Method and apparatus for cleaning grinding work chuck using a vacuum

1. A grind apparatus for grinding a surface of a workpiece comprising:

a grind wheel;

a porous work chuck having top and bottom surfaces;

means for rotating said work chuck and said grind wheel;

a first vacuum source positioned adjacent the bottom surface of said work chuck for holding said workpiece in position on said bottom surface of said work chuck;

a vacuum assembly positioned adjacent to said bottom surface of said work chuck;

means for introducing a fluid flow to the grind apparatus whereby said vacuum assembly is caused to hover above said top surface of said work chuck;

means for moving said vacuum assembly across the top surface of said work chuck; and

means for energizing said vacuum assembly whereby particles on the top surface of said work chuck remaining after grinding of said workpiece are substantially removed.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said vacuum assembly is moved by said moving means in a radial direction outward from the center home position of said work chuck.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said vacuum assembly is moved by said moving means to the perimeter of said work chuck.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said work chuck is rotated by said rotating means.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said vacuum assembly is moved to the center home position of said work chuck.

6. A grind apparatus for grinding the surface of a work piece comprising:

a work chuck having a first surface for supporting said workpiece;

a stationary housing;

a vacuum source positioned within said stationary housing; and

a fluid port positioned within said stationary housing for receiving fluid, fluid introduced into said port causing said housing to hover above said first surface of said work chuck whereby the surface or said work chuck is cleaned after said workpiece is ground.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said vacuum assembly house is caused to hover above the top surface of the work chuck by activating the work chuck back flush fluid after completion of an active grinding process with or without the introduction of fluid into said housing port.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the projected gimbal point of the vacuum assembly is below the bottom surface of the work chuck.

9. A method for cleaning particles from the surface of a circular cylinder shaped and rotatable work chuck used in a grind apparatus comprising the steps of:

providing a work chuck having first and second surfaces, said work chuck being operable in conjunction with said grind apparatus;

positioning a vacuum source operatively associated with said grind apparatus adjacent said first surface of said work chuck;

activating said vacuum source whereby said particles are substantially removed from the first surface of said work chuck; and

providing a fluid source operatively associated with said work chuck, said fluid source being activated causing said vacuum source to hover above said first surface of said work chuck.