supplied from fluid supply source 25.

[0042] One circumferential end face of the support unit 11 facing the communicating portion 13 has an inlet 241 that introduces fluid supplied from the fluid supply source 25 into the fluid supply path 24, and the other circumferential end face of the support unit 11 has an outlet 242 that can discharge fluid that has flowed through the fluid supply path 24.

[0043] The fluid supplied from the fluid supply source 25 to the inlet 241 of the fluid supply path 24 flows through the interior of the fluid supply path 24, which is arc-shaped in plan view. The fluid passing through the interior of the fluid supply path 24 enters each of the second supply ports 23 and is ejected from the outlet of the second supply port 23 formed on the support surface 16.

[0044] The fluid sprayed from the second supply port 23 is referred to as the flotation fluid Fb. In Fig. 3, the flotation fluid Fb is conceptually indicated by an arrow. The flotation fluid Fb sprayed from the second supply port 23 extending in the vertical direction travels upward from the support surface 16 and hits the first surface Sa of the object S to be cleaned, applying a force that causes the object S to float. The force of the flotation fluid Fb causes the object S to float from the support surface 16, and the object S to be cleaned can be rotated in a state of not contacting the support surface 16.

[0045] When the object S to be cleaned is floated by the flotation fluid Fb and put into a non-contact state with the support surface 16, frictional resistance is smaller than when the first surface Sa of the object S to be cleaned is in contact with the support surface 16, and the object S to be cleaned can be rotated at high speed with low load. If the rotation speed of the object S to be cleaned is high during cleaning, the cleaning effect improves. Furthermore, if the frictional resistance to the rotation of the object S to be cleaned is small, the object S to be cleaned can be rotated efficiently with a relatively small flow rate of the rotational fluid Fa, and therefore the power consumption of the pump of the fluid supply source 22 when supplying the rotational fluid Fa can be reduced.

[0046] Furthermore, by floating the object S to be cleaned by the floating fluid Fb and keeping it out of contact with the support surface 16, it is possible to prevent the outer edge of the rotating object S to be cleaned from coming into contact with the support surface 16 and becoming soiled or scratched.

[0047] Therefore, by supplying the flotation fluid Fb to flot the object S to be cleaned, multiple effects can be obtained, such as improving the rotation efficiency of the object S to be cleaned, improving the cleaning effect by rotating the object S at high speed, and preventing the outer edge of the object S to be cleaned from becoming dirty or scratched.

[0048] The flow rate and flow rate of the flotation fluid Fb are set according to the pressure and amount of fluid supplied from the fluid supply source 25. Therefore, the control unit that controls the cleaning device 10 can arbitrarily set the flotation amount of the object S to be cleaned by controlling the operation of the fluid supply source 25.

[0049] The operation of the cleaning device 10, which will be described later, differs depending on the type of fluid that can be supplied by the fluid supply source 25. For example, in a cleaning sequence, which will be described later, when the flotation fluid Fb is also used as cleaning water, the fluid supply source 25 is configured to be able to supply a liquid that functions as cleaning water. When the flotation fluid Fb is supplied in a drying sequence, which will be described later, the fluid supply source 25 is configured to be able to supply at least a gas that does not interfere with the drying of the object S to be cleaned.

[0050] In the illustrated configuration, the inlet 241 through which the fluid supplied from the fluid supply source 25 is introduced into the fluid supply path 24 and the outlet 242 through which the fluid is discharged from the fluid supply path 24 are formed on one end face and the other end face in the circumferential direction of the support unit 11 facing the communication portion 13, but the configuration of the inlet and outlet of the fluid supply path 24 is not limited to this. For example, the inlet and outlet of the fluid supply path 24 may be provided on the outer circumferential surface, inner circumferential surface, upper surface, or lower surface of the support unit 11. Furthermore, the outlet of the fluid supply path 24 may be limited to the second supply port 23 alone (no outlets other than the second supply port 23 may be provided in the fluid supply path 24), and the entire amount of the fluid passing through the fluid supply path 24 may be sprayed from the multiple second supply ports 23.

[0051] The support unit 11 is provided with a configuration for supplying a rotational fluid Fa from a first supply port 20 and a configuration for supplying a floating fluid Fb from a second supply port 23 to each of a pair of half ring-shaped portions divided in the circumferential direction by a pair of communication portions 13. While FIG. 4 shows the fluid supply source 22 as two separate portions for convenience of illustration, an actual device configuration may include at least one fluid supply source 22 and one fluid supply source 25. Furthermore, the fluid supply source 22 and the fluid supply source 25 may be configured as the same fluid supply source. In this case, the fluid supply to the fluid supply path 21 and the fluid supply path 24 is managed from the same fluid supply source via separate on-off valves or the like.

[0052] As shown in Fig. 3, the rotational fluid Fa and the flotation fluid Fb are each supplied near the outer edge of the object S covered by the side portion 15. More specifically, the rotational fluid Fa is supplied toward the vicinity of the side surface Sc of the object S, and the flotation fluid Fb is supplied toward the first surface Sa of the object S, which is located near the side surface Sc. If the supplied rotational fluid Fa or flotation fluid Fb continues to accumulate near the outer edge of the object S, the accumulated fluid may cause the posture or rotation of the object S to become unstable. This tendency becomes particularly pronounced when the rotational fluid Fa or flotation fluid Fb is a liquid with a higher viscosity than a gas.

[0053] The support unit 11 is formed with a discharge section 17 at a position adjacent to the inner side of the support surface 16, with a larger gap between it and the object S to be cleaned than the support surface 16. With this configuration, the rotational fluid Fa and the flotation fluid Fb supplied near the outer edge of the object S to be cleaned are easily discharged through the discharge section 17 into the hollow section 19 on the inner periphery of the support unit 11. Furthermore, the rotational fluid Fa and the flotation fluid Fb that enter the hollow section 19 of the support unit 11 are discharged to the outside of the support unit 11 through the communication section 13 that connects the hollow section 19 to the outside of the support unit 11. This prevents the rotational fluid Fa and the flotation fluid Fb from accumulating near the outer edge of the object S to be cleaned, allowing the object S to be rotated with a stable posture and high precision.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 3, the cleaning unit 12 includes a cleaning nozzle 26 disposed above the support unit 11. A cleaning water supply source 27 and an air supply source 28 are connected to the cleaning nozzle 26 via respective on-off valves. The cleaning nozzle 26 sprays cleaning water supplied from the cleaning water supply source 27, air supplied from the air supply source 28, or a mixed fluid of cleaning water and air (two fluids) downward. The cleaning nozzle 26 is a cleaning part that can be positioned to face the second surface Sb of the object S to be cleaned that is supported by the support unit 11. When the object S to be cleaned is supported by the support unit 11, cleaning water, air, or the mixed fluid (two fluids) is sprayed from the cleaning nozzle 26 toward the second surface Sb of the object S to be cleaned, and the object S is cleaned using the fluid spray from the cleaning nozzle 26.

[0055] The cleaning nozzle 26 can be moved in the radial direction of the object S by a nozzle drive mechanism (not shown). By moving the cleaning nozzle 26 in the radial direction of the object S while rotating the object S by the action of the rotation fluid Fa, the cleaning water, air or mixed fluid (two fluids) sprayed from the cleaning nozzle 26 can be made to reach the entire surface of the second surface Sb of the object S.

[0056] The cleaning operation and cleaning method performed by the cleaning apparatus 10 having the above configuration will be described. Cleaning of the object S to be cleaned in the cleaning apparatus 10 includes a cleaning sequence shown in the flowchart of FIG. 5 and a drying sequence shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6, and the cleaning sequence and drying sequence are performed consecutively. A control unit provided in the cleaning apparatus 10 controls the operations and processes in the cleaning sequence and drying sequence. In this embodiment, the control unit automatically determines the selection of the point where the process branches in the cleaning sequence and the drying sequence, but the operator operating the cleaning apparatus 10 may also determine and input the selection.

