JP3388045B2 - Valve device and chemical supply pump using the same - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a valve device having a valve member provided with a spring member for opening and closing a flow passage of a fluid, and a chemical liquid supply pump for applying a chemical liquid from a chemical liquid discharge portion using the valve device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the fields of semiconductor wafer manufacturing technology, liquid crystal substrate manufacturing technology, multilayer wiring board manufacturing technology and the like, chemical solutions such as photoresist solution and alkaline or acidic processing solution are used. Each chemical liquid is guided from the chemical liquid storage tank to the chemical liquid discharge portion by the operation of a pump through a flow path, and a valve device is incorporated in this flow path to control the flow of the chemical liquid.

In such a valve device, a valve body portion for opening and closing the flow passage and a spring member for urging a spring force in the direction of closing the flow passage, that is, an elastic force are used. Will be done. When the spring member in the valve device for guiding such a chemical liquid is formed of metal, when a chemical liquid such as a corrosive liquid or gas, and a liquid that reacts with metal ions flows in the flow path, The metal spring member could not be used.

Therefore, a metal spring member whose surface is coated with a resin such as a fluororesin, a tube made of a resin such as a fluororesin, which penetrates the metal spring member, and the spring member itself are The one formed of fluororesin is used.

[0005]

However, when a metal spring member is coated with fluororesin,
Not only are pinholes easily generated in the coating,
There is a problem that the coating layer is easily peeled off. In addition, it is not practical to pass a metal spring member through a resin tube, because not only is it extremely time-consuming to manufacture, but the spring member is large. When the spring member itself is made of resin, the spring constant becomes extremely small and weak, and the spring member made of fluororesin in particular changes its spring characteristics in a relatively short time due to the creep phenomenon. There is a problem that it ends up.

An object of the present invention is to provide a valve device capable of ensuring a reliable valve operation for a long period of time even if it is provided in a flow path for guiding a fluid that corrodes a metal such as a chemical liquid.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a chemical liquid supply pump for supplying a chemical liquid such as a corrosive liquid.

The above and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

[0009]

Among the inventions disclosed in the present application, a brief description will be given to the outline of typical ones.
It is as follows.

That is, in the valve device of the present invention, the bag body and the valve body are incorporated in the valve chamber formed in the housing, and the bag body is formed of a resin film body. A gas such as an inert gas is enclosed inside.

Further, in the valve device of the present invention, a part of the bag body may function as a valve body for opening and closing the passage, and the bag body may function as a valve body.

Further, the chemical liquid supply pump of the present invention includes a reciprocating member that deforms the volume of the pump chamber, a first passage for guiding the chemical liquid in the chemical liquid storage tank to the pump chamber, and the chemical liquid in the pump chamber for discharging the chemical liquid. And a second passage that guides the first passage, and a first bag body portion and a first valve body portion are incorporated in the first valve chamber formed in the first passage, and the second passage is formed in the second passage. A second bag body portion and a second valve body portion are incorporated in the formed second valve chamber. Each bag portion is formed of a resin film body, and is filled with a gas such as an inert gas so that it can be expanded, contracted, and deformed.

[0013]

In the valve device having the above construction, the spring member for opening and closing the passage for the valve body is formed by the bag body, and the spring force is generated by the gas enclosed in the bag body. Therefore, the bag body portion as the spring member is not corroded even by the fluid flowing in the passage, and the valve body can be reliably operated for a long period of time.

Since the bag body also serves as the valve body, the number of parts can be reduced and a valve device having a simple structure can be obtained.

Further, by forming the chemical liquid supply pump by using the valve device having the above structure, it is possible to obtain the supply pump which is not corroded by the chemical liquid and operates reliably for a long period of time.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a view showing a part of a chemical liquid supply pump. An elastically deformable diaphragm 2 is provided as a reciprocating member inside a cylindrical pump housing 1.
A pump chamber 3 is formed by the diaphragm 2 and the pump housing 1. A shaft portion 4 is integrally provided at the center of the diaphragm 2, and a drive member 5 is connected to the shaft portion 4.

