Liner-based liquid storage and dispensing systems with empty detection capability
First Claim
1. A liner package dispensing system comprising:
- a vessel having an interior volume;
a liner in said interior volume, arranged to contain a liquid medium subject to being overlaid by head space gas;
a reservoir arranged to receive liquid medium from the liner to define a liquid medium level in or above the reservoir when said liquid medium is present in said reservoir;
a liquid medium feed line arranged to couple the liner in fluid communication with said reservoir;
a discharge line coupled with the reservoir to discharge liquid medium from the reservoir;
at least one sensor arranged to detect at least one level of said liquid medium in or above the reservoir;
at least one gas communication line coupling the reservoir to (i) a first flow control valve in fluid communication with a vent, and (ii) a second flow control valve in fluid communication with a source of pressurization gas, wherein the first flow control valve is operatively coupled to receive a signal from said at least one sensor, and responsively accommodate venting of said reservoir, and wherein said second flow control valve is operatively coupled to receive a signal from said at least one sensor, and responsively accommodate discharging of liquid medium from the reservoir through the discharge line; and
a pressure switch or transducer in sensory communication with said liquid medium feed line, operatively arranged (a) to detect an empty or near-empty condition of the liner, and (b) upon detection of said empty or near-empty condition of the liner, to effectuate operation one of said first and second flow control valves for continued discharge of the liquid medium from the reservoir after said empty or near-empty condition has been detected.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Fluid supply systems for storage and dispensing of chemical reagents and compositions, e.g., high purity liquid reagents and chemical mechanical polishing compositions used to manufacture microelectronic device products, having capability for detection of an empty or near-empty condition when the contained liquid is at or approaching depletion during dispensing operation. Fluid delivery systems employing empty detect arrangements are described, including pressure transducer monitoring of dispensed material intermediate the supply package and a servo-hydraulic dispense pump, or monitoring of dispenser chamber replenishment times in a dispenser being replenished on a cyclic schedule to flow material from the dispenser to a downstream tool utilizing the dispensed material.
69 Citations
9 Claims
-
1. A liner package dispensing system comprising:
-
a vessel having an interior volume; a liner in said interior volume, arranged to contain a liquid medium subject to being overlaid by head space gas; a reservoir arranged to receive liquid medium from the liner to define a liquid medium level in or above the reservoir when said liquid medium is present in said reservoir; a liquid medium feed line arranged to couple the liner in fluid communication with said reservoir; a discharge line coupled with the reservoir to discharge liquid medium from the reservoir; at least one sensor arranged to detect at least one level of said liquid medium in or above the reservoir; at least one gas communication line coupling the reservoir to (i) a first flow control valve in fluid communication with a vent, and (ii) a second flow control valve in fluid communication with a source of pressurization gas, wherein the first flow control valve is operatively coupled to receive a signal from said at least one sensor, and responsively accommodate venting of said reservoir, and wherein said second flow control valve is operatively coupled to receive a signal from said at least one sensor, and responsively accommodate discharging of liquid medium from the reservoir through the discharge line; and a pressure switch or transducer in sensory communication with said liquid medium feed line, operatively arranged (a) to detect an empty or near-empty condition of the liner, and (b) upon detection of said empty or near-empty condition of the liner, to effectuate operation one of said first and second flow control valves for continued discharge of the liquid medium from the reservoir after said empty or near-empty condition has been detected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
Specification