Contact cleaning surface

Abstract

A contact cleaning surface (10) of a contact cleaning roller configured to collect and / or remove contaminant particles from a contaminated substrate is provided, the contact cleaning surface including a frame defining a plurality of recessed cells (14), the frame having at least one wall defining a perimeter of each cell, the at least one wall having a pair of parallel, opposing surfaces rising substantially perpendicularly from a base surface and terminating in a contact surface configured to contact the contaminated substrate, the at least one wall having substantially the same cross-sectional area between the base surface and the contact surface. Also provided are contact cleaning apparatuses and methods for collecting and / or removing contaminant particles from contaminated substrates, each configured to collect and / or remove contaminant particles from a contaminated substrate.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] [Related Applications] This application claims the benefit of UK Patent Application No. 2008240.0, entitled "A CONTACT CLEANING SURFACE," filed on June 2, 2020, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] [Field of Disclosure] The present invention relates to contact cleaning surfaces. In particular, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to contact cleaning surfaces of contact cleaning rollers configured to collect and / or remove contaminant particles from contaminated substrates. Furthermore, the present invention relates to contact cleaning rollers, contact cleaning devices, and methods for collecting and / or removing contaminant particles from contaminated substrates. [Background technology]

[0003] [Background of the invention] Contact cleaning is used to clean substrate surfaces, which can then be used in a variety of sophisticated processes, such as in the manufacturing of electronic devices, photovoltaic devices, and flat panel displays. Typically, a cleaning roller made of rubber or elastomer is used to remove contaminant particles from the contaminated substrate, and then an adhesive roll can be used to remove the contaminant particles from the cleaning roller. This maximizes the efficiency of the cleaning roller in removing the contaminant particles.

[0004] Referring to FIG. 1(a), rubber or elastomer cleaning rollers often have a microscopically roughened surface 1 within which contaminant particles from a contaminated substrate are received. However, such microscopically roughened surface 1 includes numerous asperities 2 that define a series of valleys 3 for receiving contaminant particles, and has an irregular footprint, i.e., cross-sectional area or cross-sectional shape, from the contact surface to the base of the cleaning surface 1. During use, the rubber or elastomer cleaning roller wears as its outermost microscopically roughened surface 1 contacts the contaminated substrate. Thus, as shown in FIG. 1(b), the irregular cross-sectional area of ​​the asperities 2 formed on the microscopically roughened surface 1 causes the rubber or elastomer roller to wear unevenly across the roller's surface. That is, as can be seen by comparing FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b), the surface contact area of ​​the cleaning surface 1 changes as the roller wears. Therefore, as a cleaning roller made of rubber or elastomer wears during use, its cleaning performance can vary significantly across its surface. The change in surface area of ​​the cleaning surface during use not only leads to inconsistent cleaning performance, but is also problematic in applications where the substrate is, for example, a film. As the cleaning surface area increases or decreases, the adhesion between the roller and the film changes, which can cause the film to wrap around the roller.

[0005] It is therefore an object of at least one aspect of the present invention to avoid or mitigate the above-mentioned problems, and in particular to provide a contact cleaning surface that wears evenly during use, thus ensuring consistent cleaning performance as the surface wears. Summary of the Invention

[0006] [Summary of the Invention] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a contact cleaning surface of a contact cleaning roller configured to collect and / or remove contaminant particles from a contaminated substrate, the contact cleaning surface comprising: a polymer layer defining a contact surface; at least one cell recessed in the polymer layer, the at least one cell having a bottom surface and at least one wall extending between the contact surface and the bottom surface, the at least one wall extending perpendicular to the contact surface; A contact cleaning surface is provided, comprising:

[0007] This provides the advantage of uniform wear of the contact cleaning surface during use, thus maintaining consistent cleaning performance as the contact cleaning surface wears during use.

[0008] In certain embodiments, the bottom surface extends perpendicular to the at least one wall.

[0009] In certain embodiments, the base surface and the contact surface are substantially parallel surfaces. More specifically, at least one wall extends between the base surface and the contact surface substantially perpendicular to both the base surface and the contact surface.

