JP2002124441A - Method and device for forming external electrode of electronic component and carrier tape - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a formation method and device of the external electrode of electronic components, which can accurately apply conductive paste onto the outer surface of a chip, and to provide a carrier tape useful when the conductor paste for the external electrode is applied to the chip. SOLUTION: This carrier tape 10 is used. In this case, the carrier tape 10 has an elastic body 12 where a retention hole 15 for retaining the chip inside is formed, and a reinforcing member 16 provided around the retention hole 15, thus preventing the elastic body 12 from being folded up even if the chip is moved in the thickness direction of the carrier tape 10, stably retaining the chip, and at the same time accurately applying the conductive paste.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for manufacturing electronic components such as a multilayer capacitor and a multilayer capacitor array, and more particularly to the formation of external electrodes.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An apparatus described in Japanese Patent No. 2824888 is known as an electronic part manufacturing apparatus of this kind. This manufacturing apparatus is an apparatus used in a process of forming an external electrode in a process of manufacturing an electronic component. The main components of this manufacturing apparatus are a carrier tape that transports chips while holding them, a device that supplies chips to the carrier tape, and a device that applies a conductive paste to the chips held by the carrier tape.

The carrier tape includes a tape body made of stainless steel or the like and an elastic body made of silicon rubber or the like. A large number of holes extending in the width direction of the tape are formed at regular intervals in the length direction of the tape in the tape body. The elastic body is formed so as to continuously cover both sides of the central portion of the tape body in the length direction of the tape. Further, a holding hole extending in the longitudinal direction of the hole is formed in the center of each hole of the tape main body. The width of the holding hole is slightly smaller than the thickness of the chip. Thus, the chip can be held inside the holding hole.

An apparatus for applying a conductive paste uses a cylinder having a transfer sheet adhered to a peripheral surface thereof, and presses a conductive paste applied to the transfer sheet in advance on a chip held by a carrier tape, thereby forming a conductor on the side surface of the chip. Apply paste. At this time, the transfer sheet is not only brought into contact with one surface of the chip but also pressed against the chip with such a force that the transfer sheet goes around the other side surface of the chip. As a result, the conductive paste is applied from one surface of the chip to the end of the other surface adjacent to the surface.

[0005]

However, it has been difficult for the above-described manufacturing apparatus to cope with recent miniaturization of electronic components. That is, in the carrier tape, it is difficult to stably hold the chip as the components are downsized. Due to the instability of the chip holding, there has been a problem that the conductor paste cannot be applied to a desired shape with high accuracy. Further, with the miniaturization of components, it has become necessary to move the chips held in the holding holes in the thickness direction of the carrier tape so that the conductive paste of the transfer sheet does not adhere to the carrier tape when the conductive paste is applied.
At this time, as shown in FIG. 15, the edge of the elastic body 91 may be turned up with the movement of the tip 90 in some cases. When the conductor paste is applied in this state, the conductor paste adheres to the turned-up portion 92, so that not only the conductor paste cannot be applied in a desired shape but also the conductor paste adheres to the chip at the next chip insertion. There was a problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a method and apparatus for forming an external electrode of an electronic component capable of applying a conductive paste on the outer surface of a chip with high accuracy, and An object of the present invention is to provide a carrier tape useful when applying a conductor paste for an external electrode to a chip.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided an elastic body having a holding hole formed therein for holding a chip, and a pair of magnets opposed to each other with the holding hole interposed therebetween. It is characterized by using a carrier tape provided.

According to the present invention, the chip is securely and stably held in the holding hole by both the elastic force of the elastic body and the magnetism of the magnet. The present invention is particularly useful when the chip itself or the internal electrode embedded in the chip is a ferromagnetic material.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that a carrier tape is used which comprises an elastic body having a holding hole for holding a chip inside, and a reinforcing member provided around the holding hole.

According to the present invention, the holding force of the chip is improved by the reinforcing member, and the turning of the elastic body can be prevented, so that the chip can be reliably and stably held in the holding hole.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (First Embodiment) An external electrode forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an external electrode forming apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 1, this forming apparatus includes an annular carrier tape 10 for transporting chips while holding them.
And a chip insertion driving device 20 that drives the carrier tape 10 and inserts a chip into the carrier tape 10.
And a driving device 30 for the carrier tape 10, positioning devices 40 to 43 for positioning the chips held on the carrier tape 10, and coating devices 50 and 51 for applying the conductive paste to the chips held on the carrier tape 10.
Drying devices 60 and 6 for drying the conductive paste applied to the chip while being held by the carrier tape 10.
1 and a separating device 70 for separating the chip from the carrier tape 10.

