Protective film forming apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides a protective film forming apparatus capable of forming a protective film with a flat surface without burdening a component. The protective film forming apparatus includes a resin supply section (32) that supplies a liquid curing resin (R) to a surface of a substrate on which a component is mounted; a substrate holding section (33) that holds the substrate to which the curing resin (R) is supplied; a support section (34) that is provided opposite the substrate holding section (33); a tape supply section (35) that supplies an anti-adhesion tape (T) between the substrate holding section (33) and the support section (34); a pressing section (36) that presses the substrate toward the support section (34) to press the curing resin (R) supplied to the substrate against the anti-adhesion tape (T) to spread the curing resin (R) on the substrate; a curing section (37) that cures the curing resin (R) spread on the substrate; and a curing section (38) that is provided around the support section (34) to cure the curing resin (R).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a protective film forming apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, there has been a push for the development of large-scale display devices and lighting devices that incorporate LED modules, each containing multiple light-emitting diodes (LEDs), arranged in multiple rows and columns on a substrate. Furthermore, various modules that integrate multiple functional components have also been developed. In these display devices, lighting devices, and modules, from the perspective of protection such as degradation suppression, the components are sealed with sealing members made of curable resin or the like.

[0003] The resin used as a sealing member is applied in a liquid state to the side of the substrate on which the element is mounted, and then cured by heat or light. At this time, for example, the thickness of the sealing member can easily differ between the center and the ends. Controlling the thickness at the ends is particularly difficult; therefore, for example, when covering an entire LED module, the thickness difference at the ends becomes a step difference, which may affect the display of the display device. Furthermore, in lighting modules such as backlights, deviations in illuminance distribution may occur, and in other modules, it may be difficult to mount them into a thin package. To solve this problem, attempts are being made to replace liquid sealing members with sheet-like sealing members of a fixed thickness. For example, in the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, sheet-like sealing members of a fixed thickness are used for each module to minimize the visibility of seams between modules.

[0004] [Existing technical documents]

[0005] [Patent Literature]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2021-9937 Summary of the Invention

[0007] [The problem the invention aims to solve]

[0008] However, when using sheet-like sealing members, high pressure is required to push them into the gaps between the mounted components, which not only burdens the components but also risks displacement or lateral rotation. Conversely, if the pressure applied to the sealing member is insufficient, it may not fully penetrate the gaps between components, potentially failing to protect them. Furthermore, if the sheet-like sealing member is thin relative to the height of the component, its surface may become uneven due to the components' irregularities. These effects are exacerbated, especially when the components within the module have varying thicknesses.

[0009] The purpose of this invention is to provide a protective film forming apparatus that can form a protective film with a flat surface without putting a burden on the components.

[0010] [Technical means to solve the problem]

[0011] The protective film forming apparatus of the present invention includes: a resin supply section for supplying liquid curable resin to the component-mounted surface of a substrate; a substrate holding section for holding the substrate to which the curable resin is supplied; a support section disposed facing the substrate holding section; a tape supply section for supplying an anti-adhesion tape between the substrate holding section and the support section; a pressing section for pressing the substrate toward the support section, pressing the curable resin supplied to the substrate against the anti-adhesion tape, thereby spreading the curable resin on the substrate; a first curing section for curing the curable resin spread on the substrate; and either or both of a second curing section and a third curing section disposed around the support section for curing the curable resin, wherein the second curing section is disposed around the support section and the third curing section is disposed inside the support section.

[0012] [The effects of the invention]

[0013] The protective film forming apparatus of the present invention can form a protective film with a flat surface without putting a burden on the components. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 (A) and Figure 1 (B) is a side view of the workpiece according to the first embodiment.

[0015] Figure 2 This is a side view showing the protective film forming apparatus of the first embodiment.

[0016] Figure 3 This is a front view showing the curing section and its surrounding area of ​​the protective film forming apparatus according to the first embodiment.

[0017] Figure 4 This is a perspective view showing the substrate holding portion of the first embodiment.

[0018] Figure 5 This is a three-view view showing the substrate holding portion of the first embodiment.

[0019] Figure 6 (A) to Figure 6 (F) is a diagram showing the protective film formation process of the first embodiment.

[0020] Figure 7 This is a block diagram illustrating the control device of the first embodiment.

[0021] Figure 8This is a flowchart illustrating the protective film formation sequence in the first embodiment.

[0022] Figure 9 This is a front view showing the contact portion of another embodiment.

[0023] Figure 10 This is a front view showing the cured portion of each embodiment.

[0024] Figure 11 (A) to Figure 11 (D) is a plan view, side view and configuration example of the heater or irradiation part of the curing part in each embodiment.

[0025] Figure 12 (A) to Figure 12 (C) is a diagram showing the control method of the heater or irradiation section during pressing in each embodiment.

[0026] Figure 13 (A) to Figure 13 (D) is a diagram illustrating the protective film formation process of another embodiment.

[0027] Figure 14 This is a front view of the protective forming device showing the peeling action of the anti-adhesion strip in each embodiment.

[0028] [Explanation of Symbols]

[0029] 1: Workpiece

[0030] 2: Protective film

[0031] 3: Protective film forming device

[0032] 8: Control device

[0033] 11: Supporting substrate

[0034] 12: Flexible substrate

[0035] 13: Light-emitting element

[0036] 31: Flipping section

[0037] 32: Resin Supply Department

[0038] 32a: Nozzle

[0039] 33: Substrate holding section

[0040] 34: Support section

[0041] 35: Supply Department

[0042] 36: Pressing part

[0043] 37, 38, 39: Curing Department

[0044] 81: Tilting section control section

[0045] 82: Resin Supply Control Department

[0046] 83: With adsorption control unit

[0047] 84: With Supply Control Department

[0048] 85: Press Control Section

[0049] 86: Curing Control Department

[0050] 87: Storage Department

[0051] 88: Setting Department

[0052] 89: Input / Output Control Unit

[0053] 91: Input device

[0054] 92: Output device

[0055] 311: Arm

[0056] 311a: Drive mechanism

[0057] 312: XYZ moving mechanism

[0058] 331: Step Difference Part

[0059] 331a: Substrate holding surface

[0060] 332: Feet

[0061] 332a: Spring section

[0062] 333: Contact Department

[0063] 341: Abutment

[0064] 341a: Upper surface of base 341

[0065] 342: Retaining component

[0066] 342a: Upper surface of retaining member 342

[0067] 343: Feet

[0068] 351: Supply reels

[0069] 352: Recycled reels

[0070] 401: Base

[0071] 402: Contact plate

[0072] 411: Heater or UV light source

[0073] 412: Heater or UV light source off

[0074] 413: Heater or UV light source turned on.

[0075] L: Specified distance

[0076] R: Curing resin

[0077] S01~S10: Steps

[0078] T: Anti-adhesion tape

[0079] TS: With support

[0080] X, Y, Z, θ, α: Direction Detailed Implementation

[0081] (A) First Embodiment

[0082] The first embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as this embodiment) will be specifically described with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, the object to be formed with a protective film and the protective film will be described, and then the protective film forming apparatus will be described. In addition, the figures are schematic representations of this embodiment.

[0083] [Objects for Protective Film Formation]

[0084] like Figure 1 As shown in (A), the protective film forming object, i.e., the workpiece 1, in this embodiment includes: a support substrate 11, a flexible substrate 12 supported on one side of the support substrate 11, and light-emitting elements 13 arranged and mounted on the surface of the flexible substrate 12. The workpiece 1 is a module substrate of the display device formed by peeling off the support substrate 11 after the formation of the protective film 2 (described later) and covering it in a matrix of multiple rows and columns.

[0085] The supporting substrate 11 is, for example, a glass substrate. The flexible substrate 12, for example, contains polyimide and is supported on one side of the supporting substrate 11. The flexible substrate 12 is the substrate for supporting the light-emitting element 13 after a protective film 2 is formed and the supporting substrate 11 is removed. The light-emitting element 13 is, for example, an LED element and is mounted on the surface of the flexible substrate 12. The light-emitting element 13 in this embodiment is particularly a micron-sized LED element with a height of, for example, 25 μm.

[0086] [Protective film]

[0087] like Figure 1As shown in (B), a protective film 2 is formed on the workpiece 1 to seal the light-emitting element 13. The protective film 2 is a film cured from a liquid curable resin R. The curable resin R is, for example, a thermosetting resin that is cured by heat. The viscosity of the curable resin R in its initial state is, for example, 4000 mPa·s. The curable resin R is supplied to the side of the workpiece 1 on which the light-emitting element 13 is provided, and is spread on the workpiece 1 as described later. Furthermore, by curing the curable resin R spread on the workpiece 1, the protective film 2 is formed on the workpiece 1. In addition, the thickness of the protective film 2 is, for example, 50 μm to 300 μm. The protective film 2 is not formed on the entire surface of the workpiece 1; it is set not to be formed on the outer periphery of the workpiece 1. The outer periphery where the protective film 2 is not formed, that is, the part outside the protective film formation area, is to be cut off in a later process and is not used as a functional part of the module or the part of the connection terminal to the outside of the module. The portion outside the protective film forming area is used during the formation of the protective film 2 to allow the workpiece 1 to extend or be held during the formation of the protective film.

