Fluid control apparatus, fluid control system, fluid control method, and program recording medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11162176-B2
Application number	US-201816031952-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2018
Priority date	Jul 11, 2017
Publication date	Nov 2, 2021
Grant date	Nov 2, 2021

Abstract

Provided is a fluid control apparatus that without enhancing temporal control performance, every time, can stabilize a fluid flow rate achieved by, for example, pulse control, and eliminate fluid wasted at the time of supplying the fluid by including one flow path. A control mechanism includes a first feedback controller adapted to control a first valve on the basis of first pressure measured by a first pressure sensor. In addition, when a second valve is closed, the first pressure feedback controller controls the first valve so that the first pressure measured by the first pressure sensor reaches target burst pressure, and when and after the first pressure reaches the target burst pressure and the second valve is opened, the control mechanism is configured to control the first valve so that the flow rate of the fluid flowing through the flow path reaches a target constant flow rate.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fluid control apparatus comprising:
a fluid device module provided on an upper stream side than a second valve provided in a flow path; and
a control mechanism adapted to control at least a part of the fluid device module, wherein
the fluid device module comprises:
a fluid resistor provided on the upper stream side than the second valve;
a first pressure sensor provided on an upper stream side than the fluid resistor; and
a first valve provided on an upper stream side than the first pressure sensor,

the control mechanism comprises:
a first pressure feedback controller adapted to control the first valve on a basis of a first pressure measured by the first pressure sensor,
when the second valve is closed, the first pressure feedback controller controls the first valve so that the first pressure measured by the first pressure sensor reaches a target burst pressure,
when and after the first pressure reaches the target burst pressure and the second valve is opened, the control mechanism is configured to control the first valve so that a flow rate of fluid flowing through the flow path reaches a target constant flow rate, and
the target burst pressure is higher than a target maintenance pressure, the target maintenance pressure being a target value of a pressure of the fluid that is set depending on the target constant flow rate.

2. The fluid control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the fluid device module further comprises:
a second pressure sensor provided on a lower stream side than the fluid resistor and on the upper stream side than the second valve,

the control mechanism further comprises:
a flow rate calculator adapted to calculate the flow rate of the fluid flowing through the flow path on a basis of the first pressure measured by the first pressure sensor and second pressure measured by the second pressure sensor; and
a flow rate feedback controller adapted to control the first valve on a basis of a measured flow rate calculated by the flow rate calculator, and
when and after the first pressure reaches the target burst pressure and the second valve is opened, the flow rate feedback controller controls the first valve so that the measured flow rate reaches the target constant flow rate.

3. The fluid control apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the control mechanism further comprises:
a second pressure feedback controller adapted to, before the first pressure feedback controller controls the first valve, control the first valve on a basis of the second pressure measured by the second pressure sensor, and
when and after the first pressure reaches pressure higher than the target burst pressure, the first pressure feedback controller controls the first valve so that the first pressure reaches the target burst pressure.

4. The fluid control apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
when mass of the fluid flowing into a charge volume from the first valve to the second valve reaches target mass calculated on a basis of the target burst pressure, the mass being calculated on a basis of the first pressure and the second pressure, the first pressure feedback controller starts to control the first valve so that the first pressure reaches the target burst pressure.

5. The fluid control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
when and after the second valve is closed and the first pressure reaches the target burst pressure, the first pressure feedback controller controls the first valve so that the first pressure reaches the target maintenance pressure.

6. The fluid control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the control mechanism further comprises:
a second valve controller adapted to control the second valve, and
the second valve controller is configured to open the second valve when and after the first pressure feedback controller controls the first valve and thereby the first pressure reaches the target burst pressure.

7. A fluid control system comprising:
the fluid control apparatus according to claim 1 ; and
the second valve.

8. A fluid control method using a fluid control apparatus comprising: a fluid device module provided on an upper stream side than a second valve provided in a flow path; and a control mechanism adapted to control at least a part of the fluid device module, wherein the fluid device module comprises: a fluid resistor provided on the upper stream side than the second valve; a first pressure sensor provided on an upper stream side than the fluid resistor; and a first valve provided on an upper stream side than the first pressure sensor, the fluid control method comprising:
when the second valve is closed, controlling the first valve so that a first pressure measured by the first pressure sensor reaches a target burst pressure, and
when and after the first pressure reaches the target burst pressure and the second valve is opened, controlling the first valve so that a flow rate of fluid flowing through the flow path reaches a target constant flow rate, wherein
the target burst pressure is higher than a target maintenance pressure, the target maintenance pressure being a target value of a pressure of the fluid that is set depending on the target constant flow rate.

9. A non-transitory program recording medium recorded with a program used for a fluid control apparatus comprising: a fluid device module provided on an upper stream side than a second valve provided in a flow path; and a control mechanism adapted to control at least a part of the fluid device module, wherein the fluid device module comprises: a fluid resistor provided on the upper stream side than the second valve; a first pressure sensor provided on an upper stream side than the fluid resistor; and a first valve provided on an upper stream side than the first pressure sensor,
the program instructing a computer to fulfill a function as a first valve controller adapted to control the first valve, wherein
the first valve controller comprises a first pressure feedback controller adapted to control the first valve on a basis of a first pressure measured by the first pressure sensor,
when the second valve is closed, the first pressure feedback controller controls the first valve so that the first pressure measured by the first pressure sensor reaches a target burst pressure,
when and after the first pressure reaches the target burst pressure and the second valve is opened, the first valve controller controls the first valve so that a measured flow rate reaches a target constant flow rate, and
the target burst pressure is higher than a target maintenance pressure, the target maintenance pressure being a target value of a pressure of the fluid that is set depending on the target constant flow rate.

Assignees

• Horiba Stec Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yasuda Tadahiro
• Hoke Thomas

Classifications

• H10P95/00

  Generic processes or apparatus for manufacture or treatments not covered by the other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• C23C16/45557

  Pulsed pressure or control pressure · CPC title

• C23C16/52 Primary

  Controlling or regulating the coating process {(C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence)} · CPC title

• F16K31/046 Primary

  with electric means, e.g. electric switches, to control the motor or to control a clutch between the valve and the motor (F16K31/041 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C23C16/45544

  characterized by the apparatus · CPC title