# US 10,441,979 B2 · Cleaning apparatus and cleaning method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,441,979 B2 - Document ID: US10441979B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/937,055 - Filed: 2015-11-10 - Published: 2017-02-23 - Granted: 2019-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2015-08-21 - Assignees: Toshiba Memory Corporation - Applicants: Toshiba Memory Corporation - Inventors: Jun Takagi; Dai Fukushima; Jun Takayasu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10441979B2 ## CPC - A46B 13/02: power-driven {carriers} - B08B 1/34: rotating about an axis parallel to the surface - B08B 1/52: using fluids - H10P 70/15: {by wet cleaning only (H10P70/52 takes precedence)} - H10P 72/0412: {using mainly scrubbing means, e.g. brushes} - A46B 2200/30: Brushes for cleaning or polishing - A46B: BRUSHES (handles not integral with brushware B25G) - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract According to one embodiment, there is provided a cleaning apparatus including a substrate cleaner and a member cleaner. The substrate cleaner has a substrate cleaning member placed over a first region to be opposite a substrate and a second region different from the first region. The member cleaner is placed adjacent to the second region. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cleaning apparatus comprising: a substrate cleaner having a core, a member body and a group of protrusions, the member body being fixed to the core and being placed over a first region to be in touch with a front surface of a substrate and a second region different from the first region, the group of protrusions being attached on an outer surface of the member body over the first region and the second region, the core rotating around a first rotation axis, the first rotation axis extending along a first horizontal direction, the rotation of the core causing the group of protrusions to be moved substantially along a vertical direction when being in touch with a front surface of a substrate in the first region; a member cleaner placed adjacent to the second region; a holding mechanism having a chuck and a rotation shaft, the chuck holding a back surface of the substrate in the vertical direction, the rotation shaft supporting the chuck, the rotation shaft rotating around a second rotation axis, the second rotation axis extending along a second horizontal direction, the second horizontal direction intersecting with the first horizontal direction; a first vibrating mechanism that vibrates the rotation shaft along the vertical direction; a second vibrating mechanism that vibrates the core along the vertical direction; and a controller that controls a synchronous vibration, wherein the vibration by the first vibrating mechanism and the vibration by the second vibrating mechanism are performed in opposite orientations along the vertical direction. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the group of protrusions passes through the first region and the second region alternately and repeatedly, and wherein the member cleaner performs a cleanup operation on part of the group of protrusions that is passing through the second region. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The cleaning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the group of protrusions cleans the substrate while passing through the first region and is cleaned up by the member cleaner while passing through the second region. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The cleaning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the member cleaner has a touching member and has the touching member physically touch the group of protrusions to clean up the group of protrusions. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The cleaning apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the touching member includes a quartz plate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The cleaning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the member cleaner has a liquid supplying member and supplies liquid from the liquid supplying member to a surface of the group of protrusions to clean up the group of protrusions. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The cleaning apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the liquid supplying member includes a supply nozzle to supply the liquid to a surface of the group of protrusions. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The cleaning apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the liquid supplying member includes a supply nozzle to pressurize and spray the liquid onto the group of protrusions. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The cleaning apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the liquid supplying member includes a cleaning bath in which to soak a surface of the group of protrusions in the liquid. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The cleaning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the member cleaner has a gas supplying member and supplies gas from the gas supplying member to a surface of the group of protrusions to clean up the group of protrusions. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second region is not overlapped with the substrate when seen through in a vertical direction, the member cleaner has: a first liquid supplying member arranged at an upstream portion of the second region to supply cleaning liquid to a surface of the substrate cleaner to clean up the substrate cleaner; and a second liquid supplying member arranged at a downstream portion of the second region to supply rinsing liquid to the surface of the substrate cleaner to remove the cleaning liquid out of the substrate cleaner. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The cleaning apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first liquid supplying member includes a first supply nozzle to supply the cleaning liquid to the surface of the group of protrusions, and the second liquid supplying member includes a second supply nozzle to supply the rinsing liquid to the surface of the group of protrusions. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The cleaning apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first liquid supplying member includes a first supply nozzle to pressurize and spray the cleaning liquid to the surface of the group of protrusions, and the second liquid supplying member includes a second supply nozzle to pressurize and spray the rinsing liquid to the surface of the group of protrusions. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The cleaning apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first liquid supplying member includes a cleaning bath in which to soak a surface of the group of protrusions in the liquid, and the second liquid supplying member includes a second supply nozzle to supply the rinsing liquid to the surface of the group of protrusions. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The cleaning apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the cleaning liquid includes at least one of acid, alkali, a surfactant, and pure water. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate cleaner further has a first supply nozzle arranged adjacent to the first region to supply a first cleaning liquid that is used to clean the substrate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The cleaning apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the member cleaner has a second supply nozzle arranged adjacent to the second region to supply a second cleaning liquid that is used to clean the group of protrusions. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The cleaning apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the second supply nozzle is arranged adjacent to an upstream portion of the second region, the member cleaner further has a third supply nozzle arranged adjacent to an upstream portion of the second region to supply a rinsing liquid that is used to rinse the group of protrusions.