[0057] [Cleaning sequence] In the cleaning sequence, the cleaning device 10 can select between cleaning in a state in which the object S to be cleaned is floated using the flotation fluid Fb, and cleaning in a state in which the object S to be cleaned is not floated by the flotation fluid Fb. Cleaning in a state in which the object S to be cleaned is not floated by the flotation fluid Fb is performed by rotating the object S to be cleaned with the outer edge of the first surface Sa in contact with the support surface 16 of the support unit 11. As described above, it is preferable to supply the flotation fluid Fb when rotating the object S to be cleaned, but it is also possible to choose not to supply the flotation fluid Fb when, for example, the frictional resistance of the object S to be cleaned against the support unit 11 is small.

[0058] In step 100, the control unit checks the operating conditions of the cleaning device 10 in the cleaning sequence. If the operating conditions are for cleaning without using the flotation fluid Fb (NO in step 100), the process proceeds to step 101. In step 101, the flotation fluid Fb is not supplied from the second supply port 23, and the object S to be cleaned is transported to the support unit 11 by a transport mechanism (not shown) and placed on the support surface 16. The outer edge portion of the first surface Sa of the transported object S to be cleaned is supported by the support surface 16.

[0059] Unlike the cleaning device 10 of this embodiment, it is also possible to apply a cleaning device that does not have the function of supplying the floating fluid Fb. In this case, the determination in step 100 will always be NO.

[0060] If the cleaning operation conditions require the use of the floating fluid Fb (YES in step 100), the process proceeds to step 102, where the control unit checks the setting of the timing for causing the support unit 11 to support the object S to be cleaned.

[0061] If the object to be cleaned S is to be supported by the support unit 11 after the supply of the flotation fluid Fb (NO in step 102), proceed to step 103 to start the supply of the flotation fluid Fb from the second supply port 23, and then in step 104, the object to be cleaned S is transported to the support unit 11 by the transport mechanism and placed on the support surface 16.

[0062] If the object to be cleaned S is to be supported by the support unit 11 before the supply of the flotation fluid Fb (YES in step 102), proceed to step 105, where the transport mechanism transports the object to be cleaned S to the support unit 11 and places it on the support surface 16, and then in step 106, start supplying the flotation fluid Fb from the second supply port 23.

[0063] The flotation fluid Fb supplied in steps 103 and 106 is preferably a liquid. If a gas is supplied as the flotation fluid Fb during cleaning, the object S will dry out near the area where the flotation fluid Fb is sprayed, making it easier for foreign matter to adhere to the object S. By using a liquid as the flotation fluid Fb, the object S will be kept wet, preventing foreign matter from adhering and making it easier to improve the cleaning effect. Furthermore, if the flotation fluid Fb is a liquid, the flotation fluid Fb itself can have a cleaning effect. In particular, in the cleaning apparatus 10, the cleaning unit 12 is arranged so as to mainly clean the second surface Sb side of the object S, and therefore, by supplying a liquid flotation fluid Fb to the first surface Sa side, a predetermined cleaning effect can also be obtained for the first surface Sa.

[0064] The floating fluid Fb supplied in step 103 or step 106 may be a mixed fluid (two-fluid) of liquid and gas. In this case, the same effect as when the floating fluid Fb is liquid can be obtained.

[0065] When steps 101, 104, and 106 are executed according to the conditional branches of step 100 and step 102, the outer edge portion of the object S to be cleaned is supported by the support unit 11, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. In other words, steps 101, 104, and 106 are support steps in which the support portion 14 supports the object S to be cleaned. In step 101, the first surface Sa of the object S to be cleaned is in direct contact with the support surface 16 of the support unit 11. In steps 104 and 106, the outer edge portion of the object S to be cleaned is floated from the support surface 16 by the floating fluid Fb.

[0066] Next, the process proceeds to step 107. In step 107, a rotation fluid Fa is supplied from the first supply port 20, and the object S is rotated on the support unit 11 by the action of the rotation fluid Fa. In other words, step 107 is a rotation step in which the rotation fluid Fa is supplied from the first supply port 20 to rotate the object S supported by the support part 14. In the cleaning sequence, the object S is rotated via the rotation fluid Fa supplied from the support unit 11, so there are fewer mechanical operating points in the support unit 11, and the cleaning device 10 can be made small and simple in structure.

[0067] The rotational fluid Fa supplied in step 107 is preferably a liquid. As with the flotation fluid Fb described above, using a liquid as the rotational fluid Fa prevents the object S from drying out and keeps it wet, preventing the adhesion of foreign matter and making it easier to improve the cleaning effect. Furthermore, if the rotational fluid Fa is a liquid, the rotational fluid Fa itself can have a cleaning effect. In particular, in the cleaning device 10, the cleaning unit 12 is arranged so as to mainly clean the second surface Sb side of the object S, so that a portion of the rotational fluid Fa, which is a liquid, flows from the side surface Sc to the first surface Sa, thereby achieving a predetermined cleaning effect on the side surface Sc and the first surface Sa as well.

[0068] The rotational fluid Fa supplied in step 107 may be a mixed fluid (two-fluid) of liquid and gas. In this case, the same effect as when the rotational fluid Fa is liquid can be obtained.

[0069] Once the rotation of the object S to be cleaned has stabilized, the process proceeds to step 108, where the object S to be cleaned is cleaned. In other words, step 108 is a cleaning step in which the object S to be cleaned is cleaned while being rotated. The cleaning of the object S to be cleaned in step 108 can be performed using the cleaning unit 12. As shown in FIG. 3, the cleaning unit 12 sprays cleaning water supplied from a cleaning water supply source 27 downward from a cleaning nozzle 26, and cleans the object S with the cleaning water sprayed from the cleaning nozzle 26. In the configuration example of FIG. 3, the second surface Sb of the object S to be cleaned is mainly the target of cleaning by the cleaning unit 12.

[0070] Furthermore, by making it possible to move the cleaning nozzle 26 above the outer edge of the object S to be cleaned, it is possible to have the cleaning water from the cleaning nozzle 26 reach and clean the side Sc of the object S to be cleaned and a part of the first surface Sa that follows the side Sc.

[0071] The cleaning unit 12 sprays cleaning water downward from the cleaning nozzle 26 arranged above the object S to be cleaned, thereby applying an appropriate pressure from above to the object S to be cleaned, and can prevent the object S from excessively floating up and escaping above the support unit 11. Furthermore, because the cleaning unit 12 supplies cleaning water from the cleaning nozzle 26, there is no risk of excessive force being applied from above to press the object S to the support surface 16.

[0072] For example, unlike the cleaning unit 12 of this embodiment, if cleaning is performed while strongly pressing the second surface Sb of the object S downward with a cleaning brush or the like arranged above the object S, the resistance to the rotation of the object S using the rotation fluid Fa increases, and the load for rotating the object S may become too large to ignore. Alternatively, the floating effect of the flotation fluid Fb may be lost, causing the object S to rotate while sliding on the support surface 16, which may result in dirt or scratches on the outer edge of the object S. In contrast, such problems are less likely to occur when cleaning using cleaning water supplied from the cleaning nozzle 26.

[0073] As described above, the rotational fluid Fa supplied in step 107 can be used as cleaning water to clean the object S. In this case, as a first option in the cleaning process in step 108, cleaning may be performed using both cleaning water sprayed from the cleaning nozzle 26 and the rotational fluid Fa sprayed from the first supply port 20. As a second option, cleaning may be performed using the rotational fluid Fa supplied from the first supply port 20 as cleaning water without supplying cleaning water from the cleaning nozzle 26. In the case of the second option, the illustrated cleaning unit 12 (cleaning nozzle 26, cleaning water supply source 27, air supply source 28) may be omitted, and the support unit 11 may be configured to also perform the cleaning function of the cleaning unit (the configuration that sprays the rotational fluid Fa serves as the cleaning unit).

[0074] In either the first or second option, the flotation fluid Fb can be used as cleaning water in addition to the rotation fluid Fa. By using the rotation fluid Fa and the flotation fluid Fb together as cleaning water, an even more excellent cleaning effect can be obtained.

