Nozzle

Abstract

To provide a nozzle capable of reducing or suppressing generation of static electricity when performing two-fluid cleaning by injecting a mixed fluid consisting of a liquid and a gas.SOLUTION: A nozzle 1 capable of injecting a mixed fluid 33 of a liquid 31 and a gas 32 comprises: a liquid passage 14 connected with a supply source of the liquid 31; a gas passage 15 connected with a supply source of the gas 32; an injection port 13 through which the mixed fluid 33 can be injected; an injection passage 17 connecting a confluence part 16, where the liquid passage 14 and the gas passage 15 are confluent, with the injection port 13; a valve body 21 capable of adjusting the quantity of the mixed fluid 33 to arrive at the injection port 13 inside of the injection passage 17; and a valve body energization part 22 which is functioned as a mixture promotion part for promoting the mixture of the gas 32 and the liquid 31 inside of the injection passage 17.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a nozzle capable of ejecting a mixed fluid of a liquid and a gas. [Background technology]

[0002] When cutting or grinding a semiconductor wafer, processing debris is generated and may adhere to the surface of the semiconductor wafer. A processing device for processing a semiconductor wafer is equipped with a cleaning nozzle as disclosed in Patent Document 1 in order to clean the processing debris generated during processing. This cleaning nozzle sprays a mixed fluid consisting of a liquid and a gas, performing so-called two-fluid cleaning, and therefore has high cleaning power. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-040453 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in a two-fluid cleaning nozzle such as that described in Patent Document 1, static electricity is generated due to friction between the liquid and the gas, and this can cause the semiconductor wafer, which is the object to be cleaned, to become charged, resulting in a decrease in quality, or the cleaning nozzle itself to become charged, which can interfere with work.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and its object is to provide a nozzle that can reduce or suppress the generation of static electricity when performing two-fluid cleaning by spraying a mixed fluid consisting of a liquid and a gas. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, the nozzle of the present invention is a nozzle capable of spraying a mixed fluid of a liquid and a gas, and is equipped with a liquid flow path connected to a supply source of the liquid, a gas flow path connected to a supply source of the gas, a spray outlet capable of spraying the mixed fluid, a junction where the liquid flow path and the gas flow path join, a spray flow path connecting the spray outlet, a valve body within the spray flow path capable of adjusting the amount of the mixed fluid reaching the spray outlet, and a mixing promotion part within the spray flow path that promotes mixing of the gas and the liquid.

[0007] The valve body is disposed within the ejection flow path so as to be movable in the axial direction of the ejection flow path between an ejection stop position, at which the mixed fluid is not ejected from the ejection port, and a maximum ejection position, at which the amount of the mixed fluid ejected from the ejection port is at a maximum, and is an elastic body, disposed within the ejection flow path so that its direction of expansion and contraction is along the axial direction of the ejection flow path, and further comprises a valve body biasing portion that biases the valve body toward the ejection stop position, and the valve body biasing portion includes a coil spring, and has a plurality of regions where the inner diameter of the coil differs in the expansion and contraction direction, thereby promoting mixing of the gas and the liquid and may also function as the mixing promotion portion.

[0008] The liquid may be pure water and the gas may be a gas containing carbon dioxide. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The present invention is provided with a mixing promotion section within the ejection flow path through which the liquid and gas pass after joining at the confluence section. By promoting the mixing of the liquid and gas using the mixing promotion section, the electrical resistivity of the liquid (mixed fluid) is reduced, and the generation of static electricity due to friction between the liquid and gas when forming the mixed fluid can be reduced or suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of a nozzle according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a first example of a valve body biasing portion of the nozzle of FIG. [Figure 3]FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a second example of the valve body biasing portion of the nozzle of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an explanatory view illustrating the valve body biasing portion of FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the trigger of the nozzle of FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the trigger of the nozzle of FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a first state of an example of the configuration of a nozzle according to a modified example. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a second state of the exemplary configuration of the nozzle according to the modified example. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a third state of the exemplary configuration of the nozzle according to the modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Modes (embodiments) for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the contents described in the following embodiments. Furthermore, the components described below include those that can be easily imagined by a person skilled in the art and those that are substantially the same. Furthermore, the configurations described below can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, or modifications of the configuration can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

[0012] [Embodiment] A nozzle 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the nozzle 1 according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a view showing a valve element biasing unit 22-1, which is a first example of the valve element biasing unit 22 of the nozzle 1 of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a view showing a valve element biasing unit 22-2, which is a second example of the valve element biasing unit 22 of the nozzle 1 of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing the valve element biasing unit 22 of FIGS. 2 and 3. FIGS. 5 and 6 are both cross-sectional views showing the trigger 24 of the nozzle 1 of FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of VI in FIG. 5. The nozzle 1 is a so-called cleaning gun capable of spraying a mixed fluid 33 of a liquid 31 and a gas 32, and includes a nozzle main body 10 and a spray amount adjustment unit 20, as shown in FIG. Nozzle 1 is attached to, for example, a processing device that processes a semiconductor wafer, which is the object to be cleaned by nozzle 1, and is used by spraying a mixed fluid 33 of liquid 31 and gas 32 toward the semiconductor wafer to clean off processing debris generated during processing of the semiconductor wafer.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1 , the nozzle body 10 includes a main body 11 and a grip portion 12. The main body 11 corresponds to the barrel of the nozzle body 10 and is formed to extend in one direction. The main body 11 has a tip formed with an ejection port 13 that corresponds to the muzzle of the nozzle body 10 and is capable of ejecting a mixed fluid 33 of a liquid 31 and a gas 32, and a base end formed with a grip portion 12 that is held by an operator using the nozzle body 10. The nozzle body 10 has the main body 11 and the grip portion 12 formed integrally. Hereinafter, the side toward which the ejection port 13 faces will be referred to as the tip side, and the side opposite the tip side will be referred to as the base side.

