Cleaning method and cleaning device

Abstract

To provide a technology capable of effectively removing uncured material from a molded object. [Solution] The cleaning device 1 includes a cleaning tank 10, a cleaning liquid supply unit 20, a support 30, and a swinging mechanism 40. The cleaning tank 10 is configured to contain a cleaning liquid Wq and a modeled object 9. The support 30 supports the modeled object 9 in the cleaning tank 10. The swinging mechanism 40 swings the modeled object 9 supported by the support 30 relative to a liquid level Ls of the cleaning liquid Wq stored in the cleaning tank 10. The swinging mechanism 40 alternately and repeatedly executes a stage ST1 in which at least a part of the modeled object 9 is immersed below the liquid level Ls of the cleaning liquid Wq, and a stage ST2 in which at least a part of the modeled object 9 is exposed above the liquid level Ls of the cleaning liquid Wq.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The subject matter disclosed herein relates to cleaning methods and apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] As a 3D optical modeling method, for example, a method is known in which a photocurable resin is applied to a flat surface and then exposed to ultraviolet light by laser scanning. Specifically, a paste-like material called a slurry, which is a mixture of photocurable resin (liquid) and ceramic powder, is thinly applied onto a modeling table, and the resin is hardened by exposing the required area to ultraviolet light by laser scanning. By repeating this application and hardening process, a 3D model is obtained. After the 3D model is obtained, the 3D structure is washed to remove unhardened materials, including the unhardened photocurable resin.

[0003] When a three-dimensional object has recesses such as holes or grooves, uncured material is likely to remain in the recesses. For this reason, there is a need to effectively clean the uncured material. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a cleaning method for a three-dimensional object.

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses a cleaning device that cleans a metal additive manufacturing object that has been manufactured by stacking tanks that have been fused or sintered with laser light. In this cleaning device, a container is filled with a liquid that is a mixture of multiple organic solvents, and ultrasonic waves are transmitted to the metal additive manufacturing object immersed in the liquid to remove unnecessary powder adhering to the metal additive manufacturing object. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2023-167583 A [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2022-051427 [Patent Document 3] JP 2023-054997 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in the conventional technology, ultrasonic cleaning is performed while the entire object is immersed in liquid, so depending on the shape of the object, it may be difficult to sufficiently remove uncured material.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of effectively removing uncured material from a shaped object. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, a first aspect of the present invention is a cleaning method for cleaning a shaped object, the method comprising: (a) subjecting the shaped object to ultrasonic waves; , washing The liquid surface of the cleaning liquid, or both of them, are vibrated to at least partially irradiate the object. The above The method includes a step of alternately and repeatedly performing a step of immersing the substrate below the surface of the cleaning liquid and a step of exposing the at least a portion of the substrate above the surface of the cleaning liquid.

[0009] A second aspect is the cleaning method according to the first aspect, wherein the step (a) includes the step of raising and lowering the shaped object relative to the cleaning liquid.

[0011] No. 3 In an embodiment, the cleaning method according to the first embodiment is such that the step (a) includes a step of vibrating the surface of the cleaning liquid.

[0012] No. 4 The aspect is 3 In the cleaning method of the embodiment, the step (a) includes a step of rocking a cleaning tank in which the cleaning liquid is stored.

[0013] No. 5The aspect is the cleaning method of the first aspect, further comprising (b) a step of placing the shaped object and cleaning liquid in a soft bag prior to step (a), the step (a) including a step of alternately repeating a step of immersing the soft bag in liquid and a step of removing the soft bag from the liquid.

[0014] No. 6 The embodiment is the first to third embodiments. 5 The cleaning method according to any one of the aspects further comprises the step of (c) removing the shaped object from the stored cleaning liquid after step (a), during step (a), or both, and sucking out the cleaning liquid from within the shaped object.

[0015] No. 7 An embodiment is the cleaning method of the seventh embodiment, wherein the step (c) includes a step of pressing the shaped object against an adsorbent.

[0016] No. 8 According to one aspect, there is provided a cleaning device for cleaning a shaped object, the cleaning device comprising: a cleaning tank configured to contain a cleaning liquid and a shaped object; a support that supports the shaped object in the cleaning tank; and a rocking mechanism that rocks the shaped object supported by the support relative to a liquid surface of the cleaning liquid stored in the cleaning tank, the rocking mechanism comprising: The object, the surface of the cleaning liquid, or both of them are vibrated by ultrasonic waves, The step of immersing at least a portion of the shaped object below the surface of the cleaning liquid and the step of exposing at least a portion of the shaped object above the surface of the cleaning liquid are alternately and repeatedly performed. Effect of the Invention

[0017] First to third aspects 8 According to the aspect, by repeatedly inserting at least a portion of the object into and removing it from the liquid surface of the cleaning liquid, the cleaning liquid can easily enter and exit the recesses of the object, thereby effectively removing the uncured material remaining on the object. Furthermore, by vibrating the object, the surface of the cleaning liquid, or both, with ultrasonic waves, it is possible to easily move at least a part of the object in and out of the surface of the cleaning liquid.