[0088] [Protective film forming device]

[0089] [structure]

[0090] The protective film forming apparatus 3 supplies a curable resin R to the workpiece 1, causing the curable resin R to spread and cure on the workpiece 1, thereby forming a protective film 2 on the workpiece 1. Figure 2 as well as Figure 3 As shown, the protective film forming apparatus 3 includes: a flipping section 31 that holds a workpiece 1 brought in from the outside and flips the workpiece 1 after the curable resin R is supplied; a resin supply section 32 that supplies the curable resin R to one side of the workpiece 1; a substrate holding section 33 that receives the workpiece 1 supplied with the curable resin R from the flipping section 31 and holds the workpiece 1 in a flipped state; a support section 34 that is disposed facing the substrate holding section 33; a tape supply section 35 that supplies an anti-adhesion tape T to prevent the curable resin R from adhering to the support section 34 between the substrate holding section 33 and the support section 34; a pressing section 36 that presses the other side of the workpiece 1 toward the support section 34 and presses the curable resin R to the support section 34 through the anti-adhesion tape T; and curing sections 37, 38, and 39 that cure the curable resin R to form a protective film 2 on the workpiece 1. Furthermore, the protective film forming apparatus 3 is provided with a control device 8 that controls these structures.

[0091] Figure 3In this diagram, the pressing direction of the pressing part 36 on the workpiece 1 is defined as the Z direction. In a plane orthogonal to the Z direction, the feeding direction of the tape supply part 35 on the anti-adhesion tape T is defined as the X direction, and the direction orthogonal to both the Z and X directions is defined as the Y direction. The Y direction is the direction that penetrates the paper in the diagram. For example, when the protective film forming device 3 is installed with the Z direction as the vertical direction, the XY plane becomes a horizontal plane. In this case, the Z direction is the height direction, and the side on which it is installed is called the lower side, and the opposite side is called the upper side. That is, the lower side refers to the direction of gravity. Furthermore, the rotation direction parallel to the XY plane is called the θ direction, and the rotation direction parallel to the YZ plane is called the α direction.

[0092] like Figure 2 As shown, the flipping section 31 holds the workpiece 1, which is brought in from the outside by a conveying member (not shown), with the side on which the light-emitting element 13 is mounted, i.e., the side on which the curable resin R is supplied, facing upwards. Furthermore, after supplying the curable resin R to the workpiece 1, the flipping section 31 flips the workpiece 1 so that the side on which the curable resin R is supplied faces downwards, and transfers it to the substrate holding section 33. Moreover, after forming a protective film 2 on the workpiece 1, the flipping section 31 takes the workpiece 1 from the substrate holding section 33 and flips it back to its original position. Additionally, the workpiece 1, with the protective film 2 formed and returned to its original position, is retrieved from the flipping section 31 by a conveying member (not shown) or the like that that moves the workpiece 1 from the protective film forming apparatus 3 to the outside.

[0093] The flipping section 31 includes: an arm 311, which holds the workpiece 1 from the support substrate 11 side, for example, by vacuum adsorption; and an XYZ moving mechanism 312, which supports the arm 311 and moves the arm 311 along the XYZ direction. The arm 311 is, for example, a cuboid arm extending in a direction parallel to the XY plane. At one end of the arm 311, an adsorption hole for holding the workpiece 1 is provided. The adsorption hole is connected to an air pressure circuit (not shown), and the arm 311 adsorbs and holds the workpiece 1 by the negative pressure generated by the air pressure circuit. Moreover, the arm 311 releases the held workpiece 1 by releasing the negative pressure. Furthermore, the arm 311 is rotatable in the α direction by a drive mechanism 311a provided at the other end, causing the workpiece 1 held by the adsorption hole to flip 180°. The XYZ moving mechanism 312 includes, for example, a motor, a linear guide, a ball screw, etc., to move the arm 311 along the XYZ direction.

[0094] The resin supply unit 32 is connected, for example, to a resin supply device (not shown) that includes a liquid delivery device, valves, etc., and sprays liquid curable resin R from the nozzle 32a. In this embodiment, the nozzle 32a is provided above the flipping part 31 and faces the surface of the workpiece 1 held by the flipping part 31 where the protective film is formed, that is, the surface on which the light-emitting element 13 is mounted. The resin supply unit 32 can be moved in the XYZ direction by a drive mechanism (not shown), thereby supplying liquid curable resin R to any part of the surface of the workpiece 1 held by the flipping part 31 on the side where the light-emitting element 13 is mounted. Therefore, the curable resin R sprayed from the nozzle 32a is supplied to the surface of the workpiece 1 on the side where the light-emitting element 13 is mounted.

[0095] The substrate holding portion 33 holds the workpiece 1 that is transferred between the substrate holding portion 31 and the flipping portion 31. Figure 2 As shown, the substrate holding portion 33 is positioned to meet the workpiece 1 with the flipping portion 31, for example, in a position parallel to the flipping portion 31 in the Y direction. The substrate holding portion 33 is supported by a guide member (not shown) and is arranged above the support portion 34, allowing it to move vertically while remaining parallel to the support portion 34. Furthermore, the substrate holding portion 33 is subjected to force by an elastic member, i.e., a spring portion 332a, which has elasticity, in a direction away from the support portion 34. That is, the substrate holding portion 33 is supported by the spring portion 332a and is arranged separately from the support portion 34.

[0096] The substrate holding portion 33 includes a pair of feet 332. The feet 332 are members that protrude downward from the lower surface of the substrate holding portion 33, that is, they extend toward the support portion 34. The lower ends of the feet 332 are connected to the upper surface 341a of the base 341 of the support portion 34 (described later) via spring portions 332a.

[0097] like Figure 4 as well as Figure 5As shown, the substrate holding portion 33 is a frame. That is, the substrate holding portion 33 is a plate-shaped member with an opening at the center of the frame corresponding to the size of the workpiece 1, and the workpiece 1 is held by a stepped portion 331 provided in this opening. The stepped portion 331 is provided in such a way that it protrudes from the inner surface of the opening to narrow the lower side of the opening, and the upper surface of the protruding portion abuts against the outer periphery of the workpiece 1, thereby holding the workpiece 1. Therefore, the upper surface of the stepped portion 331 will also be referred to as the substrate holding surface 331a below. As described above, the protective film 2 is not formed on the entire surface of the workpiece 1 but is formed in a predetermined area. That is, there is an area where the protective film 2 should be formed, namely the protective film forming area. Therefore, the protective film 2 is formed on the workpiece 1 by curing a curable resin R that extends in the protective film forming area. The protective film forming area is set according to the size of the workpiece 1. The opening in the substrate holding portion 33 that corresponds to the size of the workpiece 1 means an opening that at least includes the size of the protective film forming area. That is, it is an opening for exposing the area where the curable resin R extends on the workpiece 1.

[0098] The lower surface of the portion of the substrate holding portion 33 connecting to the pair of legs 332 becomes an abutment portion 333 that abuts against the anti-adhesion strip T held by the support portion 34 (described later). The anti-adhesion strip T is supplied between the substrate holding portion 33 and the support portion 34, between the pair of legs 332 and the spring portion 332a located at their lower ends, as described later. Therefore, the abutment portion 333 serves as a blocking portion, which stops the substrate holding portion 33 by abutting against the support portion 34 via the anti-adhesion strip T when the substrate holding portion 33 is pressed against the support portion 34 against the force exerted by the spring portion 332a. The abutment surface of the abutment portion 333 is lower than the substrate holding surface 331a. That is, the distance between the substrate holding surface 331a and the support portion 34 is greater than that between the abutment surface of the abutment portion 333 and the substrate holding surface 331a. The distance between the abutment portion 333 and the substrate holding surface 331a in the height direction (Z direction) is set in such a way that it becomes the desired thickness of the protective film 2. Thus, a predetermined gap is formed between the substrate holding surface 331a and the surface of the anti-adhesion tape T. Therefore, when the workpiece 1 is held on the substrate holding surface 331a, a predetermined gap is formed between the surface of the workpiece 1 to which the curable resin R is supplied and the surface of the anti-adhesion tape T.

