JP2006090172A - Chemical liquid supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve productivity by improving start-up in a chemical liquid supply initial stage, and to use time of the chemical liquid supply initial stage for production in a chemical liquid supply device for supplying chemical liquid to a nozzle device. <P>SOLUTION: This device is provided with a main pump and a sub pump arranged in the way of a chemical liquid supply passage for supplying the chemical liquid to the nozzle device. The supply flow rate of the main pump and the sub pump at the time of start-up satisfies an expression; the main pump ≤ the sub pump; and the supply flow rate of the main pump and the sub pump at ordinary supply time satisfies an expression; the main pump > the sub pump. An expansion amount of inner volume of the main pump and the sub pump at the time of start-up satisfies an expression; the main pump > the sub pump. The relationship between the supply flow rate A of the sub pump at the time of start-up and a sum B of the expansion amount of the inner volume of the main pump and an increase amount of the inner volume of the chemical liquid supply passage at the time of start-up is expressed as follows; A≥B. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention is suitable for feeding a relatively viscous chemical solution such as a liquid crystal or a resist solution, or suitable for a case where the secondary side pressure of the main pump is relatively high and the discharge resistance is relatively high. It relates to a feeding device.

  For example, a liquid crystal substrate is manufactured through a process of applying a liquid crystal with a certain thickness on a glass substrate. In this step, the liquid crystal is fed to the nozzle device of the coating device by a chemical solution feeding device as shown in FIG. 8, and is coated on the glass substrate with a uniform thickness.

  In the figure, reference numeral 10 denotes a chemical liquid container that stores liquid crystals. A chemical liquid supply path is formed from the chemical liquid container 10 to the nozzle device 12, and the liquid crystal is supplied from the chemical liquid container 10 to the nozzle apparatus 12 through the chemical liquid supply path. It has become so.

  Here, the chemical liquid supply path includes a chemical liquid supply pipe 14 extending from the chemical liquid container 10 to the nozzle device 12, and an opening / closing valve 16, a pump 18, and an open / close valve 20 provided in the middle of the chemical liquid supply pipe 14. . The operation of the opening / closing valve 16, the pump 18 and the opening / closing valve 20 is controlled by a control device 22.

  The pump 18 is composed of, for example, a tube diaphragm pump (“CT pump (registered trademark)” manufactured by Koganei Co., Ltd.) as shown in FIG. In the figure, reference numeral 24 denotes a flexible tube, and the flexible tube 24 is elastically expandable and contractible in the radial direction. One end of the flexible tube 24 is connected to the supply-side piping portion 14a of the chemical solution supply pipe 14, and the other end is connected to the discharge-side piping portion 14b of the chemical solution supply piping 14. An opening / closing valve 16 is provided in the supply side piping section 14a, and an opening / closing valve 20 is provided in the discharge side piping section 14b.

  A bellows 26 that is elastically deformable in the axial direction is disposed outside the flexible tube 24. The bellows 26 includes a small bellows portion 26b having an inner diameter d and a large bellows portion 26a having an inner diameter D. An incompressible medium is enclosed in the pump chamber 28 between the flexible tube 24 and the bellows 26. An operating disk portion 30 is provided between the small bellows portion 26b and the large bellows portion 26a. The operating disk portion 30 is connected to a reciprocating mechanism 32, and the reciprocating mechanism 32 is reciprocated in a direction indicated by an arrow A by a motor 34. It is supposed to be.

  This chemical solution feeder operates as follows. That is, first, the control device 22 opens the primary side opening / closing valve 16 of the pump 18 and closes the secondary side opening / closing valve 20, and the motor 34 is driven to move the reciprocating mechanism 32, so that the operating disk unit 30 is displaced toward the small bellows portion 26b, the volume inside the bellows 26 increases, the flexible tube 24 expands in the radial direction, and the liquid crystal in the chemical solution container 10 is sucked into the pump 18. become.

  Next, the control device 22 closes the opening / closing valve 16 on the primary side of the pump 18 and opens the opening / closing valve 20 on the secondary side, the motor 34 is driven to move the reciprocating mechanism 32, and the operating disk unit 30. Is displaced toward the large bellows portion 26a, the volume inside the bellows 26 is reduced, the flexible tube 24 is contracted in the radial direction, and the liquid crystal in the pump 18 is pushed out of the flexible tube 24, It will discharge from the nozzle apparatus 12 through a chemical | medical solution supply path.