[0018] According to the cleaning method of the second aspect, the shaped object is raised and lowered so that at least a portion of the shaped object is moved in and out of the liquid surface of the cleaning liquid, thereby making it possible to effectively remove uncured material from within the shaped object.

[0020] No. 3 According to the cleaning method of the aspect, by vibrating the liquid surface, at least a part of the shaped object can be easily moved in and out of the liquid surface of the cleaning liquid.

[0021] No. 4 According to the cleaning method of the embodiment, by rocking the cleaning tank, at least a part of the shaped object can be easily moved in and out of the liquid surface of the cleaning liquid.

[0022] No. 5 According to the cleaning method of the embodiment, the amount of cleaning liquid used can be reduced.

[0023] No. 6 According to the cleaning method of the aspect, the uncured material in the recess of the shaped object can be discharged together with the cleaning liquid.

[0024] No. 7 According to the cleaning method of the aspect, the uncured material in the recesses of the shaped object can be efficiently discharged. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a cleaning device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] 1 is a diagram showing a flow of a cleaning method according to an embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a cleaning device that performs the swing cleaning step shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of the suction process shown in FIG. 2. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram conceptually illustrating a modified example of the suction process. [Figure 6A] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the cleaning tank 10 before the swing mechanism 40 starts the swing cleaning step S1 of the first modified example. [Figure 6B] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a swing cleaning process according to a first modified example. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a swing cleaning process according to a second modified example. [Figure 8]FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a swing cleaning process according to a third modified example. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a swing cleaning process according to a fourth modified example. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a swing cleaning process according to a fifth modified example. [Figure 11] FIG. 23 is a diagram illustrating a swing cleaning process according to a sixth modified example. [Figure 12] FIG. 23 is a diagram illustrating a swing cleaning process according to a seventh modified example. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a shaped object. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0026] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the components described in the embodiment are merely examples, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. In the drawings, the dimensions and numbers of each part may be exaggerated or simplified as necessary for ease of understanding.

[0027] <1. Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a cleaning device 1 according to an embodiment. The cleaning device 1 is a device used in manufacturing a three-dimensional object (hereinafter referred to as a "modeled object"), and is a device that removes unnecessary materials remaining on the modeled object 9 by cleaning the modeled object 9. The modeled object 9 to be processed is, for example, a layered model formed by stacking layers of cured photocurable resin. The modeled object 9 is specifically manufactured by three-dimensional photo-fabrication described in Patent Document 2 (JP Patent Publication No. 2022-051427) or Patent Document 3 (JP Patent Publication No. 2023-054997). The modeled object 9 may be formed by powder sintering layered fabrication described in Patent Document 1 or the like.

[0028] The cleaning device 1 is a device for removing uncured materials, such as uncured photocurable resin remaining on the shaped object 9, from the shaped object 9. The uncured materials include uncured resin, curing initiator, ceramic powder, metal powder or dispersant, plasticizer, leveling agent, photosensitizer, and the like.

[0029] In this example, the shaped object 9 (see FIG. 13) has one or more recesses, such as holes (through holes or holes with a bottom) or grooves. The shape of the hole may be, for example, linear or spiral. The cross-sectional shape of the hole may be, for example, circular or polygonal.

[0030] 1, the cleaning device 1 includes a cleaning tank 10, a cleaning liquid supply unit 20, a support 30, a swinging mechanism 40, an ultrasonic generator 50, and a controller 60. The configuration and function of each element of the cleaning device 1 will be described below in order.

[0031] The shape of the cleaning tank 10 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a rectangular / cubic container with an open top, or a cylindrical container with a bottom. The cleaning tank 10 may be provided with a heater for heating the cleaning liquid Wq. The cleaning tank 10 is configured to accommodate the shaped object 9 and the cleaning liquid Wq therein.

