The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for mounting sleeves on spindles and, more particularly, to mounting cylindrical sleeve brushes made of PVA or similar materials on spindles.
Effective contact cleaning of high technology substrates depends on consistent and uniform mounting of the cylindrical sleeve brushes used for such cleaning on their drive spindles. Typically, the mounting process is accomplished by hand, with or without the use of a brush spreading sleeve. In all cases, the accuracy and uniformity of the brush placement on the spindle is operator dependent. Poor installation of brushes can increase substrate particle counts by more than 300%, with corresponding reductions in final product yields.
Loading a wet PVA (or similar material) brush on a TEFLON spindle is a difficult chore. The PVA can tend to bunch and tear. The need to center the brush on the spindle compounds the problem even more. Simple sleeves can ease the process but still require a high degree of operator expertise and consistency. It is desirable to provide an apparatus and method that reduces operator dependency, and permits quick, consistent loading of brushes on spindles.
The present invention permits providing an apparatus and method for loading a sleeve such as a brush on a spindle that reduces operator dependency, and permits quick, consistent loading of sleeves on spindles.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for mounting a sleeve on a spindle includes a frame, and a finger arrangement movably mounted on the frame, the finger arrangement including a plurality of fingers arranged at a common first radius around an imaginary centerline of the finger arrangement, the fingers being movable radially outwardly from the first radius to a second radius upon application of an outwardly directed force. A sleeve having an internal opening in which the fingers are disposed is adapted to be mounted on a stationary spindle by movement of the finger arrangement on the frame toward the spindle.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method for loading a sleeve having an inner sleeve radius on a spindle having an outer spindle radius at least as large as the inner sleeve radius is provided. According to the method, a sleeve having an internal opening having an inner sleeve radius is loaded on a finger arrangement including a plurality of fingers arranged at a common first radius around an imaginary centerline of the finger arrangement, the first radius being no larger than the sleeve radius. The fingers are moved radially outwardly from the first radius to a second radius larger than an outer spindle radius of a spindle. The spindle is installed in the internal opening of the sleeve.