JP2000006368A - Method and device for supplying printing paste - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve printing quality and efficiency of printing work by a method wherein the shifting work of printing paste is not necessitated, an opened packaging bag is inserted into a syringe as it is, the efficient mixing and kneading of the paste under the stored condition in the bag as it is can be effected and the cleaning work of the syringe after supplying work is not necessitated especially. SOLUTION: A tubular packaging bag C, packaging printing paste and having flexibility, is inserted into a syringe A and a fully opened opening end of the bag is locked to a base end opening A2 of the syringe A while a mixer unit B is mounted on the opening A2. The mixer unit B is equipped with a mixer member B1, consisting of a plurality of rods 2A, 2B, 2C pivoted about the central axial line of the syringe A and a driving mechanism for providing the mixer member B1 with rotary reciprocating motion within the range of a predetermined pivoting angle.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a squeegee device for a screen printing machine which stirs a paste for printing such as a solder paste or a conductive adhesive prepared by kneading a solder alloy powder and a viscous flux to form a cream. The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for supplying an object.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A printing paste supply method and apparatus of this type, wherein a printing paste is directly accommodated in a syringe, and is provided on a rotating shaft which is driven to rotate in one direction by an electric motor. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-1 / 1993, for example, relates to a device that is fed to a screen printing device while stirring by a one-way rotating operation such as a screw or a thread.
No. 76292 (JP-A-6-64141), which is already known.

[0003]

In screen printing, a squeegee slides linearly in contact with the upper surface of the screen plate, and the sliding causes the printing paste to forcibly fill the pattern openings of the screen plate. The printed material is printed through the opening, and in order to achieve uniform printing quality or finished state and to improve printing accuracy, the viscosity of the printing paste at each printing is generally changed. Is required to improve the contact accuracy of the squeegee with the screen plate.However, when the printing paste is a solder paste and this is screen-printed on a printed circuit board, it must always have a certain viscosity suitable for printing. To be able to supply solder paste having
This is particularly important in today's world where the miniaturization of printed circuit boards has been promoted and high-density printing with a screen plate having pattern openings of minute dimensions has been required accordingly.

Among solder pastes that are currently commercially available as screen-printing solder pastes for printed circuit boards, S
A solder having a bottom melting point of about 63% and a composition of about 37% Pb and a high-viscosity liquid flux and having a flux content of about 9.3% is widely used. Such a commercially available solder paste is sold in a hard plastic bottle or a relatively thin plastic tubular bag made of a flexible plastic such as vinyl. Must be removed from seed container or bag.

[0005] By the way, such a solder paste is a substance having a property of having no fluidity in a stationary state and having a fluidity when stirred or vibrated, that is, a substance having a chixotropy property. It is impossible or extremely difficult to use it for screen printing as it is taken out of a container or bag, and it is necessary to agitate it before use. The above-described conventionally known apparatus is capable of mechanically and automatically performing the stirring and kneading operation of the paste without relying on humans. However, the paste directly accommodated in the syringe is fed to the screen printing device while being stirred by a one-way rotating operation of a plate-like blade or a screw provided on a rotating shaft which is driven to rotate in one direction by an electric motor. In the conventional example, the effect of stirring and kneading the paste is not always sufficient,
It has been found that there are inconveniences or disadvantages as described below. In other words, in addition to opening the lid of the container or opening the bag, it is necessary to take out the paste and refill the syringe each time, and as the number of uses increases,
As the residue of the paste accumulates on the inner wall surface and the vicinity of the discharge port of the syringe and solidifies and sticks to the inner wall surface and the vicinity of the discharge port, a cleaning operation for removing it is required separately. In addition, it has been found that the cleaning operation itself is not easy, wastes time, impairs the efficiency of the printing operation, and is economically disadvantageous.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and does not require the operation of refilling the printing paste from the packaging bag as described above, and inserts the opened packaging bag into a syringe as it is. In addition, the paste can be efficiently stirred and kneaded while being kept in the bag, and the cleaning work of the syringe after the supply work is not particularly required. A method for supplying a printing paste suitable for supplying a solder paste to a squeegee device main body of a screen printer configured to be capable of printing on a printed circuit board through a pattern opening of the screen plate while being supplied onto the screen plate The main purpose of the present invention is to provide a computer and a device.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object of the present invention, a method for supplying a printing paste according to the present invention comprises the steps of: providing a flexible tubular packaging bag in which a printing paste is packaged in a syringe; While inserting, the opening end of the bag that is fully opened is locked to the base end opening of the syringe,
A syringe unit comprising: a mixer member including a plurality of rods rotatable around a central axis of the syringe; and a drive mechanism for imparting a rotational reciprocating motion to the mixer member within a predetermined rotation angle range. An outlet formed at the bottom of the bag while the paste is being stirred in the bag by rotating the mixer member and reciprocating the mixer member by starting the mixer unit. A predetermined object is fed through the discharge port of the syringe.