[0010] In certain embodiments, the ratio between the surface area of ​​the contact surface and the surface area of ​​the bottom surface remains substantially the same as the contact surface wears away from the contaminated substrate during use.

[0011] In certain embodiments, the surface area of ​​the contact surface is in the range of 10% to 80% of the total surface area of ​​the contact cleaning surface.

[0012] This provides the advantage that contaminated substrates can be cleaned with optimum efficiency.

[0013] That is, in some embodiments, the contact surface forms 10% to 80% of the total surface area of ​​the contact cleaning surface, or in other words, the footprint of the contact surface forms 10% to 80% of the total surface area of ​​the contact cleaning surface.

[0014] In some embodiments, the total surface area of ​​the contact surface is between 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, or 70% and 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, or 80%. In some embodiments, the range may include any integer lower limit between 10% and 79%. In some embodiments, the range may include any integer upper limit between 11% and 80%.

[0015] In certain embodiments, the at least one cell has a substantially circular and / or substantially polygonal footprint.

[0016] In some embodiments, the at least one cell has a substantially circular, triangular, square, rectangular, or pentagonal footprint, although other polygonal footprints are also contemplated.

[0017] Preferably, the at least one cell has a substantially hexagonal footprint.

[0018] In certain embodiments, the contact cleaning surface comprises a plurality of cells each recessed in a polymeric layer, each cell being spaced apart by a portion of the contact surface.

[0019] In certain embodiments, each of the plurality of cells has a substantially hexagonal footprint, such that the plurality of recessed cells form a substantially honeycomb-like structure.

[0020] The honeycomb structure offers the advantage of optimally efficient cleaning of contaminated substrates. More specifically, the hexagonal cells provide a substantially uniform width (measured between opposing walls), i.e., a consistent contact surface, across the entire surface of the roller. Furthermore, the hexagonal footprint provides optimal packing density across the entire surface of the roller.

[0021] In certain embodiments, each of the plurality of cells recessed in the polymer layer comprises a bottom surface and at least one wall extending between the contact surface and the bottom surface, the at least one wall extending perpendicular to the contact surface.

[0022] In certain embodiments, each of the plurality of cells recessed in the polymer layer comprises a base and six walls that together form a cell with a hexagonal footprint, each wall extending between the contact surface and the base, and each wall extending perpendicular to the contact surface.

[0023] In certain embodiments, the bottom surface extends perpendicular to each of the six walls.

[0024] In some embodiments, at least some, and preferably substantially all or each of the plurality of recessed cells have substantially the same depth, while in other embodiments, at least some, and preferably substantially all or each of the plurality of recessed cells have substantially different depths.

[0025] In some embodiments, at least some, and preferably substantially all or each, of the plurality of recessed cells have substantially the same width or cross-sectional diameter, while in other embodiments, at least some, and preferably substantially all or each, of the plurality of recessed cells have substantially different widths or cross-sectional diameters.

[0026] In some embodiments, at least some, and preferably substantially all, of the plurality of recessed cells have a substantially circular and / or substantially polygonal footprint. In certain embodiments, at least some, and preferably substantially all, of the plurality of recessed cells have a substantially circular, triangular, square, rectangular, and / or pentagonal footprint. Other polygonal footprints are also contemplated.

[0027] In some embodiments, at least some, and preferably substantially all, of the plurality of recessed cells have approximately the same footprint.

[0028] This provides the advantage that the contact cleaning surface is easier and cheaper to manufacture, and provides the further advantage that the contact surface area is consistent across substantially the entire surface of the roller.

[0029] In other embodiments, at least some, and preferably substantially all, of the plurality of recessed cells may have different footprints.

[0030] This provides the advantage that contaminant particles of various sizes and shapes can be collected by the contact cleaning surface.

[0031] In certain embodiments, at least a portion of the plurality of recessed cells are uniformly distributed across at least a portion of the contact cleaning surface.

[0032] Preferably, substantially all of the plurality of recessed cells are uniformly distributed across substantially the entire contact cleaning surface.

[0033] This provides the advantage of consistent cleaning performance across the contact cleaning surface.

