Liquid level control device and liquid level control method

Abstract

The objective is to provide a liquid level control device and liquid level control method that control the liquid level position in a way that does not significantly affect the processing conditions. [Solution] A liquid supply device 1 and liquid level management method are provided, which supply a supply liquid 7 to a container 5 that is held to float and sink freely on or within the liquid surface 4 of the processing liquid 3 placed in the processing tank 2, thereby supplying the supply liquid 7 to the container 5, causing the container 5 to sink into the processing liquid 3 and adjusting the position of the liquid surface 4 of the processing liquid 3 in the processing tank 2.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid level management device and a liquid level management method for managing the position of the liquid level in a tank.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in plating, cleaning, etching, coating, electrolytic machining, electrolytic polishing, chemical polishing, etc., an immersion method is used in which an object to be processed is immersed in a processing liquid to perform surface treatment of the object to be processed. In this immersion method, after the object to be processed is immersed in the processing liquid in the tank and processed, the object to be processed is taken out of the tank, and the processing liquid adhering to the object to be processed is taken out of the tank at that time. Therefore, when processing is continuously performed, the processing liquid in the tank decreases according to the number of processes. Usually, the amount of the processing liquid for performing the immersion treatment is defined as an appropriate amount for performing the treatment, and management is performed to keep the amount of the processing liquid in the tank constant. For example, in Patent Document 1, a plating apparatus is described in which the processing liquid in the plating tank is overflowed from the plating tank to a plating reserve tank, and the processing liquid flowing into the plating reserve tank is supplied to the plating tank using a pump to keep the processing liquid in the plating tank constant.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the plating apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the concentration and temperature of the processing liquid in the plating tank and the processing liquid supplied from the plating reserve tank to the plating tank may be different, and as a result, the processing conditions of the object to be processed change, and there is a problem that stable processing cannot be performed.

[0005] In view of these problems, the present invention aims to provide a liquid level control device and a liquid level control method that can stably perform immersion treatment of objects to be treated. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A liquid level control device comprising a processing tank for holding a processing liquid, a container positioned to float and sink in the processing liquid held in the processing tank, and a liquid supply machine for supplying a supply liquid into the container, wherein the liquid supply machine supplies the supply liquid into the container, thereby immersing the container in the processing liquid and adjusting the liquid level of the processing liquid in the processing tank. Preferably, the liquid level control device may be configured such that when the liquid level falls below a predetermined position, the supply of the supply liquid into the container is started, the container is immersed in the processing liquid, and as a result, the liquid level of the processing liquid is adjusted to return to the predetermined position. Furthermore, the liquid supply device may also include a liquid supply port for supplying the supply liquid to the container provided in the liquid supply machine, and a blocking member for closing the liquid supply port, wherein when the liquid level is at the predetermined position, the liquid supply port is closed by the blocking member, and when the liquid level is lower than the predetermined position, the liquid supply port and the blocking member separate to supply the supply liquid to the container. The blocking member may also be a liquid level control device located at the bottom of the container. The blocking member may be a liquid level control device that is positioned between the container and the supply port. Alternatively, the liquid level control device may be configured such that when the container is immersed in the processing liquid and the liquid level reaches the predetermined position, the liquid supply port is closed by the blocking member and the supply of the liquid is stopped. Alternatively, the device may be configured as a liquid level control device that stops supplying the liquid when the liquid level of the liquid supplied to the container reaches the liquid supply port. Furthermore, the liquid level management device may also include a container support member that supports the container, wherein the container support member restricts the in-plane movement of the liquid surface of the container and supports it so as to be movable in a direction perpendicular to the liquid surface. The liquid level control device may also include at least two of the aforementioned containers and liquid supply ports, with each container supplied with the supply liquid through at least one of the liquid supply ports. Furthermore, in the method for managing the liquid level of the processing liquid in the processing tank, when the liquid level of the processing liquid falls below a predetermined position, the liquid is supplied to a container installed in the processing tank, and the liquid level is adjusted by immersing the container in the processing liquid. The liquid level control device may also be configured to stop supplying the supply liquid when the liquid level reaches the predetermined position by immersing the container in the processing liquid. A liquid level management method may also be used in which the supply of the supply liquid is stopped when the supply liquid level of the supply liquid supplied to the container reaches the liquid supply port of the supply liquid. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the liquid level control device and liquid level control method of the present invention, it is possible to properly maintain and manage the processing liquid in the processing tank and to stably perform the immersion treatment of the object to be processed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Schematic diagram of liquid level control device 1 according to the present invention [Figure 2] A schematic diagram showing the liquid level 4 of the liquid level control device 1 according to the present invention when it moves towards the lower limit position 42. [Figure 3] A schematic diagram showing the liquid level 4 of the liquid level control device 1 according to the present invention when it moves toward the upper limit position 41. [Figure 4] Schematic diagram of the liquid level control device 101 according to the present invention [Figure 5] Schematic diagram showing the liquid level 4 of the liquid level control device 101 according to the present invention when it moves toward the lower limit position 42. [Figure 6] A schematic diagram showing the liquid level 4 of the liquid level control device 101 according to the present invention when it moves toward the upper limit position 41. [Figure 7] Simplified diagram showing a modified example of Example 2, with the container 5, liquid supply port 8, and the area around the closure portion 210 extracted. [Figure 8]A simplified diagram showing a modified example of Example 2, with the container 5, liquid supply port 8, and the area around the closure portion 310 extracted. [Figure 9] Simplified diagram of the processing tank 2 as seen from the supply tank 9 side in a modified example of Example 1 and Example 2. [Figure 10] Schematic diagram of a modified example of Examples 1 and 2 where there are two containers 5. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. However, it should be noted that the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, but extends to the invention described in the claims and its equivalents. Also, components that are denoted by the same reference numeral in different drawings have the same function. [Examples]

[0010] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a liquid level control device 1 according to the present invention. The liquid level control device 1 comprises a rectangular parallelepiped processing tank 2 with an open top and walls on the other sides. The processing tank 2 contains a processing liquid 3 for immersing a workpiece (not shown) and performing surface treatment on the workpiece. The processing tank 2 is also fitted with a liquid level monitoring device 40 for monitoring the liquid level 4 of the processing liquid 3. For example, a float switch or an ultrasonic sensor can be used as the liquid level monitoring device 40. The float switch detects the position of the liquid level 4 by switching on and off in response to the vertical movement of the liquid level 4, and the ultrasonic sensor measures the distance to the liquid level 4 using ultrasound and monitors the height of the liquid level 4. An upper limit position 41 and a lower limit position 42 for the liquid level 4 of the processing liquid 3 are set in the processing tank 2, and if the liquid level 4 is not between the upper limit position 41 and the lower limit position 42, the liquid level monitoring device 40 outputs an error signal, stopping the processing of the workpiece into the processing tank 2 or preventing its introduction.

[0011] Also, on the liquid surface 4 in the treatment tank 2, there is arranged a rectangular parallelepiped container 5 having an opening 52 with an upper surface open on one side and the other side surrounded by a wall. At the upper part of the container 5, there is a liquid supply device 6. The liquid supply device 6 contains a supply liquid 7 and has a supply tank 9 in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped tank. A cylindrical liquid supply port 8 is provided at a part of its lower surface. The liquid supply port 8 is a cylindrical member. One end is connected to the supply tank 9 containing the supply liquid 7, and the other end extends through the opening 52 of the container 5 below and reaches the bottom surface 51. The container 5 is configured such that the supply liquid 7 in the supply tank 9 is supplied through the liquid supply port 8 according to the position of the liquid surface 4 of the treatment liquid 3 in the treatment tank 2. In FIG. 1, the container 5 is floating on the liquid surface 4 and is located at a preset predetermined position between the upper limit position 41 and the lower limit position 42 in the treatment tank 2. At this predetermined position, the other end of the liquid supply port 8 abuts against the bottom surface 51 of the container 5, and the liquid supply port 8 is closed by the bottom surface of the container 5. Therefore, the supply of the supply liquid 7 to the container 5 is in a stopped state where it is not performed.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram when the liquid surface 4 of the liquid surface management device 1 according to the present invention moves to the lower limit position 42 side. FIG. 2 shows a state where the treatment of the object to be treated is performed from the state of FIG. 1, the amount of the treatment liquid 3 in the treatment tank 2 decreases, and the liquid surface 4 moves to the lower limit position 42 side. When the treatment liquid 3 in the treatment tank 2 decreases and the liquid surface 4 moves to the lower limit position 42 side (the liquid surface 4 drops), the container 5 also moves to the lower limit position 42 side accordingly, and the liquid supply port 8 separates from the bottom surface 51 of the container 5. Since the closing of the liquid supply port 8 by the bottom surface 51 is released, the supply liquid 7 in the supply tank 9 of the liquid supply device 6 is supplied to the container 5. The supply liquid surface 71 of the supply liquid 7 supplied into the container 5 moves toward the opening 52 side of the container 5 over time. When the supply liquid 7 is supplied into the container 5, the container 5 floating on the treatment liquid 2 sinks into the treatment liquid 3 due to the weight of the supplied supply liquid 7, and the liquid surface 4 moves (rises) to the upper limit position 41 side according to the sunken volume.