The drive member 5 is composed of a ball screw driven by a motor or a piston rod driven by air pressure, and the drive member 5 allows the diaphragm 2 to reciprocate in the left-right direction in FIG. There is. As a result, when the diaphragm 2 as a reciprocating member moves forward or discharges, the pump chamber 3 contracts, and when it moves backward or sucks, the pump chamber 3 expands.

In the illustrated case, the diaphragm 2 and the pump housing 1 are each made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) which is a fluororesin. Further, although the reciprocating member is formed by the diaphragm 2 in the illustrated case, the reciprocating member may be formed by a bellows made of the same fluororesin.

A chemical liquid inflow passage 6 is formed in the pump housing 1, and a chemical liquid storage tank 7 containing a chemical liquid such as a resist liquid is connected to the chemical liquid inflow passage 6 by a hose 8. A first passage is formed by the passage 6. By this first passage, the chemical liquid storage tank 7
Is communicated with the pump chamber 3 and the diaphragm 2 as a reciprocating member is sucked and moved rightward in FIG. 1, the chemical liquid in the chemical liquid storage tank 7 is sucked into the pump chamber 3.

The pump housing 1 has a chemical liquid outflow passage 11 therein.
The chemical liquid outflow passage 11 is connected to the resist coating nozzle 12 by a hose 13, and the hose 13 and the chemical liquid outflow passage 11 form a second passage. The chemical solution application nozzle 12 as a chemical solution discharge portion is communicated with the pump chamber 3 by this second passage, and the diaphragm 2
1 moves to the left in FIG. 1, the chemical liquid in the pump chamber 3 is discharged from the chemical liquid coating nozzle 12.

A first valve chamber 14 is formed in the chemical liquid inflow passage 6, and a first bag body portion 15 is provided in the first valve chamber 14. The first bag body portion 15 is formed of a film body made of a fluororesin such as polytetrafluoroethylene, and is filled with an inert gas G so that it can be expanded and contracted and deformed.

With respect to the chemical liquid inflow passage 6, the first valve chamber 14 has an opening 6a on the upstream side of the chemical liquid inflow passage 6 and an opening 6b on the downstream side, which are 90 degrees out of phase with each other.
A first valve body portion 16 for opening and closing the chemical liquid inflow passage 6 is disposed in the opening 6a on the upstream side. This first valve body 1
6 is made of the same fluorocarbon resin as the first bag portion 15, and when the diaphragm 2 is sucked and moved, the chemical liquid inflow passage 6 is opened to allow the chemical liquid in the chemical liquid storage tank 7 to flow into the pump chamber 3
When the diaphragm 2 discharges and moves, on the contrary, it operates so as to close the chemical liquid inflow passage 6. The first valve body portion 16 and the first bag body portion 15 form a valve device.

A second valve chamber 17 is formed in the chemical liquid outflow passage 11, and a second bag body portion 18 is provided in the second valve chamber 17. The second bag body portion 18 is the first bag body portion 1
It is formed of a film made of the same fluorocarbon resin as that of No. 5, and is filled with an inert gas G so that it can expand, contract, and deform.

A second valve chamber 17 is provided for the chemical liquid outflow passage 11.
Has an opening 11a on the upstream side of the chemical liquid outflow passage 11 and an opening 11b on the downstream side which are 90 degrees out of phase with each other. The opening 11a on the upstream side is provided for opening and closing the chemical liquid outflow passage 11. The two-valve body portion 19 is arranged. The second valve body portion 19 is formed of the same fluorocarbon resin as the second bag body portion 18, and when the diaphragm 2 moves backward, the chemical liquid outflow passage 11 is closed and the chemical liquid coating nozzle 12 is provided.
The chemical solution is prevented from flowing back into the pump chamber 3 from the side, and conversely, when the diaphragm 2 discharges and moves, the chemical solution outflow passage 11 is opened to cause the chemical solution in the pump chamber 3 to flow into the chemical solution application nozzle 1
Operates to guide toward 2.

