Abstract: A liquid material filling device and method are provided which are intended to prevent air bubbles from remaining along an entire length of a flow passage extending from a liquid material reservoir (51) to a discharge port (53). The liquid material filling device includes a chamber (10) of an airtight structure, a pressure regulator (70) for regulating pressure in the chamber (10), and a control device (100). The liquid material is filled as follows. A negative pressure supply source (71) is communicated with a chamber communication pipe (90) and with a discharge device communication pipe (91) to reduce the pressure in the chamber (10) and pressure in an upper space of the reservoir (51) to a vacuum or a low pressure level close to a vacuum, and a resulted low-pressure state is maintained for a certain time to expel out air bubbles in the liquid material.

Abstract: A discharge device includes a plunger unit (20) provided with three or more plungers (31), a plunger drive unit (60), a valve unit (40) including three or more metering bores (42) into which the plungers (31) are inserted, discharge ports (53) and a liquid material supply path (45) that are communicable with the metering bores (42), the valve unit (40) selectively taking a first position at which the metering bores (42) are communicated with the liquid material supply path (45) and a second position at which the metering bores (42) are communicated with the discharge ports (53), a valve drive unit (70) for switching over the valve unit (40) between the first and second positions, wherein the plunger holder (31) is detachably attached to the plunger drive unit (60) such that the number of the discharge ports and an interval therebetween can be changed depending on uses.

Abstract: [Object] To provide a method and apparatus for discharging a liquid material, which can solve the problems regarding the occurrence of a satellite and accuracy of a landing position. [Solving Means] In a method for discharging a liquid material in the state of a liquid droplet through a discharge orifice by applying inertial force to the liquid material, the method is characterized in comprising the steps of measuring a distance A from a lower end of the discharge orifice to a lower end of the liquid material having flowed out from the discharge orifice at the time when the liquid material having flowed out from the discharge orifice separates from the discharge orifice, and setting a distance B between the lower end of the discharge orifice and a work surface to be approximately the same as the distance A. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also provided.

Abstract: A nozzle capable of removing a surplus liquid material, which is adhered to outer surfaces of the nozzle and which affects a discharge operation, without undergoing a special process, and a liquid material discharge device provided with the nozzle. The nozzle (1) includes a body (2) having a liquid inflow space, and a discharge tube (4) communicating with the liquid inflow space and extending downwards from the body (2). A liquid removing member (16) is disposed at a lower end of the body (2) in a state laterally surrounding the discharge tube (4), and the liquid removing member (16) includes a groove-like space (15) that is formed between adjacent to of plural surrounding surfaces (10), and that generates capillary force acting in a direction laterally away from the discharge tube (4).

Abstract: A liquid material is discharged in a flying mode at a high tact by moving a needle (12) at a high speed with a small-sized drive device. A liquid droplet discharge device includes a liquid chamber (51) that is communicated with a discharge opening (60), and that is supplied with the liquid material, a needle (12) having a tip that is advanced and retracted within the liquid chamber, a drive device (2) that operates the needle (12) to advance and retract, and a displacement magnifying mechanism (3), wherein liquid droplets are discharged in a flying mode from the discharge opening (60). Even number of drive devices are disposed in a left-right symmetric relation, and the displacement magnifying mechanism (3) includes an elastically deformable U-shaped member (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) having a bottom portion to which the needle (12) is coupled.

Abstract: A focus adjustment method and a device for the same are capable of realizing automatic focusing on a feature point of an arbitrary object selected from an image in which objects having various shapes are captured. The focus adjustment method includes a first step of obtaining a partial captured image in which a portion of the substrate is captured by the image capture device, and displaying the partial captured image in the image display region having a plurality of divided regions, a second step of causing the in-focus determination device to perform in-focus image determination for one divided region that is selected by a user through the input device, and a third step of displaying the captured image, which has been determined as the in-focus image, in the image display region.

Abstract: A liquid material discharge apparatus and a method which can easily adjust a movement speed of a plunger. An Example of liquid material discharge apparatus includes a liquid chamber (50) which communicates with a discharging port (11) and to which a liquid material is supplied; a plunger whose rear end portion has a piston (33) and whose front end portion moves forward and rearward inside the liquid chamber (50); an elastic body (47) which applies a biasing force to the plunger; and a pressurizing chamber (49) in which the piston (33) is arranged and to which compressed gas is supplied. The liquid material is discharged through the discharging port (11) by the plunger to move forward fast, the elastic body (47) biases the plunger in a rearward movement direction, and the compressed gas applies a driving force to the piston (33) to cause the plunger to move forward.