[0013] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram when the liquid level 4 of the liquid level management device 1 according to the present invention moves to the upper limit position 41 side. Figure 3 shows a state where the supply of the supply liquid 7 into the container 5 has progressed from the state of Figure 2 and the liquid level 4 has reached the upper limit position 41. Since the position of the supply liquid level 71 in the container 5 and the liquid level 4 of the treatment liquid 3 in the treatment tank 2 are substantially the same position, the supply liquid level 71 reaches the liquid supply port 8 before the liquid level 4 exceeds the upper limit position 41, and the supply of the supply liquid 7 is stopped. In order for the supply of the supply liquid 7 to the container 5 to be stopped when the supply liquid level 71 reaches the liquid supply port 8 in this way, it is necessary to appropriately adjust the pressure in the supply tank 9. Specifically, by setting the pressure in the supply tank 9 lower than the atmospheric pressure, when the supply liquid 7 flows out from the supply tank 9 to the container 5, the supply is stopped when the supply liquid level 71 abuts against the liquid supply port 8. Due to this pressure difference, when the supply liquid level 71 reaches the liquid supply port 8, the flow of the supply liquid 7 naturally stops. In order to appropriately adjust the pressure in the supply tank 9, based on the required amount and supply speed of the supply liquid 7, the capacity of the supply tank 9 and the amount of the supply liquid 7 contained therein are set in advance by experiments or the like, and the pressure at which the supply stops when the supply liquid level 71 reaches the liquid supply port 8 is found. In order to adjust the pressure in the supply tank 9, a vacuum pump or a pressure regulating valve can be used. Also, in order to adjust the supply speed of the supply liquid 7, a flow rate regulating valve or a flow velocity regulating valve or the like can be used on the liquid supply port 8 or the flow path of the supply liquid 7.

[0014] If the predetermined position of the liquid level 4 of the treatment liquid 3 preset between the upper limit position 41 and the lower limit position 42 is approximately the same position as the upper limit position 41, in the operation from Figure 1 to Figure 3, the liquid level 4 stops at the predetermined position and thus does not exceed the upper limit position 41. Also, considering the movement of the liquid level 4 due to the immersion of the object to be treated and their supply and unloading jigs (not shown), etc., the liquid supply port 8 may be installed at a position moved to the lower limit position 42 side from the upper limit position 41. In this case, the movement of the liquid level 4 due to the entry and exit of objects into the treatment liquid 3 as described above does not exceed the upper limit position 41, and the occurrence of an error output by the liquid level monitoring device 40 can be further suppressed.

[0015] Next, the operation of the liquid level control device 1 and the liquid level control method will be explained based on Figures 1, 2, and 3. First, the object to be processed is placed into the processing tank 2 containing the processing liquid 3. The object to be processed can be any item whose surface is treated by immersion. The processing tank 2 contains the processing liquid 3 for surface treatment of the object to be processed, and the liquid level 4 of the processing liquid 3 is set to a predetermined position between the upper limit position 41 and the lower limit position 42 in the processing tank 2. The object to be processed is placed on a jig that holds the object to be processed in the processing tank 2 and is transported out after processing, and is immersed in the processing liquid 3. The object to be processed is held in the processing liquid 3 for a predetermined time, and its surface is treated. At this time, the liquid level 4 of the processing liquid 3 is at approximately the predetermined position, and one end of the liquid supply port 8 of the liquid supply machine 6 is blocked by the bottom surface 51 of the container 5 floating on the processing liquid 2.

[0016] Next, the surface-treated workpiece is removed from the treatment solution 3. At this time, the workpiece is removed from the treatment solution 3 together with the jig, and the treatment solution 3 adheres to the removed workpiece and jig, and a portion of them is carried out of the treatment tank 2 along with the workpiece and jig. As the processing liquid 3 adhering to the workpiece or jig is carried out of the processing tank 2, the amount of processing liquid 3 in the processing tank 2 decreases, the liquid level 4 moves towards the lower limit position 42, and the liquid level 4 becomes lower than the predetermined position.

[0017] As the liquid level 4 moves towards the lower limit position 42, the container 5, which was floating in the processing liquid 3, also moves towards the lower limit position 42, the liquid supply port 8 separates from the bottom surface 51 of the container 5, and one end of the liquid supply port 8, which was blocked by the bottom surface 51 of the container 5, is opened. The supply liquid 7 in the supply tank 9 flows out from the opened liquid supply port 8 and is supplied into the container 5 (liquid supply process). The container 5 is immersed in the processing tank 2 by the weight of the container 5 and the supplied supply liquid 7. As the container 5 is immersed in the processing liquid 2, the liquid level 4 in the processing tank 2 moves towards the upper limit position 41 in proportion to the volume of the container 5 immersed in (liquid level adjustment process). Then, when the supply liquid level 71 of the supply liquid 7 supplied into the container 5 reaches the liquid supply port 8, the supply liquid level 71 blocks the liquid supply port 8, stopping the supply of supply liquid 7 into the container 5, and stopping the immersion of the container 5 in the processing liquid 3 (liquid stop process). Through the above process, the position of the liquid level 4 in the processing tank 2 can be controlled to a predetermined position between the upper limit position 41 and the lower limit position 42.