[0075] In this way, multiple modes can be selected for the supply of cleaning water in the cleaning process in step 108. Since the supply of rotational fluid Fa from the first supply port 20 has been continued since step 107, the process performed by the control unit in step 108 simply involves selecting whether or not to supply cleaning water from the cleaning nozzle 26 if the cleaning device 10 is equipped with the cleaning nozzle 26, and does not require complex control.

[0076] The cleaning process in step 108 may be performed at predetermined intervals, or the end of the cleaning process may be set based on conditions other than time. Examples of conditions other than time include the amount of dirt contained in the collected cleaning water, and information on the state of the dirt estimated from the reflectance of an image of the object S to be cleaned, and the cleaning process may be continued until the control unit determines that the dirt on the object S to be cleaned has been removed.

[0077] When the cleaning process in step 108 is completed, the process proceeds to step 109. In step 109, it is selected whether or not to continue supplying the rotational fluid Fa. For example, if the rotational fluid Fa supplied from step 107 to step 108 is a liquid, continuing the supply of the rotational fluid Fa will hinder the drying of the object S to be cleaned in the next drying sequence, so the supply of the rotational fluid Fa is stopped. Alternatively, a process may be performed in which the supply of the rotational fluid Fa is uniformly stopped once the cleaning process is completed, regardless of the type of rotational fluid Fa. In these cases, the determination in step 109 is NO, the process proceeds to step 110, where the supply of the rotational fluid Fa from the first supply port 20 is stopped, and then the process proceeds to step 111.

[0078] As described above, the rotational fluid Fa supplied from step 107 to step 108 is preferably a liquid, but if the rotational fluid Fa supplied from step 107 to step 108 is a gas, it may be determined that the gas will not interfere with the drying of the object S in the next drying sequence, and the supply of the rotational fluid Fa may be continued from the cleaning sequence to the drying sequence. In this case, the determination in step 109 becomes YES, and the process proceeds directly to step 111 without passing through step 110.

[0079] In step 111, it is selected whether or not to continue supplying the flotation fluid Fb. For example, if the flotation fluid Fb whose supply began in step 103 or step 106 is liquid, continuing to supply the flotation fluid Fb will hinder the drying of the object S in the next drying sequence, so the supply of the flotation fluid Fb is stopped. Alternatively, regardless of the type of flotation fluid Fb, processing may be performed in which the supply of the flotation fluid Fb is stopped uniformly once the cleaning process is completed. In these cases, the determination in step 111 is NO, and processing proceeds to step 112, where the supply of the flotation fluid Fb from the second supply port 23 is stopped, and then processing proceeds to step 113 (drying sequence) in FIG. 6.

[0080] As described above, the flotation fluid Fb that begins to be supplied in step 103 or step 106 is preferably a liquid, but if the flotation fluid Fb supplied in step 103 or step 106 is a gas, it may be determined that the supply of the flotation fluid Fb will not interfere with the drying of the object S in the next drying sequence, and the supply of the flotation fluid Fb may be continued from the cleaning sequence to the drying sequence. In this case, the determination in step 111 becomes YES, and the process proceeds directly to step 113 (drying sequence) in Figure 6 without passing through step 112.

[0081] If the use of the flotation fluid Fb is not selected in step 100, the cleaning sequence is executed without supplying the flotation fluid Fb, so the determination in step 111 is skipped and the process proceeds to step 113 (drying sequence) in FIG. 6.

[0082] [Drying sequence] Following the cleaning sequence, the process proceeds to the drying sequence shown in Fig. 6. As with the previous cleaning sequence, in the drying sequence, the cleaning device 10 can select between drying in a state in which the object S to be cleaned is floated using the flotation fluid Fb, and drying in a state in which the object S to be cleaned is not floated by the flotation fluid Fb. Drying in a state in which the object S to be cleaned is not floated by the flotation fluid Fb is performed by rotating the object S to be cleaned in a state in which the outer edge of the first surface Sa is in contact with the support surface 16 of the support unit 11.

[0083] In step 113, the control unit checks the operating conditions of the cleaning device 10 in the drying sequence. If the operating conditions for drying are to use the flotation fluid Fb (YES in step 113), the process proceeds to step 114, where the control unit starts supplying the flotation fluid Fb from the second supply port 23. The flotation fluid Fb that starts to be supplied in step 114 is selected to be a gas, not a liquid that may wet the object S to be cleaned. After starting the supply of the flotation fluid Fb in step 114, the process proceeds to step 115. The supply of the flotation fluid Fb causes the object S to float above the support surface 16.

[0084] If the operating conditions are for drying, in which the floating fluid Fb is not used (NO in step 113), the floating fluid Fb is not supplied from the second supply port 23, and the process proceeds to step 115.

[0085] If the cleaning device 10 is configured to supply only the liquid flotation fluid Fb, control may be performed so that NO is automatically selected in step 113.

[0086] If the continuation of the supply of the flotation fluid Fb was selected in the previous step 111, the supply of the flotation fluid Fb has already been carried out (the object to be cleaned S has been floated from the support surface 16 due to the supply of the flotation fluid Fb), so the judgment in step 113 is skipped and the process proceeds to step 115.

[0087] In step 115, the control unit checks the supply status of the rotational fluid Fa (whether the rotational fluid Fa is not being supplied). If the supply of the rotational fluid Fa was stopped in step 110, the rotational fluid Fa is not being supplied, so the determination in step 115 becomes YES and the process proceeds to step 116. In step 116, the control unit starts the supply of the rotational fluid Fa from the first supply port 20. The rotational fluid Fa that starts to be supplied in step 116 is selected to be a gas rather than a liquid that may wet the object S to be cleaned. When the supply of the rotational fluid Fa starts in step 116, the object S to be cleaned rotates due to the action of the rotational fluid Fa. Once the rotation of the object S to be cleaned has stabilized, the process proceeds to step 117.

[0088] If the continuation of the supply of the rotational fluid Fa was selected in the previous step 109, the supply of the rotational fluid Fa has already been executed, and the object S to be cleaned is being rotated by the action of the rotational fluid Fa, so the determination in step 115 becomes NO, and the process proceeds directly to step 117 without going through step 116.

[0089] As with the cleaning sequence described above, in the drying sequence, the object to be cleaned S is rotated using the rotation fluid Fa supplied from the support unit 11, so there are fewer mechanical moving parts in the support unit 11, and the cleaning device 10 can be made small and simple in structure.

[0090] In step 117, the object S to be cleaned is dried after cleaning. Drying of the object S to be cleaned in step 117 can be performed using the cleaning unit 12. As shown in FIG. 3, the cleaning unit 12 sprays air supplied from the air supply source 28 downward from the cleaning nozzle 26, and dries the object S to be cleaned by the sprayed air. In the configuration example of FIG. 3, the second surface Sb of the object S to be cleaned is mainly the target for drying by the cleaning unit 12. However, since the centrifugal force of the rotation acting on the object S to be cleaned also has the effect of removing water droplets from the first surface Sa and side surface Sc, the entire object S to be cleaned can be dried.

[0091] Furthermore, by making it possible to move the cleaning nozzle 26 above the outer edge of the object S to be cleaned, it is possible to have the air from the cleaning nozzle 26 reach and dry the side Sc of the object S to be cleaned and a part of the first surface Sa following the side Sc.

[0092] The cleaning unit 12 sprays air downward from the cleaning nozzle 26 arranged above the object S to be cleaned, thereby applying an appropriate pressure from above to the object S to be cleaned, and preventing the object S from excessively floating up and escaping above the support unit 11. Furthermore, because the cleaning unit 12 supplies air from the cleaning nozzle 26, there is no risk of excessive force being applied from above to press the object S to the support surface 16.

[0093] It is possible to perform the drying process of step 117 using the rotational fluid Fa as a drying gas. In this case, as a first option, drying may be performed by using both the air sprayed from the cleaning nozzle 26 and the rotational fluid Fa sprayed from the first supply port 20 as a drying gas. Alternatively, as a second option, drying may be performed by using the rotational fluid Fa supplied from the first supply port 20 as a drying gas without supplying air from the cleaning nozzle 26. In the second option, the illustrated cleaning unit 12 (cleaning nozzle 26, cleaning water supply source 27, air supply source 28) may be omitted, and the support unit 11 may be configured to also perform the drying function of the cleaning unit (the configuration that sprays the rotational fluid Fa serves as the cleaning unit).

