Wiping tools and instructions for using the wiping tools

Abstract

To provide a wiping tool and a method for using the wiping tool that can improve work efficiency when cleaning objects such as light-emitting parts and light-receiving parts by wiping them. [Solution] The wiping tool 1 comprises a pipe section 10, a sealing section 20 that seals one end 11 of the pipe section 10, a wiping section 30 attached to the other end 12 opposite to the one end 11 of the pipe section 10, and a wiping liquid 40 filled inside the pipe section 13 so as not to come into contact with the wiping liquid 40. After releasing the seal on one end 11 by the sealing section 20, the wiping tool 1 is used to wipe and clean an object with the wiping liquid 40 supplied and the adhering wiping section 30.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a wiping tool and a method of using the wiping tool.

Background Art

[0002] A cutting device that cuts and divides a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer includes a breakage detection unit that detects breakage of the cutting edge of a cutting blade. This breakage detection unit positions the cutting edge between a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit that are arranged to face each other, blocks a part of the light from the light emitting unit, and detects the breakage state of the cutting blade based on the amount of light received by the light receiving unit (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit of the breakage detection unit as in Patent Document 1, cutting water containing cutting chips generated during cutting may adhere and dry, causing the cutting chips to adhere. If the cutting chips adhere to the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit, the amount of light received detected by the light receiving unit becomes inaccurate, and the breakage state of the cutting blade cannot be accurately detected. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly clean the light emitting unit and the light receiving unit.

[0005] In order to remove the adhering cutting chips, it is conceivable to apply a cleaning liquid or a polishing liquid to a fibrous part such as a cotton swab and wipe with the fibrous part, but there is a problem that it is troublesome to apply the cleaning liquid or the polishing liquid to the fibrous part. In addition, in the case of cleaning the inside of the device, since the maintenance area is limited, it is difficult to secure a sufficient area, and it may be difficult to appropriately apply the cleaning liquid or the polishing liquid.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its purpose is to provide a wiping tool and a method of using the wiping tool that can improve work efficiency when wiping and cleaning objects such as light-emitting parts and light-receiving parts. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objective, the wiping tool of the present invention comprises a tube, a sealing part that seals one end of the tube, a wiping part attached to the other end of the tube opposite to the one end, and a wiping liquid filled inside the tube so as not to come into contact with the wiping part.

[0008] The wiping liquid may be a liquid containing an abrasive.

[0009] The wiping portion may be a fiber mass formed in a mass shape such that multiple fibers cover the other end of the tube portion.

[0010] To solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the objective, the method of using the wiping tool of the present invention is a method of using any of the above-described wiping tools, comprising: a seal release step of releasing the seal at one end of the pipe and supplying the wiping liquid to the wiping part; and a wiping step of wiping an object with the wiping part to which the wiping liquid has adhered after the seal release step. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] The present invention involves a tube section, one end of which is sealed and the other end of which is fitted with a wiping section. The tube section is filled with wiping liquid, and by releasing the seal at one end, the wiping liquid is supplied to the wiping section, which then wipes the target object, such as a light-emitting section or a light-receiving section. Therefore, the present invention eliminates the need to apply the wiping liquid to a wiping cloth or the like, thus improving work efficiency when wiping and cleaning the target object. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a wiping tool according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a cutting apparatus including the object to be wiped by the wiping tool shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating the main components of the cutting apparatus shown in Figure 2. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating the main components of the cutting device shown in Figure 2. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for using the wiping tool according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a perspective view illustrating the desealing step shown in Figure 5. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a perspective view illustrating the desealing step shown in Figure 5. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of a wiping tool according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a perspective view illustrating the desealing step of the method for using the wiping tool according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a perspective view illustrating the desealing step of the method of using the wiping tool according to Embodiment 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] 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 those skilled in the art, and those that are substantially the same. In addition, the components described below can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, or modifications of the components can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0014] [Embodiment 1] Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of the wiping tool 1 according to Embodiment 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the wiping tool 1 according to Embodiment 1 includes a tube portion 10, a sealing portion 20, a wiping portion 30, and a wiping liquid 40.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, the tube portion 10 has openings formed at one end 11 and the other end 12 opposite to the one end 11, and is a tubular member filled with a wiping liquid 40 (internal space) to be described later between the one end 11 and the other end 12. The tube portion 10 is formed of a material that does not absorb the wiping liquid 40 and allows the wiping liquid 40 to wet. The outer peripheral surface 14 of the tube portion 10 serves as a gripping portion to be gripped by the user. Specifically, a resin straw such as polypropylene having a predetermined inner diameter 15 and a predetermined length 16 and formed in a straight cylindrical shape is preferably used for the tube portion 10.

