JPH047911Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an air tweezers that adsorbs and transports small pieces of sample etc. by vacuum suction.

[Prior Art] For example, air tweezers are used when semiconductor chips obtained by cutting a semiconductor wafer vertically and horizontally are sorted out from a cutting site and moved to a tray at a predetermined position. Conventionally, such air tweezers as shown in FIG. 4 have been realized.

In FIG. 4, for example, a cylindrical vacuum pipe connection part 3 with a tapered diameter is attached to the base end of a cylindrical air forceps main body 31 made of a metal plate.
2 is provided. This vacuum pipe connection part 32 has a plurality of stages formed on the outer circumferential surface of the tapered surface that becomes narrower toward the tip, and the tip of a vacuum pipe 34 extending from a vacuum device (not shown) is attached to this vacuum pipe connection part 32.

On the other hand, at the tip of the air tweezers main body 31, there is a cylindrical nozzle connection part 3 made of synthetic resin whose outer diameter is considerably smaller than the outer diameter of the air tweezers main body 31.
5 is provided. In the nozzle 36 attached to the nozzle connecting portion 35, the inner diameter of the root portion 36R substantially matches the outer diameter of the nozzle connecting portion 35. A large stepped portion 36D is formed from the root portion 36R to the tip portion 36T of the nozzle 36, and the tip portion 36T tapers toward the tip.
The diameter of the through hole of this nozzle 36 is constant at the root portion 36R, becomes slightly tapered at the stepped portion 36D, and is constant again at the tip portion 36T.

The air tweezers with the nozzle 36 attached to the air tweezers main body 31 are positioned so that the end surface on the tip 36T side of the nozzle 36 is blocked by the sample to be transported (for example, a semiconductor chip),
In this state, when the air suction of the vacuum device is activated, the internal pressure of the air forceps body 31 is lowered from the outside pressure, the sample is adsorbed, and in this adsorbed state, the sample is transported to a predetermined position, and when the vacuum device reaches the predetermined position, the vacuum device The transport is completed by releasing the air suction.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, as many samples are repeatedly adsorbed, the adsorption end surface of the tip 36T of the nozzle 36 is worn out. In this case, it is necessary to shape the end face of the nozzle 36, but since the nozzle 36 is made of metal, this work is complicated.

Furthermore, since the nozzle 36 is made of metal, the thickness of its suction end surface cannot be reduced beyond a certain level. This relatively large wall thickness tends to generate static electricity. Depending on this static electricity, the sample may be transported by attracting dirt or dust, and the sample may be damaged during this process. Therefore, in this case as well, it is necessary to shape the end face of the nozzle 36, which causes the above-mentioned problem. Furthermore, due to the suction caused by the static electricity mentioned above, the sample may remain attached to the nozzle 36 even after the air suction is released. This led to a decrease in efficiency.

Incidentally, when the wall thickness of the metal nozzle is made thinner, the end surface of the nozzle 36 and the sample may become insufficiently obstructed due to the metal's low elasticity, which may cause the sample to escape from the air tweezers during transportation. There were also times when he would leave.

In addition, if the end face of the nozzle 36 cannot be shaped, the nozzle 36 will be replaced, but the inner diameter differs slightly depending on the nozzle 36, and the nozzle 36 with a large inner diameter may separate from the air tweezers body 31 during work. There is a risk that If you try to prevent this, the nozzle connection part 3 of the air tweezers body 31
It is conceivable to design the outer diameter of the nozzle 5 to be slightly larger than the inner diameter of the nozzle 36, but if this is done, the nozzle 36 will be mounted too firmly and the replacement work will be difficult.

In addition, conventionally, in order to obtain sufficient occlusion between the end face of the suction part (corresponding to the nozzle) and the sample,
A structure in which the suction part is formed of a flexible tube has been proposed (Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 49-34496), but the gripping part of the vacuum pin and the suction part are fixed by adhesive or fusion. , we are unable to respond to replacements that become necessary due to wear and tear, etc.

The present invention has been developed in consideration of the above points, and it is possible to reduce the need for nozzle replacement, and even if the need arises, it can be replaced easily. It is an object of the present invention to provide an air tweezers that can prevent unnecessary detachment and also can prevent the sample from adhering to the nozzle when the suction is released.

[Means for solving the problem] In order to solve the problem, in the present invention, by lowering the internal pressure with respect to the external pressure,
The sample is adsorbed to the tip of the opening and moved to a designated location.
Air tweezers that place a sample in a predetermined location by bringing the internal pressure close to the external pressure include an air tweezers body that is connected to a vacuum device and whose internal pressure is lowered from the outside pressure by the operation of the vacuum device, and an opening at the tip of the air tweezers body. and a nozzle molded from a cylindrical synthetic resin having substantially constant wall thickness and having heat-shrinkable or thermally expandable properties, and the nozzle was attached to the air tweezers body by heat-shrinking or thermal expansion.