[0034] In certain embodiments, the at least one cell has a depth of about 100 microns (micrometers) or less, i.e., the vertical distance between the bottom surface of the recessed cell and the contact surface is about 100 microns or less.

[0035] In some embodiments, the at least one cell has a depth of less than or equal to about 100 microns, 90 microns, 80 microns, 70 microns, 60 microns, 50 microns, 40 microns, 30 microns, 20 microns, or 10 microns, or any integer value therebetween.

[0036] In certain embodiments, the at least one cell has a width or cross-sectional diameter of 100 microns or less, i.e., the lateral distance between diametrically opposed points on the wall of a recessed cell is 100 microns or less.

[0037] In some embodiments, the at least one recessed cell has a width or cross-sectional diameter of less than or equal to about 100 microns, 90 microns, 80 microns, 70 microns, 60 microns, 50 microns, 40 microns, 30 microns, 20 microns, 10 microns, or 1 micron, or any integer value therebetween.

[0038] In certain embodiments, the at least one cell may be sized and shaped such that approximately 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, or 80% of the volume of a contaminant particle may fit within the recessed cells of the contact cleaning surface, i.e., approximately 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, or 80% of the total surface area of ​​the contaminant particle may contact the contact cleaning surface as the contaminant particle is collected and / or removed from the contaminated substrate.

[0039] In certain embodiments, the polymer layer comprises a rubber or elastomeric material.

[0040] In certain embodiments, a portion, preferably substantially the entire, of the contact cleaning surface can be textured or have a surface topography that provides a plurality of recessed cells. The contact cleaning surface can be textured using any suitable mechanical and / or chemical technique, including suitable mechanical, molding, and / or laser structuring means.

[0041] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a contact cleaning roller configured to collect and / or remove contaminant particles from a contaminated substrate, the contact cleaning roller comprising a roll core having a contact cleaning surface as described herein.

[0042] In certain embodiments, the roll core defines a longitudinal axis and the at least one wall extends substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

[0043] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a contact cleaning apparatus for collecting and / or removing contaminant particles from a contaminated substrate, comprising: at least one contact cleaning roller comprising a roll core having a contact cleaning surface as described herein; at least one bonding roll including a roll core having at least one layer of adhesive material thereon, the at least one bonding roll configured to collect and / or remove contaminant particles from the contact cleaning surface of the at least one contact cleaning roller; A contact cleaning device is provided, comprising:

[0044] In certain embodiments, the contact cleaning apparatus further comprises at least one biasing element positioned to bias the contact cleaning roller against the contaminated substrate, hi other embodiments, the contact cleaning roller can contact the contaminated substrate by gravity.

[0045] This provides the advantage that good surface-to-surface engagement or contact is achieved during use, thus maximizing the efficiency of the contact cleaning process.

[0046] In certain embodiments, the contact cleaning apparatus comprises a pair of contact cleaning rollers and a pair of adhesive rolls, each contact cleaning roller independently configured to collect and / or remove contaminant particles from opposing surfaces of a contaminated substrate, and each adhesive roll independently configured to collect and / or remove contaminant particles from each contact cleaning roller.

[0047] This provides the advantage that opposing sides of a contaminated substrate can be cleaned simultaneously.

[0048] According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for collecting and / or removing contaminant particles from a contaminated substrate, comprising the steps of: providing a contaminated substrate having contaminant particles thereon; providing a contact cleaning surface as described herein; contacting and / or urging the contact cleaning surface against the contaminated substrate so as to collect and / or remove at least some or substantially all of the contaminant particles on the contaminated substrate; A method is provided, comprising:

[0049] In certain embodiments, the method includes providing at least one contact cleaning roller with a roll core having the contact cleaning surface thereon.

[0050] In certain embodiments, the method comprises: providing at least one adhesive roll having a roll core with at least one layer of adhesive material thereon; contacting and / or biasing the at least one adhesive roll against the at least one contact cleaning roller so as to collect and / or remove at least a portion or substantially all of the contaminant particles on the contact cleaning surface of the at least one contact cleaning roller; Includes.

