JP2023058834A - Compression molding apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a compression molding apparatus capable of improving productivity, preventing the occurrence of molding defects caused by adhesion of foreign matter, and improving molding quality.SOLUTION: A compression molding apparatus 1 for the present invention uses a sealing mold 202 with three sets of cavities 208 in one of an upper mold 204 or a lower mold 206 and three sets of work holding parts 205 corresponding to the other, to seal three or less workpieces W in a lump with resin R. A workpiece supply unit 100A, a press unit 100B, a resin supply unit 100C, and a molded product storage unit 100D are arranged in this order along a predetermined X direction. Otherwise, the workpiece supply unit 100A, the press unit 100B, the resin supply unit 100C, the press unit 100B, and the molded product storage unit 100D are arranged in this order along the predetermined X direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to compression molding equipment.

Examples of a resin encapsulation apparatus and a resin encapsulation method for encapsulating a workpiece having an electronic component mounted on a base material with encapsulation resin (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "resin") and processing it into a molded product include: A transfer molding method and a compression molding method are known.

In the transfer molding method, a pot is provided to supply a predetermined amount of resin to two sealing regions (cavities) provided in a sealing mold configured with an upper mold and a lower mold, and each sealing region is In this technique, the workpieces are placed at corresponding positions, clamped with an upper mold and a lower mold, and the resin is poured into the cavity from the pot for resin sealing. Also, in the compression molding method, a predetermined amount of resin is supplied to a sealing region (cavity) provided in a sealing mold configured with an upper mold and a lower mold, and a workpiece is placed in the sealing region. It is a technique of resin sealing by clamping with an upper mold and a lower mold. As an example, when using a sealing mold having a cavity in the upper mold, there is known a technique of supplying resin to the central position of the work collectively for molding. On the other hand, when using a sealing mold in which a cavity is provided in the lower mold, a technique of supplying a film and a resin covering the mold surface including the cavity and molding is known (Patent Document 1: JP 2019 -145550).

JP 2019-145550 A

In the conventional compression molding method as exemplified in Patent Document 1, a plurality of press units (for example, 2 to 4 units, etc.) having sealing dies are arranged, and a set of sealing dies By setting the number of molded products to be taken (the number of molded products) to two, productivity has been improved.

However, as the number of press units increases to, for example, three or four, it takes time to supply materials to the sealing mold (especially when granular resin is used). There was a problem that improvement could not be achieved. In addition, there is a problem that not only the size of the entire device increases, but also the cost increases due to the increase in the number of parts and the complexity of the configuration.

Furthermore, in the compression molding method, if the unit arrangement is suitable for the necessary material supply process and molded product storage process, it becomes difficult to separate the work supply unit and the molded product storage unit. It becomes difficult to isolate the resin conveying section. As a result, foreign matter (burrs, etc.) generated from the molded product and foreign matter (dust, etc.) generated from the resin being transported adhere to the workpiece and the sealing mold, causing molding defects. rice field.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and is capable of improving productivity without relying on the conventional method of increasing the number of press units to three or more, and preventing defective molding due to adhesion of foreign matter. It is an object of the present invention to provide a compression molding apparatus capable of preventing such occurrence and improving molding quality.

The present invention solves the above-described problems by means of solving means described below as one embodiment.

The compression molding apparatus according to the present invention uses a sealing mold in which one of the upper mold and the lower mold is provided with three sets of cavities, and the other is provided with three sets of corresponding work holding parts. A compression molding apparatus for collectively encapsulating the works with resin, wherein a work supply unit for supplying the works, a resin supply unit for supplying the resin, and the sealing mold are arranged. A press unit that seals the workpiece with resin to process it into a molded product, and a molded product storage unit that stores the molded product. unit, the resin supply unit, and the molded product storage unit, or in the order of the work supply unit, the press unit, the resin supply unit, the press unit, and the molded product storage unit. do.

According to this, the maximum number of moldings that can be obtained from one set of sealing molds can be three, and the number of press units can be suppressed to two or less. Therefore, when compared with a conventional device with the same number of molded products (specifically, a device with three press units and two molded products per set of sealing molds), Since it is possible to reduce the number of times the material (workpiece, sealing resin, release film) is supplied, productivity can be improved. Moreover, since the number of times of pressing (that is, the number of times of performing the resin sealing process) can be reduced, the manufacturing cost can be reduced. In addition, it is possible to reduce the cost of the apparatus by reducing the size of the entire apparatus and simplifying the configuration.

In addition, it is possible to easily realize a configuration in which the work supply unit and the molded product storage unit are separated, and a configuration in which the work transfer section and the resin transfer section are separated. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of defective molding due to foreign matter (such as burrs) generated from the molded product or foreign matter (such as dust) generated from the resin being transported, thereby improving molding quality.

Furthermore, as expansion units for the basic unit, for example, a work volume measurement unit, a molded product appearance inspection unit, a heat spreader supply unit, a sheet resin supply unit, etc. can be easily added, making the device highly expandable. realizable.

Further, a work conveying section for conveying the work between the work supply unit and the press unit, a molded article conveying section for conveying the molded article between the press unit and the molded article storage unit, and and a resin conveying section for conveying the resin between the resin supply unit and the press unit, wherein a partition is provided between the work conveying section and the molded product conveying section and the resin conveying section. is preferably provided. Further, it is preferable that the workpiece supply unit, the press unit, the resin supply unit, and the molded article storage unit are also partitioned. According to this, it is possible to more reliably separate the work conveying section and the resin conveying section and separate the molded article conveying section and the resin conveying section.

In addition, the work conveying section has a work loader that carries the work into the sealing mold along the Y direction perpendicular to the X direction, and the resin conveying section conveys the resin in the X direction. It is preferable to have a resin loader for loading into the encapsulation mold along. According to this, it is possible to avoid overlapping of the resin carrying-in route with the workpiece carrying-in route and the molded product carrying-out route with respect to the sealing mold as much as possible. Separation from the transport section can be performed more reliably.

