cleaning device

Abstract

To provide a cleaning device which can remove foreign matters in different sizes even from an object in which there are unevenness and steps on a surface.SOLUTION: A cleaning device comprises: a cleaning roller 10 which contacts an object surface; a roller-shaped cleaning brush 20 whose rotational shaft is arranged in parallel to the cleaning roller and which contacts the object surface; and an air nozzle 30 which discharges compressed air from the conveyance direction upstream side to the object surface. The rotation direction of the cleaning roller at a contact portion with the object surface is the forward direction with respect to the conveyance direction. The rotation direction of the cleaning brush at the contact portion with the object surface is the reverse direction with respect to the conveyance direction. The air nozzle, the cleaning brush and the cleaning roller are arranged in this order from the upstream side in the conveyance direction. The spray position where the compressed air is sprayed to the object surface is on the conveyance direction upstream side with respect to a position where the cleaning brush contacts the object surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cleaning device. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART In recent years, cleaning devices have been developed to remove foreign matter such as dust adhering to the surfaces of objects such as glass substrates for flat panel displays (FPDs), printed circuit boards on which electronic components are mounted, thin resin plates, and film materials.

[0003] As such a cleaning device, a cleaning device has been proposed that includes a cleaning brush that rotates in the opposite direction to the transport direction of the object while contacting the surface of the object, and a cleaning roller that rotates in the forward direction to the transport direction of the object while contacting the surface of the object (see JP 2016-215155 A).

[0004] By using this cleaning device, the cleaning brush can effectively scrape up relatively large foreign particles of millimeter size, and the cleaning roller can mainly remove fine foreign particles, so foreign particles of different sizes can be effectively removed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-215155 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] While the above-mentioned conventional cleaning devices can effectively remove foreign matter adhering to objects with relatively flat surfaces, when the surface of the object has unevenness or steps, foreign matter located in the shadows of these unevenness or steps tends to be difficult to remove.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of such inconveniences, and aims to provide a cleaning device that can effectively remove foreign matter of different sizes, even from objects with uneven or stepped surfaces. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A cleaning device according to one embodiment of the present invention is a cleaning device for the surface of an object being transported, and comprises: a cleaning roller that is rotatably arranged around a rotation axis that is perpendicular to the transport direction of the object and parallel to the surface of the object and that contacts the surface of the object; a roller-shaped cleaning brush that is arranged with its rotation axis parallel to the cleaning roller and that contacts the surface of the object while rotating; and an air nozzle having an air outlet that discharges compressed air onto the surface of the object from the upstream side of the transport direction, wherein the rotation direction of the cleaning roller at the point of contact with the surface of the object is forward relative to the transport direction and the rotation direction of the cleaning brush at the point of contact with the surface of the object is reverse to the transport direction, and the air nozzle, cleaning brush, and cleaning roller are arranged in this order from the upstream side of the transport direction, and the blowing position at which the compressed air is blown onto the surface of the object is upstream in the transport direction of the position at which the cleaning brush contacts the surface of the object.

[0009] Here, "parallel" refers to not only exactly parallel but also substantially parallel, i.e., the angle formed is within ±10°, preferably within ±5°. Furthermore, "perpendicular" refers to not only exactly 90° but also substantially perpendicular, i.e., the angle formed is within 90°±10°, preferably within 90°±5°. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] The cleaning device of the present invention can effectively remove foreign matter of different sizes even from an object having an uneven or stepped surface. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the appearance of a cleaning device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram showing the inside of the cleaning device taken along line AA in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic enlarged partial view showing the vicinity of the cleaning roller and cleaning brush in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic enlarged partial view showing the vicinity of the air nozzle in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the air nozzle of FIG. 2 as viewed from a direction parallel to the air ejection surface. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic front view of the air nozzle of FIG. 2 as viewed from a direction perpendicular to the air ejection surface. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic explanatory diagram for explaining the angle of the air nozzle in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] [Description of the embodiment of the present invention] First, embodiments of the present invention will be listed and described.

[0013] A cleaning device according to one embodiment of the present invention is a cleaning device for the surface of an object being transported, and comprises: a cleaning roller that is rotatably arranged around a rotation axis that is perpendicular to the transport direction of the object and parallel to the surface of the object and that contacts the surface of the object; a roller-shaped cleaning brush that is arranged with its rotation axis parallel to the cleaning roller and that contacts the surface of the object while rotating; and an air nozzle having an air outlet that discharges compressed air onto the surface of the object from the upstream side of the transport direction, wherein the rotation direction of the cleaning roller at the point of contact with the surface of the object is forward relative to the transport direction and the rotation direction of the cleaning brush at the point of contact with the surface of the object is reverse to the transport direction, and the air nozzle, cleaning brush, and cleaning roller are arranged in this order from the upstream side of the transport direction, and the blowing position at which the compressed air is blown onto the surface of the object is upstream in the transport direction of the position at which the cleaning brush contacts the surface of the object.

[0014] In this cleaning device, compressed air is blown upstream in the transport direction from the position where the cleaning brush contacts the surface of the object. This causes foreign matter to be lifted up and collide with the cleaning brush, even if the surface of the object is uneven or has steps. As a result, the lifted foreign matter is collected by the cleaning brush along with relatively large millimeter-sized foreign matter scraped up by the cleaning brush. In addition, in this cleaning device, fine foreign matter remaining on the surface of the object can be removed by a cleaning roller located downstream in the transport direction from the cleaning brush. Therefore, this cleaning device can effectively remove foreign matter of different sizes, even from objects with uneven or stepped surfaces.

[0015] The compressed air is preferably ionic wind, which neutralizes the electric charge of foreign matter and reduces the number of foreign matter that repel the charging tendency of the cleaning brush, thereby enabling the foreign matter to be removed effectively.

[0016] The cleaning roller and the cleaning brush may be brought into contact with the surface of the object in a charged state, so that the cleaning roller and the cleaning brush can be brought into contact with the surface of the object in a charged state, thereby more effectively removing foreign matter by electrostatic force.