[0014] 1, the nozzle body 10 includes an ejection port 13, a liquid flow path 14, a gas flow path 15, a junction 16, an ejection flow path 17, a guide hole 18-1, and a trigger support portion 18-2. The liquid flow path 14 is provided inside the grip portion 12 of the nozzle body 10, with one end 14-1 connected to and communicating with a liquid supply source 36 that supplies liquid 31, and the other end 14-2 connected to and communicating with the junction 16. The gas flow path 15 is provided inside the grip portion 12 of the nozzle body 10, with one end 15-1 connected to and communicating with a gas supply source 37 that supplies gas 32, and the other end 15-2 connected to and communicating with the junction 16. The confluence section 16 is located inside the nozzle body 10 near the boundary between the main body section 11 and the grip section 12, and is divided into three branches, with the two branches toward the grip section 12 connected and communicating with the liquid flow path 14 and the gas flow path 15, and the one branch toward the main body section 11 connected and communicating with the ejection flow path 17.

[0015] In the nozzle 1, liquid 31 supplied from a liquid supply source 36 through a liquid flow path 14 and gas 32 supplied from a gas supply source 37 through a gas flow path 15 join at a confluence 16, and the liquid 31 and gas 32 joined at the confluence 16 are mixed as they pass through the ejection flow path 17 to become a mixed fluid 33 which is supplied to the ejection port 13 and ejected from the ejection port 13.

[0016] In this embodiment, the liquid supply source 36 supplies the liquid 31, for example, pure water having a resistivity of approximately 17.7 MΩ cm, to the liquid flow path 14 at a flow rate of approximately 0.1 L / min. In addition, in this embodiment, the gas supply source 37 supplies the gas 32, for example, air containing carbon dioxide (CO2), to the gas flow path 15 at a flow rate of 105 L / min.

[0017] In this embodiment, the mixed fluid 33 is formed by mixing the gas 32 containing carbon dioxide with pure water as the liquid 31, so that the electrical resistivity can be suitably reduced. As a result, the generation of static electricity due to friction between the liquid 31 and the gas 32 when the mixed fluid 33 is formed can be suitably reduced or suppressed, and the risk of the semiconductor wafer, which is the object to be cleaned by the nozzle 1, becoming charged, which could lead to a decrease in quality, can be suitably reduced or suppressed, and the risk of the nozzle body 10 becoming charged, which could interfere with the work of the worker, can be suitably reduced or suppressed.

[0018] The present invention is not limited to the liquid 31 and flow rate supplied by the liquid supply source 36, and the gas 32 and flow rate supplied by the gas supply source 37, and any type and flow rate may be used as long as the liquid 31 and the gas 32 can be appropriately mixed to form a mixed fluid 33 and the formed mixed fluid 33 can be ejected from the ejection port 13. The liquid supply source 36 and the gas supply source 37 may be those used in a processing device that processes semiconductor wafers.

[0019] The liquid flow path 14 may be provided with a check valve (not shown) that allows the liquid 31 to flow from one end 14-1 toward the other end 14-2 and prevents backflow from the other end 14-2 toward the one end 14-1, in which case the gas 32 supplied from the gas flow path 15 and reaching the junction 16 can be prevented from flowing back through the liquid flow path 14. The gas flow path 15 may also be provided with a check valve (not shown) that allows the gas 32 to flow from one end 15-1 toward the other end 15-2 and prevents backflow from the other end 15-2 toward the one end 15-1, in which case the liquid 31 supplied from the liquid flow path 14 and reaching the junction 16 can be prevented from flowing back through the gas flow path 15.

[0020] 1, the ejection flow path 17 is provided inside the main body 11 of the nozzle body 10, with one end 17-1 connected to the ejection port 13 of the nozzle body 10 and the other end 17-2 connected and communicated with the junction 16. More specifically, the ejection flow path 17 is formed in a crank shape (key shape) inside the main body 11 of the nozzle body 10 when viewed from the cross-sectional direction of the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the ejection flow path 17 is formed with a first ejection flow path 17-3 including one end 17-1 and a second ejection flow path 17-4 including the other end 17-2, which are formed in a cylindrical shape and extend parallel to each other, and a third ejection flow path 17-5 which is formed along a direction intersecting (approximately perpendicular in this embodiment) the first ejection flow path 17-3 and the second ejection flow path 17-4, is arranged between the first ejection flow path 17-3 and the second ejection flow path 17-4, and connects and communicates the first ejection flow path 17-3 and the second ejection flow path 17-4 with each other.

[0021] The second ejection flow path 17-4 is formed in a cylindrical shape extending along a predetermined direction (hereinafter referred to as the first axial direction), which is the axial direction of the present invention, with the inner diameter varying among three types. That is, as shown in Fig. 1, the second ejection flow path 17-4 is formed to have three portions with different inner diameters from one another, from the side connected and communicated with the third ejection flow path 17-5 toward the other end 17-2 connected and communicated with the junction 16: a cylindrical tip portion 19-1 extending along the first axial direction and having a first inner diameter, a cylindrical central portion 19-2 extending along the first axial direction and having a second inner diameter larger than the first inner diameter, and a cylindrical base portion 19-3 extending along the first axial direction and having a third inner diameter larger than the first inner diameter and smaller than the second inner diameter. Here, the inner diameters of the tip portion 19-1, the central portion 19-2 and the base portion 19-3 of the second ejection flow path 17-4 are the inner diameters of the respective portions in a cross section perpendicular to the first axial direction.