A work stocker used to store the work, a molded product stocker used to store the molded product, and a resin stocker used to store the resin, wherein the work stocker and the molded product stocker are: It is preferable that the resin stocker is relatively arranged on the upper side of the device, and the resin stocker is arranged relatively on the lower side of the device. According to this, it is possible to realize an apparatus configuration in which the moving path of the work moving device and the molded article moving device and the moving path of the resin moving device are orthogonal to each other. Therefore, the width and depth of the device can be made compact. Further, it is possible to realize an apparatus configuration in which a reliable partition is provided between the work conveying section and the molded article conveying section and the resin conveying section. Furthermore, since the work stocker and the molded product stocker can be exchanged without bending down, the workability can be improved.

According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the number of times of material supply to the sealing mold and the number of times of pressing compared to the conventional device that takes the same number of molded products, so productivity is improved and manufacturing cost is reduced. can be achieved. Moreover, since it is possible to reduce the size of the entire apparatus and simplify the configuration, the apparatus cost can be reduced. Furthermore, foreign matter such as resin burrs and dust can be prevented from adhering to the workpiece and the sealing mold, so molding quality can be improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a top view which shows the example of the compression molding apparatus which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 is a side view taken along line II-II of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a side view taken along line III-III of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a side view at the IV-IV line position of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an example of a mold opening/closing mechanism of the compression molding apparatus of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a sealing mold of the compression molding apparatus of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a resin loader of the compression molding apparatus of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of the operation of the compression molding apparatus of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of the operation of the compression molding apparatus of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of the operation of the compression molding apparatus of FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of the operation of the compression molding apparatus of FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an example of a compression molding device according to a second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an example of a compression molding device according to a third embodiment of the invention;

[First embodiment]
(overall structure)
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view (schematic diagram) showing an example of a compression molding apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. 2, 3, and 4 are a side view at the II-II line position in FIG. 1, a side view at the III-III line position, and a side view at the IV-IV line position to explain the arrangement configuration. It is a diagram. For convenience of explanation, the arrows in the drawing indicate the left-right direction (X direction), the front-rear direction (Y direction), and the up-down direction (Z direction) in the compression molding apparatus 1 . Further, in all the drawings for explaining each embodiment, members having the same functions are denoted by the same reference numerals, and repeated description thereof may be omitted.

A compression molding apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is an apparatus that uses a sealing mold 202 having an upper mold 204 and a lower mold 206 to perform resin sealing molding of a work (molded article) W. As shown in FIG. Hereinafter, as the compression molding apparatus 1, an upper mold 204 is provided with three sets of cavities 208 (208A, 208B, 208C), and three sets of work holding portions 205 (205A, 205B, 205C) corresponding to the lower mold 206 are provided. A plurality of workpieces W (for example, when sealing one workpiece W in a set of cavities 208, a maximum of three workpieces W) are collectively sealed with a resin R using the sealed mold 202. An example of a compression molding apparatus for stopping will be described. However, it is not limited to this configuration, and the number of works W may be set to three or less.

First, a workpiece W to be molded has a structure in which a plurality of electronic components Wb are mounted in a matrix on a base material Wa. More specifically, examples of the base material Wa include plate-shaped members (so-called strip workpieces) such as strip-shaped resin substrates, ceramic substrates, metal substrates, carrier plates, lead frames, and wafers. . Examples of electronic components Wb include semiconductor chips, MEMS chips, passive elements, radiator plates, conductive members, spacers, and the like. As another example of the base material Wa, a configuration using the above members formed in a circular shape, a square shape, or the like may be used (not shown).

Examples of methods for mounting the electronic component Wb on the base material Wa include mounting methods such as wire bonding mounting and flip chip mounting. Alternatively, in the case of a configuration in which the base material (a carrier plate made of glass or metal) Wa is peeled off from the molded article Wp after resin sealing, an adhesive tape having heat peelability or an ultraviolet curable resin that is cured by ultraviolet irradiation is used. There is also a method of sticking the electronic component Wb by using.

On the other hand, examples of the resin R include granular (including columnar), pulverized, or powdered thermosetting resins (for example, filler-containing epoxy resin, etc.) is used. The resin R is not limited to the above state, and may be in other states (shapes) such as liquid, plate, sheet, etc., and is a resin other than epoxy thermosetting resin. good too.

Examples of the film F include film materials excellent in heat resistance, peelability, flexibility, and extensibility, such as PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), ETFE (polytetrafluoroethylene polymer), PET, FEP, Fluorine-impregnated glass cloth, polypropylene, polyvinylidine chloride and the like are preferably used. In this embodiment, a roll-shaped film is used as the film F. As shown in FIG. As a modification, a strip-shaped film may be used (not shown).

Next, an overview of the compression molding apparatus 1 according to this embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the compression molding apparatus 1 includes a work supply unit 100A that mainly supplies the work W, a press unit 100B that mainly processes the work W into a molded product Wp by encapsulating the work W with resin, and a resin mold. Main components include a resin supply unit 100C that mainly supplies and a molded product storage unit 100D that mainly stores the molded product Wp after resin sealing.

In the present embodiment, the work supply unit 100A, the press unit 100B, the resin supply unit 100C, the press unit 100B, and the molded product storage unit 100D are arranged in this order along a predetermined direction (eg, the X direction in FIG. 1). are placed. Here, a work conveying unit 104 that conveys the work W between the work supply unit 100A and the press unit 100B, and a molded product that conveys the molded product Wp between the press unit 100B and the molded product storage unit 100D. A transport section 106 is provided. A resin conveying section 108 for conveying the resin R is provided between the resin supply unit 100C and the press unit 100B.

According to the above configuration, it is possible to reliably separate the workpiece supply unit 100A and the molded product storage unit 100D. Therefore, it is possible to prevent foreign matter (such as burrs) generated from the molded product Wp from adhering to the workpiece W or the sealing mold 202 and causing defective molding. Furthermore, as shown in a third embodiment described later, as expansion units, for example, a work volume measurement unit, a molded product appearance inspection unit, a heat spreader supply unit, a sheet resin supply unit, etc., can be easily additionally installed. It is possible to realize a device with extremely high scalability.