[0016] When the tube portion 10 is filled with the wiping liquid 40 and one end 11 is sealed by the sealing portion 20 to be described later, the liquid surfaces 41 and 42 formed on the one end 11 side and the other end 12 side of the wiping liquid 40 are formed to be sufficiently small (thin) so as to be sufficiently maintained by the surface tension of the wiping liquid 40 and not break. In Embodiment 1, the inner diameter 15 of the tube portion 10 is formed, for example, to be 3 mm or more and 12 mm or less. In the example of Embodiment 1 shown in FIG. 1, the tube portion 10 is formed such that the size (inner diameter 15) in the direction orthogonal to the tube axis direction of the internal portion 13 is constant, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it may vary depending on the position in the tube axis direction.

[0017] In the example of Embodiment 1 shown in FIG. 1, the outer peripheral surface 14 of the tube portion 10 is formed in a cylindrical shape, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, it may be modified so that the user can easily grip it. Further, in the example of Embodiment 1 shown in FIG. 1, the length 16 is formed to be several centimeters (for example, 3 cm or more and 12 cm or less), but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, it may be modified according to the ease of gripping by the user and the situation of the area near the object to be wiped.

[0018] In the example of Embodiment 1 shown in FIG. 1, the tube portion 10 is formed straight with its tube axis direction extending in one direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, it may be bent and formed at any location according to the situation of the area to be wiped, etc. Also, in Embodiment 1, the tube portion 10 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape with a substantially circular cross-section perpendicular to the tube axis direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, according to the ease of gripping by the user, etc., the cross-section perpendicular to the tube axis direction may be formed in other shapes such as a quadrangle (polygon).

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, the sealing portion 20 is attached to one end 11 of the tube portion 10 to seal the opening of the one end 11 of the tube portion 10. For the sealing portion 20, for example, a resin cap such as polypropylene that is fitted and attached to the outer periphery of the one end 11 of the tube portion 10 without a gap is preferably used.

[0020] The sealing portion 20 is attached to one end 11 of the tube portion 10 filled with the wiping liquid 40 to seal the one end 11, thereby sealing the space 51 (see FIG. 1) between the liquid surface 41 of the wiping liquid 40 and the one end 11 (sealing portion 20) of the tube portion 10. By sealing the space 51, the sealing portion 20 prevents the wiping liquid 40 filled in the interior 13 of the tube portion 10 from flowing toward the other end 12 side. When the sealing portion 20 is removed from the one end 11 of the tube portion 10, the sealing of the one end 11 is released and the sealing of the space 51 is released. When the sealing portion 20 is removed from the one end 11 and the sealing of the space 51 is released with the other end 12 side arranged below the one end 11 side, the wiping liquid 40 is pushed out from the liquid surface 41 side toward the other end 12 side by the air flowing into the space 51 from the one end 11 side.

[0021] As shown in Figure 1, the wiping section 30 is partially inserted into the opening at the other end 12 of the pipe section 10, and is attached to the other end 12 so as to cover the opening at the other end 12 of the pipe section 10. In Embodiment 1, the wiping section 30 specifically comprises a wiping mounting section 31 and a wiping tip section 32. The wiping mounting section 31 and the wiping tip section 32 are integrally formed. The wiping mounting section 31 is the part that is inserted into the opening at the other end 12 of the pipe section 10 and fitted snugly onto the inner circumference of the opening at the other end 12 of the pipe section 10. The size (outer diameter) of the wiping mounting section 31 in the direction perpendicular to the pipe axis is equal to or slightly smaller than the inner diameter 15 of the pipe section 10.

[0022] The wiping tip portion 32 is a part that is not inserted into the opening at the other end 12 of the pipe portion 10, but protrudes outward from the other end 12 in the direction of the pipe axis of the pipe portion 10. The wiping tip portion 32 is formed to be at least large and shaped to cover the opening at the other end 12 of the pipe portion 10. In the example of Embodiment 1 shown in Figure 1, the wiping tip portion 32 is formed to protrude radially outward from the outer circumferential surface 14 of the pipe portion 10, but the present invention is not limited to this, and its radial length may be approximately the same as that of the outer circumferential surface 14 of the pipe portion 10. The size (outer diameter) of the wiping tip portion 32 in the direction perpendicular to the pipe axis is formed to be, for example, 1 to 2 times the outer diameter of the pipe portion 10.

[0023] The wiping section 30, including both the wiping attachment section 31 and the wiping tip section 32, is made of a material that can absorb the wiping liquid 40 and maintain a state in which it contains the wiping liquid 40. In Embodiment 1, for example, a fiber mass formed in a mass shape so as to cover the other end 12 of the tube section 10 is preferably used for the wiping section 30. In this case, the wiping section 30 can preferably absorb the wiping liquid 40 into the gaps between the fibers and maintain a state in which it contains the wiping liquid 40.

[0024] The wiping unit 30 is attached to the other end 12 of the pipe section 10, which has one end 11 sealed by the sealing unit 20, after the wiping liquid 40 and gas are sequentially supplied to the interior 13 from the other end 12. The wiping attachment part 31 of the wiping unit 30 is attached to the other end 12 of the pipe section 10. When the wiping unit 30 is attached in this way, a space 52 (see Figure 1) is formed between the liquid surface 42 of the wiping liquid 40 and the other end 12 of the pipe section 10 (the wiping attachment part 31 of the wiping unit 30) by the gas supplied after the wiping liquid 40. In Embodiment 1, the gas supplied after the wiping liquid 40 has a lower specific gravity than the wiping liquid 40.

[0025] When the wiping section 30 is attached in this manner, it is attached to the other end 12 with a space 52 created by the gas supplied after the wiping liquid 40 between it and the liquid surface 42 of the wiping liquid 40, so as not to come into contact with the wiping liquid 40. When the sealing section 20 is removed from the one end 11 with the other end 12 side of the wiping section 30 positioned lower than the one end 11 side, the wiping section 30 absorbs the wiping liquid 40 flowing from the inside 13 toward the other end 12 side in the pipe section 10, and becomes filled with the wiping liquid 40. The wiping section 30 absorbs the wiping liquid 40 from the wiping attachment section 31 side, and the wiping liquid 40 also permeates to the wiping tip section 32 side, so that the inside of the wiping tip section 32 is filled with the wiping liquid 40.

[0026] As shown in Figure 1, the wiping liquid 40 is filled into the interior 13 of the tube section 10 so as not to come into contact with the wiping section 30. Specifically, the wiping liquid 40 is supplied into the interior 13 from the other end 12 of the tube section 10, and then gas is supplied into the interior 13 from the same other end 12. After that, the sealing section 20 is attached to one end 11, and the wiping section 30 is attached to the other end 12. By being filled in this way, the wiping liquid 40 is filled into the interior 13 of the tube section 10 in a state of separation from the wiping section 30, via a space 52 created by the gas supplied after the wiping liquid 40. In Embodiment 1, for example, the amount of wiping liquid 40 that fills the interior 13 of the tube section 10 is approximately 50% to 95% of the volume of the interior 13 of the tube section 10.

[0027] The wiping liquid 40 has the property of wetting the inner surface of the tube section 10 when it is filled into the interior 13 of the tube section 10. Furthermore, when the wiping liquid 40 is filled into the interior 13 of the tube section 10 and one end 11 is sealed by the sealing part 20, the surface tension ensures that the liquid levels 41 and 42 are sufficiently maintained inside the tube section 10, preventing breakage. In Embodiment 1, the wiping liquid 40 is preferably a liquid containing an abrasive, i.e., an abrasive liquid. In this case, the abrasive is contained in the liquid and used while it is filled into the interior 13 of the tube section 10 and inside the wiping part 30, so that the target object can be preferably wiped with the abrasive while suppressing the risk of the abrasive being scattered to the area near the target object and even wider areas. Note that the wiping liquid 40 is not limited to this in the present invention, and may be, for example, a cleaning liquid consisting of pure water or pure water containing a surfactant.

[0028] Here, the wiping liquid 40 is suitably used for polishing the workpiece 200 (see Figure 2) which is the target of cutting in the cutting device 100 (see Figures 2, 3, and 4), which includes the object to be wiped by the wiping tool 1. Specifically, the abrasive and polishing liquid of the wiping liquid 40 suitably include a slurry containing abrasive grains as the abrasive, and an alkaline polishing liquid containing alkaline components as the abrasive for performing chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) on the workpiece 200. Therefore, the wiping liquid 40 makes it possible to suitably wipe and clean the cutting chips generated due to the processing of the workpiece 200 that are fixed to the object to be wiped (the part to be wiped) in the cutting device 100 using the wiping part 30 of the wiping tool 1.

[0029] The wiping tool 1 according to Embodiment 1 is manufactured as follows. First, using a tube thinner than the pipe section 10, the wiping liquid 40 is supplied and filled into the interior 13 from the other end 12 of the pipe section 10, and then gas is supplied. Immediately after supplying the wiping liquid 40 and gas, the sealing section 20 is attached to one end 11 of the pipe section 10, sealing the one end 11 with the sealing section 20 and forming a space 51. Then, the wiping section 30 is attached to the other end 12 of the pipe section 10 from the wiping attachment section 31 side, so as not to come into contact with the wiping liquid 40, through the space 52 created by the gas supplied after the wiping liquid 40. In this way, the wiping tool 1 according to Embodiment 1 can be manufactured.

[0030] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing an example configuration of a cutting apparatus 100 that includes the object to be wiped by the wiping tool 1 shown in Figure 1. Figures 3 and 4 are a perspective view and a side cross-sectional view, respectively, illustrating the main parts of the cutting apparatus 100 shown in Figure 2. The cutting apparatus 100 that includes the object to be wiped by the wiping tool 1 comprises, as shown in Figure 2, a chuck table 110, a cutting unit 120, an X-axis movement unit 131, a Y-axis movement unit 132, a Z-axis movement unit 133, a damage detection unit 140, and a control unit 150.

