CN111605130B

CN111605130B - Resin molding apparatus and method for manufacturing resin molded product

Info

Publication number: CN111605130B
Application number: CN201911360096.1A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 後藤智行; 花崎昌則; 花坂周邦
Original assignee: Towa Corp
Current assignee: Towa Corp
Priority date: 2019-02-22
Filing date: 2019-12-25
Publication date: 2022-03-04
Anticipated expiration: 2039-12-25
Also published as: JP7193376B2; TWI724695B; KR102313005B1; KR20200102921A; CN111605130A; JP2020131640A; TW202031451A

Abstract

Provided is a resin molding device capable of automatically and accurately controlling the discharge amount of a liquid resin. A resin forming apparatus, characterized by comprising: a resin discharge mechanism, a flow sensor, a resin molding mechanism, and a control unit; the resin discharge mechanism includes a plunger and a resin containing portion capable of containing liquid resin, and has a discharge port for discharging the liquid resin; a resin discharge mechanism for discharging the liquid resin contained in the resin containing part from the discharge port by moving the plunger; the flow sensor is mounted on the resin discharge mechanism; the flow sensor measures the flow of the liquid resin; a resin forming mechanism for performing resin forming by using the liquid resin discharged from the resin discharge mechanism; the control unit controls the movement of the plunger and controls the suck-back of the plunger based on the flow rate of the liquid resin measured by the flow rate sensor.

Description

Resin molding apparatus and method for manufacturing resin molded product

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a resin molding apparatus and a method for manufacturing a resin molded product

Background

In the case of liquid resin molding, it is necessary to suppress or prevent the amount of liquid resin from varying.

Therefore, patent document 1 discloses that the liquid break of the liquid resin 30 is improved by suck-back, and a predetermined amount of the liquid resin 30 is supplied to the cavity. Specifically, according to the drawings and the description of patent document 1, in the resin molding apparatus, by rotating servo motor 31, plunger 35 is advanced and retreated in syringe 28, and liquid resin 30 in syringe 28 is discharged into cavity 16. At this time, the resin pressure of the liquid resin 30 received via the plunger 35 is detected as a torque value applied to the servo motor 31 by using an encoder 39 provided in the servo motor 31, and suck back is performed based on the detected torque value. This improves the liquid break of liquid resin 30, and thus a predetermined amount of liquid resin 30 can be supplied to cavity 16.

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2017-100285

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

Patent document 1 controls the amount of liquid resin supplied to the cavity by suck-back, but cannot automatically set suck-back, and requires manual operation. Since the setting of the suck-back needs to be changed depending on the properties of the liquid resin, skill is required for manual setting, and variations may occur depending on the person.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a resin molding apparatus and a method of manufacturing a resin molded product, which can automatically set suck-back for controlling a discharge amount of liquid resin.

Means for solving the problems

In order to achieve the above object, a resin molding apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that,

comprises a resin discharge mechanism, a flow sensor, a resin forming mechanism and a control part,

the resin discharge mechanism includes a plunger and a resin containing portion capable of containing a liquid resin, and has a discharge port that discharges the liquid resin,

the resin discharge mechanism discharges the liquid resin contained in the resin containing portion from the discharge port by the movement of the plunger,

the flow sensor is attached to the resin discharge mechanism,

the flow sensor is used for measuring the flow of the liquid resin,

the resin molding mechanism performs resin molding using the liquid resin discharged from the resin discharge mechanism,

the control unit controls the movement of the plunger and controls the suck-back of the plunger based on the flow rate of the liquid resin measured by the flow rate sensor.

The method for producing a resin molded article of the present invention is characterized by comprising:

a resin discharge step of discharging the liquid resin from the resin discharge mechanism; a resin molding step of performing resin molding using the discharged liquid resin; in the resin discharge step, the flow rate of the liquid resin is measured by using a flow rate sensor attached to the resin discharge means, and the suck-back of the resin discharge means is controlled based on the measured flow rate.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

The present invention can provide a resin molding apparatus and a method of manufacturing a resin molded product, which can automatically set a suck-back for controlling a discharge amount of a liquid resin.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a sectional view schematically showing an example of the structure of a resin discharge mechanism, a flow sensor and a control unit in a resin molding apparatus according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing an example of the structure of a resin molding apparatus of the present invention including the resin discharge mechanism, the flow sensor, and the control portion of fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a schematic view showing an example of discharging resin by the resin discharge mechanism of fig. 1. Fig. 3(a) is a sectional view, and fig. 3(b) is a plan view.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a part of a modification of the resin discharge mechanism of fig. 1.

FIG. 5 is a graph showing an example of the discharge amount control of the liquid resin in the resin molding apparatus and the method of manufacturing the resin molded article according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing an example of control of the discharge amount of the liquid resin after the suck-back is manually set.

Detailed Description

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples. However, the present invention is not limited to the following description.

In the resin molding apparatus of the present invention, for example, after the movement of the plunger for discharging the liquid resin is stopped, the control unit may control the suck-back of the plunger so that the flow rate of the liquid resin approaches 0. In this case, for example, the resin molding apparatus of the present invention may be configured such that the back suction of the plunger can be performed at least 2 times.

In the resin molding apparatus of the present invention, for example, the flow sensor may be an ultrasonic flow sensor.

In the resin molding apparatus of the present invention, for example, the flow sensor may be provided between the discharge port side end portion of the resin containing portion and the discharge port.

In the resin molding apparatus of the present invention, the resin molding mechanism is not particularly limited, and may include a molding die, or may not include a member other than the molding die, for example. The molding die is not particularly limited, and may be a general molding die, for example, a molding die including an upper die and a lower die. In the present invention, the forming die is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a metal die, a ceramic die, or the like.

The method for producing a resin molded article of the present invention can be carried out, for example, using the resin molding apparatus of the present invention. More specifically, for example, in the resin discharging step, the liquid resin contained in the resin containing portion is discharged from the discharge port by the movement of the plunger, and the control portion can control the movement of the plunger and control the suck-back of the plunger based on the flow rate of the liquid resin measured by the flow rate sensor. In the resin molding step, the resin molding may be performed by the resin molding mechanism using the discharged liquid resin.