As described above, the two valve bodies 16 and 19 each function as a check valve, and by providing two check valves, the pump that discharges the chemical liquid by the reciprocating movement of the diaphragm 2 as the reciprocating member. Are formed.

First and second bag portions 15, 18
As shown in the figure, the cross-sectional shape is a spherical shape close to an ellipse, but the bag body portions 15 and 18 may be formed in a spherical shape whose cross section is close to a perfect circle. Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the valve body portions 16 and 19 and the bag body portions 15 and 1
Although 8 and 8 are separate members, they may be integrally formed in the illustrated sectional shape.

The operating states of the first valve body portion 16 and the first bag body portion 15 associated with the reciprocating movement of the diaphragm 2 are shown in FIG. FIG. 2A shows a state where the diaphragm 2 is moved by suction and the first valve body portion 16 opens the chemical liquid inflow passage 6 against the spring force, that is, the elastic force applied by the first bag body portion 15. On the other hand, FIG. 2B shows a state in which the first valve body portion 16 receives the elastic force of the first bag body portion 15 due to the discharge movement of the diaphragm 2 to close the chemical liquid inflow passage 6.

An inert gas such as nitrogen gas is used as the gas G enclosed in the bag portions 15 and 18,
The gas G to be enclosed is not limited to this, and other gas such as air may be enclosed. Further, by setting the pressure of the enclosed gas G to a predetermined pressure, the spring constant of the bag body itself including the gas G can be set to a predetermined value. Furthermore, the spring constant can also be adjusted by adjusting the thickness of the resin thin film for forming the bag portions 15 and 18.

In FIG. 1, two valve devices in addition to the diaphragm 2 are provided in the pump housing 1 to form a chemical liquid supply pump. However, the valve device is separated from the pump housing 1 without being incorporated in the pump housing 1. Alternatively, each valve device may be provided. In that case, the valve housing of the valve device is connected to the pump chamber 3 by a hose or the like, and the bag body portion and the valve body portion are incorporated into the valve housing to form the valve device.

In addition to the check valve, the valve device of the present invention is provided in a passage for guiding a fluid such as a liquid or a gas, which has a property of corroding a metal, for opening and closing the passage. If so, it can be used as any valve device.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing another type of valve device according to the present invention, in which the valve housing 20 includes the first block 2
0a and the second block 20b, the inflow port 21 is formed in the first block 20a, the outflow port 22 is formed in the second block 20b, the inflow port 2
A flow path connecting 1 to the outflow port 22 is formed in the valve housing 20 as illustrated.

A support wall 25 having a communication hole 24 is provided in the valve chamber 23 formed in the valve housing 20, and the valve chamber 23 between the support wall 25 and the inflow port 21 is provided in the valve chamber 23. A bag body portion 26 is provided. This bag part 2
Reference numeral 6 denotes a spring member which is formed of the above-mentioned fluororesin film body and which is filled with an inert gas G and which can expand and contract freely.

A part of the bag body portion 26 also serves as a valve body portion which opens and closes the flow path, and the bag body portion 26 has a valve chamber 23.
The portion of the valve body 28 that comes into contact with the valve seat 27 provided on the side of the inflow port 21 of the valve body 28 forms the valve body 28.
6 gives an elastic force to open and close the passage. In this case, the bag body portion 26 constitutes a part of the valve body portion 28. However, as in the above embodiment, the valve body portion independent of the bag body portion 26 is incorporated in the valve chamber 23. May be.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a bag body portion 26 of another type of the present invention, which has two gas sealing chambers which are partitioned by a partition wall portion 29 and each of which is filled with gas. The moving direction of the valve body portion when operating the valve body portion is set to the direction indicated by the symbol a in FIG. Therefore, in this case, the bag body portion 26 can increase the displacement in the expansion / contraction direction b of the bag body portion 26 in the direction at right angles to the movement stroke a of the valve body portion. The body portion 26 can be largely expanded / contracted and deformed to secure a small displacement stroke of the valve body portion.