[0022] Because the first inner diameter is smaller than the second inner diameter, a step is formed between the distal portion 19-1 and the central portion 19-2, thereby forming a distal end face 19-4 at a position where the distal portion 19-1 connects and communicates with the central portion 19-2. Also, because the third inner diameter is smaller than the second inner diameter, a step is formed between the proximal portion 19-3 and the central portion 19-2, thereby forming a proximal end face 19-5 at a position where the proximal portion 19-3 connects and communicates with the central portion 19-2.

[0023] 1, the guide hole 18-1 is a cylindrical through-hole that is formed further distal than the distal end portion 19-1 of the second ejection flow path 17-4, has an inner diameter smaller than the first inner diameter, and extends along the first axial direction. A rod member 23, which will be described later, is inserted into the guide hole 18-1 without any gap and is movable in the direction in which the guide hole 18-1 extends.

[0024] As shown in Figure 1, the trigger support portion 18-2 is a recess provided on the outer periphery of the main body portion 11 of the nozzle body 10 at a location corresponding to the outer periphery of the area in which the first ejection flow path 17-3 is formed, and supports the portion on one end 24-1 of the trigger 24, which will be described later, inserted with a sufficient gap.

[0025] 1, the ejection amount adjustment unit 20 includes a valve element 21, a valve element biasing unit 22, a rod member 23, and a trigger 24. The valve element 21 is formed in a disk shape having an outer diameter larger than the first and third inner diameters and smaller than the second inner diameter, with a pair of disk-shaped surfaces facing the leading end and the trailing end, respectively. The valve element 21 is inserted into a central portion 19-2 of the second ejection flow path 17-4 with a predetermined radial gap therebetween, and is disposed movably (movably) within the central portion 19-2 of the second ejection flow path 17-4 along a first axial direction, which is the direction in which the central portion 19-2 of the second ejection flow path 17-4 extends. The position of the valve element 21 in the first axial direction within the central portion 19-2 of the second ejection flow path 17-4 can be adjusted to adjust the amount (ejection amount) of the mixed fluid 33 passing through the second ejection flow path 17-4 and reaching the ejection port 13.

[0026] The valve body 21 has a base end portion connected to the surface facing the tip side of a rod member 23 having an outer diameter smaller than the first inner diameter so as to be inserted into the guide hole 18-1 without any gaps, and a valve body biasing portion 22 having an outer diameter larger than the third inner diameter and smaller than the second inner diameter is arranged on the surface facing the base end side.

[0027] The valve element biasing portion 22 has an outer diameter larger than the third inner diameter and smaller than the second inner diameter. The valve element biasing portion 22 is an elastic body and is disposed between the valve element 21 in the central portion 19-2 of the second ejection flow path 17-4 and the base end face 19-5 so that the direction of expansion and contraction is along the first axial direction, which is the extension direction of the central portion 19-2 of the second ejection flow path 17-4. The valve element biasing portion 22 is disposed in a contracted state and biases the valve element 21 toward the tip end face 19-4. The valve element biasing portion 22 can contract to a predetermined minimum length. The valve element biasing portion 22 limits the movement range of the valve element 21 within the central portion 19-2 of the second ejection flow path 17-4 in the first axial direction between a jet stop position 25-1 (described below), which is the most distal position, and a maximum jet position 25-2 (described below), which is the most proximal position.

[0028] The jetting stop position 25-1 is the position of the valve element 21 when the surface of the valve element 21 facing the tip side comes into contact with the tip end face 19-4. When the valve element 21 is positioned at this jetting stop position 25-1, communication between the tip side portion 19-1 and the central portion 19-2 is completely blocked, and the mixed fluid 33 is not jetted out from the jetting port 13. In addition, the jetting stop position 25-1 is the position at which the valve element 21 is biased by the valve element biasing unit 22 when no external force is being applied to the valve element biasing unit 22.

[0029] The maximum ejection position 25-2 is the position of the valve element 21 when the surface of the valve element 21 facing the base end side is located from the base end face 19-5 toward the tip side by the shortest length of the valve element biasing portion 22. When the valve element 21 is positioned at this maximum ejection position 25-2, communication between the tip side portion 19-1 and the central portion 19-2 is opened to the maximum, and the ejection amount of the mixed fluid 33 ejected from the ejection port 13 is maximized.

[0030] 2 and 3, the valve element biasing portion 22 includes a coil spring and has multiple regions in which the inner diameter of the coil varies in the expansion / contraction direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the valve element biasing portion 22-1, which is a first example of the valve element biasing portion 22, is a two-layer spring that includes a coil spring 26-1 having an inner diameter 27-1 and a coil spring 26-2 having an inner diameter 27-2 smaller than the inner diameter 27-1, and is assembled by fitting the coil spring 26-2 inside the coil spring 26-1. In this embodiment, the valve element biasing portion 22-1 is assembled so that the coil springs 26-1 and 26-2 are generally coaxial with each other, but the present invention is not limited to this and the coil springs may be assembled with their central axes offset. As the valve body biasing section 22-1 expands and contracts, it causes the merged liquid 31 and gas 32 to pass through the inner and outer sides of the valve body biasing section 22-1, thereby creating a synergistic effect between the mixing promotion effect of the coil spring 26-1 on the liquid 31 and the gas 32 and the mixing promotion effect of the coil spring 26-2 on the liquid 31 and the gas 32, thereby functioning as a mixing promotion section according to the present invention that promotes the mixing of the liquid 31 and the gas 32.

