Nozzle Cleaning Substrate With Hook Structures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dispensing nozzle cleaning methods are inefficient due to the accumulation of material on nozzle surfaces, which hinders fluid dispensing and requires manual inspection and cleaning, often using ineffective substrates like fabrics and brushes that can damage nozzles and are not suitable for clean room environments.
Innovation Solution
A system with a cleaning substrate featuring hook structures, supported by a platform, that moves relative to the nozzle to remove material, combined with a camera-based inspection system to determine cleaning needs and automate the cleaning process using a controller to manage the movement and solvent application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual inspection and cleaning methods are used, then the operator can detect and remove material accumulation on nozzles, but the process requires pausing production cycles and is difficult due to small nozzle size and invisibility without mirrors
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary inspection using a camera to detect material accumulation on nozzles before cleaning is required. This allows the system to identify when cleaning is needed without requiring manual inspection during production cycles, maintaining continuity while ensuring cleaning effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical inspection and cleaning with an automated system using a camera for detection and a robotic mechanism for cleaning. This substitution eliminates the need for operators to pause production and manually inspect small, hard-to-see nozzles, thereby maintaining productivity while ensuring reliable cleaning.
2Ease of operation
If fabrics and sponges are used as cleaning substrates, then they can contact the nozzle surface, but they lack sufficient scrubbing ability and durability due to quick clogging of pores
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the cleaning substrate by using a brush with rigid bristles instead of soft fabrics or sponges. This parameter change provides sufficient scrubbing ability and durability while maintaining contact with the nozzle surface, preventing quick clogging and extending substrate life.
3Power
If brushes are used as cleaning substrates, then they provide scrubbing ability, but they are too abrasive and can damage the nozzles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using brushes with varying bristle stiffness in different regions of the cleaning substrate. Softer bristles contact the nozzle surface to provide gentle cleaning, while stiffer bristles handle heavier material accumulation. This localized variation in bristle properties provides sufficient scrubbing power without causing nozzle damage.
4Shape
If fabrics and sponges are used as cleaning substrates, then they can conform to nozzle shape, but they shed material which is not suitable for clean room environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters of the cleaning substrate by using a brush with synthetic bristles that do not shed, unlike fabrics and sponges. This parameter change eliminates the shedding problem while maintaining the ability to conform to nozzle shape, making the system suitable for clean room environments.
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 system effectively removes material from nozzle surfaces, ensuring continuous dispensing efficiency while being gentle on nozzles and suitable for clean room environments, with the hook structures providing durability and minimal shedding, and the automated process reducing manual labor and improving maintenance efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The hook structures are configured to remove a material from an exterior surface of the nozzle, when at least one of the nozzle and the cleaning substrate moves relative to the other one of the nozzle and the cleaning substrate
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods for inspecting and cleaning a nozzle of a dispenser are disclosed. The systems may include a platform supporting a cleaning substrate. The cleaning substrate may have a plurality of hook structures configured to remove a material from the nozzle. The systems may also include a camera configured to capture an image of the nozzle and a controller configured to control the system. The methods may include providing a cleaning substrate having a plurality of hook structures, and moving at least one of the nozzle and the cleaning substrate relative to the other to remove a material from the nozzle. The methods may also include capturing an image of the nozzle after dispensing with a camera, processing the image to generate a value, utilizing the value to determine if the nozzle should be cleaned, and if the determination is that the nozzle should be cleaned, cleaning the nozzle.