# US 2019/0168241 A1 · Liquid discharge apparatus, imprint apparatus, and method

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- Number: US 2019/0168241 A1
- Document ID: US20190168241A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/203,941
- Filed: 2018-11-29
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-12-04
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Tsuyoshi Arai
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168241A1

## CPC

- B05B 1/28: with integral means for shielding the discharged liquid or other fluent material, e.g. to limit area of spray; with integral means for catching drips or collecting surplus liquid or other fluent material
- B05B 1/323: {the valve member being actuated by the pressure of the fluid to be sprayed (single unit outlet valves actuated by the pressure of the fluid to be sprayed B05B11/0062)}
- B05B 15/40: Filters located upstream of the spraying outlets
- B05B 15/50: Arrangements for cleaning; Arrangements for preventing deposits, drying-out or blockage; Arrangements for detecting improper discharge caused by the presence of foreign matter
- G03F 7/0002: {Lithographic processes using patterning methods other than those involving the exposure to radiation, e.g. by stamping}
- G03F 7/2002: {with visible light or UV light, through an original having an opaque pattern on a transparent support, e.g. film printing, projection printing; by reflection of visible or UV light from an original such as a printed image}
- G03F 7/16: Coating processes; Apparatus therefor (applying coatings to base materials in general B05; applying photosensitive compositions to base for photographic purposes G03C1/74)
- B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D)
- G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G)

## Abstract

A liquid discharge apparatus includes: a discharge head including a discharge portion configured to discharge a liquid; a cap configured to cap the discharge portion; a suction unit configured to suck an interior of the cap through a first fluid passage communicating with the interior of the cap in a state in which the cap caps the discharge portion; an open/close unit configured to open/close a second fluid passage communicating with the interior of the cap, the open/close unit being set in an open state when a negative pressure state of the interior of the cap, which is generated by suction by the suction unit, is canceled; and a filter arranged in the second fluid passage.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:
a discharge head including a discharge portion configured to discharge a liquid;
a cap configured to cap the discharge portion;
a suction unit configured to suck an interior of the cap through a first fluid passage communicating with the interior of the cap in a state in which the cap caps the discharge portion;
an open/close unit configured to open/close a second fluid passage communicating with the interior of the cap, the open/close unit being set in an open state when a negative pressure state of the interior of the cap, which is generated by suction by the suction unit, is canceled; and
a filter arranged in the second fluid passage.

### Claim 2

A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:
a discharge head including a discharge portion configured to discharge a liquid;
a cap configured to cap the discharge portion;
a suction unit configured to suck an interior of the cap through a first fluid passage communicating with the interior of the cap in a state in which the cap caps the discharge portion; and
an open/close unit configured to open/close a second fluid passage communicating with the interior of the cap, the open/close unit being set in an open state when a negative pressure state of the interior of the cap, which is generated by suction by the suction unit, is canceled,
wherein the cap includes a bottom portion of the interior, which is formed to face the discharge portion,
the second fluid passage includes an outlet passage portion formed in the cap and open to the interior of the cap, and
a passage direction of the outlet passage portion is directed closer to the bottom portion than the discharge portion.

### Claim 3

A liquid discharge apparatus comprising:
a discharge head including a discharge portion configured to discharge a liquid;
a cap configured to cap the discharge portion;
a suction unit configured to suck an interior of the cap through a first fluid passage communicating with the interior of the cap in a state in which the cap caps the discharge portion;
an open/close unit configured to open/close a second fluid passage communicating with the interior of the cap, the open/close unit being set in an open state when a negative pressure state of the interior of the cap, which is generated by suction by the suction unit, is canceled; and
a restricting member arranged in the interior of the cap and configured to restrict generation of a fluid flow from the second fluid passage to the discharge portion.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the filter is arranged closer to the cap than the open/close unit.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the filter captures a foreign matter whose particle size is not less than 10 nm.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein
the cap includes a bottom wall portion configured to form the bottom portion, a side wall portion configured to form a side portion of the interior, and an opening portion surrounding the discharge portion,
the second fluid passage includes a midway portion connected to the outlet passage portion, the outlet passage portion and the midway portion are formed in the side wall portion,
one end of the outlet passage portion is open to the side portion of the interior, and the other end is connected to the midway portion, and
the outlet passage portion and the midway portion form a bent passage.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the midway portion extends from a side of the bottom wall portion to a side of the opening portion, and
the outlet passage portion extends obliquely from an end portion on a side of the opening portion of the midway portion toward the bottom portion of the interior.

### Claim 8 (depends on 3)

The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein
the second fluid passage includes an outlet passage portion formed in the cap and open to the interior of the cap,
the cap includes a bottom portion of the interior which is formed to face the discharge portion, and
the restricting member includes a guide surface formed closer to a side of the bottom portion than the discharge portion and configured to guide a fluid flowing from the second fluid passage to the interior toward the bottom portion.

### Claim 9 (depends on 3)

The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the restricting member includes a groove facing the discharge portion and configured to receive a fluid discharged from the discharge portion.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a flow velocity reducing portion arranged in the second fluid passage and configured to reduce a flow velocity of a fluid flowing through the second fluid passage.

### Claim 11 (depends on 2)

The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a flow velocity reducing portion arranged in the second fluid passage and configured to reduce a flow velocity of a fluid flowing through the second fluid passage.