[0031] The cutting device 100 is a device that cuts the workpiece 200 shown in Figure 2 using the cutting blade 121 of the cutting unit 120, which will be described later. The workpiece 200 that the cutting device 100 cuts is, for example, a disc-shaped semiconductor wafer or optical device wafer made of silicon, sapphire, silicon carbide (SiC), gallium arsenide, etc. as the base material, as shown in Figure 2. The workpiece 200 has a flat surface 201 with a grid of division lines 202, and a chip-shaped device 203 is formed in each region partitioned by the division lines 202.

[0032] As shown in Figure 2, the workpiece 200 may have a support tape 205 attached to the back surface 204 of the back side of the front surface 201, and an annular frame 206 attached to the outer edge of the support tape 205. That is, the workpiece 200 may be supported and fixed through the opening of the annular frame 206 via the support tape 205. Furthermore, the workpiece 200 is not limited to a wafer, but may be a circular package substrate having multiple resin-sealed devices, a ceramic plate, or a glass plate, etc.

[0033] The workpiece 200 is cut along all planned division lines 202 to divide it into multiple chip-shaped devices 203. To improve the quality of the devices 203, it is necessary to prevent foreign matter contamination of the workpiece 200. To prevent foreign matter contamination, the cutting process is carried out in a highly clean environment, such as a cleanroom. For this reason, the cutting device 100 that cuts the workpiece 200 is installed in a highly clean environment, such as a cleanroom.

[0034] Here, cleanliness is a parameter set to increase as the amount of airborne dust decreases. In addition, the cleanroom in which the cutting device 100 is installed is constantly supplied with clean air from the ceiling and side walls by fans installed on the ceiling and side walls, through ultra-high performance air filters, etc. As a result, the pressure inside the cleanroom in which the cutting device 100 is installed is set to be positive pressure above atmospheric pressure, and the pressure and cleanliness are set to be higher than outside the cleanroom.

[0035] As shown in Figure 2, the chuck table 110 comprises a disc-shaped frame with a recess formed therein, and a disc-shaped suction part fitted into the recess. The suction part of the chuck table 110 is made of porous ceramic or the like, which has numerous porous holes, and is connected to a vacuum suction source (not shown) via a vacuum suction path (not shown). The upper surface of the suction part of the chuck table 110 is a holding surface 111 on which a workpiece 200 is placed, and which holds the placed workpiece 200 by suction due to the negative pressure introduced from the vacuum suction source. The holding surface 111 and the upper surface of the frame of the chuck table 110 are arranged on the same plane and are formed parallel to the horizontal XY plane.

[0036] The chuck table 110 is provided to move freely along the X-axis direction parallel to the horizontal direction by an X-axis movement unit 131. A rotational drive source (not shown) is provided below the frame and suction part of the chuck table 110, and the rotational drive source allows the chuck table 110 to rotate freely (rotatably) around the central axis of the holding surface 111, passing through the center of the holding surface 111 and parallel to the Z-axis direction which is parallel to the vertical direction.

[0037] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the cutting unit 120 includes a cutting blade 121, a spindle 122, a spindle housing 123, and a blade cover 124. The cutting blade 121 is mounted on the tip of the spindle 122 and rotates by the spindle 122, which acts as the axis of rotation, to cut the workpiece 200 held in the chuck table 110.

[0038] The cutting blade 121 has an annular cutting edge. The cutting blade 121 may also be a so-called hub blade having a circular base formed in an annular shape with an insertion hole through which it is inserted into the spindle 122, and an annular cutting edge protruding from the outer circumference of the circular base. Alternatively, the cutting blade 121 may be a so-called hubless blade in which the circular base is omitted and the entire blade consists substantially only of an annular cutting edge having an insertion hole through which it is inserted into the spindle 122.

[0039] The spindle 122 is rotatable around an axis parallel to the horizontal direction and perpendicular to the X-axis direction and parallel to the Y-axis direction, and rotates around the axis by a motor (not shown) connected to the spindle 122. The spindle 122 supports a cutting blade 121 mounted on its tip so as to be rotatable around an axis parallel to the Y-axis direction.

[0040] The spindle housing 123 allows the tip of the spindle 122's rotating shaft to be exposed, while housing the portion of the rotating shaft excluding the tip together with the motor, thereby allowing the spindle 122 to pass through it. The spindle housing 123 supports the spindle 122 so that it can rotate around its axis.

[0041] The spindle housing 123 is provided to be movable in the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction by a Y-axis direction movement unit 132 and a Z-axis direction movement unit 133, respectively. The spindle 122, which is rotatably supported by the spindle housing 123, the cutting blade 121 attached to the tip of the rotation axis of the spindle 122, and the blade cover 124 attached to the tip side of the spindle housing 123 move together with the spindle housing 123 in the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction.

