JPH0819765A - Supersonic cleaning tank - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a supersonic cleaning tank with a reduced level of noise generated during cleaning operation with a concurrent action to restrict an increase in weight. CONSTITUTION:The rigidity against a flexture or a twist in each lateral wall or the widening of a space between adjacent lateral walls is enhanced and the level of a noise generated by the vibration of each lateral wall is reduced by providing a thin-wall cleaning container 1 of almost uniform thikness and reinforcing members 2a, 2b, 2c...2e whic are added scatteringly on the outer surface of each lateral wall of the cleaning container 1. Preferably each reinforcing member 2a to 2e should form a closed frame work on the outer surface of each lateral wall, and at the same time, show an L cross-section.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cleaning tank of an ultrasonic cleaning machine used for cleaning medical instruments, dishes and the like, or cleaning treatment during a semiconductor manufacturing process, and particularly to the outer surface of a side wall. The present invention relates to an ultrasonic cleaning tank in which noise is reduced by adding a reinforcing member.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 3, an ultrasonic cleaner widely used for cleaning medical instruments and eyeglasses has an appropriate number of ultrasonic waves on the bottom surface of a cleaning tank 11 having a substantially uniform wall thickness. The vibrator 12 is adhered and fixed, and is mounted on a stand 13 called a hakama or the like. Cleaning tank 11 filled with cleaning liquid
The ultrasonic transducer 12 is driven by immersing the object to be cleaned therein and supplying alternating-current power in the ultrasonic frequency band to the ultrasonic transducer from a power source (not shown). The ultrasonic vibration generated by the ultrasonic vibrator 12 is transmitted into the cleaning liquid via the bottom surface of the cleaning tank 11, and the object in the cleaning liquid is cleaned.

[0003]

The above-mentioned ultrasonic cleaning machine, in principle, should generate no noise because it generates ultrasonic waves of several tens of KHz, which is much higher than the audible frequency band. However, in reality, a considerable level of annoying noise is generated. Although the dislike of this noise varies from person to person, it cannot be denied that the occurrence of this noise is one of the factors that hinder the spread of ultrasonic cleaners. Therefore, various attempts have been made in the past to reduce the noise level, but not so much effect has been achieved.

The inventor of the present invention speculates that the noise level generated increases as the size of the cleaning tank increases, so that the noise generated during operation is caused by the vibration of the side wall of the cleaning tank. This is because it is assumed that the larger the size of the cleaning tank, the lower the rigidity of each side wall against bending and twisting, the more the side wall deformation increases, and the more audible sound is generated. Further, the present inventor confirms that the noise is generated due to the vibration of the side wall of the cleaning tank because the noise level considerably decreases when the thickness of the side wall is increased from the normal 2-3 mm to about 10 mm. Obtained. However, when the thickness of the side wall is increased in order to reduce the noise level, the weight of the cleaning tank increases, which requires a solid stand, and it becomes difficult to rearrange.

[0005]

In the ultrasonic cleaning tank of the present invention, a plurality of reinforcing members are discretely added to the outer surface of the side wall to suppress the increase in the weight of the cleaning tank while increasing the rigidity of the side wall. It is configured to raise and lower the noise level.

[0006]

By increasing the rigidity of the side wall, a certain amount of vibration energy can be absorbed with a small amount of displacement of the side wall.
As the displacement of the side wall decreases, the level of sound waves in the audible frequency band decreases. According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the plurality of reinforcing members form a closed frame on the outer surface of each side wall, whereby higher rigidity is realized. According to a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, each reinforcing member has an L-shaped cross section, so that higher rigidity is realized under a smaller weight. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to Examples.

[0007]

1 is a perspective view showing the structure of an ultrasonic cleaning tank according to an embodiment of the present invention. This ultrasonic cleaning tank is 3mm
On the outer surface of each side wall surface of the cleaning container 1 made of a thin rectangular stainless steel having a uniform thickness, metal reinforcing members 2a, 2b, 2c ... 2f having an L-shaped cross section are formed on the outer surface. The structure is such that they are combined so as to have a V shape and are fixed by welding. As described above, by forming a closed frame body on each side surface by combining reinforcing members, it is possible to prevent deformation such as bending or twisting of each side surface or opening between adjacent side surfaces, as compared with the case where the structure is opened. The rigidity is remarkably increased, and a certain amount of vibration can be absorbed with a small amount of deformation. In addition, by making the cross-sectional shape of each reinforcing member L-shaped,
It is possible to further increase the second moment of area that determines the rigidity of the reinforcing member against bending and twisting while suppressing an increase in weight.

Similar to the conventional ultrasonic cleaning machine, the ultrasonic cleaning tank of FIG. 1 is placed on a stand with an appropriate number of ultrasonic transducers adhered and fixed to the bottom surface thereof. It operates by receiving power from an AC power supply. According to the experimental results of the present inventor, it was confirmed that the noise level was significantly reduced.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the construction of an ultrasonic cleaning tank according to another embodiment of the present invention. This ultrasonic cleaning tank has a frame-shaped thick portion 12a, 12b, 12c ...
The thickness is reduced by scraping away 2f.

Although the configuration in which the reinforcing members are combined in the shape of a square on the outer surface of each wall surface has been described above, diagonal reinforcing members or parallel members may be added if necessary. Alternatively, instead of omitting the horizontal reinforcing member and the vertical reinforcing member in the square character, or omitting one of the vertical and horizontal,
It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the side not omitted is two.

In addition, the construction in which the metal reinforcing member is fixed to the outer surface of each wall surface of the metal cleaning container by welding has been illustrated. However, when a resin cleaning tank is used, a metal or resin reinforcing member is bonded and fixed to the side wall surface, or the thin container and the reinforcing member are integrally formed by injection molding. It is also possible to realize a structure like this. That is, each reinforcing member is integrally formed as a thick portion on each side wall with a thin portion on each side wall to be reinforced.

[0012]

As described above in detail, since the ultrasonic cleaning tank of the present invention has a structure in which a plurality of reinforcing members are discretely added to the outer surface of the side wall, an increase in the weight of the cleaning tank is suppressed. However, the rigidity of the side wall can be increased. With this increase in rigidity, a certain amount of vibration energy can be absorbed with a small amount of deformation of the side wall surface, and the noise level is reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an ultrasonic cleaning tank according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of an ultrasonic cleaning tank according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a main part of an ultrasonic cleaning machine including a conventional ultrasonic cleaning tank.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Thin-walled cleaning container with uniform thickness 2a to 2f Reinforcing member with an L-shaped cross section 11 Washing container with compressed wall 11a to 11f Thick wall-shaped part

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An ultrasonic cleaning tank, wherein a plurality of reinforcing members are discretely added on the outer surface of each side wall. 2. The ultrasonic cleaning tank according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of reinforcing members form a closed frame on the outer surface of each side wall of the thin wall cleaning container. 3. The ultrasonic cleaning tank according to claim 1, wherein each of the reinforcing members has an L-axis cross section. 4. The reinforcement member according to claim 1, wherein each of the reinforcing members is integrally formed with a thin portion of each of the side walls to be reinforced as a thick portion of each of the side walls. Ultrasonic cleaning tank.