Resin molding apparatus and method for manufacturing resin molded article

Abstract

Provided is a resin molding device and a method of manufacturing a resin molded product, which can accurately grasp a resin pressure. The resin molding device includes a lower mold formed with a pot that houses a resin material; an upper mold disposed opposite the lower mold and formed with a sprue pool portion at a portion opposite the pot; a plunger that can transfer the resin material housed in the pot; and a first sensor disposed at a position in the upper mold opposite the plunger or a front end portion of the plunger and that detects a value related to pressure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a resin molding apparatus and a method for manufacturing resin molded articles. Background Technology

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a resin molding apparatus equipped with a pressure sensor that measures the resin pressure (cavity pressure) inside the mold cavity. Specifically, Patent Document 1 discloses a structure in which pressure sensors are positioned near and away from the gate in the mold cavity. Based on the resin pressure measured by the pressure sensor, the operation of the conveying mechanism is controlled, thereby adjusting the resin pressure or the resin filling speed.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-1122 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0007] However, in the technology described in Patent Document 1, since the pressure sensor is located in the mold cavity, the resin pressure cannot be measured before the resin material reaches the mold cavity, making it difficult to measure the resin pressure in detail. Resin pressure is used, for example, for controlling the conveying mechanism or setting the curing time; therefore, a technology is sought that can more precisely control the resin pressure.

[0008] The present invention was made in view of the above situation, and the problem it aims to solve is to provide a resin molding apparatus capable of precisely controlling resin pressure and a method for manufacturing resin molded articles.

[0009] Technical means to solve the problem

[0010] The problem to be solved by the present invention is as described above. In order to solve the problem, the resin molding apparatus of the present invention includes: a lower mold having a pot for containing resin material; an upper mold having a cull portion formed opposite to the lower mold and having a cull portion formed in the portion facing the pot; a plunger capable of transferring the resin material contained in the pot; and a first sensor disposed in the upper mold at a position facing the plunger or at the front end of the plunger, for detecting a pressure-related value.

[0011] Furthermore, the method for manufacturing resin molded articles according to the present invention involves using the resin molding apparatus to perform resin molding on the object to be molded.

[0012] The effects of the invention

[0013] This invention allows for detailed control of resin pressure. Attached Figure Description

[0014] Figure 1 This is a plan view showing the overall structure of the resin molding apparatus according to the first embodiment.

[0015] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of a method for manufacturing resin molded articles.

[0016] Figure 3 It is a front cross-sectional view showing the structure of the forming mold.

[0017] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the transmission mechanism, pressure sensor, and load cell.

[0018] Figure 5 This is a graph illustrating an example of how resin pressure changes over time.

[0019] Figure 6 It is a schematic front cross-sectional view showing the state of dirt adhering to the inside of the can.

[0020] Figure 7 This is a front cross-sectional view showing the structure of the molding die according to the second embodiment.

[0021] Explanation of symbols

[0022] 1: Resin molding device

[0023] 16: Control Department

[0024] 110: Lower mold

[0025] 111a: Jar

[0026] 120: Upper mold

[0027] 121a: Rejection Tank Section

[0028] 133: Plunger

[0029] 140: Pressure sensor

[0030] 150: Load element Detailed Implementation

[0031] The directions represented by arrows U, D, L, R, F, and B in the diagram are defined as up, down, left, right, forward, and backward, respectively.

[0032] <Overall Structure of Resin Molding Device 1>

[0033] First, use Figure 1The structure of the resin molding apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. The resin molding apparatus 1 is an apparatus for manufacturing resin molded articles by sealing electronic components such as semiconductor chips (hereinafter referred to as "chip 2a") with resin. In particular, in this embodiment, a resin molding apparatus 1 that performs resin molding using a transfer molding method is illustrated.

[0034] The resin molding apparatus 1 includes a supply module 10, a resin molding module 20, and a transfer module 30 as constituent components. Each constituent component is detachable and replaceable relative to the other constituent components.

[0035] <Supply Module 10>

[0036] The supply module 10 supplies a lead frame (hereinafter referred to as "substrate 2"), which serves as a substrate on which the chip 2a is mounted, and a resin sheet T to the resin molding module 20. Substrate 2 is one embodiment of the molding object of the present invention. In addition, in this embodiment, a lead frame is exemplified as substrate 2, but various other substrates (glass epoxy substrate, ceramic substrate, resin substrate, metal substrate, etc.) can also be used in addition to the lead frame. The supply module 10 mainly includes a frame delivery unit 11, a frame supply unit 12, a resin delivery unit 13, a resin supply unit 14, a loader 15, and a control unit 16.

[0037] The frame delivery unit 11 transports the unsealed substrate 2, housed in the feed box unit (not shown), to the frame supply unit 12. The frame supply unit 12 receives the substrate 2 from the frame delivery unit 11, arranges the received substrate 2 appropriately, and transfers it to the loader 15.

[0038] The resin delivery unit 13 receives resin sheet T from the stocker (not shown) and transports the resin sheet T to the resin supply unit 14. The resin supply unit 14 receives the resin sheet T from the resin delivery unit 13, arranges the received resin sheet T appropriately, and transfers it to the loader 15.

[0039] The loader 15 transports the substrate 2 and resin sheet T received from the frame supply unit 12 and the resin supply unit 14 to the resin molding module 20.

[0040] The control unit 16 controls the operation of each module of the resin molding apparatus 1. The control unit 16 controls the operation of the supply module 10, the resin molding module 20, and the transfer module 30. In addition, the control unit 16 can be used to arbitrarily change (adjust) the operation of each module.