The chemical solution feeding device feeds the liquid crystal in the chemical solution container 10 to the nozzle device 12 and discharges it from the nozzle device 12 by repeating the two operations of suction and discharge of the pump 18.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-61558 JP 2003-197513 A

  By the way, when the liquid crystal is fed to the nozzle device 12 by the pump 18, since the liquid crystal is a liquid having a relatively high viscosity, the liquid crystal is fed under a considerably high feeding pressure. For this reason, at the initial stage of feeding the liquid crystal, the inside of the pump 18 and the chemical solution feeding pipe 14 is slightly expanded by this feeding pressure, and this expansion slightly absorbs the feeding amount of the liquid crystal and is discharged from the nozzle device 12. Although the theoretical discharge flow rate corresponding to the movement of the liquid crystal operating disk portion 30 should rise sharply to the set value as shown by the line b in FIG. 10, the actual discharge flow rate (ml of liquid crystal discharged from the nozzle device 12) / Sec) did not rise sharply to the set value, but rose gently as shown by line a in FIG. And if a liquid crystal is apply | coated on a glass substrate on such discharge starting conditions, the film thickness of the liquid crystal in the initial stage of discharge will become thinner than a setting value.

  For this reason, conventionally, liquid crystal at the initial stage of ejection is not used for coating, and liquid crystal is coated on the glass substrate when the ejection flow rate reaches a set value.

  However, since the rise time at the initial stage of discharging the liquid crystal cannot be used in this way, there is a limit to improving the productivity of the liquid crystal substrate, and the initial time of discharge can be used with a sharp rise at the initial stage of discharge. Thus, there has been a demand for improving the productivity of the liquid crystal substrate.

  It is an object of the present invention to provide a chemical solution feeding apparatus that can use the rising time at the initial stage of discharging a chemical solution such as liquid crystal to improve productivity.

  The chemical solution feeding device according to the present invention includes a main pump and a sub pump provided in the middle of a chemical solution feeding path for feeding a chemical solution to the nozzle device, and the main pump and the sub pump are supplied at a rising flow rate. (Ml / sec) has a relationship of main pump ≦ sub pump, and a feed flow rate (ml / sec) at the time of steady feeding has a relationship of main pump> sub pump. is there.

  Here, the main pump and the sub pump have a relationship in which the amount of expansion of the internal volume at the time of start-up is main pump> sub pump.

  In addition, the chemical liquid feeding device according to the present invention includes a feeding flow rate A (ml / sec) per unit time of the auxiliary pump at the time of start-up and a bulge amount per unit time of the internal volume of the main pump at the time of start-up. The sum B (ml / sec) of the increase amount per unit time (ml / sec) of the internal volume of the chemical solution delivery path (ml / sec) is in a relationship of A ≧ B.

  The main pump and the sub pump are controlled by a control device to operate.

  Moreover, the chemical | medical solution delivery apparatus which concerns on this invention may provide the said sub pump in series on the primary side of the said main pump, and may provide the said sub pump in series on the secondary side of the said main pump.

  Moreover, the chemical | medical solution supply apparatus which concerns on this invention may provide the said main pump and the said sub pump in parallel.

  Moreover, the chemical | medical solution supply apparatus which concerns on this invention may provide the said main pump and the said sub pump integrally.

  The chemical solution feeding device of the present invention can increase the flow rate per hour of the chemical solution discharged from the nozzle device in a short time and reach the set value in a short time at the initial discharge of the chemical solution. This time can be used for the production of goods, so that the productivity of the goods can be improved.

  The purpose of increasing the productivity of the liquid crystal substrate by using the rise time at the initial stage of the discharge of the chemical solution for the production of the liquid crystal substrate was realized by using the sub pump.

  FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of a chemical solution feeding device (Example 1) according to one embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 10 denotes a chemical liquid container containing liquid crystal. A chemical liquid supply path is formed from the chemical liquid container 10 to the nozzle device 12, and the liquid crystal is supplied from the chemical liquid container 10 to the nozzle apparatus 12 through the chemical liquid supply path. It has become so.

  The chemical liquid supply path is provided in order from the chemical liquid supply pipe 14 from the chemical liquid container 10 to the nozzle device 12 and the chemical liquid supply pipe 14 in the middle of the chemical liquid supply pipe 14 toward the nozzle device 12 side. The on-off valve 16, the main pump 40, the sub pump 42, and the on-off valve 20 are included.

  Here, the operation of the opening / closing valve 16, the main pump 40, the sub pump 42 and the opening / closing valve 20 is controlled by the control device 22. The main pump 40 uses a tube diaphragm pump having a structure similar to that of the pump 18 of the chemical liquid feeding device described in the background art of the present specification. Further, the sub pump 42 uses, for example, a diaphragm type suck back valve as shown in FIG.

  In the figure, reference numeral 44 denotes a hollow valve body, and a diaphragm 46 is provided on a wall portion of the valve body 44 so as to be exposed to the inside of the valve body 44. A piston rod 48 is integrally provided on the back side of the diaphragm 46 (outside of the valve main body 44), and a piston 50 is connected to the piston rod 48. A first air chamber 52 is formed on one side of the piston 50 (upper side in the figure), and a second air chamber 54 is formed on the other side of the piston 50. The piston 50 is supported by a cylinder tube 56 so as to be slidable around the piston 50 and is urged toward the first air chamber 52 by a spring 58.

  Next, the operation of the chemical solution feeder will be described with reference to the time chart shown in FIG.

  First, after the discharge of the main pump 40 is completed in the previous operation, the control device 22 opens the open / close valve 16 and closes the open / close valve 20 to cause the main pump 40 and the sub-pump 42 to perform an intake operation. The main pump 40 and the sub pump 42 suck the liquid crystal in the container 10.

  Here, the suction operation of the liquid crystal by the main pump 40 is the same as the operation described in the background art section. Further, the suction operation of the liquid crystal by the sub pump 42 is performed by stopping the supply of air to the first air chamber and releasing the pressure in the first air chamber.

  That is, when the supply of air to the first air chamber is stopped and the pressure in the first air chamber is released, the piston 50 and the piston rod 48 are moved to the first air chamber 52 side by the spring 58, and the piston The central portion of the diaphragm 46 connected to the rod 48 is pulled toward the first air chamber 52 and swells slightly. Then, when the diaphragm 46 is slightly expanded toward the first air chamber 52, a negative pressure is generated on the flow path side of the diaphragm 46, and the liquid crystal is sucked therein.

  Next, the control device 22 closes the open / close valve 16 and opens the open / close valve 20, causes the sub pump 42 to perform a discharge operation, and subsequently or simultaneously causes the main pump 40 to perform a discharge operation.

  Here, the discharge operation of the liquid crystal by the main pump 40 is the same as the operation described in the background art section.

  The bellows 26 of the main pump 40 swells slightly when the discharge operation starts, as indicated by a dotted line x in FIG. For this reason, at the start of the discharge operation, the liquid in the bellows 26 does not immediately become the desired pressure, and the liquid crystal discharge flow rate gradually increases to the desired discharge flow rate.

  Further, the discharge operation of the liquid crystal by the sub pump 42 is performed by supplying air to the first air chamber 52. When air is supplied to the first air chamber 52, the pressure in the first air chamber 52 increases, and the piston 50 is moved to the second air chamber 54 side by the pressure of the first air chamber 52 and is connected to the piston 50. The piston rod 48 that has been moved is moved to the valve body 44 side, the central portion of the diaphragm 46 connected to the piston rod 48 swells to the inside of the valve body 44, and the liquid crystal in the valve body 44 is moved to the valve body. It is pushed out from the inside 44 and discharged.

  The diaphragm 46 of the sub pump 42 has a sufficiently high rigidity and hardly deforms at a high pressure.

  Since the swell amount of the main pump and the swell amount of the sub pump are in the relationship of main pump> sub pump, the liquid crystal fed to the nozzle device 12 through the chemical solution feed pipe 14 is supplied from the main pump 40. The liquid crystal fed from the sub pump 42 is added to the liquid crystal fed.

  That is, the volumes of the main pump 40 and the chemical liquid supply pipe 14 and the like increase due to the pressure increase during the discharge operation of the main pump 40, and this increase causes the supply flow rate at the initial stage of supply to be reduced from the set value. The supply flow rate is supplemented by the liquid crystal supplied from the sub pump 42, and as shown by the line B in FIG. 5, the discharge flow rate of the liquid crystal immediately reaches the set value at the initial stage of supply of the liquid crystal.

