# US 7,461,663 B2 · Cleaning apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,461,663 B2 - Document ID: US7461663B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/214,026 - Filed: 2005-08-30 - Published: 2006-03-02 - Granted: 2008-12-09 - Earliest claimed: 2004-09-01 - Assignees: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.; Giga Tech Inc.; Ohkawa & Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Yoshitaka Kinomura; Teruo Hiraoka; Kojiro Ohkawa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7461663B2 ## CPC - B08B 3/08: the liquid having chemical or dissolving effect - B08B 11/02: Devices for holding articles during cleaning {(B08B9/42 takes precedence)} - B01D 3/00: Distillation or related exchange processes in which liquids are contacted with gaseous media, e.g. stripping ({evaporation in general, e.g. of liquids for gas phase reactions B01B1/005;} gas chromatography B01D15/08; destructive distillation C10B; preparation of alcoholic beverages by distillation C12H6/02) - B01D 3/10: Vacuum distillation (B01D3/12 takes precedence) - Y10S 134/902: Semiconductor wafer - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract The cleaning apparatus of the invention includes first and second cleaning tanks cleaning a mask with a predetermined cleaning solution, a vacuum evaporator vacuum-distilling the cleaning solution of the first and second cleaning tanks, a first cooler cooling the vacuum-distilled cleaning solution to room temperature, a first return pipe returning the cleaning solution cooled by the first cooler to the second cleaning tank, first and second rinse tanks rinsing the mask with a predetermined rinse solution, an atmospheric evaporator distilling the rinse solution of the first and second rinse tanks at atmospheric pressure, a second cooler cooling the rinse solution distilled at atmospheric pressure to room temperature, and a second return pipe returning the rinse solution cooled by the second cooler to the second rinse tank. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cleaning apparatus cleaning a deposition mask used for depositing organic electroluminescent materials, comprising: a cleaning tank containing a cleaning solution therein and configured to receive the deposition mask for cleaning; a vacuum evaporator receiving the cleaning solution from the cleaning tank and evaporating the cleaning solution in a vacuum; a first cooler cooling the cleaning solution evaporated by the vacuum evaporator; a first return pipe returning the cleaning solution cooled by the first cooler to the cleaning tank; a rinse tank containing a rinse solution therein and configured to receive the deposition mask cleaned in the cleaning tank; an atmospheric evaporator receiving the rinse solution from the rinse tank and evaporating the rinse solution in an atmospheric pressure; a second cooler cooling the rinse solution evaporated by the atmospheric evaporator; and a second return pipe returning the rinse solution cooled by the second cooler to the rinse tank. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an ultrasonic vibrator vibrating the cleaning solution in the cleaning tank. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The cleaning apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a temperature sensor detecting a temperature of the cleaning solution in the cleaning tank, and a temperature regulator maintaining the temperature of the cleaning solution in the cleaning tank at a predetermined temperature based on a detection result of the temperature sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The cleaning apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a heat exchanger disposed in the temperature regulator, wherein the temperature regulator regulates a flow of the cleaning solution cooled by the heat exchanger into the cleaning tank to maintain the temperature of the cleaning solution. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an ultrasonic vibrator vibrating the rinse solution in the rinse tank. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The cleaning apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a temperature sensor detecting a temperature of the rinse solution in the rinse tank, and a temperature regulator maintaining the temperature of the rinse solution in the rinse tank at a predetermined temperature based on a detection result of the temperature sensor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The cleaning apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a heat exchanger disposed in the temperature regulator, wherein the temperature regulator regulates a flow of the rinse solution cooled by the heat exchanger into the rinse tank to maintain the temperature of the rinse solution. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a collection tank comprising a third cooler, wherein the third cooler cools the rinse solution evaporated in the rinse tank so that the cooled rinse solution is collected in the collection tank, and the collected rinse solution is returned to the rinse tank through the second return pipe. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The cleaning apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a temperature sensor detecting a temperature of the collection tank, wherein the third cooler cools the collection tank so as to generate a difference in a vapor pressure between the rinse tank and the collection tank based on the detected temperature. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The cleaning apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a moisture separation tank separating moisture from the rinse solution collected by the collection tank, wherein the rinse solution separated from the moisture by the moisture separation tank is returned to the rinse tank through the second return pipe. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The cleaning apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a moisture separation tank separating moisture from the rinse solution collected by the collection tank, wherein the rinse solution separated from the moisture by the moisture separation tank is returned to the rinse tank through the second return pipe. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a moisture separation tank that is provided in a circulation loop of the rinse solution comprising the rinse tank, the atmospheric evaporator, the second cooler and the second return pipe and separates moisture from the rinse solution cooled by the second cooler, wherein the rinse solution separated from the moisture by the moisture separation tank is returned to the rinse tank through the second return pipe, and there is no moisture separation tank provided in a circulation loop of the cleaning solution comprising the cleaning tank, the vacuum evaporator, the first cooler and the first return pipe. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a separator separating the rinse solution containing the cleaning solution into the cleaning solution and the rinse solution, and a pool tank receiving the cleaning solution separated by the separator and the rinse solution containing the cleaning solution sent from the atmospheric evaporator, wherein the solutions received by the pool tank are supplied to the separator. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The cleaning apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a lower limit sensor detecting a lower limit of a liquid level of a content of the pool tank, wherein the content of the pool tank is supplied to the vacuum evaporator based on a detection result of the lower limit sensor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first holder configured to hold the deposition mask in the cleaning tank and a second holder configured to hold the deposition mask in the rinse tank. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rinse solution comprises a solvent comprising a fluorine compound.