Cleaning equipment

Abstract

To protect a frame from contamination by a cleaning liquid even when cleaning a workpiece while it is fixed to the frame. [Solution] The cleaning device is a device for cleaning a workpiece fixed to the inside of a frame via a holding member, which is a tape or a flat plate, and includes a stage portion having a mounting surface on which the workpiece is placed together with the frame, and a protective cover that protects the frame placed on the mounting surface from cleaning fluid. The protective cover has a cover body and a sealing portion. Here, the cover body is an annular portion that covers the entire frame around the workpiece while exposing the workpiece during cleaning. The sealing portion is a portion formed by providing an annular sealing member on the inner peripheral edge of the cover body, and the protective cover is configured so that the sealing portion contacts the holding member between the workpiece and the frame or the peripheral portion of the workpiece during cleaning.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cleaning technique for workpieces such as wafers. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for cleaning a workpiece such as a wafer with a cleaning liquid while rotating the workpiece. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-094511 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-148311 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The cleaning technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 may also be applied when cleaning a workpiece while it is fixed to a frame via dicing tape. In this case, there is a problem that the frame becomes contaminated with the cleaning liquid (including machining powder scattered from the workpiece during cleaning) when cleaning the workpiece. If the frame becomes contaminated, there is a risk that foreign matter adhering to the frame will contaminate the workpiece after cleaning.

[0005] Therefore, it is conceivable to wash the frame with new cleaning liquid after washing the workpiece. For example, Patent Document 2 discloses a technique for washing the frame with cleaning liquid. However, if an attempt is made to wash the frame after washing the workpiece, problems such as an increase in the number of steps, contamination of the workpiece with the cleaning liquid during frame washing, and deterioration of the frame due to the cleaning liquid may arise.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to protect the frame from contamination by the cleaning liquid even when cleaning is performed while the workpiece is fixed to the frame. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A cleaning device according to the present invention has the following configuration (Aspect 1). The cleaning device is a device for cleaning a workpiece fixed to the inside of a frame via a holding member that is a tape or a flat plate, and includes a stage unit having a mounting surface on which the workpiece is placed together with the frame, and a protective cover that protects the frame placed on the mounting surface from cleaning liquid. The protective cover has a cover main body and a sealing portion. Here, the cover main body is a ring-shaped portion that, when cleaning the workpiece, covers the entire frame around the workpiece while leaving the workpiece exposed. The sealing portion is a portion formed by providing a ring-shaped sealing member on the inner peripheral edge of the cover main body, and the protective cover is configured so that, when cleaning the workpiece, the sealing portion comes into contact with the holding member between the workpiece and the frame, or the sealing portion comes into contact with the peripheral portion of the workpiece.

[0008] According to the first aspect, by contacting the seal portion with the holding member between the workpiece and the frame, it is possible to seal the gap between the workpiece and the frame with the seal portion while covering the frame with the cover body. Therefore, when cleaning the workpiece, the protective cover can prevent cleaning fluid (including machining powder scattered from the workpiece during cleaning) from scattering and reaching the frame. Furthermore, by contacting the seal portion with the peripheral portion of the workpiece, the protective cover can cover not only the frame but also the peripheral portion of the workpiece, thereby protecting it from the cleaning fluid.

[0009] The cleaning device according to the above-mentioned aspect 1 may have the following configuration (aspect 2). The stage unit may be configured so that the mounting surface can be rotated. Furthermore, the protective cover may be configured so that it rotates integrally with the stage unit when the stage unit rotates (when the mounting surface rotates).

[0010] According to the above-mentioned second aspect, even when the stage part is rotated during cleaning of the workpiece, it is possible to maintain the protection of the frame from the cleaning liquid by the protective cover.

[0011] The cleaning device according to the above-described aspect 1 or 2 may have the following configuration (aspect 3). The cleaning device may further include a first lifting mechanism. The first lifting mechanism is a mechanism that enables the protective cover to be raised and lowered in a first direction perpendicular to the mounting surface, and can move the protective cover between a separated position and a covering position. Here, the separated position is the position of the protective cover when the cover main body is separated from the mounting surface in the first direction. The covering position is the position of the protective cover when, when a workpiece is placed together with a frame on the mounting surface, the frame is entirely covered by the cover main body. Specifically, the stage unit has a peripheral portion that extends outward from the mounting surface, and the first lifting mechanism includes an arm unit and a first movable unit. The arm unit is a portion that supports the protective cover and is slidably provided while penetrating the peripheral portion of the stage unit in the first direction. The first movable part is a part that can move in a first direction, and can abut against the arm part from the side opposite the protective cover and then further rise to lift the arm part, and can move the protective cover to the covering position and then further descend to move away from the arm part.

