Process liquid supply mechanism and process liquid supply method
First Claim
1. A process liquid supply mechanism for supplying a process liquid, comprising:
- a process liquid supply source for supplying a process liquid;
a process liquid discharging nozzle for discharging the process liquid;
a pipe connecting the process liquid supply source to the process liquid discharging nozzle;
a pump mounted to the pipe for allowing the process liquid to be discharged from the process liquid discharging nozzle;
a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure of the process liquid at a prescribed position intermediate between the pump and the process liquid discharging nozzle; and
a controller for controlling the inner pressure of the pump based on the pressure value detected by the pressure sensor and the relationship obtained in advance between the pressure and the discharging rate of the process liquid such that the process liquid is discharged at a prescribed discharging rate.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A process liquid supply mechanism for supplying a process liquid comprises a process liquid supply source for supplying a process liquid, a process liquid discharging nozzle for discharging the process liquid, a pipe connecting the process liquid supply source to the process liquid discharging nozzle, a pump mounted to the pipe for allowing the process liquid to be discharged from the process liquid discharging nozzle, a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure of the process liquid at a prescribed position intermediate between the pump and the process liquid discharging nozzle, and a controller for controlling the inner pressure of the pump based on the pressure value detected by the pressure sensor and the relationship obtained in advance between the pressure and the discharging rate of the process liquid such that the process liquid is discharged at a prescribed discharging rate.
-
Citations
31 Claims
-
1. A process liquid supply mechanism for supplying a process liquid, comprising:
-
a process liquid supply source for supplying a process liquid;
a process liquid discharging nozzle for discharging the process liquid;
a pipe connecting the process liquid supply source to the process liquid discharging nozzle;
a pump mounted to the pipe for allowing the process liquid to be discharged from the process liquid discharging nozzle;
a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure of the process liquid at a prescribed position intermediate between the pump and the process liquid discharging nozzle; and
a controller for controlling the inner pressure of the pump based on the pressure value detected by the pressure sensor and the relationship obtained in advance between the pressure and the discharging rate of the process liquid such that the process liquid is discharged at a prescribed discharging rate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A process liquid supply mechanism for supplying a process liquid, comprising:
-
a process liquid supply source for supplying a process liquid;
a plurality of process liquid discharging nozzles which are selectively allowed to discharge the process liquid;
piping including a main pipe extending from the process liquid supply source and a plurality of subsidiary pipes branched from the main pipe so as to reach the plural process liquid supply nozzles;
a pump mounted to the main pipe for allowing the process liquid to be discharged from the process liquid discharging nozzles;
a plurality of pressure sensors for detecting respectively the pressures of the process liquid in the vicinity of the plural process liquid discharging nozzles; and
a controller for controlling the inner pressure of the pump in allowing the process liquid to be discharged from each of the process liquid discharging nozzles such that the pressure values detected by the plural pressure sensors mounted in the vicinity of the plural process liquid discharging nozzles are rendered substantially equal to each other. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
-
-
30. A process liquid supply method, in which a pump is driven so as to permit a process liquid in a process liquid supply source to be supplied into a process liquid discharging nozzle through a pipe for allowing the process liquid to be discharged from the process liquid discharging nozzle, comprising the steps of:
-
driving the pump so as to supply the process liquid from the process liquid supply source into the pipe;
detecting the pressure of the process liquid at a prescribed position intermediate between the pump and the process liquid discharging nozzle; and
controlling the inner pressure of the pump based on the detected value of the pressure of the process liquid and the relationship obtained in advance between the pressure and the discharging rate of the process liquid such that the process liquid is discharged from the process liquid discharging nozzle at a prescribed discharging rate.
-
-
31. A process liquid supply method, in which a pump is driven so as to permit a process liquid in a process liquid supply source to be supplied through piping into a plurality of process liquid discharging nozzles for selectively allowing the plural process liquid discharging nozzles to discharge the process liquid, comprising the steps of:
-
driving the pump for supplying the process liquid from the process liquid supply source into the piping; and
detecting the pressures of the process liquid in the vicinity of the plural process liquid discharging nozzles, and controlling the inner pressure of the pump such that the detected values of pressures of the process liquid are rendered substantially equal to each other.
-
Specification