[0032] The type of the cleaning liquid Wq is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a glycol-based solution, glycol ethers, or hydrocarbons. The glycol-based solution may be polyethylene glycol. The hydrocarbons may be terpenes. Specifically, the cleaning liquid Wq may be an aqueous solution containing diethylene glycol monobutyl ether and a nonionic surfactant. By using a glycol-based solution as the cleaning liquid Wq, it is possible to reduce swelling, evaporation, and drying of the molded object, and to reduce damage such as cracks on the molded object. In addition, as the cleaning liquid Wq, a water-based solution containing a surfactant, or an alcohol-based solution (isopropyl alcohol (IPA), ethanol, benzyl alcohol, etc.) may be used. In addition, the cleaning liquid Wq may contain a surfactant, a polymeric dispersant, a rust inhibitor, etc. as an additive in the main solution.

[0033] The cleaning liquid supply unit 20 is a device that supplies the cleaning liquid Wq into the cleaning tank 10. The cleaning liquid supply unit 20 has a nozzle 21, a cleaning liquid tank 23, a supply pipe 25, and a circulation pipe 27. The nozzle 21 ejects the cleaning liquid Wq into the cleaning tank 10. The nozzle 21 is, for example, a shower nozzle that ejects the cleaning liquid Wq by dispersing it in droplets. By using a shower nozzle, the cleaning liquid can be supplied over a wide area. The nozzle 21 may be a straight nozzle that directly sprays the cleaning liquid Wq.

[0034] The cleaning liquid tank 23 is a tank capable of storing unused cleaning liquid Wq. The supply pipe 25 forms a path for supplying the cleaning liquid Wq. The supply pipe 25 is connected between the cleaning liquid tank 23 and the nozzle 21. A supply pump 251 and an on-off valve 253 are arranged in the supply pipe 25. The supply pump 251 pressure-feeds the cleaning liquid Wq in the cleaning liquid tank 23 toward the nozzle 21. The supply pump 251 is driven by, for example, an electric motor. The on-off valve 253 is arranged downstream of the supply pump 251 to control the flow of the cleaning liquid Wq. The on-off valve 253 is, for example, an electromagnetic valve. The supply pump 251 and the on-off valve 253 are controlled by the control unit 60.

[0035] The circulation pipe 27 forms a path for circulating the cleaning liquid stored in the cleaning tank 10. The circulation pipe 27 is connected to the cleaning tank 10 and the supply pipe 25. More specifically, a first end of the circulation pipe 27 is connected to the bottom of the cleaning tank 10, and a second end of the circulation pipe 27 is connected to a portion of the supply pipe 25 downstream of the on-off valve 253. Note that a filter may be provided in the supply pipe 25 to remove foreign matter in the cleaning liquid flowing through the supply pipe 25.

[0036] A circulation pump 271, an on-off valve 273, and a filter 275 are arranged in the circulation pipe 27. The circulation pump 271 pumps the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank 10 toward the supply pipe 25. The circulation pump 271 is driven by, for example, an electric motor. The on-off valve 273 is arranged downstream of the circulation pump 271 to control the flow of the cleaning liquid. The on-off valve 273 is, for example, an electromagnetic valve. The circulation pump 271 and the on-off valve 273 are controlled by the control unit 60. The filter 275 is provided to remove foreign matter from the cleaning liquid flowing through the circulation pipe 27. The filter 275 is provided upstream or downstream of the circulation pump 271.

[0037] A heater for heating the cleaning liquid Wq may be provided in the supply pipe 25 or the circulation pipe 27. The cleaning liquid supply unit 20 may include a mechanism for moving the nozzle 21 up and down, back and forth, left and right, etc. The cleaning liquid supply unit 20 may be configured to supply not only one type of cleaning liquid but also multiple types of cleaning liquid to the cleaning tank 10.

[0038] The support 30 is a member for supporting the object 9 in the cleaning tank 10. The support 30 is, for example, a cage formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The support 30 in this example has a bottom 31, a lid 33, and a side wall 35. The bottom 31, the lid 33, and the side wall 35 have a large number of meshes for passing the cleaning liquid Wq. The shapes of the bottom 31 and the lid 33 are not particularly limited, and may be formed flat and facing each other vertically, or may not be flat to match the object 9, and may be made of an elastic material such as a net. The side wall 35 connects the bottom 31 and the lid 33 vertically. The lid 33 is provided so as to be openable and closable with respect to the side wall 35. The object 9 is fixed to the support 30 by being sandwiched between the bottom 31 and the lid 33. It is not essential that the object 9 is fixed to the support 30. For example, the lid portion 33 may be omitted.

[0039] The swing mechanism 40 is connected to the support 30 and is a device for moving the support 30 back and forth in the vertical direction. The swing mechanism 40 is composed of, for example, a linear motor, a ball screw mechanism, a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder, or a cam mechanism. The swing mechanism 40 is controlled by the control unit 60.