Abstract: A liquid material discharge apparatus and a method which can easily adjust a movement speed of a plunger. The liquid material discharge apparatus includes a liquid chamber (50) which communicates with a discharging port (11) and to which a liquid material is supplied; a plunger whose rear end portion has a piston (33) and whose front end portion moves forward and rearward inside the liquid chamber (50); an elastic body (47) which applies a biasing force to the plunger; and a pressurizing chamber (49) in which the piston (33) is arranged and to which compressed gas is supplied. The liquid material is discharged through the discharging port (11) by the plunger to move forward fast, the elastic body (47) biases the plunger in a rearward movement direction, and the compressed gas applies a driving force to the piston (33) to cause the plunger to move forward.

Abstract: A seal structure for a flow-path connection part is aligned easily. In a seal structure for a flow-path connection part including a pair of flanges arranged to face each other, the seal structure includes a gasket having protrusions provided symmetrically on front and back sides of the gasket at an outer periphery thereof or near the outer periphery, and flanges each having a receiving groove provided annularly in a connected surface thereof. The receiving groove is wider than the protrusion and it has an arc-shaped deepest portion against which a top portion of the protrusion abuts, and the top portion of the protrusion has a curved surface formed such that the curvature of the top portion is greater than or equal to the curvature of the deepest portion of the receiving groove. A liquid ejection device and a liquid storage container can include the seal structure.

Abstract: A liquid material discharge device (20) has a nozzle member (35) provided with a discharge opening (33) through which a liquid material is discharged, a switching valve (51) in communication with the nozzle member, and a discharge controller. The discharge device further includes a pressurization section (60) having a pressurization passage (62) through which the liquid material under pressurization is supplied to the switching valve, and a negative pressure section (70) including a shunt passage (72) where a pressure can be set to be relatively lower than that in the pressurization passage. The switching valve is changed over between a first position at which the discharge opening communicates with the pressurization passage and the discharge opening is cut off from the shunt passage, and a second position where the discharge opening is communicated with the shunt passage and the discharge opening is cut off from the pressurization passage.

Abstract: [Object] To provide a method and apparatus for discharging a liquid material, which can solve the problems regarding the occurrence of a satellite and accuracy of a landing position. [Solving Means] In a method for discharging a liquid material in the state of a liquid droplet through a discharge orifice by applying inertial force to the liquid material, the method is characterized in comprising the steps of measuring a distance A from a lower end of the discharge orifice to a lower end of the liquid material having flowed out from the discharge orifice at the time when the liquid material having flowed out from the discharge orifice separates from the discharge orifice, and setting a distance B between the lower end of the discharge orifice and a work surface to be approximately the same as the distance A. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also provided.

Abstract: The discharge device includes a nozzle unit, a storage unit for supplying a pressure transmission medium under regulated pressure to the nozzle unit side, a pressurization unit for supplying a pressurized gas under regulated pressure to the storage unit side, a pump mechanism, a branch unit for communicating the nozzle unit, the storage unit, and the pump mechanism with each other, a discharge valve for establishing or blocking communication between the branch unit and the nozzle unit, and a supply valve for establishing or blocking communication between the branch unit and the storage unit. In a state of the discharge valve being closed and the supply valve being opened, the pressurized gas under pressure regulated by the pressurization unit is supplied to the storage unit side and the pressure transmission medium in liquid phase under pressure regulated by the storage unit is supplied to the supply valve side.

Abstract: [Object] To provide a method and apparatus for discharging a liquid material, which can solve the problems regarding the occurrence of a satellite and accuracy of a landing position. [Solving Means] In a method for discharging a liquid material in the state of a liquid droplet through a discharge orifice by applying inertial force to the liquid material, the method is characterized in comprising the steps of measuring a distance A from a lower end of the discharge orifice to a lower end of the liquid material having flowed out from the discharge orifice at the time when the liquid material having flowed out from the discharge orifice separates from the discharge orifice, and setting a distance B between the lower end of the discharge orifice and a work surface to be approximately the same as the distance A. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also provided.

Abstract: Provided is an ejection amount correction method and an applying apparatus, which can correctly measure the amount of an applied droplet and accurately correct the ejection amount. In an ejection amount correction method for measuring the amount of a liquid material ejected from a nozzle and correcting the ejection amount of the liquid material, a mirror is set near an application target surface at a predetermined angle with respect to the application target surface, an image of a droplet formed on the application target surface is picked up from a side through the mirror, the volume of the droplet is calculated based on the picked-up image of the droplet, and the ejection amount is corrected based on the calculated volume. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also provided.

Abstract: A liquid dispensing apparatus (1) includes a liquid contact member (2) that has measuring bores (11, 11). A first piston (3) slides in the first measuring bore (11) and a second piston (3) sliding in the second measuring bore (11). A supply channel (5) communicates with a storage unit (17). An ejection channel (6) communicates with a nozzle (18). A switching valve (4) is disposed in a space in the liquid contact member (2), and that has a first position and a second position. A valve driving mechanism (8) operates the switching valve (4). A piston driving mechanism (9) operates an arm (19) connected to the first and second pistons. The first and second measuring bores are arranged to oppose to each other on both sides of the switching valve (4), and the supply channel (5) and the ejection channel (6) are arranged adjacent to the switching valve.

Abstract: The present invention provides a plunger (20) for a dispenser, the plunger including a large diameter body portion (23) provided with ring-shaped contact surfaces (24, 25) that contact an inner wall surface of a syringe, a rear opening (26) formed in a backside of the large diameter body portion (23), and a small diameter body portion (22) provided with a front opening (28), wherein the front opening (28) is formed in a size allowing a liquid material to be directly pressed by pressurized air, and allowing at least the plunger (20) to move following a fall in water head position, which is caused with discharge and consumption of the liquid material. With those features, the liquid material can be prevented from adhering to the inner wall surface of the syringe, and the liquid material in the syringe can be prevented from flowing backwards.

Abstract: A cleaning device for cleaning a liquid contact part of a discharge device, the liquid contact part including an operating space in which a rod-like member is operated, and a supply flow path, the cleaning device including a compressed gas source, a cleaning fluid supply tank, a plurality of supply mechanisms that supply compressed gas and a cleaning fluid, a cleaning fluid collection tank, a liquid contact part fixing jig to which the plural supply mechanisms and the cleaning fluid collection tank are fluidly connected, and which accommodates the liquid contact part of the discharge device, and a control device, wherein the cleaning fluid is supplied to the liquid contact part fixing jig in accordance with pressure values, which are specified separately for the plural supply mechanisms, by the control device. The liquid contact part can be cleaned with a uniform flow without disassembling the liquid contact part.

Abstract: Disclosed is a nozzle rotation mechanism that is small in size, has a simple structure, and can accurately adjust the rotational direction of a nozzle tip. Also disclosed is a coating device provided with the aforementioned nozzle rotation mechanism. The nozzle rotation mechanism is provided with: a nozzle having a discharge outlet from which a liquid material is discharged; a nozzle unit having a channel that connects the nozzle and a liquid material supply source; a base member; and a rotation device that is provided on the base member and rotates the nozzle unit. The nozzle is disposed in the nozzle unit such that the centerline of the discharge outlet of the nozzle forms an angle with the rotational centerline of the nozzle unit, and the nozzle unit is removably mounted to the rotation device.

Abstract: The present invention provides a discharge mechanism has a drive unit that moves a rod reciprocally, and a discharge unit including a liquid chamber allowing the rod to pass therein and a valve seat communicated with a nozzle, the nozzle discharging a liquid mixed with solid particles with an operation of moving the valve seat and a tip of the rod relatively away from each other. The discharge unit includes an inflow path through which the liquid mixed with the solid particles flows into the liquid chamber, and an outflow path through which the liquid mixed with the solid particles in the liquid chamber flows out. The inflow path and the outflow path are connected in a V-shape, the liquid chamber is disposed in a valley portion of the V-shape, and the valve seat is disposed at a lower end of the V-shape.

Abstract: Provided is a full-automatic working apparatus which has a work-object conveying mechanism and can be used on a desk. The desktop working apparatus works a work-object as desired by moving relatively the work-object and a working head.