System for rapidly drying parts
First Claim
1. A system adapted to effect evaporative drying of microelectronic, optical and mechanical parts which in the course of their processing are rendered wet, drops of liquid lying on the surfaces of the parts, said system comprising:
- (a) a drying chamber;
(b) a removable work carrier containing the wet parts to be dried disposed within the chamber, said parts being held within the carrier with their wet surfaces separated from each other and exposed;
(c) a vibration generator providing a vibratory force;
(d) means to transmit said force to said carrier so that it is imparted to the parts therein, said force having a vibratory rate and amplitude causing the drops of liquid wetting the parts to fractionate into droplets which disperse and spread the liquid over a larger area whose aggregate exposed surface is far greater than that of the drops whereby evaporative drying of the liquid is accelerated; and
(e) means to subject the parts in said chamber to a gaseous stream that flows past said wet surfaces to dry said parts.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for drying microelectronic, optical and other parts which are rendered wet in the course of their processing, the system functioning rapidly to dry these parts so that they are free of contaminants. The system includes a drying chamber having a work zone in which the wet parts are held in a removable carrier resting on a stand, the work zone being heated to promote evaporation. Flowing through the work zone and passing over the wet parts is a gaseous stream which entrains vapors emitted from the parts and discharges the vapors from the chamber. To accelerate the evaporative process, a vibration generator is operatively coupled to the stand or to a vibration coupling device to impart vibrations thereto which are transmitted to the wet parts in the carrier, causing liquid drops on the surfaces of the parts to fractionate into droplets or to otherwise disperse and spread the liquid over a larger area, thereby greatly increasing the aggregate exposed surface area of the liquid.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system adapted to effect evaporative drying of microelectronic, optical and mechanical parts which in the course of their processing are rendered wet, drops of liquid lying on the surfaces of the parts, said system comprising:
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(a) a drying chamber; (b) a removable work carrier containing the wet parts to be dried disposed within the chamber, said parts being held within the carrier with their wet surfaces separated from each other and exposed; (c) a vibration generator providing a vibratory force; (d) means to transmit said force to said carrier so that it is imparted to the parts therein, said force having a vibratory rate and amplitude causing the drops of liquid wetting the parts to fractionate into droplets which disperse and spread the liquid over a larger area whose aggregate exposed surface is far greater than that of the drops whereby evaporative drying of the liquid is accelerated; and (e) means to subject the parts in said chamber to a gaseous stream that flows past said wet surfaces to dry said parts. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for rapidly drying microelectronic, optical and mechanical parts which have been rendered wet in the course of their processing, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) placing the wet parts to be dried on a vibratable carrier disposed within a drying chamber, said parts being held in said carrier at separated positions with their wet surfaces exposed; (b) subjecting the wet parts in the chamber to an atmosphere having a temperature promoting the evaporative process; (c) imparting vibrations to the carrier which are transmitted to the wet parts at a vibratory rate and with an amplitude causing liquid drops on the surface of the parts to fractionate into droplets which disperse and spread the liquid over a large area whose aggregate exposed surface is much greater than that of the drops from which they are derived, thereby accelerating the evaporative process; and (d) subjecting the parts in said chamber to a gaseous stream that flows past said exposed wet surfaces to dry said parts. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification