ANTI-SLIP SCRUBBER BRUSH AND ASSEMBLY METHODS
In one aspect, a scrubber brush assembly is provided. The scrubber brush assembly includes a scrubber brush including exterior molded surfaces and a mounting passage having interior molded surfaces, the interior molded surfaces having molded foam, raised rotation-restraining features, and a mandrel including recesses directly coupled to the molded foam, raised rotation-restraining features of the scrubber brush to prevent slippage. Scrubber brushes and methods of assembly are provided, as are numerous other aspects.
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The present invention relates generally to semiconductor device manufacturing, and more particularly to a scrubber brush adapted to clean a substrate.
BACKGROUNDA scrubber brush assembly, which includes a scrubber brush mounted on a mandrel, may be used for cleaning a substrate. For example, the scrubber brush assembly may be employed in a substrate processing system, such as a substrate chemical and mechanical cleaning system, to scrub a major surface of a substrate during substrate processing. Furthermore, the scrubber brush assembly may be used in other substrate processing systems.
To assemble a conventional scrubber brush assembly for use in a substrate processing system, the scrubber brush is installed (e.g., slid) onto the mandrel. However, once installed, and in operation, the scrubber brush is rotated and translated along a surface of the substrate. Prior scrubber brush assemblies have added a sleeve to the scrubber brush in an attempt to minimize slippage between the scrubber brush and the mandrel. However, such systems may be ineffective in some circumstances and/or complex and expensive. Thus, improved scrubber brushes and assemblies are desired.
SUMMARYIn a first aspect of the invention, a method of assembling a scrubber brush assembly is provided. The method include providing a scrubber brush having a scrubber brush body with a mounting passage having a molded interior surface with molded foam, raised rotation-restraining features, and inserting a mandrel into the mounting passage and receiving the molded foam, raised rotation-restraining features in contact with recesses formed on an outer surface of the mandrel to form the scrubber brush assembly.
In another aspect of the invention, a scrubber brush assembly is provided. The scrubber brush assembly includes a scrubber brush having a scrubber brush body including a mounting passage with molded interior surfaces, the molded interior surfaces having molded foam, raised rotation-restraining features, and a mandrel having recesses formed on an outer surface of the mandrel, the mandrel being directly coupled to the molded interior surfaces by receiving the molded foam, raised rotation-restraining features in direct contact with the recesses.
In a third aspect of the invention, a scrubber brush is provided. The scrubber brush includes a scrubber brush body having a mounting passage with a molded interior surface with molded foam, raised rotation-restraining features configured and adapted to couple into recesses on an outer surface of a mandrel.
Other features and aspects of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings.
A scrubber brush is provided that includes a mounting passage having a molded inner surface having molded raised rotation-restraining features (e.g., ribs) adapted to couple (e.g., lock) to a mandrel. A mandrel is provided that is received into the mounting passage of the scrubber brush and interfaces with the molded foam, raised rotation-restraining features so as to form a scrubber brush assembly that may be used for cleaning a substrate and minimize relative rotation (e.g., rotational slippage) there between. For example, the scrubber brush assembly may be employed in a substrate processing system, such as a substrate cleaning system, to scrub and clean a major surface of a substrate during substrate processing. Further, the scrubber brush assembly may be used in other substrate processing systems.
Certain prior art scrubber brushes have included a smooth cylindrical inner surface. When used in cleaning operations on large substrates, this smooth surface may have a propensity to rotate on the mandrel due to increased friction forces between the brush and the substrate being scrubbed by the scrubber brush. This is especially true when substrates larger than 300 mm are being processed, such as those of 450 mm or above. According to method and apparatus embodiments of the invention, increased mechanical engagement between the mandrel and the brush are provided by embodiments of the invention. In particular, recessed portions on the mandrel interact with molded foam, raised rotation-restraining features on the brush interior surface in one or more embodiments. The molded foam, raised rotation-restraining features comprise the same material as the rest of the scrubber brush, thereby simplifying and lowering a cost of the scrubber brush and scrubber brush assembly. Accordingly, the scrubber brush may be mechanically locked in place relative to the mandrel (e.g., so as to prevent the scrubber brush from rotating relative to the mandrel). Accordingly, longer scrubber bushes may be used to process the larger substrates. These and other aspects of embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to
The entire scrubber brush body 101 of the scrubber brush 100 may, for example, be made of a resilient and porous foam material that may have sponge-like properties. For example, the foam material may comprise an open-cell foam, such as an open-cell polyurethane foam material. Other and/or different open-cell foam materials may be used, such as polyvinyl acetate (PVA), or polypropylene.
