Ultrasonic cleaning apparatus, ultrasonic cleaning method, and storage medium storing computer program for executing ultrasonic cleaning method

An ultrasonic cleaning apparatus comprising:

• a cleaning tank configured to store a cleaning liquid;
• an object-to-be-processed holder that can be inserted into the cleaning tank, the object-to-be-processed holder being configured to hold an object to be processed and to immerse the object to be processed into the cleaning liquid;
• a vibrator disposed on a bottom part of the cleaning tank;
• an ultrasonic oscillator configured to make the vibrator ultrasonically vibrate;
• a driving apparatus configured to laterally move the object-to-be-processed holder;
• and
• a control device configured to control the ultrasonic oscillator and the driving apparatus;
• wherein the object-to-be-processed holder includes a first object-to-be-processed holding part and a second object-to-be-processed holding part which can be moved separately from each other,
• each of the first object-to-be-processed holding part and the second object-to-be-processed holding part includes a first holding rod and a second holding rod arranged opposedly to the first holding rod with respect to a vertical axis line passing a center of the object to be processed,
• the second holding rod of the first object-to-be-processed holding part is disposed between the first holding rod of the second object-to-be-processed holding part and the second holding rod of the second object-to-be-processed holding part,
• the first object-to-be-processed holding part and the second object-to-be-processed holding part can hold the object to be processed independently from each other, and
• the control device is configured to control the driving apparatus such that the first object-to-be-processed holding part and the second object-to-be-processed holding part of the object-to-be-processed holder are sequentially laterally moved, and the control device is configured to control the ultrasonic oscillator such that the vibrator is made to ultrasonically vibrate whereby the ultrasonic vibration from the vibrator is propagated to the object to be processed.

An ultrasonic cleaning method comprising:

• making an object to be processed, which is held by an object-to-be-processed holder and is immersed in a cleaning liquid in a cleaning tank, be held by a lateral holding member disposed in the cleaning tank;
• laterally moving the object-to-be-processed holder;
• and
• making a vibrator, which is disposed on a bottom part of the cleaning tank, ultrasonically vibrate so as to ultrasonically clean the object to be processed;
• wherein lateral movement of the object-to-be-processed holder and the ultrasonic cleaning of the object to be processed are performed after the object to be processed has been held by the lateral holding member.

An ultrasonic cleaning apparatus comprising:

• immersing an object to be processed, which is held by a first object-to-be-processed holding part and a second object-to-be-processed holding part of an object-to-be-processed holder, into a cleaning liquid in a cleaning tank;
• laterally moving the first object-to-be-processed holding part, with the object to be processed being held by the second object-to-be-processed holding part;
• and
• making a vibrator, which is disposed on a bottom part of the cleaning tank, ultrasonically vibrate so as to ultrasonically clean the object to be processed.

A storage medium storing a computer program for executing an ultrasonic cleaning method,

• the ultrasonic cleaning method comprising:
• making an object to be processed, which is held by an object-to-be-processed holder and is immersed in a cleaning liquid in a cleaning tank, be held by a lateral holding member disposed in the cleaning tank;
• laterally moving the object-to-be-processed holder;
• and
• making a vibrator, which is disposed on a bottom part of the cleaning tank, ultrasonically vibrate so as to ultrasonically clean the object to be processed;
• wherein lateral movement of the object-to-be-processed holder and the ultrasonic cleaning of the object to be processed are performed after the object to be processed has been held by the lateral holding member.

A storage medium storing a computer program for executing an ultrasonic cleaning method,

• the ultrasonic cleaning method comprising:
• immersing an object to be processed, which is held by a first object-to-be-processed holding part and a second object-to-be-processed holding part of an object-to-be-processed holder, into a cleaning liquid in a cleaning tank;
• laterally moving the first object-to-be-processed holding part, with the object to be processed being held by the second object-to-be-processed holding part;
• and
• making a vibrator, which is disposed on a bottom part of the cleaning tank, ultrasonically vibrate so as to ultrasonically clean the object to be processed.