Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6272719
-
Patent Number
6,272,719
-
Date Filed
Tuesday, February 16, 199925 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, August 14, 200122 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
- Huang; Jiawei
- J.C. Patents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 015 347
- 015 353
- 261 1191
- 096 348
- 096 350
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
Disclosed is a dust-collecting barrow according to the invention. The dust-collecting barrow has a layer of silicon oil on the bottom thereof. The silicon oil is stable; that is, it is difficult for it to react with chemical compounds. The dust-collecting barrow has a plurality of alternately-arranged dividers. When chemical materials and/or particles are sucked into the dust-collecting barrow, heavier materials are first deposited in the silicon oil while lighter materials continuously move forward, and then are deposited in the silicon oil. Furthermore, the dust-collecting barrow is divided by the alternatively-arranged dividers into a plurality of open spaces which are used to absorb various chemical materials or particles, thereby preventing the various chemical materials or particles from reacting with each other.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan application Ser. No. 87120061, filed Dec. 3, 1998, the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a dust-collecting device, and in particular to a dust-collecting barrow, which uses a suction force to collect various chemical materials or particles.
2. Description of the Related Art
In IC manufacturing, an extremely high cleanliness class is required to manufacture ICs with expected functions. Also, IC integrity is further increased in current semiconductor technology development. Therefore, it is important to clean semiconductor-manufacturing equipment with chemical materials and dust particles remaining thereon, including dust-free chambers for manufacturing high-performance semiconductor devices.
In the processes of prior art, a dust-free wiper is mainly used to clean contaminated parts of semiconductor equipment including dust-free chambers. During cleaning with the dust-free wiper, chemical materials and/or dust particles can adhere to the wiper. If the used wiper is not carefully and well disposed of, the chemical materials and/or dust particles, such as polymers and/or metal particles stuck on the wiper can react with each other, resulting in the generation of toxic products and/or even an accident caused by drastic explosions. This seriously affects the environmental safety, especially with regard to the dust-free chambers.
Furthermore, low vacuum devices in dust-free chambers are only used to clean chemical products, such as polymers, produced therein, and have no additional functions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above, a first object of the invention is to provide a dust-collecting barrow in which a silicon oil that has a chemical stability and is unable to react with other materials is used to absorb various chemical polymers or particles.
A second object of the invention is to provide a dust-collecting barrow in which a great number of opening spacers are formed, into which various chemical polymers or particles are collected by the generation of a low vacuum, wherein the various collected chemical polymers or particles are deposited in different spaces according to weights and sizes thereof, so that the various chemical polymers or particles can be prevented from reacting with each other.
A third object of the invention is to provide a dust-collecting barrow which has a better mobility, is easily cleaned, and can be repeatedly used.
To achieve the above-stated objects, the dust-collecting barrow, suitable for use in a dust-free chamber in a semiconductor factory, includes a barrow body, a barrow base, a suction hose and a low vacuum hose. In the barrow body, a plurality of dividers are alternately arranged to form a plurality of open spaces and a passage. Furthermore, the barrow body has a first hole and a second hole, which are connected to the suction hose and the low vacuum hose, respectively. The barrow base is located on the bottom of the barrow body and has a layer of oil located thereon, which oil is used to absorb various chemical polymers, metal particles or dust particles. The chemical polymers, metal particles or dust particles are collected into the dust-free barrow by a low vacuum suction force through the suction hose. Once inside the dust-barrow, the collected chemical polymers, metal particles or dust particles are deposited in different open spaces along the passage according to the weights and sizes thereof. The heaviest or largest chemical polymers, metal particles or dust particles in weight and size are first deposited in a first space, next heaviest or largest chemical polymers, metal particles or dust particles are deposited in a second space, and so on. The number of the spaces depends on practical requirements. Moreover, the barrow base has a set of wheels while the barrow body has a handle for easy pushing. The barrow base has oil-draining holes formed therein.
In the dust-collecting barrow of the invention, since the layer of oil is chemically stable and does not react with other chemical materials, the oil can be used to absorb chemical materials. Furthermore, the absorbed chemical materials are deposited in different spaces according to the different weights thereof. It is obvious that the absorbed chemical materials which are deposited in the different spaces filled with the oil cannot react with each other. Therefore, the dust-collecting barrow according to the invention can categorically collect chemical polymers. metal particles and dust particles.
For convenient operation, the dust-collecting barrow has a set of wheels and a handle. Therefore, the dust-collecting barrow has advantages of being able to speedily maintain and clean equipment including a dust-free chamber.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus do not limit the present invention, and wherein:
FIG. 1A
is a schematic, perspective view illustrating a dust-collecting barrow according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 1B
is a schematic, perspective view illustrating a barrow body and a barrow base of the dust-collecting barrow of
FIG. 1A
;
FIG. 2A
is a schematic, cross-sectional view of the dust-collecting barrow of
FIG. 1A
;
FIG. 2B
is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the arrangement of dividers in the dust-collecting barrow of
FIG. 1A
; and
FIG. 3
is an amplified, cross-sectional view of the dust-collecting barrow of
FIG. 1A
illustrating how chemical materials or particles are deposited in various open spaces after being collected into the barrow.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1A
is a schematic, perspective view illustrating a dust-collecting barrow
100
according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. The dust-collecting barrow
100
that is suitable for cleaning equipment including dust-free chambers in a semiconductor factory mainly includes a barrow body
102
, a barrow base
112
and a top cover
114
. The barrow base
112
is located on the bottom of the barrow body
102
, while the top cover
114
is used to cover the barrow body
102
.
FIG. 1B
is a schematic, perspective view illustrating the barrow body
102
and the barrow base
112
of the dust-collecting barrow
100
of FIG.
1
A. Referring to
FIG. 1B
, the barrow body
102
includes a top peripheral edge
104
and a bottom peripheral edge
106
. With the support of part of the top peripheral edge
104
, the top cover
114
can cover the top of the barrow body
102
, wherein the top peripheral edge
104
is an independent structure. The part of the bottom peripheral edge
106
is securely joined to the barrow base, wherein the bottom peripheral edge
106
can be an independent structure or can be formed in one piece together with the barrow body
102
. The inner surface of the top cover
114
is mirror-processed with stainless steel, such as SUS304-type stainless steel, and therefore, can withstand corrosion and rust, and can be easily cleaned. Since it is easy to corrode the dust-collecting barrow during absorption of chemical products, such as polymers, a proper mirror process is indeed required.
Moreover, the barrow body
102
has a first hole
108
and a second hole
110
which are connected to a low vacuum hose
116
and a suction hose
118
, respectively. The low vacuum hose
116
is also connected to a low vacuum pump which generates a suction force to collect materials, such as chemical products including polymers, metal particles, dust particles, nails and bolts, into the dust-collecting barrow
100
, wherein the suctioned materials are deposited on the barrow base
112
.
FIG. 2A
is a schematic, cross-sectional view of the dust-collecting barrow
100
of FIG.
1
A. As shown in
FIG. 2A
, a layer of oil
126
, such as a silicon oil, is filled in and located on the barrow base
112
. The silicon oil is chemically stable, and does not easily react with other chemical materials. Therefore, the silicon oil can be used to absorb materials, such as chemical polymers, metal particles and dust particles. The absorbed materials are deposited in the silicon oil
126
.
Furthermore, since the barrow base
112
has a plurality of oil-draining holes
124
, it is convenient to drain oil or discharge the materials absorbed by the silicon oil
126
when the oil in the dust-collecting barrow
100
is changed.
Additionally, the dust-collecting barrow
100
includes a plurality of first dividers
120
and a plurality of second dividers
122
which are alternately arranged between the top cover
114
and the barrow base
112
, thereby to divide the barrow body
102
into a plurality of open spaces
123
.
FIG. 2B
is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the arrangement of the dividers
120
,
122
in the dust-collecting barrow
100
of FIG.
1
A. As shown in
FIG. 2B
, the lengths of the first dividers and the second dividers X
1
and X
2
are smaller than the height H of the barrow body
102
, such that the divided spaces
123
are incompletely separated from each other. In other word, the spaces
123
can communicate with each other. To keep the divided spaces
123
in communication with each other, the level of the silicon oil layer
126
is always kept much lower than a top end of the second dividers
122
, as shown in FIG.
2
A. That is, the level of the silicon oil layer
126
is lower than the lower ends of the first dividers
120
. Moreover, first divider
120
is aligned with, and joined to, the top peripheral edge
104
, and has two edges connected to the barrow body
102
while one edge of each second divider
122
is connected to the barrow base
112
. Edges of each first divider
120
and each second divider
122
that are close to the center of the barrow body
102
have hook-shaped structures
120
a
and
122
a
, which are used to block collected materials. The first and second dividers
120
and
122
can be made of metal, stainless steel or other materials with the same function.
FIG. 3
is an amplified, cross-sectional view of the dust-collecting barrow
100
of
FIG. 1A
, illustrating how chemical materials or particles are deposited in various open spaces
123
after being collected into the dust-collecting barrow
100
. As shown in
FIG. 3
, a suction force indicated by a direction C shown in
FIG. 3
is provided by the low vacuum hose
116
to form a path B in the dust-collecting barrow
100
. As is obvious from
FIG. 3
, materials including larger, heavier particles
132
a
and smaller, lighter particles
132
b
are sucked into the dust-collecting barrow
100
through an inlet A by the suction force provided by the vacuum hose
116
. After that, the larger, heavier particles
132
a
are first deposited in the silicon oil
126
, or blocked by the hook-shaped structure
120
a
at an edge of a corresponding divider
120
. That is, the larger, heavier particles cannot be transmitted into the next opening space
123
. The smaller, lighter materials
132
b
are transmitted into the next opening space
123
, and then deposited in the silicon oil
126
, and so on.
As described above, collected materials are deposited in order in the silicon oil
126
according, to the weights thereof. Since various materials are collected and categorically deposited in the silicon oil
126
, which is chemically stable, the various materials cannot react with each other. Accordingly, chemical materials and/or particles, including even nails, can be separately collected by the dust-collecting barrow of the invention.
Referring again to
FIGS. 1A and 2A
, a set of wheels
128
can further be installed under the barrow base
112
for a higher mobility. Moreover, a handle
130
can be installed on the barrow body
102
for convenient operation.
In summary, the dust-collecting barrow according to the invention can be used to prepare more efficient and cleaner equipment, including dust-free chambers, and has no problem of instability and disadvantages caused by cleaning equipment with a dust-free wiper as stated in the prior art.
Furthermore, a first feature of the invention is that the silicon oil used in the invention is chemically stable and does not easily react with other materials; therefore, the oil can absorb various chemical polymers or particles.
A second feature of the invention is that a plurality of open spaces is formed in the dust-collecting barrow, and various chemical polymers and/or particles sucked into the dust-collecting barrow by the generation of low vacuum are categorically deposited in different spaces according to the weights of the collected materials. Therefore, the collected materials cannot react with each other.
A third feature of the invention is that the dust-collecting barrow of the invention can be conveniently removed, easily cleaned and repeatedly used.
While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements as would be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.
Claims
- 1. A dust-collecting barrow comprising:a barrow body having a first hole and a second hole formed thereon, wherein an inner part of the barrow body is divided into a plurality of open spaces that are not completely separated from each other; a barrow base located on the bottom of the barrow body and having a layer of oil located thereon, such that the open spaces are not blocked by the layer of oil; a suction hose connected to the first hole for sucking chemical materials or particles into the barrow body; a low vacuum hose, of which one end is connected to the second hole, and another end is connected to a vacuum device which provides a suction force; wherein the barrow body comprises a top peripheral edge and a bottom peripheral edge; and a plurality of first dividers with a length shorter than a height of the barrow body located therein, wherein each first divider is joined to the top peripheral edge; and a plurality of second dividers, with a length shorter than a height of the barrow body, located therein, wherein each second divider has one edge connected to the barrow base and is alternately arranged with respect to the first dividers, thereby to form the open spaces.
- 2. The dust-collecting barrow of claim 1, wherein the barrow base is securely joined to the bottom peripheral edge.
- 3. The dust-collecting barrow of claim 1, farther comprising a top cover which is used to cover the top of the barrow body with the support of the top peripheral edge.
- 4. The dust-collecting barrow of claim 1, wherein the barrow base and the barrow body are formed in one piece.
- 5. The dust-collecting barrow of claim 1, wherein the barrow base has a plurality of oil-draining holes formed therein.
- 6. The dust-collecting barrow of claim 1, wherein the barrow body comprises a handle on a surface of the barrow body.
- 7. The dust-collecting barrow of claim 1, wherein the oil is a silicon oil.
- 8. The dust-collecting barrow of claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the top cover is mirror-processed.
- 9. The dust-collecting barrow of claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the top cover is made of stainless steel.
- 10. The dust-collecting barrow of claim 9, wherein the stainless steel is SUS304-type stainless steel.
- 11. A dust-collecting barrow comprising:a barrow body having a top peripheral edge and a bottom peripheral edge, and having a first hole and a second hole formed thereon; a barrow base securely joined to the bottom peripheral edge on the bottom of the barrow body and having a layer of oil located thereon; a plurality of first dividers with upper ends attached to the top peripheral edge and lower ends hanging inside of the barrow body; a plurality of second dividers with a length shorter than a height of the barrow body, wherein each second divider has one edge connected to the barrow base and is alternately arranged with respect to the first dividers, thereby to form the open spaces; a top cover used to cover the top of the barrow body with the support of the top peripheral edge; a suction hose connected to the first hole for collecting chemical material or particles; and a low vacuum hose of which one end is connected to the second hole and another end is connected to a low vacuum device which provides a suction force.