The scrubber brush 100 may include a mounting passage 108 having molded interior surfaces 110. As will be described below, a mandrel 420 may be inserted directly into the mounting passage 108 and may engage the molded interior surfaces 110 to directly couple the scrubber brush 100 to the mandrel 420 so as to form a scrubber brush assembly 400 (having utility for use during substrate processing). In one or more embodiments of the invention, the molded interior surfaces 110 may comprise molded foam, raised rotation-restraining features 112 that are configured and adapted to directly couple into recesses formed in an outer surface of a mandrel 420 (
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In more detail, the mandrel 420 may be coupled to a rotary mount 435 on one end and to a drive member 440, such as a drive shaft, on another end. As shown in
Accordingly, while the present invention has been disclosed in connection with exemplary embodiments thereof, it should be understood that other embodiments may fall within the scope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.
Claims
1. A method of assembling a scrubber brush assembly, comprising:
- providing a scrubber brush having a scrubber brush body with a mounting passage having a molded interior surface with molded foam, raised rotation-restraining features; and
- inserting a mandrel into the mounting passage and receiving the molded foam, raised rotation-restraining features in contact with recesses formed on an outer surface of the mandrel to form the scrubber brush assembly.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the molded foam, raised rotation-restraining features in contact with the recesses comprises substantially filling the recesses with the molded foam, raised rotation-restraining features.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:
- engaging the foam molded, raised rotation-restraining features into the recesses along substantially an entire length L of the scrubber brush.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
- providing openings on the mandrel, the openings being configured and adapted to jet a liquid directly into the scrubber brush.
5. A scrubber brush assembly, comprising:
- a scrubber brush having a scrubber brush body including a mounting passage with molded interior surfaces, the molded interior surfaces having molded foam, raised rotation-restraining features; and
- a mandrel having recesses formed on an outer surface of the mandrel, the mandrel being directly coupled to the molded interior surfaces by receiving the molded foam, raised rotation-restraining features in direct contact with the recesses.
6. The scrubber brush assembly of claim 5, wherein the molded foam, raised rotation-restraining features comprise a plurality of molded foam ribs that extend longitudinally along substantially an entire length of the scrubber brush.
7. The scrubber brush assembly of claim 6, wherein the molded foam, raised rotation-restraining features comprise four or more molded foam ribs.
8. The scrubber brush assembly of claim 5, wherein the molded foam, raised rotation-restraining features comprise open-cell foam.
9. The scrubber brush assembly of claim 5, wherein each of the molded foam, raised rotation-restraining features comprises at least two sides in direct contact with at least two sides of the recesses.
10. The scrubber brush assembly of claim 5, wherein the molded interior surfaces further comprise molded foam grooves.
11. The scrubber brush assembly of claim 10, wherein each of the molded foam grooves comprise a radiused bottom profile.
12. The scrubber brush assembly of claim 10, wherein the molded foam grooves extend longitudinally along substantially an entire length of the scrubber brush.
13. The scrubber brush assembly of claim 5, wherein the molded raised rotation-restraining features have a height of greater than about 1.5 mm.
14. The scrubber brush assembly of claim 5, wherein a top side of the molded raised rotation-restraining features has a width of greater than about 4 mm.
15. A scrubber brush, comprising:
- a scrubber brush body having a mounting passage with a molded interior surface with molded foam, raised rotation-restraining features configured and adapted to couple into recesses on an outer surface of a mandrel.
16. The scrubber brush of claim 15, wherein the molded foam, raised rotation-restraining features comprise a plurality of molded ribs that extend longitudinally along substantially an entire length of the scrubber brush.
17. The scrubber brush of claim 15, wherein the molded foam, raised rotation-restraining features comprise open-cell foam.
18. The scrubber brush of claim 15, wherein the molded foam, raised rotation-restraining features have a height of greater than about 1.5 mm, and a width of greater than about 4 mm.
19. The scrubber brush of claim 15, wherein the scrubber brush body comprises open-cell foam.
20. The scrubber brush of claim 19, wherein the interior molded surface comprises molded foam grooves.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 26, 2012
Publication Date: Oct 31, 2013
Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc. (Santa Clara, CA)
Inventors: Hui Chen (Burlingame, CA), Hung Chen (Sunnyvale, CA)
Application Number: 13/456,779
International Classification: A46B 15/00 (20060101); A46D 3/04 (20060101); A47L 13/10 (20060101);