[0017] It is preferable that the compressed air, the cleaning roller, and the cleaning brush have potentials of the same polarity. By making the compressed air, the cleaning roller, and the cleaning brush have potentials of the same polarity in this way, foreign matter can be removed more effectively.

[0018] The cleaning apparatus may further include a guide roller disposed upstream of the cleaning brush in the transport direction and contacting the surface of the object while assisting in the transport of the object, the position at which the guide roller contacts the surface of the object being upstream of the spray position in the transport direction. By positioning the position at which the guide roller contacts the surface of the object being upstream of the spray position in the transport direction, the spray position can be brought closer to the cleaning brush. This makes it easier for foreign matter lifted by the blown compressed air to collide with the cleaning brush, thereby increasing the rate at which foreign matter is collected.

[0019] Preferably, a reflection axis formed by bending the compressed air discharge axis connecting the center of the air discharge port of the air nozzle and the spraying position symmetrically with respect to the normal to the surface of the object at the spraying position intersects with the cleaning brush surface on the side closer to the surface of the object than the rotation axis of the cleaning brush. Foreign matter adhering to the object is blown up by the compressed air mainly in the direction of the reflection axis. Therefore, by having the reflection axis intersect with the cleaning brush surface on the side closer to the surface of the object than the rotation axis of the cleaning brush, the blown up foreign matter can be more reliably collected by the cleaning brush.

[0020] The discharge angle of the compressed air at the blowing position is preferably between 30 degrees and 45 degrees. By setting the discharge angle within this range, the airborne foreign matter can be more reliably collected by the cleaning brush.

[0021] The distance between the center of the air outlet of the air nozzle and the spray position is preferably 5 mm or more and 15 mm or less. By keeping the distance within this range, the airborne foreign matter can be more reliably collected by the cleaning brush.

[0022] The pressure of the compressed air is preferably 0.3 MPa or more and 0.6 MPa or less. By keeping the pressure within this range, the floating foreign matter can be more reliably collected by the cleaning brush.

[0023] The compressed air preferably has a velocity at the air outlet of 190 m / s or more and 380 m / s or less. By keeping the velocity within this range, the foreign matter can be more reliably collected by the cleaning brush.

[0024] The air nozzle preferably has a plurality of air outlets each having a circular cross section, and the diameter of the air outlets is preferably 0.5 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less. By providing the air nozzle with a plurality of relatively small diameter air outlets in this way, it is possible to prevent variations in the pressure of the compressed air being blown depending on the location on the surface of the object, thereby improving the efficiency of removing foreign matter.

[0025] [Details of the embodiment of the present invention] A cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0026] 1 to 4 is a device for cleaning the surface of a transported object S. The cleaning device 1 includes a cleaning roller 10, a cleaning brush 20, and an air nozzle 30, and is arranged in the order of air nozzle 30, cleaning brush 20, and cleaning roller 10 from the upstream side in a transport direction D (the direction of the white arrow in FIGS. 1 to 4). The cleaning device 1 also includes a guide roller 40 and a transport mechanism 50.

[0027] <Object> The object S from which foreign matter is removed by the cleaning device 1 is preferably a film-like or plate-like object, and examples of the object S include a glass substrate for an FPD (Flat Panel Display), a printed circuit board on which electronic components are mounted, a thin resin plate, and a film material.

[0028] The cleaning device 1 can be suitably used for an object S having an uneven or stepped surface. In an object S having an uneven or stepped surface, foreign matter is likely to adhere to the recesses of the unevenness or the corners of the steps. The cleaning device 1 can easily remove foreign matter even if it adheres to the recesses of the unevenness or the corners of the steps. An example of such an object S is a printed circuit board having fine wiring on its surface. In the printed circuit board, recesses are formed between the fine wiring, and foreign matter is likely to get into these recesses.

[0029] The average thickness of the object S is not particularly limited, but the lower limit of the average thickness of the object S is preferably, for example, 30 μm, and more preferably 50 μm. On the other hand, the upper limit of the average thickness of the object S depends on the surface area of ​​the object S, but is preferably, for example, 5 cm, and more preferably 3 cm. If the average thickness of the object S is less than the above lower limit or exceeds the above upper limit, it may be difficult to transport the object S.

[0030] The lower limit of the conveying speed of the object S is not particularly limited, but is preferably 5 m / min, more preferably 10 m / min. On the other hand, the upper limit of the conveying speed of the object S is preferably 30 m / min, more preferably 20 m / min. If the conveying speed of the object S is below the lower limit, the time required to remove foreign matter may increase, and the efficiency of removing foreign matter may decrease. Conversely, if the conveying speed of the object S exceeds the upper limit, the cleaning roller 10 may not be able to sufficiently adsorb foreign matter on the surface of the object S.

[0031] <Cleaning roller> The cleaning roller 10 is disposed so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis perpendicular to the conveying direction D of the object S and parallel to the surface of the object S, and comes into contact with the surface of the object S.

[0032] The rotation direction of the cleaning roller 10 at the contact point with the surface of the object S is the forward direction relative to the conveyance direction D. The cleaning roller 10 may be driven to rotate in the forward direction by a drive device, but it may also be configured to rotate along with the conveyance of the object S. In a configuration in which the cleaning roller 10 rotates along with the conveyance of the object S, a drive device is not required. The cleaning roller 10 rotates in the forward direction by contacting the surface of the object S being conveyed.

[0033] The cleaning roller 10 comes into contact with the surface of the object S in a charged state. By bringing the cleaning roller 10 into contact with the surface of the object S in this charged state, foreign matter adhering to the surface of the object S is attracted to the surface of the cleaning roller 10 by static electricity, so that the foreign matter can be removed more effectively.

[0034] The cleaning roller 10 can be configured to have, for example, a cylindrical core 11, a cylindrical inner layer 12 covering the circumferential surface of the core 11, and a thin-film cylindrical outer layer 13 covering the outer circumferential surface of the inner layer 12.

[0035] A conductive elastic material is used as the material for the inner layer portion 12. An example of such an elastic material is polyester-based urethane containing carbon.