Further, in this embodiment, the work conveying section 104 is configured to include a work loader 210, and a moving device 130 having a slider 116, a guide 117, and the like. The molded article conveying section 106 includes a molded article loader 212, and a moving device 132 having a slider 118, a guide 119, and the like. Further, the resin conveying section 108 is configured to include a resin loader 304 and a moving device 134 having a guide 305 and the like. For example, the moving device 130 and the moving device 132 use linear motion mechanisms such as linear conveyors. Further, the moving device 134 is used in combination with a linear motion mechanism such as a linear conveyor and an elevating mechanism such as an elevator. However, it is not limited to these configurations.

Here, as shown in FIG. 2, a partition 300 is provided between the work conveying section 104 and molded product conveying section 106 and the resin conveying section 108 . As a result, it is possible to reliably separate the work conveying section 104 and the resin conveying section 108 and separate the molded article conveying section 106 and the resin conveying section 108 from each other. Therefore, it is possible to prevent foreign matter (such as dust) generated from the resin R being conveyed from adhering to the workpiece W or the sealing mold 202 and causing molding defects.

It should be noted that the compression molding apparatus 1 can change the overall configuration mode by changing the configuration of the unit. For example, the configuration shown in FIG. 1 is an example in which two press units 100B are installed, but a configuration in which only one press unit 100B is installed (second embodiment described later) is also possible. Also, a configuration in which another unit is additionally installed (a third embodiment described later), etc., is also possible.

(work supply unit)
Next, the work supply unit 100A included in the compression molding apparatus 1 will be described in detail.

The work supply unit 100A includes a work stocker 110 used to store the work W, a work transfer unit 104 for transferring the work W into the sealing mold 202, and a transfer of the work W from the work stocker 110 to the work transfer unit 104. a supply pickup 120; Here, as shown in FIG. 3, the work stocker 110 is arranged relatively above the resin stocker 302, which will be described later. A well-known stack magazine, slit magazine, or the like is used for the work stocker 110 .

The slider 116 of the work conveying section 104 functions to receive the work W from the supply pickup 120 , convey it, and deliver it to the work loader 210 . As a configuration example, three rows of work holding portions 116A, 116B, and 116C each capable of holding one work W are provided in parallel in the X direction. Also, it is configured to be movable in the X direction along the guide 117 between the work supply unit 100A and the press unit 100B. For the workpiece holding portions 116A, 116B, and 116C, a known holding mechanism (for example, a configuration that has holding claws to hold and hold, a configuration that has a suction hole communicating with a suction device and sucks, etc.) is used. (not shown).

The work loader 210 of the work conveying section 104 functions to receive the work W from the slider 116 , convey it, and transfer it to the sealing mold 202 . As a configuration example, three rows of work holding portions 210A, 210B, and 210C each capable of holding one work W are provided in parallel in the X direction. Further, it is configured to be movable in the Y direction (the direction orthogonal to the X direction in the horizontal plane) within the press unit 100B. For the workpiece holding portions 210A, 210B, and 210C, a known holding mechanism (for example, a configuration in which holding claws are provided to clamp, a configuration in which a suction hole communicating with a suction device is provided to suck, etc.) is used. (not shown).

According to this configuration, a maximum of three workpieces W are carried into the sealing mold 202 at once using the workpiece conveying unit 104 and held by the workpiece holding units 205 (205A, 205B, 205C) of the lower mold 206. can be made

In this embodiment, the work conveying unit 104 is configured such that the slider 116 moves in the X direction and the work loader 210 moves in the Y direction to carry the work W into the sealing mold 202 . In this manner, the X-axis of the work loader 210 of the work transfer section 104 is fixed, the slider 116 is movable along the X-axis, and the work loader 210 is installed in the press unit 100B. never However, it is not limited to this, and a single work loader may be configured to move in the X and Y directions as the work conveying unit 104 to carry the work W into the sealing mold 202 (unacceptable). shown).

The slider 116 also includes a heater (not shown) that heats the workpiece W from the lower surface side (base material Wa side). As an example, the heater uses a known heating mechanism (eg, electric heating wire heater, infrared heater, etc.). As a result, the workpiece W can be preheated before it is carried into the sealing mold 202 and heated. Note that a configuration without a heater may be used.

(press unit)
Next, the press unit 100B included in the compression molding apparatus 1 will be described in detail. Here, FIG. 5 shows a front sectional view (schematic view) of the mold opening/closing mechanism 250 of the compression molding apparatus 1. As shown in FIG. 6 shows a side cross-sectional view (schematic diagram) of the sealing mold 202 of the compression molding apparatus 1. As shown in FIG.

The press unit 100B is a sealed mold having a pair of dies that can be opened and closed (for example, a plurality of die blocks made of alloy tool steel, a die plate, a die pillar, and other members assembled together). 202. In this embodiment, of the pair of molds, one mold on the upper side in the vertical direction is the upper mold 204 and the other mold on the lower side is the lower mold 206 . The sealing mold 202 is closed and opened by the upper mold 204 and the lower mold 206 approaching and separating from each other. That is, the vertical direction (vertical direction) is the mold opening/closing direction.

The sealing mold 202 is opened and closed by a known mold opening/closing mechanism 250 . As an example shown in FIG. 5, the mold opening/closing mechanism 250 includes a pair of platens 252 and 254, a plurality of connecting mechanisms 256 on which the pair of platens 252 and 254 are installed, and a drive source for moving (lifting) the platen 254. (for example, an electric motor) 260, a drive transmission mechanism (for example, a ball screw or toggle link mechanism) 262, and the like.

Here, the sealing mold 202 is arranged between a pair of platens 252 and 254 in the mold opening/closing mechanism 250 . In this embodiment, the upper die 204 is assembled with a fixed platen (platen fixed to the coupling mechanism 256) 252, and the lower die 206 is assembled with a movable platen (platen that moves up and down along the coupling mechanism 256) 254. . However, the configuration is not limited to this, and the upper die 204 may be assembled with the movable platen and the lower die 206 may be assembled with the stationary platen, or both the upper die 204 and the lower die 206 may be assembled with the movable platen. .

