JP2005066507A - Rotating brush type glass substrate cleaning device - Google Patents

Abstract

[Purpose] In a rotating glass substrate cleaning device, the rotating brush has a self-cleaning function to prevent deterioration of the cleaning ability due to adhesion of foreign substances, and cleaning liquid is also cleaned by contact with the brush for high-quality cleaning work. Realize.
[Structure] From a columnar brush 1 laid horizontally so as to rotate in contact with the glass substrate 2 and a shower nozzle 3 positioned near the brush 1 so that the cleaning liquid 4 can be sprayed toward the brush 1 In the rotating brush type glass substrate cleaning apparatus, the photocatalytic substance is formed on the surface of the brush 1 and the ultraviolet light source 5 is positioned in the vicinity of the brush 1 so that the brush 1 can be irradiated with ultraviolet rays.
[Selection] Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a rotating brush type glass substrate cleaning apparatus used in an FPD manufacturing process including LCD, PDP, and LTPS-TFT.

  In FPD and other glass substrate manufacturing processes, while pressing the rotating brush against the glass substrate that is the object to be cleaned, spray the cleaning solution toward the brush and contact the substrate while the cleaning power and brush rotate. In some cases, the cleaning process may be performed by removing the foreign matter on the substrate by the physical force generated during the process.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a typical example of a rotating brush type glass substrate cleaning apparatus that performs such a cleaning process. In FIG. The brush 3 is a shower nozzle installed in the vicinity of the brush 1 so that the cleaning liquid 4 can be sprayed toward the brush 1. When the brush 1 is rotated while blowing the cleaning liquid 4 from the shower nozzle 3, the cleaning liquid 4 becomes a glass substrate. Since the brush 1 slides on the surface of the glass substrate 2 as soon as it reaches the surface of FIG. The cleaning liquid 4 is recycled and reused while sequentially performing filtering and replenishment with a new liquid.
JP2001-171075 I can't find it.

  In this way, in the conventional rotating brush type glass substrate cleaning apparatus, the foreign matter on the glass substrate 2 is removed by the cleaning force of the cleaning liquid 4 and the physical force generated by the rotational sliding contact of the brush 1. Some of the foreign matter separated from the glass substrate 2 adheres to the brush 1 and remains on the brush 1 as it is. The amount of the adhesion increases with time, and may adhere to the glass substrate 2 again. In other words, it is inevitable that the brush 1 is contaminated over time, and the cleaning ability of this type of rotating brush type glass substrate cleaning device is usually gradually lowered by this contamination phenomenon of the brush 1. It was. Moreover, the organic substance removing ability of the cleaning liquid 4 depends on the ability of the detergent contained in the cleaning liquid 4, and when non-ionized water (DIW) is used as the cleaning liquid 4, the organic substance removing ability cannot be expected.

  As a result of research conducted by the present inventor to solve the problems of the above-described rotating brush type glass substrate cleaning apparatus, the brush itself has a self-cleaning ability by using the action of the photocatalyst, and is further brought into contact with the brush. We have succeeded in developing a rotating brush-type glass substrate cleaning device that can clean the cleaning liquid and maintain the desired cleaning performance for a long time without deteriorating the cleaning performance by continuing the cleaning operation. It is proposed here as an invention.

  In addition, although the roller in which the photocatalyst layer was formed is indicated by the said patent document 1 (Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2001-171075), in order to improve the hydrophilic property of a roller and to form a uniform water film in a printing apparatus. Although utilizing the action of the photocatalyst, the object, structure and action are completely different from those of the present invention.

  A rotating brush comprising a columnar brush 1 laid horizontally so as to rotate in contact with the glass substrate 2 and a shower nozzle 3 positioned in the vicinity of the brush 1 so that the cleaning liquid 4 can be sprayed toward the brush 1. In the type glass substrate cleaning apparatus, the above-mentioned problem is solved by forming a photocatalytic substance on the surface of the brush 1 and positioning the ultraviolet light source 5 in the vicinity of the brush 1 so that the brush 1 can be irradiated with ultraviolet rays. .