[0036] The material for the outer layer 13 may be any material that can be charged with an electric charge that attracts foreign matter adhering to the surface of the object S by the force of an electric field, and examples of such materials include polyurethanes such as acrylic-mixed polyurethane and fluorine-mixed polyurethane. By forming the outer layer 13 from polyurethane, it is possible to achieve superior abrasion resistance compared to materials such as silicone resin or butyl rubber, and to reduce contamination by plasticizers and low-molecular-weight substances.

[0037] The acrylic-mixed polyurethane refers to a mixture containing polyester polyurethane or polyether polyurethane as the main component, and further containing (1) thermoplastic polyurethane and silicone-acrylic copolymer resin, (2) acrylic resin (e.g., a graft compound in which aminoethyl groups are grafted onto a main chain of a methacrylic acid-methyl methacrylate copolymer) and thermoplastic polyurethane, or (3) acrylic resin, polyurethane, and a fluorine-based surface coating agent. Using acrylic-mixed polyurethane as the material for the outer layer 13 facilitates the removal of negatively charged foreign matter from the surface of the object S. The term "main component" refers to the component with the highest content, e.g., a component present at 50% by mass or more.

[0038] The fluorine-containing polyurethane is a mixture containing polyurethane as the main component, including thermoplastic polyurethane and urethane-fluorine copolymer. By using fluorine-containing polyurethane as the material for the outer layer 13, foreign matter that tends to be positively charged can be easily removed from the target object S.

[0039] The lower limit of the average thickness of the outer layer portion 13 is preferably 2 μm, more preferably 5 μm. On the other hand, the upper limit of the average thickness of the outer layer portion 13 is preferably 500 μm, more preferably 50 μm. If the average thickness of the outer layer portion 13 is less than the lower limit, the surface of the cleaning roller 10 may not be sufficiently charged, and the foreign matter adsorption effect may not be sufficiently obtained. Conversely, if the average thickness of the outer layer portion 13 exceeds the upper limit, good charging characteristics for adsorbing foreign matter may not be obtained.

[0040] <Cleaning brush> 3, the cleaning brush 20 has a roller shape and includes a cylindrical core 21 and a brush portion 22 formed by implanting a plurality of bristles on the circumferential surface of the core 21. The cleaning brush 20 is disposed with its rotation axis parallel to that of the cleaning roller 10, and comes into contact with the surface of the object S while rotating.

[0041] The rotation direction of the cleaning brush 20 at the contact point with the surface of the object S is opposite to the transport direction D. In other words, the cleaning brush 20 is driven to rotate in the opposite direction by the drive device. By rotating in the opposite direction to the transport direction D at the contact point with the surface of the object S, the cleaning brush 20 scrapes up foreign matter adhering to the surface of the object S, and the scraped up foreign matter adheres to the brush portion 22.

[0042] The bristles forming the brush portion 22 are preferably made of a material that physically attracts foreign matter, such as synthetic resin fibers. The bristles forming the brush portion 22 are also preferably made of a material that can be charged with an electric charge that attracts foreign matter adhering to the surface of the object S by the force of an electric field, such as synthetic resin fibers containing a conductive material such as carbon black, carbon fiber, metal powder, or metal whiskers.

[0043] The cross-sectional shape of the bristles of the brush part 22 is not particularly limited, and bristles with a cross-sectional shape such as a circle, oval, or star shape can be used for the brush part 22. The external shape of the bristles of the brush part 22 is also not particularly limited, and bristles with an external shape such as a straight line, a wavy line, or a shape formed by combining curves and straight lines can be used for the brush part 22. Note that the larger the surface area of ​​the bristles of the brush part 22, the easier it is to adsorb foreign matter, so bristles with a cross-sectional shape such as a star shape can be suitably used for forming the brush part 22.

[0044] Like the cleaning roller 10, the cleaning brush 20 also comes into contact with the surface of the object S in a charged state. This also acts as an attraction force due to the force of the electric field, so that foreign matter on the surface of the object S can be more effectively attracted to and moved by the brush portion 22. Note that, since the foreign matter will adhere to the brush portion 22 even without the force of the electric field acting, the cleaning brush 20 does not necessarily have to be charged.

[0045] It is preferable that the potentials of the cleaning roller 10 and the cleaning brush 20 have the same polarity. Generally, depending on the type of object S and the type of foreign matter, foreign matter tends to be charged either positively or negatively. For this reason, it is preferable that the potentials of the cleaning roller 10 and the cleaning brush 20 have the opposite polarity to the charge of the foreign matter to be removed, and in this case, the potentials of the cleaning roller 10 and the cleaning brush 20 have the same polarity.

[0046] The lower limit of the average pressure amount of the cleaning brush 20 against the object S is preferably 0.03 mm, more preferably 0.05 mm. Meanwhile, the upper limit of the average pressure amount is preferably 1.5 mm, more preferably 1 mm. If the average pressure amount is below the lower limit, foreign matter on the surface of the object S may not be sufficiently scraped away. Conversely, if the average pressure amount exceeds the upper limit, the frictional force between the brush portion 22 and the surface of the object S increases, which may result in a decrease in the conveyance speed of the object S. Note that the "pressure amount" refers to the difference between the distance between the surface of the core 21 and the object S at the contact point between the cleaning brush 20 and the object S and the length of the bristles of the brush portion 22, and the "average pressure amount" refers to the average pressure amount of all bristles that come into contact with the surface of the object S during one rotation of the brush portion 22.

[0047] The lower limit of the peripheral speed of the cleaning brush 20 is preferably 1 m / min, more preferably 3 m / min. On the other hand, the upper limit of the peripheral speed of the cleaning brush 20 is preferably 30 m / min, more preferably 15 m / min. If the peripheral speed of the cleaning brush 20 is below the lower limit, foreign matter on the surface of the object S may not be sufficiently scraped up. Conversely, if the peripheral speed of the cleaning brush 20 exceeds the upper limit, the frictional force between the brush portion 22 and the surface of the object S increases, and the transport speed of the object S may decrease.

