IP Library Granted Patent US 9,662,687
Granted Patent B2
US 9,662,687 · App. 14/930,777 · Granted May 30, 2017

Ultrasonic cleaning method

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,662,687
App. No.
14/930,777
Granted
May 30, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A cleaning method involves: disposing in a cleaning liquid held in a cleaning tank an object to be cleaned; and ultrasonically vibrating the cleaning liquid via an intermediate medium in contact with the cleaning tank to clean said object, the ultrasonically vibrating involving: ultrasonically vibrating the cleaning liquid with the cleaning liquid and the intermediate medium allowing sonic velocities, respectively, having a first difference; and ultrasonically vibrating the cleaning liquid with the cleaning liquid and the intermediate medium allowing sonic velocities, respectively, having a second difference different from the first difference.

Claims (21)

1. A cleaning method for cleaning an object, the method comprising:

ultrasonically vibrating the object in a first cleaning liquid via a first intermediate medium in contact with a first cleaning tank;

ultrasonically vibrating the object in a second cleaning liquid via a second intermediate medium in contact with a second cleaning tank;

wherein the first cleaning liquid and the first intermediate medium allow sonic velocities, respectively, having a first difference from each other,

wherein the second cleaning liquid and the second intermediate medium allow sonic velocities, respectively, having a second difference from each other, and

adjusting a temperature of at least one of the first intermediate medium and the second intermediate medium so as to set the first difference and the second difference differently.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting is performed using a heating member.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first intermediate medium is degassed water.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

ultrasonically vibrating the first and/or second cleaning liquid with a third difference between the respective sonic velocities allowable in the first and/or second cleaning liquid and the first and second intermediate medium, the third difference being different from the first difference and the second difference.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first intermediate medium is degassed water, and

wherein the adjusting the temperature includes modifying a retention time of the first intermediate medium being in contact with the first cleaning tank.

6. The method claim 1 , wherein the first intermediate medium and the second intermediate medium have mutually different compositions.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first cleaning liquid and the first intermediate medium each comprise mainly water.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the water of the first intermediate medium is degassed.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first cleaning liquid and the first intermediate medium each consist essentially of water.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the water of the first intermediate medium is degassed.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first cleaning liquid and the first intermediate medium each consist of water.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the water of the first intermediate medium is degassed.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second difference are different by up to 0.078 m/s.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein a plane of a base of the cleaning tank is not parallel to a plane of a base of a container of the intermediate medium.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE DATE OF THE CHANGE OF ADDRESS FROM 03/12/2020 TO 12/03/2020 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 056719 FRAME: 0881. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jul 1, 2021
From: SILTRONIC AG
To: SILTRONIC AG
Reel/Frame 057561/0451 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Jun 30, 2021
From: SILTRONIC AG
To: SILTRONIC AG
Reel/Frame 056719/0881 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2015
From: MORI, YOSHIHIRO; HAIBARA, TERUO; KUBO, ETSUKO; UCHIBE, MASASHI
To: SILTRONIC AG
Reel/Frame 036954/0695 →