[0018] In this Example 1, the processing liquid 3 and the supply liquid 7 use substantially the same composition. As a result, even if the container 5 is damaged due to unforeseen circumstances during the process of processing the workpiece, and the supply liquid 7 flows into the processing liquid 3, the composition of the processing liquid 3 will not change. In other words, it will only be the same as mixing a new processing liquid 3 with the processing liquid 3 used in the process, so although there will be effects from temperature changes in the processing liquid 3, it will not have a significant impact on the surface treatment of the workpiece. Furthermore, regarding the temperature effect of the supply liquid 7 on the processing liquid 3, by supplying the supply liquid 7 into the container 5 in small amounts and controlling the liquid level 4, the small amount of supply liquid 7 is heated (cooled) to the same temperature by the processing liquid 3 surrounding the container 5, and the container 5 itself is also heated (cooled) by the processing liquid 3, so even in the case of the above unforeseen circumstances, the impact on the processing conditions can be minimized. [Examples]

[0019] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the liquid level control device 101 according to the present invention, showing the state in which the processing liquid is located at a predetermined position in the processing tank. Here, the same reference numerals are used for the same components as in the liquid level control device 1 of Embodiment 1, and their descriptions may be omitted. In the liquid level control device 101 of this embodiment, a closure part 110 is positioned between the bottom surface 51 of the container 5 and the liquid supply port 8 of the liquid supply machine 6. The closure part 110 is a component for closing the liquid supply port 8, and is larger than the liquid supply port 5 and made of a material that floats on the supply liquid 7. A wire-shaped closure part support part 120 is attached to the upper surface 111 of the closure part 110 in a substantially vertical direction. Near the open end of the liquid supply port 8, a ring-shaped support part mounting part 121 is attached on the circumference of the outer circumference of the liquid supply port 8. The support mounting portion 121 has two holes that penetrate axially between its axial end faces. The closure support portion 120 is inserted through these holes, and the support mounting portion 121 acts as a guide, allowing the liquid supply port 8 and the closure portion 110 to move relative to each other within a certain range. When the processing liquid 3 is in a predetermined position, the closure member 120 is sandwiched between the liquid supply port 8 and the bottom surface 51 of the container 5, closing the liquid supply port 8. The closure portion 110 restricts the horizontal movement of the supply liquid surface 71 within a certain range using the closure support portion 120 and the support mounting portion 121, but the vertical movement distance of the supply liquid surface 71 may or may not be restricted. If the vertical movement distance of the closure portion 110 relative to the supply liquid surface 71 is to be restricted, the length of the closure support portion 120 should be set to match the desired distance, and it should not come off the support mounting portion 121. Furthermore, if the vertical movement distance of the blockage section 110 relative to the supply liquid level 71 is not restricted, the length of the blockage section support section 120 can be set to a length that allows it to move below the lower limit position 42, or the length can be set to a length that anticipates the movement range of the liquid level 41.

[0020] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the liquid level 4 of the liquid level control device 101 in this embodiment when it moves towards the lower limit position 42. Figure 5 shows the state after processing of the material to be processed from the state in Figure 4, the amount of processing liquid 3 in the processing tank 2 decreases, and the liquid level 4 moves towards the lower limit position 42. As the amount of processing liquid 3 in the processing tank 2 decreases, the liquid level 4 moves towards the lower limit position 42 (the liquid level 4 drops), and the container 5 also moves towards the lower limit position 42 accordingly. As the container 5 moves, the clamping state between the liquid supply port 8 and the container 5 is released from the blockage portion 110, and it moves towards the lower limit position 42 by its own weight or the supply liquid 7. As the blockage portion 110 moves, the blockage of the liquid supply port 8 by the blockage portion 110 is released, and the supply liquid 7 in the supply tank 9 of the liquid supply machine 6 is supplied to the container 5. The supply liquid level 71 of the supply liquid 7 supplied into the container 5 moves towards the opening 52 of the container 5 over time. The occluding portion 110 is designed to float on the supply liquid 7, and is pushed up by the supply liquid level 71, moving towards the opening 52. As the supply liquid 7 is supplied into the container 5, the container 5, which was floating on the processing liquid 2, sinks into the processing liquid 3 due to the weight of the supplied supply liquid 7, and the liquid level 4 moves (rises) towards the upper limit position 41 in proportion to the volume it sinks.

[0021] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the liquid level control device 101 according to the present invention when the liquid level 4 moves toward the upper limit position 41. Figure 6 shows the state in which the supply of liquid 7 into the container 5 progresses from the state in Figure 5, and the liquid level 4 moves toward the upper limit position 41, reaching a predetermined position. The supply liquid level 71 rises due to the supply liquid 7 supplied into the container 5, pushing up the occluding part 110, and the supply of liquid 7 is stopped when the occluding part 110 comes into contact with the liquid supply port 8. In order for the supply of liquid 7 to the container 5 to stop when the occluding part 110 reaches the liquid supply port 8, it may be necessary to appropriately adjust the pressure in the supply tank 9. Specifically, by setting the pressure in the supply tank 9 lower than atmospheric pressure, the supply of liquid 7 will stop when the occluding part 110 comes into contact with the liquid supply port 8 as the liquid 7 flows out of the supply tank 9 into the container 5. Due to this pressure difference, when the occluding part 110 reaches the liquid supply port 8, the flow of liquid 7 will stop naturally. To properly adjust the pressure inside the supply tank 9, the capacity of the supply tank 9 and the amount of supply liquid 7 contained within it are predetermined through experiments or other means, based on the required amount and supply rate of the supply liquid 7. The pressure at which the supply stops when the blockage section 110 reaches the liquid supply port 8 is then determined. A vacuum pump or pressure regulating valve can be used to adjust the pressure inside the supply tank 9. In addition, flow rate adjustment valves or flow velocity adjustment valves can be used at the liquid supply port 8 or along the flow path of the supply liquid 7 to adjust the supply rate of the supply liquid 7.