Further, the printing paste supply apparatus according to the present invention can accommodate a flexible tubular packaging bag which has packaged the printing paste, and has an open end portion of the bag which is fully opened. A syringe having a proximal opening that can be turned back outward and locked, and the bag inserted into the syringe, and the open end of the bag folded back outward to fit into the proximal opening of the syringe. In a locked state, the syringe is attached to the opening at the proximal end of the syringe, and the paste is agitated while the paste is kept in the bag, and the outlet formed at the bottom of the bag and the outlet of the syringe are discharged. And a mixer unit having a mixer member capable of rotating and reciprocating for feeding to a predetermined object through the outlet.

Advantageous embodiments of the method for supplying the printing paste are described in claims 2 to 4, and advantageous embodiments of the printing paste supply device are described in claims 5 to 11. Please refer to the respective descriptions.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 to 9 show an example of a printing paste supply apparatus according to the present invention, wherein A is a syringe made of plastic such as polypropylene, B is a mixer unit used in combination with A, and C is a mixer unit. Is a flexible packaging bag in which the solder paste 1 which is a printing paste is hermetically sealed. In the figure, the end portion is opened to open the entire surface, and the opened end portion is turned outward. Is shown. The bag itself is, for example, a flexible bottomed cylindrical body formed of a relatively thin plastic such as vinyl.

The syringe A has a cylindrical peripheral wall portion A1 having an inner diameter substantially equal to but slightly larger than the outer diameter of the packaging bag C in which the solder paste 1 is hermetically sealed, and is close to a base opening A2. An annular engaging projection A3 having a substantially semicircular cross section is formed on the outer peripheral surface, and a short-diameter short cylindrical projection 5A having a thread 5A 'formed on the inner wall surface of the hollow hemispherical tip A4.
Are formed, and a large number of projecting ridges A7 having a substantially arc-shaped cross section extending in parallel with the axial direction are projected on the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion A1.

The mixer unit B comprises a plurality of rods rotatable around the central axis of the syringe A, and a mixer for stirring the solder paste 1 in the bag C as described later. There is provided a member B1 and a drive mechanism B2 for imparting a rotational reciprocating motion to the mixer member B1 within a predetermined rotation angle range. In the example shown, the drive mechanism B2 is constituted by a rack and pinion type pneumatic oscillating actuator, which is mounted on a relatively flat rectangular casing 3 along its longitudinal axis. A binion 6 having holes 5 in the center is arranged in a circular recess provided in the extended partition wall 4,
Racks 8 respectively engaged with the pinions 6 on cylinder portions 7, 7 formed on both left and right sides of the partition 4,
A port 1 provided on one end wall of the casing 3 is provided with bistons 9 and 9 to which the
The pistons 9 and 9 are compressed by air pressure of compressed air alternately introduced into the cylinders 7 and 7 from the outside through 0 and 10, respectively.
9 are alternately stroked, and reciprocating rotary motion is applied to the binion 6 via racks 8, 8 sliding linearly with the stroke.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a short cylindrical cap body fixed below the bottom wall 3A of the rectangular casing 3 and fitted to the base opening A2 side of the syringe A. The inner diameter of the half is larger than that of the upper half.
On the inner wall surface of the lower half portion of the cap body 11, an annular locking projection 13 having a substantially semicircular cross section is formed at a position near the lower end opening 12. An air introduction hole 14 for introducing compressed air from the outside is formed in the upper half of the cap body 11.

