Etching apparatus with suction mechanism

Abstract

An etching apparatus includes a conveyor, a spraying mechanism, a suction mechanism, and a controller. The conveyor is configured for conveying a substrate. The spraying mechanism includes a submersible pump and a number of spraying nozzles. The submersible pump selectively operates at an activated state where the spraying nozzles can spray etchant onto the substrate, or an unactivated state where the spraying nozzles cannot spray etchant. The suction mechanism includes a vacuum pump and a number of suction intakes. The vacuum pump selectively operates at an activated state where the suction intakes can suck up the etchant on the substrate, or an unactivated state where the suction intakes cannot suck up the etchant. The controller controls the pumps to operate alternately, so the vacuum pump is unactivated when the submersible pump is activated and vice versa.

1 . An etching apparatus comprising:
 a conveyor comprising an upper conveying roller group and a lower conveying roller group, the conveyor configured for conveying a substrate between the upper and lower conveying roller groups;   a spraying mechanism comprising a first submersible pump and a plurality of upper spraying nozzles communicating with the first submersible pump, the upper spraying nozzles being above the lower conveying roller group and configured for spraying etchant to a top surface of the substrate, the first submersible pump selectively operable in an activated state where the first submersible pump supplies etchant to the upper spraying nozzles, and an unactivated state where the first submersible pump stops supplying etchant to the upper spraying nozzles;   a suction mechanism comprising a first vacuum pump and a plurality of upper suction intakes communicating with the first vacuum pump, the upper suction intakes being opposite to the lower conveying roller group and adjacent to the top surface of the substrate, the first vacuum pump selectively operable in an activated state where the first vacuum pump enables the upper suction intakes to suck up the etchant sprayed on the top surface of the substrate, and an unactivated state where the upper suction intakes cease suction; and   a controller connected with the first submersible pump and the first vacuum pump, the controller configured for controlling the first submersible and vacuum pumps in such a manner that the first submersible pump is alternately operated in the activated state and the unactivated state, when the first submersible pump is operated in the unactivated state, the first vacuum pump is operated in the unactivated state, and when the first submersible pump is operated in the unactivated state, the first vacuum pump is operated in the unactivated state.   
     
     
         2 . The etching apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the spraying mechanism further comprises a first supplying pipe and a plurality of upper distributing pipes parallel with each other; the first supplying pipe connects the first submersible pump to each of the upper distributing pipes, each of the upper distributing pipes has a number of upper spraying nozzles mounted thereon along a length of the upper distributing pipe; each of the upper suction intakes has an elongated structure, each of the upper suction intakes is positioned between two adjacent upper distributing pipes. 
     
     
         3 . The etching apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the upper conveying roller group includes a plurality of upper conveying rollers parallel with each other, the lower conveying roller group includes a plurality of lower conveying rollers parallel with each other, and the upper conveying rollers, the lower conveying rollers, and the upper distributing pipes are parallel with each other. 
     
     
         4 . The etching apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the first supplying pipe includes a first channel and a second channel perpendicular to the first channel, the first channel interconnects the first submersible pump and the second channel, the second channel communicates with each of the upper distributing pipes, and each of the upper distributing pipes substantially perpendicular to the first and second channels. 
     
     
         5 . The etching apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the suction mechanism further comprises a first connecting pipe, on which the first vacuum pump is mounted, and a lengthwise direction of the first connecting pipe is substantially perpendicular to that of the upper suction intake. 
     
     
         6 . The etching apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the conveyor further comprises a plurality of upper supporting rollers and a number of lower supporting rollers, the conveying rollers and the supporting rollers are parallel with each other, and the upper conveying rollers and the upper supporting rollers are located above and in contact with the top surface of the substrate, the lower conveying rollers and the lower supporting rollers are located below and in contact with the bottom surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The etching apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the conveying rollers each include a rotating shaft and a number of rotating wheels equidistantly mounted on the rotating shaft along a length thereof, the supporting rollers each are solid cylindrical rollers with a diameter smaller than that of the rotating wheels. 
     
