Carousel for ultrasonic cleaning and method of using thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11433436-B2
Application number	US-202016953156-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 19, 2020
Priority date	Nov 19, 2020
Publication date	Sep 6, 2022
Grant date	Sep 6, 2022

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a sonic cleaning insert. In one example, the sonic cleaning insert includes a carousel configured to rotate about a central axis. The carousel further includes a platform having an outer perimeter. The platform is radially disposed about the central axis. The carousel has an inner ring and an outer ring circumscribing the inner ring. A plurality of partitions couple the inner ring and the outer ring to the platform. The plurality of partitions are arranged at a predetermined angle about the central axis. The carousel further includes a plurality of holders. Each holder is formed from a portion of the platform, a portion of each of the inner ring and outer ring, and a first sidewall and a second sidewall formed from the plurality of partitions. The carousel is configured for immersion in an ultrasonic vibrating fluid.

First claim

What we claim is:

1. A sonic cleaning insert comprising:
a carousel configured to rotate about a central axis, the carousel further comprising:
a platform having an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface, the platform radially disposed about the central axis;
an inner ring and an outer ring at the lower surface of the platform, the outer ring circumscribing the inner ring with a radial opening from the inner ring; and
a plurality of first partitions extending from the inner ring to the upper surface of the platform and being covered by the upper surface of the platform, and a plurality of second partitions extending from the outer ring to the upper surface of the platform, wherein the plurality of first partitions and the plurality of second partitions are arranged at a predetermined angle about the central axis,

wherein the carousel is configured to retain a workpiece covered by the upper surface of the platform and between adjacent first partitions of the plurality of first partitions and through the radial opening between the inner ring and the outer ring for immersion in an ultrasonic vibrating fluid.

2. The sonic cleaning insert of claim 1 ,
a rotatable shaft coupled to the upper surface of the platform, the rotatable shaft configured to rotate the platform about the central axis.

3. The sonic cleaning insert of claim 2 , further comprising:
a plurality of support features radially disposed about the central axis, the plurality of support features extending from the rotatable shaft and coupled to the platform.

4. The sonic cleaning insert of claim 1 , wherein the carousel is configured to receive a workpiece between adjacent first partitions of the plurality of first partitions.

5. The sonic cleaning insert of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of first partitions and each of the plurality of second partitions are disposed about the central axis at the predetermined angle, the predetermined angle proportional to a number of partitions of the plurality of partitions.

6. The sonic cleaning insert of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of support features radially disposed about the central axis, the plurality of support features extending from a rotatable shaft coupled to a surface of the platform, wherein each support feature of the plurality of support features is disposed about the central axis at a supporting angle, the supporting angle being less than or equal to the predetermined angle.

7. A sonic cleaning system comprising:
a tank having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface configured to contain fluid that enables propagation of sonic waves;
a plurality of sonic transducers radially disposed about the inner surface of the tank; and
a sonic cleaning insert positioned for insertion into the tank, comprising:
a carousel configured to rotate about a central axis, the carousel further comprising:
a platform having an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface, the platform radially disposed about the central axis;
an inner ring and an outer ring at the lower surface of the platform, the outer ring circumscribing the inner ring with a radial opening from the inner ring; and
a plurality of first partitions extending from the inner ring to the upper surface of the platform and being covered by the upper surface of the platform, and a plurality of second partitions extending from the outer ring to upper surface of the platform, wherein the plurality of first partitions and the plurality of second partitions are arranged at a predetermined angle about the central axis,

wherein the carousel is configured to retain a workpiece covered by the upper surface of the platform and between adjacent first partitions of the plurality of first partitions and through the radial opening between the inner ring and the outer ring for immersion in an ultrasonic vibrating fluid.

8. The sonic cleaning system of claim 7 ,
a rotatable shaft coupled to the upper surface of the platform, the rotatable shaft configured to rotate the platform about the central axis.

9. The sonic cleaning system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a plurality of support features radially disposed about the central axis, the plurality of support features extending from the rotatable shaft and coupled to the platform.

10. The sonic cleaning system of claim 7 , wherein the tank comprises a bottom and wherein the plurality of sonic transducers is located an offset distance from the bottom.

11. The sonic cleaning system of claim 7 , wherein each first partition of the plurality of first partitions and each second partition of the plurality of second partitions are made of a material that reflects at least one of ultrasonic waves and megasonic waves.

Assignees

• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Coughlin Michael J
• D'Ambra Allen L

Classifications

• B08B2203/0288

  Ultra or megasonic jets · CPC title

• B08B3/12 Primary

  by sonic or ultrasonic vibrations · CPC title

• B08B3/123

  Cleaning travelling work, e.g. webs, articles on a conveyor (conveyors B65G; handling webs B65H) · CPC title

• B08B13/00

  Accessories or details of general applicability for machines or apparatus for cleaning · CPC title

• B08B3/047 Primary

  Containers specially adapted therefor · CPC title