Reference numeral 15 denotes a disk-shaped rotator provided in the inner space of the upper half of the cap body 11 so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis. The casing 3 is fixed to a tube shaft 16 rotatably supported around a vertical axis by a bearing at the center of a bottom wall 3A of the casing 3 and projecting downward. A square hole 15A similar to the square hole 5 is provided.

The mixer member B1 to which the reciprocating motion is imparted by the drive mechanism B2 is, in the illustrated example,
It has a knob 2 at its upper end, and penetrates through a through hole 17 provided in the center of the top wall 3B of the rectangular casing 3, the tube shaft 16, and a square hole of the rotating body 15 in a slidable manner. When the cap body 11 is fitted on the side of the base end opening A2 of the cylinder A, it protrudes into the cylinder A and extends along the central axis thereof.
A, and two eccentric rods 2B, 2C whose base ends are fixed to the eccentric portions of the rotating body 15 and extend parallel to the central rod 2A and have different rotation radii from each other.
When a reciprocating rotational motion is given, an operation of alternately drawing concentric, substantially semicircular or fan-shaped trajectories in opposite directions is performed.

Reference numeral 18 denotes a plastic bowl-like plastic as a whole, which is slidably mounted on the rods 2A, 2B, 2C constituting the mixer member B1 with the bottom side facing the ends of the rods. It is a sliding body. In the example shown in the drawings, the sliding body 18 includes a bowl-shaped member 19 having an expanded upper surface opening 19A and a bowl-shaped member 19, as is apparent from FIGS. And a dish packing member 20 fixed to the lower surface of the bottom wall 19B and having an open lower surface. Peripheral wall 19C of bowl-shaped member 19
Of the upper surface opening 1
It is the thinnest at 9A. On the upper surface of the bottom wall 19B of the bowl-shaped member 19, a square central rod 2A
A short tube 1 having a square hole 21A through which the eccentric rods 2B and 2C are inserted, respectively;
23 are erected. And the bowl-shaped member 19
The bottom wall 19B and the plate-like portion of the dish packing member 20 have
Through holes 24 and 25 are formed in portions corresponding to the through holes of the short tubes 21, 22 and 23, respectively.

The bowl-like member 19 and the dish packing-like member 20 constituting the sliding body 18 are preferably formed of a plastic material having high flexibility and elasticity such as polypropylene or elastomer.

Next, a method of supplying a solder paste using the apparatus for supplying a printing paste according to the present invention described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9 will be described.

First, the packaging bag C is opened, and the solder paste 1 is inserted into the syringe A together with the bag. At the same time or immediately before the insertion, the opening end is folded back as shown in FIG. Then, the folded portion C1 having an inverted U-shaped cross section due to the folding is engaged with the base end opening A2 of the syringe A. At this time, the base opening A
As shown in FIG. 1, the outer folded portion C2 hanging down from the upper end 2 overlaps the annular engaging projection A3 projecting outward from the vicinity of the base opening A2. In this state, the cap member 11 of the mixer unit B is inserted into the syringe A while inserting the mixer member B1 with the sliding member 18 into the solder paste 1 in the bag.
The lower end opening 1 of the cap body is provided on the outer periphery on the side of the base end opening A2.
Push in from two sides and fit. When fitted in this manner, the annular locking projection 13 formed inward in the vicinity of the lower end opening 12 of the cap body 11 replaces the annular engagement projection A3 on the syringe side with the engagement projection. A
The sliding protrusion A3 jumps against the elasticity of the syringe A made of plastic while slidingly contacting the folded piece portion C2 which is overlapped with the projection A3.
Then, the folded back portion C2 is elastically engaged with the lower portion of the folded portion C2 in the sandwiched state, and the bag C is sandwiched and locked. In this state, the folded portion C1 is sandwiched between the annular lower surface 11B of the inner step 11A of the cap body 11 and the annular top surface of the base end opening A2 of the cylinder A, and is pressed in an airtight manner. It has become so.