[0094] In either the first or second option, the flotation fluid Fb can be used as a drying gas in addition to the rotation fluid Fa. By using the rotation fluid Fa and the flotation fluid Fb together as drying gases, an even more excellent drying effect can be obtained.

[0095] In this way, multiple modes can be selected for the supply of drying gas in the drying process in step 117. Since the supply of rotational fluid Fa from the first supply port 20 has been continued since step 107 or step 116, the process performed by the control unit in step 117 simply involves selecting whether or not to supply drying air from the cleaning nozzle 26 if the cleaning device 10 is equipped with the cleaning nozzle 26, and does not require complex control.

[0096] The drying process in step 117 may be performed at predetermined intervals, or the end of the drying process may be set based on conditions other than time. As an example of a condition other than time, for example, the drying process may be continued until the control unit determines that the object S has dried based on information on the drying state estimated from the reflectance of an image of the object S.

[0097] When the cleaning process in step 117 is completed, the process proceeds to step 118. In step 118, the supply of the rotation fluid Fa from the first supply port 20 is stopped. By stopping the supply of the rotation fluid Fa, the rotation of the object S to be cleaned stops, and the object S to be cleaned becomes supported at a fixed position on the support surface 16 of the support unit 11.

[0098] Next, the control unit checks the supply state of the flotation fluid Fb in step 119. If the drying process in step 117 is performed without supplying the flotation fluid Fb, the determination in step 119 becomes NO, and the process proceeds to step 120. In step 120, the object S to be cleaned supported by the support unit 11 is held by the transport mechanism, and the object S to be cleaned is transported out of the cleaning device 10 by the transport mechanism.

[0099] If the drying process of step 117 is performed while the floating fluid Fb is supplied to float the object to be cleaned S, the determination of step 119 becomes YES, and the process proceeds to step 121. In step 121, the control unit checks the setting of the timing for carrying out the object to be cleaned S from the support unit 11.

[0100] If the object to be cleaned S is to be transported out of the support unit 11 after the supply of the flotation fluid Fb has been stopped (NO in step 121), proceed to step 122 to stop the supply of the flotation fluid Fb from the second supply port 23, and then in step 123, the object to be cleaned S is transported out of the support unit 11 by the transport mechanism.

[0101] If the object to be cleaned S is to be transported out of the support unit 11 before the supply of the flotation fluid Fb is stopped (YES in step 121), proceed to step 124 and have the transport mechanism transport the object to be cleaned S out of the support unit 11, and then in step 125, stop the supply of the flotation fluid Fb from the second supply port 23.

[0102] Since the support unit 11 is structured to support the second surface Sb of the object to be cleaned S without covering it, in steps 123 and 124, the object to be cleaned S can be transported out while holding the second surface Sb using the transport mechanism, regardless of whether the object to be cleaned S is floated by the floating fluid Fb or not.

[0103] The drying sequence is completed by performing any one of steps 120, 123, and 125. When the drying sequence is completed, the control of the flowchart in Fig. 6 is terminated, and the series of operations in the cleaning apparatus 10 is completed.

[0104] As described above, according to the cleaning device 10 of the first embodiment and the cleaning method using the cleaning device 10, the object to be cleaned S is rotated and cleaned by the rotation fluid Fa supplied from the first supply port 20, so there is no need to provide complex mechanical structures such as a support mechanism using a shaft to rotate the object to be cleaned S or a transmission mechanism to transmit the power of the motor, and the cleaning device 10 can be made small and simple in structure, allowing the object to be cleaned S to be cleaned efficiently.

[0105] Furthermore, in the cleaning device 10, the object S to be cleaned can be floated by the floating fluid Fb supplied from the second supply port 23, and can be cleaned without contacting the support unit 11. This allows the object S to be rotated efficiently and at high speed with little load. In addition, the object S to be cleaned can be prevented from being soiled or scratched.

[0106] In particular, when loading, the supply of the flotation fluid Fb is started before the object S to be cleaned is placed on the support surface 16 of the support unit 11, and when unloading, the supply of the flotation fluid Fb is stopped after the object S to be cleaned has separated from the support surface 16 of the support unit 11, making it possible to complete the series of processes without the object S to be cleaned being in complete contact with the support unit 11.

[0107] The rotational fluid Fa and the flotation fluid Fb can be used to complement the functions of the cleaning water and drying air supplied by the cleaning unit 12, thereby improving the efficiency of cleaning and drying. Alternatively, it is possible to use the rotational fluid Fa and the flotation fluid Fb themselves as cleaning water and drying air (applying the configuration for supplying the rotational fluid Fa and the flotation fluid Fb as a cleaning unit), and not provide a configuration equivalent to the cleaning unit 12. When the object S to be cleaned is cleaned using the rotational fluid Fa, the cleaning unit includes at least a first supply port 20 for supplying the rotational fluid Fa.

[0108] Although the cleaning sequence in FIG. 5 and the drying sequence in FIG. 6 are performed consecutively, it is also possible to perform only the cleaning sequence in the cleaning apparatus 10 and perform the drying sequence in an apparatus other than the cleaning apparatus 10, or to perform the drying sequence by natural drying.

[0109] 7 and 8 show a cleaning apparatus 30 of a second embodiment. In addition to the configuration of the cleaning apparatus 10 of the first embodiment, the cleaning apparatus 30 further includes a lid unit 31 that is installed opposite the outer edge of the second surface Sb of the object to be cleaned S. The configuration of the cleaning apparatus 30, except for the lid unit 31, is common to the cleaning apparatus 10, and therefore a description of the configuration common to the cleaning apparatus 10 will be omitted.

[0110] The lid portion 31, like the support unit 11, is ring-shaped and divided into two parts in the circumferential direction by the communication portion 13, and has an inner ring portion 32 located on the inner circumferential side and an outer ring portion 33 located on the outer circumferential side. The inner ring portion 32 and the outer ring portion 33 are integrally formed.

[0111] The outer ring portion 33 is supported on the upper part of the side portion 15 of the support unit 11. The inner ring portion 32 is thicker in the vertical direction than the outer ring portion 33 and enters the step between the support surface 16 of the support portion 14 of the support unit 11 and the inner circumferential surface 18 of the side portion 15. When the cover portion 31 is attached to the support unit 11 from above while the object S to be cleaned is supported by the support unit 11, the inner ring portion 32 is positioned above the outer edge of the object S to be cleaned (the area of ​​the second surface Sb close to the side surface Sc), as shown in FIG. 8. When the outer ring portion 33 is placed on the upper surface of the side portion 15, the inner ring portion 32 faces the support portion 14 at a predetermined interval in the vertical direction. Therefore, the inner ring portion 32 does not come into contact with the object S to be cleaned and interfere with the rotation of the object S, nor does the inner ring portion 32 block the first supply port 20 and interfere with the spray of the rotational fluid Fa.

[0112] A plurality of third supply ports 34 that open downward are formed in the inner ring portion 32 of the lid portion 31. The plurality of third supply ports 34 are provided at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction of the lid portion 31 (the rotation direction of the object to be cleaned S), and are arranged above the second supply ports 23 provided in the support portion 14 of the support unit 11. The plurality of third supply ports 34 arranged in this manner are positioned facing the second surface Sb near the outer edge of the object to be cleaned S supported by the support unit 11. The number of the plurality of second supply ports 23 and their arrangement intervals in the circumferential direction match the number of the plurality of third supply ports 34 and their arrangement intervals in the circumferential direction, and as shown in FIG. 8, each second supply port 23 and third supply port 34 are arranged coaxially in a vertical line.

[0113] A fluid supply path 35 extending in the circumferential direction is provided inside the lid portion 31. A plurality of third supply ports 34 are formed as flow paths branching from the fluid supply path 35 and extending downward. Each of the third supply ports 34 extends generally in the vertical direction.