[0040] The ultrasonic generating unit 50 is disposed on the upper surface of the bottom of the cleaning tank 10. The ultrasonic generating unit 50 can transmit ultrasonic waves upward. The ultrasonic generating unit 50 may be disposed on the side wall of the cleaning tank 10. The ultrasonic generating unit 50 may be configured to transmit ultrasonic waves in the horizontal direction. The ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic generating unit 50 are preferably spherical waves, but may be plane waves. The frequency of the ultrasonic waves is preferably 10 kHz to several hundreds of kHz.

[0041] The control unit 60 manages or controls the cleaning process in the cleaning apparatus 1 by controlling the operation of the cleaning apparatus 1. The control unit 60 has a processor 61, a memory 63, a display 65, an input device 67, and a bus 69.

[0042] The processor 61 has a CPU that controls the overall operation of the control unit 60. The memory 63 is a device for storing the program P and various data. The memory 63 has a volatile memory such as a RAM, or a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory. The memory 63 may have an auxiliary storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD). The processor 61 executes the program P stored in the memory 63, whereby the control unit 60 manages and controls the cleaning process.

[0043] The display 65 is an output device for visually displaying various information. The input device 67 is an interface for receiving input from a user. The input device 67 has, for example, a mouse and a keyboard. The input device 67 may have a touch panel integrated with the display 65. The bus 69 is a path for transmitting data and control signals. The processor 61 is electrically connected to the memory 63, the display 65, and the input device 67 via the bus 69.

[0044] 2 is a diagram showing the flow of the cleaning method according to the embodiment. In the cleaning method according to the present embodiment, a swing cleaning process S1 and a suction process S2 are carried out in this order. Each process will be described below.

[0045] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the cleaning device 1 that executes the oscillation cleaning step S1 shown in FIG. 2. Note that, before the oscillation cleaning step S1 is performed, the model 9 is placed in the cleaning tank 10 by the support 30. The cleaning liquid is supplied into the cleaning tank 10 by sending the cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid tank 23 to the nozzle 21. At this time, the cleaning liquid may be dispersed from the nozzle 21 and supplied to the model 9. This may improve the cleaning efficiency of the model 9. When the amount of the cleaning liquid Wq exceeds a certain amount, the supply of the cleaning liquid Wq is stopped. Note that the supply amount of the cleaning liquid Wq may be a predetermined constant value, or may be automatically set by the control unit 60 according to the shape and size of the model 9 estimated based on 3D data or the like.

[0046] After the cleaning liquid Wq is supplied to the cleaning tank 10, a rocking cleaning step S1 is performed. The rocking cleaning step S1 is a step in which the model 9 is rocked relative to the liquid surface Ls of the cleaning liquid Wq stored in the cleaning tank 10. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 3, the rocking mechanism 40 moves the support tool 30 up and down, thereby moving the model 9 in and out of the cleaning liquid Wq. That is, a stage ST1 in which the entire model 9 is immersed in the cleaning liquid Wq and a stage ST2 in which the entire model 9 is exposed from the cleaning liquid Wq are alternately repeated a predetermined number of times.

[0047] In step ST1, it is not essential to immerse the entire object 9 in the cleaning liquid Wq, and only a part of the object 9 may be immersed. In step ST2, it is not essential to expose the entire object 9 from the cleaning liquid Wq, and only a part of the object 9 may be exposed from the cleaning liquid Wq. That is, in the vibration cleaning process S1, a step of immersing at least a part of the object 9 below the liquid surface Ls of the cleaning liquid Wq and a step of exposing the part of the object 9 above the liquid surface Ls of the cleaning liquid Wq are alternately and repeatedly performed.

[0048] In this way, by oscillating the model 9 relative to the cleaning liquid Wq, high pressure can be applied to recesses in the model 9, such as holes (through holes or holes with a bottom) or grooves (long, narrow recesses located on the surface). This allows the uncured material in the recesses to be pushed out into the cleaning liquid, making it possible to effectively remove the uncured material. In particular, by raising and lowering the model 9, at least a portion of the model 9 is moved in and out of the liquid surface Ls of the cleaning liquid Wq, thereby enhancing the cleaning effect.

[0049] In addition, although air may enter the recesses of the object 9 by immersing the object 9 in the cleaning liquid Wq, even in this case, the air is expelled from the recesses by rocking the object 9, and the cleaning liquid Wq can be permeated into the recesses instead. Therefore, the uncured material can be appropriately removed from the recesses.

[0050] Furthermore, the oscillation of the shaped object 9 facilitates the occurrence of capillary action, which allows the cleaning liquid Wq to be sucked into the narrow recesses, dispersing the uncured material in the cleaning liquid Wq. This allows the uncured material to be removed efficiently.

[0051] In addition, the cleaning liquid Wq is agitated by the rocking of the shaped object 9, so that the cleaning liquid Wq in the cleaning tank 10 can be made uniform, thereby improving the cleaning effect.

[0052] During the oscillating cleaning process S1, the ultrasonic generator 50 may transmit ultrasonic waves to enhance the cleaning effect. During the oscillating cleaning process S1, the cleaning effect may be enhanced by supplying a cleaning liquid from the nozzle 21 to the model 9. In this case, the cleaning liquid Wq circulated through the circulation pipe 27 may be supplied to the model 9. This allows the cleaning liquid Wq to be supplied to the model 9 without using new cleaning liquid Wq. This makes it possible to reduce consumption of the cleaning liquid Wq and reduce the environmental impact.

[0053] Furthermore, during the vibration cleaning step S1, a lid may be attached to the top of the cleaning tank 10 to close the upper end of the cleaning tank 10. This can reduce scattering of the cleaning liquid Wq in the cleaning tank 10 to the surroundings. Furthermore, prior to the vibration cleaning step S1, the shaped object 9 may be vibrated while the shaped object 9 is in a dry state to remove foreign matter.

[0054] Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the suction step S2 shown in Fig. 2. The suction step S2 is a step of removing the shaped object 9 from the cleaning liquid Wq stored in the cleaning tank 10, and suctioning out the cleaning liquid Wq inside the shaped object 9. For example, in the example shown in Fig. 4, an adsorbent 71 is used in the suction step S2. The adsorbent 71 is, for example, a sponge, a waste cloth (including a wiper, a wipe, and a cloth), or a pad. The material of the adsorbent 71 may be any material capable of absorbing the cleaning liquid Wq, and specifically, natural fibers such as pulp and cellulose, chemical fibers such as polyester, polypropylene, rayon, and acrylic, water-absorbent resins, oil-absorbent resins, and the like may be used.

[0055] As shown in Fig. 4, in the suction step S2, the shaped object 9 is brought into contact with the adsorbent 71. As a result, the cleaning liquid Wq in the recesses 91 (through holes in Fig. 4) of the shaped object 9 is sucked out to the adsorbent 71. The cleaning liquid Wq in the recesses 91 of the shaped object 9 may contain uncured material, or the uncured material may be separated from the cleaning liquid Wq and remain in the recesses 91. By sucking out the cleaning liquid Wq, the uncured material in the recesses 91 is appropriately discharged together with the cleaning liquid Wq.

[0056] The suction step S2 may be automatically performed in the cleaning apparatus 1. For example, the adsorbent 71 may be disposed on the outside or inside of the cleaning tank 10, and the swinging mechanism 40 may move the support 30 to bring the modeled object 9 into contact with the adsorbent 71. Alternatively, a user may remove the modeled object 9 from the support 30 and bring it into contact with the adsorbent 71.

[0057] The suction step S2 may be performed after the oscillating cleaning step S1 or during the oscillating cleaning step S1. Also, the oscillating cleaning step S1 may be performed both after the oscillating cleaning step S1 and during the oscillating cleaning step S1.

[0058] The adsorbent 71 is a member having a higher flexibility than the model 9. Therefore, the model 9 can be fitted to the adsorbent 71, and therefore suction can be performed efficiently. In addition, damage to the model 9 can be reduced, and the surface of the model 9 can be protected.

[0059] It is not essential to use the adsorbent 71 in the suction step S2. FIG. 5 is a diagram conceptually showing a modified example of the suction step S2. For example, the cleaning liquid Wq may be sucked out by rotating the shaped object 9 to apply centrifugal force, vibrating the shaped object 9, placing the shaped object 9 in a low-pressure space lower than atmospheric pressure (vacuum drawing), or sucking with an aspirator. In the case of vacuum drawing, a highly vaporizable component (e.g., alcohol) may be mixed into the cleaning liquid Wq. In this case, the uncured material is easily pushed out of the recesses 91 due to pressure fluctuations caused by the evaporation of the cleaning liquid Wq. This makes it possible to efficiently discharge the uncured material.