[0012] According to the above-mentioned aspect 3, by using the first movable part to lift the arm part and move the protective cover to the separated position, it is possible to open the gap between the stage part and the protective cover, and as a result, it becomes possible to carry in and out the workpiece while it is fixed to the frame. Also, by lowering the first movable part and moving it away from the arm part, it becomes possible to rotate the stage part without interference of the first movable part with the arm part, with the protective cover moved to the covered position.

[0013] The cleaning device according to Aspect 3 above may have the following configuration (Aspect 4). The cleaning device may further include a second lifting mechanism. The second lifting mechanism is a mechanism that enables the frame to be raised and lowered in a first direction and includes a pin unit and a second movable unit. A plurality of pin units are provided around the periphery of the mounting surface, and each pin unit has a leg unit that is slidably provided while penetrating the peripheral portion of the stage unit in the first direction, and a head unit that is disposed on the protective cover side and supports the outer peripheral portion of the frame. The second movable unit is movable in the first direction and can contact all of the pin units from the side opposite the protective cover and then further rise to lift the pin units, and can further descend after placing the frame on the mounting surface to separate from the pin units.

[0014] According to the fourth aspect, by moving the second movable part, the pin part can be moved in the first direction between a transfer position where the head part is located above the mounting surface and where the frame is transferred, and a mounting position where the frame is placed on the mounting surface. This makes it possible to transfer the frame (transferring the frame between the frame conveying device and the cleaning device) at a position (transfer position) located above the mounting surface, thereby facilitating the loading and unloading of the frame. Furthermore, by lowering the second movable part and moving it away from the pin part, the workpiece can be placed on the stage part, and the stage part can be rotated without interference of the second movable part with the pin part.

[0015] The cleaning device according to Aspect 4 may have the following configuration (Aspect 5). The first and second movable parts may use a single movable part common to them, and the arm part may have a length in the first direction longer than that of the pin part. As a result, the common movable part first contacts the arm part as it rises, and then as it continues to rise, it contacts the pin part midway.

[0016] According to the above-mentioned aspect 5, by using a common first movable part and a common second movable part, it is possible to simplify the configuration of the two lifting mechanisms (first lifting mechanism and second lifting mechanism) for the protective cover and the pin part. Furthermore, in the above-mentioned aspect 5, by adjusting the lengths of the arm part and the pin part, it is possible to realize the lifting and lowering of the protective cover and the pin part in an appropriate order and timing using only one movable part. Specifically, by using an arm part whose length in the first direction is longer than that of the pin part, the common movable part first contacts the arm part during the process of rising, and then contacts the pin part as it further rises.

[0017] As a result, when the protective cover is opened, the protective cover starts to rise first, and after it has progressed to a certain extent, the pin section starts to rise and is moved to the delivery position. Conversely, when the protective cover is closed, the protective cover and the pin section start to fall simultaneously, and then the pin section is moved to the placement position first (i.e., after the frame is placed on the placement surface), and the protective cover is further lowered and moved to the covering position.

[0018] The cleaning device according to any one of the above aspects 3 to 5 may have the following configuration (aspect 6). The cleaning device may further include a fixing mechanism. The fixing mechanism is a mechanism that draws and fixes the protective cover toward the mounting surface after the protective cover has moved to the covering position, and includes a suction pad and a suction mechanism. The suction pad is installed on the back surface of the cover body of the protective cover, and comes into contact with the peripheral portion of the stage portion when the protective cover has moved to the covering position. The suction mechanism is a mechanism that creates negative pressure within the suction pad when the suction pad is in contact with the peripheral portion of the stage portion. When the suction pad is in contact with the peripheral portion of the stage portion, the suction mechanism creates negative pressure within the pad, causing elastic deformation, which draws the protective cover toward the mounting surface and brings the seal portion into pressure contact with the holding member or the workpiece.