[0022] Next, the operation of the liquid level control device 101 and the liquid level control method will be explained based on Figures 4, 5, and 6. First, the object to be processed is placed into the processing tank 2 containing the processing liquid 3. The object to be processed can be any article whose surface is treated by immersion. The processing tank 2 contains the processing liquid for surface treatment of the object to be processed, and the liquid level 4 of the processing liquid 3 is set to a predetermined position between the upper limit position 41 and the lower limit position 42 in the processing tank 2. The object to be processed is held in the processing tank 2, and when it is removed after processing, it is placed on a jig (not shown) and immersed in the processing liquid 3. The object to be processed is held in the processing liquid 3 for a predetermined time, and its surface is treated. At this time, the liquid level 4 of the processing liquid 3 is at approximately the predetermined position, and one end of the liquid supply port 8 of the liquid supply machine 6 is closed by a closure portion 110 pressed by the bottom surface 51 of the container 5 floating on the processing liquid 2.

[0023] Next, the surface-treated workpiece is lifted out of the treatment liquid 3. At this time, the workpiece is lifted out of the treatment liquid 3 together with the jig, and the treatment liquid 3 adheres to the lifted workpiece and jig, and a portion of them is carried out of the treatment tank 2 along with the workpiece and jig. As the treatment liquid 3 adhering to the workpiece and jig is carried out of the treatment tank 2, the amount of treatment liquid 3 in the treatment tank 2 decreases, the liquid level 4 moves towards the lower limit position 42, and the liquid level 4 becomes lower than the predetermined position.

[0024] As the liquid level 4 moves towards the lower limit position 42, the container 5, which was floating in the processing liquid 3, also moves towards the lower limit position 42. The occluding part 110 also moves towards the lower limit position 42 due to its own weight or the supply liquid 7, and the upper surface 111 of the occluding part 110 separates from the liquid supply port 8, opening one end of the liquid supply port 8 that was blocked by the occluding part 110. The supply liquid 7 in the liquid supply machine 6 flows out from the opened liquid supply port 8 and is supplied into the container 5 (liquid supply process). The container 5 is immersed in the processing tank 2 by the weight of the container 5 and the supplied supply liquid 7. As the container 5 is immersed in the processing liquid 2, the liquid level 4 in the processing tank 2 moves towards the upper limit position 41 according to the volume of the container 5 immersed in (liquid level adjustment process). Then, as the supply liquid level 71 of the supply liquid 7 supplied into the container 5 rises, the occluding part 110 is also pushed up by the supply liquid level 71 and rises, and the upper surface 111 of the occluding part 110 comes into contact with the liquid supply port 8, so the occluding part 110 closes the liquid supply port 8, stopping the supply of supply liquid 7 into the container 5 and stopping the immersion of the container 5 in the processing liquid 3 (liquid stopping process). Through the above process, the position of the liquid level 4 in the processing tank 2 can be controlled at a predetermined position between the upper limit position 41 and the lower limit position 42.

[0025] In this Example 2, the processing liquid 3 and the supply liquid 7 use substantially the same composition. As a result, even if the container 5 is damaged due to unforeseen circumstances during the processing of the workpiece and the supply liquid 7 flows into the processing liquid 3, the composition of the processing liquid 3 will not change. In other words, it will only be the same as mixing a new processing liquid 3 with the processing liquid 3 used in the process, so although there will be effects from temperature changes in the processing liquid 3, it will not have a significant impact on the surface treatment of the workpiece. Furthermore, regarding the temperature effect of the supply liquid 7 on the processing liquid 3, by supplying the supply liquid 7 into the container 5 in small amounts and controlling the liquid level 4, the small amount of supply liquid 7 is heated (cooled) to the same temperature by the processing liquid 3 surrounding the container 5, and the container 5 itself is also heated (cooled) by the processing liquid 3, so even in the case of the above unforeseen circumstances, the impact on the processing conditions can be minimized. Furthermore, when the supply liquid 7 is supplied from the liquid supply port 8, it hits the upper surface 111 of the occluded section 110 before being supplied to the container 5. This shortens the distance the supply liquid 7 falls compared to when it is supplied directly into the container 5, resulting in less splashing of the supply liquid 7. Moreover, because the supply liquid is supplied to the container 5 only after its temperature on the upper surface 111 of the occluded section 110 is approximately equal to the ambient temperature due to the atmosphere, the impact on processing conditions can be further reduced. [Example 1]

[0026] Figure 7 is a simplified diagram of a modified example of Embodiment 2, showing the container 5, liquid supply port 8, and the area around the closure portion 210, illustrating a modified version of the closure portion 110. Figure 7(a) shows the state in which the liquid supply port 8 is blocked by the closure portion 210. Figure 7(b) shows the state in which the closure portion 210 rotates due to the closure portion support portion 220 as the position of the container 5 is lowered, opening the liquid supply port 8 and supplying the liquid 7. Figure 7(c) shows the state in which the closure portion 210 rotates due to the closure portion support portion 220 as the liquid supply liquid 7 inside the container 5 is lowered, blocking the liquid supply port 8.

