Novel materials and hardware for automatically cleaning flexible electronic circuit web rolls.

Abstract

To provide novel materials and devices which can remove small defects from long rolls of flexible electronics material while they are in continuous motion, and in which, the cleaning materials are designed to remove small particles without transferring defects or damaging the flexible electronics.SOLUTION: The device generally comprises variable speed, motor-driven cylinders mounted on movable brackets. The cylinders are capable of matching speed of a cleaning material such that a cleaning material is always in contact with a web roll to be cleaned. The brackets are capable of rotating so that the same material can be used more than once. Another material is used to remove debris from the cleaning material. A similar device comprising motor-driven cylinders and movable is used to apply a debris removal film to a cleaning film, allowing the cleaning film to be used multiple times.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] [Priority claim / related application] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 120 and 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 634,545, filed February 23, 2018, and entitled "Novel Material And Hardware To Automatically Clean Flexible Electronic Web Rolls," the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to novel materials and hardware that can be integrated into roll-to-roll manufacturing systems and used to clean the working surfaces of rolls of web film used to manufacture a variety of items and products, including, for example, flexible electronic circuits and other similar applications, including organic LEDs (OLEDs), display panels, and photovoltaic devices. [Background technology]

[0003] Flexible electronics, also known as flex circuits, is a technology for assembling electronic circuits by mounting electronic devices on flexible web substrates such as polyimide, PEEK, or transparent conductive polyester film. In addition, flex circuits can be silver circuits screen-printed onto polyester sheets or other similar flexible sheets. With lower manufacturing costs and the ability to flex compared to traditional silicon-based devices, this technology enables many computer and display applications. For example, it can also be used to produce solar cells and LED lighting panels. This processing method is known as roll-to-roll processing, web processing, reel-to-reel processing, or R2R processing.

[0004] To mass-produce flexible electronic circuits in high volumes and at low cost, manufacturers are developing roll-to-roll technologies that provide in-line processing of wide and long rolls up to 1 meter wide and 2000 meters long. While manufacturers capable of producing these rolls of material exist, the manufacturing process leaves small defects on the surface of the material, ranging from 0.5 microns to 250 microns.

[0005] Various steps within the device manufacturing process also create defects on the working surface of the web material. These defects from the roll and device manufacturing processes can hinder device processing and lead to a low overall yield of working devices from a roll of flexible electronic circuits.

[0006] These tiny defects are difficult to remove from the surface of a flexible electronic circuit web roll. They are tightly bound by electrostatic forces, especially van der Waals forces, which are too strong to overcome by conventional cleaning techniques such as rinsing. Solvent-based cleaning solutions can damage the devices and cannot be used effectively.

[0007] While it is possible to use an adhesive roll to clean the surface of a flexible electronic circuit web, the rapid accumulation of defects on the adhesive roll would very quickly render it ineffective. Furthermore, most adhesives are excessively tacky and would either damage the surface or transfer some material to the flexible electronic circuit web roll. Such transfer would also cause yield loss, reducing the number of working devices produced on the surface of the flexible electronic circuit roll. [Prior art documents] [Non-patent literature]

[0008] [Non-Patent Document 1] pdfs.semanticscholar.org / 1eb5 / d0be006ae57dfeb0cbaa8ac4ec1a56c59a19.pdf [Non-patent document 2] inpressco.com / wp-content / uploads / 2015 / 10 / Paper653457-3462.pdf Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] Cleaning systems for flexible electronic circuit webs that use single or dual rollers do exist today. Figure 5 shows an example of a commercially available cleaning system that uses a roller. The roller (16) is made of an adhesive material, typically silicone. This material is cleaned with a roll of adhesive tape (15), which can be periodically discarded. However, the silicone roller (16) must repeatedly contact the roll (15) being cleaned. In addition, the small cleaning surface area repeatedly contacts the long roll of material. Cleaning must be stopped to replace the adhesive cleaning roll, and therefore, there is a significant trade-off between cleanliness and line downtime. With the accumulation of larger particles on the adhesive tape, it will no longer effectively clean the roller. Also, this technique does not adequately remove small particles due to the electrostatic binding of small particles discussed above. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] Thus, there is a need in the art for new cleaning materials that can remove defects from the surface of flexible electronic circuit rolls without sticking or material transfer. There is also a need for a device that allows this material to be continuously stretched as long flexible electronic circuit rolls are stretched through the manufacturing process. There is also a need for another material that can remove defects / debris from the cleaning material, so that it can be used multiple times on very long rolls of material, and a need for a device that applies a defect removal sheet to the cleaning sheet.