[0048] <Air nozzle> 4, the air nozzle 30 has an air outlet 31 that discharges compressed air A from the upstream side in the transport direction D onto the surface of the object S. A blowing position X at which the compressed air A is blown onto the surface of the object S is located upstream in the transport direction D of the position at which the cleaning brush 20 contacts the surface of the object S.

[0049] Compressed air A discharged from the air nozzle 30 is sprayed onto the object S at the spraying position X, and foreign matter is stirred up by the pressure of the compressed air A. Because the compressed air A is sprayed from the upstream side in the conveyance direction D, the stirred-up foreign matter moves downstream in the conveyance direction D. Of these foreign matter, those that collide with the brush portion 22 of the cleaning brush 20 located downstream are directly collected by the brush portion 22, and those that fall in front of the cleaning brush 20 and remain on the surface of the object S are scraped up by the cleaning brush 20 and collected.

[0050] If the surface of the object S is uneven or has steps, foreign matter tends to accumulate and become concentrated in the uneven or stepped areas due to vibrations caused by the movement of the object S. Uneven or stepped areas are generally difficult to clean, and the collection rate of foreign matter tends to decrease. In contrast, the cleaning device 1 uses the pressure of compressed air A to lift the foreign matter, allowing the brush unit 22 to directly collect the foreign matter concentrated in the uneven or stepped areas. Furthermore, foreign matter that cannot be directly collected by the brush unit 22 and falls onto the surface of the object S is considered to adhere to the flat areas of the object S with equal density as the uneven or stepped areas, and therefore does not become concentrated in the uneven or stepped areas. Therefore, the number of foreign matter present in the uneven or stepped areas during cleaning using the cleaning brush 20 and cleaning roller 10 is considered to be significantly reduced. In other words, the cleaning device 1 can increase the overall collection rate of foreign matter by reducing the number of foreign matter present in the uneven or stepped areas, which are difficult to clean.

[0051] 5 and 6, the air nozzle 30 has an air inlet 32 ​​through which compressed air A flows in, and an air blowing surface 33 from which the compressed air A is blown out. The air blowing surface 33 is disposed perpendicular to the discharge axis I. The air discharge port 31 is provided on this air blowing surface 33.

[0052] As shown in Fig. 5, the air nozzle 30 preferably widens from the air inlet 32 ​​toward the air blowing surface 33. By widening the air nozzle 30 in this way, it is possible to blow compressed air A uniformly across the width of the surface of the object S (a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction D in a plan view). The length of the air blowing surface 33 in the width direction is determined according to the width of the area on the surface of the object S to which the compressed air A is to be blown, but can be set to the same as the width of the surface of the object S, for example. The width direction of the air nozzle 30 refers to a direction parallel to the air blowing surface 33 and also parallel to the width direction of the surface of the object S.

[0053] On the other hand, it is preferable that the thickness of the air nozzle 30 in the height direction is constant, as shown in Fig. 4. By making the thickness of the air nozzle 30 in the height direction constant in this way, the directionality of the compressed air A is improved, and it becomes easier to control the blowing direction in a constant direction. The height direction of the air nozzle 30 refers to the direction parallel to the air blowing surface 33 and perpendicular to the width direction of the air nozzle 30.

[0054] As shown in Fig. 6, the air nozzle 30 has a plurality of air outlets 31 each having a circular cross section. The lower limit of the diameter of the air outlets 31 is preferably 0.5 mm, and more preferably 0.7 mm. On the other hand, the upper limit of the diameter of the air outlets 31 is preferably 3.0 mm, and more preferably 2.5 mm. If the diameter of the air outlets 31 is less than the lower limit, the pressure loss may increase, and the energy required to blow out the compressed air A from the air outlets 31 may increase. Conversely, if the diameter of the air outlets 31 exceeds the upper limit, the wind speed of the blown out compressed air A may decrease, and the effectiveness of the compressed air A in lifting up foreign matter may decrease.

[0055] By providing the air nozzle 30 with multiple relatively small diameter air outlets 31 in this way, it is possible to prevent the pressure of the compressed air A being blown from varying depending on the location on the surface of the target object S, thereby improving the efficiency of removing foreign matter.

[0056] The number and arrangement of the air discharge ports 31 are not particularly limited, but can be determined so that the compressed air A is uniformly discharged from the air blowing surface 33. For example, in the air nozzle 30 shown in Fig. 6, multiple air discharge ports 31 are arranged in a row. When arranged in a row like this, the area of ​​the surface of the target object S onto which the compressed air A is blown at the blowing position X becomes narrower in the conveying direction D, making it easier for foreign matter to be stirred up.

[0057] The lower limit of the center-to-center distance (pitch) between adjacent air discharge ports 31 is preferably 2 mm. A pitch of 2.5 mm is more preferable. On the other hand, an upper limit of the pitch is preferably 4 mm, and more preferably 3.5 mm. If the pitch is less than the lower limit, the number of air outlets 31 per unit length will be too large, which may reduce the pressure of the compressed air A at the spraying position X and prevent foreign matter from being sufficiently lifted up. Conversely, if the pitch exceeds the upper limit, the pressure of the compressed air A being blown may vary depending on the location on the surface of the target object S, making it difficult to collect the lifted foreign matter.

[0058] The number of air outlets 31 is determined by the width of the air nozzle 30 and the above-mentioned pitch, but is preferably between 20 and 40. By keeping the number of air outlets 31 within the above range, it is possible to prevent a decrease and variation in the pressure of the compressed air A at the spraying position X.

[0059] In at least some, and preferably all, of the air outlets 31, as shown in FIG. 7 , it is preferable that the discharge axis I of the compressed air A connecting the center of the air outlet 31 of the air nozzle 30 to the spraying position X be bent symmetrically with respect to the normal n to the surface of the object S at the spraying position X, and the reflection axis R intersects with the surface of the cleaning brush 20 closer to the surface of the object S than the rotation axis M of the cleaning brush 20. That is, as shown in FIG. 7 , the intersection position Y of the reflection axis R and the curved surface passing through the tips of the bristles of the brush portion 22 of the cleaning brush 20 is located closer to the surface of the object S than the rotation axis M of the cleaning brush 20. Foreign matter adhering to the object S is blown up by the compressed air A mainly in the direction of the reflection axis R. Therefore, by having the reflection axis R intersect with the surface of the cleaning brush 20 closer to the surface of the object S than the rotation axis M of the cleaning brush 20, the blown-up foreign matter can be more reliably collected by the cleaning brush 20.