[0019] According to the sixth aspect, the elastic force (repulsion force) of the suction pad can prevent or mitigate collision of the seal portion with the mounting surface that may occur when the protective cover is lowered to the covering position. As a result, damage to the seal portion that may occur due to collision with the mounting surface can be prevented. Furthermore, the suction force of the suction mechanism elastically deforms the suction pad against its elastic force (repulsion force), thereby pressing the seal portion against the holding member or the workpiece. As a result, when the seal portion is brought into contact with the holding member between the workpiece and the frame, the protective cover can be fixed on the stage unit with the seal portion reliably sealing between the workpiece and the frame. Furthermore, when the seal portion is brought into contact with the peripheral portion of the workpiece, the protective cover can be fixed on the stage unit with both the peripheral portion of the workpiece and the frame reliably protected from the cleaning liquid. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] According to the present invention, even when cleaning a workpiece while it is fixed to a frame, the frame can be protected from contamination by the cleaning liquid. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] 1A is a cross-sectional view conceptually showing a cleaning device according to an embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a block diagram conceptually showing the configuration of the cleaning device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an enlarged right half of the cross-sectional view of FIG. 1(A). [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are a cross-sectional view and a partial cross-sectional view showing the operation of the cleaning device. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the operation subsequent to that of FIG. [Figure 5] 5 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the operation continued from FIG. 4. [Figure 6] 6A is a partial cross-sectional view showing a continuation of the operation of FIG. 5, and FIG. 6B is an enlarged view showing the J1 region in the cross-sectional view with the first lifting mechanism and the second lifting mechanism omitted. [Figure 7]6A is a partial cross-sectional view showing a continuation of the operation shown in FIG. 6A, and FIG. 6B is an enlarged view showing the J2 region in the cross-sectional view with the first lifting mechanism and the second lifting mechanism omitted. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] [1] Implementation FIG. 1(A) is a cross-sectional view conceptually illustrating a cleaning apparatus according to an embodiment, and FIG. 1(B) is a block diagram conceptually illustrating the configuration of the cleaning apparatus. FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an enlarged right half of the cross-sectional view of FIG. 1(A). The cleaning apparatus of this embodiment is an apparatus for cleaning a workpiece W (such as a wafer or substrate; see FIG. 3(A)) fixed to the inside of a frame 101 via tape 102 (such as dicing tape), and includes a stage unit 1, a protective cover 2, a first lifting mechanism 3, a second lifting mechanism 4, a fixing mechanism 5, and a control device 6. The configuration of each unit will be described in detail below. Note that a flat plate such as a thin plastic plate (film) may be used as a holding member for fixing the workpiece W to the inside of the frame 101 instead of the tape 102.

[0023] <Stage section> The stage unit 1 has a mounting surface 10a (top surface in FIG. 1(A) ; see also FIGS. 4 and 5 ) on which the workpiece W to be cleaned is placed together with a frame 101. In this embodiment, the stage unit 1 has a central portion 11 where the mounting surface 10a is formed, and a peripheral portion 12 that extends outward from the mounting surface 10a. As will be described in detail later, this peripheral portion 12 is used to support the arm portion 31 of the first lifting mechanism 3, support the pin portion 41 of the second lifting mechanism 4, and suction-fix the protective cover 2 by the fixing mechanism 5.

[0024] The stage unit 1 includes a chuck mechanism. This chuck mechanism is a mechanism for adsorbing and fixing the tape 102 to which the workpiece W is attached to the mounting surface 10a when the workpiece W is placed on the mounting surface 10a. In this embodiment, the chuck mechanism is a mechanism for adhering and fixing the tape 102 to the mounting surface 10a by vacuum suction. Specifically, an annular seal portion 13 (such as a V-ring) is provided along the periphery of the mounting surface 10a. When the frame 101 is placed on this seal portion 13, the gap between the tape 102 and the mounting surface 10a is sealed by the seal portion 13. In this state, vacuum suction is performed by a suction device 14 (see FIG. 1(B)) through a suction port (not shown) provided in the mounting surface 10a, so that the tape 102 is adhering and fixed to the mounting surface 10a. Note that the chuck mechanism may be appropriately changed to one that adsorbs and fixes the tape 102 to the mounting surface 10a using an electrostatic chuck or the like.

[0025] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the stage unit 1 is configured so that its mounting surface 10a can rotate. Specifically, a rotation shaft 201 is supported by bearings 202 (such as ball bearings or roller bearings), and the rotation shaft 201 is connected to the back surface 10b of the stage unit 1 (the surface opposite to the mounting surface 10a; the bottom surface in FIG. 1(A)). More specifically, the stage unit 1 is connected to the rotation shaft 201 so that the center of the mounting surface 10a becomes the center of rotation. Note that the rotation shaft 201 may be supported by a plain bearing instead of the bearing 202. Furthermore, the rotation of the stage unit 1 (rotation of the mounting surface 10a) may be achieved by another configuration (rotation means) that is not limited to the configuration in which the rotation shaft 201 supported by the bearing 202 or plain bearing is connected to the stage unit 1.

[0026] <Protective cover> The protective cover 2 is a cover that protects the frame 101 placed on the placement surface 10a from the cleaning liquid used to clean the workpiece W (including machining powder and the like that scatters from the workpiece W during cleaning).

[0027] Specifically, the protective cover 2 has a cover body 21 and a seal portion 22 (see FIGS. 1A and 2). The cover body 21 is an annular portion and is configured to have an opening 210 that exposes the workpiece W to the inside when the workpiece W is cleaned (see FIG. 7A). The cover body 21 is also configured to be able to cover the entire frame 101 around the workpiece W. Specifically, the opening 210 is formed in the cover body 21 so that the center of the opening 210 coincides with the center of the mounting surface 10a of the stage unit 1 when viewed from a first direction D1 perpendicular to the mounting surface 10a. The seal portion 22 is a portion formed by providing an annular seal member (such as a lip seal) around the inner periphery of the cover body 21. The seal portion 22 is configured to contact the tape 102 between the workpiece W and the frame 101 during cleaning of the workpiece W, thereby sealing the entire periphery between them (see FIGS. 7A and 7B). The cover body 21 and the seal portion 22 may be integrally formed.

