JP4830851B2 - Drainage device and cleaning device using the drainage device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a drainage device applicable to, for example, electronic device members, cleaning devices for electronic components, and the like, and a cleaning device using the drainage device.

  Substrates such as semiconductor wafers and crystal wafers, electronic components, etc. are immersed in a liquid and subjected to wet cleaning during several manufacturing steps up to the final product. This removes dirt adhering to the surface of the wafer or the like. For example, taking the case of a crystal resonator as an example, a metal film for an excitation electrode is formed on the surface of the crystal vibrating piece, and the crystal vibrating piece is housed in a package and hermetically sealed. Before the wet cleaning of the surface of the crystal vibrating piece.

In wet cleaning, for example, cleaning with an acidic solution and cleaning with an alkaline solution are alternately performed, and rinsing with pure water may be performed between these cleanings. Specifically, using a jig or tool that individually stores crystal vibrating pieces or a bucket that collectively stores a plurality of crystal vibrating pieces, a liquid (for example, an acidic solution) necessary for cleaning the plurality of crystal vibrating pieces is used. It is immersed in a filled cleaning tank and cleaned by ultrasonic waves or rocking. After cleaning is completed, drain the cleaning solution and rinse. For example, the rinsing is performed by supplying pure water to the cleaning tank and swinging the jig / tool in which a plurality of crystal vibrating pieces are housed. This rinsing operation may be performed a plurality of times. In this case, this is performed a plurality of times in a state where the jigs and tools in which a plurality of crystal vibrating pieces are housed are arranged in the cleaning tank.

By the way, draining of the washing tank is performed by opening a drain valve provided at the bottom of the tank. Normally, drainage is performed by opening the drainage port to drain the solution in the washing tank, or by opening a drainage valve connected to the drainage port. There was a risk that the time would be increased, resulting in high cost of the final product.

  In addition, when the drainage time becomes long, foreign matters floating in the washing tank (such as dust and contaminants peeled off by washing) may settle in the tank, and the foreign matters may easily remain on the bottom.

There are also known documents that mention rapid drainage. For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-15469 (Patent Document 1), in the WET processing step, which is a cleaning step after the wafer etching process in the semiconductor processing apparatus manufacturing process, the first cleaning liquid is rapidly drained and the liquid level is simultaneously increased. An inner wall cleaning step for rapidly discharging the second cleaning liquid in a film shape along the entire width of the inner wall facing the plane of the wafer in the rinse tank with the amount of liquid that can be lowered, and the entire cleaning discharged along the inner wall of the rinse tank A WET processing method for collecting an inner wall cleaning water recovery step for recovering water while descending along a descending water surface, and a clean water injection step for injecting a clean second cleaning water into the rinsing tank after the inner wall cleaning step; Is disclosed. In this patent document, regarding the rapid drainage method, the rapid drainage valve is fully opened and rapid drainage is performed from the bottom of the rinse tank. Etc. are only disclosed.

Such a quick drain valve is presumed to have a configuration aiming to increase the amount of drainage from the bottom of the water tank by increasing the size of the drain port and the opening / closing valve, for example. However, when increasing the size of the drain port and the open / close valve, there is a limit to the size from the viewpoint of maintaining the strength of the aquarium, etc., and the valve open / close mechanism may require high torque, which may increase the cost. It was.

JP 2001-15469 A

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a drainage device capable of rapid drainage and drainage control and a cleaning device using the drainage device.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present inventor can rapidly drain water and control the water resistance by continuously supplying the fluid used for opening and closing the drain valve to the valve even during drainage. It has been newly discovered that it is realized by the following configuration.

  That is, as shown in claim 1, a drainage device for rapidly discharging liquid stored in a water tank having a side wall and a bottom part, the drainage apparatus being disposed at the bottom part of the water tank, and having a bottom plate, a flow pipe, a valve, and a restraint The bottom plate is disposed at the lowest part of the water tank, and has a discharge port for discharging the liquid to the outside and a peripheral wall having a height in the plate thickness direction, and blows the fluid supplied from the outside. The flow pipe has a configuration in which a fluid supplied from the outside is circulated and introduced into a blower outlet of the bottom plate, and the valve is installed so as to be vertically movable and is opposed to the front end of the blower outlet. A top plate portion, a flange portion that opens and closes the discharge port, and a side wall portion that connects the top plate portion and the flange portion and has a height equal to or higher than the height of the outlet. The mechanism is a top plate portion of the valve or A mechanism that locks with a lunge portion or a side wall portion and regulates the vertical movement range of the valve, and raises the valve by ejecting the fluid supplied to the flow pipe to the outlet and stores the liquid in the water tank Is discharged from the discharge port, and the ejected fluid flows along the side wall portion and is discharged from the discharge port.