[0060] The control unit 60 may set the rocking time (or the number of rocking times) according to the shape or size of the model 9 based on the 3D data. In this way, the cleaning conditions are automatically optimized regardless of the user's level of skill, so that the model 9 can be properly cleaned. Alternatively, the user may operate the input device 67 to set the control unit 60. Alternatively, the user may directly set each of the cleaning liquid supply unit 20, the support tool 30, the rocking mechanism 40, and the ultrasonic generator 50 without using the input device 67 and the control unit 60.

[0061] The rocking mechanism 40 of the present embodiment rocks the model 9 relative to the liquid surface Ls of the cleaning liquid Wq by vertically reciprocating the support tool 30, but the rocking mechanism 40 is modifiable.

[0062] Fig. 6A is a diagram showing the cleaning tank 10 before the rocking mechanism 40 starts the rocking cleaning step S1 of the first modified example. Fig. 6B is a diagram showing the rocking cleaning step S1 of the first modified example. The rocking mechanism 40 has, for example, an electric motor and is capable of rocking the cleaning tank 10 about an axis A1 parallel to the horizontal direction (see Fig. 6B).

[0063] In this modification, as shown in Fig. 6A, the model 9 is supported in the cleaning tank 10 by the support 30. Then, the cleaning liquid Wq is supplied into the cleaning tank 10 to such an extent that the upper part of the model 9 is exposed above the liquid level Ls. Then, as shown in Fig. 6B, the swing mechanism 40 swings the cleaning tank 10 about the axis A1. As a result, the support 30 and the model 9 are swingable about the axis A1.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 6B, the swinging mechanism 40 repeatedly performs a step of immersing a part 9p of the object 9 below the liquid surface Ls of the cleaning liquid Wq and a step of exposing the part 9p of the object 9 above the liquid surface Ls of the cleaning liquid Wq.

[0065] 7 is a schematic diagram showing the oscillation cleaning step S1 of the second modified example. In this second modified example, the oscillation mechanism 40 moves the cleaning tank 10 back and forth from side to side along one horizontal direction. This movement of the cleaning tank 10 causes the liquid surface Ls of the cleaning liquid Wq to ripple. That is, the liquid surface Ls of the cleaning liquid Wq oscillates relative to the model 9, thereby performing the oscillation cleaning step S1. In this way, by oscillating the cleaning tank 10, at least a part of the model 9 can be easily moved in and out of the liquid surface Ls of the cleaning liquid Wq.

[0066] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of the oscillation cleaning step S1 of the third modified example. In the third modified example, the oscillation mechanism 40 is configured to revolve the cleaning tank 10. That is, the oscillation mechanism 40 rotates the cleaning tank 10 around an axis A2 that is an axis away from the center of the cleaning tank 10 and parallel to the vertical direction while maintaining the attitude of the cleaning tank 10. This causes the liquid surface Ls of the cleaning liquid Wq to ripple. That is, the liquid surface Ls of the cleaning liquid Wq oscillates with respect to the model 9, thereby performing the oscillation cleaning step S1. In this way, by oscillating the cleaning tank 10, at least a part of the model 9 can be easily put in and taken out of the liquid surface Ls of the cleaning liquid Wq.

[0067] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of the oscillation cleaning step S1 of the fourth modified example. In the fourth modified example, the ultrasonic generator 50 functions as an oscillation mechanism. That is, in the fourth modified example, the ultrasonic generator 50 transmits ultrasonic waves to ripple the liquid surface Ls of the cleaning liquid Wq. As a result, the liquid surface Ls of the cleaning liquid Wq oscillates relative to the model 9, thereby performing the oscillation cleaning step S1. Note that the liquid surface Ls may be formed with unevenness by causing resonance with ultrasonic waves. In this way, by oscillating the liquid surface Ls of the cleaning liquid Wq with ultrasonic waves, at least a part of the model 9 can be easily put in and taken out of the liquid surface Ls of the cleaning liquid Wq.

[0068] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of the oscillation cleaning step S1 of the fifth modified example. In the fifth modified example, the model 9 is supported in an unfixed state by the support tool 30 without the lid part 33. In this state, the ultrasonic generator 50 transmits ultrasonic waves to ripple the liquid surface Ls of the cleaning liquid Wq. In addition, by leaving the model 9 unfixed, the model 9 is oscillated in the support tool 30 by the pressure of the ultrasonic waves and the pressure of the rippling cleaning liquid Wq. Note that the direction of oscillation of the model 9 can be set arbitrarily by transmitting ultrasonic waves of a predetermined frequency according to the shape of the model 9 from the ultrasonic generator 50. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the model 9 may be oscillated so that both the left and right ends alternately move up and down. In addition, the model 9 may be oscillated so that the entire model 9 vibrates up and down or left and right. In this way, by oscillating the model 9 together with the liquid surface Ls, the pressure fluctuation applied to the model 9 from the liquid surface Ls increases. This improves the cleaning effect.