  When the liquid crystal was fed only by the main pump 40 and the sub pump 42 was not operated, the discharge flow rate of the liquid crystal had a gentle rise as shown by the line A in FIG.

  In the above embodiment, the secondary pump 42 is provided on the secondary side of the main pump 40, but the secondary pump 42 may be provided on the primary side of the main pump 40 as shown in FIG. Moreover, in the said Example, although the main pump 40 and the subpump 42 were provided separately, you may provide the main pump 40 and the subpump 42 integrally.

  In the above embodiment, the main pump 40 and the sub pump 42 are provided in series. However, as shown in FIG. 7, the main pump 40 and the sub pump 42 may be provided in parallel. In this case, since the main pump 40 and the sub pump 42 are separate lines, the sub pump 42 can perform suction even when the main pump 40 is discharging and sucking. Since the main pump 40 and the sub pump 42 are separate lines, the main pump 40 and the sub pump 42 can be individually controlled. Therefore, the setting range is wide and it is easy to set operating conditions.

  In the above embodiment, a tube diaphragm pump is used as the main pump 40. However, the type of the main pump 40 is not limited, and any other pump may be used. Moreover, although the diaphragm type suck back valve was used as the auxiliary pump 42, the bellows type suck back valve, the tube type suck back valve, the bellows pump, the diaphragm pump, the tube diaphragm pump, the syringe pump, the heating type volume change device, the piezoelectric element. A volume changing device, a volume changing device using a shape memory alloy, or the like may be used.

  The present invention can be used not only when the liquid crystal is fed to produce a liquid crystal substrate, but also when a slurry is filled in a container.

It is explanatory drawing of the chemical | medical solution delivery apparatus (Example 1) which concerns on one Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of a diaphragm-type suck back valve. It is a time chart which shows the operation state of the chemical | medical solution feeder (Example 1) which concerns on one Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the state of the bellows at the time of discharge of a tube diaphragm pump. It is a graph which shows the relationship between the discharge flow volume of the chemical | medical solution discharged from a nozzle apparatus, and time. It is explanatory drawing of the chemical | medical solution delivery apparatus (Example 2) which concerns on the other Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the chemical | medical solution delivery apparatus (Example 3) which concerns on the other Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of an example of the conventional chemical | medical solution delivery apparatus. It is explanatory drawing of a tube diaphragm pump. It is a graph which shows the relationship between the discharge flow volume of the chemical | medical solution discharged from a nozzle apparatus, and time.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Chemical solution container 12 Nozzle apparatus 14 Chemical solution supply piping 14a Supply side piping part 14b Discharge side piping part 16 Opening and closing valve 18 Pump 20 Opening and closing valve 22 Control device 24 Flexible tube 26 Bellows 26a Large bellows part 26b Small bellows part 28 Pump chamber 30 Actuating disk portion 32 Reciprocating mechanism 34 Motor 40 Main pump 42 Sub pump 44 Valve body 46 Diaphragm 48 Piston rod 50 Piston 52 First air chamber 54 Second air chamber 56 Cylinder tube 58 Spring

Claims (7)

  The main pump and the sub pump are provided with a main pump and a sub pump provided in the middle of the chemical liquid supply path for supplying the chemical liquid, and the main pump and the sub pump have a supply flow rate at the time of startup in a relationship of main pump ≦ sub pump. Yes, the chemical flow feeding device characterized in that the feed flow rate at the time of steady feeding is in a relationship of main pump> sub pump.   2. The chemical solution feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the main pump and the sub pump have a relationship in which the amount of expansion of the internal volume at the time of start-up is main pump> sub pump.   The sum B of the sub-pump feed flow rate A at the time of start-up, the amount of expansion of the internal volume of the main pump at the time of start-up and the amount of increase in the internal volume of the chemical solution feed path has a relationship of A ≧ B. The chemical | medical solution delivery apparatus of Claim 1 or 2 characterized by the above-mentioned.   The chemical | medical solution delivery apparatus in any one of Claims 1-3 provided with the control apparatus which controls the said main pump and the said subpump.   The chemical solution feeder according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the sub pump is provided in series on a primary side or a secondary side of the main pump.   The chemical liquid feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the main pump and the sub pump are provided in parallel.   The chemical liquid feeding device according to claim 1, wherein the main pump and the sub pump are provided integrally.

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