The bottom plate is made of, for example, a resin material, and has a discharge port connected to the outside and a blow-out port for ejecting fluid supplied from the outside. The said blower outlet has the surrounding wall extended in the plate | board thickness direction, ie, the depth direction of a water tank, and the said fluid blows off along a surrounding wall. A circulation pipe is connected to the outlet. The flow pipe has a tubular configuration and is configured to flow a fluid, for example, gas or liquid, supplied from the outside into the pipe. One end of the flow pipe is connected to a supply source of the fluid to be introduced, and the other end is connected to the outlet of the bottom plate. The flow pipe may be formed inside the bottom plate, or may be formed outside the bottom plate, for example, along the outer surface of the bottom plate.

  The valve has a valve region corresponding to the outlet and outlet of the bottom plate. The top plate portion corresponds to the blowout port, the flange portion corresponds to the discharge port, and the valve opens and closes the blowout port and the discharge port simultaneously. Each valve region may be provided with an elastic packing to improve the valve closing function (seal performance). Further, the valve has a side wall portion that connects the top plate portion and the flange portion, and has a height equal to or higher than the height of the outlet, that is, the peripheral wall extending in the plate thickness direction. By making the height of the peripheral wall of the air outlet and the height of the side wall portion the same, it is preferable that the air outlet and the outlet are opened and closed by the top plate portion and the flange portion, respectively. By setting the height of the side wall portion to be equal to or higher than the height of the peripheral wall, the flange portion of the valve always closes and closes to the discharge port, which is effective for holding the liquid in the water tank.

The restraining mechanism is provided with a restraining portion at the top of the top plate portion of the valve or by providing a restraining portion at the top of the flange portion, or by providing a latching portion at a part of the side wall portion. In addition, a mechanism that regulates the vertical movement range of the valve by locking the valve and the restraining part by providing the restraining part on the bottom plate.

According to the first aspect, the fluid supplied from the flow pipe is introduced into the outlet and raises the valve. As a result, the flange portion rises and the discharge port is opened, whereby the liquid in the water tank is discharged from the discharge port. At the same time, the top plate also rises, and the introduced fluid flows downward from the peripheral wall of the outlet through the top plate and along the side wall of the valve on the outside, and finally exhausts vigorously from the discharge port to the outside of the drainage device. Is done. By continuously introducing the fluid into the outlet, the fluid is continuously discharged from the outlet. This discharge of the fluid acts as an accelerating fluid in the discharge of the liquid. In other words, the liquid outlet and the fluid are discharged at the same time from the discharge port, but the fluid discharge accelerates the liquid discharge and increases the liquid discharge amount per unit time. Drainage is possible. As a result, the time required for cleaning electronic components and the like is shortened, and the manufacturing efficiency can be improved.

  Furthermore, by realizing rapid drainage, foreign substances of various sizes floating in the liquid in the water tank can be reliably discharged out of the tank. In other words, by draining rapidly, the foreign matter is discharged to the outside before the foreign matter settles in the water tank, and the foreign matter settled by the suction force of the discharge is forcibly discharged outside the tank by increasing the discharge speed. Is also possible.