[0011] Some embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals may indicate like elements. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view of an example of a cleaning material and positioning device according to various embodiments. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view of an example of a cleaning device according to various embodiments described herein. [Figure 3] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a cleaning material used to clean a flexible roll according to various embodiments described herein. [Figure 4] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a cleaning material used to remove defects from the cleaning material according to various embodiments described herein. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram of an existing cleaning system consisting of a cleaning roller with a second roll of material used to clean the roller. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The present disclosure is particularly applicable to cleaning systems and methods for roll-to-roll manufacturing systems for flexible electronic circuits, such as those disclosed in the drawings and described below with specific cleaning structures, and the present disclosure will be described in this context. However, it will be appreciated that the cleaning systems and methods can be used in other manufacturing applications in which it is desirable to be able to effectively clean the system. For example, the cleaning systems and methods can be used with roll-to-roll processing systems and methods that can be used to perform nanoimprint photolithography or to manufacture solar cells, such as flexible polymer solar cells, perovskite solar cells, organic solar cells, and the like. The cleaning systems and methods can also be used to clean flexible web rolls for automotive applications, which may include various requirements for different types of stackable battery configurations constructed using roll-to-roll technology. The cleaning systems and methods can also be used to clean flexible web rolls for biomechanics applications, where cleanliness and defect control are critical for the roll-to-roll fabrication of various wearable technologies, where electronic and mechanical devices are integrated, printed, or embossed onto fabrics and various flexible substrates that can be worn on the skin, as well as wearable pharmaceuticals. Additionally, the cleaning systems and methods can also clean roll-to-roll systems used to manufacture display products such as flexible AMOLED (Active Matrix Light Emitting Diode) displays that can be used in next-generation flex display phones.Additionally, the cleaning systems and methods can be used in roll-to-roll fabrication processes for flex circuits, examples of which are described in pdfs.semanticscholar.org / 1eb5 / d0be006ae57dfeb0cbaa8ac4ec1a56c59a19.pdf and inpressco.com / wp-content / uploads / 2015 / 10 / Paper653457-3462.pdf, which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0014] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural as well as the singular, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprise" and / or "comprising," as used herein, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof.

[0015] Unless otherwise specified, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art. Terms as defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure, and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly defined as such herein.

[0016] It will be understood that in describing the embodiments, several techniques and steps are disclosed. Each of these steps and techniques has its own advantages, and each can be used in combination with one or more, or even all, of the other techniques disclosed. Thus, for the sake of clarity, this specification will not unnecessarily repeat all possible combinations of the individual steps. Nevertheless, the specification and claims should be read with the understanding that such combinations are fully within the scope of the present disclosure and claims.

[0017] Novel cleaning materials, devices, apparatus, and methods for positioning cleaning materials for roll-to-roll web sheet manufacturing are discussed herein. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that practice may be practiced without these specific details. The present disclosure is to be considered an example of the present disclosure and is not intended to limit the present disclosure to the specific embodiments shown in the drawings or description below.

[0018] Web material cleaning systems, devices, and methods are now described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one or more embodiments. FIG. 1 depicts a cross-sectional view of an example of a cleaning material and positioning device according to various embodiments. In various embodiments, a device 100 for cleaning a flexible web roll 1 includes a device 101 configured with at least two winding cylinders 31, 32 that pass a cleaning material 2 over an application cylinder 4 to contact the cleaning material 1 to be cleaned. In the example of FIG. 1, cylinder 31 can be a source cylinder from which the cleaning material is unwound, and cylinder 32 can be a take-up cylinder onto which the cleaning material is wound after a portion of it has been used to clean the flexible web roll 1. Device 100 may be known as a mobile cleaning device. In one embodiment, the direction of movement of cleaning material 2 is the same as the direction of movement of material 1 to be cleaned, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 1 . Material 1 may be supported by another cylinder 6, as shown in FIG. 1 . In another embodiment not shown in Figure 1, the material to be cleaned 1 can be stretched relative to the cleaning material 2, which passes over roller 4 without a supporting cylinder. Cylinders 31, 32 can be driven by variable speed motors that can be synchronized so that the speed and direction of cleaning material 2 is substantially similar to the speed of movement of material 1. In this embodiment, the cylinder 31, 32 motors can rotate in either direction. The straight arrows indicate example directions of web 1 advancement and cleaning material 2 advancement during the cleaning process.

[0019] In this embodiment, the cylinders 31 and 32 are supported by a movable bracket 5, which transmits power to the motor. The bracket 5 can move out of the plane of the web 1 and rotate through 180 degrees to reverse the direction of the cleaning roll motion and cleaning material 2, i.e., requiring a motor to rotate in either direction. When reversing the direction of the cleaning material 2, the cleaning material is wound around the take-up cylinder 32 and then wound onto the source cylinder 31 after each portion of cleaning material 2 has cleaned the web 1. The bracket 5 can then be retracted to position the cleaning material 2 relative to the roll 1. This can allow the same roll of material 2 to be used multiple times for cleaning. In this embodiment, the bracket 5 can also be designed to allow for easy replacement of the roll of cleaning material 2. The bracket 5 can be made of aluminum, a metal alloy, a rigid web, or other suitable material. In a preferred embodiment, the bracket 5 and the cylinders 31 and 32 are under the control of a system sequence controller. The sequence controller is a software program running on a computer, either on the main system controller for the web manufacturing tool or on a stand-alone unit integrated into the main system controller through a data connector—RS232 or similar. The sequence controller will control the cylinder motors 31 and 32. It will continuously match the speed between the cleaning film and the web material being processed, including stopping the cleaning rolls when the web is stopped. This sequencer will also control the movement and rotation of brackets 5 and 9. The sequence controller will collect data from sensor 15, described below. When the sensor indicates the roll is nearing the end, the bracket will retract the cylinder, stop the cylinder, rotate 180 degrees, then restart the cylinder and match the speed to the web material. The sequencer will move the bracket so that cylinders 31 and 32 contact the web material.After these have rotated a user-defined number of times, the sequencer will pull the bracket 5 or 9 away from the web material and provide a signal to the system that it is time to change the material.

[0020] A second device 102, as shown in FIG. 1 , can be used to remove debris from the cleaning material 2. In some embodiments, a device 100 for cleaning a flexible web roll 1 has a second device 102 configured with at least two winding cylinders 81, 82 that pass the second cleaning material 7 over an additional cylinder 10 to contact it with the cleaning material 2 to be cleaned. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , cylinder 81 can be a source cylinder onto which the second cleaning material 7 is wound, and cylinder 82 can be a take-up cylinder onto which the cleaning material 7 is wound after each portion has cleaned the cleaning material 2. In this embodiment, this contact occurs when the material 2 is supported by cylinder 3. The second device 102 can also be located above the cleaning material 2. In another embodiment of the device, device 102 can be on the side where the cleaning material 2 is unwound from cylinder 31. In another embodiment, the second cleaning material 7 can be supported by an additional cylinder 10. In another embodiment, the second cleaning material 7 may be stretched unsupported against the cylinder 10. The cylinders 81, 82 are driven by variable speed motors that can be synchronized with the speed of travel of the cleaning material 2. In a preferred embodiment, the cylinder motors can rotate in either direction.

[0021] In this embodiment, the cylinders 81 and 82 are supported by a movable bracket 9, which transmits power to a motor. The bracket 9 can move out of the plane of the cleaning material 2 and rotate through 180 degrees to reverse the direction of the second cleaning material 7. The bracket 9 can then retract to position the second cleaning material 7 relative to the cleaning material 2. When reversing the direction of the second cleaning material, the cylinder 82 can serve as a source cylinder, while the cylinder 81 can serve as a take-up cylinder. This can allow the same roll of material to be used multiple times for cleaning. In a preferred embodiment, the bracket 9 can also be designed to allow for easy replacement of the roll of cleaning material. The bracket 9 can be made of aluminum, a metal alloy, a rigid web, or other suitable material. In a preferred embodiment, the bracket 9 and the cylinders 81 and 82 are under the control of a system sequence controller. The materials for the cleaning material 2 and the second cleaning material 7 are described below with reference to Figures 3 and 4.

[0022] In operation, device 100 continuously moves cleaning material web 2, which moves at the same speed as flexible electronic circuit roll 1, to clean flexible electronic circuit roll 1 as it moves continuously. Both flexible electronic circuit roll 1 and cleaning material 2 are moving such that different portions of cleaning material 2 clean different portions of flexible electronic circuit roll 1. In addition, device 102 carries second cleaning material 7, which moves and contacts each portion of cleaning material 2 to continuously clean cleaning material 2 on a take-up cylinder, as shown in FIG. 1. As described above, the direction of movement of both cleaning material 2 and cleaning material 7 can be reversed to allow both cleaning material 2 and cleaning material 7 to be reused. As a result, cleaning material 2 and cleaning material 7 can be used for a longer period before they must be replaced. As shown in FIG. 1, web 1 and cleaning material can contact / adjacent each other at a first cleaning point, and cleaning material 2 and second cleaning material can contact / adjacent each other at a second cleaning point. In operation, cleaning material 2 has multiple portions, each portion cleaning a specific portion of web 1 when web 1 and cleaning material 2 move in the same direction and speed. Similarly, second cleaning material 7 has multiple portions, each portion cleaning a specific portion of cleaning material 2 when cleaning material 2 and second cleaning material 7 move in the same direction and speed.

[0023] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an example of a cleaning device 200 according to various embodiments described herein. In this embodiment, each of cylinders 31, 32 (corresponding to cylinders 31, 32 in FIG. 1 ) or cylinders 81, 82 can have a sensor 15 capable of determining how much material 2 or 7 remains on the cleaning material roll. For example, the most commonly used sensors 15 for this purpose are commercially available distance sensors that measure the distance from a fixed point to the roll surface; these are typically laser or infrared reflective sensors. Another type of sensor would be a through-beam laser sensor at a fixed point above the cylinder, such that the through-beam is uninterrupted when the roll is empty, indicating the roll needs to be replaced. The signal from this sensor can be integrated with a system sequence controller to determine when to rotate bracket 5 or 9, as described above.

[0024] 3 shows a cross-sectional view of a cleaning material 2 used to clean the flexible electronic circuit web 1. The cleaning material 2 selected should be effective in removing flexible and small particles and should not contaminate the surface of the flexible electronic circuit roll 1. An example of this material is a material having a durometer Shore A of 40 to 100 and a surface energy of 15 to 40 dynes / cm. 2The cleaning material 2 may include a cleaning surface layer 11 having a polymer thickness of 20 to 300 microns and may be supported on a web film 12 having a thickness in the range of 20 to 300 microns. The web film 12 may be composed of polyester, polyethylene, polyimide, or another suitably flexible and durable web film. In some embodiments of the cleaning material 2, for repeated use of the cleaning material and depending on the adhesive properties of the cleaning layer 11, the cleaning surface layer 11 may have a release agent or release liner on the roll-up side above the layer 11. It is contemplated that a release agent or release liner can be used with any of the material types to extend the life of the cleaning film by providing mechanical support during the winding and unwinding process.