[0060] A discharge axis I is defined for each of the multiple air discharge ports 31, and it is preferable that these discharge axes I are parallel. By making the multiple discharge axes I parallel, it is possible to prevent the pressure of the compressed air A being blown from varying depending on the location on the surface of the target object S, thereby improving the efficiency of removing foreign matter.

[0061] It is preferable that there are no other rollers that intersect with the discharge axis I between the center of at least some, preferably all, of the air discharge ports 31 of the air nozzle 30 and the spray position X, and that there are no other rollers that intersect with the reflection axis R between the spray position X and the surface of the cleaning brush 20. By not providing such other rollers, there is nothing to obstruct the progress of the compressed air A discharged from the air discharge ports 31, thereby improving the efficiency of removing foreign matter.

[0062] It is preferable that the compressed air A is ionic air. By using ionic air as the compressed air A in this way, the electric charge of foreign matter is neutralized and the amount of foreign matter that repels the charging tendency of the cleaning brush 20 can be reduced, thereby enabling the foreign matter to be effectively removed.

[0063] It is also preferable that the potentials of the compressed air A, cleaning roller 10, and cleaning brush 20 are the same polarity. As described above, by setting the potentials of both the cleaning roller 10 and cleaning brush 20 to a polarity opposite to that of the foreign matter to be removed, foreign matter can be effectively removed. The target object S tends to be charged to the same polarity as the foreign matter to be removed. If compressed air A of the opposite polarity to that of the foreign matter to be removed is blown onto the target object S, the charge of the target object S can be neutralized. The charge of the target object S can be prevented from strongly adsorbing the foreign matter to the target object S, so the foreign matter can be removed even more effectively.

[0064] The lower limit of the discharge angle θi (the angle between the normal n and the discharge axis I) of the compressed air A at the spraying position X is preferably 30 degrees, more preferably 35 degrees. On the other hand, the upper limit of the discharge angle θi is preferably 45 degrees, more preferably 40 degrees. If the discharge angle θi is less than the lower limit, foreign matter will be more likely to reattach to the surface of the target object S, which may reduce the rate of collection of foreign matter. Conversely, if the discharge angle θi exceeds the upper limit, the cleaning brush 20 may not be able to collect all the foreign matter that has been blown up, and it may scatter into the surrounding area.

[0065] For at least some, and preferably all, of the air outlets 31 of the air nozzle 30, the lower limit of the distance between the center of the air outlet 31 and the spraying position X is preferably 5 mm, more preferably 7 mm. On the other hand, the upper limit of the distance is preferably 15 mm, more preferably 13 mm. If the distance is less than the lower limit, the pressure of the compressed air A sprayed will be more likely to vary depending on the location on the surface of the target object S, which may make it difficult to collect the foreign matter that has been blown up. Conversely, if the distance exceeds the upper limit, the pressure of the compressed air A at the spraying position X will decrease, and the foreign matter may not be sufficiently blown up.

[0066] For at least some, and preferably all, of the air outlets 31 of the air nozzle 30, the lower limit of the distance between the intersection position Y with the surface of the cleaning brush 20 and the spray position X is preferably 5 mm, more preferably 7 mm. On the other hand, the upper limit of the distance is preferably 15 mm, more preferably 13 mm. If the distance is less than the lower limit, the cleaning brush 20 may blow away the foreign matter it has collected, potentially reducing the collection rate. Conversely, if the distance exceeds the upper limit, the cleaning brush 20 may not be able to collect all of the foreign matter that has been blown up, and the foreign matter may scatter around.

[0067] In at least some, and preferably all, of the air outlets 31 of the air nozzle 30, the lower limit of the path length of the compressed air A from the center of the air outlet 31 through the spray position X to the intersection position Y with the surface of the cleaning brush 20 is preferably 10 mm, more preferably 15 mm. On the other hand, the upper limit of the path length is preferably 30 mm, more preferably 25 mm. If the path length is less than the lower limit, it may be difficult to collect the foreign matter that has been blown up. Conversely, if the path length exceeds the upper limit, the cleaning brush 20 may not be able to collect all of the foreign matter that has been blown up, and it may scatter around.

[0068] The lower limit of the pressure of the compressed air A is preferably 0.3 MPa, and more preferably 0.4 MPa. On the other hand, the upper limit of the pressure of the compressed air A is preferably 0.6 MPa, and more preferably 0.5 MPa. If the pressure of the compressed air A is below the lower limit, foreign matter may not be sufficiently lifted up. Conversely, if the pressure of the compressed air A exceeds the upper limit, the lifted foreign matter may be more likely to scatter around, making it difficult to collect the lifted foreign matter with the cleaning brush 20. Note that the pressure of the compressed air A refers to the pressure inside the air nozzle 30.

[0069] The lower limit of the wind speed of the compressed air A at the air outlet 31 is preferably 190 m / s, more preferably 240 m / s. On the other hand, the upper limit of the wind speed is preferably 380 m / s, more preferably 330 m / s. If the wind speed is below the lower limit, foreign matter may not be sufficiently stirred up. Conversely, if the wind speed exceeds the upper limit, the stirred up foreign matter may be more likely to scatter around, making it difficult to collect the stirred up foreign matter with the cleaning brush 20.

[0070] The lower limit of the flow rate of the compressed air A converted to 0.3 MPa is preferably 200 L / min, more preferably 250 L / min. On the other hand, the upper limit of the flow rate is preferably 400 L / min, more preferably 300 L / min. If the flow rate is below the lower limit, foreign matter may not be sufficiently stirred up. Conversely, if the flow rate exceeds the upper limit, the stirred up foreign matter may be more likely to scatter around, making it difficult to collect the stirred up foreign matter with the cleaning brush 20.