  Claim 2 discloses a more specific configuration. That is, a drainage device for rapidly discharging liquid stored in a water tank having a side wall and a bottom part, the drainage apparatus being disposed at the bottom part of the water tank, having a bottom plate, a flow pipe, a valve, and a deterrent mechanism, Is disposed at the lowest part of the water tank, and has a discharge port for discharging the liquid to the outside, a peripheral wall having a height in the plate thickness direction and a blowout port for discharging the fluid supplied from the outside, The flow pipe is provided inside or outside the bottom plate, and is configured to circulate a fluid supplied from the outside and introduce the fluid into the outlet of the bottom plate, and the valve is generally convex, and the tip of the outlet It has a side plate having a height equal to or higher than the height of the air outlet, connecting the top plate and the flange, and facing the top plate, the flange for opening and closing the discharge port, The deterrent mechanism is A depressing portion that is formed above the plate portion or above the flange portion and that controls the ascending operation of the valve; and a through portion that guides the liquid in the water tank to the discharge port. It is installed so that it can move up and down between the plates, and the valve is raised by continuously ejecting the fluid supplied to the flow pipe to the outlet, and the liquid stored in the water tank is discharged from the outlet, and the jet The drainage device is characterized in that the fluid also flows along the side wall and is discharged from the discharge port.

The bottom plate is made of, for example, a resin material, and has a discharge port connected to the outside and a blow-out port for ejecting fluid supplied from the outside. The said blower outlet has the surrounding wall extended in the plate | board thickness direction, ie, the depth direction of a water tank, and the said fluid blows off along a surrounding wall. A circulation pipe is connected to the outlet. The flow pipe has a tubular configuration and is configured to flow a fluid, for example, gas or liquid, supplied from the outside into the pipe. One end of the flow pipe is connected to a supply source of the fluid to be introduced, and the other end is connected to the outlet of the bottom plate. The flow pipe may be formed inside the bottom plate, or may be formed outside the bottom plate, for example, along the outer surface of the bottom plate.

  The valve has a convex shape as a whole and has valve regions corresponding to the outlet and outlet of the bottom plate. The top plate (corresponding to the convex top) corresponds to the air outlet, and the flange (corresponding to both sides of the convex shape) corresponds to the discharge port. Open and close. Each valve region may be provided with an elastic packing to improve the valve closing function (seal performance). Further, the valve has a side wall portion that connects the top plate portion and the flange portion, and has a height equal to or higher than the height of the outlet, that is, the peripheral wall extending in the plate thickness direction. By making the height of the peripheral wall of the air outlet and the height of the side wall portion the same, it is preferable that the air outlet and the outlet are opened and closed by the top plate portion and the flange portion, respectively. By setting the height of the side wall portion to be equal to or higher than the height of the peripheral wall, the flange portion of the valve always closes and closes to the discharge port, which is effective for holding the liquid in the water tank.

The restraining mechanism is provided with a restraining portion at the top of the top plate portion of the valve or by providing a restraining portion at the top of the flange portion, or by providing a latching portion at a part of the side wall portion. In addition, a mechanism that regulates the vertical movement range of the valve by locking the valve and the restraining part by providing the restraining part on the bottom plate. The deterrent mechanism has a penetrating part that guides the liquid in the water tank to the discharge port.

According to the second aspect, the fluid supplied from the flow pipe is introduced into the outlet and raises the valve. As a result, the flange portion rises and the discharge port is opened, whereby the liquid in the water tank is discharged from the discharge port. At the same time, the top plate also rises, and the introduced fluid flows downward from the peripheral wall of the outlet through the top plate and along the side wall of the valve on the outside, and finally exhausts vigorously from the discharge port to the outside of the drainage device. Is done. By continuously introducing the fluid into the outlet, the fluid is continuously discharged from the outlet. This discharge of the fluid acts as an accelerating fluid in the discharge of the liquid. That is, the liquid discharge and the strong fluid discharge are simultaneously performed from the discharge port, but the strong fluid discharge accelerates the liquid discharge and increases the liquid discharge amount per unit time.

  Furthermore, by realizing rapid drainage, foreign substances of various sizes floating in the liquid in the water tank can be reliably discharged out of the tank. In other words, by draining rapidly, the foreign matter is discharged to the outside before the foreign matter settles in the water tank, and the foreign matter settled by the suction force of the discharge is forcibly discharged outside the tank by increasing the discharge speed. Is also possible.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the fluid may be a gas. The gas used here is preferably air compressed by a compressed air delivery device such as a compressor, and examples thereof include air and nitrogen gas.

According to the third aspect, by using a gas as the fluid, the flow rate and amount of the fluid can be easily changed. As described above, the fluid supplied from the flow pipe is introduced into the outlet, In the drainage of liquid, it can flow downward along the side wall part of the valve on the outside from the peripheral wall through the top plate part and finally circulate with a low resistance through the discharge port to the outside of the drainage device. The function as an accelerating fluid can be exhibited efficiently.