  Due to the action of the photocatalyst, the brush has a self-cleaning ability, which is always kept in a clean state, the cleaning ability is not lowered, and its life is extended. Further, by contacting with a brush having a self-cleaning ability, the cleaning liquid is also cleaned, the cleaning ability is improved, and the deterioration is not only prevented, but the organic matter removing ability is provided. Therefore, even when non-ionized water (DIW) is used as the cleaning liquid, organic substances can be removed.

  The essential feature of the present invention resides in that a photocatalytic substance is formed on the brush surface, an ultraviolet light source is positioned in the vicinity of the brush, and the photocatalytic substance is irradiated with ultraviolet rays.

  FIG. 2 is a side view of an embodiment of a rotating brush type glass substrate cleaning apparatus according to the present invention. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a pair of columnar columns horizontally mounted so as to be in contact with the front and back surfaces of the glass substrate 2 to be conveyed. Brushes 3 are shower nozzles installed in the vicinity of the brush 1 so that the cleaning liquid 4 is sprayed toward the brush 1, and these configurations are basically the same as those of a conventional rotating brush type glass substrate cleaning apparatus.

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, a photocatalytic material such as titanium oxide is formed on the surface of the brush 1, and an ultraviolet light source 5 such as a fluorescent lamp is positioned in the vicinity of the brush 1 toward the photocatalytic material. Can be irradiated with ultraviolet rays. The formation of the photocatalytic substance on the surface of the brush 1 is performed by a conventionally known appropriate means such as kneading the photocatalytic substance powder in the raw material of the brush 1 or coating the surface of the brush 1 with the photocatalytic substance. I can do it.

  This embodiment has the above-described configuration. When the brush 1 is rotated while the cleaning liquid 4 is blown from the shower nozzle 3 as in the conventional rotating brush type glass substrate cleaning apparatus, the cleaning liquid 4 passes through the brush 1. The foreign matter adhering to the surface of the glass substrate 2 is removed by the cleaning force of the cleaning liquid 4 and the physical force by the sliding contact of the brush 1. At this time, since the photocatalytic substance is formed on the brush 1 and the ultraviolet light source 5 is irradiated toward the photocatalyst, the brush 1 itself is cleaned by the action of the photocatalyst. Further, the cleaning liquid 4 is also cleaned by the contact with the brush 1, and foreign matters on the surface of the glass substrate 2 are removed in a state where both the brush 1 and the cleaning liquid 4 are cleaned. The hydrophilicity of the brush 1 is also improved by the action of the photocatalyst, and a large amount of the cleaning liquid 4 adheres to the brush 1, whereby the cleaning operation is performed more efficiently. In addition, since the cleaning liquid 4 is also provided with an organic substance removing ability by the action of the photocatalyst, the organic substance can be removed even when non-ion water (DIW) is used as the cleaning liquid 4.

  In this way, in the rotating brush type glass substrate cleaning apparatus according to the present invention, since the self-cleaning ability is imparted to the brush by the action of the photocatalyst, the function and deterioration of the brush and the cleaning liquid are less likely to occur over time, The glass substrate surface can be cleaned while maintaining high quality over a long period of time.

  As described above, the present invention efficiently cleans the surface of a glass substrate using the action of a photocatalyst, and has extremely high applicability in various FPD manufacturing processes including LCD, PDP, and LTD-TFT. It is.

The side view of the typical example of the conventional rotating brush type glass substrate cleaning apparatus. The side view of one Example of the rotating brush type glass substrate cleaning apparatus which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 brush 2 glass substrate 3 shower nozzle 4 cleaning solution 5 ultraviolet light source

Claims (3)

A rotating brush comprising a columnar brush 1 laid horizontally so as to rotate in contact with the glass substrate 2 and a shower nozzle 3 positioned in the vicinity of the brush 1 so that the cleaning liquid 4 can be sprayed toward the brush 1. In the type glass substrate cleaning apparatus, a photocatalytic substance is formed on the surface of the brush 1 and an ultraviolet light source 5 is positioned in the vicinity of the brush 1 so that ultraviolet rays can be irradiated toward the brush 1. Type glass substrate cleaning equipment. 2. The rotating brush type glass substrate cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the photocatalytic substance is titanium oxide. 2. The rotating brush type glass substrate cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ultraviolet light source is a fluorescent lamp.

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