[0069] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of the swinging cleaning step S1 of the sixth modified example. In the sixth modified example, a soft bag 73 is used. The soft bag 73 is a bag-shaped container formed of a flexible film. For example, a synthetic resin such as polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, or laminated film can be used as the soft bag 73. The soft bag 73 has an opening for putting in and taking out the shaped object 9 and the cleaning liquid, and the opening is appropriately sealed with a zipper, a seal, a cap, or the like. The soft bag 73 is preferably transparent so that the inside can be visually confirmed. The swinging mechanism 40 is configured to move one or more soft bags 73 up and down in a reciprocating manner.

[0070] The model 9 and the cleaning liquid Wq are accommodated in the soft bag 73 prior to the oscillating cleaning process S1. At this time, air is also put into the soft bag 73. A liquid (e.g., water) different from the cleaning liquid Wq is stored in the cleaning tank 10 in advance. In the oscillating cleaning process S1, as shown in FIG. 11, a stage ST11 in which the soft bag 73 is immersed in the external liquid and a stage ST12 in which the soft bag 73 is pulled out of the external liquid are alternately repeated. By taking the soft bag 73 in and out, the soft bag 73 is pushed by the external liquid and deformed. As a result, a stage in which a part 9p of the model 9 is immersed below the liquid level Ls of the cleaning liquid Wq stored in the soft bag 73 and a stage in which the part 9p is exposed above the liquid level Ls are alternately repeated.

[0071] When the soft bag 73 is put in and taken out of an external liquid, the movement of the external liquid moves the cleaning liquid Wq and the model 9 in the soft bag 73. This improves the cleaning effect. Also, the amount of cleaning liquid Wq used can be reduced. This reduces the environmental impact.

[0072] 12 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of the swing cleaning step S1 of the seventh modified example. In the seventh modified example, the bottom 31 of the support 30 is a member having a mesh, and the other parts (the lid 33 and the side wall 35) are composed of closed members without mesh. The swing mechanism 40 is capable of letting air in and out of the internal space of the support 30. The swing mechanism 40 is composed of a pipe connected to the support 30, and an air pump and a valve attached to the pipe.

[0073] Prior to the oscillating cleaning step S1, the support tool 30 containing the model 9 is placed in the cleaning tank 10. The cleaning liquid Wq is stored in the cleaning tank 10. At this time, the cleaning liquid Wq is stored to such an extent that the upper part (part 9p) of the model 9 contained in the cleaning tank 10 is exposed above the liquid level Ls of the cleaning liquid Wq. In this state, the oscillating cleaning step S1 is performed. That is, the oscillating mechanism 40 alternately supplies and exhausts air into the support tool 30. As a result, the air pressure P A Specifically, the pressure P A is the air pressure P outside the support 30 B When the pressure P A The pressure P outside the support 30 B When the liquid level Ls becomes smaller, the liquid level Ls inside the support 30 becomes higher than the liquid level Ls outside the support 30 (stage ST22). In addition, the liquid level Ls inside the support 30 oscillates up and down relative to the model 9 supported in the support 30. As a result, stage ST21 in which a part 9p of the model 9 is exposed above the liquid level Ls and stage ST22 in which the part 9p of the model 9 is immersed below the liquid level Ls are alternately and repeatedly executed.

[0074] In the above example, the position of the bottom 31 may be elevated so that the entire object 9 contained in the cleaning tank 10 is exposed above the liquid level Ls of the cleaning liquid Wq. In this case, a step of exposing the entire object 9 above the liquid level Ls and a step of immersing the entire object 9 below the liquid level Ls are alternately and repeatedly performed. Alternatively, the cleaning liquid Wq may be stored to such an extent that the entire object 9 contained in the cleaning tank 10 is submerged below the liquid level Ls of the cleaning liquid Wq, and the rocking mechanism 40 may be configured to increase the pressure P A Increase the pressure P outside the support 30 B By increasing the pressure P A By lowering the pressure P outside the support 30 B When the liquid levels Ls are set to the same height inside and outside the support 30, the liquid levels Ls will be the same height inside and outside the support 30. These steps may be repeated alternately.

[0075] The rocking mechanism 40 may be configured to change the pressure PB outside the support 30. For example, the top of the cleaning tank 10 may be closed with a lid, and the rocking mechanism 40 may introduce air into or release air from the space within the closed cleaning tank 10.