[0099] The support portion 34 is disposed facing the substrate holding portion 33 and supports the side of the workpiece 1 pressed by the pressing portion 36 that is supplied with curable resin R via the anti-adhesion strip T. The support portion 34 includes a base 341 and a retaining member 342 disposed on the upper surface 341a of the base 341 and holding the anti-adhesion strip T. The base 341 is the base of the support portion 34 and is a platform that supports the retaining member 342. The retaining member 342 is detachably supported on the base 341. The retaining member 342 has a flat surface that contacts the curable resin R via the anti-adhesion strip T. In addition, the anti-adhesion strip T is a strip that prevents the curable resin R from directly contacting and adhering to the retaining member 342.

[0100] The retaining member 342 is, for example, a plate-shaped member of a porous, breathable material that is dense and substantially uniformly formed with interconnected micro-spaces, comprising sintered ceramic or sintered metal. Therefore, the retaining member 342 of this embodiment has micro-pores formed approximately evenly across its entire surface. Furthermore, the retaining member 342 is connected to an air-pressure circuit (not shown), and the negative pressure generated by the air-pressure circuit allows the retaining member 342, which comprises a porous material, to act on its surface. Thus, the retaining member 342 adsorbs and retains the anti-adhesion tape T. Moreover, the retaining member 342 releases the retained anti-adhesion tape T by releasing the negative pressure. As described above, the retaining member 342 of this embodiment is a porous, breathable material, and therefore has micro-pores formed approximately evenly across its entire surface. When a negative pressure is applied from its back side, negative pressure is generated at all of the micro-openings, thus enabling the anti-adhesion tape T to be adsorbed and retained across its entire surface.

[0101] like Figure 3 As shown, the supply section 35 is equipped with a supply reel 351 and a take-up reel 352 positioned in the X direction, clamping the substrate holding section 33. The supply reel 351 supplies anti-adhesion tape T between the workpiece 1 held in the substrate holding section 33 and the holding member 342 of the support section 34. The supply reel 351 is freely detachable and rotatable, and its rotation is braked by a tension mechanism (not shown). The take-up reel 352 is also freely detachable and rotatable, and is driven by a motor (not shown). The anti-adhesion tape T is wound onto the supply reel 351, drawn out by the rotational drive of the take-up reel 352, and then wound onto the take-up reel 352 for recovery. In other words, the anti-adhesion tape T is fed onto the holding member 342 of the support section 34 through the cooperation of the supply reel 351 and the take-up reel 352. Furthermore, in the path of the anti-adhesion tape T fed from the supply reel 351 being wound onto the recovery reel 352, tape support portions TS are provided on both sides of the support portion 34. The tape support portions TS are used to support the anti-adhesion tape T at a height as it is fed to the holding member 342 of the support portion 34, in such a way that it makes slight contact with or creates a gap with the upper surface 342a of the holding member 342.

[0102] The anti-adhesion tape T prevents the curable resin R supplied to the side of the workpiece 1 that houses the light-emitting element 13 from adhering to the retaining member 342 of the support portion 34 when pressed against the support portion 34 by the pressing portion 36. The anti-adhesion tape T is a tape that is hydrophobic relative to the curable resin R, for example, a tape with a silicone coating applied to the surface of a substrate containing polyethylene terephthalate (PET). As a result, after the protective film is formed, the adhesive force generated by the curing of the resin R on the anti-adhesion tape T is reduced, making it easier to peel the anti-adhesion tape T from the workpiece 1.

[0103] Furthermore, to prevent the cured resin R from wrapping around the anti-adhesion tape T and adhering to the retaining member 342, it is preferable that the width of the anti-adhesion tape T is wider than the width of the retaining member 342. Moreover, according to the inventors' research, if the anti-adhesion tape T is too thin, warping or wrinkling will concentrate on the anti-adhesion tape T when the cured resin R is pressed or heated. This warping or wrinkling will be transferred to the cured resin R, thereby causing deformation or unevenness on the surface of the protective film 2 formed by the cured resin R. Furthermore, unevenness may sometimes be transferred to the surface of the support portion 34. Therefore, a thicker anti-adhesion tape T is preferable, for example, preferably 190 μm or more.

[0104] However, if the anti-adhesion tape T is too thick, the length that can be rolled onto the supply reel 351 or the take-up reel 352 will be shorter, thus requiring frequent changes to the supply reel 351 or the take-up reel 352. Furthermore, the loss of flexibility in the anti-adhesion tape may lead to situations where it is difficult to supply the anti-adhesion tape T parallel to the retaining member 342, or where the anti-adhesion tape T cannot be tightly adhered to the retaining member 342. Therefore, the thickness of the anti-adhesion tape T is selected such that it takes into account heat resistance, flexibility, and surface hardness, and will not warp or wrinkle on the anti-adhesion tape T when the cured resin R is pressed or heated, or will not transfer unevenness onto the surface of the support portion 34.

[0105] The pressing part 36 is a plate-shaped member that presses the workpiece 1 held in the substrate holding part 33 and presses the substrate holding part 33 against the anti-adhesion strip T. The pressing part 36 is provided on the opposite side of the support part 34, facing the substrate holding part 33. The pressing part 36 includes a flat pressing surface facing the workpiece 1. Moreover, the pressing part 36 can be lowered or raised, for example, by a drive mechanism (not shown) including a cylinder or the like. As a result, when the pressing part 36 presses down on the workpiece 1 held in the substrate holding part 33, the curable resin R supplied to the workpiece 1 is pressed against the surface of the anti-adhesion strip T held in the support part 34. At this time, the curable resin R supplied to the workpiece 1 is pushed between itself and the surface of the anti-adhesion strip T, thereby spreading on the surface of the workpiece 1.

[0106] More specifically, such as Figure 6 As shown in (C), by pressing the pressing part 36, the substrate holding part 33 is pressed down via the workpiece 1, and the spring part 332a of the foot 332 of the substrate holding part 33 connected to the support part 34 contracts. The foot 332 causes the spring part 332a to contract, thereby narrowing the distance from the substrate holding surface 331a of the substrate holding part 33 to the anti-adhesion strip T. The substrate holding part 33, pressed down by the pressing part 36, stops when the abutting part 333 abuts against the surface of the anti-adhesion strip T held by the holding member 342 of the support part 34. At this time, the distance from the surface of the anti-adhesion strip T held by the holding member 342 to the surface of the workpiece 1 to which the curable resin R is supplied (substrate holding surface 331a) is, for example, 50 μm to 300 μm, and the curable resin R extends within the gap. Therefore, this distance becomes the height of the protective film 2 formed by the curable resin R curing. Furthermore, this distance is determined according to the desired height (thickness) of the protective film 2. That is, the distance is a predetermined gap between the surface of the workpiece 1 to which the curable resin R is supplied and the surface of the anti-adhesion tape T. Furthermore, this distance is set by the substrate holding portion 33 abutting against the support portion 34 via the anti-adhesion tape T. As previously described, the outer periphery of the side of the workpiece 1 to which the curable resin R is supplied abuts against the substrate holding surface 331a. The abutting portion 333 is the lower surface of the portion of the substrate holding portion 33 that connects to a pair of legs 332, and the distance from the surface (contact surface) abutting against the support portion 34 to the substrate holding surface 331a is the height of the abutting portion 333. Figure 5 (represented by L in the original text). Therefore, the height of the abutment portion 333 is the distance from the surface of the anti-adhesion strip T held in the holding member 342 to the surface of the workpiece 1 to which the curable resin R is supplied (substrate holding surface 331a), which is the height of the protective film 2. Therefore, the height of the abutment portion 333 is set according to the required height (thickness) of the protective film 2.

[0107] In this way, when the substrate holding portion 33 is pressed by the pressing portion 36, a predetermined gap can be maintained between the surface of the workpiece 1 where the curable resin R is supplied and the surface of the anti-adhesion tape T through the contact of the abutment portion 333. Furthermore, the abutment portion 333 is the back side (support side surface, lower surface) of the portion of the substrate holding portion 33 that spans the support portion 34. The contact surface of the abutment portion 333 can be the entire portion spanning the support portion 34, or it can be only a portion of it.

[0108] Curing sections 37, 38, and 39 cure the curable resin R that has been extended onto the workpiece 1 by the pressing section 36, thereby forming a protective film 2 on the workpiece 1. In this embodiment, the curable resin R is a thermosetting resin, and correspondingly, the curing sections 37, 38, and 39 are, for example, heaters that generate heat by applying voltage. Furthermore, the curing section 37 (first curing section) is located inside the pressing section 36. Thus, the heat from the curing section 37 is conducted to the curable resin R via the pressing section 36, the support substrate 11 of the workpiece 1, and the flexible substrate 12, thereby curing the curable resin R. A pair of curing sections 38 (second curing sections) are provided, for example, at positions where the retaining member 342 is sandwiched in the Y direction. That is, the curing section 38 heats the curable resin R from the outer periphery of the workpiece 1. The curing section 39 (third curing section) is located inside the base 341 of the support section 34, and heats the curable resin R from below via the retaining member 342 and the anti-adhesion strip T.