[0025] Contaminants to be picked up include organic contaminants, metal contaminants, by-products of manufacturing processes, and biological contaminants introduced by individuals working in the facility. Particle sizes are believed to range from 0.1 microns to 10 centimeters. Particles adhere to the cleaning film by electrostatic attraction, with the majority of particles being held by van der Waals forces. The cleaning material type is believed to be selected to match the web film being cleaned with the fixture holding the web. The material is believed to be selected to optimize cleaning without significantly deforming the material being cleaned.

[0026] It is contemplated that the cleaning material can be the same width as the web material, or it can be narrower or slightly wider than that material. This is contemplated to be user definable. The width of the cleaning material is contemplated to be between 10 cm and 1000 cm. There may also be embodiments with wider cleaning materials.

[0027] FIG. 4 shows a cross-section of a material 7 used to remove debris from the cleaning material. The material selected should be flexible, effective at removing small particles, and not contaminate the surface of the cleaning material 3. This material can include pressure-sensitive adhesives and other non-setting adhesives. In this embodiment, the cleaning material 7 can include a cleaning surface layer 13 that can be supported on a web film 14, which can have a polymer thickness of 20 to 300 microns and may range from 20 to 300 microns. The web film can be composed of polyester, polyethylene, polyimide, or other suitably flexible and durable web film. In some embodiments, for repeated use of the cleaning material 13 and depending on the adhesive properties of the cleaning surface layer 11, the cleaning surface layer 13 can have a release agent or release liner on the roll-up side of the layer 13. In another embodiment, each of the cleaning materials shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 can have a cleaning material surface on both sides of the support web.

[0028] In another embodiment of this device, multiple devices configured with different cleaning films can be positioned along the web surface to optimize cleaning of different types of particles. The cleaning films can have different surface properties, such as surface roughness, viscosity, or surface energy, to more efficiently pick up different particle types. In one embodiment, a device with a rougher, more viscous surface material can contact the web first and remove larger particles, followed by a device with a smoother, less viscous film to remove smaller particles. In another embodiment, one material can be selected for optimal surface properties for capturing metal particles, and another material can be selected for optimal surface properties for capturing organic particles.

[0029] In another embodiment, an anti-static device, such as an ionizer, can be placed on the web material at the input side of the cleaning device (to the left of the exemplary device shown in FIG. 1) to remove any possible static charge present on the surface prior to cleaning. A similar anti-static device can be placed on the exit side of the cleaning device (to the right of the exemplary device shown in FIG. 1).

[0030] Although preferred materials have been described for the elements, the device is not limited by these materials, and other materials with similar properties can be used.

[0031] While the systems, devices, and methods have been shown and described herein with reference to preferred embodiments and specific examples thereof, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that other embodiments and examples may operate in the same manner and / or achieve similar results, all such equivalent embodiments and examples being within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure and are intended to be contemplated thereby and covered by the following claims.

[0032] The foregoing has been described with reference to specific embodiments for purposes of illustration. However, the above illustrative description is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments have been chosen and described to best explain the principles of the present disclosure and its practical application, and to thereby enable those skilled in the art to best utilize the present disclosure and various embodiments, with various modifications as suited to the particular use envisioned.

[0033] The systems and methods disclosed herein may be implemented by or distributed among one or more components, systems, servers, appliances, or other subcomponents. When implemented as a system, such a system may include and / or involve components such as software modules, a general-purpose CPU, RAM, among others, found in a general-purpose computer. In embodiments in which the invention resides on a server, such a server may include or involve components such as a CPU, RAM, etc. found in a general-purpose computer.