[0028] In this embodiment, even when the stage part 1 is rotated during cleaning of the workpiece W, the protective cover 2 is configured to be able to rotate integrally with the stage part 1 when the stage part 1 rotates (when the mounting surface 10a rotates), in order to maintain protection of the frame 101 from the cleaning liquid (covering the frame 101 and sealing between the workpiece W and the frame 101) by the protective cover 2. Details of the configuration that makes this possible will become clear in the following explanation.

[0029] <First lifting mechanism> The first lifting mechanism 3 is a mechanism that enables the protective cover 2 to be raised and lowered in a first direction D1 perpendicular to the mounting surface 10a, and is configured to move the protective cover 2 between a separated position Ps1 (see FIGS. 2 and 3B) and a covered position Ps2 (see FIG. 6A). Here, the separated position Ps1 is the position of the protective cover 2 when the cover body 21 is separated from the mounting surface 10a in the first direction D1, and is the position when the cover body 21 is separated from the mounting surface 10a by a distance sufficient to allow the workpiece W to be carried in and out (specifically, the workpiece W to be carried in and out while fixed to the frame 101). The covered position Ps2 is the position of the protective cover 2 when the frame 101 is entirely covered by the cover body 21 when the workpiece W is placed on the mounting surface 10a together with the frame 101.

[0030] Specifically, the first lifting mechanism 3 includes an arm unit 31, a first movable unit 32, and a translational drive unit 33 (see FIGS. 1A to 2). The arm unit 31 supports the protective cover 2 and is slidably disposed in a state where it penetrates the peripheral portion 12 of the stage unit 1 in the first direction D1. The first movable unit 32 is a unit that can move (translate) in the first direction D1, and is configured to be able to abut against the arm unit 31 from the side opposite the protective cover 2 (see FIG. 5), and then further rise to lift the arm unit 31 (see FIGS. 4 and 3B), and to move the protective cover 2 to the covering position Ps2 and then further descend to separate from the arm unit 31 (see FIG. 6A). The driving force for moving (translating) the first movable unit 32 in the first direction D1 in this manner is obtained from the translational drive unit 33 (see FIG. 1B).

[0031] In this embodiment, a plurality of arm portions 31 (for example, two on the left and right as shown in FIG. 1A ) are provided around the mounting surface 10a, and their upper ends are connected to the back surface 21a of the cover body 21 (the lower surface in the example of FIG. 1A ). The arm portions 31 are all configured to have the same length in the first direction D1 (in other words, when the cover body 21 is positioned horizontally, the lower ends of all the arm portions 31 are aligned at the same height). Furthermore, the first movable portion 32 is configured as an annular member (an annular flat plate in the example of FIG. 1A ), and is horizontally disposed so as to be able to move up and down along the rotation shaft 201 with the rotation shaft 201 passing through its interior. This allows the lower ends of all the arm portions 31 to simultaneously abut against the upper surface 32a of the first movable portion 32 during the upward movement of the first movable portion 32. Conversely, when the first movable portion 32 is downwardly moved, the lower ends of all the arm portions 31 can be separated from the upper surface 32a of the first movable portion 32 during the downward movement of the first movable portion 32.

[0032] According to the first lifting mechanism 3, the first movable part 32 lifts the arm part 31 to move the protective cover 2 to the separated position Ps1 (see FIG. 3B), thereby opening the gap between the stage part 1 and the protective cover 2. As a result, the workpiece W can be loaded and unloaded while being fixed to the frame 101. In addition, by lowering the first movable part 32 to separate it from the arm part 31 (see FIG. 6A), the stage part 1 can be rotated by the rotation drive part 203 (see FIG. 1B) without interference of the first movable part 32 with the arm part 31, with the protective cover 2 moved to the covering position Ps2. Furthermore, when the protective cover 2 is raised and lowered in the first direction D1, the positional relationship between the protective cover 2 and the stage part 1 can always be maintained in the same state (specifically, when viewed from the first direction D1 perpendicular to the mounting surface 10a of the stage part 1, the center of the opening 210 of the protective cover 2 is aligned with the center of the mounting surface 10a).

[0033] <Second lifting mechanism> The second lifting mechanism 4 is a mechanism that enables the frame 101 to be raised and lowered in the first direction D1, and includes a pin portion 41 and a second movable portion 42 (see FIGS. 1A and 2).

[0034] The pin portion 41 has a leg portion 411 and a head portion 412 (see FIG. 2), and the leg portion 411 is provided so as to be slidable in the first direction D1 while penetrating the peripheral portion 12 of the stage portion 1. The head portion 412 is a portion that supports the outer peripheral portion of the frame 101 (see FIG. 3(B)), and the pin portion 41 is arranged with the head portion 412 facing toward the protective cover 2. A plurality of such pin portions 41 are provided around the mounting surface 10a. Specifically, three or more pin portions 41 are provided so as to support the outer peripheral portion of the frame 101 at at least three points.