[0027] The closure portion 210 is rotatably attached to a part of the liquid supply port 8 by a closure portion support portion 220. The closure portion support portion 220 can be any member that connects one member to another, like a hinge, and can hold one member to another so that it can rotate relative to it. Furthermore, the closure portion support portion 220 may or may not have a rotation angle restricted within a certain range.

[0028] As the liquid level 4 drops and the container 5 moves, the closure support 220 rotates, and the closure 210 separates from the liquid supply port 8. The separation of the closure 210 from the liquid supply port 8 releases the closure of the liquid supply port 8, and the supply of liquid 7 into the container 5 begins. Then, as the liquid level 71 of the liquid 7 supplied into the container 5 rises, the closure 210 is pushed up, the closure support 220 rotates, and the closure 210 comes into contact with the liquid supply port 8. The contact between the closure 210 and the liquid supply port 8 closes the liquid supply port 8, stopping the supply of liquid 7 into the container 5. [Differentiation 2]

[0029] Figure 8 is a simplified diagram of a modified example of Embodiment 2, showing the container 5, liquid supply port 8, and the area around the occlusion portion 310, and illustrating a modified version of the occlusion portion 110. Figure 8(a) shows the state in which the liquid supply port 8 is blocked by the occlusion portion 310. Figure 8(b) shows the state in which the liquid supply port 8 is released from the blockage of the occlusion portion 330 as the position of the container 5 is lowered, and the supply liquid 7 is supplied. Figure 8(c) shows the state in which the occlusion portion 310 is pushed up by the supply liquid level 71 of the supply liquid 7 inside the container 5, blocking the liquid supply port 8.

[0030] The closure section 310 has one end of a cylindrical closure section support section 320 attached to its upper surface 311 in a direction approximately vertical to it. The closure section support section 320 also has at least one slit 321 at one end, which is for allowing the supply liquid 7 flowing out from the liquid supply port 8 to pass through and be supplied into the container 5. The liquid supply port 8 is inserted through the other end of the closure section support section 320, and the closure section support section 320 acts as a guide, so that the liquid supply port 8 and the closure section 310 can move relative to each other within a certain range. The closure section 310 restricts the horizontal movement of the supply liquid surface 71 within a certain range using the closure section support section 320 and the liquid supply port 8, but the vertical movement distance of the supply liquid surface 71 may or may not be restricted. If the vertical movement distance of the closure section 310 to the supply liquid surface 71 is to be restricted, the length of the closure section support section 320 should be set to match the desired distance and to prevent it from coming out of the liquid supply port 8. Furthermore, if the vertical movement distance of the blockage section 310 relative to the supply liquid level 71 is not restricted, the length of the blockage section support section 320 should be set to a length that allows it to move below the lower limit position 42, or the length should be set to a length that anticipates the movement range of the liquid level 41.

[0031] As the liquid level 4 drops and the container 5 moves, the closure section 310 moves away from the liquid supply port 8, guided by the closure section support section 320. When the closure section 310 moves away from the liquid supply port 8, the closure of the liquid supply port 8 is released, and the supply of liquid 7 from the liquid supply machine 6 begins. The liquid 7 that flows out from the liquid supply port 8 passes through the slit 321 of the closure section support section 320 and is supplied into the container 5. Then, when the supply liquid level 71 of the liquid 7 supplied into the container 5 rises, the closure section 310 is pushed up, and its upper surface 311 comes into contact with the liquid supply port 8. When the upper surface 311 of the closure section 310 comes into contact with the liquid supply port 8, the liquid supply port 8 is closed, and the supply of liquid 7 into the container 5 is stopped. [Difference 3]

[0032] Figure 9 is a simplified diagram of the processing tank 2 as seen from the supply tank 9 side, showing a modified example of Example 1 and Example 2, with the processing tank 2 and container 5 portions removed and other parts excluded. In Figure 9(a), a rail-shaped container guide member 500 connects a part of the outer surface of the container 5 and a part of the inner surface of the processing tank 2 in a manner that allows relative movement perpendicular to the liquid surface 4. In Figure 9(b), a mesh-like enclosure-shaped container guide member 510 is installed on the inner wall of the processing tank 2 from near the liquid surface 4 to near the bottom surface of the processing tank 2, surrounding the container 5.