Next, even if the mixer unit B is fitted to the syringe A as described above, there is no outlet at the bottom C3 of the bag C unless a hole is previously drilled with a blade or the like. It is necessary to make. Therefore, in the device of the present invention, after the mixer unit B is fitted to the syringe A, the center rod 2A of the mixer member B1 is pushed down by pressing the knob 2 and slid downward, whereby the center rod 2A is An outlet C3 'can be formed at the bottom C3 of the bag by a blade 2A' formed at the tip (see FIG. 1). The formation of the outlet C3 'of the bag bottom portion C3 by the center rod 2A may be performed depending on conditions such as the temperature of the solder paste 1 and the ambient temperature.
It is preferable to start the operation after the mixer unit B is started and the solder paste 1 is stirred to some extent.

After the preparation for the work is completed as described above, the mixer unit B is started by alternately introducing compressed air from the outside to the cylinders 7 and 7 through the ports 10 and 10 of the swing actuator. Then, the pistons 9 and 9 are alternately stroked, and accordingly, the racks 8 and 8 cause the binion 6 to reciprocate and rotate. The reciprocating rotation of the pinion 6 drives the square shaft-shaped central rod 2A slidably penetrating the square hole 5 of the pinion to reciprocate and rotate.
Since the rotating body 15 is reciprocally rotated through the central rod 2A, the eccentric rods 2B and 2C fixed to the rotating body 15 are thereby separated from the rods 2A, 2B and 2C.
Is reciprocally rotated integrally with the sliding member 18 mounted on the sliding member 18.

When the rods 2A, 2B and 2C constituting the mixer member B1 make a reciprocating rotational movement in this manner, the eccentric rods 2B and 2C have different radii of rotation from each other as described above. Since the stirring operation of the solder paste 1 is performed while alternately drawing concentric substantially semicircular or fan-shaped rotation trajectories in the opposite direction according to the set value of the angle range, the stirring operation of the central rod 2A performing the reciprocating rotation movement. Together with this, it is possible to efficiently stir and knead the solder paste 1 while keeping it in a bag, and to impart fluidity and viscosity suitable for printing to this. In this case, since the sliding body 18 also performs a reciprocating rotational movement in a state of being in contact with the solder paste 1, the effect of stirring and kneading the paste 1 can be enhanced.

The solder paste 1 is efficiently stirred by the reciprocating rotation of the mixer member B1 and the sliding member 18 to increase the fluidity. Therefore, when the syringe A is stirred in an upright state, its own weight and the discharge acting by the stirring. The pressure allows the fluid to flow out of the outlet C3 'formed at the bottom of the bag and the outlet A6 of the syringe, but the flow speed is relatively slow.

Next, the compressed air is introduced into the syringe A from the outside through the air introduction hole 14 drilled into the cap body 11 at the same time as the mixer member B1 is stirred as described above. Since the bowl-shaped member 19 of the sliding body 18 having the upper surface opening 19A receives the air pressure, the bowl-shaped member 19 is pressed and slid downward together with the dish packing-like member 20. In this case, the sliding body 18 moves downward while pressing the solder paste 1 on the lower surface of the dish-like packing member 20 while performing reciprocating rotational movement, so that the solder paste is stirred under a pressurized state. The effect is further enhanced and the outflow speed is also increased, so that the bag can be smoothly pumped to a predetermined object through the outlet C3 at the bottom of the bag and the syringe outlet A6.

As described above, the inner peripheral surface of the syringe A is provided with a large number of projecting ridges A7 extending in the axial direction and having a substantially arc-shaped cross section. This is to prevent the slidability from being hindered by sticking to the bag C. On the other hand, since the sliding body 18 resiliently contacted with the ridge A7, particularly the peripheral portion of the opening 19A of the bowl-shaped member 19, is formed to be the thinnest, it is expanded outward when receiving air pressure, and the syringe is opened. Because it is close to the inner peripheral surface of A,
No air leaks.