[0035] On the other hand, in this embodiment, the above-described first movable part 32 also serves as the second movable part 42 (see FIG. 2). In other words, one common movable part is used for the first movable part 32 and the second movable part 42. The first movable part 32, which also functions as the second movable part 42, is configured to be able to abut against all of the pin parts 41 from the side opposite the protective cover 2 (see FIG. 4), and then further rise to lift the pin parts 41 (see FIG. 3(B)), and to move away from the pin parts 41 by further descending after the frame 101 is placed on the mounting surface 10a (see FIGS. 5 and 6(A)).

[0036] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the pin portions 41 are configured so that all have the same length in the first direction D1. The lower limit of the movable range of all pin portions 41 is set to be the same position in the first direction D1 (in other words, so that when the pin portions 41 reach their lower limits, all of their lower ends are aligned at the same height), and the pin portions 41 are always biased toward that position (the lower limit of the movable range). The example in FIG. 2 shows a case in which, to enable such movement of the pin portions 41, a flange 430 is provided on the leg portion 411, is slidably housed in a cylinder 431, and the flange 430 is biased downward within the cylinder 431 by a compression spring 432. This allows the lower ends of all pin portions 41 to abut simultaneously against the upper surface 32a of the first movable portion 32, which also functions as the second movable portion 42, while the first movable portion 32 is being raised; conversely, when the first movable portion 32 is being lowered, the lower ends of all pin portions 41 can be moved away from the upper surface 32a of the first movable portion 32 while the first movable portion 32 is being lowered.

[0037] According to such a second lifting mechanism 4, by moving the first movable part 32, which also functions as the second movable part 42, all of the pin parts 41 can be moved to a transfer position Pt1 (see Figure 3(B)) where the head parts 412 are positioned above the loading surface 10a in the first direction D1 and where the frame 101 is transferred, while maintaining their head parts 412 aligned at the same position (height) in the first direction D1, and to a loading position Pt2 (see Figure 4) where the frame 101 is placed on the loading surface 10a.

[0038] This makes it possible to transfer the frame 101 (transfer of the frame 101 between a frame conveying device (not shown) and a cleaning device) at a position (transfer position Pt1) above the placement surface 10a, thereby facilitating the loading and unloading of the frame 101. Specifically, when loading and unloading the frame 101, the protective cover 2 is opened and the pins 41 are moved to the transfer position Pt1, and the frame 101 can be loaded by simply moving the frame 101 horizontally to the transfer position Pt1 using the frame conveying device (not shown) and placing it on the heads 412 of the pins 41. Furthermore, the frame 101 can be unloaded by simply lifting the frame 101 slightly from the heads 412 of the pins 41 using the frame conveying device (not shown) and pulling it out horizontally from the transfer position Pt1.

[0039] In this embodiment, a protrusion 414 is provided in the center of the top surface of the head 412 of all pin portions 41 (see Figure 2), and this protrusion 414 makes it possible to position the frame 101 when the frame 101 is placed on the head 412 at the transfer position Pt1 and to prevent the frame 101 from falling from the head 412 (see Figure 3(B)).

[0040] Furthermore, according to the second lifting mechanism 4 described above, by lowering the first movable part 32 and moving it away from the pin part 41 (see Figure 6(A)), it is possible to complete the placement of the workpiece W on the stage part 1, and it becomes possible to rotate the stage part 1 by the rotation drive part 203 (see Figure 1(B)) without the first movable part 32 interfering with the pin part 41.

[0041] Specifically, by lowering the first movable part 32 (a movable part common to the first lifting mechanism 3 and the second lifting mechanism 4) and separating it from both the pin part 41 and the arm part 31 (see Figure 6 (A)), it becomes possible to cover the frame 101 with the protective cover 2 while the workpiece W is placed on the mounting surface 10a of the stage part 1, and furthermore, it becomes possible to rotate the stage part 1 without interfering with either the pin part 41 or the arm part 31 with the first movable part 32 (in other words, with the stage part 1 completely separated from the first movable part 32).

[0042] Furthermore, by making the first movable part 32 and the second movable part 42 common as in this embodiment, the configuration of the two lifting mechanisms (first lifting mechanism 3 and second lifting mechanism 4) for the protective cover 2 and the pin part 41 can be simplified.

[0043] In this embodiment, the protective cover 2 and the pin portion 41 can be raised and lowered in an appropriate order and at an appropriate timing by adjusting the lengths of the arm portion 31 and the pin portion 41, using only one movable portion (here, the first movable portion 32). Specifically, the arm portion 31 has a length in the first direction D1 that is longer than that of the pin portion 41, so that the first movable portion 32 (common movable portion) first comes into contact with the arm portion 31 as it rises (see FIG. 5), and then, as it further rises, comes into contact with the pin portion 41 midway (see FIG. 4).