Next, the upper mold 204 of the sealing mold 202 will be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 6, the upper die 204 comprises an upper plate 222, a cavity piece 226, a clamper 228, etc., which are assembled together. In this embodiment, a cavity 208 is provided on the lower surface of the upper mold 204 (the surface on the lower mold 206 side).

More specifically, the cavity piece 226 is fixedly attached to the lower surface of the upper plate 222 . On the other hand, the clamper 228 is configured in an annular shape so as to surround the cavity piece 226 , and is attached to the lower surface of the upper plate 222 via a biasing member 232 so as to be separated (floating) and vertically movable. The cavity piece 226 forms the inner part (bottom part) of the cavity 208 , and the clamper 228 forms the side part of the cavity 208 . Here, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, three sets of cavities 208 are arranged side by side in the X direction in one upper mold 204 (208A, 208B, and 208C in the figure), and three or less The workpiece W is collectively sealed with resin.

A suction groove (not shown) is provided on the mold surface 206a of the lower mold 206 facing the clamper 228, and communicates with a suction device (not shown). In addition, by providing a seal structure surrounding them, it is possible to deaerate the cavity 208 while the mold is closed by driving the suction device to reduce the pressure.

Further, in the present embodiment, a suction mechanism is provided for sucking and holding the film F supplied from a film supply mechanism (described later) to the upper die 204 . For example, this suction mechanism includes a suction device (non-contact) via suction paths 230a and 230b provided through the clamper 228 and a suction path 230c provided through the upper plate 222 and the cavity piece 226. shown). Specifically, one end of each of the suction paths 230 a , 230 b , 230 c communicates with the mold surface 204 a of the upper mold 204 , and the other end is connected to a suction device arranged outside the upper mold 204 . As a result, the film F can be sucked from the suction paths 230a, 230b, and 230c by driving the suction device, and the film F can be held on the mold surface 204a including the inner surface of the cavity 208 by suction.

Thus, by providing the film F covering the inner surface of the cavity 208 and the mold surface 204a (a part) of the upper mold 204, the resin R portion on the upper surface of the molded article Wp can be easily peeled off. , the molded product Wp can be easily removed from the sealing mold 202 (in this case, the upper mold 204).

A gap of a predetermined size provided between the inner peripheral surface of the clamper 228 and the outer peripheral surface of the cavity piece 226 constitutes part of the suction path 230a. Therefore, a sealing member 234 (for example, an O-ring) is arranged at a predetermined position of the gap to perform a sealing function when the film F is sucked.

Further, in this embodiment, an upper mold heating mechanism is provided to heat the upper mold 204 to a predetermined temperature. The upper mold heating mechanism includes a heater (for example, a heating wire heater), a temperature sensor, a power supply, etc., and heating is controlled by a control unit (none of which is shown). As an example, the heater is built in the upper plate 222 and a mold base (not shown) that accommodates them, and mainly applies heat to the entire upper mold 204 and the resin R (described later). Thereby, the upper mold 204 is adjusted to a predetermined temperature (for example, 100° C. to 200° C.) and heated.

Further, in this embodiment, film supply mechanisms 214A, 214B, and 214C are provided for conveying (supplying) the roll-shaped film F having no openings (holes) on the sheet surface to the inside of the sealing mold 202 . In the film supply mechanisms 214A, 214B, and 214C, the unused film F is sent out from the unwinding portion 214a, supplied to the mold-opened sealing mold 202, and used for resin sealing in the sealing mold 202. After that, the used film F is wound up by the winding section 214b. The unwinding portion 214a and the winding portion 214b may be arranged oppositely in the Y direction, or may be arranged so as to supply one strip of film F in the X direction (neither is shown). .

Next, the lower mold 206 of the sealing mold 202 will be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 6, the lower die 206 comprises a lower plate 224, a holding plate 236, etc., which are assembled together. Here, the holding plate 236 is fixedly attached to the upper surface of the lower plate 224 (the surface on the upper die 204 side).

Further, in this embodiment, a workpiece holding portion 205 is provided to hold the workpiece W at a predetermined position on the upper surface of the holding plate 236 . As an example, the workpiece holding section 205 has a suction path 240a which is disposed through the holding plate 236 and the lower plate 224 and communicates with a suction device (not shown). Specifically, one end of the suction path 240 a communicates with the mold surface 206 a of the lower mold 206 , and the other end is connected to a suction device arranged outside the lower mold 206 . As a result, the suction device is driven to suck the work W from the suction path 240a, and the work W can be attracted and held on the mold surface 206a (here, the upper surface of the holding plate 236). Furthermore, a configuration may be employed in which holding claws for holding the outer periphery of the work W are provided in parallel with the configuration including the suction path 240a (not shown).

Further, in this embodiment, a lower mold heating mechanism is provided to heat the lower mold 206 to a predetermined temperature. The lower mold heating mechanism includes a heater (for example, a heating wire heater), a temperature sensor, a power source, etc., and heating is controlled by a control unit (none of which is shown). As an example, the heater is built in the lower plate 224 and a mold base (not shown) that accommodates them, and mainly applies heat to the entire lower mold 206 and the workpiece W. Thereby, the lower mold 206 is adjusted to a predetermined temperature (for example, 100° C. to 200° C.) and heated.

Here, in this embodiment, one lower mold 204 corresponds to the structure of the upper mold 204 described above, that is, the structure in which three sets of cavities 208 are arranged side by side in the X direction (208A, 208B, and 208C in the figure). Three sets of work holding portions 205 are arranged in the X direction at 206 (205A, 205B, and 205C in the drawing). It should be noted that the configuration is not limited to the above configuration, and three sets of cavities 208 and corresponding work holding portions 205 may be arranged in parallel in the Y direction (not shown).

According to the above configuration, the maximum number of molded products Wp to be taken from one set of sealing molds 202 can be three, and the number of press units 100B can be suppressed to two or less (this The embodiment is an example in which two press units 100B are installed). That is, when compared with a conventional device with the same number of molded products (specifically, a device with three press units and two molded products per set of sealing molds), the sealing mold 202 Since the number of times of supplying materials (workpiece W, sealing resin R, release film F) to the apparatus can be reduced, productivity can be improved. Moreover, since the number of times of pressing (that is, the number of times of performing the resin sealing process) can be reduced, the manufacturing cost can be reduced. In addition, it is possible to reduce the cost of the apparatus by reducing the size of the entire apparatus and simplifying the configuration.