[0114] A fluid supply source 36 is provided to supply a fluid to the fluid supply path 35, and the fluid supply source 36 is connected to the fluid supply path 35 via an on-off valve. The fluid supplied by the fluid supply source 36 is at least one of a liquid and a gas, and if it is a liquid, water is preferred, and if it is a gas, air is preferred. Note that a fluid other than water or air may be supplied from the fluid supply source 36 depending on the material and type of the object S to be cleaned.

[0115] When the fluid supply source 36 is capable of supplying both liquid and gas, the fluid supply source 36 is configured to include a liquid supply source and a gas supply source, and the type of fluid to be supplied to the fluid supply path 35 is selected by the operation of an on-off valve. A mixed fluid (two-fluid) containing both liquid and gas may be supplied from the fluid supply source 36.

[0116] One circumferential end face of the lid portion 31 facing the communicating portion 13 has an inlet 351 that introduces fluid supplied from the fluid supply source 36 into the fluid supply path 35, and the other circumferential end face of the lid portion 31 has an outlet 352 that can discharge fluid that has flowed through the fluid supply path 35.

[0117] The fluid supplied from the fluid supply source 36 to the inlet 351 of the fluid supply path 35 flows through the interior of the fluid supply path 35, which is arc-shaped in plan view. The fluid passing through the interior of the fluid supply path 35 enters each of the third supply ports 34 and is sprayed from the openings on the lower surface side of the inner ring portion 32.

[0118] The fluid sprayed from the third supply port 34 is referred to as a pressing fluid Fc. In FIG. 8, the pressing fluid Fc is conceptually indicated by an arrow. The pressing fluid Fc sprayed from the third supply port 34 extending in the vertical direction travels downward and hits the second surface Sb of the object to be cleaned S. During cleaning, when the object to be cleaned S is floated by the flotation fluid Fb sprayed from the second supply port 23, the pressing fluid Fc sprayed from the third supply port 34 presses the object to be cleaned S from above, preventing the object to be cleaned S from floating excessively relative to the support part 14 of the support unit 11. Due to the balance of forces between the flotation fluid Fb and the pressing fluid Fc, the object to be cleaned S can be rotated while being stably held in a fixed position in the vertical direction.

[0119] The flow rate and flow rate of the flotation fluid Fb are set according to the pressure and amount of fluid supplied from the fluid supply source 25. The flow rate and flow rate of the hold-down fluid Fc are set according to the pressure and amount of fluid supplied from the fluid supply source 36. Therefore, the control unit that controls the cleaning device 30 controls the operation of the fluid supply source 25 and the fluid supply source 36, thereby adjusting the balance between the flotation force of the flotation fluid Fb and the force that restricts flotation of the hold-down fluid Fc, and it is possible to rotate the object S to be cleaned between the support unit 11 and the lid part 31 in an appropriately floated state.

[0120] 8, it is preferable to position the second supply port 23 and the third supply port 34 on the same axis aligned in the vertical direction, so that the position where the floating fluid Fb hits the object S and the position where the pressing fluid Fc hits the object S are aligned. However, as long as the object S can be rotated while being appropriately floated between the support unit 11 and the lid part 31, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the positions of the second supply port 23 and the third supply port 34 in the circumferential direction may be offset from each other.

[0121] The inner ring portion 32 of the lid portion 31 has a stepped discharge portion 37 located above the opening position of the third supply port 34 on the inner circumferential side of the area where the third supply port 34 is formed. In other words, the discharge portion 37 is formed adjacent to the inner circumferential side of the third supply port 34, with a large gap between it and the object to be cleaned S. When the lid portion 31 is attached to the support unit 11, the discharge portion 37 of the lid portion 31 is located opposite the discharge portion 17 of the support unit 11 in the up-down direction. Note that the discharge portion 37 is not essential.

[0122] This configuration makes it easier for the rotational fluid Fa, floating fluid Fb, and pressing fluid Fc supplied near the outer edge of the object S to be cleaned to be discharged through the discharge section 37 into the space on the inner periphery of the lid section 31 (the hollow section 19 of the support unit 11). The rotational fluid Fa, floating fluid Fb, and pressing fluid Fc that have entered the hollow section 19 are discharged to the outside of the support unit 11 and the lid section 31 through the communication section 13 formed in the support unit 11 and the lid section 31. This prevents the rotational fluid Fa, floating fluid Fb, and pressing fluid Fc from accumulating near the outer edge of the object S to be cleaned, allowing the object S to be rotated with a stable posture and high precision.

[0123] The cleaning operation and cleaning method performed by the cleaning device 30 are similar to those of the above-mentioned cleaning device 10, except for the details related to the lid portion 31. Therefore, the differences from the cleaning device 10 will be briefly explained with reference to the flowcharts of Figures 5 and 6.

[0124] In the supporting steps of steps 101, 104, and 106, the object S to be cleaned is transported to the supporting unit 11 and placed on the supporting surface 16, and then the lid part 31 is attached to the top of the supporting unit 11. The lid part 31 is supported with the outer ring part 33 placed on the upper surface of the side part 15, and the inner ring part 32 faces the second surface Sb of the object S to be cleaned with a gap between them. The lid part 31 is fixed to the supporting unit 11 using fixing members (bolts and nuts, clamps, etc.) not shown.

[0125] In the cleaning sequence, if it is selected in step 100 not to supply the floating fluid Fb from the second supply port 23 (NO in step 100), it is preferable not to supply the pressing fluid Fc from the third supply port 34. This prevents the object S from being pressed strongly against the support surface 16.

[0126] If it is selected in step 100 to supply the floating fluid Fb (YES in step 100), it is possible to select whether to supply the holding down fluid Fc from the third supply port 34 or not to supply the holding down fluid Fc from the third supply port 34.

[0127] By supplying a pressing fluid Fc from the third supply port 34 in the cleaning sequence, the object S to be cleaned is floated by the floating fluid Fb, and the object S to be cleaned is pressed down by the pressing fluid Fc, so that the object S to be cleaned can be rotated stably while being held at a constant height position.

[0128] When the pressing fluid Fc is not supplied from the third supply port 34 during the cleaning sequence, the inner ring portion 32 of the lid portion 31 functions as a physical lid, preventing the object to be cleaned S from moving significantly upwardly from the support unit 11.

[0129] When supplying the holding fluid Fc in the cleaning sequence, the holding fluid Fc is preferably a liquid (or a two-fluid) to prevent adhesion of foreign matter due to drying of the object to be cleaned S. However, when a gas is used as the floating fluid Fb in the cleaning sequence, this does not exclude the corresponding use of a gas as the holding fluid Fc.

[0130] In step 111 after the cleaning in step 108, in addition to selecting whether to continue the supply of the floating fluid Fb, a selection is also made as to whether to continue the supply of the pressure fluid Fc. The conditions for whether to continue the supply of the pressure fluid Fc are the same as those for the floating fluid Fb described above. When the supply of the pressure fluid Fc is to be stopped, processing to stop the supply of the pressure fluid Fc is performed in the same manner as the stop of the gas supply in step 112.

[0131] In the drying sequence, if it is selected in step 113 not to supply the floating fluid Fb from the second supply port 23 (NO in step 113), it is preferable not to supply the pressing fluid Fc from the third supply port 34. This prevents the object S from being pressed strongly against the support surface 16.

[0132] If it is selected in step 113 to supply the floating fluid Fb (YES in step 100), it is possible to select whether to supply the holding down fluid Fc from the third supply port 34 or not to supply the holding down fluid Fc from the third supply port 34.

[0133] By supplying a pressing fluid Fc from the third supply port 34 in the drying sequence, the object S to be cleaned is floated by the floating fluid Fb, and the object S to be cleaned is pressed down by the pressing fluid Fc, so that the object S to be cleaned can be rotated stably while being held at a constant height position.

[0134] When the pressing fluid Fc is not supplied from the third supply port 34 during the drying sequence, the inner ring portion 32 of the lid portion 31 functions as a physical lid, preventing the object to be cleaned S from moving significantly upwardly from the support unit 11.