[0044] As a result, when the protective cover 2 is opened, the protective cover 2 first starts to rise (see FIG. 5), and after it has progressed to a certain extent, the pin portions 41 start to rise and can be moved to the delivery position Pt1 (see FIGS. 4 and 3(B)). Conversely, when the protective cover 2 is closed, the protective cover 2 and the pin portions 41 start to fall simultaneously (see FIG. 3(B)), and then the pin portions 41 are moved to the placement position Pt2 (i.e., after the frame 101 is placed on the placement surface 10a; see FIG. 4), and the protective cover 2 is then further lowered and can be moved to the covering position Ps2 (see FIGS. 5 and 6(A)).

[0045] <Fixing mechanism> The fixing mechanism 5 is a mechanism that pulls the protective cover 2 toward the placement surface 10a and fixes it after the protective cover 2 moves to the covering position Ps2 (see Figures 6(B) and 7(B)), and is equipped with an adsorption pad 51 and a suction mechanism 52 (see Figures 1(A) to 2).

[0046] The suction pad 51 is a bellows-shaped pad with a suction port 51a formed at the tip, and is installed on the back surface 21a (the underside in the example of FIG. 2) of the cover body 21 of the protective cover 2 with the suction port 51a facing towards the stage part 1. The suction pad 51 is configured so that the suction port 51a can come into contact with the peripheral part 12 of the stage part 1 without any gaps when the protective cover 2 moves to the covering position Ps2 (see FIG. 6(B)).

[0047] The suction mechanism 52 is a mechanism that creates a negative pressure inside the suction pad 51 while the suction ports 51a of the suction pad 51 are in tight contact with the peripheral portion 12. Specifically, the suction mechanism 52 is composed of a suction port (not shown) formed at the contact point of the suction pad 51 in the peripheral portion 12, and a suction device 520 (such as a vacuum pump; see FIG. 1(B)) that reduces the pressure inside the suction pad 51 by suction (including vacuum suction) through the suction port.

[0048] In this embodiment, a plurality of suction pads 51 are provided at equal intervals around the opening 210 of the cover body 21, and are configured so that when the protective cover 2 is placed at the covering position Ps2 (see FIG. 6(B)), all of the suction ports 51a are in contact with the peripheral portion 12 of the stage unit 1 without any gaps. Also, a suction port (not shown) is formed in the peripheral portion 12 of the stage unit 1 at each contact point of the suction pads 51, and when all of the suction ports 51a are in contact with the peripheral portion 12 without any gaps, a negative pressure can be created inside all of the suction pads 51 by suction by the suction mechanism 52.

[0049] As a result, negative pressure is created inside all of the suction pads 51, causing them to elastically deform due to the differential pressure with the outside (see Figure 7(B)), which in turn draws the protective cover 2 toward the mounting surface 10a, causing the sealing portion 22 to be pressed against the tape 102.

[0050] According to this fixing mechanism 5, the elastic force (repulsion force) of the suction pad 51 can prevent or mitigate the collision of the seal portion 22 with the mounting surface 10a that may occur when the protective cover 2 is lowered to the covering position Ps2 (see FIG. 6(B)). As a result, it is possible to prevent damage to the seal portion 22 that may occur due to the collision with the mounting surface 10a. In addition, the suction force of the suction mechanism 52 causes the suction pad 51 to elastically deform against its own elastic force (repulsion force), thereby making it possible to press the seal portion 22 against the tape 102 (see FIG. 7(B)). As a result, it is possible to fix the protective cover 2 on the stage unit 1 with the seal portion 22 reliably sealing between the workpiece W and the frame 101.

[0051] <Control device> The control device 6 (see FIG. 1(B)) is composed of a processing device (such as a CPU, not shown) and a storage device (such as a RAM or ROM, not shown), and controls each part of the cleaning device (such as the first lifting mechanism 3, the second lifting mechanism 4, and the fixing mechanism 5) in accordance with a control program installed in the cleaning device. In this embodiment, the control device 6 executes the following cleaning process.

[0052] Here, before being installed in the cleaning apparatus, the control program may be stored in a readable state on a portable storage medium (for example, a flash memory, etc.), or may be stored in a downloadable state on another server, etc. The control process (cleaning process, etc.) performed by the control device 6 is not limited to being realized by software through the execution of a program, but may also be realized by hardware using a processing circuit built in the cleaning apparatus.

[0053] The cleaning process begins when the first movable part 32, which also functions as the second movable part 42, is raised to move the protective cover 2 to the separation position Ps1 and move the pin part 41 to the transfer position Pt1 (see Figure 2), and then the frame 101 (the frame 101 to which the workpiece W is fixed) is moved horizontally to the transfer position Pt1 by a frame conveying device (not shown) and placed on the head 412 of the pin part 41, thereby completing the transport of the frame 101 into the cleaning device (see Figures 3(A) and 3(B)).