[0031] In this embodiment, the valve body biasing portion 22-1 is formed by combining, for example, a coil spring 26-1 having an outer diameter D of 8 mm, a wire diameter d of 0.9 mm, and a pitch F of 2.35 mm, and a coil spring 26-2 having an outer diameter D of 6 mm, a wire diameter d of 0.7 mm, and a pitch F of 2.04 mm. The definitions of the outer diameter D, wire diameter d, and pitch F of the coil springs are as shown in FIG. 4.

[0032] 3, valve element biasing portion 22-2, which is a second example of valve element biasing portion 22, includes coil spring portion 26-3 having an inner circumferential diameter 27-3, coil spring portion 26-4 having an inner circumferential diameter 27-4 smaller than inner circumferential diameter 27-3, and coil spring portion 26-5 having an inner circumferential diameter 27-5 smaller than inner circumferential diameter 27-4, and is a non-circumferential spring formed by connecting and combining coil spring portions 26-3, 26-4, and 26-5 in the expansion / contraction direction. In this embodiment, valve element biasing portion 22-2 is combined so that coil spring portions 26-3, 26-4, and 26-5 are generally coaxial with one another, but the present invention is not limited to this and may be combined with center axes offset. As the valve body actuation section 22-2 expands and contracts, it causes the merged liquid 31 and gas 32 to pass through the inner and outer circumferential sides of the valve body actuation section 22-2, thereby creating a synergistic effect among the mixing promotion effect of the coil spring section 26-3 on the liquid 31 and gas 32, the mixing promotion effect of the coil spring section 26-4 on the liquid 31 and gas 32, and the mixing promotion effect of the coil spring section 26-5 on the liquid 31 and gas 32, and thereby functions as a mixing promotion section according to the present invention that promotes the mixing of the liquid 31 and gas 32.

[0033] Valve element biasing portion 22 thus includes a coil spring and has multiple regions where the inner diameter of the coil differs in the extension / contraction direction, thereby functioning as a mixing promotion portion according to the present invention that promotes mixing of liquid 31 and gas 32. Note that valve element biasing portion 22 is not limited to the configuration of valve element biasing portions 22-1 and 22-2 described above, and may be formed in any configuration as long as it includes a coil spring and has multiple regions where the inner diameter of the coil differs in the extension / contraction direction.

[0034] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the mixing promotion section according to the present invention is arranged as the valve body actuation section 22, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it may have any form other than the valve body actuation section 22 as long as it has a structure that promotes the mixing of the liquid 31 and the gas 32 by allowing the liquid 31 and the gas 32 to pass through.

[0035] The rod member 23 is formed in a rod shape having an outer diameter smaller than the first inner diameter so that it can be inserted tightly into the guide hole 18-1, and is inserted through the guide hole 18-1, the tip portion 19-1, and the central portion 19-2 so that the extending direction of the rod shape is along the first axial direction, and is disposed so as to be movable (freely movable) along the first axial direction. The base end of the rod member 23 is connected to the surface facing the tip side of the valve body 21, and the tip end is exposed to the outside of the nozzle body 10 through the guide hole 18-1 and is connected to the rotation center 24-2 of the trigger 24 via the rotation shaft 28 so as to be rotatable (freely rotatable) relative to each other about the rotation shaft 28.

[0036] The trigger 24 is formed in a plate shape that is generally perpendicular to the first axial direction, which is the extension direction of the second ejection flow path 17-4, and extends generally along the extension direction of the grip part 12. The portion of the trigger 24 on one end 24-1 side is inserted into and supported by a recessed trigger support part 18-2 with a sufficient gap, and a rotation center part 24-2 provided at a position closer to the one end 24-1 than the center between the one end 24-1 and the other end 24-3 is connected via a rotation shaft 28 to and supported by the tip end part of the rod member 23 that is inserted through the guide hole 18-1, the tip side part 19-1 and the central part 19-2 so as to be rotatable (freely rotatable) about the rotation shaft 28 relative to each other. The pivot axis 28 is arranged along a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the main body portion 11 of the nozzle body 10 and the extension direction of the grip portion 12, and connects the rotation center 24-2 of the trigger 24 and the tip end of the rod member 23 so that they can rotate (rotatably) relative to each other around the pivot axis 28.

[0037] The trigger 24 has an operating portion 24-4, which is the portion closer to the other end 24-3 than the rotation center 24-2, curved so as to be convex in the direction approaching the grip 12 so that it can be easily operated by an operator holding the grip 12 with, for example, the operator's fingers other than the thumb (index finger, middle finger, ring finger, little finger). When the operator holding the grip 12 operates the operating portion 24-4 with, for example, the operator's fingers other than the thumb, a force is applied in the direction approaching the grip 12.