[0135] When the pressing fluid Fc is supplied in the drying sequence, a gas is selected as the pressing fluid Fc, rather than a liquid that may wet the object S to be cleaned.

[0136] Once the drying in step 117 is complete and the supply of rotational fluid Fa is stopped in step 118 to stop the rotation of the object to be cleaned S, the lid part 31 is removed from the support unit 11. If the presser fluid Fc was being supplied during the drying sequence, the supply of the presser fluid Fc is stopped before removing the lid part 31. By removing the lid part 31, the inner ring part 32 of the lid part 31 no longer covers the top of the object to be cleaned S, so after removing the lid part 31, the processes from step 119 onwards can be performed and the object to be cleaned S can be carried out from the support unit 11.

[0137] As described above, the cleaning operation and cleaning method using the cleaning device 30 of the second embodiment is provided with a lid portion 31 that covers the top of the object to be cleaned S, and by further pressing down the object to be cleaned S with a pressing fluid Fc that is sprayed from the third supply port 34 of the lid portion 31, the object to be cleaned S can be cleaned and dried while being securely supported without falling off the support unit 11.

[0138] 9 and 10 show a cleaning apparatus 40 of a third embodiment. In addition to the configuration of the cleaning apparatus 30 of the second embodiment, the cleaning apparatus 40 further includes a second cleaning unit 41 that cleans the first surface Sa side of the object S to be cleaned. In other words, the cleaning apparatus 40 is configured to be able to simultaneously clean both the first surface Sa and the second surface Sb by using the cleaning units 12 and the second cleaning unit 41 arranged above and below the object S to be cleaned. The configuration of the cleaning apparatus 40, except for the second cleaning unit 41, is common to the cleaning apparatus 30, and a description of the configuration common to the cleaning apparatus 30 will be omitted. Note that FIG. 10 shows the cleaning apparatus 40 with the lid 31 removed, and the illustration of the lid 31 is omitted.

[0139] The second cleaning unit 41 includes a contact cleaning section 42 and a cleaning nozzle 43 positioned below the object S to be cleaned, with the object S supported by the support unit 11. The contact cleaning section 42 is a cylindrical body formed from a sponge, a brush, or the like, and is supported rotatably around a support shaft 44 extending horizontally. As shown in FIG. 10 , the contact cleaning section 42 and the support shaft 44 are disposed through the hollow section 19 of the support unit 11, and both ends of the contact cleaning section 42 extend into the communication section 13.

[0140] A cleaning water supply source 45 and an air supply source 46 are connected to the cleaning nozzle 43 via respective on-off valves. The cleaning nozzle 43 sprays cleaning water supplied from the cleaning water supply source 45, air supplied from the air supply source 46, or a mixed fluid of cleaning water and air (two fluids) upward.

[0141] The contact cleaning part 42 and cleaning nozzle 43 of the second cleaning unit 41 are cleaning parts that can be positioned to face the first surface Sa of the object S supported by the support unit 11. When cleaning the object S, cleaning water is sprayed from the cleaning nozzle 43 toward the object S, while the contact cleaning part 42 comes into contact with the object S, thereby cleaning the first surface Sa side of the object S by the second cleaning unit 41. The contact cleaning part 42 cleans the first surface Sa while rotating around the support shaft 44. The contact cleaning part 42 may be configured to rotate passively due to frictional force acting between the object S rotated by the rotational fluid Fa, or may be configured to rotate by transmitting driving force from a motor or the like to the support shaft 44.

[0142] The contact cleaning unit 42 comes into contact with the first surface Sa of the object S to be cleaned with an appropriate contact pressure that does not cause excessive friction so as not to interfere with the smooth rotation of the object S by the rotational fluid Fa. In order to make it possible to adjust the contact pressure of the contact cleaning unit 42 with the object S to be cleaned, the support shaft 44 may be configured to be movable in the vertical direction, and the control unit may appropriately change the vertical position of the contact cleaning unit 42.

[0143] 10, the axial length of the contact cleaning unit 42 is greater than the diameter of the object S, and in a plan view, the contact cleaning unit 42 is disposed so as to diametrically cross a position passing through the center of the object S. Therefore, by rotating the object S relative to the support unit 11, the cleaning range of the contact cleaning unit 42 can cover the entire first surface Sa.

[0144] Both ends of the contact cleaning unit 42 are disposed in the internal space of the communication section 13. This allows the contact cleaning unit 42, which is longer than the diameter of the object S and can clean the entire first surface Sa, to be disposed without interfering with the support unit 11. The space of the communication section 13, which discharges fluid from the hollow section 19 of the support unit 11 to the outside, is also utilized as a space to accommodate the ends of the contact cleaning unit 42, resulting in a structure with excellent space efficiency. Note that, because the contact cleaning unit 42 is positioned below the lid section 31, even if the lid section 31 is not configured to be divided by the communication section 13, it does not interfere with the contact cleaning unit 42. Therefore, from the perspective of preventing interference with the contact cleaning unit 42, it is sufficient for at least the support unit 11 to have the communication section 13.

[0145] Figure 11 shows a cleaning device 50 of the fourth embodiment. The cleaning device 50 is based on the configuration of the cleaning device 30 of the second embodiment, but differs in that the lid portion 31 is supported on the support unit 11 via a rotation mechanism 51 so as to be capable of opening and closing. Similar to the configuration of Figure 7, the lid portion 31 is configured to be divided into two in the circumferential direction by two communication portions 13. Each lid portion 31 is supported on the support unit 11 via the rotation mechanism 51 so as to be capable of opening and closing by rotation.

[0146] The rotation mechanism 51 supports the lid part 31 so that it can rotate about a horizontally extending axis, and rotates the lid part 31 by the driving force of a rotary cylinder or a motor. In the closed position, the lid part 31 covers the upper part of the outer edge of the object to be cleaned S supported by the support unit 11, similar to the lid part 31 of the cleaning device 30 shown in FIG.

[0147] When the rotation mechanism 51 is driven to open the lid 31 upward, the lid 31 no longer covers the upper part of the outer edge of the object S supported by the support unit 11, as shown in FIG. 11 , and the object S can be carried in and out of the support unit 11 using a transport mechanism such as a transport arm 52 that adsorbs and holds the second surface Sb of the object S. The transport arm 52 can be of a type that adsorbs and holds the object S in a non-contact manner by spraying air from the holding surface (lower surface) and utilizing a suction action according to Bernoulli's theorem, or a type that adsorbs and holds the object S by sucking air from suction holes formed in the holding surface (lower surface). By using a non-contact type transport arm 52 and supporting the object S in a non-contact manner using a flotation fluid Fb in the cleaning device 50, the object S can be processed without mechanical contact at all stages, including carrying it in and out of the cleaning device 50.

[0148] When the object S to be cleaned is carried in or out of the cleaning device 50, the cleaning unit 12 retracts the cleaning nozzle 26 from above the hollow portion 19 of the support unit 11 so as not to interfere with the movement of the transport arm 52. Figure 11 shows the state in which the cleaning nozzle 26 is retracted.

[0149] The cleaning device 50 eliminates the need to attach and detach the lid 31 each time the object S to be cleaned is loaded or unloaded, and while still enjoying the benefits of the lid 31 during cleaning, it is possible to speed up processing in the preparation stage for cleaning and after cleaning is completed, thereby enabling efficient operation of the device.

[0150] In this embodiment, the lid portion 31 is divided into two parts in the circumferential direction, but it is also possible to select a structure in which an undivided, one-piece lid portion 31 is supported and rotated by a single rotation mechanism 51, or a structure in which a lid portion 31 divided into three or more parts in the circumferential direction is supported and rotated by three or more rotation mechanisms 51.

[0151] 12 and 13 show a cleaning device 60 of a fifth embodiment. In the first to fourth embodiments, the object S is rotated by a rotation fluid Fa sprayed from a first supply port 20 provided on the inner circumferential surface 18 of the side portion 15 of the support unit 11. In contrast, in the cleaning device 60, the object S is rotated by spraying a rotation fluid Fd from a plurality of first supply ports 61 provided on the support portion 14 of the support unit 11 and opening to the support surface 16.