Furthermore, as shown in claim 4, the present invention also proposes a cleaning apparatus using the above-described drainage device for the drainage mechanism of the cleaning tank (water tank). As described above, substrates and electronic components such as semiconductor wafers and crystal wafers are wet-washed by dipping in liquid during several manufacturing steps up to the final product, and rinsed with pure water between these cleanings. Usually, this rinsing operation is performed a plurality of times. In this case, a plurality of semiconductor wafers, crystal wafers, or jigs in which crystal resonating pieces are stored are arranged in the cleaning tank, and this is performed a plurality of times, but the present invention can be applied when supplying and draining the cleaning tank at this time. it can.

According to the fourth aspect, in discharging the liquid that has been cleaned in the water tank, the fluid functions as an accelerating fluid by ejecting the fluid to the outlet. That is, the liquid discharge and the strong fluid discharge are simultaneously performed from the discharge port, but the strong fluid discharge accelerates the liquid discharge and increases the liquid discharge amount per unit time. Therefore, the drainage time can be shortened and the workability for cleaning as a whole can be improved.

Furthermore, by realizing rapid drainage, various foreign substances (pollutants) floating in the liquid in the water tank can be reliably discharged out of the tank after the cleaning is completed. In other words, by draining rapidly, the foreign matter is discharged to the outside before the foreign matter settles in the water tank, and the foreign matter settled by the suction force of the discharge is forcibly discharged outside the tank by increasing the discharge speed. Is also possible.

In each of the above configurations, the supply pressure of the fluid (gas, liquid, etc.) is determined by the amount of water stored in the water tank and the surface area of the valve, but at least the valve rises quickly in response to the supply of fluid to the outlet. Pressure is needed. According to the verification, the drainage capacity is improved in proportion to the supply pressure, and it is preferable to increase the supply pressure of the fluid as much as possible.

Next, the comparison verification result by this invention is demonstrated below. In the verification, two types of cleaning tanks were used, filled with tap water, and drainage time was measured. For the verification, the drainage port formed in the washing tank is the same size, the drainage port is drained by opening and closing with a normal valve, and the quick drainage mechanism according to the present invention is installed, and the drainage is activated for this. The time required for was compared. Compressed air was used as the fluid, the air pressure was varied, and the drainage time due to that pressure was also compared. The cleaning apparatus used for the verification has the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and was verified under the conditions shown in Table 1. Table 1 shows the verification conditions and drainage time.

The conventional product 1 and the product 1 of the present invention use the same cleaning tank, and the conventional product 2 and the products 2 to 5 of the present invention use the same capacity cleaning tank. Comparing the drainage time between the conventional product 1 and the product 1 of the present invention, the product of the present invention shortened the drainage time by about 37%, and comparing the drainage time of the conventional product 2 and the product 2 of the present invention, the product of the present invention was about 35%. It can be understood from Table 1 that the drainage time is shortened, and both are shortened by 35% or more. It can also be understood that the drainage time varies depending on the air pressure (fluid jet pressure) used for rapid drainage, and the drainage time increases as the air pressure decreases. However, all of the products of the present invention are more effective in reducing the drainage time than the conventional products, and the rapid drainage effect by the fluid appears. By using the product of the present invention, it is possible to shorten the drainage time in a cleaning device or the like, to realize a reduction in the time required for manufacturing electronic components and the like, thereby contributing to a reduction in manufacturing cost. Furthermore, the rapid drainage reduces the chance of foreign matter dispersed in the liquid remaining in the cleaning tank, so that the cleaning effect can be improved.

  It should be noted that more rapid drainage can be performed by supplying a gas having an air pressure higher than the above-described air pressure.

In each of the above configurations, when it is necessary to adjust the drainage time, it is also possible to obtain a desired drainage time by controlling the air pressure (fluid pressure). For example, the amount of drainage per unit time (drainage rate) may be adjusted by varying the air pressure during one drainage. Specifically, the drainage rate may be lowered in the initial stage of drainage, and the drainage rate may be increased in the later stage to prevent foreign matter from staying. Alternatively, the drainage time may be changed in each drainage in a plurality of washings, and the present invention is effective in controlling such drainage rate.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the drainage time of the solution in the aquarium can be greatly shortened, and foreign substances present in the solution can be efficiently drained outside the aquarium, and the drainage device can be used. Can be obtained.