FIGS. 10 to 12 show an example of the connection of the apparatus of the present invention when the paste 1 stirred and kneaded by the mixer unit B is supplied or supplied to the squeegee apparatus main body. In FIG. 10, S is the squeegee device main body, and a bottom thereof is provided with a paste discharge port (not shown) and a squeegee part (not shown) for screen-printing a paste delivered from the discharge port onto a screen plate, It has a structure that can contain paste. In the figure, reference numeral 30 denotes a box-shaped connecting tool. The connecting tool 30 includes a cylindrical inlet joint 31 provided with a thread 31A on an outer periphery for connecting a projection 5A defining a discharge port A6 of the syringe A, and a bend pipe. And a cylindrical outlet joint 33 to which one end of the joint 32 is attached, and a passage 3 for communicating between the two joints.
The other end of the bend pipe 32 is provided with a connection port 35A of a connecting tool 35 provided in the squeegee apparatus main body S and communicating with the inside thereof, as shown in FIG. So that it can be protruded. The protrusion 5A is connected to the inlet joint 31 by screwing a thread 5A 'on the inner wall surface thereof into a thread 31A.

FIGS. 13 and 14 show another example of the connection of the device. In this example, two devices of the present invention are shown through a T-shaped pipe joint 37 having a ball valve 36 therein. 14, the paste in one syringe A can be supplied to the squeegee apparatus main body S and the paste in the other syringe A can be supplied when the squeegee device becomes empty. Outlet 38 of T-shaped fitting 37
As shown in FIG. 13, the inlet joint 3 of the connector 30
1.

The solder paste 1 is stirred in a state of being put in the bag C and fed to a target object such as the squeegee device main body.
When the bag C is empty, it is only necessary to remove the mixer unit from the syringe, take out the empty bag C from the syringe and dispose it, and a large amount of paste residue does not adhere to the inner wall surface of the syringe or the vicinity of the discharge port. There is no need to spend extra time cleaning, and cleaning can be done easily.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is not necessary to refill the printing paste from the packaging bag in which the printing paste is packaged, and the opened packaging bag is directly inserted into the syringe. In addition to the fact that the paste can be efficiently stirred and kneaded while it is still in the bag, cleaning of the syringe after the supply operation, which wastes time and impairs the efficiency of the printing operation, is also particularly necessary. In particular, the solder paste is supplied to a squeegee device main body of a screen printing machine configured to be able to print on a printed circuit board through a pattern opening of the screen plate while supplying the built-in solder paste onto the screen plate. The present invention can provide a printing paste supply method and apparatus suitable for supply.
In addition, the squeegee device embodying the present invention does not itself require a stirring and kneading mechanism for solder paste.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the same embodiment with a part of the syringe cut away.

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of the syringe viewed from a proximal opening side of the syringe;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a state in which the opened bag containing the solder paste is inserted into a syringe.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a mixer unit.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a casing incorporating a driving unit.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the upper part of the mixer unit.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a sliding body.

FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of the sliding body.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a procedure for connecting the present invention device to the squeegee device main body and an example of a connected state.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a bend tube.

FIG. 12 is a partial longitudinal sectional view showing the above connection state.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 10, showing another connection example using two devices of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a front view showing a state in which two devices of the present invention are horizontally connected via a pipe joint.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List A syringe B mixer unit C packaging bag C3 bag bottom C3 'outlet 1 printing paste (solder paste) A2 base end opening A6 discharge port B1 mixer member B2 drive mechanism 2A center rod 2B, 2C eccentric rod 18 sliding body 19 bowl -Shaped member 20 Dish packing-shaped member