[0038] When the trigger 24 is not operated by the operator and no force is being applied, the valve disc 21 is positioned at the jetting stop position 25-1, which is the position where the valve disc 21 is biased by the valve disc biasing portion 22. When the operator operates the operating portion 24-4 and applies force in a direction approaching the grip portion 12, the trigger 24 rotates about the rotation axis 28, and the rotation center 24-2 applies a force toward the base end to the rod member 23 via the rotation axis 28, thereby applying a force toward the base end to the valve disc 21 and contracting the valve disc biasing portion 22 along the first axial direction, moving the valve disc 21 toward the base end along the first axial direction. When the operator operates the operating portion 24-4 to its maximum extent, the trigger 24 contracts the valve disc biasing portion 22 along the first axial direction to a predetermined shortest length, and the valve disc 21 can be moved along the first axial direction to the maximum jetting position 25-2. When the operator releases the operation of the trigger 24, the state in which the valve body biasing portion 22 has been contracted along the first axial direction is released, and the valve body 21 is automatically returned along the first axial direction to the ejection stop position 25-1, which is the position to which the valve body biasing portion 22 has been biased.

[0039] In this way, the ejection volume adjustment unit 20 adjusts the length by which the valve body biasing portion 22 contracts by adjusting the force applied to the operating portion 24-4 of the trigger 24 when the operator operates the trigger 24, and adjusts the position of the valve body 21 in the first axial direction between the ejection stop position 25-1 and the maximum ejection position 25-2, thereby adjusting the flow rate at which the mixed fluid 33 can pass through the tip portion 19-1 and the central portion 19-2 of the second ejection flow path 17-4, thereby adjusting whether or not the mixed fluid 33 is ejected from the ejection port 13 and the ejection volume of the mixed fluid 33 ejected from the ejection port 13.

[0040] In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, when the operating portion 24-4 is not being operated by the operator and no force is being applied, the portion of the trigger 24 on the one end 24-1 side is located closer to the base end than the rotation center 24-2, and is supported by the edge portion on the tip side of the concave trigger support portion 18-2 at a first fulcrum position 29-1 on the surface facing the tip side of the portion on the one end 24-1 side. As shown by the two-dot chain lines in Figures 5 and 6, when the operator operates the operating portion 24-4 of the trigger 24, a force is applied in the direction approaching the grip portion 12, causing the operating portion 24-4 side to rotate around the rotation center 24-2 in the direction approaching the grip portion 12. At the same time, the rotation center 24-2 moves along the first axial direction closer to the base end than the portion on the one end 24-1 side, so that the portion on the one end 24-1 side is supported by the side portion on the tip side of the recessed trigger support portion 18-2 at a second fulcrum position 29-2 that is closer to the one end 24-1 than the first fulcrum position 29-1. In this way, when the operator operates the operating portion 24-4 of the trigger 24 and applies a force in the direction approaching the grip portion 12, the rotation center 24-2 moves along the first axial direction from closer to the tip end than the portion on the one end 24-1 side toward the base end side, and the position at which the concave trigger support portion 18-2 supports the portion on the one end 24-1 side switches from the first fulcrum position 29-1 to the second fulcrum position 29-2.

[0041] Because the second fulcrum position 29-2 is closer to the rotation center 24-2 than the first fulcrum position 29-1, the force required by the operator to operate the operating portion 24-4 of the trigger 24 is greater (heavier) when the portion on the one end 24-1 side is supported by the recessed trigger support portion 18-2 at the second fulcrum position 29-2 than when the portion is supported at the first fulcrum position 29-1. In other words, the trigger 24 is light until the rotation center 24-2 moves from closer to the distal end than the portion on the one end 24-1 side toward the proximal end along the first axial direction, and becomes heavy after the rotation center 24-2 moves closer to the proximal end than the portion on the one end 24-1 side along the first axial direction. Therefore, the trigger 24 is light when the mixed fluid 33 is ejected from the nozzle 13, making it easy to eject the mixed fluid 33 from the nozzle 13, and furthermore, it becomes heavy when increasing the amount of the mixed fluid 33 ejected after the mixed fluid 33 has been ejected from the nozzle 13, making it easy to fine-tune the amount of ejection.

[0042] An example of the operation process of the nozzle 1 according to the embodiment having the above configuration will now be described. The nozzle 1 is set ready for use with one end 14-1 of the liquid flow path 14 connected and communicating with the liquid supply source 36 and one end 15-1 of the gas flow path 15 connected and communicating with the gas supply source 37. When the nozzle 1 is set in this manner, the liquid 31 supplied from the liquid supply source 36 through the liquid flow path 14 and the gas 32 supplied from the gas supply source 37 through the gas flow path 15 join at the joining portion 16. However, because the valve element 21 is positioned at the ejection stop position 25-1 and communication between the tip end portion 19-1 of the ejection flow path 17 and the central portion 19-2 is completely blocked, the liquid 31 and the gas 32 remain in the region of the central portion 19-2 of the ejection flow path 17 where the valve element biasing portion 22 is disposed and cannot reach the ejection port 13 beyond the ejection flow path 17. As a result, the liquid 31 and the gas 32 are not ejected from the ejection port 13.

[0043] After nozzle 1 is set in this manner, when an operator operates operating portion 24-4 of trigger 24 and applies force, valve element 21 moves from rotation center 24-2 of trigger 24 via rod member 23 from jet stop position 25-1 toward maximum jet position 25-2, and valve element biasing portion 22 expands and contracts. As valve element biasing portion 22 expands and contracts, mixing of liquid 31 and gas 32 that have remained in the region of central portion 19-2 of jet flow path 17 where valve element biasing portion 22 is disposed is promoted. As a result, a mixed fluid 33 is formed, and the mixing of the liquid 31 and the gas 32 supplied to the region of the central portion 19-2 of the ejection flow path 17 where the valve body biasing portion 22 is arranged is promoted one after another, thereby forming the mixed fluid 33. As the valve body 21 moves, communication between the tip side portion 19-1 of the ejection flow path 17 and the central portion 19-2 is opened, and the mixed fluid 33 formed in the central portion 19-2 of the ejection flow path 17 passes through the ejection flow path 17 and reaches the ejection port 13, and the mixed fluid 33 is ejected from the ejection port 13.