[0054] When the cleaning process is started, the control device 6 controls the translation drive unit 33 to start the descent of the first movable unit 32, which also functions as the second movable unit 42. As a result, the protective cover 2 is lowered from the separation position Ps1, and in parallel with this, the pin unit 41 is moved from the delivery position Pt1 to the placement position Pt2 (see FIG. 4). As a result, the frame 101 together with the workpiece W is placed on the placement surface 10a before the protective cover 2 reaches the covering position Ps2.

[0055] Thereafter, the control device 6 further lowers the first movable part 32, thereby separating the head 412 of the pin part 41 from the frame 101 (see FIG. 5). As a result, the frame 101 is placed completely on the seal part 13, and the gap between the tape 102 and the mounting surface 10a is sealed by the seal part 13. In this state, the control device 6 drives the suction device 14 to perform vacuum suction, thereby tightly adhering and fixing the tape 102 to the mounting surface 10a.

[0056] Then, the control device 6 further lowers the first movable part 32, thereby separating the first movable part 32 from the lower end of the pin part 41 (see FIG. 5), and further separates the first movable part 32 from the arm part 31 (see FIG. 6(A)). As a result, the protective cover 2 moves to the covering position Ps2, and as a result, all of the suction pads 51 have their suction ports 51a in contact with the peripheral part 12 of the stage part 1 without any gaps (see FIGS. 6(A) and 6(B)). In this state, the control device 6 drives the suction device 520 to perform suction (including vacuum suction), thereby creating a negative pressure inside all of the suction pads 51 and elastically deforming them due to the differential pressure with the outside (see FIG. 7(B)). This causes the protective cover 2 to be pulled toward the mounting surface 10a, with the sealing portion 22 pressed against the tape 102, and as a result, the protective cover 2 is fixed onto the stage portion 1 with the gap between the workpiece W and the frame 101 securely sealed by the sealing portion 22.

[0057] This makes it possible to cover the frame 101 with the cover body 21, while reliably sealing the gap between the workpiece W and the frame 101 with the seal portion 22 (see FIG. 7(B)). Therefore, when cleaning the workpiece W, the protective cover 2 can prevent the cleaning liquid (including machining powder and the like that scatters from the workpiece W during cleaning) from scattering and reaching the frame 101.

[0058] Furthermore, by moving the first movable part 32 away from the arm part 31 as described above, the first movable part 32 is moved away from both the pin part 41 and the arm part 31 (see FIG. 7(A)). Therefore, it becomes possible to rotate the stage part 1 without the first movable part 32 interfering with either the pin part 41 or the arm part 31 (in other words, with the stage part 1 completely separated from the first movable part 32).

[0059] Therefore, the control device 6 controls the rotation drive unit 203 to rotate the stage unit 1, thereby rotating the workpiece W. Then, while rotating the stage unit 1, the control device 6 pours cleaning liquid from above the protective cover 2, thereby cleaning the workpiece W with the cleaning liquid. At this time, the frame 101 is covered with the cover body 21 of the protective cover 2, and the gap between the frame 101 and the workpiece W is securely sealed by the seal unit 22. Therefore, even if the cleaning liquid (including machining powder and the like that scatters from the workpiece W due to cleaning) scatters, it will be securely blocked by the protective cover 2 before it reaches the frame 101.

[0060] After cleaning the workpiece W, the control device 6 continues to rotate the stage unit 1, thereby using centrifugal force to blow off and remove the cleaning liquid adhering to the surface of the workpiece W and the tape 102. At this time, the control device 6 may increase the rotation speed of the stage unit 1 to increase the centrifugal force. To remove the cleaning liquid, air blowing or drying may be used in addition to or instead of the rotation speed of the stage unit 1. The control device 6 then stops the rotation of the stage unit 1 and controls the translation drive unit 33 to start raising the first movable unit 32. As a result, the first movable unit 32 initially contacts the arm unit 31 during the upward movement (see FIG. 5). From this state, the control device 6 further raises the first movable unit 32, causing the first movable unit 32 to lift the arm unit 31. This causes the protective cover 2 to move toward the separation position Ps1, thereby opening the gap between the stage unit 1 and the protective cover 2.

[0061] Thereafter, the first movable part 32 comes into contact with all of the pins 41 as it rises (see FIG. 4). From this state, the control device 6 further raises the first movable part 32, causing the first movable part 32 to lift all of the pins 41 together with the arm part 31, thereby moving the pins 41 from the placement position Pt2 to the delivery position Pt1 and simultaneously moving the protective cover 2 to the separation position Ps1 (see FIGS. 3(A) and 3(B)). From this state, the frame 101 is pulled out from the delivery position Pt1 by a frame transport device (not shown).

[0062] [2] Variation [2-1] First modified example In the above-described cleaning device, the second movable part 42 is not limited to the case where the first movable part 32 is also used as the second movable part 42, but may be configured separately from the first movable part 32. In that case, the translation drive part 33 for the first movable part 32 may also be used for the movement (translation) of the second movable part 42, or a translation drive part different from that may be used.