[0042] The blade cover 124 is mounted on the tip side of the spindle housing 123 and covers the top, front, and rear of the cutting blade 121. The blade cover 124 has multiple water channels formed inside, which supply cutting fluid to the front and sides of the cutting blade 121. The cutting fluid is, for example, pure water, and its flow rate is controlled by the control unit 150.

[0043] The cutting unit 120 rotates the cutting blade 121, which is mounted on the tip of the spindle 122, around an axis parallel to the Y-axis direction by the rotational movement of the spindle 122, and moves the cutting blade 121 along the X-axis direction relative to the workpiece 200 on the chuck table 110 by the X-axis direction movement unit 131, thereby cutting and dividing the workpiece 200 along, for example, the planned division line 202 with the cutting blade 121.

[0044] In Embodiment 1, the cutting device 100 is equipped with two sets of cutting units 120, as shown in Figure 2, that is, it is a two-spindle dicer, a so-called facing dual type cutting device (processing device).

[0045] The X-axis movement unit 131 moves the chuck table 110 along the X-axis relative to the cutting unit 120. The Y-axis movement unit 132 and the Z-axis movement unit 133 move the cutting unit 120 along the Y-axis and Z-axis relative to the chuck table 110, respectively.

[0046] In Embodiment 1, the X-axis movement unit 131, the Y-axis movement unit 132, and the Z-axis movement unit 133 are all known ball screw mechanisms having a motor, a ball screw, and a guide. The X-axis movement unit 131, the Y-axis movement unit 132, and the Z-axis movement unit 133 detect the relative positions of the chuck table 110 and the cutting unit 120 in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions, and output the detected relative positions to the control unit 150.

[0047] As shown in Figure 4, the damage detection unit 140 is provided on the blade cover 124 of the cutting unit 120 and includes a groove-shaped member 141, a lifting unit 142, a light-emitting unit 143, and a light-receiving unit 144. The groove-shaped member 141 is provided on the blade cover 124 of the cutting unit 120 and has a groove 145 formed toward the cutting blade 121, with a width wider than the thickness of the cutting blade 121. The groove-shaped member 141 forms a gap through the groove 145 into which the upper end of the cutting edge of the cutting blade 121 enters.

[0048] The lifting unit 142 moves the groove-shaped member 141 up and down, thereby changing the entry position of the upper end of the cutting edge of the cutting blade 121 into the gap formed by the groove 145 of the groove-shaped member 141. In Embodiment 1, the lifting unit 142 automatically moves the groove-shaped member 141 up and down under the control of the control unit 150, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the groove-shaped member 141 may also be moved up and down manually by an operator.

[0049] The light-emitting unit 143 is provided on one side wall of the groove 145 of the groove-shaped member 141 and emits light toward the other side wall of the groove 145. The light-emitting unit 143 is optically connected to an element-emitting element (not shown) by an optical fiber or the like, and emits light from the element-emitting element to form a light ray several millimeters in diameter. The element-emitting element is provided with an amplifier (not shown), and the amount of light emitted from the light-emitting unit 143 is adjusted by amplifying the amount of light emitted from the element-emitting element with the amplifier.

[0050] The light-receiving unit 144 is positioned on the other side wall of the groove 145 of the groove-shaped member 141, facing the light-emitting unit 143, and light emitted from the light-emitting unit 143 is incident on it. The light-emitting unit 143 and the light-receiving unit 144 are thus positioned facing each other across the gap formed by the groove 145 of the groove-shaped member 141, through which the cutting blade 121 enters. The light-receiving unit 144 is optically connected to a light-receiving element (not shown) by an optical fiber or the like. The light-receiving element detects the light incident on the light-receiving unit 144.

[0051] As the upper end of the cutting edge of the cutting blade 121 enters the groove 145, the amount by which the cutting edge of the cutting blade 121 blocks the light rays between the light-emitting part 143 and the light-receiving part 144 increases, and the amount of light received by the light-receiving part 144 detected by the light-receiving element (amount of light rays transmitted) gradually decreases.

[0052] The amount of light detected by the light receiving unit 144 while the cutting blade 121 is rotating at a predetermined rotational speed decreases when the outer edge of the cutting edge of the cutting blade 121 protrudes radially and increases when it is concave radially. Therefore, the amount of light detected while the cutting blade 121 is rotating indicates the shape of the outer edge of the cutting edge of the cutting blade 121 while it is mounted on the spindle 122. Here, the amount of light detected while the cutting blade 121 is rotating is averaged at predetermined time intervals due to the rotation of the cutting blade 121.

[0053] The damage detection unit 140, after positioning the upper end of the cutting edge of the cutting blade 121 by inserting it into the groove 145, rotates the cutting blade 121 at a predetermined rotational speed while emitting light from the light-emitting unit 143 and receiving light from the light-receiving unit 144. Based on the amount of light received in this manner, the damage detection unit 140 can detect the state of damage to the cutting blade 121, such as whether the outer edge of the cutting edge of the cutting blade 121 is protruding or recessed in the radial direction.

