Cleaning apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021016328-A1
Application number	US-202016904973-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 18, 2020
Priority date	Jul 19, 2019
Publication date	Jan 21, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A compact cleaning apparatus including a robot with a narrow range of motion is provided. The cleaning apparatus includes: a cleaning chamber; a cleaning station; a drying station; a separation wall; a single axis robot including a column arranged adjacent to a side surface, a linear guide extending vertically, and a vertical moving saddle movable vertically; an arm portion including a first rotation saddle rotatable about a second axis extending vertically, a first arm swingable about a third axis extending horizontally and extending orthogonal to the third axis, a second arm rotatable about a fourth axis orthogonal to the third axis, a second rotation saddle rotatable about a fifth axis orthogonal to the fourth axis, a third rotation saddle rotatable about a sixth axis orthogonal to the fifth axis; and a hand for gripping a workpiece.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A cleaning apparatus, comprising:
a cleaning chamber having a side surface; a cleaning station including a cleaning nozzle configured to inject cleaning liquid; a drying station including a blow nozzle configured to inject dry air; a separation wall partitioning the cleaning chamber into the cleaning station and the drying station; a single axis robot including
a column arranged adjacent to the side surface, the column arranged along an extension of the separation wall,
a linear guide arranged in the column, the linear guide extending vertically, and
a vertical moving saddle configured to move vertically along the linear guide;
an arm portion including
a first rotation saddle supported by the vertical moving saddle, the first rotation saddle configured to rotate about a second axis extending vertically,
a first arm supported by the first rotation saddle, the first arm swingable about a third axis extending horizontally, the first arm extending orthogonal to the third axis,
a second arm supported by the first arm, the second arm configured to rotate about a fourth axis orthogonal to the third axis,
a second rotation saddle supported by the second arm, the second rotation saddle configured to rotate about a fifth axis orthogonal to the fourth axis, and
a third rotation saddle supported by the second rotation saddle, the third rotation saddle configured to rotate about a sixth axis orthogonal to the fifth axis; and
a hand supported by the third rotation saddle to grip a workpiece.

2 . The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the single axis robot includes
a driving device configured to drive the vertical moving saddle, and
a telescopic cover arranged on an outside surface of the column to face the first rotation saddle, the telescopic cover covering a gap between the column and the vertical moving saddle,
the linear guide and the driving device are arranged inside the column, and the telescopic cover shields the linear guide and the driving device from the cleaning chamber.

3 . The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the column is a hollow box shaped, and has a through hole arranged on the cleaning chamber side along the linear guide, and the vertical moving saddle includes a slider arranged in the column to slide on the linear guide.

4 . The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the side surface has a loading port, and the hand is extendable toward outside of the loading port through the loading port.

5 . The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the cleaning chamber includes a bottom plate and a top plate, and the separation wall extends from the bottom plate to the top plate.

6 . The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the separation wall is arranged to be in contact with a second side surface of the cleaning chamber opposite to the side surface, and away from the column such that the arm portion is configured to rotate.

7 . The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the cleaning station includes a U-shaped or O-shaped cleaning pipe arranged horizontally, the cleaning pipe including a cleaning nozzle, the drying station includes a U-shaped or O-shaped blow pipe arranged horizontally, the blow pipe including a blow nozzle, the cleaning pipe includes a plurality of nozzle holes directed toward an inside of the cleaning pipe, and the blow pipe includes a plurality of nozzle holes directed toward an inside of the blow pipe.

8 . The cleaning apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the column is a hollow box shaped, and has a through hole arranged on the cleaning chamber side along the linear guide, and the vertical moving saddle includes a slider arranged in the column to slide on the linear guide.

9 . The cleaning apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the side surface has a loading port, and the hand is extendable toward outside of the loading port through the loading port.

10 . The cleaning apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the side surface has a loading port, and the hand is extendable toward outside of the loading port through the loading port.

11 . The cleaning apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the cleaning chamber includes a bottom plate and a top plate, and the separation wall extends from the bottom plate to the top plate.

12 . The cleaning apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the cleaning chamber includes a bottom plate and a top plate, and the separation wall extends from the bottom plate to the top plate.

13 . The cleaning apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
the cleaning chamber includes a bottom plate and a top plate, and the separation wall extends from the bottom plate to the top plate.

14 . The cleaning apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the separation wall is arranged to be in contact with a second side surface of the cleaning chamber opposite to the side surface, and away from the column such that the arm portion is configured to rotate.

15 . The cleaning apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the separation wall is arranged to be in contact with a second side surface of the cleaning chamber opposite to the side surface, and away from the column such that the arm portion is configured to rotate.

16 . The cleaning apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
the separation wall is arranged to be in contact with a second side surface of the cleaning chamber opposite to the side surface, and away from the column such that the arm portion is configured to rotate.

17 . The cleaning apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
the separation wall is arranged to be in contact with a second side surface of the cleaning chamber opposite to the side surface, and away from the column such that the arm portion is configured to rotate.

18 . The cleaning apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the cleaning station includes a U-shaped or O-shaped cleaning pipe arranged horizontally, the cleaning pipe including a cleaning nozzle, the drying station includes a U-shaped or O-shaped blow pipe arranged horizontally, the blow pipe including a blow nozzle, the cleaning pipe includes a plurality of nozzle holes directed toward an inside of the cleaning pipe, and the blow pipe includes a plurality of nozzle holes directed toward an inside of the blow pipe.

19 . A cleaning apparatus, comprising:
a cleaning chamber having a side surface; a cleaning station including a cleaning nozzle configured to inject cleaning liquid; a drying station including a blow nozzle configured to inject dry air; a separation wall partitioning the cleaning chamber into the cleaning station and the drying station; a single axis robot including
a column arranged adjacent to the side surface, the column arranged along an extension of the separation wall,
a linear guide arranged in the column, the linear guide extending vertically, and
a vertical moving saddle configured to move vertically along the linear guide;
an arm portion including
a first rotation saddle supported by the vertical moving saddle, the first rotation saddle configured to rotate about a second axis extending vertically,
a first arm supported by the first rotation saddle, the first arm swingable about a third axis extending horizontally, the first arm extending orthogonal to the third axis,
a second arm supported by the first arm, the second arm configured to rotate about a fourth axis orthogonal to the third axis,
a second rotat

Assignees

• Sugino Mach

Inventors

• Mitsue Toyoaki
• Matsui Taiki
• Aoki Takuya
• Ishitani akihiro

Classifications

• F26B21/50

  Ducting arrangements from the source of air or other gases to the materials or objects being dried · CPC title

• B25J11/0085

  Cleaning · CPC title

• B08B13/00

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

• F26B21/001

  Air generating units, e.g. movable or independent of drying enclosure · CPC title

• B08B3/02 Primary

  Cleaning by the force of jets or sprays · CPC title