IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0602464
(2006-11-20)
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등록번호 |
US-8087429
(2012-01-03)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Cedrone, James
- Gonnella, George
- Gashgaee, Iraj
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
19 인용 특허 :
115 |
초록
▼
Embodiments of the present invention provide pumps with features to reduce form factor and increase reliability and serviceability. Additionally, embodiments of the present invention provide features for gentle fluid handling characteristics. Embodiments of the present invention can include a pump h
Embodiments of the present invention provide pumps with features to reduce form factor and increase reliability and serviceability. Additionally, embodiments of the present invention provide features for gentle fluid handling characteristics. Embodiments of the present invention can include a pump having a motor driven feed stage pump and a motor driven dispense stage pump. The feed stage motor and the feed stage motor can include various types of motors and the pumps can be rolling diaphragm or other pumps. According to one embodiment, a dispense block defining the pump chambers and various flow passages can be formed out of a single piece of material.
대표청구항
▼
1. A multi-stage pump configured to dispense photoresist chemicals comprising: a pump inlet flow path;a pump outlet flow path;a feed pump in fluid communication with the pump inlet flow path comprising: a feed stage diaphragm movable in a feed chamber, wherein the feed stage diaphragm is a rolling d
1. A multi-stage pump configured to dispense photoresist chemicals comprising: a pump inlet flow path;a pump outlet flow path;a feed pump in fluid communication with the pump inlet flow path comprising: a feed stage diaphragm movable in a feed chamber, wherein the feed stage diaphragm is a rolling diaphragm;a feed piston contacting the feed stage diaphragm throughout a full range of motion wherein movement of the feed piston causes the feed stage diaphragm to roll and unroll in a gap between the feed piston and a wall of the feed chamber;a feed motor coupled to the feed piston to reciprocate the feed piston; anda feed stage outlet flow path in fluid communication with the feed chamber;a dispense stage inlet flow path in fluid communication with a dispense chamber;a filter in fluid communication with the feed stage outlet flow path and the dispense stage inlet flow path such that fluid flowing from the feed pump to a dispense pump passes through the filter;the dispense pump in fluid communication with the feed pump and the pump outlet flow path, the dispense pump comprising: a dispense diaphragm movable in the dispense chamber, wherein the dispense diaphragm comprises a dispense rolling diaphragm; a dispense piston contacting the dispense diaphragm throughout a full range of motion, wherein movement of the dispense piston causes the dispense diaphragm to roll and unroll in a gap between the dispense piston and wall of the dispense chamber; anda dispense motor coupled to the dispense piston to reciprocate the dispense piston;a dispense block formed of a single piece of material defining at least a portion of the feed chamber and at least a portion of the dispense chamber; anda set of valves to selectively allow fluid flow through the multi-stage pump. 2. The multi-stage pump of claim 1, wherein the feed motor is a first brushless DC motor and the dispense motor is a second brushless DC motor. 3. The multi-stage pump of claim 1, wherein the feed motor is a stepper motor and the dispense motor is a brushless DC motor. 4. The multi-stage pump of claim 3, further comprising: a first lead screw connected to the feed piston and movable by the feed motor; anda second lead screw connected to the dispense piston and movable by the dispense motor. 5. The multi-stage pump of claim 1, further comprising a vent flow path in fluid communication with to the filter. 6. The multi-stage pump of claim 5, further comprising a purge flow path in fluid communication with the dispense chamber. 7. The multi-stage pump of claim 6, wherein the purge flow path leads from the dispense chamber to the feed chamber. 8. The multi-stage pump of claim 7, wherein the dispense block further fully defines a first and second portion of the pump inlet flow path, a first and second portion of the feed stage outlet flow path, a first and second portion of the dispense stage inlet flow path, a first and second portion of the vent flow path, a first and second portion of the purge flow path and at least a portion of the pump outlet flow path. 9. The multi-stage pump of claim 8, wherein: the first portion of the pump inlet flow path leads from an inlet to an inlet valve and the second portion of the pump inlet flow path leads from the inlet valve to the feed chamber;the first portion of the feed stage outlet flow path leads from the feed chamber to an isolation valve and the second portion of the feed stage outlet flow path leads from the isolation valve to the filter;the first portion of the dispense stage inlet flow path leads from the filter to a barrier valve and the second portion of the dispense stage inlet flow path leads from the barrier valve to the dispense chamber;the first portion of the vent flow path leads from the filter to a vent valve and the second portion of the vent flow path leads from the vent valve to a vent outlet;the first portion of the purge flow path leads from the dispense chamber to a purge valve and the second portion of the purge flow path leads from the purge valve to the feed chamber. 