[0071] <Guide roller> The guide roller 40 is disposed upstream of the cleaning brush 20 in the transport direction D, and assists the transport of the object S while contacting the surface of the object S.

[0072] The guide roller 40 is rotatably disposed with its rotation axis parallel to that of the cleaning brush 20. The guide roller 40 rotates as the object S is transported. In other words, the rotation direction of the guide roller 40 at the contact point with the surface of the object S is the forward direction relative to the transport direction D. The guide roller 40 may also be configured to be rotationally driven. For example, by driving the guide roller 40 to rotate in the forward direction relative to the transport direction D of the object S, the transport speed of the object S within the cleaning device 1 can be kept constant.

[0073] It is preferable to provide another roller that contacts the surface of the object S on the opposite side of the position where the guide roller 40 contacts the surface of the object S. In the cleaning device 1, as shown in Fig. 4, one of the transport rollers 52 of the upstream transport mechanism 50a, which will be described later, is used as this other roller. In the following, the explanation will be continued using an example in which the other roller is one of the transport rollers 52 of the upstream transport mechanism 50a, but the other roller is not limited to the transport roller 52, and for example, a dedicated guide roller 40 may be provided as the other roller.

[0074] The guide roller 40 is disposed between the guide roller 40 and the conveying roller 52 with a gap large enough to allow both sides of the object S to contact the circumferential surfaces of these two rollers. In the cleaning device 1, the traveling direction of the object S can be controlled by inserting the object S between the guide roller 40 and the conveying roller 52. For example, if the object S is in the form of a thin film, the tip is likely to bend. However, even in such a case, the tip is prevented from bending by inserting the object S between the guide roller 40 and the conveying roller 52, and the tip of the object S can be easily and reliably inserted between the cleaning brush 20 and the second opposing electrode roller 26 described below.

[0075] The guide roller 40 is preferably made of a material that generates a small frictional force between the guide roller 40 and the object S, and the guide roller 40 can be made of a material such as metal or resin.

[0076] The position where the guide roller 40 contacts the surface of the object S is upstream of the spray position X in the transport direction D. It is also preferable that no other rollers that contact the surface of the object S are disposed between the guide roller 40 and the cleaning brush 20. By positioning the position where the guide roller 40 contacts the surface of the object S upstream of the spray position X in the transport direction D in this way, the spray position X can be brought close to the cleaning brush 20. This makes it easier for foreign matter blown up by the sprayed compressed air A to collide with the cleaning brush 20, thereby increasing the rate of collection of foreign matter.

[0077] <Transport mechanism> The transport mechanism 50 applies a propulsive force for transporting the object S. The transport mechanism 50 has an upstream transport mechanism 50a arranged upstream of the cleaning brush 20 in the transport direction D, and a downstream transport mechanism 50b arranged downstream of the cleaning roller 10 in the transport direction D.

[0078] (Upstream transport mechanism) The upstream transport mechanism 50a transports the object S and inserts it into the cleaning brush 20, and as shown in Fig. 1, has a plurality of belt transport units 51. As shown in Fig. 2, each belt transport unit 51 is formed by wrapping an endless belt 53 around a pair of transport rollers 52 spaced apart along the transport direction D.

[0079] One of the pair of conveying rollers 52 is a drive roller to which a rotational force is applied, and the other is a driven roller that rotates together with the endless belt 53 due to the rotation of the drive roller. The multiple belt conveying units 51 are arranged at regular intervals in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the conveying direction D.

[0080] (Downstream transport mechanism) The downstream transport mechanism 50b transports out the target object S that has passed through the cleaning roller 10. The downstream transport mechanism 50b can be configured in the same manner as the upstream transport mechanism 50a, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0081] <Other configurations> (First foreign object collection mechanism) The cleaning device 1 may have a first foreign matter collection mechanism for collecting foreign matter adhering to the cleaning roller 10, which may include, for example, a brush roller 14, a first dust collection roller 15, a first scraper 16, and a first foreign matter collection section 17, as shown in FIG. 3.

[0082] The brush roller 14 is disposed with its rotation axis parallel to that of the cleaning roller 10, and contacts the surface of the cleaning roller 10 in an electrically charged state. The rotation direction of the brush roller 14 at the contact point with the surface of the cleaning roller 10 is preferably opposite to the rotation direction of the cleaning roller 10. By rotating the brush roller 14 in the opposite direction to the rotation direction of the cleaning roller 10 in this way, foreign matter adhering to the cleaning roller 10 can be efficiently collected. The brush roller 14 can have the same configuration as the cleaning brush 20 described below.

[0083] It is preferable that the potential of the brush roller 14 has the same polarity and a large absolute value as the potential of the cleaning roller 10. By making the potential of the brush roller 14 have the same polarity and a large absolute value as the potential of the cleaning roller 10 in this way, foreign matter adhering to the cleaning roller 10 can be easily transferred from the cleaning roller 10 to the brush roller 14 at the contact point. Therefore, foreign matter adhering to the cleaning roller 10 can be more reliably collected.

[0084] The first dust collection roller 15 has a rotation axis parallel to that of the cleaning roller 10, and contacts the surface of the brush roller 14 in an electrically charged state. The rotation direction of the first dust collection roller 15 at the contact point with the surface of the brush roller 14 is preferably opposite to the rotation direction of the brush roller 14. By rotating the first dust collection roller 15 in the opposite direction to the rotation direction of the brush roller 14 in this way, foreign matter adhering to the brush roller 14 can be efficiently collected.

[0085] First dust collecting roller 15 can be made of a conductive material. Examples of the conductive material include metal materials such as stainless steel, copper, and aluminum. When first dust collecting roller 15 is made of a conductive material that is easily oxidized, such as copper or aluminum, it is preferable to perform a corrosion-resistant plating treatment on the surface of first dust collecting roller 15, such as nickel plating or gold plating.