### Claim 12 (depends on 3)

The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a flow velocity reducing portion arranged in the second fluid passage and configured to reduce a flow velocity of a fluid flowing through the second fluid passage.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the flow velocity reducing portion comprises a throttle.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the flow velocity reducing portion is an enlarged sectional-area portion at an opening end of the second fluid passage.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the flow velocity reducing portion is formed by a porous member through which a fluid flowing through the second fluid passage passes.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the flow velocity reducing portion comprises a throttle.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the flow velocity reducing portion is an enlarged sectional-area portion at an opening end of the second fluid passage.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the flow velocity reducing portion is formed by a porous member through which a fluid flowing through the second fluid passage passes.

### Claim 19 (depends on 12)

The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the flow velocity reducing portion comprises a throttle.

### Claim 20 (depends on 12)

The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the flow velocity reducing portion is an enlarged sectional-area portion at an opening end of the second fluid passage.

### Claim 21 (depends on 12)

The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the flow velocity reducing portion is formed by a porous member through which a fluid flowing through the second fluid passage passes.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein if the open/close unit is in the open state, the interior of the cap communicates with outer air through the second fluid passage.

### Claim 23 (depends on 2)

The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein if the open/close unit is in the open state, the interior of the cap communicates with outer air through the second fluid passage.

### Claim 24 (depends on 3)

The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein if the open/close unit is in the open state, the interior of the cap communicates with outer air through the second fluid passage.

### Claim 25

An imprint apparatus comprising a liquid discharge apparatus for discharging a resin onto a substrate, the liquid discharge apparatus including:
a discharge head including a discharge portion configured to discharge a liquid;
a cap configured to cap the discharge portion;
a suction unit configured to suck an interior of the cap through a first fluid passage communicating with the interior of the cap in a state in which the cap caps the discharge portion;
an open/close unit configured to open/close a second fluid passage communicating with the interior of the cap, the open/close unit being set in an open state when a negative pressure state of the interior of the cap, which is generated by suction by the suction unit, is canceled; and
a filter arranged in the second fluid passage.

### Claim 26

An imprint apparatus comprising a liquid discharge apparatus for discharging a resin onto a substrate, the liquid discharge apparatus including:
a discharge head including a discharge portion configured to discharge a liquid;
a cap configured to cap the discharge portion;
a suction unit configured to suck an interior of the cap through a first fluid passage communicating with the interior of the cap in a state in which the cap caps the discharge portion; and
an open/close unit configured to open/close a second fluid passage communicating with the interior of the cap, the open/close unit being set in an open state when a negative pressure state of the interior of the cap, which is generated by suction by the suction unit, is canceled,
wherein the cap includes a bottom portion of the interior, which is formed to face the discharge portion,
the second fluid passage includes an outlet passage portion formed in the cap and open to the interior of the cap, and
a passage direction of the outlet passage portion is directed closer to the bottom portion than the discharge portion.

### Claim 27

An imprint apparatus comprising a liquid discharge apparatus for discharging a resin onto a substrate, the liquid discharge apparatus including:
a discharge head including a discharge portion configured to discharge a liquid;
a cap configured to cap the discharge portion;
a suction unit configured to suck an interior of the cap through a first fluid passage communicating with the interior of the cap in a state in which the cap caps the discharge portion;
an open/close unit configured to open/close a second fluid passage communicating with the interior of the cap, the open/close unit being set in an open state when a negative pressure state of the interior of the cap, which is generated by suction by the suction unit, is canceled; and
a restricting member arranged in the interior of the cap and configured to restrict generation of a fluid flow from the second fluid passage to the discharge portion.

### Claim 28

A method comprising:
performing imprint by an imprint apparatus including a liquid discharge apparatus configured to discharge a resin onto a substrate; and
processing the substrate having undergone the imprint,
the liquid discharge apparatus including
a discharge head including a discharge portion configured to discharge a liquid,
a cap configured to cap the discharge portion,
a suction unit configured to suck an interior of the cap through a first fluid passage communicating with the interior of the cap in a state in which the cap caps the discharge portion,
an open/close unit configured to open/close a second fluid passage communicating with the interior of the cap, the open/close unit being set in an open state when a negative pressure state of the interior of the cap, which is generated by suction by the suction unit, is canceled, and
a filter arranged in the second fluid passage.

### Claim 29

A method comprising:
performing imprint by an imprint apparatus including a liquid discharge apparatus configured to discharge a resin onto a substrate; and
processing the substrate having undergone the imprint,
the liquid discharge apparatus including
a discharge head including a discharge portion configured to discharge a liquid,
a cap configured to cap the discharge portion,
a suction unit configured to suck an interior of the cap through a first fluid passage communicating with the interior of the cap in a state in which the cap caps the discharge portion, and
an open/close unit configured to open/close a second fluid passage communicating with the interior of the cap, the open/close unit being set in an open state when a negative pressure state of the interior of the cap, which is generated by suction by the suction unit, is canceled,
wherein the cap includes a bottom portion of the interior, which is formed to face the discharge portion,
the second fluid passage includes an outlet passage portion formed in the cap and open to the interior of the cap, and
a passage direction of the outlet passage portion is directed closer to the bottom portion than the discharge portion.

### Claim 30

A method comprising:
performing imprint by an imprint apparatus including a liquid discharge apparatus configured to discharge a resin onto a substrate; and
processing the substrate having undergone the imprint,
the liquid discharge apparatus including
a discharge head including a discharge portion configured to discharge a liquid,
a cap configured to cap the discharge portion;
a suction unit configured to suck an interior of the cap through a first fluid passage communicating with the interior of the cap in a state in which the cap caps the discharge portion,
an open/close unit configured to open/close a second fluid passage communicating with the interior of the cap, the open/close unit being set in an open state when a negative pressure state of the interior of the cap, which is generated by suction by the suction unit, is canceled, and
a restricting member arranged in the interior of the cap and configured to restrict generation of a fluid flow from the second fluid passage to the discharge portion.