JPS6330777B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to an in-line exposure apparatus that automatically exchanges masks used for exposing semiconductors and circuit boards.

Configuration of Conventional Example and Its Problems In the conventional in-line exposure apparatus, as shown in the concrete configuration in FIG. transported. In the exposure section 4, the substrate 3 to be printed is covered with a mask 5.
Positioning is performed between the two, and then exposure is performed. After the exposure is completed, the substrate 3 to be printed is transported by the substrate transport section 2 and stored in the substrate storage section 6.

However, in the above configuration, since there is no automatic exchange function for the mask 5, the mask must be exchanged manually, which has the disadvantage that it is difficult to save labor.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned drawbacks, the present invention provides a small in-line type exposure apparatus that automatically exchanges masks.

Composition of the Invention The present invention includes a mask transporting means for linearly transporting a mask on which an exposure circuit pattern is printed, and a substrate to be printed that is located below the mask transporting means and in a direction parallel to the mask transporting means. A substrate conveyance means for conveying, an exposure means located on the mask conveyance means and the substrate conveyance means and for burning an exposure circuit pattern printed on the mask onto the substrate to be printed, and a device that moves up and down across the substrate conveyance means. and a mask supply means for supplying the mask to the mask transport means while descending sequentially from above, and a mask storage that moves up and down across the substrate transport means and stores the masks while ascending sequentially from below the mask transport means. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a small-sized exposure apparatus that is configured with means and that can automatically exchange masks.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an in-line type exposure apparatus in a first embodiment of the present invention. Second
In the figure, 7 is a substrate to be printed, 8 is a mask on which an exposure circuit pattern is printed, and 9 is the substrate 7 to be printed.
and the mask 8, and place the exposure circuit pattern printed on the mask 8 on the substrate 7 to be printed.
10 is a mask conveyor belt that conveys the mask 8; 11 is a mask supply means that supplies the mask 8 to the mask conveyor belt 10 while descending from above; 12 is a lower part of the mask conveyor belt 10; a mask storage means 13 for storing the masks 8 while ascending sequentially from the mask transport means 10; a substrate transport belt 14 for transporting the substrate 7 to be printed in a direction parallel to the mask transport belt 10; is the above-mentioned board 7 to be baked.
A substrate supply means 15 supplies the substrate to be printed 7 to the substrate conveyance belt 3 while sequentially descending from above;
This is a board storage means for storing.

The operation of the in-line exposure apparatus configured as described above will be described below. First, the mask 8 is supplied from the mask supply means 11 to the mask conveying belt 10, conveyed to the exposure section 9, and fixed thereon. Next, the substrate 7 to be printed is supplied from the substrate supply means 14 to the substrate conveyance belt 13 and conveyed to the exposure section 9, where it is aligned with the mask 8 and exposed.
After the exposure is completed, the substrate 7 to be printed is transferred to the substrate conveyor belt 13.
and stored in the substrate storage means 15. On the other hand, the mask 8 is transported by a mask transport belt 10 and stored in a mask storage means 12.

Next, the positional relationship between the substrate conveyance belt and the mask conveyance belt will be explained based on FIG. 3.

In FIG. 3, 7a is a substrate to be printed, 8a is a mask, 13a is a substrate conveyance belt, 10a is a mask conveyance belt, 16 is a mask conveyance belt drive motor, and 17 is a substrate conveyance belt drive motor. The mask 8a and the substrate to be printed 7a are transported in parallel directions, but since the substrate transport belt 13a passes below, the mask 8a and the substrate to be printed do not come into contact during transport.

Next, the structure of the mask supply means will be explained.
In Fig. 4, 7b is the substrate to be printed, 8b is the mask, 13
b is a substrate conveyance belt 10b is a mask conveyance belt,
11b is a mask supply means, and 18 is a pair of protrusions provided inside the mask supply means 11a from both sides. The distance between the pair of protrusions 18 is greater than the width of the mask conveying belt 10b. When a new mask 8b is supplied to the mask conveying belt 10b, when the mask supply means 11a is lowered and the protrusion 18 comes to the position of the mask conveying belt 10b, the mask 8b rides on the mask conveying belt 10b and is conveyed. At this time, since the distance between the pair of protrusions 18 is greater than the width of the mask conveyance belt 10b, the mask supply means 11a and the mask conveyance belt 10b do not come into contact with each other. Further, the means for storing the mask has a similar structure, but in this case, when the mask is transported, the mask storing means rises step by step to store the mask.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the mask conveying belt 10 linearly conveys the mask 8, and the substrate 7 to be printed is located below the mask conveying belt 10 and extends in a direction parallel to the mask conveying belt 10. a substrate conveyance belt 13 that conveys the substrate, an exposure means 9 that burns the exposure circuit pattern printed on the mask 8 onto the substrate 7 to be printed, and the substrate conveyance belt 1.
a mask supply means 11 that ascends and descends across the substrate transport belt 13 and supplies the mask 8 while sequentially descending from above to the mask transport belt 10; By providing a mask storage means 12 that stores the mask 8 while rising sequentially from the
Masks can be replaced automatically. Note that in this embodiment, the mask conveying belt 10,
Each of the substrate conveyance belts 13 may be an air conveyor or the like.

In addition, when incorporating an exposure device into a series of processes, the substrate supply means 14 and the substrate storage means 15 are removed, the substrate conveyance belt 13 is extended and the previous process is connected by the belt, and the substrate to be printed after the previous process is A configuration is also possible in which the substrate 7 is transported to the exposure section 9 by the substrate transport belt 13, and after the exposure is completed, it is directly transported by the substrate transport belt 13 to a subsequent process.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention includes a mask transporting means that directly transports a mask on which an exposure circuit pattern is printed, and a mask transporting means that is located below the mask transporting means and is mounted in a direction parallel to the mask transporting means. a substrate conveying means for conveying the printed substrate; an exposure means located on the mask conveying means and the substrate conveying means for burning an exposure circuit pattern printed on the mask onto the printed substrate; and the substrate conveying means. A mask supply means that ascends and descends astride the substrate transport means and supplies the mask to the mask transport means while sequentially descending from above; By providing a means for transporting the mask to be stored,
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a compact exposure device that can automatically exchange masks.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional in-line exposure apparatus, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an in-line exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a substrate conveyance belt and a mask conveyance belt, and FIG. The figure is a sectional view of the mask supply means. 1...Substrate supply means, 2...Substrate transport means, 3
...Substrate to be printed, 4...Exposure section, 5...Mask,
6...Substrate storage means, 7, 7a, 7b...Substrate to be printed, 8, 8a, 8b...Mask, 9...Exposure section, 10, 10a, 10b...Mask transport belt, 11, 11a...Mask Supply means, 12...
Mask storage means, 13, 13a, 13b...Substrate conveyance belt, 14...Substrate supply means, 15...Substrate storage means, 16...Mask conveyance belt drive motor, 17...Substrate conveyance belt drive motor, 18...
…protrusion.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A mask transport means for linearly transporting a mask on which an exposure pattern is printed; a substrate transport means provided below the mask transport means for transporting a substrate to be printed in a direction parallel to the mask transport means; an exposure means that is provided on the mask transport means and the substrate transport means and prints the exposure pattern printed on the mask onto the substrate to be printed; In-line type, comprising: a mask supply means that supplies masks while descending from above, and a mask storage means that moves up and down across the substrate transport means and stores masks while ascending sequentially from below the mask transport means. Exposure equipment.