Gripping Hand Cleaning in Substrate Case Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional substrate case cleaning apparatuses face contamination issues as the arm robot's gripping hand can transfer contaminants to cleaned parts during handling, leading to re-contamination.
Innovation Solution
A substrate case cleaning apparatus with a booth, cleaning tank, and a conveyance mechanism that includes a cleaning means for the gripping hand to stand by and be cleaned, using a spray nozzle and exhaust fan to prevent re-contamination by removing contaminants from the gripping hand.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the arm robot grips and conveys the substrate case parts during cleaning, then the parts can be cleaned in the cleaning tank, but the gripping hand becomes contaminated by contaminant migration from the parts and subsequently contaminates the cleaned parts
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning process is segmented into two independent zones: a cleaning zone (cleaning tank) where parts are cleaned, and a conveyance zone (booth) where the gripping hand operates. By separating these functions spatially, the gripping hand is prevented from direct contact with contaminant sources during cleaning, thus avoiding contamination while maintaining cleaning quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The booth acts as an intermediary clean space between the contaminant source (cleaning tank) and the gripping hand. This intermediate zone allows the gripping hand to convey parts without directly exposing it to contaminants, effectively mediating the contamination risk while enabling the cleaning process to proceed.
2Productivity
If the arm robot stands by inside the booth during cleaning, then it can quickly convey parts after cleaning, but the contaminant in the booth may stick to the gripping hand
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping hand is preliminarily cleaned by the cleaning means before it conveys the cleaned parts. This preliminary cleaning action prevents contaminant adhesion in advance, allowing the gripping hand to remain in the booth during cleaning without compromising contamination control, thus maintaining conveyance efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The gripping hand performs self-service cleaning through the cleaning means (spray nozzle and exhaust fan) positioned in the booth. This self-cleaning capability allows the gripping hand to remove accumulated contaminants autonomously, maintaining its cleanliness for subsequent conveyance operations without requiring external intervention, thereby preserving productivity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively prevents re-contamination of cleaned parts by ensuring the gripping hand is cleaned during the process, maintaining a clean environment and reliably preventing contamination of the substrate case.
Implementation Method 1
a spray nozzle which sprays a gas to the gripping hand
Implementation Method 2
an exhaust fan which exhausts the gas which was sprayed from the spray nozzle from the inside of said booth
Data Source
AI summary
Contaminant is prevented from migrating from a gripping hand and contaminating a substrate case after cleaning the substrate case. The apparatus cleans, in a state with no substrate, a substrate case C which holds a substrate, provided with a booth 10 which forms a clean space, provided with cleaning tanks 40, 50 which hold and clean the parts of the substrate case C in a separated status in the booth 10, provided with a conveyance mechanism 60 which grips part of the substrate case C by a gripping hand 70 and conveys them to and from the cleaning tanks 40, 50, making the gripping hand 70 stand by at a standby position Q in the booth 10 during cleaning of the substrate case C, and provided with a cleaning means 80 for cleaning the gripping hand 70 during cleaning of the parts. The cleaning means 80 is provided with a spray nozzle 81 which sprays a gas toward the gripping hand 70 and an exhaust fan 82 which exhausts the gas from the inside of the booth 10.