  Hereinafter, a first embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, a quartz wafer cleaning device will be described as an example with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an internal configuration of the cleaning apparatus according to the first embodiment, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a drainage situation in the configuration of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a drainage situation seen from another angle. is there. FIG. 4 is a plan view and a side view of the bottom plate.

  The cleaning device includes a cleaning tank (water tank) 1 and a drainage device provided below the cleaning tank. In the present embodiment, a quartz wafer W that is an object to be cleaned, a bucket B that holds the quartz wafer, a holding mechanism that holds the bucket, a swing mechanism, and the like are also disclosed.

  The cleaning tank 1 has a bottom portion and a side surface, and has an opening at the top, for example, a tank having a rectangular parallelepiped structure with an opening at the top. The material of the inner wall of the cleaning tank is selected according to the cleaning solution, and is made of, for example, stainless steel having corrosion resistance. A part of the bottom of the cleaning tank is opened and a drainage device is provided.

The drainage device has a bottom plate 2, a flow pipe 3, a valve 4, and a deterrent mechanism 5.
The bottom plate 2 is made of a resin such as vinyl chloride, is provided at the lowest part of the drainage device, and has a disk shape when viewed in plan as shown in FIG. An air outlet 21 is formed in the central portion, and the air outlet 21 is surrounded by a cylindrical peripheral wall 21a extending in the plate thickness direction, that is, the depth direction of the cleaning tank, and is connected to the flow pipe 3. . A discharge port 22 is formed in the outer peripheral portion of the air outlet 21. The discharge port 22 is a through hole, and can discharge liquid out of the tank. In this Embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the discharge port 22 is formed in the outer side of the blower outlet 21 in the state divided into four. A frame portion 23 is formed on the outer periphery of the discharge port 22 and is integrated with the blowout port 21 and an arm portion 24 extending radially. The frame portion 23 is sealed and joined to the bottom of the cleaning tank. Other materials may be used as the material of the bottom plate. For example, when performing warm cleaning, heat-resistant vinyl chloride may be used, or a material such as a corrosion-resistant metal may be used.

  A flow pipe 3 is formed inside the bottom plate. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the flow pipe 3 passes through the inside of the bottom plate to the outlet 21 through the frame portion 23 and the arm 24. One end of the flow pipe is connected to the cock part 51 outside the frame part, and the other end is connected to the outlet 21 as described above. Accordingly, with such a configuration, for example, compressed air supplied from a compressed air delivery unit (not shown) is supplied to the outlet 21 through the flow pipe 3 by opening the cock unit 51.

  A valve 2 is disposed on the top of the bottom plate 2. The bulb 2 is made of a resin such as vinyl chloride and has a convex cross section as a whole, a top plate portion 42 located at the top of the convex shape, a side wall portion 43 that is outside the top plate portion 42 and forms a step, and a side wall It consists of a flange portion 41 extending substantially parallel to the top plate portion on the outside of the portion. These top plate portions 42 serve as valve regions for the outlets 21, and the flange portions 41 serve as valve regions for the discharge ports 22. Although not shown, the valve also has a disk shape corresponding to the bottom plate shape as a whole. Note that the bottom plate, the valve, and the suppression mechanism described later are not limited to a disk shape in plan view, and may be a square, a rectangle, an ellipse, or a star shape. In addition, other materials may be used as the material of the bottom plate. For example, when performing warm cleaning, heat-resistant vinyl chloride may be used, or a material such as a corrosion-resistant metal may be used.

  It should be noted that the height of the side wall portion 43 may be equal to or higher than the peripheral wall height of the outlet in order to reliably close the discharge port by the flange portion at the time of water supply or water storage. Necessary. Further, a packing made of an elastic material such as a rubber material may be interposed in each valve region to improve the valve closing function (seal performance).

The durability of the apparatus is improved by using a material having corrosion resistance with respect to the solution used at the time of cleaning as the material constituting the cleaning tank and the drainage device.