[0152] The multiple first supply ports 61 are provided at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction of the support unit 11 (the rotation direction of the object to be cleaned S), and the outlet of each first supply port 61 is located opposite the first surface Sa near the outer edge of the object to be cleaned S supported by the support unit 11.

[0153] A fluid supply path 62 extending in the circumferential direction is provided inside the support portion 14 of the support unit 11. The fluid supply path 62 is an annular flow path that is arranged on the inner peripheral side of the inner peripheral surface 18 of the side portion 15. A plurality of first supply ports 61 are formed at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction as flow paths that branch off from the fluid supply path 62 and extend obliquely upward toward the support surface 16.

[0154] A fluid supply source 63 is provided to supply fluid to the fluid supply path 62, and the fluid supply source 63 is connected to the fluid supply path 62 via an on-off valve. The fluid supply source 63 includes a tank for storing the fluid, a pump for pressure-feeding the fluid from the tank, and the like. The fluid supplied by the fluid supply source 63 is at least one of a liquid and a gas, and if it is a liquid, water is preferred, and if it is a gas, air is preferred. Note that a fluid other than water or air may be supplied from the fluid supply source 63 depending on the material and type of the object S to be cleaned.

[0155] One circumferential end face of the support unit 11 facing the communicating portion 13 has an inlet 621 that introduces fluid supplied from a fluid supply source 63 into the fluid supply path 62, and the other circumferential end face of the support unit 11 has an outlet 622 that can discharge fluid that has flowed through the fluid supply path 62.

[0156] The fluid supplied from the fluid supply source 63 to the inlet 621 of the fluid supply path 62 flows through the interior of the fluid supply path 62, which is arc-shaped in plan view. The fluid passing through the interior of the fluid supply path 62 enters each of the first supply ports 61 and is ejected from the outlets of the first supply ports 61 formed on the support surface 16.

[0157] The fluid sprayed from the first supply ports 61 is referred to as a rotational fluid Fd. As shown in FIG. 13, each of the multiple first supply ports 61 is a flow path that branches off from the fluid supply path 62 and extends obliquely upward toward the support surface 16. That is, each first supply port 61 has a flow path shaped to include a component in the rotational direction of the object S supported by the support unit 11 (non-parallel to the thickness direction of the object S). The rotational fluid Fd sprayed along the shape of the first supply ports 61 is directed to include a component in the rotational direction of the object S, and contacts the first surface Sa obliquely from below. Therefore, when the rotational fluid Fd hits the first surface Sa near the outer edge of the object S, a force in the rotational direction acts on the object S, and the object S supported by the support unit 11 can be rotated using the force of the rotational fluid Fd.

[0158] When the amount and force of the fluid supplied are approximately the same, the configurations of the cleaning devices 10, 30, 40, and 50 of the first to fourth embodiments, which use a rotational fluid Fa sprayed from the first supply port 20 outside the side surface Sc of the object to be cleaned S, tend to more easily transmit a rotational force to the object to be cleaned S than the configuration of the cleaning device 60 of the fifth embodiment, which uses a rotational fluid Fd sprayed from the first supply port 61 toward the first surface Sa of the object to be cleaned S. Therefore, in the cleaning device 60, the flow rate, flow velocity, and type of fluid of the rotational fluid Fd are appropriately set in consideration of the position of the first supply port 61 so that a sufficient rotational force can be applied to the object to be cleaned S.

[0159] For example, by using a liquid having a higher viscosity than gas as the rotational fluid Fd, it becomes easier to apply a sufficient rotational force to the object to be cleaned S. In addition, the rotational fluid Fd, which is a liquid, has the effect of floating the object to be cleaned S from the support surface 16, and the rotational fluid Fd can also serve as the above-mentioned floating fluid Fb.

[0160] When a gas is used as the rotational fluid Fd, if the flow velocity of the rotational fluid Fd flowing along the first surface Sa is high, a negative pressure is generated between the support surface 16 and the first surface Sa according to Bernoulli's theorem, and the object S to be cleaned can be rotated while being pulled to the support surface 16 (but without contact). In this case, it is possible to prevent the object S from floating up without using the pressing fluid Fc.

[0161] Unlike the cleaning device 60 of this embodiment, it is also possible to spray the rotation fluid toward the second surface Sb of the object S instead of the first surface Sa, thereby rotating the object S. For example, by adding the above-mentioned lid part 31 to the cleaning device 50 and forming the first supply port 61 in the lid part 31 instead of the third supply port 34, it is possible to spray the rotation fluid that acts in the same way as the rotation fluid Fd toward the second surface Sb.

[0162] 12, the rotational fluid Fd sprayed from the first supply port 61 not only flows in the rotational direction of the object S to be cleaned, but also contains a component that flows toward the outer periphery of the object S in a plan view. In other words, the first supply port 61 is formed with an inclination that opens toward the outer periphery of the support unit 11 with respect to a tangent to the direction Ta of flow of the fluid passing through the inside of the fluid supply path 62.

[0163] When the rotation fluid Fd is sprayed toward the first surface Sa of the object S to be cleaned, if the fluid (especially air) concentrates in the center on the side of the first surface Sa, it collides with the surrounding fluid flow, causing stagnation and creating positive pressure below the center of the first surface Sa. If positive pressure is created below the center of the first surface Sa, the object S to be cleaned may suddenly move in a direction away from the support surface 16 and may deviate from the state supported by the support unit 11.

[0164] In contrast, the above-described configuration of the first supply port 61 has the effect of allowing the rotational fluid Fd to escape to the outer periphery of the object to be cleaned S, preventing the rotational fluid Fd sprayed from the first supply port 61 from gathering toward the center of the object to be cleaned S, thereby enabling the object to be cleaned S to be supported stably.

[0165] In the illustrated cleaning device 60, the object S to be cleaned is rotated only by the rotational fluid Fd supplied from the first supply port 61 of the support part 14, but it is also possible to provide a first supply port 20 on the side part 15 and also supply the above-mentioned rotational fluid Fa, and to rotate the object S to be cleaned by using the rotational fluid Fa and the rotational fluid Fd in combination.

[0166] When rotating the object S only with the rotation fluid Fd supplied from the first supply port 61, it is also possible to apply a structure in which the side parts 15 are not provided in the support unit 11. However, since the position of the object S in the horizontal direction may not be stable with only the support parts 14, it is preferable to provide the side parts 15 to prevent the object S from deviating in the horizontal direction.

[0167] It is also possible to use the rotation fluid Fd to clean the object S. In this case, the cleaning unit that cleans the object S includes at least a first supply port 61 that supplies the rotation fluid Fd.

[0168] 14 and 15 show a cleaning device 70 of a sixth embodiment. The cleaning device 70 is provided with a disk-shaped central support unit 71 inside the hollow portion 19 of the support unit 11. The central support unit 71 has an upward-facing support surface 72 that can support the central portion of the first surface Sa of the object to be cleaned S. The height of the support surface 72 of the central support unit 71 is set to be the same as the height of the support surface 16 of the support unit 11 or higher than the height of the support surface 16.

[0169] In the cleaning device 70, a rotation fluid Fe is sprayed from a plurality of first supply ports 73 that open to a support surface 72 of a central support unit 71 to rotate the object S to be cleaned. The plurality of first supply ports 73 are provided at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction of the central support unit 71 (the rotation direction of the object S to be cleaned), and the outlet of each first supply port 73 is positioned opposite to the first surface Sa of the object S to be cleaned that is supported by the central support unit 71.

[0170] A fluid supply path 74 extending in the circumferential direction is provided inside the central support unit 71. A plurality of first supply ports 73 are formed at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction as flow paths branching from the fluid supply path 74 and extending obliquely upward toward the support surface 72. Note that, because the shape of the central support unit 71 is not ring-shaped, the shape of the fluid supply path 74 provided therein does not have to be an arc shape extending in the circumferential direction of the central support unit 71.

