CONTINUAL FLOW PIN WASHER
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A pin wash station, comprising:
- a lower chamber;
a drain basin;
a plurality of cleaning tubes, each cleaning tube having an inlet end and an outlet end, each tube inlet end being in fluid communication with the lower chamber, the terminus of all tube inlet ends being below a substantially horizontal reference plane, each tube outlet end being in fluid communication with the drain basin such that fluid that exits the outlet end of the tube passes into the drain basin, and each tube outlet end adapted to receive at least a portion of a deposition pin; and
a vent tube, the vent tube having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end being in fluid communication with the lower chamber, the terminus of the vent tube inlet end being above the level of the cleaning tube inlet ends relative to the substantially horizontal reference plane, and the outlet end being in fluid communication with the drain basin.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-chambered deposition pin wash station is provided. The wash station includes a lower chamber and an upper drain basin connected by a plurality of wash tubes. Cleaning fluid is provided to the lower chamber and passes through the cleaning tubes into the upper drain basin. The cleaning tubes are adapted to clean a single deposition pin with a single tube per wash cycle.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A pin wash station, comprising:
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a lower chamber; a drain basin; a plurality of cleaning tubes, each cleaning tube having an inlet end and an outlet end, each tube inlet end being in fluid communication with the lower chamber, the terminus of all tube inlet ends being below a substantially horizontal reference plane, each tube outlet end being in fluid communication with the drain basin such that fluid that exits the outlet end of the tube passes into the drain basin, and each tube outlet end adapted to receive at least a portion of a deposition pin; and a vent tube, the vent tube having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end being in fluid communication with the lower chamber, the terminus of the vent tube inlet end being above the level of the cleaning tube inlet ends relative to the substantially horizontal reference plane, and the outlet end being in fluid communication with the drain basin. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system, comprising:
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a plurality of pins adapted to deposit an array of material dots on a receiving surface; and a pin wash station, including; a lower chamber; a drain basin; a plurality of cleaning tubes, each cleaning tube having an inlet end and an outlet end, each tube inlet end being in fluid communication with the lower chamber, the terminus of all tube inlet ends being below a substantially horizontal reference plane, each tube outlet end being in fluid communication with the drain basin, and each tube outlet end adapted to receive one of the plurality of pins; and a vent tube, the vent tube having an inlet end and an outlet end, the inlet end being in fluid communication with the lower chamber, the terminus of the vent tube inlet end being above the level of the cleaning tube inlet ends relative to the substantially horizontal reference plane, and the outlet end being in fluid communication with the drain basin. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of cleaning a plurality of deposition pins in a system with a lower chamber, a drain basin, and a plurality of cleaning tubes, each cleaning tube having an inlet end and an outlet end, each tube inlet end being in fluid communication with the lower chamber, each tube outlet end being in fluid communication with the drain basin, and each tube outlet end adapted to receive at least a portion of one of the deposition pins, the method comprising:
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providing a cleaning fluid into the lower chamber to a level above the outlet ends of each cleaning tube so that vapor within the lower chamber is displaced by the cleaning fluid, and continuing to provide the cleaning fluid so that vapor remaining in the lower chamber is compressed and the cleaning fluid flows upward through the cleaning tubes; and disposing at least a portion of a single one of the deposition pins in the tube outlet end of one of the cleaning tubes while the cleaning fluid flows through the cleaning tubes so that the pin is washed within the tube. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification