Measuring instrument and processing apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10809105-B2
Application number	US-201816025024-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 2, 2018
Priority date	Jul 5, 2017
Publication date	Oct 20, 2020
Grant date	Oct 20, 2020

Abstract

A measuring instrument disposed on a pipe through which a liquid flows includes two ultrasonic vibrators disposed on an upstream side and a downstream side of the pipe, and an ultrasonic conductor disposed between the ultrasonic vibrators and held in contact with the liquid. The measuring instrument derives the temperature of the liquid in contact with the ultrasonic conductor by generating ultrasonic waves from one of the ultrasonic vibrators and observing the ultrasonic waves propagated through the ultrasonic conductor with the other of the ultrasonic vibrators.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A measuring instrument adapted to be disposed on a pipe through which a liquid flows, comprising:
two ultrasonic vibrators disposed on an upstream side and a downstream side of the pipe;
an ultrasonic conductor disposed between the two ultrasonic vibrators and held in contact with the liquid; and
a controller electrically connected to the two ultrasonic vibrators,
wherein the controller includes
a first relationship register registering therein a relationship between propagation speeds of ultrasonic waves in the ultrasonic conductor and temperatures of the ultrasonic conductor,
an ultrasonic wave propagation time calculator,
a first ultrasonic wave propagation speed calculator, and
a temperature calculator,

the ultrasonic wave propagation time calculator calculates a propagation time of ultrasonic waves propagated in the ultrasonic conductor as a first propagation time from waveform information that is obtained when the ultrasonic waves are generated by one of the two ultrasonic vibrators, propagated through the ultrasonic conductor, and observed by the other of the two ultrasonic vibrators,
the first ultrasonic wave propagation speed calculator calculates a propagation speed of the ultrasonic waves in the ultrasonic conductor, using the first propagation time and a length of a propagation path for the ultrasonic waves, and
the temperature calculator derives a temperature of the liquid held in contact with the ultrasonic conductor by calculating the temperature of the ultrasonic conductor from the calculated propagation speed of the ultrasonic waves in the ultrasonic conductor and the relationship registered in the first relationship register.

2. The measuring instrument according to claim 1 ,
wherein the controller further includes
a second relationship register registering therein a relationship between temperatures of the liquid, propagation speeds of ultrasonic waves in the liquid, and concentrations of a substance dissolved in or mixed with the liquid,
a second ultrasonic wave propagation speed calculator, and
a concentration calculator,

the ultrasonic wave propagation time calculator calculates the first propagation time and calculates a propagation time of ultrasonic waves as a second propagation time when the ultrasonic waves are generated by the one of the two ultrasonic vibrators, propagated through the liquid, and observed by the other of the two ultrasonic vibrators,
the ultrasonic wave propagation time calculator calculates a propagation time of ultrasonic waves propagated in the liquid as a third propagation time from waveform information that is obtained when the ultrasonic waves are generated by the other of the two ultrasonic vibrators, propagated through the liquid, and observed by the one of the two ultrasonic vibrators,
the second ultrasonic wave propagation speed calculator calculates a propagation speed of the ultrasonic waves in the liquid from the second propagation time, the third propagation time, and a distance between the two ultrasonic vibrators, and
the concentration calculator calculates the concentration of the substance in the liquid from the temperature of the liquid calculated by the temperature calculator, the propagation speed of the ultrasonic waves in the liquid calculated by the second ultrasonic wave propagation speed calculator, and the relationship registered in the second relationship register.

3. The measuring instrument according to claim 2 ,
wherein the controller further includes
a flow speed calculator, and
a flow rate calculator,

the flow speed calculator calculates a flow speed of the liquid in the pipe, using the second propagation time, the third propagation time, and the distance between the two ultrasonic vibrators, and
the flow rate calculator calculates a flow rate of the liquid from the flow speed of the liquid in the pipe calculated by the flow speed calculator and a cross-sectional area of the pipe.

4. The measuring instrument according to claim 1 ,
wherein the ultrasonic conductor is an annular member that makes up an inner wall of the pipe between the two ultrasonic vibrators, and
the annular member is covered in a cover member that restrains transfer of heat from an external atmosphere in which the pipe is disposed.

5. The measuring instrument according to claim 1 ,
wherein the ultrasonic conductor is an elongate member extending in the pipe between the two ultrasonic vibrators, and
the ultrasonic conductor is disposed such that a surface thereof is held in contact with the liquid.

6. A processing apparatus comprising:
a measuring instrument disposed on a pipe through which a liquid flows;
a chuck table; and
a processing tool,
wherein the measuring instrument includes
two ultrasonic vibrators disposed on an upstream side and a downstream side of the pipe,
an ultrasonic conductor disposed between the two ultrasonic vibrators and held in contact with the liquid, and
a controller electrically connected to the two ultrasonic vibrators;

the controller includes
a first relationship register registering therein a relationship between propagation speeds of ultrasonic waves in the ultrasonic conductor and temperatures of the ultrasonic conductor,
an ultrasonic wave propagation time calculator,
a first ultrasonic wave propagation speed calculator, and
a temperature calculator,

the ultrasonic wave propagation time calculator calculates a propagation time of ultrasonic waves propagated in the ultrasonic conductor as a first propagation time from waveform information that is obtained when the ultrasonic waves are generated by one of the two ultrasonic vibrators, propagated through the ultrasonic conductor, and observed by the other of the two ultrasonic vibrators,
the first ultrasonic wave propagation speed calculator calculates a propagation speed of the ultrasonic waves in the ultrasonic conductor, using the first propagation time and a length of a propagation path for the ultrasonic waves,
the temperature calculator derives a temperature of the liquid held in contact with the ultrasonic conductor by calculating the temperature of the ultrasonic conductor from the calculated propagation speed of the ultrasonic waves in the ultrasonic conductor and the relationship registered in the first relationship register, and
the processing tool processes a workpiece held on the chuck table while the liquid whose flow rate and concentration have been measured by the measuring instrument is being supplied to the workpiece.

Assignees

• Disco Corp

Inventors

• Sekiya Kazuma

Classifications

• B24D3/001 Primary

  the constituent being used as supporting member · CPC title

• G01F1/668

  Compensating or correcting for variations in velocity of sound · CPC title

• G01N2291/02836

  Flow rate, liquid level · CPC title

• G01F1/66 Primary

  by measuring frequency, phase shift or propagation time of electromagnetic or other waves, e.g. using ultrasonic flowmeters · CPC title

• B24B1/00

  Processes of grinding or polishing; Use of auxiliary equipment in connection with such processes · CPC title