[0034] Additionally, the systems and methods herein can be achieved through implementations having disparate or entirely different software, hardware, and / or firmware components beyond those described above. With respect to such other components (e.g., software, processing components, etc.) and / or computer-readable media associated with or embodying the invention, for example, aspects of the innovations herein can be consistently implemented with many general-purpose or special-purpose computer systems or configurations. Various exemplary computer systems, environments, and / or configurations suitable for use with the innovations herein include, but are not limited to, software or other components embodied in or on personal computers, server computing devices such as servers or routing / connectivity components, handheld or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set-top boxes, consumer electronic devices, network PCs, other existing computer platforms, distributed computing environments including one or more of the above-described systems or devices, and the like.

[0035] In some cases, aspects of the systems and methods of the present invention may be achieved or performed through logic and / or logical instructions, including, for example, program modules, executed in conjunction with such components or circuits. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc., that perform particular tasks or implement particular instructions herein. The present invention may also be implemented in conjunction with distributed software, computer, or circuit configurations in which circuits are connected through communication buses, circuits, or links. In a distributed configuration, control / instruction may occur from both local and remote computer storage media, including memory storage devices.

[0036] The software, circuits, and components herein may also include and / or utilize one or more types of computer-readable media. Computer-readable media may be any available medium that resides on, is associated with, or can be accessed by such circuits and / or computer components. By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable media may include computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media include volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data. Computer storage media include, but are not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVDs) or other optical storage, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store desired information and that is accessible by a computer component. Communication media may include computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules, and / or other components. Additionally, communication media may include wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, although none of such types of media herein includes transitory media. Combinations of any of the above are also included within the scope of computer-readable media.

[0037] In describing the present invention, terms such as component, module, device, etc. may refer to any type of logical or functional software element, circuit, block, and / or process that can be implemented in various ways. For example, the functions of various circuits and / or blocks can be combined with each other into any number of other modules. Each module can further be implemented as a software program stored in tangible memory (e.g., random access memory, read-only memory, CD-ROM memory, hard disk drive, etc.) that is read by a central processing unit to perform the functions of the innovations herein. Alternatively, a module can have programming instructions sent to a general-purpose computer or to processing / graphics hardware via a transmission carrier wave. Similarly, a module can be implemented as hardware logic circuitry that performs the functions included in the innovations herein. Finally, a module can be implemented using dedicated instructions (SIMD instructions), field programmable logic arrays, or any combination thereof to provide a desired level of performance and cost.

[0038] As disclosed herein, features consistent with the present disclosure may be implemented through computer hardware, software, and / or firmware. For example, the systems and methods disclosed herein may be embodied in various forms, including, for example, a data processor, such as a computer, including a database, digital electronic circuitry, firmware, software, or any combination thereof. Moreover, while some of the disclosed aspects describe specific hardware components, systems and methods consistent with the innovations herein may be implemented in any combination of hardware, software, and / or firmware. Furthermore, these features and other aspects and principles of the innovations herein may be implemented in a variety of environments. Such environments and related applications may include general-purpose computers or computer platforms that may be specially constructed to execute various routines, processes, and / or operations in accordance with the present invention, or that are selectively activated or reconfigured by code to provide the required functionality. The processes disclosed herein are not inherently related to any particular computer, network, architecture, environment, or other apparatus, and may be implemented by any suitable combination of hardware, software, and / or firmware. For example, various general-purpose machines may be used with programs written in accordance with the teachings of the invention, or it may be more convenient to construct a specialized apparatus or system to perform the required methods and techniques.