     
         8 . The etching apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein a distance between the upper spraying nozzles and the lower conveying rollers is larger than a diameter of the upper conveying roller, and a distance between the lower spraying nozzles and the upper conveying rollers is larger than a diameter of the lower conveying roller. 
     
     
         9 . The etching apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the upper suction intakes each have an elongated opening communicating with the first vacuum pump and adjacent to the top surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         10 . The etching apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the spraying mechanism further comprises a second submersible pump and a plurality of lower spraying nozzles communicating with the second submersible pump, the lower spraying nozzles are located below the conveying lower roller group and configured for spraying etchant to a bottom surface of the substrate, the second submersible pump selectively operable in an activated state where the second submersible pump supplies etchant to the lower spraying nozzles, and an unactivated state where the second submersible pump stops supplying etchant to the lower spraying nozzles; wherein the suction mechanism further comprises a second vacuum pump and a plurality of lower suction intakes communicating with the second vacuum pump, the lower suction intakes being opposite to the upper conveying roller group and adjacent to the bottom surface of the substrate, the second vacuum pump selectively operable in an activated state where the second vacuum pump enables the lower suction intakes to suck up the etchant sprayed onto the bottom surface of the substrate, and an unactivated state where the lower suction intakes cease suction; wherein the controller is connected with the second submersible pump and the second vacuum pump, the controller configured to control the second submersible pump and the second vacuum pump in such a manner that the second submersible pump is alternately operated in the activated state and the unactivated state, when the second submersible pump is operated in the unactivated state, the second vacuum pump is operated in the unactivated state, and when the second submersible pump is operated in the unactivated state, the second vacuum pump is operated in the unactivated state. 
     
     
         11 . The etching apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the spraying mechanism further comprises a first supplying pipe, a second supplying pipe, a plurality of upper distributing pipes parallel with each other, and a plurality of lower distributing pipes parallel with each other; the first supplying pipe connects the first submersible pump to each of the upper distributing pipes, each of the upper distributing pipes has a number of upper spraying nozzles mounted thereon along a length of the upper distributing pipe; the second supplying pipe connects the second submersible pump to each of the lower distributing pipes, the lower distributing pipes are substantially parallel with the upper distributing pipes, each of the lower distributing pipes has a number of lower spraying nozzles mounted thereon along a length of the lower distributing pipe; each of the upper and lower suction intakes has an elongated structure, each of the upper suction intakes is positioned between two adjacent upper distributing pipes, each of the lower suction intakes is positioned between two adjacent lower distributing pipes. 
     
     
         12 . The etching apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the upper conveying roller group includes a plurality of upper conveying rollers parallel with each other, the lower conveying roller group includes a plurality of lower conveying rollers parallel with each other, and the upper conveying rollers, the lower conveying rollers, and the upper distributing pipes are parallel with each other. 
     
     
         13 . The etching apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the suction mechanism further comprises a first connecting pipe and a second connecting pipe parallel with the first connecting pipe, the first vacuum pump is mounted on the first connecting pipe, the second vacuum pump is mounted on the second connecting pipe, and a lengthwise direction of the first connecting pipe is substantially perpendicular to that of the upper suction intake. 
     
     
         14 . The etching apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the conveyor further comprises a plurality of upper supporting rollers and a number of lower supporting rollers, the conveying rollers and the supporting rollers are parallel with each other, and the upper conveying rollers and the upper supporting rollers are located above and in contact with the top surface of the substrate, the lower conveying rollers and the lower supporting rollers are located below and in contact with the bottom surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         15 . The etching apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein a distance between the upper spraying nozzles and the lower conveying rollers is larger than a diameter of the upper conveying roller, and a distance between the lower spraying nozzles and the upper conveying rollers is larger than a diameter of the lower conveying roller. 
     
     
         16 . The etching apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the upper suction intakes each have an elongated opening communicating with the first vacuum pump and adjacent to the top surface of the substrate, and the lower suction intakes each have an elongated opening communicating with the second vacuum pump and adjacent to the bottom surface of the substrate.