US 5,364,474 A · Method for removing particulate matter

Abstract

A method for controlling the effective velocity of a spray of cleaning material in order to remove particulate matter and other contamination from a surface of a workpiece. The surface under treatment is moved relative to the position of a sprayhead in order to increase or reduce the velocity at which the spray impacts the surface. In one embodiment, the workpiece is mounted on a disk-shaped support plate. The sprayhead tracks across the support plate to direct the spray over the entire workpiece. The support plate is rotated towards the sprayhead to increase the effective spray velocity, and away from the sprayhead to decrease the effective spray velocity. Another embodiment of the invention adjusts the speed of rotation of the support plate in such a manner that the spray maintains a constant effective velocity as the sprayhead is moved radially across the support plate.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A method for removing particulate matter from a workpiece, comprising the steps of:

placing the workpiece on a support plate;
rotating the support plate in a first direction;
and
directing a stream of a cleaning material towards the workpiece to impact on the workpiece in a region radially displaced from a center of the support plate and disposed between said center and an edge of the workpiece, said stream of cleaning material having a lateral component of velocity that is directed in a second direction, opposite the first direction, PG,15
rotation of the workpiece in the first direction increasing an effective velocity with which the cleaning material impacts the workpiece.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for removing particulate matter

Life of this patent

Method for removing particulate matter

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8