[0054] The light-emitting section 143 and light-receiving section 144 of the damage detection unit 140 are positioned near the cutting blade 121 of the cutting unit 120 that cuts the workpiece 200. Therefore, when the workpiece 200 is cut by the cutting blade 121, cutting debris generated as a result of the processing of the workpiece 200 may adhere to and solidify on the light-emitting surface of the light-emitting section 143 and the light-receiving surface of the light-receiving section 144 of the damage detection unit 140. If cutting debris adheres to and solidifies on the light-emitting surface of the light-emitting section 143 and the light-receiving surface of the light-receiving section 144 of the damage detection unit 140, the cutting debris may interfere with the emission of light from the light-emitting surface of the light-emitting section 143 and the reception of light on the light-receiving surface of the light-receiving section 144. As a result, if cutting debris adheres to and hardens on the light-emitting surface of the light-emitting unit 143 and the light-receiving surface of the light-receiving unit 144, the amount of light detected by the light-receiving unit 144 will become inaccurate, and the damage detection unit 140 will not be able to accurately detect the damage state of the cutting blade 121. For this reason, the light-emitting surface of the light-emitting unit 143 and the light-receiving surface of the light-receiving unit 144 need to be cleaned periodically.

[0055] The control unit 150 controls the operation of various components of the cutting device 100, causing the cutting device 100 to perform various processes such as cutting the workpiece 200 by the cutting unit 120 and detecting the damaged state of the cutting blade 121 by the damage detection unit 140.

[0056] In Embodiment 1, the control unit 150 includes a computer system. The computer system included in the control unit 150 has an arithmetic processing unit having a microprocessor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a storage device having memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory) or RAM (Random Access Memory), and an input / output interface device. The arithmetic processing unit of the control unit 150 performs arithmetic processing according to a computer program stored in the storage device of the control unit 150 and outputs control signals for controlling the cutting device 100 to each component of the cutting device 100 via the input / output interface device of the control unit 150.

[0057] Next, this specification will describe the method of using the wiping tool according to Embodiment 1 with reference to the drawings. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for the method of using the wiping tool according to Embodiment 1. Figures 6 and 7 are both perspective views illustrating the desealing step 1001 shown in Figure 5. The method of using the wiping tool according to Embodiment 1 is a method of using the wiping tool 1 according to Embodiment 1, and comprises a desealing step 1001 and a wiping step 1002, as shown in Figure 5.

[0058] The desealing step 1001 involves desealing one end 11 of the pipe portion 10 of the wiping tool 1, as shown in Figure 6, and supplying the wiping liquid 40 to the wiping section 30, as shown in Figure 7.

[0059] In the desealing step 1001, first, as shown in Figure 6, the sealing portion 20 is removed from one end 11 of the pipe portion 10 with the other end 12 positioned lower than the one end 11. In the desealing step 1001, the seal on one end 11 is released, thereby releasing the seal on the space 51.

[0060] In the release step 1001, by releasing the seal on the space 51 in this way, as shown in Figure 7, air flows into the space 51 from one end 11, and this air pushes the wiping liquid 40 from the liquid surface 41 side toward the other end 12 side, supplying it to the wiping attachment part 31 side of the wiping unit 30. In the release step 1001, the wiping liquid 40 supplied to the wiping unit 30 adheres to the wiping unit 30, is absorbed by the wiping unit 30, penetrates from the wiping attachment part 31 side toward the wiping tip 32 side within the wiping unit 30, and becomes contained inside the wiping tip 32 of the wiping unit 30.

[0061] By performing the desealing step 1001, the wiping tool 1 is made ready to be used to wipe and clean an object to be wiped (the part to be wiped) with the wiping tip 32 of the wiping section 30 which contains the wiping liquid 40 inside.

[0062] The wiping step 1002 is a step in which the object to be wiped is wiped with the wiping unit 30 to which the wiping liquid 40 is attached. In the wiping step 1002, the wiping tip 32 of the wiping unit 30, which contains the wiping liquid 40 inside as a result of the release step 1001, is used to wipe and clean the object to be wiped (the part to be wiped).

[0063] In Embodiment 1, the object to be wiped in the wiping step 1002 is located on the side wall of a groove 145 formed in a groove-shaped member 141 of a damage detection unit 140 provided on the blade cover 124 of the cutting unit 120 of the cutting device 100. That is, the object is located in a deep position when viewed from the outside of the cutting device 100, and is located in a narrow area, making it difficult to access from the outside. For this reason, wiping it has been difficult in the past. Therefore, in Embodiment 1, the pipe portion 10, the sealing portion 20, and the wiping portion 30 are formed to be sufficiently narrow, and a wiping tool 1 that is easy to grip is used, so that the wiping tip 32 of the wiping portion 30 can be preferably brought to the object, and the object can be easily wiped with the wiping tip 32 with minimal movement, in a short time. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to wiping an object located in a deep position when viewed from the outside and in a narrow area as described above, but may also be wiping an object located in an area that is easily accessible from the outside.