The restraining mechanism 5 is attached to the upper part of the valve 4, and a restraining portion 51 is formed at the central portion, a through portion 52 is formed outside thereof, and a locking portion 53 is further formed outside thereof. The restraining part 51 is formed at a position corresponding to the top plate part 42 and restrains the upward movement of the valve 4. That is, the valve rises due to the air from the outlet, but is restricted so that the valve does not rise beyond the height of the peripheral wall 21a. The penetrating portion 52 has a penetrating structure for leading the liquid in the cleaning tank to the discharge port. However, a net-like filter may be formed in the penetrating portion 52 so that no large foreign matter flows out to the valve side. It is preferable to filter in advance because large foreign matters cause problems such as being caught in the valve opening / closing mechanism.

  In the suppression mechanism, a net-like filter may be used instead of the suppression plate 51. In this case, a reinforcing member may be formed on the filter in order to improve the strength due to the valve rising.

In addition, the support stand 6 is provided in the outer peripheral part of the lower part of a washing tank. With this support base, a space is formed at the bottom of the cleaning tank, and drainage from the discharge port can be performed efficiently.

A quartz wafer (object to be cleaned) is immersed in such a cleaning tank, and cleaning is performed. Although specific operations will be described later, a plurality of crystal wafers W are erected and arranged in a bucket (holding jig) B, for example, one by one. Such a bucket B is held by the holding arm AM, and is swung in the liquid by a holding and swinging device AC installed outside the tank.

Next, the cleaning operation and the rapid drainage operation by the cleaning apparatus according to the present invention will be described.
For example, as described above, the cleaning is performed with an acidic solution or an alkaline solution, and a rinse treatment with pure water is performed during the cleaning. Here, a description will be given taking an example of rinsing after washing with an acidic solution. The bucket B in which the crystal wafer W that has been cleaned with the acidic solution is stored is transferred to the cleaning tank for rinsing by the actuator. As shown in FIG. 1, the bucket in which the crystal wafer W is stored is immersed in the cleaning tank 1 in which pure water (liquid) L is stored from the water supply pipe SP in advance, and then a predetermined swinging operation is performed by the swinging device. Given to bucket B, the rinse process is performed. Immediately after the swing operation of the predetermined program is completed, rapid drainage is executed. When the cock 51 is opened, compressed air is supplied to the flow pipe and supplied to the air outlet 21. As a result, the pressure at the outlet increases instantaneously and pushes up the valve 4. By this operation, as shown in FIG. 2, the flange portion 41 is raised, the discharge port is opened, and the pure water (liquid) in the cleaning tank 1 is discharged from the discharge port. Further, the compressed air that pushes up the top plate portion is guided downward along the side wall portion of the valve from the inside of the top plate portion, and is finally exhausted from the discharge port 22 in a forceful manner. Pure water is also exhausted with the assistance of the compressed air discharged as the acceleration fluid as an acceleration fluid. As a result, rapid drainage is carried out.

After draining is completed, water is supplied rapidly for the next stage of cleaning. The water supply valve is opened and water is supplied rapidly from the water supply pipe SP. At this time, the bucket B stands by while being held in the cleaning tank. When the water supply is completed, a predetermined swinging operation is given to the bucket to perform cleaning, and after the cleaning is completed, rapid drainage is performed as described above. A pure water shower may be supplied to the crystal wafer in order to prevent drying of the crystal wafer surface during water supply / drainage.

  A second embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an internal structure of a cleaning apparatus using the drainage device according to the second embodiment.

  Compared with the first embodiment, the present embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the configuration of the flow pipe and the suppression mechanism that suppresses the operation of the valve and the filter, and in the bottom configuration of the cleaning tank. . Since the other components are the same as those in the first embodiment, the same numbers are used and a part of the description is omitted. In the present embodiment, the article to be cleaned is not described.

  The cleaning tank 1 has a bottom portion and a side surface, and has an opening at the top, for example, a tank having a rectangular parallelepiped structure with an opening at the top. The bottom of the cleaning tank is not a corner structure, but is provided with an inclined surface from the side surface toward the bottom. The inclined surface can have a linearly inclined configuration (tapered configuration) or a curved configuration, but in the present embodiment, the curved portion 11 is formed at the bottom. Moreover, although the material of the inner wall is selected for the cleaning tank 1 according to the cleaning solution, it is made of, for example, stainless steel having corrosion resistance. A drainage device is provided at the bottom of the cleaning tank 1.