[0051] In certain embodiments, the method comprises: providing a pair of contact cleaning rollers, each contact cleaning roller comprising a roll core having said contact cleaning surface thereon; contacting and / or biasing each contact cleaning roller of the pair of contact cleaning rollers against opposing surfaces of the contaminated substrate; providing a pair of bonding rolls, each of the bonding rolls including a roll core having at least one adhesive material thereon; contacting and / or biasing one adhesive roll against one contact cleaning roller and the other adhesive roll against the other contact cleaning roller so that at least some or substantially all of the contaminant particles on each contact cleaning roller are collected and / or removed by the respective adhesive roll; Further includes:

[0052] In certain embodiments, the step of contacting and / or urging the contact cleaning surface against the contaminated substrate comprises rotating the or each contact cleaning roller while the or each contact cleaning roller is in contact with and / or urging against the contaminated substrate such that at least some or substantially all of the contaminant particles on the contaminated substrate are collected and / or removed.

[0053] In certain embodiments, the or each contact cleaning roller is rotated at a speed of between 0.1 cm / s and 5.0 cm / s.

[0054] As described herein, the contaminated substrate can be a sheet material or a web material. More specifically, the contaminated substrate can be a film or a foil. Even more specifically, the film is a plastic material such as polyester, polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), etc. Alternatively, the sheet material or web material is a metal foil. The contaminated substrate can be used in the manufacture of electronic components such as plastic electronics, photovoltaic devices, flat panel displays, etc.

[0055] Preferably, the sheet material has a thickness of less than 250 microns. Even more preferably, the sheet material has a thickness of 100 microns or less. Sheet materials having a thickness of 100 microns or less, preferably 50 microns or less, are often referred to as "thin" sheet materials.

[0056] [Brief description of the drawing] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0057] [Figure 1(a)] 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a prior art contact cleaning surface prior to use. [Figure 1(b)] 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a prior art contact cleaning surface after a period of use.

[0058] [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view of a contact cleaning surface according to one aspect of the present invention;

[0059] [Figure 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view of the contact cleaning surface of FIG. 2 taken along line AA.

[0060] [Figure 4] FIG. 3 shows the contact cleaning surface of FIG. 2 having a contaminant particle therein.

[0061] [Figure 5(a)] 3 is a cross-sectional view of the contact cleaning surface of FIG. 2 taken along line AA before use. [Figure 5(b)] 3 is a cross-sectional view of the contact cleaning surface of FIG. 2 along line AA after a period of use.

[0062] [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a contact cleaning roller according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0063] [Figure 7]1 is a perspective view of an apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0064] [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention.

[0065] [Figure 9] FIG. 1 illustrates a method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0066] [Figure 10] FIG. 4 illustrates a method according to another aspect of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0067] [Detailed explanation] The present invention relates to a contact cleaning surface configured to clean and / or remove contaminant particles from contaminated substrates. For example, the contact cleaning surface described herein may be provided as part of a contact cleaning roller that cleans and / or removes contaminant particles from contaminated substrates, such as electronic devices.

[0068] The use of certain terminology in the following description is for convenience only and is not limiting. The words "right," "left," "lower," "upper," "front," "rear," "upward," "below," and "downward" designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made and with respect to the described components when assembled and installed. The words "inner," "inwardly," "outwardly," and "outwardly" refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, a designated centerline or geometric center (e.g., central axis) of the element being described, with the specific meaning being readily apparent from the context of the description. The terms "distal," "proximal," "inboard," and "laterally" designate orientations of features of components according to normal usage.

[0069] Furthermore, as used herein, the terms "connected," "attached," "coupled," and "mounted" are intended to include a direct connection between two members, where no other members are present between them, and an indirect connection between two members, where one or more other members are present between them. This term includes the words specifically listed above, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.

[0070] Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the use of ordinal adjectives such as "first," "second," "third," etc. is intended merely to indicate that reference is being made to different instances of similar objects and is not intended to imply any obligation for the objects so described to be in a given order, ranking, or any other manner in time or space. Like reference numerals are used throughout to denote like features.