In this embodiment, a multilayer capacitor array 1 as shown in FIG. 2 is shown as an example of an electronic component. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the multilayer capacitor array.
The multilayer capacitor array 1 includes a quadrangular prism-shaped chip 2 in which internal electrodes are embedded, and four pairs of external electrodes 3 formed on the side surface 2a of the chip 2 in the thickness direction. The external electrode 3 has a wraparound portion 3a formed from the side surface 2a of the chip 2 to the upper and lower ends.

As shown in FIG. 3, the carrier tape 10
Has a tape body 11 made of stainless steel or the like and an elastic body 12 made of silicon rubber or the like. In the center of the tape body 11, holes 13 extending in the width direction of the tape are formed at regular intervals in the length direction. Further, on both sides of the tape body 11, pilot holes 14 that can be engaged with sprockets and the like are formed. The elastic body 12 is formed so as to continue both sides of the central portion of the tape main body 11 in the length direction of the tape and to cover a part of the hole 13. The elastic body 12 has a holding hole 15 that is long in the longitudinal direction of the hole at the center of the hole 13.

The center of the long side of the holding hole 15 is formed to be narrower than the both ends. In other words, the elastic body 12 has a protruding portion 12a in which the center of the long side of the holding hole 15 protrudes toward the center of the holding hole 15. Here, overhang 1
The interval 2a is slightly smaller than the thickness of the chip 2 to be held. A pair of reinforcing members 16 made of a metal wire or the like are embedded in the elastic body 12 near the long side of the holding hole 15. The reinforcing member 16 is arranged along the longitudinal direction of the holding hole 15, and is formed in a meandering shape near the overhang portion 12a. The reinforcing member 16 prevents the peripheral edge of the holding hole 15 of the elastic body 12 from being turned up in the thickness direction.

In the carrier tape 10, as shown in the drawing, the chip 2 is oriented so that the thickness direction thereof coincides with the length direction of the carrier tape 10 and the length direction of the chip 2 coincides with the width direction of the carrier tape 10. Hold chip 2 with hole 1
5 elastically. Thereby, the side surfaces of the chip 2 forming the external electrodes are exposed on the upper and lower surfaces of the carrier tape 10.

As shown in FIG. 5, a chip insertion driving device 20 includes a drum 22 having chip holding pockets 21 formed at equal intervals on a peripheral surface, a driving motor (not shown) for the drum 22, and a pocket 21. And an extruding pin 23 for extruding the chip 2 stored in the apparatus. Sprockets (not shown) that engage with the pilot holes 14 of the carrier tape 10 are formed on both sides of the peripheral surface of the drum 22. The carrier tape 10 is provided between the sprocket and the pilot hole 14.
And is driven in a predetermined direction by driving the drive motor. A guide groove (not shown) for guiding the pocket 21 is formed inside the drum 22. Chips 2 in loose state inserted inside drum 22
Are guided in the guide grooves one by one by the rotation of the drum 22 and are accommodated in the pockets 21. The push pin 23 pushes the chip 2 housed in the pocket 21 at the position separated from the carrier tape 10 and rotated and moved in the direction of the carrier tape 10. The extruded chip 2 is placed in the pocket 21
Is inserted into the holding hole 15 of the carrier tape 10 opposed to.

The driving device 30 includes a drum 31 having a sprocket (not shown) for engaging with the pilot hole 14 of the carrier tape 10 on both sides of the peripheral surface, and a driving motor (not shown) for rotating the drum 31. ing.

Each of the positioning devices 40 to 43 has a disk and a drive motor for the disk. Each of the positioning devices 40 to 43 is arranged such that the drive shaft of the disc is orthogonal to the traveling direction of the carrier tape 10 and the peripheral edge of the disc is in contact with one exposed end of the chip 2 held on the carrier tape 10. Are located.

