Ultrasonic cleaning device

Abstract

An ultrasonic cleaning device including an ultrasonic transducer ( 13 ) for providing ultrasonic energy to a propagation liquid ( 15 ), an ultrasonic propagation tube ( 12 ) for flowing the propagation liquid provided with the ultrasonic energy by the ultrasonic transducer, a holding mechanism disposed below the ultrasonic propagation tube for holding an object to be cleaned ( 21 ), and a cleaning liquid supply mechanism for supplying a cleaning liquid to a cleaning surface of the object to be cleaned held by the holding mechanism, and the ultrasonic propagation tube ( 12 ) is disposed so that a side surface thereof may contact a liquid film ( 19 ) of the cleaning liquid formed on the cleaning surface by supplying the cleaning liquid to the cleaning surface by the cleaning liquid supply mechanism.

1 . An ultrasonic cleaning method using an ultrasonic cleaning device, comprising the steps of:
 immersing a slide surface of an ultrasonic propagation tube in a liquid film of a cleaning liquid formed on a cleaning surface of an object to be cleaned;   propagating ultrasonic wave inside said ultrasonic propagation tube by repeating reflection of the ultrasonic wave provided by an ultrasonic transducer to the cleaning liquid that flows through said ultrasonic propagation tube;   transmitting a part of the ultrasonic wave through said ultrasonic propagation tube, propagating in the liquid film of the cleaning liquid and reaching the object to be cleaned; and cleaning the cleaning surface of the object to be cleaned by the ultrasonic wave and the cleaning liquid,   wherein said ultrasonic cleaning device comprises said ultrasonic transducer for providing ultrasonic energy to the cleaning liquid; said ultrasonic propagation tube for flowing the cleaning liquid provided with the ultrasonic energy by said ultrasonic transducer; a holding mechanism disposed below said ultrasonic propagation tube for holding the object to be cleaned; and an outlet provided on said ultrasonic propagation tube for discharging said cleaning liquid to the cleaning surface of the object to be cleaned held by said holding mechanism,   and wherein said outlet is a slit or a plurality of holes provided on a side wall of said ultrasonic propagation tube.   
     
     
         2 - 3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The ultrasonic cleaning method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said ultrasonic transducer is disposed so as to oppose one end of said ultrasonic propagation tube, and a single or a plurality of flange portions is provided at said one end of said ultrasonic propagation tube.   
     
     
         5 . The ultrasonic cleaning method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said ultrasonic transducer is disposed so as to oppose one end of said ultrasonic propagation tube, and said one end of said ultrasonic propagation tube has a tapered shape in which an inner diameter of said tube increases as a distance to said ultrasonic transducer decreases.   
     
     
         6 . The ultrasonic cleaning method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said cleaning liquid is deionized water and a dissolved gas concentration in said deionized water is adjusted to 2 to 4.5 ppm.