[Function] The nozzle of the air tweezers is molded from a cylindrical synthetic resin with a substantially constant wall thickness. Furthermore, the synthetic resin is made to have heat-shrinkable or heat-expandable properties, and this property is utilized when attaching the nozzle to the opening at the tip of the air tweezers body. That is,
The clearance between the tip opening of the air tweezers body and the nozzle is made large to facilitate insertion, and the nozzle is attached to the air tweezers body by thermal contraction or thermal expansion by heating.

Even if the nozzle 36 is installed in such a manner that it will not come off, since the nozzle 36 is made of synthetic resin, the nozzle 36 can be easily removed by cutting or pulling force when replacing the nozzle 36.

In addition, since it is made of synthetic resin, the nozzle can be made thin, static electricity can be suppressed, and the area on which dust and the like can adhere can be reduced. As a result, it is possible to reduce the necessity of replacing the nozzle due to damage to the sample, and it is also possible to prevent the sample from adhering to the nozzle after suction is released.

Furthermore, since it is made of synthetic resin, the nozzle shape can be easily shaped by cutting the end face. This also means that the need for replacement is reduced.

[Example] The present invention will be specifically described below based on an example.

First Embodiment FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the air tweezers according to the present invention. The cylindrical air tweezers main body 1 has a threaded groove cut into the inner wall surface of its tip to form a female threaded portion 2. A male threaded portion 4 of a metallic air tweezers tip 3 is screwed into the female threaded portion 2 and fixed thereto.

The air tweezers tip 3 is tapered toward the tip, and the tapered base is thicker than the male thread 4. Therefore, the air tweezers as a whole are shaped like a mechanical pencil. A through hole 5 is formed along the central axis of the tip 3 of the air tweezers. A step stopper portion 6 is provided in the middle of the through hole 5, and the inner diameter of the through hole 5 becomes slightly larger from the step stopper portion 6 toward the tip to form a nozzle insertion portion 7.

A thin cylindrical nozzle 8 having a constant wall thickness is inserted into the nozzle insertion portion 7 until it abuts against the step stopper portion 6 .

Here, the air tweezers main body 1, the air tweezers tip 3, and the vacuum piping tube 9, which will be described later, are made of metal (for example, aluminum),
Only the nozzle 8 is made of, for example, a thermally expandable synthetic resin (eg, tetrafluoroethylene). That is,
After the nozzle 8 is inserted into the nozzle insertion part 7 until it contacts the step stopper part 6, the nozzle insertion part 7 is heated to thermally expand, and the nozzle 8 is attached.

A threaded groove is also carved on the inner wall surface of the base of the air tweezers main body 1 to form a female threaded portion 10.
A male threaded portion 11 of a vacuum piping tube 9 is screwed and fixed to this female threaded portion 10 . This vacuum piping tube 9 has a central portion extending in an annular shape, the above-mentioned male threaded portion 11 being formed on one side in the axial direction sandwiching this extending portion, and a vacuum pipe connecting portion 12 being formed on the other side. . This vacuum pipe connecting portion 12 is formed with a plurality of stages of tapered surfaces that become narrower toward the tip, and is designed to firmly engage with a vacuum pipe (not shown).

In the above configuration, when the vacuum pipe is connected to the vacuum pipe connection part 12 and the internal pressure of the air forceps body 1 becomes lower than the external pressure due to the air suction operation of the vacuum device, a silicon wafer (semiconductor chip), etc. is inserted at the tip of the nozzle 8. If the sample is adsorbed, the sample is moved to a predetermined location in the adsorbed state, and air suction is stopped, the sample is released from the air tweezers and can be placed at a predetermined location.

According to this first embodiment, the nozzle 8 is formed into a thin-walled tube made of synthetic resin, so the shape of the nozzle 8 is simple, making it easy to manufacture the nozzle 8. It also requires less manufacturing material.

In addition, since the nozzle 8 itself can be made very thin, the amount of dust that sticks to the nozzle 8 is extremely small, and when a sample such as a semiconductor chip is picked up and transported, there is no risk of scratching the sample with dust. can be avoided.

Furthermore, since the nozzle 8 has a small diameter and a thin wall thickness (for example, the wall thickness is about 1/10 to 2/10 of the inner diameter), the amount of static electricity accumulated is reduced. It is possible to prevent the adsorbed sample from falling even after the air suction is canceled, and work efficiency can be improved accordingly.
In addition, since the nozzle 8 is attached using thermal expansion, it is possible to prevent the nozzle 8 from unnecessarily detaching during transportation work, and the nozzle is attached to the extent that it can be easily detached when the nozzle 8 needs to be replaced. 8 can be attached to the air pin tip 3.