(resin supply unit)
Next, the resin supply unit 100C included in the compression molding apparatus 1 will be described in detail. Here, FIG. 7 shows a side sectional view (schematic diagram) of the resin loader 304 of the compression molding apparatus 1. As shown in FIG.

The resin supply unit 100C includes a resin stocker 302 used to store the resin R, a dispenser 312 that supplies the resin R from the resin stocker 302, and a resin loader 304 that conveys the supplied resin R into the sealing mold 202. It has Here, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the resin stocker 302 is arranged relatively to the lower side of the apparatus than the work stocker 110 and the molded product stocker 112 which will be described later. Three dispensers 312 are arranged so that the resin R can be simultaneously supplied to three pressure plates 314 (described later) provided corresponding to the three sets of cavities 208 . However, it is not limited to this configuration. As a modified example, the resin loader 304 may be provided with a mechanism for vibrating the pressing plate 314 to make the thickness of the resin R supplied onto the pressing plate 314 uniform (not shown).

The resin supply unit 100C also includes a resin heater 306 that heats the resin R transported by the resin loader 304 at a position adjacent to the dispenser 312 or the like. As an example, the resin heater 306 uses a known heating mechanism (for example, an electric heating wire heater, an infrared heater, etc.). As a result, the surface of the granular resin R placed on the pressing plate 314 can be heated to be melted or softened, thereby preventing dust (such as fine resin powder) from being generated from the resin R being conveyed. By preventing this, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of poor molding of the product and malfunction of the device. A configuration without the resin heater 306 may be employed.

Here, as shown in FIG. 7, the resin loader 304 includes a pressing plate 314 on which the resin R dropped from the dispenser 312 is placed on an upper surface 314a, and an outer peripheral portion of the pressing plate 314 to a position higher than the upper surface 314a. A guard 316 having a peripheral wall portion 316a surrounding the entire circumference is provided. In this embodiment, one upper mold 204 has three sets of cavities 208, and three workpieces W (for example, strip-shaped workpieces) are placed in one lower mold 206 and collectively sealed with resin. to obtain three molded products Wp at the same time. Therefore, three pressing plates 314 are provided corresponding to the positions of the cavities 208 . Also, the guard 316 is configured such that the peripheral wall portion 316a surrounds the entire periphery of the three pressing plates 314. As shown in FIG. That is, the guard 316 is configured as a frame provided around each pressing plate 314 . Incidentally, the number of molded products Wp to be taken can be set to three or less.

The resin loader 304 according to this embodiment is configured to be vertically movable (that is, reciprocally movable in the Z direction). Further, the resin loader 304 is provided with a moving sticking mechanism 315 that moves a pressing plate 314 upward to press the placed resin R against the film F within the cavity 208 . According to this, the resin loader 304 can be lifted to bring the peripheral wall portion 316a of the guard 316 into contact with the upper mold 204 (for example, the mold surface 204a of the clamper 228). Further, in this state, the pressing plate 314 is moved upward by the moving sticking mechanism 315, and the resin R placed on the pressing plate 314 is removed as a film in the cavity 208 of the upper die 204 heated to a predetermined temperature. F can be pressed. Therefore, the heat of the upper mold 204 can be transferred to the resin R through the film F, so that the resin R is softened (melted) to generate an adhesive force to adhere to the lower surface of the film F. can be done. As a modified example, the resin loader 304 may be provided with a mechanism for raising and lowering the guard 316 to raise and lower the guard 316 with respect to the resin loader 304 (not shown).

It is preferable that the pressing plate 314 is subjected to a surface treatment to prevent adhesion of the resin R on the upper surface 314a. According to this, when the pressure plate 314 is moved downward (lowered) after the resin R is pressed and adhered to the film F, the resin R adheres to the pressure plate 314, causing the resin R to adhere to the film F. It is possible to prevent the problem that the mold 204 cannot be set.

In this embodiment, the resin loader 304 is configured to load the resin R into the sealing mold 202 along the X direction.

(molded product storage unit)
Next, a molded article storage unit 100D provided in the compression molding apparatus 1 will be described in detail.

The molded product storage unit 100D includes a molded product stocker 112 used to store the molded product Wp, a molded product transfer unit 106 that transfers the molded product Wp to the outside of the sealing mold 202, and a molded product stocker from the molded product transfer unit 106. and a storage pickup 122 for delivering the molded product Wp to 112 . Here, as shown in FIG. 4, the molded product stocker 112 is arranged relatively above the resin stocker 302 described above. A known stack magazine, slit magazine, or the like is used for the molded product stocker 112 .

The molded product loader 212 of the molded product conveying unit 106 functions to receive the molded product Wp from the sealing mold 202 , convey it, and transfer it to the slider 118 . As a configuration example, molded product holding portions 212A, 212B, and 212C are arranged in three rows in the X direction and each can hold one molded product Wp. Moreover, it is configured to be movable in the Y direction within the press unit 100B. For the molded article holding portions 212A, 212B, and 212C, a known holding mechanism (for example, a structure that has holding claws to sandwich, a structure that has a suction hole communicating with a suction device and sucks, etc.) is used. (not shown).

The slider 118 of the molded product conveying unit 106 receives the molded product Wp from the molded product loader 212 , conveys it, and delivers it to the storage pickup 122 . As a configuration example, molded product holding portions 118A, 118B, and 118C that are arranged in three rows in the X direction and each can hold one molded product Wp are provided. Also, it is configured to be movable along the guide 119 between the press unit 100B and the molded article storage unit 100D. For the molded article holding portions 118A, 118B, and 118C, a known holding mechanism (for example, a structure that has holding claws to sandwich, a structure that has a suction hole communicating with a suction device and sucks, etc.) is used. (not shown).

According to this configuration, a maximum of three molded products Wp that are resin-sealed and held in the cavities 208 (208A, 208B, 208C) of the upper mold 204 are sealed at once using the molded product conveying unit 106. It can be carried out to the outside of the clamping die 202 .

In this embodiment, the molded product loader 212 moves in the Y direction, the slider 118 moves in the X direction, and the molded product Wp is carried out of the sealing mold 202 as the molded product conveying unit 106 . ing. In this way, by fixing the X-axis of the molded product loader 212 of the molded product conveying unit 106, making the slider 118 movable along the X-axis, and installing the molded product loader 212 in the press unit 100B, the molded product loader 212 is deposited. Do not scatter garbage. However, it is not limited to this, and may be configured such that one molded product loader moves in the X direction and the Y direction as the molded product conveying unit 106 to carry out the molded product Wp out of the sealing mold 202. (not shown).

In the compression molding apparatus 1 having the above configuration, the work loader 210 is configured to load the workpiece W into the sealing mold 202 along the Y direction, and the molded product loader 212 is configured to move along the Y direction. It is configured to carry out the molded product Wp out of the sealing mold 202 . On the other hand, the resin loader 304 is configured to load the resin R into the sealing mold 202 along the X direction. As a result, the carry-in route of the work W and the carry-out route of the molded product Wp to the sealing mold 202 can be prevented from substantially overlapping the carry-in route of the resin R, and the work conveying unit 104 and the molded product conveying unit The separation between the portion 106 and the resin conveying portion 108 can be reliably performed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent foreign substances (such as burrs) generated from the molded product Wp and foreign substances (such as dust) generated from the resin R being conveyed from adhering to the workpiece W and the sealing mold 202, thereby improving the molding quality. be able to.

Also, the work stocker 110 and the molded product stocker 112 are arranged relatively on the upper side of the apparatus, and the resin stocker 302 is arranged relatively on the lower side of the apparatus. Further, the moving devices 130 and 132 and the moving device 134 are arranged so that their moving directions are perpendicular to each other. This allows the overall dimensions of the device to be compact. In addition, these configurations also contribute to ensuring the isolation between the workpiece conveying section 104 and the molded article conveying section 106 and the resin conveying section 108 . Furthermore, since the work stocker 110 and the molded product stocker 112 can be exchanged without bending down, the workability can be improved.

(resin sealing operation)
Next, the operation of resin sealing using the compression molding apparatus 1 according to this embodiment (that is, the compression molding method according to this embodiment) will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 11. FIG. Here, three sets of cavities 208 are provided in one upper mold 204, and three workpieces W (for example, strip-shaped workpieces) are placed in one lower mold 206 and resin-sealed together. , a configuration for obtaining three molded products Wp at the same time. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and one or two workpieces W may be resin-sealed.

First, a heating process (upper mold heating process) is performed by adjusting and heating the upper mold 204 to a predetermined temperature (for example, 100° C. to 200° C.) by the upper mold heating mechanism. Further, a heating process (lower mold heating process) is performed by adjusting and heating the lower mold 206 to a predetermined temperature (for example, 100° C. to 200° C.) by the lower mold heating mechanism.

Next, as shown in FIG. 8, the three pressing plates 314 are transported together with the guards 316 surrounding the pressing plates 314 by the resin loader 304 so that the three pressing plates 314 are directly below the nozzles 312a of the three dispensers 312, respectively. . At this time, the guard 316 (surrounding wall portion 316a) surrounds the entire periphery of the pressing plate 314 to a position higher than the upper surface 314a. In this state, a placement step is performed in which a specified amount of resin R is dropped (supplied) from three nozzles 312a onto the upper surface 314a of each of the pressing plates 314 and placed thereon. As described above, the guard 316 is a frame that surrounds the entire periphery of the pressing plate 314 . Therefore, when dropping the resin R, it is possible to prevent the resin R from spilling from the pressing plate 314 . In this embodiment, the resin R is supplied so as to be flatter. A step of flattening (making the thickness uniform) may be performed while spreading the resin R to the outermost peripheral position.

Next, a step of heating (preheating) the resin R being conveyed by the resin loader 304 is performed by the resin heater 306 . For example, the resin R is preheated to a temperature (for example, 60° C. to 80° C.) at which the resin R is not completely melted or melted by pressing a heated part or by radiant heat, and the grains of the resin R are welded (or softened) and integrated. As a result, the surface of the granular resin R placed on the pressing plate 314 can be welded (or softened), preventing the generation of dust (fine powder of resin, etc.) during transportation and preventing defective molding of the product. Also, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of malfunction of the device. It should be noted that a configuration without the preheating step may be employed.

Next, the film F is conveyed (sent out) from the unwinding section 214a to the winding section 214b by the film supply mechanisms 214A, 214B, and 214C, and is placed at a predetermined position (between the upper mold 204 and the lower mold 206) in the sealing mold 202. A step of supplying the film F (film supplying step) to the intermediate position) is performed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 9, an adsorption process (first adsorption process) is performed in which the film F is adsorbed and held on the mold surface 204a including the inner surface of the cavity 208 by the adsorption mechanism. Next, a step of conveying the resin R placed on the pressing plate 314 into the sealing die 202 (between the upper die and the lower die) by the resin loader 304 is performed. In this step, the resin loader 304 is placed at a predetermined position inside the sealing mold 202 (between the upper mold and the lower mold), and the resin loader 304 starts to rise from that state. When the peripheral wall portion 316a of the guard 316 comes into contact with the upper mold 204 (in this case, the mold surface 204a of the clamper 228), the upward movement of the resin loader 304 is stopped.

Next, as shown in FIG. 10, the moving sticking mechanism 315 is driven to start lifting the pressing plate 314 . At this time, only the pressing plate 314 moves upward (that is, into the cavity 208) to press the resin R placed on the upper surface 314a against the lower surface of the film F to adhere it.

In this manner, the resin R placed on the pressing plate 314 can be pressed against the film F within the cavity 208 of the upper mold 204 heated to a predetermined temperature. Therefore, the heat of the upper die 204 can be transferred to the resin R through the film F, so that the resin R softens (melts) and an adhesive force is generated, and the effect of sticking to the lower surface of the film F is obtained. be done. It should be noted that the sticking process is preferably carried out in a short period of time so that the moving sticking mechanism 315 is not heated by radiant heat or heat transfer through the resin R. In this regard, the step of attaching the resin R to the lower surface of the film F can be efficiently performed by performing the preheating step described above to integrate the resin R in advance. Specifically, since the resin R is integrated, the resin R can be adhered to the lower surface of the film F in a short time. Further, since the resin R is integrated, it is possible to prevent particles of the resin R from remaining on the pressing plate 314 .

Next, as shown in FIG. 11, the step of driving the moving sticking mechanism 315 to start lowering the pressing plate 314 and the step of starting lowering the resin loader 304 are performed. Next, a step of moving the resin loader 304 out of the sealing mold 202 is performed (not shown).

Next, a step of conveying the work W into the sealing mold 202 by the work conveying unit 104 is performed. After preheating the work W by the heater of the slider 116, the work W conveyed into the sealing mold 202 by the work loader 210 is held at a predetermined position of the lower mold 206 (not shown). In this embodiment, three workpieces W are held side by side. The process of transporting the work W into the sealing mold 202 by the work transport unit 104 may be performed before the process of attaching the resin R.

The subsequent steps are the same as those of the conventional resin sealing method. Then, a step (resin sealing step) is performed. At this time, in each of the three sets of cavities 208, the cavity pieces 226 are relatively lowered to heat and press the resin R against the three works W. As shown in FIG. As a result, the resin R is thermally cured and resin sealing (compression molding) is completed. Next, the sealing mold 202 is opened, and the molded product conveying unit 106 takes out the molded product Wp from the sealing mold 202 and conveys it to the molded product storage unit 100D (molded product conveying step). do. In addition, the film feeding mechanisms 214A, 214B, and 214C convey the film F from the unwinding section 214a to the winding section 214b, thereby carrying out a step of sending out the used film F (film discharging step).

The above is the main operation of resin sealing performed using the compression molding apparatus 1 . However, the above order of steps is only an example, and it is possible to change the order of the steps before and after or perform them in parallel as long as there is no problem. For example, in the present embodiment, since the two press units 100B are provided, it is possible to efficiently form a molded product by performing the above operations in parallel.

[Second embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment of the invention will be described. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the configuration of the unit. In the following, the difference will be mainly described. Here, FIG. 12 shows a plan view (schematic diagram) of the compression molding apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment.

While the first embodiment described above is a configuration example in which two press units 100B are installed, this embodiment is a configuration example in which only one press unit 100B is installed. Specifically, the work supply unit 100A, the press unit 100B, the resin supply unit 100C, and the molded article storage unit 100D are arranged in this order along a predetermined direction (eg, the X direction in FIG. 12). The basic configurations of the workpiece conveying section 104, the molded article conveying section 106, and the resin conveying section 108 are the same as those of the first embodiment.

According to this embodiment, the number of press units 100B to be installed can be reduced as compared with the first embodiment described above. It is possible to reduce the cost of the device by making it more flexible. Further, as in the first embodiment, the work loader 210 of the work conveying unit 104 and the molded product loader 212 of the molded product conveying unit 106 are fixed on the X axis, the slider 116 and the slider 118 are movable on the X axis, and the press unit A configuration in which the work loader 210 and the molded product loader 212 are installed in 100B enables the number of Y-axes to be reduced. Also, dust accumulated on the work loader 210 and the molded product loader 212 is not scattered. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and one loader may move in the X direction and the Y direction (not shown). The above-described unit arrangement can shorten the transport distance of the work W, and is therefore effective in terms of dust prevention.

On the other hand, the operation of resin sealing using the compression molding apparatus 1 according to this embodiment (that is, the compression molding method according to this embodiment) is basically the same as the first embodiment described above. Therefore, repetitive description is omitted.

[Third embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment of the invention will be described. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the configuration of the unit. In the following, the difference will be mainly described. Here, FIG. 13 shows a plan view (schematic diagram) of the compression molding apparatus 1 according to the third embodiment.

This embodiment is a configuration example in which other units are additionally installed to the unit configuration of the above-described first embodiment. As an example of other units, a configuration in which a volume measurement unit 100E for measuring the volume of the work W is installed in the work supply unit 100A (or a configuration in which it is installed in a position adjacent to the work supply unit 100A is also conceivable), and a molded product A configuration is provided in which a visual inspection unit 100F for performing a visual inspection of Wp is installed in the molded product storage unit 100D (or a configuration in which it is installed at a position adjacent to the molded product storage unit 100D is also conceivable).

As a specific configuration, the work W volume measurement unit 100E includes a work table 502, a measuring section 504, and a work pickup 506 that transfers the work W from the work table 502 to the slider . The molded product Wp appearance inspection unit 100F also includes a molded product table 602 , an inspection unit 604 , and a molded product pickup 606 that transfers the molded product Wp from the slider 118 to the molded product table 602 .

The work table 502 is provided with work holding portions arranged in three rows in the X direction and capable of holding one work W, respectively. In addition, a known holding mechanism (for example, a configuration that has holding claws to clamp, a configuration that has a suction hole communicating with a suction device and sucks, etc.) is used for the work holding portion (not shown). .
One to three sets of a laser measuring device, an image measuring unit, or the like are installed in the measuring section 504 (not shown).
The workpiece pickup 506 is provided with workpiece holding portions that are arranged in three rows in the X direction and each of which can hold one workpiece W. As shown in FIG. In addition, a known holding mechanism (for example, a configuration that has holding claws to clamp, a configuration that has a suction hole communicating with a suction device and sucks, etc.) is used for the work holding portion (not shown). . The work pickup 506 may be provided at a position adjacent to the slider 116 in the work supply unit 100A in the X direction (not shown).