[0044] The nozzle 1 according to the embodiment having the above configuration includes the valve element biasing unit 22, which functions as a mixing promotion unit according to the present invention, in the ejection flow path 17 through which the liquid 31 and the gas 32 pass after joining at the joining portion 16. This provides the operational effect of reducing the electrical resistivity of the liquid 31 (mixed fluid 33) by promoting the mixing of the liquid 31 and the gas 32 with the valve element biasing unit 22, thereby reducing or suppressing the generation of static electricity due to friction between the liquid 31 and the gas 32 when forming the mixed fluid 33. Furthermore, the nozzle 1 according to the embodiment thereby provides the operational effect of reducing or suppressing the risk of a semiconductor wafer, which is an object to be cleaned by the nozzle 1, becoming charged, which could result in a decrease in quality, and of reducing or suppressing the risk of the nozzle body 10 becoming charged, which could interfere with the work of an operator.

[0045] Furthermore, in the nozzle 1 according to the embodiment, the valve element 21 is arranged within the ejection flow path 17 so as to be movable in the first axial direction of the ejection flow path 17 between an ejection stop position 25-1, at which the mixed fluid 33 is not ejected from the ejection port 13, and a maximum ejection position 25-2, at which the amount of mixed fluid 33 ejected from the ejection port 13 is at its maximum, and the nozzle 1 according to the embodiment further comprises a valve element biasing unit 22 which is an elastic body and arranged within the ejection flow path 17 so that its extension / contraction direction is along the first axial direction of the ejection flow path 17 and which biases the valve element 21 toward the ejection stop position 25-1, and which includes coil springs 26-1, 26-2 or coil spring units 26-3, 26-4, 26-5 and has a plurality of regions where the inner diameters 27-1, 27-2, 27-3, 27-4, 27-5 of the coils are different in the extension / contraction direction, thereby promoting the mixing of the liquid 31 and the gas 32 and also functioning as a mixing promotion unit. Therefore, the nozzle 1 according to the embodiment can achieve the above-mentioned effects more specifically, more stably, and more suitably. Furthermore, the nozzle 1 according to the embodiment achieves the effect of enabling the interior of the jet flow path 17 to have an efficient structure by allowing one valve element biasing portion 22 to both bias the valve element 21 and function as a mixing promotion portion.

[0046] Furthermore, in the nozzle 1 according to the embodiment, the liquid 31 supplied through the liquid flow path 14 is pure water, and the gas 32 supplied through the gas flow path 15 is a gas containing carbon dioxide. Therefore, by mixing these to form a mixed fluid 33, the electrical resistivity of the liquid 31 (mixed fluid 33) can be suitably reduced, and the generation of static electricity due to friction between the liquid 31 and the gas 32 when forming the mixed fluid 33 can be suitably reduced or suppressed.

[0047] Next, the inventors of the present invention confirmed the effects of the nozzle 1 according to the embodiment. As Example 1, a nozzle 1 according to the embodiment was prepared in which the valve element biasing portion 22 was formed by combining a coil spring 26-1 having an outer diameter D of 8 mm, a wire diameter d of 0.9 mm, and a pitch F of 2.35 mm with a coil spring 26-2 having an outer diameter D of 6 mm, a wire diameter d of 0.7 mm, and a pitch F of 2.04 mm, and the diameter of the nozzle 13 was set to 3 mm (nozzle 1 of Example 1). As Example 2, a nozzle 1 according to Example 1 was prepared in which the diameter of the nozzle 13 was changed to 2 mm (nozzle 1 of Example 2). As a comparative example, a nozzle 1 according to Example 1 was prepared in which the valve element biasing portion 22-1 was replaced by a coil spring having an outer diameter D of 8 mm, a wire diameter d of 0.9 mm, and a pitch F of 4.7 mm, resulting in a configuration equivalent to the conventional nozzle (nozzle of comparative example).

[0048] Next, for nozzle 1 of Example 1, nozzle 1 of Example 2, and the nozzle of the comparative example, general pure water was used as liquid 31, and air with the same components as general atmospheric air was used as gas 32. Mixed fluid 33 was continuously ejected from nozzle 13 for 30 seconds, and the static electricity voltage at a position 170 mm from nozzle 13 was measured using an electrostatic voltage meter (SIMCO (registered trademark) SS-2). The measured static voltage was 680 V for nozzle 1 of Example 1, 400 V for nozzle 1 of Example 2, and exceeded the maximum measurement range of 2000 V for the nozzle of the comparative example. As a result, it was found that nozzle 1 of Example 1 and nozzle 1 of Example 2 can reduce the generation of static electricity near nozzle 13 to at least about one-third by providing valve element biasing unit 22-1, which functions as a mixing promotion unit, in ejection flow path 17 through which liquid 31 and gas 32 pass after joining at confluence 16.

[0049] [Modification] A nozzle 1-2 according to a modified example of the embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figures 7, 8, and 9 are cross-sectional views showing a first state, a second state, and a third state of an example configuration of the nozzle 1-2 according to the modified example, respectively. In Figures 7, 8, and 9, the same parts as those in the embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted.

[0050] As shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9, the nozzle 1-2 of the modified example is the nozzle 1 of the embodiment, except that the shape and size of the confluence section 16 has been changed and this confluence section 16 has been modified to include a fluid switching section 40, but the other configurations are the same as those of the nozzle 1 of the embodiment.