[0064] Furthermore, in Embodiment 1, the object to be wiped in the wiping step 1002 is the light-emitting surface of the light-emitting section 143 and the light-receiving surface of the light-receiving section 144 of the damage detection section 140 of the cutting device 100, which is installed in a cleanroom with a high degree of cleanliness. For this reason, conventionally, wiping with an abrasive would risk scattering the abrasive into the cleanroom. Therefore, in Embodiment 1, the abrasive is contained in a liquid to form a wiping liquid 40, which is used while filled inside the tube section 10 and contained inside the wiping section 30, thereby suppressing the risk of scattering the abrasive into the cleanroom. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to wiping objects installed in a cleanroom as described above, but may also be used to wipe objects installed in various locations.

[0065] Furthermore, in Embodiment 1, the wiping liquid 40 is used with an abrasive suitable for polishing the workpiece 200, which is the target of cutting by the cutting device 100 and includes the object to be wiped in the wiping step 1002. Therefore, in Embodiment 1, cutting chips generated as a result of the processing of the workpiece 200 and adhering to and solidifying on the object can be suitably wiped away and cleaned by the wiping unit 30 containing the wiping liquid 40. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to wiping away chips that have been attached to and solidified on the object, which are the target of processing the workpiece 200 as described above, but may also be used to wipe away various types of chips, dust, and foreign matter that have been attached to or solidified on the object.

[0066] The wiping tool 1 and method of using the wiping tool according to Embodiment 1, which has the above configuration, have a pipe section 10 with one end 11 sealed and a wiping section 30 attached to the other end 12, and the inside 13 of the pipe section 10 is filled with wiping liquid 40. By releasing the seal on one end 11, the wiping liquid 40 is supplied to the wiping section 30, and the wiping section 30 to which the wiping liquid 40 is supplied is used to wipe the target object such as the light-emitting section 143 and the light-receiving section 144. For this reason, the wiping tool 1 and method of using the wiping tool according to Embodiment 1 do not require work such as dripping wiping liquid onto a wiping cloth to wipe the target object, thus improving work efficiency when wiping and cleaning the target object.

[0067] Furthermore, in the wiping tool 1 and method of using the wiping tool according to Embodiment 1, since the wiping liquid 40 is a liquid containing an abrasive, cutting chips generated as a result of processing the workpiece 200 and adhering to and solidifying on the object can be suitably wiped away and cleaned by the wiping section 30 containing the wiping liquid 40.

[0068] Furthermore, in the wiping tool 1 and method of using the wiping tool according to Embodiment 1, since the wiping part 30 is a fiber mass formed in a mass shape with multiple fibers covering the other end 12 of the tube part 10, it is possible to suitably absorb the wiping liquid 40 into the gaps between the fibers and maintain a state containing the wiping liquid 40, thereby more suitably wiping and cleaning the target object.

[0069] [Embodiment 2] The wiping tool 1-2 and the method of using the wiping tool according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described. Figure 8 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the wiping tool 1-2 according to Embodiment 2. Figures 9 and 10 are perspective views illustrating the seal release step 1001 of the method of using the wiping tool according to Embodiment 2. Note that in Figures 8, 9, and 10, the same reference numerals are used for the same parts as in Embodiment 1, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0070] As shown in Figure 8, the wiping tool 1-2 according to Embodiment 2 is the same as that of the wiping tool 1 according to Embodiment 1, except that the sealing portion 20 is changed to a sealing portion 20-2, and the other configurations are the same as those of Embodiment 1. The objects to be wiped by the wiping tool 1-2 according to Embodiment 2 are the same as those of Embodiment 1. The method of using the wiping tool according to Embodiment 2 is a modification of the method of using the wiping tool according to Embodiment 1, made in conjunction with the use of the wiping tool 1-2, in which the sealing portion 20 is changed to a sealing portion 20-2.

[0071] As shown in Figure 8, the sealing portion 20-2 comprises a sealing mounting portion 21 and a sealing tip portion 22. The sealing mounting portion 21 and the sealing tip portion 22 are integrally formed. The sealing mounting portion 21 is made of the same material that absorbs the wiping liquid 40 as the wiping mounting portion 31, and is formed to the same size and shape as the wiping mounting portion 31. The sealing tip portion 22 is made of the same material that absorbs the wiping liquid 40 as the wiping tip portion 32, and is formed to the same size and shape as the wiping tip portion 32.