[0071] As shown in FIG. 2, a contact cleaning surface 10 is provided having a polymer layer defining a contact surface 12. The polymer layer is generally constructed of a rubber or elastomeric material. Thus, the polymer layer can be considered a block of rubber or elastomeric material. Other suitable materials are contemplated as well. The contact surface 12 is generally positioned to contact a contaminated substrate during use, as described in more detail below.

[0072] The plurality of cells 14 are recessed into the polymer layer. That is, in the depicted embodiment, the plurality of recessed cells 14 are provided by recessing, etching, stamping, etc., into the polymer layer. Any number of cells 14 may be recessed into the polymer layer. Furthermore, each cell 14, in the depicted embodiment, has a substantially hexagonal footprint. That is, each cell 14 has a substantially hexagonal footprint relative to the plane defined by the contact surface 12. vertical In a plane In , substantially hexagonal in cross section, or having a hexagonal cross-sectional shape. Other footprints or cross-sectional shapes are also contemplated, such as circular or any polygonal shape.

[0073] As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , each cell 14 includes six walls 16 and a bottom surface 18. Thus, each cell 14 includes six walls 16 that define a hexagonal footprint. Each cell 14 is recessed within the polymer layer such that the walls 16 extend within the polymer layer from a proximal end 20, adjacent to and connected to the contact surface 12, to a distal end 22, including the bottom surface 18. Each wall 16 is perpendicular to the contact surface 12, such that the cross-sectional shape of each cell 14 is substantially the same width between the proximal end 20 and the distal end 22, thereby ensuring uniform wear of the contact cleaning surface 10 during use. Furthermore, the bottom surface 18 of each cell 14 is perpendicular to the walls 16; i.e., the bottom surface 18 and the contact surface 12 are substantially parallel. Adjacent cells 14 of the contact cleaning surface 10 are spaced apart by a portion 12′ of the contact surface 12.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 4, during use, the contact cleaning surface 10 can collect and / or remove contaminant particles from a contaminated substrate. In particular, each recessed cell 14 is sized, shaped, or otherwise configured to collect a contaminant particle P. The contaminant particle P may reside entirely within the recessed cell 14, or a portion of the contaminant particle P may be held in place by contacting the walls 16 (see FIG. 3) of the recessed cell 14. The contaminant particle P may be of any size or shape. In general, the recessed cells 14 can be sized and shaped to accommodate the desired contaminant particle P to be removed from the contaminated surface.

[0075] 5(a) and 5(b) show the contact cleaning surface 10 before and after a period of use, respectively. As can be seen from these figures, the contact cleaning surface 10 wears consistently between the proximal end 20 adjacent the contact surface 12 and the distal end 22 adjacent the bottom surface 18. In other words, the cross-sectional shape of each cell 14 remains substantially the same after a period of use. Therefore, the cleaning performance of the contact cleaning surface 10 remains substantially the same throughout its lifespan.

[0076] In particular, the present invention as shown in Figures 5(a) and 5(b) can be directly compared to the prior art as shown in Figures 1(a) and 1(b). For example, after a period of use, frictional contact between the outermost portions of the contact cleaning surfaces 1, 10 and the contaminated substrate can result in unevenness, as shown in Figures 1(b) and 5(b). 2 In the prior art shown in FIG. 2 1(b) have various cross-sectional shapes, and therefore wear irregularly after use, as shown in FIG. 1(b). In particular, the total surface area formed by the contact surfaces of the contact cleaning surface 1 increases after use, resulting in inconsistent cleaning performance across the contact cleaning surface 1. In contrast, as can be seen in FIG. 5(b), the contact cleaning surface 10 wears regularly after use, and therefore the total surface area formed by the contact surfaces of the contact cleaning surface 10 remains substantially the same after use, resulting in consistent cleaning performance across the contact cleaning surface 10.