[0051] In this modified example, the confluence portion 16 is formed into a cylindrical shape, extending generally along the extension direction of the grip portion 12 (hereinafter referred to as the second axial direction) while the inner diameter changes among three types. That is, as shown in Figures 7, 8, and 9, the confluence portion 16 is formed to have three portions with different inner diameters from one another: a liquid flow path portion 16-1 to which the other end 14-2 of the liquid flow path 14 is connected and communicated, a gas flow path portion 16-2 to which the other end 15-2 of the gas flow path 15 is connected and communicated, and a confluence portion 16-3 provided between the liquid flow path portion 16-1 and the gas flow path portion 16-2 and to which the other end 17-2 of the jet flow path 17 is connected and communicated. In this modified example, the confluence 16 has a liquid flow path portion 16-1 formed on the side of the gripping portion 12 that is held by the operator (the lower side of the paper in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9), and a gas flow path portion 16-2 formed on the side opposite to the side of the gripping portion 12 that is held by the operator (the upper side of the paper in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9). The confluence 16 is formed so that at least the inner diameter of the confluence portion 16-3 is larger than the inner diameters of the liquid flow path portion 16-1 and the gas flow path portion 16-2. Here, the inner diameters of the liquid flow path portion 16-1, the gas flow path portion 16-2, and the confluence portion 16-3 of the confluence 16 are the inner diameters of the respective portions in a cross section perpendicular to the second axial direction.

[0052] Because the inner diameters of the liquid flow path portion 16-1 and the gas flow path portion 16-2 are smaller than the inner diameter of the confluence portion 16-3, a step is formed between the liquid flow path portion 16-1 and the confluence portion 16-3, and between the gas flow path portion 16-2 and the confluence portion 16-3, respectively. As a result, a liquid flow path side end face 16-4 and a gas flow path side end face 16-5 are formed at the position where the liquid flow path portion 16-1 is connected and communicates with the confluence portion 16-3, and at the position where the gas flow path portion 16-2 is connected and communicates with the confluence portion 16-3, respectively.

[0053] 7, 8, and 9, the fluid switching unit 40 includes a first valve body 41, a second valve body 42, a rod member 43, a first biasing member 44, a second biasing member 45, and a switching lever 46. The first valve body 41 is formed in an annular shape having an outer diameter that is larger than the inner diameters of both the liquid flow path portion 16-1 and the gas flow path portion 16-2 and smaller than the inner diameter of the confluence portion 16-3, and is disposed so that a pair of annular surfaces face the liquid flow path side end face 16-4 and the gas flow path side end face 16-5, respectively, within the confluence portion 16-3 along the second axial direction, between a liquid flow path side position (see FIGS. 7 and 8) where one surface (the surface on the lower side of the drawing) contacts the liquid flow path side end face 16-4 and a gas flow path side position (see FIG. 9) where the other surface (the surface on the upper side of the drawing) contacts the gas flow path side end face 16-5.

[0054] The second valve body 42 is formed in a cylindrical shape with an outer diameter that is larger than the inner diameter of the annulus of the first valve body 41 and smaller than the inner diameters of both the liquid flow path portion 16-1 and the junction portion 16-3, and one surface of the disc (the upper surface on the paper) faces one surface of the first valve body 41, and the other side of the disc (the lower surface on the paper) is inserted into a cylindrical hole provided on the opposite side of the liquid flow path portion 16-1 from the junction portion 16-3, so that it is movable (freely movable) along the second axial direction between a contact position where one surface (the upper surface on the paper) contacts one surface (the lower surface on the paper) of the first valve body 41, and a separated position where one surface (the upper surface on the paper) is separated from one surface (the lower surface on the paper) of the first valve body 41 and the other side (the lower side on the paper) is inserted to its maximum extent into the cylindrical hole. The second valve body 42 is formed to have a larger inner diameter than the annular first valve body 41, and therefore the first valve body 41 restricts the second valve body 42 from moving toward the first valve body 41 (upward in the drawing).

[0055] The rod member 43 is formed in a rod shape having an outer diameter that is smaller than the inner diameter of the annular opening of the first valve body 41 and the inner diameter of the gas flow path portion 16-2, and that can be inserted without a gap into a guide hole that is formed on the opposite side of the gas flow path portion 16-2 from the confluence portion 16-3 (upper side of the paper) and penetrates between the gas flow path portion 16-2 and the outside of the nozzle body 10 along the second axial direction, and is inserted across the guide hole, gas flow path portion 16-2, confluence portion 16-3 and liquid flow path portion 16-1 so that the extending direction of the rod shape is along the second axial direction, and is arranged to be movable (freely movable) along the second axial direction. The rod member 43 has an end facing the liquid flow path portion 16-1 (the lower side of the paper) inserted into the annular openings of the first biasing member 44 and the first valve body 41 in that order, and is connected to one side of the second valve body 42, and an end facing the outside of the nozzle body 10 (the upper side of the paper) is connected to the switching lever 46 via a pivot shaft so that they can rotate (rotate freely) around the pivot shaft.

[0056] The first biasing member 44 is inserted into the rod member 43 and arranged on the side of the first valve body 41 where the gas flow path portion 16-2 is formed (upper side of the paper), and biases the first valve body 41 toward the side where the liquid flow path portion 16-1 is formed (lower side of the paper), and also biases the second valve body 42 via the first valve body 41 toward the side where the cylindrical hole is formed (lower side of the paper).