[0086] It is preferable that the potential of first dust collection roller 15 has the same polarity and a large absolute value as the potential of brush roller 14. By making the potential of first dust collection roller 15 the same polarity and a large absolute value as the potential of brush roller 14 in this way, foreign matter adhering to brush roller 14 can be easily moved from brush roller 14 to first dust collection roller 15 at the contact point. Therefore, foreign matter adhering to brush roller 14 can be more reliably collected.

[0087] The first scraper 16 is, for example, a rectangular plate, and one side of the rectangle contacts the surface of the first dust collecting roller 15 in the direction of the rotation axis of the first dust collecting roller 15 (hereinafter, the portion in contact with the first dust collecting roller 15 is also referred to as the "tip portion"). The first scraper 16 is arranged so that its tip portion faces downward, and is disposed at a position where the contact position with the surface of the first dust collecting roller 15 is such that the rotation direction of the first dust collecting roller 15 is from bottom to top.

[0088] The first scraper 16 is formed of an elastic body made of a synthetic resin such as thermosetting polyurethane. As the first dust collecting roller 15 rotates, the tip of the first scraper 16 scrapes off foreign matter adhering to the surface of the first dust collecting roller 15. As a result, the surface of the first dust collecting roller 15 is left clean and free of foreign matter.

[0089] The first foreign matter collection section 17 is in the form of a tray and is disposed below the tip of the first scraper 16. Foreign matter scraped off by the first scraper 16 falls into this first foreign matter collection section 17 and is collected.

[0090] (Second foreign object collection mechanism) In addition, the cleaning device 1 may have a second foreign matter collection mechanism for collecting foreign matter adhering to the cleaning brush 20, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, including a second dust collection roller 23, a second scraper 24, and a second foreign matter collection section 25.

[0091] The second dust collection roller 23 is disposed with its rotation axis parallel to that of the cleaning brush 20, and is in a charged state when it comes into contact with the surface of the cleaning brush 20. The second dust collection roller 23 can be made of the same conductive material as the first dust collection roller 15.

[0092] The rotation direction of the second dust collection roller 23 at the contact point with the surface of the cleaning brush 20 is preferably opposite to the rotation direction of the cleaning brush 20. Furthermore, the potential of the second dust collection roller 23 preferably has the same polarity as the potential of the cleaning brush 20 and a larger absolute value. With this configuration, foreign matter adhering to the cleaning brush 20 can be efficiently collected.

[0093] The second scraper 24 is, for example, a rectangular plate, and one side of the rectangle contacts the surface of the second dust collecting roller 23 in the direction of the rotation axis of the second dust collecting roller 23. The second scraper 24 is similar to the first scraper 16 except that it contacts the second dust collecting roller 23, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0094] The second foreign matter collection section 25 is in the form of a tray, and is disposed below the tip of the second scraper 24. Foreign matter scraped off by the second scraper 24 falls into this second foreign matter collection section 25 and is collected.

[0095] (First opposing electrode roller) The cleaning device 1 may include a first counter electrode roller 18 that comes into contact with the surface of the object S opposite to the surface that comes into contact with the cleaning roller 10.

[0096] The first opposing electrode roller 18 is rotatably disposed at a position where its rotation axis is parallel to and opposite to the cleaning roller 10, and comes into contact with the back surface of the object S in a charged state. The first opposing electrode roller 18 rotates as the object S is transported. In other words, the rotation direction of the first opposing electrode roller 18 at the contact point with the back surface of the object S is the forward direction with respect to the transport direction D.

[0097] The first opposing electrode roller 18 is formed in part or in whole from a conductive material. Examples of such conductive materials include metal materials such as stainless steel, copper, and aluminum. The first opposing electrode roller 18 can be formed only from the above-mentioned conductive material, but as shown in Fig. 3, the first opposing electrode roller 18 may be configured such that the outer peripheral surface of a core metal 18a formed from the above-mentioned conductive material is covered with an insulating layer 18b made of synthetic resin or the like.

[0098] A voltage of the same polarity but lower than the voltage applied to the cleaning roller 10 or a voltage of opposite polarity is applied to the first opposing electrode roller 18. Alternatively, the first opposing electrode roller 18 is grounded. This promotes the adsorption effect due to the force of the electric field of the cleaning roller 10, making it easier for foreign matter adhering to the surface of the object S facing the cleaning roller 10 to be adsorbed to the cleaning roller 10.

[0099] (Second opposing electrode roller) The cleaning device 1 may include a second opposing electrode roller 26 that comes into contact with the surface of the object S opposite to the surface that comes into contact with the cleaning brush 20.

[0100] The second opposing electrode roller 26 is rotatably disposed at a position where its rotation axis is parallel to and opposite to the cleaning brush 20, and comes into contact with the back surface of the object S in a charged state. The second opposing electrode roller 26 rotates as the object S is transported. In other words, the rotation direction of the second opposing electrode roller 26 at the contact point with the back surface of the object S is the forward direction with respect to the transport direction D.

[0101] The second opposing electrode roller 26 is formed in part or in whole from a conductive material. The conductive material used for the second opposing electrode roller 26 and the configuration of the second opposing electrode roller 26 can be the same as those of the first opposing electrode roller 18.

[0102] A voltage of the same polarity but lower than the voltage applied to the cleaning brush 20 or a voltage of opposite polarity is applied to the second opposing electrode roller 26. Alternatively, the second opposing electrode roller 26 is grounded. This promotes the adsorption effect due to the force of the electric field of the cleaning brush 20, making it easier for foreign matter adhering to the surface of the object S facing the cleaning brush 20 to be adsorbed to the cleaning brush 20.

[0103] <Advantages> In the cleaning device 1, compressed air A is blown upstream in the conveyance direction D from the position where the cleaning brush 20 contacts the surface of the object S, so that even if the surface of the object S has unevenness or steps, foreign matter is stirred up and mainly collides directly with the cleaning brush 20. As a result, the stirred-up foreign matter is collected by the cleaning brush 20 along with relatively large millimeter-sized foreign matter scraped up by the cleaning brush 20. Furthermore, in the cleaning device 1, fine foreign matter remaining on the surface of the object S can be removed by the cleaning roller 10, which is positioned downstream in the conveyance direction D from the cleaning brush 20. Therefore, the cleaning device 1 can effectively remove foreign matter of different sizes even from an object S with unevenness or steps on its surface.

