High volume brush cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A method for the rapid removal of unwanted debris from a substrate such as an electronic component like unfired greensheets employs a high velocity straight through brush design. This brush employs a large chamber housing and vacuum slots, which create a high velocity vacuum draw for the rapid removal of unwanted ceramic materials. The brush is retained in a brush retainer that preferably utilizes dovetail slots to facilitate easy insertion and removal from the brush retainer.

1 . A high volume vacuum brush for removing debris and cleaning the surface of an electronic component comprising: 
 a housing member having a hollow interior and an opening at its upper end for attachment to a vacuum source and at the other opposed bottom end one or more sweeping member openings defining rows running substantially parallel along the bottom end of the housing member holding a plurality of downwardly extending bidirectional sweeping members mounted within the openings with the free end of the sweeping members extending below the plane of the bottom end and one or more through suction openings interspaced between the rows for communication of the spaces between the rows with the vacuum source.    
   
   
       2 . The brush of  claim 1  wherein the sweeping member openings in the housing member are dovetailed.  
   
   
       3 . The brush of  claim 1  wherein the suction openings run along the length of the housing and on the outer side of each sweeping member end row.  
   
   
       4 . The brush of  claim 1  wherein the suction openings are circular and run along the length of the housing.  
   
   
       5 . The brush of  claim 1  wherein the suction openings are narrower at the bottom end of the housing member.  
   
   
       6 . The brush of  claim 1  wherein the sweeping members are nylon bristles.  
   
   
       7 . A high volume vacuum brush for removing debris and cleaning the surface of an electronic component comprising: 
 a housing member having an interconnected top, front, rear, and side walls and an open bottom defining a hollow interior, with the top having an opening for attachment to a vacuum source;    a brush retainer housing member having a top and a bottom sized to fit in the open bottom of the housing member, the bottom of the brush retainer housing having one or more sweeping member openings defining rows running substantially parallel along the length of the brush retainer housing for holding a plurality of downwardly extending bidirectional sweeping members mounted within the openings with the free end of the sweeping members extending below the plane of the bottom of the brush retainer housing and one or more through suction openings interspaced between the rows for communication of the spaces between the rows with the vacuum source.    
   
   
       8 . The brush of  claim 7  wherein the sweeping members openings in the brush retainer housing member are dovetailed.  
   
   
       9 . The brush of  claim 7  wherein the suction openings run along the length of the housing and on the outer side of each sweeping member end row.  
   
   
       10 . The brush of  claim 7  wherein the suction openings are circular and run along the length of the housing.  
   
   
       11 . The brush of  claim 7  wherein the suction openings are narrower at the bottom end of the brush retainer housing member.  
   
   
       12 . The brush of  claim 7  wherein the sweeping members are nylon bristles.  
   
   
       13 . A method for cleaning the surface of electronic components comprising: 
 positioning the surface of the electronic component to be cleaned;    providing a brush comprising:    a housing member having an interconnected top, front, rear, and side walls and an open bottom defining a hollow interior, with the top having an opening for attachment to a vacuum source;    a brush retainer housing member having a top and a bottom sized to fit in the open bottom of the housing member, the bottom of the brush retainer housing having one or more sweeping member openings defining rows running substantially parallel along the length of the brush retainer housing for holding a plurality of downwardly extending bidirectional sweeping members mounted within the openings with the free end of the sweeping members extending below the plane of the bottom of the brush retainer housing and one or more through suction openings interspaced between the rows for communication of the spaces between the rows with the vacuum source; and    contacting the free ends of the sweeping members of the brush with the surface of the component and moving the vacuum brush of the invention substantially transverse to the axis of the sweeping members back and forth over the surface of the substrate while the vacuum is activated to remove debris and particulate matter from the surface of the substrate.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the sweeping member openings in the brush retainer housing member are dovetailed.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the suction openings run along the length of the housing and on the outer side of each sweeping member end row.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the suction openings are circular and run along the length of the housing.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the suction openings are narrower at the bottom end of the brush retainer housing member.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the sweeping members are nylon bristles.