The molded product table 602 is provided with three molded product holding units that are arranged in parallel in the X direction and each can hold one molded product Wp. In addition, a known holding mechanism (for example, a configuration in which holding claws are provided to clamp, a configuration in which a suction hole communicating with a suction device is provided for suction, etc.) is used for the molded product holding portion (not shown). ).
One to three sets of image units and the like are installed in the inspection section 604 (not shown).
The molded article pickup 606 is provided with molded article holding portions that are arranged in three rows in the X direction and each can hold one molded article Wp. In addition, a known holding mechanism (for example, a configuration in which holding claws are provided to clamp, a configuration in which a suction hole communicating with a suction device is provided for suction, etc.) is used for the molded product holding portion (not shown). ). This molded article pickup 606 may be provided at a position adjacent to the slider 118 in the X direction within the molded article storage unit 100D (not shown).

According to the above configuration, a maximum of three workpieces W are held at once from the supply pickup 120 using the work table 502, and are moved in the X and Y directions to pass through the measuring unit 504. After volume measurement, the workpieces are picked up. Work W can be placed on slider 116 using 506 .
In addition, the molded product pickup 606 is placed from the slider 118, the molded product table 602 is used to hold up to three molded products Wp at once, and they are moved in the X and Y directions to pass through the inspection unit 604. After the appearance inspection, it can be delivered to the storage pickup 122 .

As described above, according to the present embodiment, an extension unit (for example, the third implementation A volume measuring unit 100E for a work W (particularly a mounted object) in the form and a visual inspection unit 100F for a molded product Wp) can be easily additionally installed, and an apparatus with extremely high expandability can be realized. The expansion unit is not limited to the volume measurement unit 100E for the workpiece W (especially the mounted object) or the appearance inspection unit 100F for the molded product Wp. It is not limited to installation in the molded product storage unit 100D, and the volume measurement unit 100E may be installed adjacent to the work supply unit 100A in the Y direction or the X direction, and the appearance inspection unit 100F may be installed in the molded product storage unit 100D. may be installed adjacent to each other in the Y direction or the X direction.

As another configuration example of the expansion unit, a configuration in which the volume measurement unit for the work W (especially a mounted object) is installed at a position adjacent to the work supply unit 100A (or a configuration in which it is installed in the work supply unit 100A is also conceivable), A configuration in which the appearance inspection unit for the molded product Wp is installed at a position adjacent to the molded product storage unit 100D (or a configuration in which it is installed in the molded product storage unit 100D is also conceivable) is also possible.

As described above, according to the compression molding apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the number of times material is supplied to the sealing mold and the number of times of pressing, compared to the conventional apparatus that takes the same number of molded products. Therefore, it is possible to improve productivity and reduce manufacturing costs. Moreover, since it is possible to reduce the size of the entire apparatus and simplify the configuration, the apparatus cost can be reduced. Furthermore, foreign matter such as resin burrs and dust can be prevented from adhering to the workpiece and the sealing mold, so molding quality can be improved.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the present invention. In particular, although thermosetting resins in the form of granules, pulverized, and powder have been exemplified as sealing resins, they are not limited to these, and liquid, plate-like, sheet-like resins, etc. are used. configuration can also be applied. For example, in a configuration using a sheet-shaped resin, the sheet-shaped resin R, which is originally flat and integrated, may be adhered to the lower surface of the film, and preparation for resin sealing can be easily performed.

Further, in the above embodiment, the structure in which the heat of the upper mold is transferred to the resin through the film to soften (melt) the resin and generate adhesive force, thereby attaching the resin to the lower surface of the film will be described. However, it is also possible to employ a configuration in which a porous film is used and the resin R is adhered to the lower surface of the film F by suction by driving a suction device to suck the film from the suction path.

In the above embodiment, the upper mold is provided with three sets of cavities, and the lower mold is provided with three workpiece holding portions corresponding to the sealing mold, so that three or less workpieces are collectively Although the description has been given by exemplifying a compression molding apparatus that seals with resin, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is also possible to set the maximum number to four or more.

Further, in the above embodiments, the compression molding apparatus having the cavity in the upper mold has been described as an example, but it is also applicable to the compression molding apparatus having the cavity in the lower mold. In this case, regarding the supply of the resin, a resin guard (not shown), which is a jig for transportation, is used to convey the resin to the sealing mold while the resin is placed on the film (for example, strip-shaped film). can be considered.

1 Compression molding device 100A Work supply unit 100B Press unit 100C Resin supply unit 100D Molded product storage unit 202 Sealing mold W Work

Claims (6)

Three sets of cavities are provided in one of the upper mold and the lower mold, and three sets of workpiece holding parts corresponding to the other are provided in the sealing mold, and three or less workpieces are collectively sealed with resin. A compression molding device that stops,
A workpiece supply unit that supplies the workpiece, a resin supply unit that supplies the resin, and a press unit that is provided with the sealing mold and seals the workpiece with resin to process it into a molded product. , and a molded product storage unit for storing the molded product,
Along the predetermined X direction, the work supply unit, the press unit, the resin supply unit, and the molded product storage unit are arranged in this order, or the work supply unit, the press unit, the resin supply unit, the press unit, A compression molding apparatus arranged in order of the molded product storage units. a work conveying section for conveying the work between the work supply unit and the press unit; a molded article conveying section for conveying the molded article between the press unit and the molded article storage unit; a resin conveying unit that conveys the resin between the resin supply unit and the press unit;
2. The compression molding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a partition is provided between said work conveying section and said molded product conveying section and said resin conveying section. The work conveying unit has a work loader that carries the work into the sealing mold along a Y direction perpendicular to the X direction,
3. The compression molding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the resin conveying section has a resin loader for loading the resin into the sealing mold along the X direction. A workpiece stocker used to store the workpiece, a molded product stocker used to store the molded product, and a resin stocker used to store the resin,
The work stocker and the molded product stocker are arranged relatively on the upper side of the device,
2. The compression molding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said resin stocker is arranged relatively on the lower side of the apparatus. Further comprising a volume measurement unit for measuring the volume of the work,
2. A compression molding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said volume measuring unit is disposed within said work supply unit or at a position adjacent to said work supply unit. Further comprising a visual inspection unit for performing a visual inspection of the molded product,
2. A compression molding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said visual inspection unit is disposed within said molded product storage unit or at a position adjacent to said molded product storage unit.

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