10. The multi-stage pump of claim 9, further comprising a valve plate coupled to a single face of the dispense block, the valve plate and dispense block defining valve chambers for the inlet valve, isolation valve, barrier valve and purge valve, wherein the valve chambers are disposed on a single side of the valve plate facing the dispense block. 11. The multi-stage pump of claim 10, further comprising a sheet of elastomeric material coupled between the valve plate and the dispense block. 12. The multi-stage pump of claim 1, further comprising a pressure sensor positioned to read pressure in the dispense chamber. 13. A multi-stage pump configured to dispense photoresist chemicals comprising: a pump inlet flow path;a pump outlet flow path;a single piece dispense block defining at least a portion of a dispense chamber in fluid communication with the pump outlet flow path and at least a portion of a feed chamber in fluid communication with the pump inlet flow path;a filter in fluid communication with the feed chamber and the dispense chamber;a feed stage diaphragm movable in the feed chamber, wherein the feed stage diaphragm is a rolling diaphragm;a feed piston to move the feed stage diaphragm, wherein the feed piston is configured to contact the feed stage diaphragm through a full range of motion and wherein movement of the feed piston causes the feed stage diaphragm to roll and unroll in a gap between the feed piston and a wall of the feed chamber;a feed motor coupled to the feed piston to reciprocate the feed piston, wherein the feed motor is a stepper motor;a dispense diaphragm movable in the dispense chamber, wherein the dispense diaphragm is a rolling diaphragm;a dispense piston to move the dispense diaphragm, wherein the dispense piston is configured to contact the dispense diaphragm through a full range of motion and wherein movement of the dispense piston causes the dispense diaphragm to roll and unroll in a gap between the dispense piston and a wall of the dispense chamber;a dispense motor coupled to the dispense piston to reciprocate the dispense piston, wherein the dispense motor is a brushless DC motor; anda valve plate coupled to the dispense block, the valve plate and dispense block defining valve chambers for an inlet valve, isolation valve, barrier valve and purge valve, wherein the valve plate defines the valve chambers on a single side of the valve plate and wherein the valve plate is coupled to an end face of the dispense block. 14. The multi-stage pump of claim 13, wherein the dispense block further defines a first and second portion of the pump inlet flow path, a first and second portion of a feed stage outlet flow path, a first and second portion of a dispense stage inlet flow path, a first and second portion of a vent flow path, a first and second portion of a purge flow path and at least a portion of the pump outlet flow path. 15. The multi-stage pump of claim 14, wherein: the first portion of the pump inlet flow path leads from an inlet to the inlet valve and the second portion of the pump inlet flow path leads from the inlet valve to the feed chamber;the first portion of the feed stage outlet flow path leads from the feed chamber to the isolation valve and the second portion of the feed stage outlet flow path leads from the isolation valve to the filter;the first portion of the dispense stage inlet flow path leads from the filter to the barrier valve and the second portion of the dispense stage inlet flow path leads from the barrier valve to the dispense chamber;the first portion of the vent flow path leads from the filter to a vent valve and the second portion of the vent flow path leads from the vent valve to a vent outlet;the first portion of the purge flow path leads from the dispense chamber to the purge valve and the second portion of the purge flow path leads from the purge valve to the feed chamber. 16. The multi-stage pump of claim 13, further comprising a sheet of elastomeric material coupled between the valve plate and the dispense block. 17. The multi-stage pump of claim 13, further comprising a pressure sensor positioned to read pressure in the dispense chamber. 18. A method for a multi stage pump configured to dispense photo resist chemicals, the method comprising: forming a dispense block of a single piece of material, the dispense block at least partially defining a feed chamber, a dispense chamber, a pump inlet flow path and a pump outlet flow path;mounting a dispense rolling diaphragm between the dispense block and a dispense pump piston housing;mounting a feed stage rolling diaphragm between the dispense block and a feed pump piston housing;coupling a feed pump piston to a feed motor via a feed pump lead screw;positioning the feed pump piston so that the feed pump piston contacts the feed stage rolling diaphragm throughout a full range of motion of the feed pump piston;positioning a dispense pump piston so that the dispense pump piston contacts the dispense rolling diaphragm throughout a full range of motion of the dispense pump piston;coupling the dispense pump piston to a dispense motor via a dispense pump lead screw;coupling the feed motor to the feed pump piston housing;coupling the dispense motor to the dispense pump piston housing; andcoupling a filter to the dispense block such that the filter is in fluid communication with the dispense chamber and the feed chamber. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the feed motor and dispense motors are brushless DC motors. 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the feed motor is a stepper motor and the dispense motor is a brushless DC motor. 21. The method of claim 18, wherein the dispense block further defines a first and second portion of the pump inlet flow path, a first and second portion of a feed stage outlet flow path, a first and second portion of a dispense stage inlet flow path, a first and second portion of a vent flow path, a first and second portion of a purge flow path and at least a portion of the pump outlet flow path. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein: the first portion of the pump inlet flow path leads from an inlet to an inlet valve and the second portion of the pump inlet flow path leads from the inlet valve to the feed chamber;the first portion of the feed stage outlet flow path leads from the feed chamber to an isolation valve and the second portion of the feed stage outlet flow path leads from the isolation valve to the filter;the first portion of the dispense stage inlet flow path leads from the filter to a barrier valve and the second portion of the dispense stage inlet flow path leads from the barrier valve to the dispense chamber;the first portion of the vent flow path leads from the filter to a vent valve and the second portion of the vent flow path leads from the vent valve to a vent outlet;the first portion of the purge flow path leads from the dispense chamber to a purge valve and the second portion of the purge flow path leads from the purge valve to the feed chamber. 23. The method of claim 22, further comprising coupling a valve plate to the dispense block, wherein the valve plate at least partially defines one or more valves. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the valve plate partially defines the inlet valve, the vent valve, the isolation valve, the barrier valve, and the purge valve all on one side of the valve plate. 25. The method of claim 24, further comprising selectively directing vacuum pressure to the inlet valve, the vent valve, the isolation valve, the barrier valve, and the purge valve. 26. The method of claim 18, comprising: inserting a set of metal rods with screw holes into the dispense block, wherein the screw holes are aligned such that each metal rod is orthogonal to screws screwed in the screw holes of that metal rod; andscrewing screws into the screw holes to couple one or more components to the dispense block. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the one or more components comprise the dispense piston housing and the dispense motor. 28. The method of claim 26, wherein the one or more components comprise the feed piston housing and the feed motor. 29. A pump configured to dispense photo resist chemicals, the pump comprising: a pump inlet flow path to receive fluid from an external fluid source;a pump outlet flow path to direct fluid to a nozzle;a purge flow path;a single piece dispense block defining a first portion and second portion of the pump inlet flow path, at least a portion of a pump outlet flow path, a first portion and second portion of the purge flow path and at least a portion of a pump chamber in fluid communication with the pump outlet flow path and the pump inlet flow path and the purge flow path;a rolling diaphragm movable in the pump chamber;a piston to move the rolling diaphragm, wherein the piston contacts the rolling diaphragm throughout a full range of motion and wherein the rolling diaphragm rolls and unrolls in a gap between the piston and a wall of the pump chamber when the piston moves;a motor coupled to the piston to reciprocate the piston; anda valve plate coupled to the dispense block, wherein the valve plate and dispense block define an inlet valve chamber in communication with the first and second portions of the pump inlet flow path and a purge valve chamber in communication with the first and second portions of the purge flow path and an outlet valve chamber in communication with the at least a portion of the pump outlet flow path, wherein the valve plate and dispense block define the inlet valve chamber and the outlet valve chamber on a single side of the valve plate and wherein the valve plate is coupled to an end face of the dispense block;a sheet of elastomeric material between the dispense block and valve late forming valve diaphragms for each of an inlet valve, an outlet valve and a purge valve. 30. The pump of claim 29, wherein the dispense block further defines a first and second portion of the pump inlet flow path, a first and second portion of a purge flow path and at least a portion of the pump outlet flow path. 31. The pump of claim 29, wherein: the first portion of the pump inlet flow path leads from an inlet to the inlet valve and the second portion of the pump inlet flow path leads from the inlet valve to the pump chamber;the first portion of the purge flow path leads from the pump chamber to the purge valve and the second portion of the purge flow path leads from the purge valve to a purge outlet.
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