Treatment method for cleaning and drying printed circuit boards and the like

A method of drying items having zones of varying thickness, in a drying apparatus, comprising the steps of:

• a) placing the items on a first foraminous, horizontally disposed conveyor member which engages the lower surfaces of the items for horizontal movement through the drying apparatus;
• b) engaging upper surfaces of the items with a second foraminous, horizontally disposed conveyor member;
• c) moving the first and second conveyor members and thereby conveying the items in a horizontal direction through the drying apparatus;
• d) with at least one of the conveyor members conforming to different vertical thicknesses of zones of the items;
• e) drying the items in the drying apparatus;
• said drying comprising the steps of:
• i) delivering air to at least one air discharge tube in the apparatus;
• ii) discharging the air through a discharge opening in the air discharge tube as the items are carried past the discharge opening of the air discharge tube;
• iii) with the discharge tube following the conveyor member that conforms to different vertical thicknesses of zones of items and with the discharge opening of the discharge tube substantially conforming to different vertical thicknesses of zones of items;
• and
• iv) pivotally rotating the discharge tube to automatically rotate amounts responsive to different vertical thicknesses of zones of items as conformed to by the opening of the discharge tube.

A method of treating items having zones of varying thickness, in a fluid treatment apparatus, comprising the steps of:

• a) placing the items on a first foraminous, horizontally disposed conveyor member which engages the lower surfaces of the items for horizontal movement through the treatment apparatus;
• b) engaging upper surfaces of the items with a second foraminous, horizontally disposed conveyor member;
• c) moving the first and second conveyor members and thereby conveying the items in a horizontal direction through the treatment apparatus;
• d) with at least one of the conveyor members conforming to different vertical thicknesses of zones of the items;
• e) directing fluid at the items in the fluid treatment apparatus;
• said directing of fluid comprising the steps of:
• i) delivering fluid to at least one fluid discharge tube in the apparatus;
• ii) discharging the fluid through a discharge opening in the fluid discharge tube as the items are carried past the discharge opening of the fluid discharge tube;
• iii) with the discharge tube following the conveyor member that conforms to different vertical thicknesses of zones of items and with the discharge opening of the discharge tube substantially conforming to different vertical thicknesses of zones of items;
• and
• iv) pivotally rotating the discharge tube to automatically rotate amounts responsive to different vertical thicknesses of zones of items as conformed to by the opening of the discharge tube.