Furthermore, since the nozzle 8 is made of a material that can be cut, if the tip of the nozzle 8 is damaged, it can be cut at right angles so that it can be used continuously. That is, nozzle shaping can be facilitated.

Second Embodiment FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, in which a through hole 22 inside a cylindrical air tweezers main body 21 has a stepped stopper portion 2 in front of the tip surface.
3 is provided, and the inner diameter of the through hole 22 becomes slightly larger from the stepped stopper portion 23 toward the tip, thereby forming a nozzle insertion portion 24. A cylindrical nozzle 28 having a thin wall and a constant thickness is inserted and fixed into the nozzle insertion portion 24 . Note that the nozzle 28 is formed so that its tip is narrowed. This shape is achieved by forming the nozzle 28 from a thermally expandable synthetic resin, inserting the nozzle with a uniform diameter, and then applying heat to the tip of the air tweezers body 21.

At the base end of the air tweezers body 21, there is a generally cylindrical vacuum pipe connection part 2, which has a tapered surface that is tapered at the tip and is continuously repeated on the outer peripheral surface.
6 is provided, and the tip of a vacuum pipe 27 from a vacuum device (not shown) is attached and fixed thereto.

This second embodiment also has the same effects as the first embodiment described above in that the nozzle 28 is thin and has a constant thickness. Furthermore, the same effect as in the first embodiment described above is achieved in that the nozzle is attached to the air pin body side by thermal expansion.

Although this embodiment has the effect of reducing the number of constituent elements compared to the first embodiment, it has the disadvantage that the diameter and wall thickness of the nozzle must be somewhat larger than those of the first embodiment.

Third Embodiment FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the present invention, in which parts corresponding to those in FIG. 2 are given the same reference numerals. This is a system in which the nozzle 28 is inserted and fixed from the outside of the tip of the air tweezers main body 21 rather than from the inside.

That is, a thin cylindrical nozzle attachment part 29 is provided at the tip of the air tweezers main body 21,
This nozzle attachment part 29 is inserted into the through hole of the cylindrical nozzle 28, so that the nozzle 28 is fixed. In this example, nozzle 2
The tip of the nozzle 8 is narrowed down, and this narrowing is achieved by forming the nozzle 28 from a heat-shrinkable resin.

This third embodiment also provides the same effects as described above. In addition, since the nozzle 28 is inserted and fixed from the outside of the air tweezers body 21, it is easy to grasp the nozzle 28, and the nozzle 28 can be easily replaced.

Other Embodiments The present invention can also be applied to air tweezers incorporated in automatic transport equipment.

[Effects of the invention] As described above, according to the invention, the nozzle is molded from a cylindrical synthetic resin having heat-shrinkable or thermally-expandable wall thickness that is approximately constant, and the nozzle is Since it is attached to the air tweezers main body by thermal expansion, the following effects can be obtained.

The nozzle can be made thin, and static electricity generation and suction force can be suppressed. As a result, the possibility of the sample being damaged by dust or the like can be reduced, reducing the need for nozzle replacement, and preventing the sample from continuing to adhere to the nozzle after air suction is released.

In addition, since the nozzle is attached to the air tweezers body through thermal contraction or expansion, the nozzle can be attached in an optimal manner for both ease of nozzle replacement and prevention of unnecessary detachment of the nozzle during use. can.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a first embodiment of the air tweezers according to the present invention, FIGS. 2 and 3 are side views of the second and third embodiments, respectively, and FIG. 4 is a side view of a conventional device. It is. 1, 21... Air tweezers body, 7, 24...
...Nozzle insertion part, 29...Nozzle mounting part, 8, 2
8... Nozzle.

Claims (1)

[Scope of claims for utility model registration] (1) By lowering the internal pressure relative to the external pressure,
Air tweezers attract a sample to the tip of the opening, move it to a predetermined location, bring the internal pressure close to the external pressure, and then place the sample in the designated location. An air tweezers body that can be lowered further, and a nozzle molded from a cylindrical synthetic resin with heat-shrinkable or thermally expandable wall thickness that is approximately constant, which is attached to the tip opening of the air tweezers body; An air tweezers characterized in that the air tweezers are attached to the air tweezers body by thermal contraction or thermal expansion. (2) The air tweezers according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle is inserted into the tip opening of the air tweezers body and fixed to the air tweezers body by thermal expansion. (3) The air tweezers according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle is attached to the outside of the opening at the tip of the air tweezers body by heat contraction.