- 12. The dust-collecting barrow of claim 11, wherein the barrow base and the barrow body are formed in one piece.
- 13. The dust-collecting barrow of claim 11, wherein the barrow base has a plurality of oil-draining holes formed therein.
- 14. The dust-collecting barrow of claim 11, wherein the barrow base comprises a set of wheels.
- 15. The dust-collecting barrow of claim 11, wherein the barrow body has a handle installed thereon.
- 16. The dust-collecting barrow of claim 11, wherein the oil is a silicon oil.
- 17. The dust-collecting barrow of claim 11, wherein the inner surface of the top cover is mirror processed.
- 18. The dust-collecting barrow of claim 17, wherein the inner surface of the top cover is made of stainless steel.
- 19. The dust-collecting barrow of claim 18, wherein the stainless steel is SUS304-type stainless steel.
- 20. The dust-collecting barrow of claim 11, wherein each of the lower ends of the first dividers and upper ends of the second dividers has a hook shaped structure.
- 21. The dust-collecting barrow of claim 11, wherein the first and second dividers are arranged to form a plurality of open spaces that allow a continuous dust-collecting path between the suction hose and the low vacuum hose.
- 22. A dust-collecting barrow comprising:a barrow body having a first hole and a second hole formed thereon, wherein an inner part of the barrow body is divided into a plurality of open spaces that are not completely separated from each other; a barrow base located on the bottom of the barrow body and having a layer of oil located thereon, such that the open spaces are not blocked by the layer of oil; a suction hose connected to the first hole for sucking chemical materials or particles into the barrow body; a low vacuum hose, of which one end is connected to the second hole, and another end is connected to a vacuum device which provides a suction force; wherein the barrow body comprises a top peripheral edge and a bottom peripheral edge; and a plurality of first dividers with a length shorter than a height of the barrow body located therein, wherein each first divider is joined to the top peripheral edge; and a plurality of second dividers, with a length shorter than a height of the barrow body located therein, wherein each second divider has one edge connected to the barrow base and is alternately arranged with respect to the first dividers, thereby to form the open spaces; and further wherein each of the lower ends of the first dividers and the upper ends of the second dividers have a hook shaped structure.
- 23. A dust-collecting barrow comprising:a barrow body having a first hole and a second hole formed thereon, wherein an inner part of the barrow body is divided into a plurality of open spaces that are not completely separated from each other; a barrow base located on the bottom of the barrow body and having a layer of oil located thereon, such that the open spaces are not blocked by the layer of oil; a suction hose connected to the first hole for sucking chemical materials or particles into the barrow body; a low vacuum hose, of which one end is connected to the second hole, and another end is connected to a vacuum device which provides a suction force; wherein the barrow body comprises a top peripheral edge and a bottom peripheral edge; and a plurality of first dividers with a length shorter than a height of the barrow body located therein, wherein each first divider is joined to the top peripheral edge; and a plurality of second dividers, with a length shorter than a height of the barrow body located therein, wherein each second divider has one edge connected to the barrow base and is alternately arranged with respect to the first dividers, thereby to form the open spaces; and further wherein edges of each first divider and each second divider approximately close to the center of the barrow body are of hook-shaped structure.
- 24. A dust-collecting barrow comprising:a barrow body having a first hole and a second hole formed thereon, wherein an inner part of the barrow body is divided into a plurality of open spaces that are not completely separated from each other; a barrow base located on the bottom of the barrow body and having a layer of oil located thereon, such that the open spaces are not blocked by the layer of oil; a suction hose connected to the first hole for sucking chemical materials or particles into the barrow body; a low vacuum hose, of which one end is connected to the second hole, and another end is connected to a vacuum device which provides a suction force; wherein the barrow body comprises a top peripheral edge and a bottom peripheral edge; and a plurality of first dividers with a length shorter than a height of the barrow body located therein, wherein each first divider is joined to the top peripheral edge; and a plurality of second dividers, with a length shorter than a height of the barrow body, located therein, wherein each second divider has one edge connected to the barrow base and is alternately arranged with respect to the first dividers, thereby to form the open spaces; whereby various chemical polymers or particles are collected by the generation of a low vacuum in the said dust-collecting barrow; and whereby the various collected chemical polymers or particles are deposited in different spaces according to weights and sizes thereof, so that the various chemical polymers or particles can be prevented from reacting with each other.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
87120061 |
Dec 1998 |
TW |
|
US Referenced Citations (7)