[0104] [Other embodiments] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented in various other forms, including those described above, with various modifications and improvements.

[0105] In the above embodiment, the cleaning roller and cleaning brush are described as being in a charged state when they contact the surface of the object, but charging is not an essential constituent requirement, and the present invention also intends for both or either the cleaning roller and cleaning brush to be in an uncharged state when they contact the surface of the object.

[0106] In the above embodiment, the air nozzle has multiple air outlets with a circular cross section, but the cross section of the air outlet is not limited to a circular shape. The present invention also encompasses a cleaning device in which the air nozzle has only one air outlet. The air nozzle may have a single air outlet with a rectangular cross section, for example.

[0107] In the above embodiment, the spray position is described as being downstream in the conveying direction from the position where the guide roller contacts the surface of the object, but the spray position may be upstream from the position where the guide roller contacts the surface of the object. Also, a cleaning device that does not include a guide roller is also within the scope of the present invention.

[0108] In the above embodiment, the cleaning device is described as being equipped with a guide roller, but if the object is, for example, a plate-like object with a tip that is difficult to bend and the tip can easily be inserted between the cleaning brush and the second opposing electrode roller, the guide roller may be omitted.

[0109] Furthermore, the transport mechanism is not limited to the above-described configuration, and any configuration can be adopted as long as it can transport objects. [Industrial Applicability]

[0110] The cleaning device of the present invention can effectively remove foreign matter of different sizes even from an object having an uneven or stepped surface. [Explanation of symbols]

[0111] 1 Cleaning device 10 Cleaning roller 11 Core 12 Inner layer 13 Outer layer 14 Brush roller 15 First dust collecting roller 16 No. 1 Scraper 17 First Foreign Object Collection Section 18 First opposing electrode roller 18a Core metal 18b Insulating layer 20 cleaning brushes 21 Core 22 Brush section 23 Second dust collecting roller 24 No. 2 scraper 25 Second Foreign Object Collection Section 26 Second opposing electrode roller 30 Air Nozzle 31 Air outlet 32 Air inlet 33 Air outlet surface 40 Guide roller 50 Transport mechanism 50a Upstream transport mechanism 50b downstream transport mechanism 51 Belt conveyor 52 Conveyor roller 53 endless belt S Object D Conveying direction A. Compressed air X spray position Y Intersection Position I Discharge shaft R reflection axis n normal M rotation axis θi Discharge angle

Claims

1. A cleaning device for a surface of a conveyed object, comprising: a cleaning roller that is rotatable about a rotation axis that is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the object and parallel to the surface of the object, and that comes into contact with the surface of the object; a roller-shaped cleaning brush whose rotation axis is parallel to the cleaning roller and which rotates and comes into contact with the surface of the object; an air nozzle having an air outlet that discharges compressed air onto the target surface from the upstream side in the conveying direction; Equipped with a rotation direction of the cleaning roller at a contact point with the surface of the object is forward with respect to the conveying direction; the rotation direction of the cleaning brush at the contact point with the surface of the object is opposite to the conveying direction; the air nozzle, the cleaning brush, and the cleaning roller are arranged in this order from the upstream side in the conveying direction, a blowing position where the compressed air is blown onto the surface of the object is located upstream of a position where the cleaning brush contacts the surface of the object in the conveying direction; A cleaning device in which a reflected axis, which is formed by folding back the compressed air discharge axis connecting the center of the air discharge port of the air nozzle and the spraying position symmetrically with respect to the normal to the surface of the object at the spraying position, intersects with the surface of the cleaning brush on the side closer to the surface of the object than the axis of rotation of the cleaning brush.

2. 2. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the compressed air is an ionic air.

3. 3. The cleaning device according to claim 2, wherein the cleaning roller and the cleaning brush contact the surface of the object in a charged state.

4. A cleaning device for a surface of a transported object, comprising: a cleaning roller that is rotatable about a rotation axis that is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the object and parallel to the surface of the object, and that comes into contact with the surface of the object; a roller-shaped cleaning brush whose rotation axis is parallel to the cleaning roller and which rotates and comes into contact with the surface of the object; an air nozzle having an air outlet that discharges compressed air onto the target surface from the upstream side in the conveying direction; Equipped with a rotation direction of the cleaning roller at a contact point with the surface of the object is forward with respect to the conveying direction; the rotation direction of the cleaning brush at the contact point with the surface of the object is opposite to the conveying direction; the air nozzle, the cleaning brush, and the cleaning roller are arranged in this order from the upstream side in the conveying direction, a blowing position where the compressed air is blown onto the surface of the object is located upstream of a position where the cleaning brush contacts the surface of the object in the conveying direction; The compressed air is ionic wind, the cleaning roller and the cleaning brush contact the surface of the object in a charged state; The cleaning device has the compressed air, the cleaning roller, and the cleaning brush all having the same potential polarity.

5. A cleaning device as described in Claim 4, wherein the compressed air discharge axis connecting the center of the air discharge port of the air nozzle and the spraying position is reflected symmetrically with respect to the normal to the target surface at the spraying position, and the reflected axis intersects with the cleaning brush surface on the target surface side of the cleaning brush rotation axis.

6. a guide roller disposed upstream of the cleaning brush in the conveying direction and contacting the surface of the object to assist in conveying the object; 6. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the position where the guide roller comes into contact with the surface of the object is on the upstream side of the spray position in the transport direction.

7. 7. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the compressed air has a discharge angle at the blowing position of 30 degrees or more and 45 degrees or less.

8. 8. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the center of the air outlet of the air nozzle and the blowing position is 5 mm or more and 15 mm or less.

9. 9. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the pressure of the compressed air is 0.3 MPa or more and 0.6 MPa or less.

10. 10. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the compressed air has a wind speed at the air outlet of 190 m / sec or more and 380 m / sec or less.

11. the air nozzle has a plurality of the air discharge ports each having a circular cross section, 11. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the air discharge port is 0.5 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less.

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