[0109] The control device 8 is a device for controlling the protective film forming apparatus 3. The control device 8 may include, for example, dedicated electronic circuitry or a computer that operates according to a predetermined program. That is, the control device 8 controls the operation of the protective film forming apparatus 3 by controlling the movements of the flipping section 31, the resin supply section 32, the support section 34, the belt supply section 35, the pressing section 36, the curing section 37, the curing section 38, and the curing section 39.

[0110] like Figure 7 As shown, the control device 8 includes a flipping section control unit 81, a resin supply control unit 82, a belt adsorption control unit 83, a belt supply amount control unit 84, a pressing control unit 85, a curing control unit 86, a storage unit 87, a setting unit 88, and an input / output control unit 89.

[0111] The flipping control unit 81 controls the adsorption and flipping actions of the arm 311 of the flipping unit 31, as well as the movement of the XYZ moving mechanism 312. The resin supply control unit 82 controls the amount, timing, and location of the curable resin R supplied to the side of the workpiece 1 where the light-emitting element 13 is located. The amount of curable resin R supplied is determined based on the size of the workpiece 1, i.e., the size and thickness of the area where a protective film is to be formed (protective film forming area). Furthermore, the curable resin R can be supplied in a point-like or linear manner. The points or lines can be single or multiple, and the supply amount for each point or line is determined according to their quantity. Moreover, at this time, the extension state of the curable resin R is observed in advance, and the position or supply amount of each point or line is determined in such a way that the entrainment of air bubbles or the protrusion from the protective film forming area is within acceptable limits. Control is performed in accordance with the supply state determined in this way.

[0112] The tape adsorption control unit 83 controls the adsorption action of the holding member 342 on the anti-adhesion tape T by controlling the air compressor circuit connected to the support member 34. For example, before the curable resin R supplied to the workpiece 1 is pressed against the holding member 342, the anti-adhesion tape T is adsorbed onto the holding member 342. Thus, when the anti-adhesion tape T is in close contact with the entire surface of the holding member 342, the contact portion 333 of the substrate holding portion 33 comes into contact, or when heated for curing the curable resin R, wrinkles are prevented from accumulating on the anti-adhesion tape T, thereby preventing wrinkles from being transferred to the protective film 2. After the curable resin R of the workpiece 1 has cured, the tape adsorption control unit 83 releases the adsorption of the anti-adhesion tape T from the holding member 342 before the workpiece 1 leaves the support member 342. The tape supply control unit 84 controls the delivery of the anti-adhesion tape T. For example, after the formation of the protective film on a workpiece 1 is completed, the anti-adhesion tape T is delivered, replacing the portion pressed by the curable resin R with the unused portion. In this way, the supply control unit 84 and the adsorption control unit 83 coordinate their control.

[0113] The pressing control unit 85 controls a drive mechanism (not shown) provided on the pressing unit 36. For example, the pressing unit 36 ​​is lowered at a predetermined speed, thereby pressing the side of the workpiece 1 that is not supplied with curable resin R against the pressing unit 36, overcoming the force applied by the spring unit 332a, and causing the workpiece 1, which is held in the substrate holding unit 33, to be positioned opposite the support unit 34 at a predetermined interval. Similarly, after the protective film 2 is formed, the pressing unit 36 ​​is raised to remove it from the workpiece 1.

[0114] The curing control unit 86 controls the curing units 37, 38, and 39 to cure the curable resin R. This control includes controlling the curing speed of the curable resin R, i.e., the rate at which the curable resin R cures. Corresponding to the fact that the curable resin R is a thermosetting resin, the curing control unit 86 in this embodiment controls the temperature of the curing unit 37 to achieve the curing temperature required for the thermosetting of the curable resin R. Furthermore, the temperatures of the curing units 38 and 39 are controlled to serve as auxiliary temperatures for the curing unit 37.

[0115] In the case of thermosetting resins, when heated from their initial state (i.e., at room temperature) until reaching the curing start temperature (curing start temperature), the viscosity decreases and the fluidity increases. At the curing start temperature, gelation begins, the viscosity increases, and the fluidity decreases. As the curing temperature approaches, gelation continues, the viscosity increases, and finally, the resin solidifies. Therefore, by heating below the curing start temperature, the fluidity of the curable resin R can be improved. When heating is controlled below the curing start temperature, the curable resin R does not cure. That is, the curing rate is practically zero. By heating the curable resin R above the curing start temperature and at the curing temperature, the fluidity of the curable resin R can be reduced. Furthermore, the curable resin R can be cured. Moreover, when heating is controlled above the curing start temperature and at the curing temperature, the curing rate is accelerated due to the advancement of curing of the curable resin R. Thus, the curing rate of the curable resin R can be controlled.

[0116] In this embodiment, the curing control unit 86 preheats the curing sections 37, 38, and 39 to a temperature lower than the curing temperature of the curable resin R (a first temperature). As a result, the temperatures of the pressing section 36 and the holding member 342 also rise. In this state, the workpiece 1 is clamped between the pressing section 36 and the support section 34. Consequently, the curable resin R supplied to the workpiece 1 is heated and stretched. Furthermore, during the stretching of the curable resin R on the workpiece 1, the curing control unit 86 controls the temperatures of the curing sections 37, 38, and 39 to raise them to the curing temperature of the curable resin R (a second temperature). This increases the speed at which the curable resin R cures. Additionally, it is possible to set the temperature for each of the curing sections 37, 38, and 39 individually. Moreover, it is possible to change the temperature at individual times.

[0117] The storage unit 87 stores information required for control in this embodiment. The information stored in the storage unit 87 includes position coordinates of each structure, heating temperatures of the curing units 37, 38, and 39, and the feed rate of the anti-adhesion tape T. The setting unit 88 is a processing unit that sets information to the storage unit 87 based on input. The input / output control unit 89 is an interface for controlling the conversion or input / output of signals between the units to be controlled.

[0118] The control device 8 is connected to an input device 91 and an output device 92. The input device 91 is an input component that allows the operator to operate the protective film forming apparatus 3 via the control device 8, including switches, touch panels, keyboards, and mice. The operator can input various information set in the storage unit 87 through the input device 91. The output device 92 is an output component that displays information used to confirm the device status, such as a monitor, lights, and instruments, making the status visible to the operator. For example, the output device 92 can display an input screen showing information from the input device 91.

[0119] [effect]

[0120] Next, refer to Figure 6 (A) to Figure 6 (F) and Figure 8 Here is an example of how this implementation method works. Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the formation sequence of the protective film 2. As a premise, the workpiece 1, before being supplied with curable resin R, is moved into the protective film forming apparatus 3 by a conveying member (not shown). The flipping part 31 of the protective film forming apparatus 3, via arm 311, adsorbs and holds the workpiece 1 from the support substrate 11 side. Furthermore, the anti-adhesion tape T is supplied to the support part 34 via the tape supply control part 84. Moreover, the curing part 37 is heated to, for example, 120°C via the curing control part 86 as a first temperature, i.e., the standby temperature. The curing parts 38 and 39 are heated to, for example, 100°C. The first temperature is preferably a temperature lower than the curing temperature of the curable resin R. More preferably, it is a temperature lower than the curing start temperature (gelation start temperature) of the curable resin R.

[0121] Under the control of the resin supply control unit 82, the nozzle 32a of the resin supply unit 32 supplies curable resin R to the side of the workpiece 1 where the light-emitting element 13 is located (step S01). The curable resin R is supplied to the workpiece 1 in a dotted or linear manner to one or more locations. As a result, when pushed by the pressing part 36, a protective film 2 can be formed in the protective film forming area, which is a defined area. In addition, the curable resin R is supplied to the inner side of the workpiece 1 compared to the outer periphery. After the curable resin R is supplied, under the control of the flipping part control unit 81, the flipping part 31 flips the workpiece 1 180° by the arm 311, so that the side with the curable resin R is facing downward, and moves the workpiece 1 above the substrate holding part 33 by the XYZ moving mechanism 312. Alternatively, the arm 311 can be moved in advance by the XYZ moving mechanism 312 to a position above the substrate holding part 33 before the flipping position is reached, and the flipping part 31 moves the arm 311 to this position.

[0122] Subsequently, with workpiece 1 positioned above substrate holding portion 33, as follows: Figure 6As shown in (A), the arm 311 is lowered so that the workpiece 1 abuts against the substrate holding surface 331a of the stepped portion 331 within the opening of the substrate holding portion 33, and the adsorption of the workpiece 1 is released, thereby transferring the workpiece 1 to the substrate holding portion 33 (step S02). The workpiece 1, with the side supplied with curable resin R facing downwards, abuts its outer periphery against the substrate holding surface 331a of the stepped portion 331, thereby being held in the substrate holding portion 33. Moreover, the curable resin R faces the surface of the anti-adhesion tape T held in the support portion 34 through the opening of the substrate holding portion 33. The curable resin R is supplied to the inner side of the workpiece 1 than its outer periphery, so it does not adhere to the substrate holding surface 331a, and faces the anti-adhesion tape T (described later) through the opening of the substrate holding portion 33. In addition, after the workpiece 1 is transferred, the flipping portion 31 retracts the arm 311 from above the substrate holding portion 33 by means of the XYZ moving mechanism 312.