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. A flexible cylindrical packaging bag in which a printing paste is packaged is inserted into a syringe, and an open end of the bag which is fully opened is locked to a base opening of the syringe. A mixer unit comprising: a mixer member including a plurality of rods rotatable around a central axis of the syringe; and a drive mechanism that imparts a rotational reciprocating motion to the mixer member within a predetermined rotation angle range. The paste was attached to the base end opening of the syringe, the mixer unit was activated, and the mixer member was rotated and reciprocated to form the paste at the bottom of the bag while stirring the paste in the bag. A method for supplying a printing paste, wherein the printing paste is supplied to a predetermined target object through an outlet and a discharge port of the syringe. 2. The printing paste is a solder paste obtained by mixing a solder alloy powder and a viscous flux, and the solder paste contained in the object to be fed is supplied onto the screen plate while the pattern of the screen plate is being supplied. 2. A squeegee device main body of a screen printing machine configured to be capable of printing on a printed circuit board through an opening.
3. The method for supplying a printing paste according to item 1. 3. The method for supplying a printing paste according to claim 1, wherein the mixer member extends along a central axis of the syringe, and extends in parallel with the central rod. And at least two eccentric rods having different rotational radii from each other, and when given a rotational reciprocating motion, alternately draw concentric, substantially semicircular or sector-shaped rotational trajectories in opposite directions. A method for supplying a printing paste, wherein the printing paste is agitated. 4. A method for supplying a printing paste according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the rod constituting the mixer member is made of a plastic-made sliding body having a substantially bowl-like shape as a whole. The sliding body is slidably mounted in a direction toward the distal end of the rod, and the sliding body is rotated and reciprocated integrally with the rod, and the air pressure of the compressed air blown into the syringe from the proximal end opening side thereof. By forcibly sliding toward the discharge port side of the syringe,
A method for supplying a printing paste, wherein the paste is fed to the discharge port side while stirring. 5. A flexible tubular packaging bag in which a printing paste is packaged can be accommodated, and the open end of the bag, which is fully opened, can be folded outward and locked. A syringe having a proximal opening, and inserting the bag into the syringe, and turning the open end of the bag outward to lock the proximal opening of the syringe in the proximal opening of the syringe. It is designed to be attached, and to feed the paste to a predetermined target object through an outlet formed at the bottom of the bag and a discharge port of the syringe while stirring the paste in the bag. An apparatus for supplying a printing paste, comprising a combination of a mixer unit having a mixer member capable of reciprocating rotation. 6. A printing paste is a solder paste obtained by mixing a solder alloy powder and a viscous flux, and the solder paste contained in the object to be fed is supplied onto the screen plate while the pattern of the screen plate is being supplied. 2. A squeegee device main body of a screen printing machine configured to be capable of printing on a printed circuit board through an opening.
3. The printing paste supply device according to 1. 7. The printing paste supply device according to claim 5, wherein the mixer unit comprises a plurality of rods rotatable around a central axis of the syringe, and the paste is put in the bag. An apparatus comprising: a mixer member that stirs while being held; and a drive mechanism that imparts rotational reciprocation to the mixer member within a predetermined rotation angle range. 8. The printing paste supply apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the mixer member extends along a central axis of the syringe, and extends in parallel with the central rod. And at least two eccentric rods having different rotational radii from each other, and when given a rotational reciprocating motion, concentric substantially semicircular or sector-shaped rotational trajectories are alternately formed in opposite directions. An apparatus wherein the paste is agitated while drawing. 9. A printing paste supply apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said central rod is provided movably along a central axis of said syringe, and a blade portion is formed at a tip thereof. And equipment. 10. A printing paste supply apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the rod constituting the mixer member is provided with a plastic sliding body having a substantially bowl shape as a whole. The sliding body is slidably mounted with the sides directed toward the distal ends of the rods, and the sliding body is rotated and reciprocated integrally with the rods, and compression is blown into the interior of the syringe from the proximal end opening side. An apparatus characterized in that the syringe is forcibly slid toward the discharge port side of the syringe by the air pressure of air, whereby the paste is pressure-fed to the discharge port side while stirring. 11. The printing paste supply device according to claim 9, wherein a plurality of projecting ridges having a substantially arc-shaped cross section extending in parallel with the axial direction are provided on an inner peripheral surface of said syringe, and said sliding body is provided. An apparatus characterized by being slidably elastically contacted with these ridges.