According to the present invention, for example, in a resin molding apparatus, the flow rate of liquid resin is measured by a flow rate sensor provided in the vicinity of a discharge port of a dispenser (resin discharge mechanism), and after the movement of a plunger for discharging the liquid resin is stopped, the movement of the plunger is feedback-controlled so that the flow rate approaches 0, whereby the suck-back of the dispenser can be automatically set. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the position of the flow rate sensor is not limited to the vicinity of the discharge port of the resin discharge mechanism, and may be any position. However, when the flow rate sensor is provided near the discharge port of the resin discharge mechanism, it is easy to measure the flow rate of the liquid resin more accurately. The term "the flow rate sensor" as used herein means, for example, a flow rate sensor provided at a position where the flow rate sensor can measure the flow rate of the liquid resin immediately before the resin is discharged from the discharge port. Specifically, for example, the flow sensor is disposed between the discharge port end of the resin container and the discharge port.

In the present invention, "flow sensor" is synonymous with "flow meter".

In the present invention, "suck-back" means moving a plunger in a direction opposite to the liquid resin discharge direction. Specifically, for example, when the liquid resin is discharged, the plunger is pushed in the inner direction of the resin container and is pulled out in the opposite direction, that is, the outer direction of the resin container when the back suction is performed.

In the present invention, "liquid" means, for example, having fluidity. The term "fluidity" may mean fluidity at any temperature, and may be, for example, fluidity at normal temperature or fluidity at an extremely high temperature. The "liquid" in the present invention may be, for example, a liquid at normal temperature and have fluidity, or a liquid at an extremely high temperature and have fluidity. In the present invention, the terms "fluidity" and "liquid state" do not consider the level of fluidity, in other words, the degree of viscosity. In the present invention, the "liquid resin" may be, for example, a resin that is liquid at normal temperature, or a resin that has fluidity when melted by heating (molten resin).

In the present invention, the resin material (resin for resin molding) is not particularly limited, and may be a thermosetting resin such as an epoxy resin or a silicone resin, or may be a thermoplastic resin. In addition, the resin composition may be a composite material containing a part of a thermosetting resin or a thermoplastic resin. The thermosetting resin is, for example, a liquid resin at normal temperature, and the viscosity decreases after heating, and after continuing heating, a polymerization reaction occurs to cure the thermosetting resin, thereby forming a cured resin.

In the present invention, "resin molding" is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, resin-molding a component such as a chip or may be resin-molding alone without resin-molding. Similarly, in the present invention, the "resin molded article" is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a resin molded article (a finished product or a semi-finished product) in which a component such as a chip is resin-encapsulated, or a finished product or a semi-finished product in which only resin molding is performed without resin encapsulation.

In the present invention, the "resin molding" may be, for example, resin molding of one or both surfaces of the object to be molded. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, only resin molding may be performed without using a molding object. For example, a component such as a chip fixed to one surface or both surfaces of the object to be molded may be resin-molded, or only one surface or both surfaces of the object to be molded may be resin-molded without resin-molding the component.

In the present invention, the method of "resin molding" is not particularly limited, and may be compression molding, transfer molding, extrusion molding, or the like, for example.

The "resin molding" in the present invention refers to, for example, a state in which a resin is cured (hardened) and the cured resin is molded. The hardness of the cured resin is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a degree to which the cured resin does not flow or a degree required for protecting a chip encapsulated with the resin, regardless of the hardness. In the present invention, the curing (hardening) of the resin is not limited to a state in which the resin is completely cured (hardened), and may be a state in which the resin can be further cured.

In general, "electronic component" refers to a chip before resin encapsulation and a state in which the chip is resin-encapsulated, and in the present invention, when only "electronic component" is referred to, unless otherwise specified, it refers to an electronic component in which the chip is resin-encapsulated (an electronic component as a finished product). The "chip" in the present invention includes passive element chips such as resistors, capacitors, and inductors, semiconductor chips such as diodes, transistors, Integrated Circuits (ICs), and semiconductor elements for power control, and chips such as sensors and filters. In the present invention, the resin-encapsulated component is not limited to a chip, and may be at least one of a chip, a wire, a bump (bump), an electrode, a wiring pattern, and the like, or may include a component other than a chip.

In the present invention, the "resin molded article" is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, an electronic component in which a chip is resin-encapsulated. The "resin molded product" in the present invention may be, for example, an intermediate product for manufacturing a single or a plurality of electronic components such as a semiconductor product and a circuit module. The "resin molded article" in the present invention is not limited to the electronic component in which the chip is resin-encapsulated and the intermediate product thereof, and may be a resin molded article other than the above.

Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. The drawings are schematically depicted with appropriate omission or exaggeration for ease of understanding. The same constituent elements are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[ example 1]

In this embodiment, an example of the resin molding apparatus of the present invention and an example of the method for producing a resin molded article of the present invention using the same will be described.

First, fig. 1 is a sectional view showing an example of the structure of a resin discharge mechanism, a flow sensor, and a control portion in a resin molding apparatus of the present invention. As shown in the drawing, the dispenser (resin discharge mechanism) 19 includes a syringe (resin containing portion) 28 and a plunger 35. The dispenser 19 further includes a feed mechanism 27 and a nozzle 29. The delivery mechanism 27, the syringe 28, and the nozzle 29 are integrally formed. By rotating the servo motor 31 provided in the delivery mechanism 27, the plunger 35 can be advanced and retracted inside the syringe 28 via the round head screw 32, the slider 33, and the rod 34. The interior of the syringe 28 can contain liquid resin. The nozzle 29 has a discharge port 41 at the tip thereof, and the liquid resin contained in the syringe 28 can be discharged from the discharge port 41. The flow sensor 100 is attached to the nozzle 29 in the vicinity of the discharge port 41, and can measure the flow rate of the liquid resin immediately before discharge. The position where the flow rate sensor 100 is attached may be, for example, any position from the end of the injector 28 on the side of the discharge port 41 (the end on the side where the nozzle 29 is attached) to the discharge port 41. More specifically, the position where the flow sensor 100 is installed may be, for example, a position where the flow rate of the liquid resin can be measured among arbitrary positions within the nozzle 29. The movement of the plunger 35 is controlled by the control unit 22, and the suck-back of the plunger 35 is controlled based on the flow rate of the liquid resin measured by the flow rate sensor 100. This enables automation of a preliminary suck-back setting, which is originally manually performed to control the discharge amount of the liquid resin. Therefore, by the present invention, for example, by automatically controlling the discharge motion and the suck-back motion, the dripping state of the liquid resin can be eliminated at an early stage. In addition, for example, the discharge amount of the liquid resin can be automatically and accurately controlled, and variation in the supply amount of the liquid resin can be suppressed or prevented.

The structure of the dispenser 19 of fig. 1 and its movement (method of use) are described in further detail below.

As shown, the dispenser 19 is integrated by connecting a dispensing mechanism 27, a syringe 28 and a nozzle 29. Accordingly, the syringe 28 or the nozzle 29 may be replaced with another syringe 28 or nozzle 29, respectively, depending on the use thereof.

The feeding mechanism 27 includes a servomotor 31, a round-head screw 32 rotated by the servomotor 31, a slider 33 attached to a nut (not shown) of the round-head screw to change a rotational motion into a linear motion, a rod 34 fixed to a distal end portion of the slider 33 and having an insertion hole therein, and a plunger 35 attached to a distal end portion of the rod 34. The round head screw 32 is supported by a round head screw bearing 36 and a vibration preventing member 37 attached to the tip of the round head screw 32. The slider 33 moves forward or backward in the Y direction along a guide rail 38, for example, and the guide rail 38 is attached to the base of the feeding mechanism 27. By the rotation of the servo motor 31, the plunger 35 is moved forward or backward in the Y direction by the round head screw 32, the slider 33, and the rod 34.

The servo motor 31 is a motor capable of controlling the rotation of the motor. The servo motor 31 has a rotation detector (encoder) 39 that monitors the rotation of the motor. The encoder 39 detects, for example, the rotation angle and the rotation speed of the servo motor 31 and feeds back the detected rotation angle and rotation speed to the control unit 22. The control unit 22 is provided with, for example, a plc (programmable Logic controller), a controller, an actuator, and the like. For example, the control unit 22 can control the rotation of the servo motor 31 based on a command signal of the PLC and a feedback signal from the encoder 39. For example, by controlling the rotation of the servo motor 31, the position control, the speed control, the torque control, and the like of the plunger 35 can be performed with high accuracy.

In the following description, the resin amount of the liquid resin 30 and the moving amount of the plunger 35 refer to a resin amount per unit time and a moving amount per unit time, unless otherwise specified. In order to maintain the amount of the liquid resin 30 fed out by the feed mechanism 27 at a constant resin amount for a predetermined time, it is necessary to maintain the moving amount of the plunger 35 constant for a predetermined time. In order to maintain the moving amount of plunger 35 constant for a predetermined time, plunger 35 is advanced at a constant moving speed V. This enables the liquid resin 30 to be stably fed out by a predetermined amount for a predetermined time.

The syringe 28 containing the liquid resin 30 is connected to the tip of the delivery mechanism 27 by a syringe mounting screw 40. The plunger 35 is inserted into the syringe 28 in such a manner that the outer diameter of the plunger 35 coincides with the inner diameter of the syringe 28. An O-ring (not shown) is attached as a seal around the plunger 35. The movement amount (stroke) of the plunger 35 is controlled by controlling the rotation of the servo motor 31. The resin amount of the liquid resin 30 discharged from the dispenser 19 is calculated from the product of the inner cross-sectional area of the syringe 28 and the amount of movement of the plunger 35.

As described above, the tip of the nozzle 29 is provided with the discharge port 41 for discharging the liquid resin 30. The direction of the discharge port 41 is set to any direction such as a direct downward direction, a direct side direction, and an obliquely downward direction. Further, the diameter and shape of the discharge port 41 can be optimally changed according to the viscosity of the liquid resin 30 so as not to cause dripping of the liquid resin 30.

Next, the operation of the dispenser 19 for discharging the liquid resin 30 will be described with reference to fig. 1. By rotating the servomotor 31, the round head screw 32 is rotated. By rotating the round-headed screw 32, the slider 33 mounted on the nut of the round-headed screw advances in the-Y direction along the guide rail 38. By advancing the slider 33, the rod 34 fixed to the slider 33 advances in the-Y direction together with the slider 33. In the syringe 28, the rod 34 is advanced in the-Y direction, so that the plunger 35 mounted to the tip of the rod 34 is advanced in the-Y direction. By advancing the plunger 35 in the-Y direction, the liquid resin 30 contained in the syringe 28 is pushed and the liquid resin 30 is pushed out in the-Y direction. The liquid resin 30 pushed out by the plunger 35 is discharged from a discharge port 41 provided at the tip of the nozzle 29.

As described above, the movement of the plunger 35 is controlled by the control unit 22. Further, the flow rate of the liquid resin 30 is measured by the flow rate sensor 100. Based on the measured flow rate, the controller 22 controls the suck-back of the plunger 35. As a result, as described above, the discharge amount of the liquid resin can be automatically and accurately controlled, and for example, variation in the supply amount of the liquid resin can be suppressed or prevented.

Depending on the viscosity of the liquid resin 30, the liquid resin 30 may remain as residual resin below the discharge port 41 of the nozzle 29 due to the surface tension of the liquid resin 30. In this case, even if the amount of the liquid resin 30 fed from the syringe 28 is controlled to be constant, it is not possible to discharge all the liquid resin 30 that should be discharged from the nozzle 29. In other words, a part of the liquid resin 30 remains as a residual resin. Therefore, a situation occurs in which all of the liquid resin 30 that is supposed to be discharged from the nozzle 29 cannot be discharged to the cavity 16 (see fig. 3, described later). In order to prevent this, it is necessary to discharge all the liquid resin 30 that is supposed to be discharged from the nozzle 29 without leaving any resin residue.