[0123] Next, as Figure 6 As shown by the dashed arrow in (B), the pneumatic circuit (not shown) is controlled by the adsorption control unit 83, thereby adsorbing and holding the anti-adhesion tape T onto the holding member 342 (step S03). Then, as... Figure 6 As shown in (C), the pressing part 36 is lowered from above the substrate holding part 33 by the pressing control part 85, so that the flat pressing surface of the pressing part 36 presses the side of the workpiece 1 that is not supplied with curable resin R. The pressed workpiece 1 presses against the substrate holding surface 331a, thereby causing the substrate holding part 33 to also descend together with the workpiece 1. The pressing part 36, together with the substrate holding part 33, continues to press the workpiece 1, clamping the workpiece 1 between the workpiece 1 and the holding member 342 of the support part 34 (step S04). At this time, the curable resin R supplied to the workpiece 1 is pressed against the surface of the anti-adhesion tape T held by the holding member 342, and extends in the XY direction between the workpiece 1 and the anti-adhesion tape T. Furthermore, when the spring portion 332a of the foot portion 332 contracts, the abutting portion 333 of the substrate holding portion 33 abuts against the anti-adhesion strip T held by the holding member 342 of the support portion 34, thereby ensuring a predetermined distance between the surface of the workpiece 1 on which the curable resin R is supplied and the surface of the anti-adhesion strip T. That is, the curable resin R extends within the distance.

[0124] As described above, the curing section 37 located inside the pressing section 36 is preheated to 120°C, which is a first temperature. Therefore, the pressing section 36 is also heated to 120°C, and the heat is conducted to the curable resin R via the support substrate 11 and flexible substrate 12 of the workpiece 1 pressed by the pressing section 36. Furthermore, the curing section 39 is also preheated to 100°C, which is a first temperature. Therefore, the base 341 and holding member 342, which are the support section 34, are also heated to 100°C, and the heat is conducted to the curable resin R via the anti-adhesion tape T. Although the curable resin R is heated, it does not accelerate curing and extends onto the workpiece 1 in a state of increased fluidity. Additionally, at this time, the curing section 38 is further heated to 100°C to assist the curing sections 37 and 39 in adjusting the curing speed of the curable resin R.

[0125] Furthermore, the curing sections 37, 38, and 39 are controlled by the curing control unit 86 to heat-cure the curable resin R of this embodiment at a second temperature of 170°C. Thus, as... Figure 6 As shown in (D), the curable resin R extending on the workpiece 1 is cured, forming a protective film 2 (step S05). The heating at 100°C is performed as follows: curing is carried out in a manner that assists the extension of the curable resin R; curing sections 38 and 39, especially curing section 38, are cured in a manner that promotes the curing of the resin side surfaces to prevent protrusion. Therefore, it is advantageous that each curing section needs to be heated according to the temperature rise of the curable resin R, or that the curing temperature is preset from the beginning. If curing sections 37 and 39 are set to a curing temperature of 170°C from the beginning, the curable resin R will cure before it is fully extended, so it is not preferable to heat to this level. Furthermore, curing section 39 does not need to be fixed at 100°C; a suitable fixed temperature or temperature rise can be set according to the characteristics of the curable resin R. Furthermore, since curing section 38 is heated from a separated side surface, it can be set to 170°C from the beginning. Furthermore, either or both of curing section 38 and curing section 39 can be used in combination with curing section 37.

[0126] After the protective film 2 is formed, the pressing part 36 is raised by the pressing control part 85, and the adsorption control part 83 releases the adsorption holding of the anti-adhesion tape T by the holding member 342 (step S06). As the pressing part 36 rises, the substrate holding part 33, which is pressed together with the workpiece 1 by the pressing part 36, rises due to the force applied by the spring part 332a. Furthermore, the step portion 331 of the substrate holding part 33 pushes the workpiece 1 upwards. At this time, the anti-adhesion tape T is in close contact with the protective film 2 formed on the workpiece 1, and therefore the anti-adhesion tape T is also pulled upwards. This is caused by the fact that the anti-adhesion tape T is pressed against the protective film 2 under atmospheric pressure, thus becoming adhered to the protective film 2.

[0127] On the other hand, through the tension mechanism supplying the reel 351, tension acts on the anti-adhesion strip T. Furthermore, since support portions TS are provided on both sides of the support portion 34, the phenomenon of the anti-adhesion strip T being pulled upward along with the workpiece 1 is suppressed. Therefore, as Figure 14 As shown, for the anti-adhesion tape T, an upward pulling force is applied with the tape support TS as the fulcrum. However, due to the tension applied to itself and the resistance of the force by the tape support TS, the protective film 2 adhering to the anti-adhesion tape T is peeled off from its edges as the workpiece 1 rises. Finally, as... Figure 6 As shown in (E), the protective film 2 is completely peeled off from the anti-adhesion tape T (step S07). After the protective film 2 is peeled off, the recovery reel 352 is driven by rotation to wind the anti-adhesion tape T of a length corresponding to that of the holding member 342, and a new anti-adhesion tape T is supplied to the holding member 342 (step S08).

[0128] Finally, as Figure 6 As shown in (F), under the control of the flipping section control unit 81, the XYZ moving mechanism 312 moves the arm 311 of the flipping section 31 above the substrate holding section 33, holding the workpiece 1 with the protective film 2 formed thereon from the side of the supporting substrate 11 (step S09). Then, the flipping section 31 picks up the workpiece 1 from the substrate holding section 33 via the XYZ moving mechanism 312, retracts above it, and flips the arm 311 (step S10). Thus, the workpiece 1 with the protective film 2 formed thereon can be obtained. Furthermore, subsequently, the workpiece 1 with the protective film 2 formed thereon is removed from the protective film forming apparatus 3 by a conveying member (not shown).

[0129] [Effect]

[0130] The effects of the first embodiment having the structure described above are as follows.

[0131] (1) The protective film forming apparatus 3 of this embodiment includes: a resin supply section 32, which supplies liquid curable resin R to the surface of the substrate on which the element is mounted; a substrate holding section 33, which holds the substrate on which the curable resin R is supplied; a support section 34, which is disposed facing the substrate holding section 33; a tape supply section 35, which supplies anti-adhesion tape T between the substrate holding section 33 and the support section 34; a pressing section 36, which presses the substrate toward the support section 34, pressing the curable resin R supplied to the substrate against the anti-adhesion tape T, so that the curable resin R extends on the substrate; a curing section 37, which cures the curable resin R that extends on the substrate; and a curing section 38, which is disposed around the support section 34, and cures the curable resin R.

[0132] Therefore, a protective film with a flat surface can be formed without putting a burden on the component. That is, the liquid curing resin R is pressed against the component mounted on the workpiece 1, so the pressure applied to the component is relatively low, which can reduce the possibility of damage to the component. Moreover, it can reduce the possibility of component displacement or lateral rotation. Furthermore, the curing resin R, which serves as a sealing member, can be easily filled into the gaps between components, thus reducing the possibility of inadequate sealing. In addition, the liquid curing resin R is pressed against the retaining member 342 of the flat support portion 34 and cured, so it is not affected by the unevenness of the component mounted on the workpiece 1, and a protective film 2 with a flat surface can be formed.

[0133] (2) In this embodiment, a pair of curing portions 38 are provided at the position where the support portion 34 is clamped. The curing portions 38 prevent the curable resin R that extends on the workpiece 1 from the forming area of ​​the protective film 2 or the edge of the workpiece 1 or the anti-adhesion strip T. That is, the curing portions 38 heat the curable resin R from the side of the workpiece 1, thereby curing the curable resin R before it extends.

[0134] In particular, when the curable resin R is extended in the protective film forming region, if the curable resin R is heated at a first temperature and its viscosity is reduced, the fluidity increases and the extension speed becomes faster. As a result, the curable resin R reaches the boundary of the protective film forming region more quickly. That is, the curable resin R can be rapidly extended in the region where the protective film 2 is formed. The possibility of the curable resin R extending beyond the protective film forming region also increases. However, by using the curing section 38 to raise the temperature of the outer side of the protective film forming region to a second temperature, the curing of the curable resin R is advanced, and the viscosity increases. This suppresses the extension of the curable resin R from the protective film forming region. In particular, since the fluidity of the portion of the curable resin R near the outer side of the protective film forming region is reduced, extension can be suppressed more reliably. This heating of the curing section 38 can be performed by the curing section 38 alone, or in cooperation with the curing section 37 or the curing section 39. This more effectively prevents extension. Furthermore, the curing time can be shortened.