[0033] In Figure 9(a), the floating and sinking (up and down movement) of the container 5 in the processing liquid 3 is assisted by a rail-shaped container guide member 500 extending in the direction of its movement. This member restricts the horizontal movement of the liquid surface 4 of the container 5 and guides the vertical movement of the liquid surface 4 of the container 5. The container guide member 500 consists of a rail-shaped guide section (not shown) and a receiving section (not shown) that is guided by it, and either of these can be attached to either the inner surface of the processing tank 2 or the outer surface of the container 5. In Figure 9(b), the floating and sinking (up and down movement) of the container 5 in the processing liquid 3 is assisted by a mesh-shaped container guide member 510. This member restricts the horizontal movement of the liquid surface 4 of the container 5 and guides the vertical movement of the liquid surface 4 of the container 5. Furthermore, both the container guide members 500 and 510 can suppress tilting and tipping of the container 5, and can prevent the outflow of the supply liquid 7 from the opening 52 of the container 5 into the processing tank 2. [Differentiation Example 4]

[0034] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of a modified example of Example 1 and Example 2 in which there are two containers 5. Figure 10(a) is a modified example of Example 1, and Figure 10(b) is a modified example of Example 2. In Figure 10(a), one container 5 and one liquid supply port 8 are added from the state in Figure 1, and the liquid level 4 is adjusted by the two containers 5. In Figure 10(b), one container 5, one liquid supply port 8, one closure part 110, one closure part support part 120, and one support part mounting part 121 are added from the state in Figure 4, and the liquid level 4 is adjusted by the two containers 5. The method for adjusting the liquid level 4 is the same as in Example 1 and Example 2. With two containers 5, the liquid level 4 can be adjusted by supplying the supply liquid 7 to each container 5 simultaneously or separately. Furthermore, having two containers 5 allows for adjustment of the liquid level 4 in the other container 5 in the event of damage or other unforeseen circumstances in one container 5, thus enabling the liquid level 4 in the processing tank 2 to be controlled at a predetermined position between the upper limit 41 and the lower limit 42.

[0035] In this embodiment and its modifications, the bottom surface 51 of the container 5 that contacts the liquid supply port 8 is flat. However, a portion of the bottom surface 51 that contacts the liquid supply port 8 may be shaped as a convex or concave shape that fits into the liquid supply port 8. In this case, the shape makes it easier to close the liquid supply port 8, thus making it easier to supply and stop the liquid 7.

[0036] In this embodiment and its modifications, the closure portions 110, 210, and 310 are simply flat plates, but the shape of the portion that contacts the liquid supply port 8 may be convex or concave, or it may be shaped to fit into the liquid supply port 8. In this case, it becomes easier to stop the supply of the liquid 7 than with a flat plate shape. In addition to a flat plate shape, it may also be a disc shape, a polygonal shape, or the shape of the surface that contacts the liquid supply surface 71 may be a boat bottom shape. In this case, depending on the shape of the container 5, it becomes easier to restrict the horizontal movement of the liquid supply surface 71 of the closure portions 110, 210, and 310.

[0037] In this embodiment and its modifications, the occluding portion 110 is restricted from moving horizontally relative to the liquid supply port 8 by the occluding portion support portion 120 and the support portion mounting portion 121, while allowing vertical movement, and is prevented from moving further away from the liquid supply port 8 once it reaches a certain distance. However, the occluding portion support portion 120 and the support portion mounting portion 121 may be omitted, and the occluding portion 110 may simply be placed inside the container 5. In this case, the occluding portion 110 is not restricted from moving in the planar direction, but as long as it is of a size and shape that can contact the liquid supply port 8 inside the container 5, the occluding portion 110 can perform its function regardless of its position horizontally relative to the liquid supply port 8.

[0038] In this embodiment and its modifications, the amount of liquid 7 flowing out from the liquid supply port 8 is not adjusted. However, a mechanism for controlling the flow rate of the liquid 7 may be installed between the liquid supply machine 6 or supply tank 9 and the liquid supply port 8, or near the tip of the liquid supply port 8. In this case, the supply speed and amount of liquid 7 into the container 5 can be controlled, preventing sudden fluctuations in the liquid level 4. Furthermore, even if the liquid cannot be completely stopped during the liquid stopping process, it becomes easier to prevent the liquid 7 from overflowing from the container 5 and flowing into the treatment tank 2.

[0039] In this embodiment and its modifications, the supply liquid 7 has substantially the same composition as the treatment liquid 3, but it does not have to be exactly the same. Any composition that contains the main components used in the treatment and does not affect the treatment conditions is acceptable. Furthermore, even if it does not contain the main components used in the treatment, it may be a solution containing additives to restore the treatment liquid 3, which has deteriorated due to the treatment, to a state close to its pre-treatment state, or water to restore the water content. In this case, even if it flows out from the container 5 into the treatment tank 2, the impact on the treatment conditions can be minimized, and the composition of the treatment liquid 3 will not be significantly altered from its original state. In addition, by transferring the supply liquid 7 in the container 5 into the treatment tank 2 after the treatment of one set is completed, the composition of the treatment liquid 3 can be restored to some extent or brought to a good state while maintaining the liquid level 4, and the treatment of the next set can be started immediately.

[0040] In this embodiment and its modifications, the specific gravity of the supply liquid 7 may be greater than or less than that of the treatment liquid 3. If the specific gravity of the supply liquid 7 is greater than that of the treatment liquid 3, when the supply liquid 7 flows out of the container 5, it will accumulate at the bottom of the treatment tank 2 (below the lower limit position 42), thus having less impact on the treatment, and can be easily removed by providing an outlet on the bottom of the treatment tank 2. Also, if the specific gravity of the supply liquid 7 is less than that of the treatment liquid 3, when the supply liquid 7 flows out of the container 5, it will accumulate at the top of the treatment tank 2 (around the upper limit position 41), thus having less impact on the treatment, and can be easily removed by providing an outlet on the upper side of the treatment tank 2 or by sucking out the surface portion of the liquid surface 4.