The drainage device has a bottom plate 2, a flow pipe 3, a valve 4, and a deterrent mechanism 5.
The bottom plate 2 is provided at the lowest part of the drainage device, and an air outlet 21 is formed at the center thereof. The air outlet 21 is surrounded by a cylindrical peripheral wall 21a extending in the plate thickness direction, that is, the depth direction of the cleaning tank. And connected to the distribution pipe 3. A discharge port 22 is formed in the outer peripheral portion of the air outlet 21. The discharge port 22 is a through hole, and can discharge liquid out of the tank.

  A flow pipe 3 is formed inside the bottom plate. In the present embodiment, the flow pipe 3 is not a structure formed in the bottom plate but a tube-like structure exposed to the outside, and one end is connected to the cock portion 51 and the other end is the bottom plate outlet 21. Connected downward. With such a configuration, for example, compressed air supplied to the flow pipe by opening the cock portion 51 from a compressed air delivery section (not shown) penetrates the bottom plate 2 up and down and is introduced into the outlet 21.

  A valve 2 is disposed on the top of the bottom plate 2. The bulb 2 has a convex cross section as a whole, a top plate portion 42 located at the top of the convex shape, a side wall portion 43 outside the top plate portion 42 to form a step, and a top plate portion outside the side wall portion. And a flange portion 41 extending substantially in parallel. These top plate portions 42 serve as valve regions for the outlets 21, and the flange portions 41 serve as valve regions for the discharge ports 22.

  It should be noted that the height of the side wall portion 43 may be equal to or higher than the peripheral wall height of the outlet in order to reliably close the discharge port by the flange portion at the time of water supply or water storage. Necessary. Further, a packing made of an elastic material such as a rubber material may be interposed in each valve region to improve the valve closing function (seal performance).

In the present embodiment, the suppression mechanism 5 employs a configuration that suppresses the rise of the flange portion. That is, a plurality of deterrent plates 54 are formed at positions corresponding to the raised position of the flange portion 41 of the valve at the bottom of the cleaning tank. The suppression plate only needs to be able to exhibit the function of regulating the ascending operation range of the flange portion. With such a configuration, the valve rises when compressed air (fluid) is ejected from the air outlet, but the uppermost point of this rise is restricted by a restraining plate, and a restraining mechanism is formed by locking with the flange portion. is doing.

A mesh-like filter is disposed over the entire valve. With such a configuration, minute foreign matters and particles are discharged by sending them to a drainage device, and large foreign matters are a cause of problems such as being caught in the valve opening / closing mechanism, and are filtered in advance.

In addition, the support stand 6 is provided in the outer peripheral part of the lower part of a washing tank. With this support base, a space is formed at the bottom of the cleaning tank, and drainage from the discharge port can be performed efficiently.

  When rapid drainage is performed, compressed air is supplied to the flow pipe 3 by opening the cock 51 and supplied to the outlet 21. As a result, the pressure at the outlet increases instantaneously and pushes up the valve 4, but the ascent range of the valve is restricted by the restraining plate 54. By this operation, as shown in FIG. 5, the flange portion 41 is raised, the discharge port is opened, and the pure water (liquid) in the cleaning tank 1 is discharged from the discharge port. Further, the compressed air that pushes up the top plate portion is guided downward along the side wall portion of the valve from the inside of the top plate portion, and is finally exhausted from the discharge port 22 in a forceful manner. Pure water is also exhausted with the assistance of the compressed air discharged as the acceleration fluid as an acceleration fluid. As a result, rapid drainage is carried out.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but can be applied to an apparatus that requires various drainage mechanisms, such as a wet etching apparatus, and can be applied to various modifications.

