CMP Brush Packaging with End Supports and Polymeric Sleeve
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current packaging methods for chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) brushes are inadequate in maintaining cleanliness and preventing contamination during handling and installation, as they often require gloved handling and can lead to deformation of the brush nodules, and lack robustness against drops.
Innovation Solution
A packaging system that includes a flexible polymeric sleeve or sheet with slits for easy removal and installation, combined with a liquid-tight outer wrap and end supports that offset the brush from surfaces, allowing for contamination-free handling and installation without tools, and providing mechanical protection during shipping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the brush is shipped in a wet or dampened state to maintain compressibility, then the brush's physical properties are preserved, but the packaging must prevent deformation of nodules during shipment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by providing end supports positioned at the ends of the brush before shipping. These end supports cushion and protect the brush nodules from deformation during transit while allowing the brush to remain in a dampened state for maintaining compressibility. The end supports are specifically designed to prevent nodule deformation without requiring the brush to be dry.
2Ease of operation
If the user grasps the brush by hand to install it on the tool, then installation is simple, but the brush surface becomes contaminated with particles and metal ionic contaminants
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the intermediary principle by introducing a polymeric sleeve that covers the brush surface during handling and installation. This sleeve acts as a mediator between the user's hand and the brush surface, allowing the user to grasp and install the brush without direct contact. The sleeve is designed to be removable after installation, providing contamination-free handling while maintaining ease of operation.
3Reliability
If a clamshell package is used to seal the moistened brush, then the packaging protects the brush during shipping, but the packaging is susceptible to damage when dropped
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining a polymeric sleeve material with an outer packaging structure. This composite packaging system provides both the sealing properties needed to protect the moistened brush and the robustness to withstand drops. The polymeric sleeve works in conjunction with the outer packaging to provide comprehensive protection, resolving the contradiction between reliability and strength.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the polymeric sleeve covers the entire brush, then contamination-free handling is achieved, but the sleeve cannot be easily removed after installation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by providing the polymeric sleeve with a slit or tear line that divides the sleeve into separable portions. This allows the sleeve to cover the entire brush for contamination-free handling, while the slit enables easy removal after installation by allowing the sleeve to be torn or peeled away without requiring tools or excessive force.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of packaging a CMP brush having a cylindrical brush portion and a pair of end connection portions. The method includes saturating the brush with a liquid; covering the cylindrical brush portion with a flexible sheet that extends around and engages the surface of the cylindrical portion; engaging each of the end connection portions with a respective end support; inserting the dampened brush into a rigid polymer tubular shipping container and supporting the end connection portions within the polymer tube; and providing an additional exterior self-supporting packaging.