The positioning device 40, as shown in FIG.
The chip 2, which is arranged on the upper side of the paper with respect to the carrier tape 10 and is held by the carrier tape 10, is pushed downward in the paper. This is for the purpose of applying the conductor paste in a desired shape in the application step by the application device 50 with the miniaturization of the chip 2 and preventing the conductor paste from adhering to the carrier tape 10.
This is to ensure a sufficient height of the chip 2 projecting from the carrier tape 10 toward the coating device 50 side.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 7, the positioning device 41 is disposed below the carrier tape 10 and downstream of the positioning device 40 with respect to the carrier tape 10, and is held by the carrier tape 10. The chip 2 is pushed upward in the drawing. This is because the carrier tape 10 is
This is for keeping the position of the end face of the chip 2 protruding to the side constant.

The positioning device 42, as shown in FIG.
For the same purpose as the positioning device 40, the positioning device 40 is disposed above the carrier tape 10 in the drawing and downstream of the driving device 30.

As shown in FIG. 8, the coating device 50 is rotated by a drive motor (not shown), and the transfer sheet 52 is
And a transfer roller 5 having a columnar application roller 51 with
Conductor paste case 5 for supplying conductor paste 53 to 2
4 and extra conductive paste 5 attached to the transfer sheet 52
And a squeegee 55 for peeling off the squeegee 3.

The transfer sheet 52 is made of an elastic material such as silicon rubber. On the peripheral surface of the transfer sheet 52,
Annular grooves 52a are formed at equal intervals. The groove 52a
Correspond to the number, width and spacing of the external electrodes formed on the chip 2. A part of the transfer sheet 52 is made of a conductive paste 53 of the conductive paste case 54.
It is immersed in.

The squeegee 55 is provided with the conductive paste 5 adhered to the transfer sheet 52 in the conductive paste case 54.
Of the three, those adhering to the upper surface are peeled off. This allows
After passing through the squeegee 55, the transfer sheet 52 is in a state where only the grooves 52a are filled with the conductive paste 53.

The coating device 50 is arranged at a position where the rotation direction of the transfer sheet 52 coincides with the traveling direction of the carrier tape 10 and the chips 2 held on the carrier tape 10 are slightly pushed into the transfer sheet 52. ing. The conductor paste 53 is transferred to the side surface of the chip 2 held on the carrier tape 10 exposed below the paper surface by the coating device 50. At this time, the transfer sheet 52 is elastically deformed by contact with the chip 2, so that the transfer sheet 52 wraps around not only the lower surface of the chip 2 but also both side surfaces, and the conductive paste 53 is also transferred to this portion. The coating device 51 has the same configuration, and applies a conductive paste to the side surface of the chip 2 on which the coating was not performed by the coating device 50.

The drying devices 60 and 61 are formed so as to surround the carrier tape 10, and dry the chips 2 while holding the chips 2 on the carrier tape 10.

The separating device 70 urges the chip 2 held on the carrier tape 10 by an extrusion pin (not shown) or the like to separate the chip 2 from the carrier tape 10.

In such an external electrode forming apparatus, first, the chip 2 is put into the chip insertion driving device 20. The chip 2 is inserted into the carrier tape 10 by the insertion driving device 20.
And the positioning devices 40 and 41 adjust the protruding height from the carrier tape 10.
At this time, the chip 2 moves up and down in the thickness direction of the tape in the holding hole 15, but as described above, since the reinforcing member 16 is embedded in the elastic body 12 near the holding hole 15, the elastic body 12 No turning occurs at the contact portion with the chip 2. Next, the chip 2 is transported to the coating device 50. One side surface of the chip 2 is pressed against the transfer sheet 52 of the coating device 50, and the conductive paste is applied to the side surface and the surface adjacent to the side surface in the shape described with reference to FIG. Next, the conductor paste applied to the chip 2 is dried while passing through the drying device 60. Then, after passing through the driving device 30, the positioning devices 42 and 43,
The conductive paste is applied to the side surface on the opposite side of the chip 2 by the coating device 51 and the drying device 61, and is dried. Next, the chip 2 is separated from the carrier tape 10 by the separating device 70.
Taken out of Finally, the electronic component 1 in which the plurality of external electrodes 3 are formed on the side surface can be obtained by performing the baking process of the conductor paste on the chip 2 to which the conductor paste has been applied as described above.