[0057] The second biasing member 45 is inserted into a cylindrical hole and arranged on the opposite side of the second valve body 42 from the first valve body 41 (below the paper), and biases the second valve body 42 toward the side where the gas flow path portion 16-2 is formed (upper side of the paper), and also biases the first valve body 41 via the second valve body 42 toward the side where the gas flow path portion 16-2 is formed (upper side of the paper).

[0058] The switching lever 46 is formed so that a portion closer to the grip portion 12 than the pivot shaft can be easily operated by, for example, the thumb of an operator holding the grip portion 12. The switching lever 46 can be operated by, for example, the thumb of an operator holding the grip portion 12 to push the position of the pivot shaft downward along the second axial direction, or upward toward the paper surfaces of Figures 7, 8, and 9.

[0059] 7, when the switching lever 46 is not operated by the operator and no force is being applied, the first valve body 41 is positioned at a liquid flow path side position where one surface (the surface on the lower side of the paper) contacts the liquid flow path side end surface 16-4, and the second valve body 42 is positioned at a contact position where one surface (the surface on the upper side of the paper) contacts one surface (the surface on the lower side of the paper) of the first valve body 41. In this case, the first valve body 41 and the second valve body 42 block communication between the other end 14-2 of the liquid flow path 14 and the liquid flow path portion 16-1, so that the nozzle 1-2 according to the modified example can eject gas 32 from the ejection port 13, as shown in FIG.

[0060] 8 along the second axial direction, the first valve element 41 is positioned at a liquid flow path-side position where one face (the face on the lower side of the page) is in contact with the liquid flow path-side end face 16-4, and the second valve element 42 is positioned at a separated position where one face (the face on the upper side of the page) is separated from one face (the face on the lower side of the page) of the first valve element 41 and the other side (the face on the lower side of the page) is fully inserted into the cylindrical hole. In this case, the communication between the other end 14-2 of the liquid flow path 14 and the liquid flow path portion 16-1 and the communication between the other end 15-2 of the gas flow path 15 and the gas flow path portion 16-2 are both open and not blocked by the first valve element 41 and the second valve element 42, so that the nozzle 1-2 according to the modified example can eject the mixed fluid 33 from the ejection port 13 as shown in FIG.

[0061] 9, when the switching lever 46 is operated by an operator and the position of the pivot shaft is pushed up along the second axial direction toward the top of the paper in FIG. 9, the first valve body 41 is positioned at a gas flow path side position where the other surface (the surface on the upper side of the paper) contacts the gas flow path side end surface 16-5, and the second valve body 42 is positioned at a contact position where one surface (the surface on the upper side of the paper) contacts one surface (the surface on the lower side of the paper) of the first valve body 41. In this case, the first valve body 41 and the second valve body 42 block communication between the other end 15-2 of the gas flow path 15 and the gas flow path portion 16-2, so that the nozzle 1-2 according to the modified example can eject liquid 31 from the ejection port 13, as shown in FIG.

[0062] The nozzle 1-2 according to the modified embodiment having the above configuration is the nozzle 1 according to the embodiment, with the shape and size of the confluence section 16 changed and this confluence section 16 is provided with a fluid switching section 40, but other configurations are the same as those of the nozzle 1 according to the embodiment, so that by operating the switching lever 46 of the fluid switching section 40, it is possible to freely switch the fluid ejected from the nozzle 13 between the liquid 31, the gas 32, and the mixed fluid 33. When the switching lever 46 of the fluid switching section 40 is operated to switch so that the mixed fluid 33 is ejected from the nozzle 13, the nozzle 1-2 according to the modified embodiment naturally exhibits the same functions and effects as the nozzle 1 according to the embodiment.

[0063] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented in various modifications without departing from the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] 1,1-2 nozzle 13 spout 14 Liquid flow path 15 Gas flow path 16 Confluence 17 Spout channel 21 Valve body 22 Valve body biasing portion (corresponding to the mixing promotion portion of the present invention) 25-1 Spout stop position 25-2 Maximum ejection position 26-1, 26-2 Coil spring 26-3, 26-4, 26-5 Coil spring part 31 liquid 32 Gas 33 Mixed fluid 36 Liquid Source 37 Gas supply source

Claims

1. A nozzle capable of ejecting a mixed fluid of liquid and gas, a liquid flow path connected to a liquid supply source; a gas flow path connected to the gas supply source; an ejection port capable of ejecting the mixed fluid; a jetting flow path connecting the jetting port to a junction where the liquid flow path and the gas flow path join; a valve body disposed within the ejection flow path and capable of adjusting the amount of the mixed fluid reaching the ejection port; The nozzle includes a mixing promoter within the ejection flow path that promotes mixing of the gas and the liquid.

2. the valve element is disposed in the ejection flow path so as to be movable in the axial direction of the ejection flow path between an ejection stop position at which the mixed fluid is not ejected from the ejection port and a maximum ejection position at which the amount of the mixed fluid ejected from the ejection port is maximized, a valve body biasing portion that is an elastic body and is disposed in the ejection flow path so that the direction of expansion and contraction is along the axial direction of the ejection flow path, and that biases the valve body toward the ejection stop position; 2. The nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the valve body biasing portion includes a coil spring and has a plurality of regions in which the inner diameter of the coil differs in the extension / contraction direction, thereby promoting mixing of the gas and the liquid and also functioning as the mixing promotion portion.

3. 3. The nozzle according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is pure water and the gas is a gas containing carbon dioxide.

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