[0077] As shown in Figure 6, a contact cleaning roller 100 is provided having a roll core 102 and a contact cleaning surface 10. The contact cleaning surface 10 is described in connection with Figures 2-4. In the depicted embodiment, substantially the entire contact cleaning surface 10 of the contact cleaning roller 100 includes a plurality of recessed cells 14, as best shown in Figure 2. The cells 14, and specifically their walls 16, extend generally inwardly and substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L defined by the roll core 102.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 7 , an apparatus 200 is provided for cleaning a contaminated substrate S having a plurality of contaminant particles P thereon. The apparatus 200 includes the contact cleaning roller 100 described in connection with FIG. 6 . Additionally, an adhesive roll 150 is provided that includes a roll core 152 having a layer of adhesive sheet 154. The layer of adhesive sheet 154 may be removably attachable to the roll core 152 such that when the outermost adhesive sheet 154 is depleted, it can be removed to reveal a new, unused layer of adhesive sheet 154. The contact cleaning roller 100, and specifically the contact cleaning surface 10, is constructed of or coated with an elastomeric material to facilitate the removal of impurities, i.e., contaminant particles P, from the contaminated substrate S.

[0079] The contact cleaning roller 100 can be rotatably mounted adjacent to the contaminated substrate S to be cleaned such that the contact cleaning surface 10 can contact the contaminated substrate S at a point on the surface of the contaminated substrate S. In some examples, the contact cleaning roller 100 is biased into contact with the contaminated substrate S. Thus, as the contaminated surface S is transported, the contact cleaning roller 100 rotates and the cleaning surface 10 of the contact cleaning roller 100 removes contaminant particles P from the contaminated substrate S. The contact cleaning roller 100 generally rotates about a longitudinal axis L (see FIG. 6 ) defined by a roll core 102.

[0080] The adhesive roll 150 is in rotatable contact with the contact cleaning roller 100 so as to rotate together with the contact cleaning roller 100 during use. The adhesive roll 150 generally comprises a 6The adhesive roll 150 rotates about a longitudinal axis defined by the roll core 152 in a manner similar to that described in connection with the contact cleaning roller 100. In some examples, the adhesive roll 150 may be biased toward the contact cleaning roller 100 to ensure good contact between the adhesive roll 150 and the contact cleaning roller 100; for example, the adhesive roll core 152 may be biased by a spring toward the roll core 102 of the contact cleaning roller 100. In use, the outermost adhesive sheet 154 contacts the contact cleaning surface 10 having the removed contaminant particles P thereon, cleaning the contact cleaning surface 10 and removing the contaminant particles P from the contact cleaning surface 10.

[0081] 7, in use, the contaminated substrate S is positioned on the apparatus such that the contact cleaning surface 10 of the contact cleaning roller 100 contacts a portion of the contaminated substrate S. 2 00. As the contact cleaning surface 10 rotates, it removes contaminant particles P from the contaminated surface S, thereby cleaning the contaminated surface S. As the contact cleaning roller 100 rotates, the adhesive roll 150 rotates with it, causing the contaminant particles P collected by the contact cleaning roller 100 to contact the adhesive sheet 154 of the adhesive roll 150. At this point, the adhesive sheet 154 removes the contaminant particles P from the contact cleaning surface 10, thereby cleaning the contact cleaning surface 10. This process is repeated until the contaminated substrate S is clean and free of contaminant particles P.

[0082] As shown in FIG. 8, another apparatus 300 for cleaning a contaminated substrate S having a plurality of contaminant particles P thereon is provided. The apparatus 300 includes a first contact cleaning roller 100a having a contact cleaning surface 10a and a second contact cleaning roller 100b having a contact cleaning surface 10b. The contact cleaning rollers 100a, 100b are as described in connection with FIG. 6. Additionally, a first bonding roll 150a having a first roll core 152a and a second bonding roll 150b having a second roll core 152b are provided. Each bonding roll 150a, 150b includes a layer of adhesive sheet 154a, 154b. The layers of adhesive sheets 154a, 154b may be removably attachable to their respective roll cores 152a, 152b such that when the outermost adhesive sheet 154a, 154b is exhausted it can be removed to reveal a new, unused layer of adhesive sheet 154a, 154b. The contact cleaning rollers 100a, 100b, and specifically the contact cleaning surfaces 10a, 10b, are constructed of or coated with an elastomeric material to facilitate the removal of impurities, i.e., contaminant particles P, from the contaminated substrate S.

