Capacitance Sensor for Chemical Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional photolithography processes for manufacturing liquid crystal display devices are costly and time-consuming due to the use of expensive masks, and alternative methods like inkjet printing lack efficient chemical storage and dispensing solutions for precise chemical application.
Innovation Solution
A chemical storage apparatus with a reservoir, fixing members, and a capacitance-type liquid level sensor, along with a chemical dispensing apparatus featuring a chuck, nozzle, and supply line, allows for easy sensor replacement and precise chemical dispensing using a one-touch coupling system, preventing errors and ensuring accurate liquid level measurement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a conventional photolithography process is used to form thin films, then manufacturing precision is improved, but manufacturing cost and process time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional photolithography process (which uses expensive masks and complex mechanical alignment systems) with an inkjet printing system that directly deposits chemical materials onto the substrate. This substitution eliminates the need for mask fabrication, alignment, and etching processes, thereby reducing manufacturing cost and process time while maintaining the ability to form precise thin film patterns through controlled material deposition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and eliminates the expensive mask component from the photolithography process by using direct inkjet deposition. Instead of using a mask to define patterns indirectly through light exposure, the system directly applies material only where needed, removing the mask fabrication and handling steps that contribute to cost and time.
2Productivity
If an inkjet printing method is used to form thin films, then manufacturing cost and process time are reduced, but chemical storage and dispensing precision is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a sensor system that provides real-time feedback on chemical material levels and properties to the inkjet printing system. This feedback mechanism allows the system to adjust chemical dispensing parameters dynamically, ensuring precise material application while maintaining the cost and time advantages of inkjet printing. The sensor enables continuous monitoring and optimization of chemical delivery precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a chemical storage apparatus that can dynamically adjust chemical parameters (such as viscosity, concentration, or flow rate) based on real-time conditions. This parameter control capability ensures that the inkjet system receives chemically precise material for accurate thin film formation, resolving the precision insufficiency while maintaining the productivity benefits of inkjet printing.
3Reliability
If a sensor is permanently attached to the chemical storage apparatus, then measurement reliability is improved, but ease of repair and replacement is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the sensor system from the main chemical storage apparatus by providing a separate, detachable sensor holder or interface module. This segmentation allows the sensor to be easily removed and replaced without affecting the main apparatus structure, while maintaining reliable electrical and mechanical connections during operation. The modular design resolves the contradiction by enabling both secure attachment during use and easy replacement when needed.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables efficient and cost-effective chemical storage and dispensing, reducing manufacturing costs and time by allowing easy sensor replacement and precise chemical application, enhancing the inkjet printing process for liquid crystal display devices.
Implementation Method 1
the sensor may include a capacitance-type liquid level sensor that continuously measures the liquid level of the chemical stored in the reservoir
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a chemical storage apparatus including a reservoir including a chemical tank configured to store a chemical, a first fixing member disposed on an upper surface of the chemical tank, and a second fixing member disposed on a lower surface of the chemical tank, a sensor configured to measure a specific parameter of the chemical stored in the reservoir, a receptacle having a space in which the sensor is accommodated, and coupling members for attaching or detaching the receptacle to or from the first fixing member and the second fixing member, respectively.