An example of the resin discharge mechanism and the method of controlling the discharge amount of the liquid resin by the control unit according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the graph of fig. 5. In the graphs of fig. 5(a) and (b), the horizontal axis represents elapsed time. The vertical axis of the graph of fig. 5(a) represents the moving speed of the plunger 35. When the moving speed is positive (greater than 0), this indicates that the plunger 35 is pushed into the syringe 28, i.e., moves in the direction in which the liquid resin 30 is discharged (pushed out). When the moving speed is negative (less than 0), this indicates that the plunger 35 is pulled out of the syringe 28, that is, moved in a direction opposite to the discharge direction of the liquid resin 30. In this way, the movement of the plunger 35 in the direction opposite to the discharge direction of the liquid resin 30 is referred to as "suck-back". The vertical axis of the graph of fig. 5(b) represents the flow rate of the liquid resin 30 measured by the flow rate sensor 100.

As shown in fig. 5(a), the pushing-in speed of the plunger 35 is kept constant for a constant time from the start to the end of pushing-in the plunger 35. Thus, as shown in fig. 5(b), the flow rate of the liquid resin 30 is gradually increased and then kept constant until the pushing-in of the plunger 35 is completed. Next, as shown in (1), suck-back is started immediately after pushing-in of the plunger 35 is completed. For example, the timing of starting the suck-back operation may be input to the control unit 22 in advance. Specifically, for example, the time required to discharge a predetermined amount of the liquid resin 30 is calculated from the viscosity of the liquid resin 30 and the like. Then, based on the calculated time, the timing of the end of pushing in the plunger 35 and the start of suck-back can be determined in advance and input to the control unit 22. By this suck-back, the flow rate of the liquid resin 30 is reduced to 0 as shown in (2). (1) The suck-back amount of (b) may be inputted to the control unit 22 in advance, and the control unit 22 may control the suck-back amount based on the flow rate of the liquid resin 30 measured by the flow rate sensor 100. As shown in (3), when the flow rate of the liquid resin 30 is 0, the moving speed of the plunger 35 is set to 0 (that is, the plunger 35 is stopped). At this time, as shown in (4), the flow rate of the liquid resin 30 may become negative (reverse flow) by suck-back. When the reverse flow continues to a predetermined flow rate or more, the plunger 35 moves again in the discharge direction of the liquid resin 35 as shown in (5). When the flow rate of the liquid resin 30 is 0 as shown in (6), the moving speed of the plunger 35 is set to 0 as shown in (7) (the movement of the plunger 35 is stopped). Repeating (4) to (7) makes the moving speed of the plunger 35 and the flow rate of the liquid resin 30 approach 0. Theoretically, 0 is preferable, but it is not always necessary to set 0, and the value is sufficiently small in a range where no problem occurs in practice. The movements (3) to (7) can be performed by the control unit 22 controlling the suck-back of the plunger 35 based on the flow rate of the liquid resin 30 measured by the flow rate sensor 100. In the present invention, the step of controlling the suck-back of the plunger, for example, as shown in fig. 5(b) (4) and fig. 5(a) (5), includes a step of pushing out the plunger to correct the suck-back excess.

Next, referring to the graph of fig. 6, an example of controlling the discharge amount of the liquid resin after the suck-back setting is manually performed is shown. In the graphs of fig. 6(a) and (b), the horizontal axis represents elapsed time. The vertical axis of the graph of fig. 6(a) is the same as that of fig. 5(a), and shows the moving speed of the plunger 35. In addition, the vertical axis of the graph of fig. 6(b) represents a load torque value (hereinafter, written as "torque value" only) that the liquid resin 35 transmits to the servo motor 31 by pushing the plunger 35. The example of fig. 6 shows changes in the moving speed and torque value of the plunger when the suck-back operation is manually set, and the suck-back operation is performed only once. In the suck-back setting of this example, test discharge was performed with respect to the discharge time, suck-back start timing, suck-back amount (plunger moving amount), suck-back speed (plunger moving speed), and the like while observing the discharge amount and discharge state, and the state of the liquid resin at the discharge port was visually determined. In practice, the test discharge was repeated several times.

As shown in fig. 6(a), the pushing-in speed of the plunger 35 is kept constant for a constant time from the start to the end of pushing-in the plunger 35. Thus, as shown in fig. 6(b), the flow rate of the liquid resin 30 is kept constant after gradually increasing until the pushing-in of the plunger 35 is completed. So far, the same as fig. 5.

In the example shown in fig. 6, as shown in fig. 6(a) and (b), suck-back is set in advance such that the torque value immediately after the plunger 35 is pushed in is large, and suck-back is performed every time the torque value decreases and approaches 0. Therefore, the liquid resin 30 is continuously discharged between the time when the plunger 35 is pushed in and the time when suck-back starts. Therefore, the discharge amount of the liquid resin 30 may be excessive. Thus, it is necessary to determine the timing of the end of pushing in the plunger 35 and the start of suck-back in consideration of the amount of the liquid resin 30 discharged between the time of the end of pushing in the plunger 35 and the start of suck-back. When the concentration of the liquid resin 30 changes depending on the type thereof, the timing of the end of pushing in the plunger 35 and the start of suck-back also changes. For these reasons, manual suck-back control must be skilled. Further, the time from the end of the pushing-in of the plunger 35 to the start of the suck-back is wasted, and the working efficiency of discharging the liquid resin may be lowered.

In this regard, according to the present invention, the control section may automatically control the suck-back. Therefore, as shown in fig. 5, for example, the suck-back is performed quickly, and the precise control is possible, and it is easy to suppress or prevent the problem of the excessive discharge amount of the liquid resin. In addition, the graph of fig. 5(b) shows an example of the resin flow rate at the time of manual control of suck-back with a broken line. By the present invention, it is easy to suppress or prevent the problem of excessive discharge of the liquid resin, as compared with the example of the present invention (solid line). Further, the manual suck-back setting performed in the liquid resin discharge amount control described with reference to fig. 6 is not necessary.