As described above, in the present embodiment, since the reinforcing member 16 is provided near the holding hole 15 of the carrier tape 10, the chip 2 moves inside the holding hole 15 such as when the chip 2 is inserted or positioned. Even when the elastic body 12 is moved up and down, the contact portion of the elastic body 12 with the chip 2 is not turned up. Therefore, the conductive paste can be applied to the chip 2 in a desired shape with high precision, and unnecessary adhesion of the conductive paste to the chip 2 caused by the adhesion of the conductive paste to the elastic body 12 can be prevented. . Thus, even when the electronic component is downsized, the electronic component can be manufactured with a stable and good yield.

In the present embodiment, the wire-shaped reinforcing member 16 is embedded in the elastic
Although the curl is prevented, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the reinforcing member 16 may be attached to one or both surfaces of the elastic body 12. Further, as shown in FIG. 10, for example, a plate-shaped reinforcing member 16a may be embedded in the elastic body 12, or may be attached to one or both surfaces of the elastic body 12. The reinforcing member 16 a is disposed along the long side of the holding hole 15 and has a protrusion 16 b along the protrusion 12 a of the elastic body 12. Examples of the material of the reinforcing member 16a include plastic and metal.

(Second Embodiment) An external electrode forming apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 11 is a plan view of the carrier tape according to the second embodiment.

The difference between the external electrode forming apparatus according to the present embodiment and the apparatus according to the first embodiment lies in the structure of the carrier tape. In other respects, the configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment, and the description is omitted here.

As shown in FIG. 11, the carrier tape 80
Has a tape body 81 made of stainless steel or the like and an elastic body 82 made of silicon rubber or the like. At the center of the tape body 81, holes 83 extending long in the width direction of the tape are formed at regular intervals in the length direction. Further, on both sides of the tape main body 81, pilot holes 84 that can be engaged with sprockets and the like are formed. The elastic body 82 is formed so that both sides of the central portion of the tape main body 81 are continuous in the length direction of the tape and covers a part of the hole 83. The elastic body 82 has a holding hole 85 that is long in the longitudinal direction of the hole 83 at the center of the hole 83. Holding hole 8
5 is formed such that the center of the long side is narrower than the ends. In other words, the elastic body 82 has a projecting portion 82 a in which the center of the long side of the holding hole 85 projects in the center direction of the holding hole 85.
have. Here, the interval between the overhang portions 82a is slightly smaller than the thickness of the chip to be held.

A pair of rod-shaped magnets 86 are embedded in the elastic body 82 near the long side of the holding hole 85. The magnet 86 extends in the direction along the holding hole 85. Each magnet 8
6 has different polarities on the side facing the holding hole 85 and on the opposite side. In addition, the pair of magnets 86
Are arranged so as to have different polarities. In the carrier tape 80, the chip is held inside the holding hole 85 in such a direction that the thickness direction of the chip matches the length direction of the carrier tape 80 and the length direction of the chip matches the width direction of the carrier tape 80. . At this time, the chip is held by the magnetic force of the magnet 86 together with the elastic force of the elastic body 82. The magnet 86 also has a function of preventing the peripheral edge of the holding hole 85 of the elastic body 82 from being turned up in the thickness direction.

As described above, in this embodiment, since the magnet 86 is provided near the holding hole 85 of the carrier tape 80, when the chip moves up and down inside the holding hole 85 such as when inserting or positioning the chip. Also, no turning occurs at the contact portion of the elastic body 82 with the chip. Also, the elastic body 82
The chip can be reliably and stably held by the elastic force of the magnet and the magnetic force of the magnet 86. Therefore, the conductor paste can be applied to the chip in a desired shape with high accuracy, and
Unnecessary adhesion of the conductive paste to the chip caused by the adhesion of the conductive paste to the elastic body 82 can be prevented. Thus, even when the electronic component is downsized, the electronic component can be manufactured with a stable and good yield. In particular, an electronic component (for example, an inductor array) using a ferromagnetic material as the material of the chip itself, or an electronic component using a ferromagnetic material (for example, a multilayer capacitor array with Ni as the internal electrode) embedded in the chip ).

In the present embodiment, the magnet 86 has different polarities on the side facing the holding hole 85 and on the side opposite thereto, but the present invention is not limited to this.
For example, as shown in FIG. 12, one end of the rod-shaped magnet 86a may be an N-pole and the other end may be an S-pole, and the magnets 86a opposed to each other with the holding hole 85 interposed therebetween may be arranged to have different polarities. .