[0083] The contact cleaning rollers 100a, 100b can be rotatably mounted adjacent to the contaminated substrate S to be cleaned such that the contact cleaning surfaces 10a, 10b can contact opposing surfaces of the contaminated substrate S. In some examples, one or each contact cleaning roller 100a, 100b can be biased into contact with the contaminated substrate S. Thus, as the contaminated surface S is transported, the contact cleaning rollers 100a, 100b rotate and the cleaning surfaces 10a, 10b of the contact cleaning rollers 100a, 100b remove contaminant particles P from both sides of the contaminated substrate S. The contact cleaning rollers 100a, 100b generally rotate about a longitudinal axis L (see FIG. 6 ) defined by their respective roll cores 102a, 102b.

[0084] Each of the bonding rolls 150a, 150b is in rotatable contact with its respective contact cleaning roller 100a, 100b so as to rotate together with the respective contact cleaning roller 100a, 100b during use. The bonding rolls 150a, 150b generally rotate about a longitudinal axis L defined by their respective roll cores 102a, 102b in a manner similar to that described in connection with FIG. 6. In some examples, to ensure good contact between the bonding rolls 150a, 150b and their respective contact cleaning rollers 100a, 100b, the bonding rolls 150a, 150b may be biased toward their respective contact cleaning rollers 100a, 100b; for example, each of the bonding roll cores 152a, 152b may be independently spring-biased toward their respective roll cores 102a, 102b of the contact cleaning rollers 100a, 100b. In use, each of the outermost adhesive sheets 154a, 154b contacts the respective contact cleaning surface 10a, 10b having the contaminant particles P removed therefrom and cleans the contact cleaning surface 10a, 10b to remove the contaminant particles P therefrom.

[0085] 8, during use, a contaminated substrate S is fed into the apparatus 300 so that the contact cleaning surfaces 10a, 10b of the contact cleaning rollers 100a, 100b contact opposing surfaces of the contaminated substrate S. As the contact cleaning surfaces 10a, 10b rotate, they remove contaminant particles P from each side of the contaminated surface S, thereby cleaning both sides of the contaminated surface S. As the contact cleaning rollers 100a, 100b rotate, the adhesive rolls 150a, 150b rotate therewith, causing contaminant particles P collected by the respective contact cleaning rollers 100a, 100b to contact the adhesive sheets 154a, 154b of the respective adhesive rolls 150a, 150b. At this point, the adhesive sheets 154a, 154b remove the contaminant particles P from the respective contact cleaning surfaces 10a, 10b, thereby cleaning the contact cleaning surfaces 10a, 10b. This process is repeated until the contaminated substrate S is clean and free of contaminant particles P.

[0086] Figure 9 shows the contamination was A method 400 for collecting and / or removing contaminant particles P from a surface S is shown (FIG. 7 ). The method 400 begins by providing a contaminated substrate S having contaminant particles P thereon (402) (see FIG. 7 2-4. Next, at least one contact cleaning surface is provided (404), as described in connection with FIGS. 2-4. The contact cleaning surface is contacted and / or urged against the contaminated substrate (406) to collect and / or remove some, most, or all of the contaminant particles on the contaminated substrate.

[0087] Figure 10 shows the contamination wasAnother method 500 for collecting and / or removing contaminant particles P from opposing sides of a surface S is shown (see FIG. 8). The method 500 begins with providing a contaminated substrate S (502) (see FIG. 8) having contaminant particles P on opposing surfaces. Next, a pair of contact cleaning surfaces, each of which is described in connection with FIGS. 2-4, is provided (504). Each contact cleaning surface is independently contacted and / or urged against opposing surfaces of the contaminated substrate (506) to collect and / or remove some, most, or all of the contaminant particles on the contaminated substrate.