The graphs of fig. 5 and 6 are merely examples, and do not limit the present invention.

In the present invention, the flow rate sensor for measuring the flow rate of the liquid resin is not particularly limited, and for example, a well-known flow rate sensor or a conventional flow rate sensor can be used as appropriate. Examples of the flow sensor that can be used in the present invention include an ultrasonic flow sensor and a thermal flow sensor, and an ultrasonic flow sensor is preferable. Examples of the ultrasonic flow sensor usable in the present invention include clamp on flow sensors manufactured by Kernel corporation, and are commercially available under the trade names "FD-X" series (trade names FD-XS1, FD-XS8, FD-XS 20).

The flow rate of the fluid can be measured, for example, in the following manner using an ultrasonic flow sensor. That is, first, sensors are provided at two points upstream and downstream of the fluid flow path, respectively. Further, between the sensors at these two points, the ultrasonic velocity from upstream to downstream and the ultrasonic velocity from downstream to upstream can be measured. The ultrasonic wave from upstream to downstream is affected by the velocity of the fluid, and the ultrasonic velocity becomes fast. On the other hand, the ultrasonic wave from downstream to upstream is slowed down because it proceeds against the flow direction of the fluid. Therefore, by calculating the difference between the upstream-to-downstream ultrasonic velocity and the downstream-to-upstream ultrasonic velocity, the fluid flow velocity can be calculated based on the difference, and the flow rate of the fluid can be calculated. In the present invention, the liquid resin is used as the fluid, and the flow rate of the liquid resin can be measured (calculated).

According to the above measurement principle, in theory, the ultrasonic flow sensor can measure the flow rate of the fluid without being affected by the temperature and viscosity of the fluid. Therefore, compared to a thermal flow sensor, the use of an ultrasonic flow sensor is easy to suppress or prevent measurement errors of the flow rate due to the temperature and viscosity of the fluid. Further, if a clamp-type flow sensor that can be attached to the outside of the pipe is used, the flow sensor can be easily attached without cutting the pipe, the flow can be measured without contacting the liquid resin, and washing is not necessary.

Next, fig. 2 is a plan view showing an example of the structure of the resin molding apparatus of the present invention. In addition, fig. 3 is a sectional view showing an example of a structure of a molding die (resin molding mechanism) of the resin molding apparatus of fig. 2 and an example of a method of discharging (supplying) a liquid resin from the molding die.

As shown in fig. 2, the resin molding apparatus 1 includes a substrate supply/housing unit 2, 4

molding units

3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, and a supply unit 4 as components. The substrate supply/storage unit 2, the molding units 3A to 3D, and the supply unit 4, which are components, are detachable from and replaceable with respect to other components.

The substrate supply/housing module 2 is provided with a pre-package substrate supply unit 6 for supplying the pre-package substrate 5 and a packaged substrate housing unit 8 for housing the packaged substrate 7. The package front substrate 5 is mounted with, for example, a Light Emitting Diode (LED) chip as an optical element. The substrate supply/accommodation module 2 is provided with a loader 9 and an unloader 10, and a rail 11 for supporting the loader 9 and the unloader 10 is provided along the X direction. The loader 9 and the unloader 10 are movable in the X direction along rails 11.

The loader 9 and the unloader 10 supported by the rails 11 are movable in the X direction among the substrate supply/accommodation unit 2, the shaping

units

3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, and the supply unit 4. The loader 9 is provided with a moving mechanism 12 for supplying the pre-package substrate 5 to the upper mold of each of the

molding units

3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D. Within each forming assembly, the movement mechanism 12 moves in the Y direction. The unloader 10 is provided with a moving mechanism 13 for receiving the packaged substrate 7 from the upper mold in each of the

molding units

3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D. Within each forming assembly, the moving mechanism 13 is movable in the Y direction.

Each of the

molding units

3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D includes a lower mold 14 that can be moved up and down, and an upper mold (not shown, see fig. 3A) disposed to face the lower mold 14. The upper and lower dies 14 constitute a forming die. The molding die constituted by the upper die and the lower die 14 corresponds to the "resin molding mechanism" of the resin molding apparatus of the present invention. The upper and lower dies 14 may be part of a "resin molding mechanism", respectively. Each of the

molding units

3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D has a mold clamping mechanism 15 for clamping and opening the upper mold and the lower mold 14. A cavity 16, which is a space for containing and curing the liquid resin, is provided in the lower mold 14. The cavity 16 is a receiving portion for receiving liquid resin in the lower die 14. The mold surface of the cavity 16 is covered with a mold release film 17.

Supply unit 4 is provided with a resin supply mechanism 18 that supplies liquid resin to cavity 16. The resin supply mechanism 18 is supported by the rail 11 and is movable in the X direction along the rail 11. The resin supply mechanism 18 is provided with a dispenser 19 as a liquid resin discharge mechanism. In each of the

molding units

3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D, the dispenser 19 is movable in the Y direction by the moving mechanism 20, and discharges the liquid resin into the cavity 16. The dispenser 19 shown in fig. 1 is a one-pack type dispenser using a liquid resin in which a main agent and a curing agent are mixed in advance. As the main agent, for example, a silicone resin, an epoxy resin, or the like having thermosetting properties and light transmittance can be used.

The supply unit 4 is provided with a vacuum pumping mechanism 21. Immediately before the upper mold and the lower mold 14 are clamped in the

respective molding units

3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D, the vacuum-pumping mechanism 21 can forcibly suck air from the cavity 16 and discharge the air. The supply unit 4 is provided with a control unit 22 for controlling the overall operation of the resin molding apparatus 1. Fig. 2 shows a case where the vacuum-pumping mechanism 21 and the control unit 22 are provided in the supply unit 4. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the vacuum mechanism 21 and the control unit 22 may be provided in another component.