[0076] <2. Modification> Although the embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above, and various modifications are possible. For example, in addition to the vibration cleaning process S1, other cleaning methods may be performed. Other cleaning methods include air blow cleaning, IPA spray cleaning, blast cleaning (wet blast or dry blast using dry ice (CO2), etc.), cleaning in which a microbubble generator is provided in the cleaning tank 10 and microbubbles are supplied into the cleaning liquid, cleaning in which bubbling is performed in the liquid, brush cleaning, cleaning by exposure to solvent vapor, foreign matter removal using centrifugal force, and foreign matter removal by vibration.

[0077] Alternatively, the cleaning liquid supply unit 20 may not be provided with the nozzle 21, and a supply port may be provided on the bottom or side of the cleaning tank 10, and the cleaning liquid may be supplied from the supply port. The cleaning liquid supply unit 20 may not be provided, and the user may pour the cleaning liquid into the cleaning tank. Alternatively, the support tool 30 may not be provided, and the modeled object 9 may rotate while floating in the cleaning liquid. In this case, the frequency at which the modeled object 9 rotates while floating in the cleaning liquid may be confirmed in advance by experiment. This frequency may be set in the control unit 60 by the user operating the input device 67. Alternatively, when cleaning a plurality of predetermined types of modeled objects 9, a combination of identification information for identifying the type of the modeled object 9 and a frequency at which each type of modeled object 9 rotates while floating in the cleaning liquid may be stored in the memory 63, and the control unit 60 may automatically set the frequency selected based on the identification information of the modeled object 9 to be cleaned.

[0078] 2, the suction step S2 may be performed once or multiple times during the rocking cleaning step S1. For example, the suction step S2 may be performed every time the whole or part of the model 9 is exposed from the cleaning liquid Wq once or multiple times. The control unit 60 may automatically set the number of times the suction step S2 is performed (i.e., how many times the suction step S2 is performed during the rocking cleaning step S1) according to the shape and size of the model 9 estimated based on the 3D data or the like.

[0079] Although the present invention has been described in detail, the above description is merely illustrative in all respects, and the present invention is not limited thereto. It is understood that countless variations not illustrated can be envisioned without departing from the scope of the present invention. The configurations described in the above embodiments and variations can be appropriately combined or omitted as long as they are not mutually contradictory. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 1: Cleaning equipment 9: Modeled object 10: Cleaning tank 20: Cleaning liquid supply unit 30: Support 40: Swing mechanism 71: Adsorbent 73: Soft bag Ls:Liquid level Wq: cleaning solution

Claims

1. A cleaning method for cleaning a shaped object, comprising the steps of: (a) alternately and repeatedly performing a step of immersing at least a part of the object under the surface of the cleaning liquid and a step of exposing at least a part of the object above the surface of the cleaning liquid by vibrating the object, a surface of the cleaning liquid, or both of the object and the cleaning liquid using ultrasonic waves; A cleaning method comprising:

2. 2. The cleaning method according to claim 1, The cleaning method, wherein the step (a) includes a step of raising and lowering the shaped object relative to the cleaning liquid.

3. 2. The cleaning method according to claim 1, The cleaning method, wherein the step (a) includes a step of vibrating a liquid surface of the cleaning liquid.

4. 4. The cleaning method according to claim 3, The cleaning method, wherein the step (a) includes a step of rocking a cleaning tank in which the cleaning liquid is stored.

5. 2. The cleaning method according to claim 1, (b) prior to step (a), placing the shaped object and a cleaning solution in a soft bag; Further comprising: The step (a) of this cleaning method includes a step of alternately repeating a step of immersing the soft bag in a liquid and a step of removing the soft bag from the liquid.

6. A cleaning method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising: (c) removing the object from the stored cleaning liquid after step (a), during step (a), or both, and sucking out the cleaning liquid from within the object; The cleaning method further comprises:

7. 7. The cleaning method according to claim 6, The cleaning method, wherein the step (c) includes a step of pressing the shaped object against an adsorbent.

8. A cleaning device for cleaning a molded object, comprising: a cleaning tank configured to contain a cleaning solution and a model; a support for supporting the object in the cleaning tank; a swinging mechanism that swings the object supported by the support tool relative to a liquid level of the cleaning liquid stored in the cleaning tank; and Equipped with The cleaning device has a rocking mechanism that uses ultrasonic waves to rock the object, the surface of the cleaning liquid, or both, thereby alternately and repeatedly performing a step of immersing at least a portion of the object below the surface of the cleaning liquid and a step of exposing at least a portion of the object above the surface of the cleaning liquid.

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