[0135] (3) Inside the support portion 34, a curing portion 39 is provided for curing the curable resin R. This allows for heating of the curable resin R not only from above but also from below, thus shortening the curing time. In particular, when the curable resin R extends in the protective film formation area and subsequently cures, the curing portion 39, either alone or in cooperation with the curing portion 37 or curing portion 38, can raise its temperature to promote curing of the resin R. Furthermore, during the repeated formation of the protective film 2, the support portion 34 gradually heats up due to heating from the curing portion 37. This can cause the curing state of the resin R to become unstable. In this embodiment, the curing portion 39 located inside the support portion 34 allows for controlling the support portion 34 at a constant temperature, thus stabilizing the curing state of the resin R. Moreover, when the substrate holding portion 33 abuts, it also prevents the temperature of the support portion 34 from dropping. Therefore, the curing state of the resin R can be stabilized.

[0136] (4) By abutting the support portion 34 at a predetermined interval (a predetermined distance L) from the height of the substrate holding surface 331a, the gap for the curable resin R to extend can be ensured based on the height of the substrate holding surface 331a. That is, the gap for the curable resin R to extend between the surface of the workpiece 1 on which the element is mounted and the surface of the anti-adhesion tape T can be ensured based on the height of the surface of the workpiece 1 on which the element is mounted. As a result, the thickness of the protective film 2 can be kept constant without being affected by deviations in the thickness of the workpiece 1 (the thickness of the support substrate 11 + the thickness of the flexible substrate 12). In addition, the predetermined gap that constitutes the thickness of the protective film 2 is formed as the height from the height of the substrate holding surface 331a to the height of the abutting portion 333. That is, the predetermined gap that constitutes the thickness of the protective film 2 is determined according to the shape of the substrate holding portion 33. Therefore, unlike the case where the interval of the gap that constitutes the thickness of the protective film 2 is adjusted by the degree of pressing, it is not necessary to precisely control the pressing force, so control is easy. Furthermore, the curable resin R can be extended and filled in the gaps at specified intervals before curing. Therefore, compared with the case where the curable resin R is applied in an open state and then cured, a protective film without film thickness deviation can be formed in the area where the protective film 2 should be formed.

[0137] (5) In this embodiment, the anti-adhesion tape T is positioned between the support portion 34 and the workpiece 1, thus preventing the curable resin R from directly adhering to the support portion 34. This prevents any residue of the protective film 2 from remaining on the support portion 34 when it is peeled off, thus preventing it from becoming an obstacle when forming the protective film 2 again. Furthermore, even if there are slight irregularities on the surface of the retaining member 342 of the support portion 34, they will be absorbed by the anti-adhesion tape T, thereby preventing any impact on the surface of the curable resin R. That is, even if foreign matter adheres to the surface of the retaining member 342, the anti-adhesion tape T can absorb the irregularities caused by the foreign matter, thereby suppressing the phenomenon of the irregularities being transferred to the surface of the protective film. Furthermore, it is not necessary to have an extremely small surface roughness for the retaining member 342, thus allowing the retaining member 342 to be prepared inexpensively. Even when an opening is provided for suction and retention of the anti-adhesion tape T on the retaining member 342, the transfer of the opening can be prevented. This is also the case when suppressing the effect of fine openings generated on the surface of the retaining member 342 when it is a porous member.

[0138] (6) The curing control unit 86 controls the curing unit 37 to cure the curable resin R. In particular, it controls the curing speed of the curable resin R. More specifically, during the period when the curable resin R extends on the substrate, it controls the curing unit 37 to increase the curing speed of the curable resin R. In this embodiment, the curing unit 37, which is preheated to a first temperature, is controlled to a second temperature higher than the first temperature, and the curing speed of the curable resin R is controlled in two stages. This allows the curable resin R to fully extend on the workpiece 1 and then cure to form a protective film 2. In this way, since the curing control unit 86 controls the curing speed of the curable resin R in two stages, the curable resin R can quickly and reliably extend in the gap between the workpiece 1 formed by the contact portion 333 and the anti-adhesion tape T, and the time until the curing of the curable resin R is completed can be shortened. Furthermore, the control of the curing speed of the curing resin R is not limited to the two-stage control described above. The number of cycles can be subdivided, or the process can be continuously varied. The protective film formation area can also be divided into multiple regions, such as the inner or outer edge, for control. Moreover, these combinations can be used for more precise control of the curing speed.

[0139] (7) The curing control unit 86 heats the curing unit 37 to, for example, 120°C as the first temperature, i.e., the standby temperature, and the curing units 38 and 39 to, for example, 100°C. By preheating the curing unit 37, the pressing unit 36 ​​can be preheated, so that when pressing the curable resin R, the temperature that promotes the extension of the curable resin R can be reached without reheating.

[0140] (8) The substrate holding part 33 holds the substrate with the side of the substrate to which the curable resin R is supplied facing downwards. As a result, the liquid curable resin R supplied to the workpiece 1 extends downwards under gravity. In the initial stage of pressing, the area in contact with the anti-adhesion strip T decreases, and it is pushed and extended at predetermined intervals, thus reducing the possibility of air bubbles being incorporated when the curable resin R extends on the workpiece 1. Furthermore, while it is considered to extend the curable resin R in a depressurized space to prevent such air bubble ingress, this is unnecessary, and large-scale devices such as vacuum chambers or ventable mold cavities are not required, thus suppressing the corresponding cost increase. In addition, in this embodiment, the workpiece 1 is not surrounded and sealed by components during pressing, but is pressed from above while open to the atmosphere. Therefore, the gas present between the workpiece 1 and the anti-adhesion strip T is easily squeezed outwards along with the extension of the curable resin R, thus reducing the possibility of air bubbles being entangled when the curable resin R extends.

[0141] (9) The resin supply unit 32 supplies curable resin R to the substrate from above, and the protective film forming apparatus also includes a flipping unit 31, which flips the substrate to which the curable resin R is supplied so that the surface of the substrate to which the curable resin R is supplied faces downward, and then transfers the substrate to the substrate holding unit 33. Therefore, the curable resin R can be supplied from above, making it easier to adjust the supply amount compared to the case where it is supplied from below. For example, when supplied from below, depending on the viscosity of the curable resin R, the curable resin R may be pulled towards the nozzle 32a of the resin supply unit 32 due to gravity, resulting in an unexpectedly small supply amount.

[0142] (10) The support portion 34 also includes a holding member 342 for adsorbing and holding the anti-adhesion tape T under tension. Thus, the entire surface of the anti-adhesion tape T is adsorbed and held in a wrinkle-free state, thereby reducing the likelihood of wrinkles forming on the anti-adhesion tape T even when the curing resin R is stretched or when the anti-adhesion tape T shrinks during curing. Therefore, the possibility of these wrinkles being transferred to the protective film 2 can be reduced.

[0143] (11) The retaining member 342 is made of a breathable porous material. Therefore, the openings on the surface used for suction are small, and the surface irregularities formed by the openings are less likely to be transferred to the protective film 2 via the anti-adhesion tape T. Furthermore, the retaining member 342 can be used to evenly adsorb the retaining anti-adhesion tape T across its entire surface, thus further maintaining a wrinkle-free state.

[0144] (12) On both sides of the support portion 34 in the X direction, a support portion TS is provided above the anti-adhesion strip T. As a result, the anti-adhesion strip T, which is in close contact with the protective film 2 formed on the workpiece 1, can be easily peeled off from the protective film 2. This is because the anti-adhesion strip T can be peeled off from the outer periphery of the protective film 2 by pressing the anti-adhesion strip T with the support portion TS.

[0145] (13) The curing resin R is a thermosetting resin, and the curing section 37 is a heater. Therefore, by adjusting the temperature at which the curing resin R is heated, the curing state can be easily adjusted.

[0146] (14) The curing part 37 is located inside the pressing part 36. This allows for the miniaturization of the device.

[0147] (B) Second Embodiment

[0148] The second embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

[0149] In the first embodiment, the curable resin R is a thermosetting resin that cures by heat, but in the second embodiment, the curable resin R is a light-curable resin that cures by light. Correspondingly, the curing section 37 is not a heater, but a light irradiation device. For example, the light-curable resin can be an ultraviolet-curable resin, and the light can be ultraviolet light. In this case, the light irradiation device is an ultraviolet light source. The ultraviolet light source can be an LED or lamp capable of irradiating ultraviolet light. The light-curable resin begins to cure when it receives light of the wavelength required for resin curing. The curing of the light-curable resin is gradual. That is, the viscosity of the light-curable resin changes. Furthermore, the rate of curing varies depending on the intensity and duration of the irradiated light. The curing control section 86 controls the intensity or duration of the light irradiated by the curing section 37, and by changing the intensity or duration of the light as the curable resin R extends, the energy of the irradiated light is changed to achieve the optimal viscosity for the curable resin R to extend in the protective film formation region.