Next, referring to fig. 2 and 3, a mechanism for supplying the liquid resin 30 (see fig. 3) from the resin supply mechanism 18 to the cavity 16 provided in the lower mold 14 will be described. Fig. 3(a) is a sectional view, and fig. 3(b) is a plan view. The liquid resin 30 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a liquid resin that is liquid at normal temperature. For the liquid resin 30, for example, a molten resin obtained by melting a resin material that is solid at normal temperature may be used. The liquid resin and the molten resin are both one form of liquid resin. Liquid resins are one form of flowable materials.

As shown in fig. 3(a), each of the

molding units

3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D of fig. 2 includes an upper mold 23, a lower mold 14, and a film pressing member 24. The upper mold 23 and the lower mold 14 constitute a molding die (resin molding mechanism) as described above. Each of the

molding units

3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D includes a mold clamping mechanism 15 (see fig. 2) for clamping and opening the molding dies.

As shown in fig. 3(a), mold release film 17 covers the mold surface of cavity 16 and the mold surface around the mold surface. Film pressing member 24 is a member for pressing and fixing mold release film 17 against the mold surface of lower mold 14 around cavity 16. The film pressing member 24 has an opening in the center, and the molding die is located inside the opening. The front package substrate 5 on which the LED chip 25 and the like are mounted is fixed to the upper mold 23 by, for example, suction or clamping. Inside the cavity 16, a separate cavity 26 corresponding to each LED chip 25 is provided.

As shown in the figure, the release film 17 is supplied so as to cover the entire surface of the cavity 16. The release film 17 is heated by a heater (not shown) provided in the lower mold 14. The heated release film 17 is softened and elongated. Around cavity 16, softened release film 17 is pressed and fixed to the mold surface of lower mold 14 by film pressing member 24. The softened release film 17 is adsorbed so as to be along the die surface of each individual cavity 26. In addition, in fig. 3(a), a case where the film pressing member 24 is used is shown. The present invention is not limited to this, and the release film 17 and the film pressing member 24 may not be used.

As shown in fig. 1, the dispenser 19 has a feed mechanism 27 that feeds a predetermined amount of liquid resin 30, an injector 28 that stores (accommodates) the liquid resin 30, and a nozzle 29 that discharges the liquid resin 30. The dispenser 19 is integrally connected to a delivery mechanism 27, a syringe 28, and a nozzle 29. Therefore, the components (the delivery mechanism 27, the syringe 28, and the nozzle 29) can be attached to and detached from each other, and the component units can be replaced with the same type of different component units. For example, liquid resins 30 having different materials, different viscosities, and the like can be stored in advance in a plurality of syringes 28, and the required syringes 28 can be attached to the dispenser 19 and used depending on the product. Further, the syringes 28 having different capacities can be selected for use.

By replacing the nozzle 29, the direction of discharging the liquid resin 30 can be set to any direction such as a direct downward direction, a direct side direction, and an obliquely downward direction. The diameter of the discharge port of the nozzle 29 can be changed according to the viscosity of the liquid resin 30. Furthermore, a static mixer can be provided between the injector 28 and the nozzle 29. For example, even when a phosphor or the like is added as an additive to the liquid resin 30, the liquid resin 30 can be discharged in a uniform state without precipitation of the phosphor by stirring the liquid resin 30 with a static mixer.

The dispenser 19 is also movable in the up-down direction (Z direction). The dispenser 19 shown in fig. 3(a) and (b) can be reciprocated so as to be partially rotated about a certain point in a vertical plane (a plane including the Y axis and the Z axis) or a horizontal plane (a plane including the X axis and the Y axis). In this case, the distal end portion of the dispenser 19 reciprocates so as to draw a part of an arc.

Next, the operation of the resin molding apparatus 1 in the case of using the molding unit 3C will be described with reference to fig. 2 and 3. This method is an example of the method for producing a resin molded article of the present invention using the resin molding apparatus 1. First, for example, the front package substrate 5 on which the LED chip 25 is mounted is transferred from the front package substrate supply unit 6 to the loader 9 so that the surface on which the LED chip 25 is mounted faces downward. Next, the loader 9 is moved from the substrate supply/accommodation unit 2 to the shaping unit 3C along the rail 11 in the + X direction.

Next, in the molding unit 3C, the loader 9 is moved in the-Y direction to a predetermined position between the lower mold 14 and the upper mold 23 (see fig. 3 a) by the moving mechanism 12. The package front substrate 5 having the LED chip 25 mounted thereon facing downward is fixed to the lower surface of the upper mold 23 by suction or clamping. After the pre-package substrate 5 is placed on the lower surface of the upper mold, the loader 9 is moved to the original position of the substrate supply/housing unit 2.

Next, the dispenser 19 is moved in the-X direction from the standby position of the supply unit 4 to the forming unit 3C along the rail 11 by using the resin supply mechanism 18. Thereby, the resin supply mechanism 18 is moved to a predetermined position in the vicinity of the lower mold 14 of the molding unit 3C. The dispenser 19 is moved to a predetermined position above the lower mold 14 using the moving mechanism 20.

Next, as shown in fig. 3(a) and (b), the liquid resin 30 is discharged from the nozzles 29 of the dispenser 19. Specifically, the liquid resin 30 is discharged from the nozzle 29 of the distributor 19 toward the cavity 16 provided in the lower die 14. Thereby, liquid resin 30 is supplied to cavity 16.

Next, after the liquid resin 30 is supplied into the cavity 16, the dispenser 19 is moved backward to the resin supply mechanism 18 by the moving mechanism 20. The resin supply mechanism 18 is moved to the original standby position of the supply unit 4.

Next, in the molding unit 3C, the lower mold 14 is raised by using the mold clamping mechanism 15, and the upper mold 23 and the lower mold 14 are clamped. By clamping, the LED chip 25 mounted on the pre-package substrate 5 is immersed in the liquid resin 30 supplied into the cavity 16. At this time, a predetermined resin pressure can be applied to the liquid resin 30 in the cavity 16 by using a cavity bottom member (not shown) provided in the lower mold 14.

In addition, during the mold clamping, the inside of the cavity 16 may be sucked by the vacuum-pumping mechanism 21. This allows air, air bubbles contained in the liquid resin 30, and the like remaining in the cavity 16 to be discharged to the outside of the molding die. Then, the inside of the cavity 16 is set to a predetermined degree of vacuum.

Next, the liquid resin 30 is heated by a heater (not shown) provided in the lower mold 14 for a time period necessary for curing the liquid resin 30. Thereby, the liquid resin 30 is cured to form a cured resin. Thus, the LED chip 25 mounted on the pre-package substrate 5 is resin-packaged with the cured resin formed in accordance with the shape of the cavity 16. After the liquid resin 30 is cured, the upper mold 23 and the lower mold 14 are opened by the mold clamping mechanism 15.

Next, the loader 9 is retracted to a proper position not to prevent the unloader 10 from moving to the forming unit 3C. For example, the loader 9 is retracted from the substrate supply/housing unit 2 to an appropriate position of the molding unit 3D or the supply unit 4. Then, the unloader 10 is moved from the substrate supply/accommodation unit 2 to the shaping unit 3C along the rail 11 in the + X direction.

Next, in the molding unit 3C, after the moving mechanism 13 is moved in the-Y direction to a predetermined position between the lower mold 14 and the upper mold 23, the moving mechanism 13 receives the sealed substrate (resin molded article) 7 from the upper mold 23. After receiving the packaged substrate 7, the transfer mechanism 13 returns to the unloader 10. The unloader 10 is returned to the substrate supply/housing unit 2 to house the packaged substrate 7 in the packaged substrate housing portion 8. At this point of time, the resin encapsulation of the first pre-encapsulation substrate 5 is completed, and the first encapsulated substrate 7 is completed. This method is a method for manufacturing the sealed substrate 7 as a resin molded product, and as described above, it can be said that this method is an example of the method for manufacturing a resin molded product of the present invention using the resin molding apparatus 1.

Next, the loader 9 retracted to an appropriate position of the molding unit 3D or the supply unit 4 is moved to the substrate supply/storage unit 2. The next pre-package substrate 5 is delivered from the pre-package substrate supply unit 6 to the loader 9. Resin encapsulation is repeated as described above.

The control unit 22 controls operations such as supplying the pre-package substrate 5, moving the resin supply mechanism 18 and the dispenser 19, discharging the liquid resin 30, closing and opening the upper mold 23 and the lower mold 14, and accommodating the packaged substrate 7.

If it is determined that the discharge state of the dispenser 19 is abnormal in a specific molding unit, the control unit 22 may issue an alarm indicating that the operation of the molding unit is abnormal. This enables the operator to take appropriate measures such as temporarily stopping the molding unit. The control section 22 may stop the operation of the molding unit.

In addition, for example, the syringe 28 or the nozzle 29 can be replaced with a different syringe 28 or nozzle 29 in the dispenser 19. By replacing the syringe 28 or the nozzle 29, the liquid resin 30 having different materials and different viscosities can be used separately according to the product.

With the present embodiment, as described above, the controller 22 controls the movement of the plunger 35 and controls the suck-back of the plunger 35 based on the flow rate of the liquid resin 30 measured by the flow rate sensor 100. Thereby, for example, even when liquid resins 30 of different materials, having different viscosities, are used, it is possible to maintain a constant discharge amount of the liquid resin 30 for a predetermined time. This stabilizes the production efficiency of the resin molding apparatus 1 even if the liquid resin 30 has a different material and viscosity. Further, for example, the diameter of the discharge port 41 of the nozzle 29 can be optimized according to the viscosity of the liquid resin 30. Therefore, the dispenser 19 can be very simply configured, and the most suitable liquid resin 30 can be used depending on the product.

As described above, the resin molding apparatus 1 of the present embodiment functions as a device for discharging the liquid resin 30. In other words, the resin molding apparatus 1 corresponds to a device for discharging the liquid resin 30. As described above, the dispenser 19 functions as a discharge mechanism for the liquid resin 30. In other words, the dispenser 19 is a discharge mechanism that discharges the liquid resin 30, and corresponds to the "resin discharge mechanism" of the present invention.

Fig. 4 shows an example of a modification of the present embodiment. Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing only a part of the dispenser 19, i.e., the resin discharge mechanism, and the flow sensor 100. More specifically, fig. 4 shows only the tip portions of the syringe 28 and the plunger 35, the nozzle 29 and the discharge port 41, the liquid resin 30 in the syringe 28 and the nozzle 29, and the flow sensor 100 attached near the discharge port 41 of the nozzle 29. As shown in the drawing, the resin discharge mechanism is the same as the dispenser 19 in fig. 1 except that the nozzle 29 is long and flexible and deformable (flexible). In the resin molding apparatus of fig. 4, the parts not shown in the figure are the same as those of fig. 1 to 3.

The configuration of fig. 4 has the following advantages, for example. In the conventional technique, the reactivity of suck-back is deteriorated by extending only the nozzle, but in the present modification, the ultrasonic sensor is provided in the vicinity of the discharge port, and the suck-back can be controlled by using the flow rate information in the vicinity of the discharge port. Therefore, the syringe 28 can be increased in capacity because the nozzle can be extended and the syringe can be disposed in the empty space. The capacity of the syringe 28 is not particularly limited, and can be, for example, a large capacity of 20 ounces (530mL) or more. Further, since the nozzle 29 is long and flexible, and can be deformed, the tip of the nozzle 29 and the syringe 28 can be moved independently of each other. That is, the nozzle 29 has a high degree of freedom of movement at its tip. Therefore, for example, after the liquid resin 30 is discharged, the residual liquid resin 30 adhering to the discharge port 41 can be dropped from the discharge port 41 by moving the tip of the nozzle 29.