[0171] A fluid supply source 75 is provided to supply fluid to the fluid supply path 74, and the fluid supply source 75 is connected to the fluid supply path 74 via an on-off valve. The fluid supply source 75 includes a tank for storing the fluid, a pump for pressure-feeding the fluid from the tank, etc. The fluid supplied by the fluid supply source 75 is at least one of a liquid and a gas.

[0172] The fluid supplied from the fluid supply source 75 to the fluid supply path 74 flows in a traveling direction Ta (see FIG. 15 ) inside the fluid supply path 74, which is arc-shaped in a plan view. The fluid passing through the inside of the fluid supply path 74 enters each of the first supply ports 73 and is ejected from the outlets of the first supply ports 73 formed on the support surface of the central support unit 71.

[0173] The fluid sprayed from the first supply ports 73 is referred to as a rotational fluid Fe. Similar to the first supply ports 61 (see FIG. 13) of the fifth embodiment, each of the multiple first supply ports 73 is a flow path that branches off from the fluid supply path 74 and extends obliquely upward toward the support surface 72. That is, each first supply port 73 has a flow path shaped to include a component in the rotational direction of the object S supported by the central support unit 71 (non-parallel to the thickness direction of the object S). The rotational fluid Fe sprayed along the shape of the first supply ports 73 is oriented to include a component in the rotational direction of the object S, and contacts the first surface Sa from obliquely below. Therefore, when the rotational fluid Fe hits the first surface Sa of the object S, a force in the rotational direction acts on the object S, and the object S supported by the central support unit 71 can be rotated by the force of the rotational fluid Fe.

[0174] It is also possible to use the rotation fluid Fe to clean the object S. In this case, the cleaning unit that cleans the object S includes at least a first supply port 73 that supplies the rotation fluid Fe.

[0175] By using a liquid having a higher viscosity than gas as the rotation fluid Fe, the object S can be rotated while obtaining the effect of the rotation fluid Fe floating the object S from the support surface 72. In addition, by using a gas that flows at a high flow rate along the first surface Sa as the rotation fluid Fe, the object S can be rotated without contact while being attracted to the support surface 72 according to Bernoulli's theorem.

[0176] In the configuration in which the rotational fluid Fe is sprayed from the central support unit 71, the rotational force can be applied by supplying the rotational fluid Fe regardless of the shape of the outer edge of the object S, so it is possible to select an object to be rotated that has a shape other than a disk, such as the illustrated object S. As an example, a rectangular package substrate or the like can be used as the object to be rotated.

[0177] 15 , each of the multiple first supply ports 73 is formed with an inclination that opens toward the outer periphery of the central support unit 71 with respect to a tangent to the direction of travel Ta of the fluid passing through the inside of the fluid supply path 74. Therefore, in a plan view, the rotational fluid Fe sprayed from the first supply ports 73 contains a component that moves toward the outer periphery of the object to be cleaned S, in addition to a component that moves in the rotational direction of the object to be cleaned S. This has the effect of allowing the rotational fluid Fe to escape to the outer periphery of the object to be cleaned S, preventing the rotational fluid Fe sprayed from the first supply ports 73 from gathering toward the center of the object to be cleaned S and creating positive pressure, and allowing the object to be cleaned S to be stably supported by the central support unit 71.

[0178] 14 and 15, a ring-shaped support unit 11 is provided on the outside of a central support unit 71. In addition to the supply of rotational fluid Fe from a plurality of first supply ports 73 provided in the central support unit 71, the rotational fluid Fa sprayed from a plurality of first supply ports 20 provided in the support unit 11 and the floating fluid Fb sprayed from a plurality of second supply ports 23 may also be used in combination to support and rotate the object S to be cleaned.

[0179] 14 and 15, it is also possible to configure the support structure of the cleaning device using only a disk-shaped central support unit 71, without providing the support unit 11. However, since the central support unit 71 alone may not stabilize the position of the object S in the horizontal direction, it is preferable to provide a structure equivalent to side parts 15 that cover the outside of the object S to be cleaned in order to prevent the object S from deviating in the horizontal direction.

[0180] As described above, according to the cleaning device and cleaning method of each of the above embodiments, the object to be cleaned can be rotated by supplying a fluid, thereby enabling the object to be cleaned efficiently with a compact structure without the need for a complex rotation mechanism.

[0181] The technology for rotating a workpiece using a fluid can also be applied to processes other than cleaning as in the above-described embodiments. For example, it can be applied to a spin coating process in which a liquid resin is supplied to the surface of a plate-shaped object, and the object is rotated to spread the liquid resin over the surface by centrifugal force.

[0182] The embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and may be variously changed, substituted, or modified without departing from the spirit of the technical idea of ​​the present invention. Furthermore, if the technical idea of ​​the present invention can be realized in a different way due to technological advances or other derived technologies, it may be implemented using that method. Therefore, the claims cover all embodiments that may fall within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0183] As described above, according to the cleaning device and cleaning method of the present invention, the object is washed while being rotated by a rotational fluid, so that the object can be washed efficiently using a cleaning device with a small structure, and restrictions on the introduction cost of the cleaning device and the installation location can be reduced. [Explanation of symbols]

[0184] 10: Cleaning equipment 11: Support unit 12: Cleaning unit 13:Communication part 14: Support part 15: Side 16: Support surface 17: Discharge section 18: Inner surface 20:First supply port 21:Fluid supply path 23:Second supply port 24:Fluid supply path 26: Cleaning nozzle (cleaning part) 30: Cleaning equipment 31: Lid 32: Inner ring part 33: Outer ring part 34:Third supply port 35:Fluid supply path 37: Discharge section 40: Cleaning equipment 41: Second cleaning unit 42: Contact cleaning section (cleaning section) 43: Cleaning nozzle (cleaning part) 50: Cleaning equipment 51: Rotation mechanism 52: Transfer arm 60: Cleaning equipment 61:First supply port 62:Fluid supply path 70: Cleaning equipment 71: Central support unit 72: Support surface 73:First supply port 74:Fluid supply path Fa: Rotating fluid Fb:Flotation fluid Fc: Pressing fluid Fd: Rotating fluid Fe: Rotating fluid S: Item to be cleaned Sa: Front page Sb: Second side Sc: Side

Claims

1. A cleaning device including a cleaning unit for cleaning an object to be cleaned, a support portion that is disposed on the first surface side of the object to be cleaned and supports the object to be cleaned; one or more first supply ports for supplying a rotation fluid to the object to be cleaned supported by the support portion; Equipped with The cleaning device cleans the object while rotating it with the rotation fluid supplied from the first supply port.

2. The support portion supports the outer edge of the object to be cleaned, The cleaning device according to claim 1 , further comprising a side portion that covers the outside of the object to be cleaned supported by the support portion.

3. The cleaning device according to claim 2 , wherein the first supply port is formed on an inner periphery of the side portion.

4. The support part further includes one or more second supply ports on a support surface that supports the object to be cleaned, 4. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the cleaning unit cleans the object while floating the object from the support surface with the floating fluid supplied from the second supply port.

5. The cleaning device according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning unit cleans at least one of the first surface, a second surface opposite to the first surface, and a side surface of the object to be cleaned.

6. The cleaning device according to claim 1 , wherein the cleaning unit includes at least the first supply port and cleans the object to be cleaned with the rotation fluid.

7. The cleaning unit includes, apart from the first supply port, 5. The cleaning device according to claim 1, further comprising a cleaning unit that can be positioned to face at least one of the first surface and the second surface opposite to the first surface of the object to be cleaned supported by the support unit, and the object to be cleaned is cleaned using the cleaning unit.

8. The cleaning device according to claim 1 , further comprising a lid portion disposed opposite to a second surface of the object to be cleaned opposite to the first surface.

9. The cleaning device according to claim 8 , further comprising one or more third supply ports for supplying a fluid to the surface of the lid portion facing the object to be cleaned.

10. A cleaning method using the cleaning device according to claim 1, a supporting step of supporting the object to be cleaned with the support part; a rotating step of supplying the rotation fluid from the first supply port to rotate the object to be cleaned supported by the support part; a cleaning step of cleaning the object while rotating the object; A cleaning method comprising:

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