[0041] In this embodiment and its modifications, the container 5 consisted of one or two containers, but the liquid level 4 may be adjusted using two or more containers 5. Furthermore, as the number of containers 5 increases, the number of components such as the liquid supply port 8, the closure parts 110, 210, 310, the closure support parts 120, 220, 320, and the support mounting part 121 may also increase accordingly to adjust the liquid level 4. In this case, increasing the number of containers 5 can reduce the impact on the process in the event of unforeseen circumstances such as damage. If each container 5 can be used for liquid level management for one processing set (one lot), the number of processing sets (processing lots) can be tracked and managed by using each container 5 in sequence and observing the number of immersed containers 5. Alternatively, the supply liquid 7 may be supplied equally to each container 5. In this case, multiple containers 5 can be immersed in the processing liquid 3 simultaneously, allowing for efficient liquid level management even when the volume of each container 5 is small.

[0042] In this embodiment and its modifications, the processing tank 2 and container 5 are rectangular parallelepipeds, and the supply tank 9 is a rectangular parallelepiped tank. However, they are not limited to these shapes, and any shape is acceptable as long as they can perform the necessary function. For example, the processing tank 2 and container 5 can be cylindrical, bottle-shaped, polygonal, or any other shape that can hold the processing liquid 3 and supply liquid 7. The supply tank 9 can be circular, polygonal, or a bag-shaped object made of a soft material such as vinyl or rubber, or an elastic material. Depending on the combination of shapes of the processing tank 2 and container 5, tilting or tipping of the container 5 due to fluctuations in the liquid surface 4 can be reduced, and depending on the shape and material of the supply tank, it becomes easier to control the pressure inside the supply tank 9, the outflow rate of the supply liquid 7, and the outflow velocity. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0043] 1,101 Liquid level control device 2. Treatment tank 3. Treatment solution 4 Liquid level 40 Liquid level monitoring device 41 Upper limit position 42 Lower limit position 5 containers 51 Bottom 52 Opening 6 Liquid feeder 7 Feed liquid 71 Supply liquid level 8 liquid supply ports 9. Supply Tank 110,210,310 Occlusion 111 Top surface 112 Bottom surface 120,220,320 Occlusion support part 121 Support mounting part 321 Slit 500,510 Container guide member

Claims

1. A processing tank for holding the processing liquid, A container is positioned to float and sink in the processing liquid held within the processing tank, A liquid supply machine that supplies liquid into the container, It has, By supplying the supply liquid from the liquid supply device into the container, the container is immersed in the processing liquid to adjust the liquid level of the processing liquid in the processing tank. A liquid level control device characterized by the following features.

2. The liquid level control device according to claim 1, characterized in that when the liquid level falls below a predetermined position, the supply of the supply liquid into the container is started so that the container is immersed in the processing liquid, and as a result the liquid level of the processing liquid is adjusted to return to a predetermined position.

3. A liquid supply port for supplying the supply liquid to the container provided in the liquid supply device, A blocking member for closing the liquid supply port, Equipped with, When the liquid level is at the predetermined position, the liquid supply port is blocked by the blocking member. The liquid level control device according to claim 2, characterized in that when the liquid level is lower than the predetermined position, the liquid supply port and the blocking member separate, thereby supplying the supply liquid to the container.

4. The liquid level control device according to claim 3, characterized in that the blocking member is the bottom surface of the container.

5. The liquid level control device according to claim 3, characterized in that the blocking member is a member disposed between the container and the liquid supply port.

6. The liquid level control device according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that when the liquid level reaches the predetermined position due to the container being immersed in the processing liquid, the liquid supply port is closed by the blocking member and the supply of the supply liquid is stopped.

7. The liquid level control device according to claim 3, characterized in that the supply of the supply liquid is stopped when the supply liquid level of the supply liquid supplied to the container reaches the liquid supply port.

8. The liquid level management device according to claim 1, further comprising a container support member for supporting the container, wherein the container support member restricts the in-plane movement of the liquid surface of the container and supports it so as to be movable in a direction perpendicular to the liquid surface.

9. The liquid level control device according to claim 1, comprising at least two of the aforementioned containers and liquid supply ports, wherein the supply liquid is supplied to each of the aforementioned containers by at least one of the liquid supply ports.

10. In a method for managing the liquid level of the treatment liquid in a treatment tank, A liquid level management method characterized by supplying a supply liquid to a container installed in the processing tank when the liquid level of the processing liquid falls below a predetermined position, and adjusting the liquid level by immersing the container in the processing liquid.

11. The liquid level control device according to claim 10, characterized in that when the liquid level reaches the predetermined position by immersing the container in the processing liquid, the supply of the supply liquid is stopped.

12. The liquid level management method according to claim 10, characterized in that the supply of the supply liquid is stopped when the supply liquid level of the supply liquid supplied to the container reaches the liquid supply port of the supply liquid.

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