[0063] [2-2] Second variant In the above-described cleaning device, the protective cover 2 may be configured so that the seal portion 22 comes into contact with the peripheral portion of the workpiece W, thereby covering not only the frame 101 but also the peripheral portion of the workpiece W to protect it from the cleaning liquid. In this case, the fixing mechanism 5 presses the seal portion 22 against the workpiece W, and as a result, the protective cover 2 is fixed onto the stage unit 1 in a state in which it can reliably protect both the peripheral portion of the workpiece W and the frame 101 from the cleaning liquid.

[0064] The above-described embodiments and modifications should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined not by the above-described embodiments and modifications, but by the claims. Furthermore, the scope of the present invention is intended to include all modifications that are equivalent to the scope of the claims and fall within the scope thereof.

[0065] Furthermore, from the above-described embodiments and variant examples, the subject matter of the invention is not limited to the cleaning device, but may also include a partial configuration of the cleaning device, or a part or all of the cleaning process (including the corresponding cleaning method) performed using the cleaning device, or even a program for executing them. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 1 Stage section 2 Protective Cover 3 First lifting mechanism 4 Second lifting mechanism 5 Fixing mechanism 6. Control device double work 10a Placement surface 10b back 11 Central part 12 Periphery 13 Seal part 14 Suction device 21 Cover body 21a Back 22 Seal part 31 Arm section 32 1st moving part 32a top surface 33 Translation drive unit 41 Pin section 42 Second moving part 51 Suction pad 51a Suction port 52 Suction mechanism D1 1st direction 101 frames 102 Tape 201 Rotation axis 202 Bearing 203 Rotation drive unit 210 Opening 411 Legs 412 Head 414 Protrusion 430 Tsuba 431 Cylinder 432 Compression Spring 520 Suction device Ps1 Separate position Ps2 Covering position Pt1 Delivery position Pt2 Placement position

Claims

1. A cleaning device that cleans a workpiece fixed to the inside of a frame via a holding member that is a tape or a flat plate, a stage portion having a mounting surface on which the workpiece is mounted together with the frame and a peripheral portion extending outward from the mounting surface; a protective cover that protects the frame placed on the placement surface from a cleaning liquid; a first lifting mechanism that enables the protective cover to be raised and lowered in a first direction perpendicular to the placement surface; Equipped with The protective cover is an annular cover body that covers the entire frame around the workpiece while exposing the workpiece when cleaning the workpiece; a ring-shaped seal portion provided on the inner peripheral edge of the cover body, the seal portion contacting the holding member between the workpiece and the frame or contacting the peripheral portion of the workpiece when cleaning the workpiece; and the first lifting mechanism is a mechanism that can move the protective cover to a spaced position in the first direction where the cover body is spaced from the placement surface, and a covering position where the frame and the workpiece are placed on the placement surface and the cover body covers the entire frame, The first lifting mechanism is an arm portion supporting the protective cover, the arm portion being slidably provided while passing through the peripheral edge portion in the first direction; a first movable unit that is movable in the first direction, that is capable of contacting the arm unit from the side opposite to the protective cover and then further lifting the arm unit, and that is capable of moving the protective cover to the covering position and then further lowering to separate from the arm unit; A cleaning device comprising:

2. the stage portion is configured so that the mounting surface can be rotated, The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the protective cover rotates integrally with the stage when the stage rotates.

3. a second lifting mechanism that enables the frame to be raised and lowered in the first direction; The second lifting mechanism is a plurality of pins provided around the mounting surface, each of the pins having a leg portion slidably provided in a state of penetrating the peripheral edge portion in the first direction, and a head portion disposed on the protective cover side and supporting the outer peripheral edge portion of the frame; a second movable unit that is movable in the first direction, and that can contact all of the pins from the side opposite to the protective cover and then further rise to lift the pins, and that can move away from the pins by further descending after placing the frame on the placement surface; The cleaning device according to claim 1 or 2, comprising:

4. 4. The cleaning device according to claim 3, wherein the first movable part and the second movable part use a common movable part, and the arm part has a length in the first direction that is longer than that of the pin part, so that the common movable part first contacts the arm part as it rises, and then contacts the pin part as it further rises.

5. a fixing mechanism that, after the protective cover has moved to the covering position, pulls the protective cover toward the placement surface and fixes it; The fixing mechanism includes: a suction pad that is installed on a rear surface of a cover body of the protective cover and that comes into contact with a peripheral portion of the stage portion when the protective cover is moved to the covering position; a suction mechanism that creates a negative pressure inside the suction pad while the suction pad is in contact with the peripheral portion; Equipped with 3. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein when the suction pad is in contact with the peripheral portion, the suction mechanism creates a negative pressure inside the pad, causing the suction pad to elastically deform, thereby drawing the protective cover toward the placement surface and causing the sealing portion to be pressed against the holding member or the workpiece.

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