[0150] More specifically, when the viscosity of the curable resin R is suitable for spreading in the initial state, light irradiation begins after the curable resin R has spread to the entire protective film formation area, which is a defined region, to cure the curable resin R. When the viscosity of the curable resin R is too low to spread in the initial state, weak-intensity light irradiation, short-duration light irradiation, or light irradiation from a distance is applied at the beginning of spreading to promote the curing of the curable resin R, thereby adjusting it to the desired viscosity. In this case, the energy of the light irradiating the curable resin R is set as a first energy level. Furthermore, once the spread of the curable resin R reaches the outer edge of or near the protective film formation area, light irradiation of necessary intensity and duration is applied to further cure the curable resin R. Once the curable resin R has spread throughout the protective film formation area and the spreading has ended, light irradiation of the intensity and duration required for complete curing of the curable resin R is applied to complete the curing of the curable resin R. The energy of the light irradiated when the curable resin R is completely cured is set as a second energy level. The second energy level is greater than the first energy level. This allows for a shorter stretching time, suppression of protrusion from the protective film formation area, or a shorter curing time. Alternatively, the light irradiation device can be configured as curing section 38 or curing section 39, achieving the same effects as curing sections 38 and 39.

[0151] Furthermore, the light irradiation from the curing section 37 is performed on the curable resin R via the pressing section 36 and the substrate of the workpiece 1. Therefore, the light path of the curing section 37, the pressing section 36, and the substrate is a raw material through which light of at least a wavelength that can be transmitted to cure the photocurable resin R.

[0152] By irradiating the substrate holding section 33 with light from a distance, the viscosity of the curable resin R can be adjusted to a suitable viscosity for spreading at the beginning of resin pressing. At this time, in addition to the intensity and time of light, the intensity also changes due to the distance, so the viscosity can also be adjusted by the height position of the curing section. As a result, the spreading time can be shortened, or the protrusion from the protective film formation area can be suppressed.

[0153] In the second embodiment, the curing section 37 may have multiple irradiation sections that emit ultraviolet (UV) light sources or the like. In this case, similar to the heater in the first embodiment, it is preferable that the irradiation section is shaped as... Figure 11 (A) to Figure 11The irradiation units are arranged concentrically in a matrix (matrix, serrated) or frame shape as shown in (D) 411. When multiple irradiation units are provided, the irradiation of each unit can be controlled individually or in groups as needed. For example, during the extension of the curing resin R, the extension speed or expansion can be controlled to locally irradiate, so that the portion with increased viscosity is mixed with the portion with original viscosity. At this time, after a predetermined time, irradiation can be performed using an irradiation unit different from the previous irradiation, using the time difference to increase the viscosity of the portion that was not previously irradiated. For example, multiple irradiation units can be used to irradiate all of the curing resin R to increase the viscosity of the curing resin R as it gradually extends to the entire protective film formation area to be sealed. Furthermore, the irradiation intensity can be locally changed. For example, when the curing resin R extends to or just before reaching the outer edge of the protective film formation area of ​​the workpiece 1, only the outer edge of the protective film formation area can be irradiated, or the irradiation intensity can be increased (increased energy (illuminance × time)) to prevent extension. This irradiation control can be performed in the same way as the heater in the first embodiment (see...). Figure 12 (A) to Figure 12 (C)). Regarding the timing of irradiation, it can be determined in advance through experiments by detecting the resin using image sensors, laser sensors, etc. By controlling multiple irradiation points in this way, protrusion can be suppressed without hindering the discharge of voids.

[0154] Alternatively, light intensity or irradiation range can be controlled by setting a light guide lens in the irradiation part of a UV light source or by setting a cylindrical reflector on the light source.

[0155] (C) Other implementation methods

[0156] This invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. During implementation, the constituent elements can be modified and embodied by means of variations without departing from its spirit. Furthermore, various inventions can be formed through appropriate combinations of the multiple constituent elements disclosed in the embodiments. For example, several constituent elements may be deleted from all the constituent elements shown in the embodiments. Furthermore, constituent elements spanning different embodiments may be appropriately combined. Specifically, other embodiments are also included as described below.

[0157] (1) In the embodiment described above, the resin supply unit 32 supplies the curable resin R from above the workpiece 1, but is not limited thereto. For example, when the curable resin R has a viscosity such that it will not sag due to gravity, and there is no effect such as the curable resin R sprayed from the nozzle 32a sags and adheres to the nozzle 32a, resulting in a decrease in the amount of curable resin R supplied, the curable resin R can also be supplied from below the workpiece 1. In this case, the flipping unit 31 holds the workpiece 1 with the side of the workpiece 1 on which the light-emitting element 13 is mounted facing downwards from the beginning. The flipping unit 31 can hold the workpiece 1 with the curable resin R supplied to the downward-facing side in this state and hand it over to the substrate holding unit 33. Therefore, there is no need to provide a flipping mechanism, thereby simplifying the flipping unit 31. Furthermore, since the workpiece 1 on which the curable resin R is supplied is not flipped, the state of the supplied curable resin R will not be affected by centrifugal force. Moreover, since there is no time required for flipping, the cycle time can be shortened. Furthermore, since no space is needed for flipping, the distance between the substrate holding part 33 and the pressing part 36 can be narrowed. This allows for miniaturization of the device and shortens the movement time of the pressing part 36, thereby reducing cycle time. Moreover, since the arm 311 of the flipping part 31 rotates at the angle instead of at the angle (α rotation), the workpiece 1 can be transferred to the substrate holding part 33 with the surface supplied with the curable resin R facing downwards. In this case, since horizontal movement for transfer can be performed during the angle rotation, the movement mechanism can be simplified.

[0158] (2) In the embodiment described above, the retaining member 342 is a porous member with a random arrangement of numerous holes, but it is not limited to this. As long as it has the air permeability to maintain the anti-adhesion tape T, it is acceptable. Moreover, the openings used to ensure air permeability are acceptable as long as they do not exceed the anti-adhesion tape T and affect the size and shape of the curable resin R. For example, the retaining member 342 may also be a metal plate with a number of holes.

[0159] (3) In the above embodiment, the anti-adhesion tape T is held by adsorption via the holding member 342. However, if the anti-adhesion tape T does not shrink during curing or when the curing resin R is stretched, it may not be adsorbed and held. For example, if the anti-adhesion tape is thick and difficult to deform or shrink, or if the raw material of the anti-adhesion tape is difficult to deform or shrink, or if the heating temperature used for curing is low and the anti-adhesion tape is difficult to deform or shrink, it may not be adsorbed and held.

[0160] (4) In the embodiment described above, a pair of curing portions 38 are provided at the position where the support portion 34 is sandwiched in the Y direction, but this is not a limitation. They can be provided at any location, such as around the support portion 34, where the curable resin R extending on the workpiece 1 can be heated from the side and cured to prevent it from protruding from the workpiece 1. Furthermore, the number of curing portions 38 is not particularly limited. Moreover, the curing portion 39, which serves as a third curing portion, is not essential in this invention, and forms excluding curing portions 39 are also included in this invention.

[0161] (5) In the embodiment described above, the foot 332 is a member extending from the lower surface of the substrate holding portion 33, and includes a spring portion 332a at its lower end, but is not limited thereto. The substrate holding portion 33 only needs to be supported at a distance from the support portion 34 and be provided in a way that allows contact / separation from the support portion 34. The spring portion 332a can be provided at any part of the substrate holding portion 33 other than the foot 332. Moreover, the spring portion 332a can also be an elastic member such as rubber. Furthermore, it can also be a cylinder that supports the substrate holding portion 33 and moves it up and down. When the substrate holding portion 33 is pressed by the pressing portion 36 and moves closer to the support portion 34, the air pressure is controlled to prevent it from hindering its movement. The cylinder replaces the spring portion 332a and functions as a drive unit to raise the substrate holding portion 33 in order to peel the protective film 2 from the anti-adhesion tape T.

