Patent ID: 6015066
Filing Date: 2000-01-18
Classification: G03F,Y10T

Abstract:
A liquid supply device for supplying a liquid to a plurality of apparatuses which include a first apparatus and a second apparatus, and each of which has at least one liquid-applying member for applying the liquid to an associated one of a plurality of substrates to process the substrates, comprising:at least one tank for containing the liquid;a supply passage for supplying the liquid from said tank to the apparatuses;branch passages communicating with said supply passage, for supplying the liquid to each of the liquid-applying members;valves provided on said branch passages, respectively, for opening and closing said branch passages;control means for controlling the valves such that when one of the valves is opened, the others are closed, in a case where the liquid-applying member of one apparatus is applying the liquid to the substrate, the liquid-applying members of the other apparatuses cannot apply the liquid, and there is a time period in which the liquid is not applied, between a time at which the liquid-applying member of said first apparatus applies the liquid and a time at which the liquid-applying member of said second apparatus applies the liquid; andmeans for setting an upper-limit level and a lower-limit level of the liquid stored in the tank so that the liquid is replenished to a level between the upper-limit level and the lower-limit level while the liquid-applying members of said apparatuses remain to apply the liquid to the substrates.