In the present embodiment, an example of a resin molding apparatus and a resin molding method used for resin-encapsulating an LED chip is described. But the invention is not limited thereto. For example, the object of the resin package may be a semiconductor chip such as an IC or a transistor, or may be a passive element. The present invention can also be applied to resin encapsulation of 1 or more electronic components mounted on a substrate such as a printed circuit board or a ceramic substrate.

The present invention is not limited to the case of resin-encapsulating electronic components, and can be applied to the case of manufacturing optical components such as lenses, optical modules, and light guide plates by resin molding, the case of manufacturing general resin molded products, and the like.

For example, in actual resin molding, two liquid resins, which are a main component and a curing agent, are mixed at a predetermined ratio and used. The present invention can be applied to a resin molding apparatus using a two-liquid type resin material.

In the present embodiment, a resin molding apparatus and a resin molding method using compression molding are described. But the invention is not limited thereto. For example, the present invention can be applied to a resin molding apparatus and a resin molding method using transfer molding. In this case, for example, the liquid resin is discharged into a resin containing portion (a portion in which a lifting member called a plunger is disposed below, and which is usually a portion containing a resin material made of a solid resin, and which is called a pot) formed of a cylindrical space provided in the molding die. In this case, the bowl corresponds to a resin container for containing the liquid resin.

In this embodiment, an example of discharging the liquid resin to the cavity provided in the lower mold is described, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the liquid resin may be discharged so as to cover a chip mounted on the upper surface of the substrate in a space including the upper surface of the substrate and a chip including an electronic component (e.g., a semiconductor chip or a passive component chip) mounted on the upper surface of the substrate. Further, for example, the liquid resin may be discharged in a space including the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate such as a silicon wafer so as to cover a functional portion such as a semiconductor circuit formed on the semiconductor substrate. For example, the liquid resin may be discharged into a space including the upper surface of the film that is supposed to be finally accommodated in the cavity of the molding die. The space is, for example, a recess formed by recessing the film. The liquid resin is discharged to a concave portion formed by recessing the film. Examples of the purpose of the film include improvement of mold release properties, transfer of a shape formed by irregularities on the film surface, and transfer of a pattern formed in advance on the film. The liquid resin contained in the concave portion of the film is conveyed together with the film by an appropriate conveying mechanism, and finally the liquid resin is contained in the cavity of the molding die. In either case, the liquid resin discharged into the space may be finally accommodated in the interior of the cavity of the molding die, for example, and cured in the interior of the cavity in a state where the molding die is clamped. In any case, for example, the liquid resin can be discharged to the housing portion outside the 1 pair of opposed molding dies, and the components including at least the housing portion can be conveyed between the molding dies.

In the present embodiment, 4

molding units

3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D are mounted in line in the X direction between the substrate supply/accommodation unit 2 and the supply unit 4. The substrate supply/storage module 2 and the supply module 4 may be formed as 1 module, and 1 molding module 3A may be mounted in the module in the X direction. Further, the molding unit 3A may be mounted in the 1 unit in the X direction, and the other molding unit 3B may be mounted to the molding unit 3A.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the above-described embodiments may be arbitrarily and appropriately combined, changed, or selected as necessary within a scope not departing from the gist of the present invention.

The present application claims priority based on japanese patent application special application 2019-031057 filed on 22/2/2019. The entire contents of said japanese patent application are incorporated herein by reference.

Description of the reference numerals

1 resin Molding apparatus

2 substrate supply/accommodation module

3A, 3B, 3C, 3D forming assembly

4 supply assembly

5 packaging front substrate

6 substrate supply part before packaging

7 substrate for finishing packaging (resin molding)

8 packaged substrate accommodating part

9 loader

10 unloader

11 track

12. 13, 20 moving mechanism

14 lower die of forming die (resin forming mechanism)

15 mould clamping mechanism

16 mold cavity

17 mold release film

18 resin supply mechanism

19 distributor (resin discharge mechanism)

21 evacuation mechanism

22 control part

Upper die of 23 forming die (resin forming mechanism)

24 film pressing member

25 LED chip

26 independent die cavity

27 feeding mechanism

28 Syringe (resin container)

29 nozzle (discharge part)

30 liquid resin

31 servomotor (rotating mechanism)

32 round head screw (rotating shaft)

33 sliding block (direct action parts)

34 rod

35 plunger (moving parts)

36 round head screw bearing

37 vibration-proof member

38 guide rail

39 encoder (detecting part)

40 screw for mounting syringe

41 discharge port

100 flow sensor

Claims

1. A resin molding apparatus, comprising:

a resin discharge mechanism, a flow sensor, a resin forming mechanism, and a control section,

the flow sensor is mounted in the vicinity of the discharge port of the resin discharge mechanism,

the flow sensor measures the flow rate of the liquid resin,

the control unit controls the back suction of the plunger based on the flow rate of the liquid resin in the vicinity of the discharge port measured by the flow rate sensor while controlling the movement of the plunger, and when the flow rate of the liquid resin becomes negative by the back suction, that is, a reverse flow, which continues to be equal to or higher than a predetermined flow rate, the plunger moves in the discharge direction of the liquid resin again.

2. The resin forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

After the movement of the plunger for discharging the liquid resin is stopped, the control unit controls the suck-back of the plunger so that the flow rate of the liquid resin approaches 0.

3. The resin forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

The suck-back of the plunger can be performed at least 2 times.

4. The resin forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein

The flow sensor is an ultrasonic flow sensor.

5. A method for producing a resin molded article, using the resin molding apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, and comprising:

a resin discharge step of discharging liquid resin from the resin discharge mechanism, and

a resin molding step of performing resin molding by the resin molding mechanism using the discharged liquid resin,

in the resin discharging step, a flow rate of the liquid resin is measured by using a flow rate sensor attached to the resin discharging means, and the suck-back of the resin discharging means is controlled based on the measured flow rate, and when the flow rate of the liquid resin becomes negative by the suck-back, that is, a reverse flow, which continues to a predetermined flow rate or more, the plunger is moved again in the liquid resin discharging direction.