In the first and second embodiments described above, the chip is held inside the holding hole of the carrier tape such that the thickness direction coincides with the length direction of the carrier tape. The invention is not limited to this. That is, the chip may be held so that the length direction and width direction of the chip match the length direction of the carrier tape according to the formation position and the number of external electrodes. For example, when the external electrode 3b extending in the thickness direction is formed at the center of the end face of the chip 2b as shown in FIG. 13, as shown in FIG.
The chip 2b may be held in a direction in which the thickness direction of the chip 2b matches the length direction of the carrier tape 10 and the length direction of the chip 2b is orthogonal to the surface of the carrier tape 10.

Furthermore, in each of the first and second embodiments described above, an example in which a plurality of external electrodes are provided on the side surface of a chip is shown as an example of an electronic component, but the present invention is not limited to this. Absent. For example, it is also useful for manufacturing an electronic component having external electrodes only at both ends of a chip. In this case, the chip may be held in a direction in which the length direction of the chip is orthogonal to the surface of the carrier tape. However, as described in each embodiment, in an electronic component such as a multilayer capacitor array having a plurality of external electrodes on a side surface of a chip, it is necessary to form the external electrodes with high precision. In this, the present invention is useful.

Further, in each of the above-described first and second embodiments, the multilayer capacitor array is exemplified as an example of the electronic component, but the present invention is not limited to this.
For example, the present invention is useful even for various array components such as a multilayer inductor array and a resistor array, electronic components such as a multilayer filter and a multilayer antenna, and electronic components such as a single multilayer capacitor and a multilayer inductor.

[0041]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention,
Since the chip can be held reliably and stably, the conductor paste can be applied with high accuracy even to small components.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an external electrode forming apparatus according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of an electronic component.

FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of the carrier tape according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the carrier tape according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of the chip insertion driving device according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the positioning device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a side view of another positioning device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a side sectional view of the coating apparatus according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the application roller according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a carrier tape according to another example of the first embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a carrier tape according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a plan view of a carrier tape according to another example of the second embodiment.

FIG. 13 is an external perspective view of an electronic component according to another example.

14 is a view for explaining a holding state of the chip of the electronic component according to FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a problem in a conventional method for forming an external electrode.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Electronic component, 2 ... Chip, 3 ... External electrode, 10, 80
... Carrier tape, 11, 81 ... Carrier tape body,
12, 82: elastic body, 15, 85: holding hole, 16: reinforcing member, 86: magnet, 20: chip insertion driving device, 40 to
43: Positioning device, 50, 51: Coating device, 60, 6
1. Drying device

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] October 19, 2000 (2000.10.
19)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] Name of invention

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

Patent application title: Method and Apparatus for Forming External Electrodes of Electronic Components and Carrier Tape

Claims (5)

[Claims] A step of inserting a chip into the holding portion of a carrier tape provided with an elastic body having a holding hole; and a step of applying a conductive paste to an outer surface of the chip while being held in the holding hole. In the method of forming an external electrode of an electronic component comprising: using a carrier tape having a pair of magnets opposed to each other with a holding hole interposed therebetween, and using the chip inserted into the holding hole with the elastic force of an elastic body and the magnetic force of the magnet. A method for forming an external electrode of an electronic component, comprising: 2. An electronic component, comprising: a carrier tape having an elastic body having a holding hole for holding a chip inside; and a coating device for applying a conductive paste to an outer surface of the chip held by the elastic body. An external electrode forming apparatus for an electronic component, wherein a pair of magnets facing each other across a holding hole are provided on the carrier tape. 3. An electronic component, comprising: a carrier tape having an elastic body having a holding hole for holding a chip inside; and a coating device for applying a conductive paste to an outer surface of the chip held by the elastic body. In the manufacturing apparatus, an external electrode forming apparatus for an electronic component, wherein a reinforcing member is provided around a holding hole of the elastic body. 4. A carrier tape for holding a chip when applying a conductor paste for an external electrode to an outer surface of the chip, wherein a tape body, a holding hole for holding the chip inside are formed, and the tape body is formed on the tape body. A carrier tape comprising: an elastic body provided; and a pair of magnets facing each other with the holding hole interposed therebetween. 5. A carrier tape for holding a chip when applying a conductor paste for an external electrode to an outer surface of the chip, wherein a tape body, a holding hole for holding the chip inside are formed, and the tape body is formed on the tape body. A carrier tape comprising: an elastic member provided; and a reinforcing member provided around the holding hole.