[0072] The sealing portion 20-2 is fitted snugly to the inner circumference of the opening at one end 11 of the tube portion 10 by inserting the sealing mounting portion 21 into the opening at one end 11 of the tube portion 10, thereby sealing the opening at one end 11 of the tube portion 10. The sealing portion 20-2 is fitted to one end 11 of the tube portion 10 which is filled with wiping liquid 40, and seals the end 11, thereby sealing the space 51 between the liquid surface 41 of the wiping liquid 40 and one end 11 of the tube portion 10 (sealing portion 20-2). When the sealing portion 20-2 is fitted to one end 11 of the tube portion 10 in this manner, the sealing tip portion 22 is not inserted into the opening at one end 11 of the tube portion 10, but is positioned to protrude outward from one end 11 in the direction of the tube axis of the tube portion 10.

[0073] The sealing portion 20-2 is formed such that the sealing mounting portion 21 is tightly packed to seal the opening at one end 11 of the tube portion 10. In Embodiment 2, the sealing portion 20-2 is preferably formed by a fiber mass in which a plurality of fibers such as cotton are formed in a mass so as to cover one end 11 of the tube portion 10, and the sealing mounting portion 21 is tightly compressed to seal the opening at one end 11 of the tube portion 10. In this case, the sealing tip portion 22 of the sealing portion 20-2 can preferably absorb and wipe away any wiping liquid 40 remaining on the object after wiping with the wiping tip portion 32 of the wiping portion 30, into the gaps between the fibers.

[0074] Next, this specification will describe the method of using the wiping tool according to Embodiment 2 with reference to the drawings. The desealing step 1001 of Embodiment 2 is modified in that, when desealing one end 11 of the pipe section 10, instead of removing the sealing portion 20 from one end 11 of the pipe section 10, the sealing portion 20-2 is removed from one end 11 of the pipe section 10. The other configurations are the same as the desealing step 1001 of Embodiment 1.

[0075] In Embodiment 2, the wiping step 1002 can be modified to, in addition to wiping the object with the wiping tip 32 of the wiping section 30 to which the wiping liquid 40 is attached, also to wiping the object with the sealing tip 22 of the sealing section 20-2 removed from one end 11 of the pipe section 10. In Embodiment 2, this allows the object to be suitably dry-wiped with the sealing tip 22 of the sealing section 20-2. Furthermore, in Embodiment 2, after wiping the object with the wiping tip 32 of the wiping section 30 to which the wiping liquid 40 is attached, wiping the object with the sealing tip 22 of the removed sealing section 20-2 allows the wiping liquid 40 remaining on the object after wiping with the wiping section 30 to be suitably absorbed, wiped, and removed by the sealing tip 22 of the sealing section 20-2.

[0076] The wiping tool 1-2 and the method of using the wiping tool according to Embodiment 2, which has the above configuration, are the same as those of Embodiment 1, since the sealing part 20 is changed to the sealing part 20-2.

[0077] Furthermore, the wiping tool 1-2 and method of using the wiping tool according to Embodiment 2 allow for wiping of objects such as the light-emitting unit 143 and the light-receiving unit 144 at the sealing unit 20-2 where the wiping liquid 40 is not supplied. For this reason, the wiping tool 1-2 and method of using the wiping tool according to Embodiment 2 allow for suitable dry wiping of the object with the sealing tip 22 of the sealing unit 20-2, and also allow for suitable absorption and removal of any wiping liquid 40 remaining on the object after wiping with the wiping unit 30 by the sealing tip 22 of the sealing unit 20-2.

[0078] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. That is, it can be implemented with various modifications without departing from the core of the present invention. In the above embodiments, one end 11 of the tube portion 10 is sealed with sealing portions 20 and 20-2, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and for example, one end 11 of the tube portion 10 may be sealed with a sealing portion comprising a cap, such as the sealing portion 20, which is fitted snugly onto the outer circumference of one end 11 of the tube portion 10, and a fiber mass, such as the sealing tip portion 22 of the sealing portion 20-2, which is positioned to protrude outward from one end 11 of the tube portion 10 in the direction of the tube axis of the tube portion 10. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0079] 1,1-2 Wiping tools 10 Pipe section 11 one end 12 Other end 13 Inside 20,20-2 Sealing section 30 Wiping section 40 Wiping liquid 143 Light-emitting part (an example of an object according to the present invention) 144 Light-receiving section (an example of an object according to the present invention) 1001 Desealing step 1002 Wiping Step

Claims

1. The pipe section, A sealing portion that seals one end of the pipe section, A wiping section is attached to the other end of the pipe section opposite to the one end, A wiping liquid is filled inside the pipe so as not to come into contact with the wiping part, A wiping tool equipped with [a specific feature].

2. The wiping tool according to claim 1, wherein the wiping liquid is a liquid containing an abrasive.

3. The wiping tool according to claim 1, wherein the wiping portion is a fiber mass formed in a mass shape such that a plurality of fibers cover the other end of the tube portion.

4. A method for using a wiping tool according to any one of claims 1 to 3, A sealing release step involves releasing the seal at one end of the pipe and supplying the wiping liquid to the wiping section. After the desealing step, a wiping step is performed in which the object is wiped with the wiping part to which the wiping liquid has adhered, How to use a wiping tool equipped with [the specified feature].

Images