[0039] It should also be noted that the various logic units and / or functions disclosed herein may be enabled in terms of their behavior, register transfers, logical components, and / or other characteristics using any number of combinations of hardware, firmware, and / or as data and / or instructions embodied in various machine-readable or computer-readable media. Computer-readable media in which such formatted data and / or instructions may be embodied include, but are not limited to, various forms of non-volatile storage media (e.g., optical, magnetic, or semiconductor storage media), but not volatile media. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, throughout the specification, words such as "comprise" and "comprising" should be construed in an exemplary sense, i.e., "including, but not limited to," rather than a restrictive or inclusive sense. Words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number, respectively. In addition, the words "herein," "below," "above," "below," and words of similar import refer to this application as a whole, and not to any particular portions of this application. When the word "or" is used in connection with a list of two or more items, it is to be construed as including any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list, and any combination of the items in the list.

[0040] While certain presently preferred implementations of the invention have been specifically described herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains that variations and modifications of the various implementations shown and described herein can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the present invention be limited only to the extent required by applicable legal provisions.

[0041] While the foregoing has referred to particular embodiments of the present disclosure, it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that modifications in the embodiments can be made without departing from the principles and spirit of the present disclosure, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0042] 1 Flexible electronic circuit web roll 2 Cleaning materials 5 Movable bracket 7 Secondary cleaning material 100 Device for cleaning flexible web rolls

Claims

1. 1. An apparatus for adding cleaning material, comprising: a roll of cleaning material attached to a moving cleaning device, a portion of the moving cleaning material being placed against a portion of the continuously moving flexible electronic circuit web surface and the portion of the moving cleaning material being used to remove debris from the portion of the moving flexible electronic circuit web surface; A source cylinder; a take-up cylinder, the moving cleaning material being unwound from the source cylinder and wound onto the take-up cylinder after the cleaning material has cleaned the moving flexible electronic circuit web surface; a motor provided on each of the source cylinder and the take-up cylinder for moving the moving cleaning material in the same direction and at the same speed as the moving flexible electronic circuit web surface while cleaning the moving flexible electronic circuit web surface; the moving cleaning device includes a bracket connected to the roller, the source cylinder, and the take-up cylinder for reversing the direction of the cleaning material; Including, the moving flexible electronic circuit web surface has a plurality of portions, each portion moving over a cleaning point over time, each portion of the moving cleaning material adjacent to the cleaning point over time such that the continuously moving flexible electronic circuit web surface is cleaned; the cleaned material is unwound from the take-up cylinder and wound onto the source cylinder so that the cleaned material can be reused; the cleaning material includes a cleaning layer that is one of a polyimide layer and a polymer layer; An apparatus characterized in that

2. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the source cylinder and the take-up cylinder each include a motor that drives movement of the cleaning material past the cleaning point.

3. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said cleaning material has a width equal to the width of said continuously moving flexible electronic circuit web surface.

4. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the source cylinder further includes a sensor for determining the amount of cleaning material remaining on the source cylinder.

5. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the moving cleaning device further comprises a roller between the cleaning material and the continuously moving flexible electronic circuit web surface at the cleaning point.

6. the moving cleaning device further includes a bracket connected to the roller, the source cylinder, and the take-up cylinder for reversing the direction of the cleaning material; the cleaned material is unwound from the take-up cylinder and wound by the source cylinder so that the cleaned material can be reused; 6. The device according to claim 5.

7. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the bracket rotates 180 degrees to reverse the direction of the cleaning material.

8. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the moving cleaning device further includes an integrated control system that controls the operation of the two cylinders, sensors, and brackets.

9. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cleaning material moves in a direction that is the same as the direction of the continuously moving flexible electronic circuit web surface.

10. The polymer layer has a durometer Shore of between about 40 and about 100 and a modulus of elasticity of 15 to 40 dynes / cm 2 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the surface energy is

11. 10. The device of claim 1, wherein the polymer layer is a silicon-containing polymer layer.

12. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cleaning material comprises a cleaning surface layer of polymer between 20 and 300 microns thick.

13. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the cleaning material further comprises a web layer directly beneath the cleaning layer.

14. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the web layer has a thickness between 20 and 300 microns.

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