As a modification, the structure which controls a drainage condition and time by this invention can be illustrated. For example, the amount of drainage (drainage rate) per unit time may be adjusted by varying the air pressure during one drainage. Specifically, a control unit is provided for gradually changing the air pressure (fluid supply pressure) supplied to the drainage device provided in the cleaning tank (water tank). Since the air pressure can control the drainage capacity, a supply profile of the air pressure is set and controlled by automatic control or variably controlled by manual (manual) operation. Thereby, drainage conditions and time can be varied. For example, although the object to be cleaned is immersed in the cleaning tank while being held by a jig, the initial stage of drainage in which the object to be cleaned is immersed in liquid slowly drains by lowering the drainage rate. In the latter stage of the stage where the object to be cleaned is not immersed in the liquid, the drainage rate may be increased and rapid drainage may be performed. Such drainage control prevents adverse effects due to liquid operation during drainage on the object to be cleaned, and at the end, rapid drainage ensures that foreign matter does not remain in the tank and allows rapid drainage with high cleaning efficiency. It can be carried out.

The present invention can be implemented in various other forms without departing from the spirit or main features thereof. Therefore, the above-described embodiment is merely an example in all respects and should not be interpreted in a limited manner. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, and is not restricted by the text of the specification. Further, all modifications and changes belonging to the equivalent scope of the claims are within the scope of the present invention.

  It can be applied to a device for draining liquid such as a cleaning device.

It is an internal structure figure showing a 1st embodiment by the present invention. It is an internal structure figure which shows 1st Embodiment by this invention and shows a waste_water | drain state. It is an internal structure figure which shows 1st Embodiment by this invention and shows a waste_water | drain state. It is a figure which shows the structure of a baseplate. It is an internal structure figure showing a 2nd embodiment by the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Washing tank (water tank)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Curved part 2 Bottom plate 21 Outlet 22 Outlet 23 Frame part 3 Flow pipe 4 Valve 41 Flange part 42 Top plate part 5 Suppression mechanism 51 Suppression part 52 Penetration part

Claims (4)

A drainage device for rapidly discharging liquid stored in a water tank having a side wall and a bottom part, the drainage apparatus being disposed at the bottom part of the water tank, having a bottom plate, a flow pipe, a valve, and a deterrent mechanism,
The bottom plate is disposed at the lowest part of the water tank, and has a discharge port for discharging the liquid to the outside and a blowout port for ejecting the fluid supplied from the outside while having a peripheral wall having a height in the plate thickness direction. ,
The circulation pipe is configured to circulate a fluid supplied from the outside and introduce the fluid into the outlet of the bottom plate,
The valve is installed so that it can be moved up and down, and is connected to the top plate part facing the tip of the outlet, the flange part that opens and closes the discharge port, the top part and the flange part, and is the same as the height of the outlet? A side wall having a height higher than that,
The suppression mechanism is a mechanism that locks with a top plate portion, a flange portion, or a side wall portion of the valve, and regulates a vertical movement range of the valve,
The valve is raised by ejecting the fluid supplied to the flow pipe to the outlet, and the liquid stored in the water tank is discharged from the outlet, and the ejected fluid also flows along the side wall portion. A drainage device that discharges from an outlet. A drainage device for rapidly discharging liquid stored in a water tank having a side wall and a bottom part, the drainage apparatus being disposed at the bottom part of the water tank, having a bottom plate, a flow pipe, a valve, and a deterrent mechanism,
The bottom plate is disposed at the lowest part of the water tank, and has a discharge port for discharging the liquid to the outside and a blowout port for ejecting the fluid supplied from the outside while having a peripheral wall having a height in the plate thickness direction. ,
The flow pipe is provided inside or outside the bottom plate, is configured to circulate fluid supplied from the outside and introduce the fluid into the outlet of the bottom plate,
The valve has a convex shape as a whole, and is connected to the top plate portion facing the tip of the outlet, the flange portion that opens and closes the discharge port, and the top plate portion and the flange portion are connected to have the same height as the outlet. A side wall having a height higher than that,
The suppression mechanism is formed above the top plate portion of the valve or above the flange portion, and has a suppression portion that controls the ascending operation range of the valve, and a penetration portion that guides liquid in the water tank to the discharge port. ,
The valve is installed between the bottom plate and the restraining plate so as to be movable up and down. The valve is raised by continuously ejecting the fluid supplied to the flow pipe to the outlet, and the liquid stored in the water tank is discharged. A drainage device characterized in that the discharged fluid flows along the side wall portion and is discharged from the discharge port while being discharged from the outlet. The drainage device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fluid is a gas. A cleaning device using the drainage device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 in a drainage mechanism of a cleaning tank.

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