Although the invention made by the present inventor has been concretely described above based on the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Needless to say.

For example, in the illustrated case, the bag body and the like are made of PTFE, but the resin is not limited to this as long as it is a resin having corrosion resistance to the fluid flowing in the flow path.
Various resins can be used. Further, the chart valve may be formed by using the valve device having the above configuration. Further, the method of driving the reciprocating member does not depend on the motor or the cylinder, but is disclosed in
The diaphragm and bellows may be driven by air pressure by applying the valve device disclosed in JP-A-4-203569.

[0038]

The effects obtained by the typical ones of the inventions disclosed in the present application will be briefly described as follows.
It is as follows.

(1) Since the spring member for applying the elastic force to the valve body is formed of the resin bag body in which gas is enclosed, even if the fluid is corrosive, the spring member The operation of the valve can be ensured for a long period of time without being corroded.

(2) If the bag body is damaged, the gas is sealed inside, and the fluid whose flow is controlled by the valve body will not be contaminated.

(3) By forming the chemical liquid supply pump by at least two check valves and a reciprocating member such as a diaphragm, the spring member constituting the check valve is prevented from being corroded by the corrosive liquid. Thus, it is possible to reliably operate the valve element for a long period of time and obtain a chemical liquid supply pump having good durability.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially omitted sectional view showing a chemical liquid supply pump according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2A is a sectional view showing a state in which the valve device incorporated in FIG. 1 opens a passage, and FIG. 2B is a sectional view showing a state in which the valve device closes the passage.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a valve device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a bag body portion which is another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Pump housing 2 diaphragm (reciprocating member) 3 pump rooms 4 shafts 5 Drive member 6 Chemical liquid inflow passage 7 Chemical solution storage tank 8 hose 11 Chemical liquid outflow passage 12 Chemical application nozzle (chemical ejection section) 13 hose 14 First valve chamber 15 First bag part 16 First valve body 17 Second valve chamber 18 Second bag part 19 Second valve body 20 valve housing 21 Inflow port 22 Outflow port 23 valve chamber 24 communication holes 25 Support wall 26 bag 27 seat 28 Valve body 29 Partition G gas

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Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A valve housing having a passage for guiding a liquid and a valve chamber formed in the middle of the passage; and a valve housing formed of a resin film body, in which a gas such as an inert gas is sealed, a bag body portion of the inflatable contraction deformation provided in the indoor, the valve provided in the indoor, the valve device characterized by having a valve body that opens and closes the passage by the bag body portion. 2. A valve housing having a passage for guiding a liquid and a valve chamber formed in the middle of the passage, and a valve housing formed of a resin film body in which a gas such as an inert gas is sealed. A valve device having an inflatable / contractible bag body provided inside a chamber, wherein a valve body part for opening / closing the passage is formed in a part of the bag body part. 3. A pump housing provided with a reciprocating member which has a pump chamber and deforms the volume of the pump chamber; and a chemical solution storage tank, which communicates with the pump chamber, wherein the chemical liquid is sucked when the reciprocating member is moved. A first passage for guiding the chemical liquid in the storage tank to the pump chamber, and a chemical liquid discharge part communicating with the pump chamber for guiding the chemical liquid in the pump chamber to the chemical liquid discharge part during discharge movement of the reciprocating member. A first bag body part having two passages, which is formed of a resin film body and which is filled with a gas such as an inert gas and is freely expandable and contractible, and the reciprocating member by the first bag body part. A first valve body that opens the first passage during suction movement and closes during discharge movement in a first valve chamber formed in the first passage, and is formed by a resin film body inside. Expansion / contraction change in which a gas such as an inert gas is enclosed A second bag portion freely, and a second valve body for closing said second passage when the ejection movement of the reciprocating member by the second bag portion when opened vital the suction movement, said second passage A chemical liquid supply pump provided in a second valve chamber formed in the.