[0088] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the above-described embodiments are presented by way of example only and not by way of limitation, and that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. Various modifications may be made to the detailed designs described above, including variations in the number, shape, size, arrangement, and assembly of the contact cleaning surface, contact cleaning roller, or adhesive roll. In particular, the cross-sectional shape of each recessed cell may have any suitable footprint, shape, or size. The contact cleaning surface, contact cleaning roller, or adhesive roll may be manufactured using suitable materials and according to suitable methods, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. 1. A contact cleaning apparatus for collecting and / or removing contaminant particles from a contaminated substrate, comprising: at least one contact cleaning roller having a roll core with a contact cleaning surface; at least one bonding roll including a roll core having at least one layer of adhesive material thereon, the at least one bonding roll configured to collect and / or remove contaminant particles from the contact cleaning surface of the at least one contact cleaning roller; Equipped with The contact cleaning surface is a polymer layer defining a contact surface; at least one cell recessed in the polymer layer, the at least one cell having a bottom surface and at least one wall extending between the contact surface and the bottom surface, the at least one wall extending perpendicular to the contact surface; Equipped with the bottom surface extends perpendicular to the at least one wall; wherein the ratio between the surface area of ​​the contact surface and the surface area of ​​the bottom surface remains substantially the same as the contact surface wears against the contaminated substrate during use; the contact cleaning surface of the at least one contact cleaning roller is urged against the contaminated substrate, and the at least one adhesive roll is urged against the contact cleaning surface of the at least one contact cleaning roller; When the contaminated substrate is transported, the at least one contact cleaning roller rotates while the contact cleaning surface of the at least one contact cleaning roller contacts the contaminated substrate to collect and / or remove contaminant particles from the contaminated substrate, and the at least one adhesive roll rotates while contacting the contact cleaning surface of the at least one contact cleaning roller to collect and / or remove contaminant particles from the contact cleaning surface of the at least one contact cleaning roller. Contact cleaning device.

2. The contact cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the surface area of ​​the contact surface is in the range of 10% to 80% of the total surface area of ​​the contact cleaning surface.

3. 3. The contact cleaning device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one cell has a substantially circular footprint.

4. A contact cleaning device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one cell has a substantially polygonal footprint.

5. The contact cleaning device of claim 4 , wherein the at least one cell has a substantially hexagonal footprint.

6. The contact cleaning device of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the at least one cell has a depth of about 100 microns (micrometers) or less.

7. The contact cleaning device of any preceding claim, wherein the polymer layer comprises an elastomeric material.

8. A contact cleaning device according to any preceding claim, comprising a plurality of cells recessed in the polymeric layer, each cell being spaced apart by a portion of the contact surface.

9. The contact cleaning device of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of cells are distributed over at least a portion of the contact cleaning surface.

10. A contact cleaning device as described in claim 9, wherein the plurality of cells are uniformly distributed across substantially the entire contact cleaning surface.

11. A contact cleaning device according to any preceding claim, wherein the roll core defines a longitudinal axis and the at least one wall extends substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

12. 12. The contact cleaning apparatus of claim 1, comprising a pair of contact cleaning rollers and a pair of adhesive rolls, each contact cleaning roller configured separately to collect and / or remove contaminant particles from opposing surfaces of the contaminated substrate, and each adhesive roll configured separately to collect and / or remove contaminant particles from each contact cleaning roller.

13. 1. A method for collecting and / or removing contaminant particles from a contaminated substrate, comprising: providing a contaminated substrate having contaminant particles thereon; Providing a contact cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 12; transporting the contaminated substrate to the contact cleaning apparatus; contacting and / or urging the contact cleaning surface against the contaminated substrate so as to collect and / or remove at least some or substantially all of the contaminant particles on the contaminated substrate; contacting and / or biasing the at least one adhesive roll against the contact cleaning surface of the at least one contact cleaning roller so as to collect and / or remove at least a portion or substantially all of the contaminant particles on the contact cleaning surface of the at least one contact cleaning roller; Including, When the contaminated substrate is transported, the at least one contact cleaning roller rotates while the contact cleaning surface of the at least one contact cleaning roller contacts the contaminated substrate to collect and / or remove contaminant particles from the contaminated substrate, and the at least one adhesive roll rotates while contacting the contact cleaning surface of the at least one contact cleaning roller to collect and / or remove contaminant particles from the contact cleaning surface of the at least one contact cleaning roller. method.

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