[0162] (6) In the embodiment described above, the abutting portion 333 on the lower surface of the substrate holding portion 33 abuts against the anti-adhesion strip T that is mounted and held on the holding member 342, thereby forming the required gap. However, it is also possible to... Figure 9As shown, an upright foot 343 is provided on the upper surface 341a of the base 341. The upper part of the foot 343 abuts against the foot 332 of the substrate holding part 33, which is pressed by the pressing part 36, thereby ensuring the same predetermined gap as in the embodiment described above. Alternatively, the foot 332 can be replaced by the abutting part 333. In this way, the substrate holding part 33 abuts against the support part 34, preventing the substrate holding part 33 from descending. The distance between the workpiece 1 and the anti-adhesion tape T, which is the height of the protective film 2, is set by the upright foot 343 and the substrate holding part 33 abutting against the foot 343. Therefore, the portion where the substrate holding part 33 abuts against the support part 34 is included in the abutting part. That is, in the embodiment described above, the combination of the foot 332 and the foot 343 upright on the base 341, or the combination of the abutting part 333 and the foot 343 upright on the base 341, is considered the abutting part. Therefore, when the foot 332, which is part of the substrate holding portion 33, or the abutting portion 333, abuts against the foot 343, which is part of the support portion 34, a predetermined gap is formed by the abutting portions that are these combinations. At this time, the thickness of the protective film 2 can be determined by the position of the foot 343, which is erected on the base 341, abutting against the substrate holding portion 33. That is, the thickness can be determined by the distance of the erected foot 343 from the base 341 to the substrate holding portion 33 that abuts against the foot 343. Therefore, to set the thickness of the protective film 2 to the desired value, it is only necessary to replace the foot 343 erected on the base 341, thereby easily achieving the change of the thickness of the protective film 2.

[0163] (7) In the above embodiment, it is not necessarily necessary to form the required gap by the contact part 333. The movement of the pressing part 36 can be controlled to set the distance between the workpiece 1, which becomes the height of the protective film 2, and the anti-adhesion strip T. At this time, it is not necessary to prepare the contact part 333 or the foot 343. Therefore, the thickness of the protective film 2 can be easily set by the module.

[0164] (8) In the above embodiment, the element mounted on the flexible substrate 12 of the workpiece 1 is a light-emitting element 13, but it is not limited to this and can be any element. For example, it can also be an electronic component such as a computing element, a storage element, a camera element, a resistor or a capacitor. As a module, it can also be configured to combine these elements. Moreover, the support substrate 11 and the flexible substrate 12 can also be configured as an integral substrate.

[0165] (9) In the embodiment described above, the pressing part 36 may also include an adsorption hole connected to an air pressure circuit (not shown) in the central portion of the surface abutting against the workpiece 1. The workpiece 1 is adsorbed onto the flat surface of the pressing part 36 by the negative pressure generated by the air pressure circuit, thereby suppressing thermal deformation of the workpiece 1 caused by heating. Regardless of its material, the workpiece 1 will undergo thermal deformation when heated. This phenomenon becomes particularly pronounced when the workpiece 1 is thin. For example, even if the outer periphery of the workpiece 1 is clamped, thermal deformation is still likely to occur when the central portion is unsupported and in a free state. On the other hand, in this embodiment, by using the pressing part 36 to suction and hold the central portion of the workpiece 1, deformation can be suppressed.

[0166] (10) In the described embodiment, the curing part 37 is provided inside the pressing part 36, but it is not limited thereto. The curing part 37 may also be independently movable and retractable from the pressing part 36. For example, as... Figure 10 As shown, a curing part 37 is provided above the pressing part 36, so that the curing part 37 contacts / separates from the pressing part 36. Therefore, similar to the embodiment described above, the workpiece 1 can be heated or irradiated with light through the pressing part 36, causing the curable resin R to cure. Furthermore, as... Figure 13 (A) to Figure 13 As shown in (D), the pressing part 36 is configured as a pair of fence-like or square frame-like components that press the outer periphery of the workpiece 1, and the curing part 37 is configured to slide up and down in a sliding manner inside the pressing part 36, thereby directly heating the workpiece 1 and curing the curable resin R.

[0167] (11) When the curing part 37 and the pressing part 36 are made independent, the temperature of the curing part 37 can be controlled to change when the curing part 37 contacts the pressing part 36, during the contact process, or until the contact. By changing the heating temperature in this way, the curing speed of the curing resin R can be changed, thereby optimizing the extension and curing of the curing resin R.

[0168] For example, the curing control unit 86 can also control the workpiece by pre-setting the curing temperature of the curing unit 37 to that of the thermosetting curable resin R, and gradually moving the curing unit 37 closer to the workpiece 1 while the pressing unit 36 ​​is pressing against it, thereby gradually changing the temperature of the workpiece 1. In other words, the workpiece 1 can be gradually heated by moving the curing unit 37 closer to the workpiece 1. Furthermore, by intermittently moving the curing unit 37 closer to the pressing unit 36, the workpiece 1 can be heated in stages. This controls the flowability of the curable resin R during its extension, allowing it to cure before it extends beyond the protective film formation area, thus suppressing its extension. Moreover, extension and curing can be performed simultaneously, thus shortening the time until the curable resin R is fully cured. This control can also be applied even if the heating is replaced with a light-based irradiation operation.

[0169] (12) In the embodiment described, the pressing part 36 has a flat surface that presses the entire workpiece 1. However, the shape of the pressing part 36 is not limited to this, as long as it can press the workpiece 1 and clamp it with the substrate holding part 33. For example, it may also be as follows: Figure 13 (A) to Figure 13 As shown in (D), the pressing part 36 is configured as a pair of fence-like or square frame-like members that press the outer periphery of the workpiece 1, and the curing part 37 is configured to slide up and down within an opening inside the pressing part 36. In this case, the curing part 37 can directly apply heat or light for curing to the workpiece 1 without passing through the pressing part 36. This allows for more efficient curing. Therefore, the time until the curable resin R is completely cured can be shortened. Furthermore, the flowability of the curable resin R during extension can be controlled with greater precision, allowing the curable resin R to cure even when it is about to extend beyond the protective film formation area, thereby further suppressing its extension. Furthermore, in the case where light is used for curing as described in the second embodiment, it is not necessary to configure the pressing part 36 as a light-transmitting member.

[0170] (13) In the embodiment described above, the workpiece 1 held in the substrate holding portion 33 is pressed by the pressing portion 36 provided above, relative to the support portion 34 provided below, but this is not limited to this. For example, the workpiece 1 held in the substrate holding portion 33 may be pressed by the pressing portion 36 provided below, relative to the support portion 34 provided above. In this case, the support portion 34 does not directly press the workpiece 1, but only presses the substrate holding portion 33 from below. Moreover, the workpiece 1 held in the substrate holding portion 33 may be pressed by the pressing portion 36 provided on the side, relative to the support portion 34 provided on the side.

[0171] (14) It is also possible to replace the operation of irradiating light when the pressing part 36, which includes the curing part 37 of the second embodiment, is moved toward the substrate holding part 33 from a state far away from the pressing part 36, with heating. Both can achieve the same effect as the second embodiment.

Claims

1. A protective film forming apparatus, comprising: The resin supply section supplies liquid curable resin to the surface of the substrate on which the components are mounted. A substrate holding section holds the substrate to which the curable resin is supplied; A support portion is disposed facing the substrate holding portion; The tape supply unit supplies an anti-adhesion tape between the substrate holding part and the support part; The pressing part presses the substrate toward the support part, and the curable resin supplied to the substrate is pressed against the anti-adhesion tape, so that the protective film formation area of ​​the curable resin on the substrate is extended. A first curing section is provided inside the pressing section to cure the curable resin; The second curing section is disposed around the support section to cure the curable resin; as well as The third curing section is located inside the support section to cure the curable resin. The second curing section cures the side of the curable resin outside the protective film formation area of ​​the curable resin that extends between the pressing section and the supporting section.

2. The protective film forming apparatus according to claim 1, comprising: The abutting portion presses the substrate by means of the pressing portion. When the substrate holding portion abuts against the support portion, a predetermined gap is formed between the surface of the substrate to which the curable resin is supplied and the surface of the anti-adhesion tape.

3. The protective film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein... The substrate holding portion holds the substrate with the side of the substrate to which the curable resin is supplied facing downwards, and has an opening for exposing an area where the curable resin extends on the substrate.

4. The protective film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein... The resin supply unit supplies the curable resin to the substrate from above. The protective film forming apparatus further includes: The flipping section flips the substrate to which the curable resin is supplied, so that the substrate with the surface supplied with the curable resin facing downwards is handed over to the substrate holding section.

5. The protective film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein... The substrate holding part is supported by an elastic member or a cylinder.

6. The protective film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The support portion also includes a retaining member for holding the anti-adhesion strip.

7. The protective film forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein The retaining member is made of a breathable porous material.

8. The protective film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein In the belt supply section, a supply reel and a take-up reel are arranged at the position where the substrate holding section is clamped. During the path of the anti-adhesion tape delivered from the supply reel to the recovery reel, support sections are provided on both sides of the support section. The anti-adhesion tape is supported by the tape support at the height it is delivered with slight contact or gap with the support.

9. The protective film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The curable resin is a thermosetting resin. The first curing section, the second curing section, and the third curing section are heaters.

10. The protective film forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The curable resin is a light-curable resin. The first curing section, the second curing section and the third curing section are light irradiation devices.

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