[0041] Furthermore, in this embodiment, an example is shown where the control unit 16 is provided in the supply module 10, but the control unit 16 can also be provided in other modules. Additionally, multiple control units 16 can be provided. For example, a control unit 16 can be provided for each module or each device, so that the operations of each module, etc., are interconnected while being individually controlled.

[0042] <Resin Molding Module 20>

[0043] The resin molding module 20 seals the chip 2a mounted on the substrate 2 with resin. In this embodiment, two resin molding modules 20 are arranged in a row. By using two resin molding modules 20 to seal the substrate 2 with resin in parallel, the manufacturing efficiency of the resin molded product can be improved. The resin molding module 20 mainly includes a molding die (lower die 110 and upper die 120) and a mold closing mechanism 21.

[0044] The molding mold (lower mold 110 and upper mold 120) uses molten resin material to seal the chip 2a mounted on the substrate 2. The molding mold includes a pair of molds, namely the lower mold 110 and the upper mold 120 (see reference). Figure 3 A heating element, such as a heater, is installed in the molding die (not shown).

[0045] The mold closing mechanism 21 closes or opens the forming mold (lower mold 110 and upper mold 120) by moving the lower mold 110 up and down.

[0046] <Moveout Module 30>

[0047] The removal module 30 receives the resin-sealed substrate 2 from the resin molding module 20 and removes it. The removal module 30 mainly includes an unloading machine 31 and a substrate receiving section 32.

[0048] The unloading machine 31 holds the resin-sealed substrate 2 and moves it to the substrate receiving section 32. The substrate receiving section 32 receives the resin-sealed substrate 2.

[0049] <Summary of the operation of resin molding apparatus 1>

[0050] Next, use Figure 1 and Figure 2 The operation of the resin molding apparatus 1 configured as described above (a method for manufacturing resin molded articles using the resin molding apparatus 1) will be explained in general.

[0051] The method for manufacturing resin molded articles according to this embodiment mainly includes a loading process S10, a resin molding process S20, and a loading process S30.

[0052] The transfer process S10 is the process of transferring the substrate 2 and the resin sheet T into the resin molding module 20.

[0053] In the loading process S10, the frame delivery unit 11 transports the substrate 2 housed in the feeding box unit (not shown) to the frame supply unit 12. The frame supply unit 12 arranges the received substrate 2 appropriately and transfers it to the loader 15.

[0054] Additionally, the resin delivery unit 13 conveys the resin sheets T received from the storage container (not shown) to the resin supply unit 14. The resin supply unit 14 then transfers the required number of resin sheets T received to the loader 15.

[0055] The loader 15 transports the received substrate 2 and resin sheet T into the molding die of the resin molding module 20. After transporting the substrate 2 and resin sheet T into the molding die, the process is transferred from the loading process S10 to the resin molding process S20.

[0056] The resin molding process S20 is a process of sealing the chip 2a mounted on the substrate 2 with resin.

[0057] In the resin molding process S20, the mold closing mechanism 21 raises the lower mold 110 to close the molding mold. Then, the resin sheet T is heated by the heating section (not shown) of the molding mold to melt it, and the resulting molten resin is used to seal the substrate 2. After a predetermined time (curing time) until the resin material hardens, the process is transferred from the resin molding process S20 to the unloading process S30. Specifically, the curing time refers to the time from when the conveyor shaft 131 (described later) stops rising until the resin material hardens to a degree that allows the resin molded article to be properly demolded at least when the mold is opened.

[0058] The removal process S30 is the process of receiving the resin-sealed substrate 2 from the resin molding module 20 and removing it.

[0059] In the unloading process S30, the mold closing mechanism 21 opens the molding mold. Then, the resin-sealed substrate 2 is demolded. Subsequently, the unloading machine 31 removes the substrate 2 from the molding mold and stores it in the substrate receiving section 32 of the unloading module 30. At this time, the useless parts of the resin-molded substrate 2 (rejection pool, runner, etc.) are properly removed.

[0060] <Detailed Structure of Resin Molding Module 20>

[0061] Next, the structure of the resin molding module 20 will be described in more detail. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the resin molding module 20 mainly includes a lower mold 110, an upper mold 120, a conveying mechanism 130, a pressure sensor 140, a load cell 150, and a mold closing mechanism 21.

[0062] <Lower Mold 110>

[0063] The lower mold 110 forms the lower part of the forming mold. The lower mold 110 mainly includes the tank area 111 and the lower mold cavity area 112.

[0064] Tank block 111 is the portion that receives the resin sheet T supplied by the self-supply module 10. In tank block 111, multiple (five in this embodiment) through holes (tank 111a) for receiving the resin sheet T are formed in a rear-to-back arrangement (see reference). Figure 1 ).

[0065] The lower mold cavity block 112 forms the bottom surface of the mold cavity C. The lower mold cavity blocks 112 are respectively disposed on the left and right sides of the can block 111. A recess corresponding to the shape of the substrate 2 is appropriately formed on the upper surface of the lower mold cavity block 112. The substrate 2 can be disposed in the recess of the lower mold cavity block 112.

[0066] <Upper mold 120>

[0067] The upper mold 120 forms the upper part of the forming mold. The upper mold 120 mainly includes the ejector pool area 121 and the upper mold cavity area 122.

[0068] The ejector pool block 121 is positioned opposite to the can blocks 111 of the lower mold 110. A groove-shaped ejector pool section 121a and a sprue section 121b for guiding resin material into the mold cavity C are formed on the lower surface of the ejector pool block 121. The ejector pool section 121a is formed vertically opposite to each can 111a of the lower mold 110.

[0069] The upper mold cavity block 122 forms the upper surface of the mold cavity C. The upper mold cavity blocks 122 are respectively disposed on the left and right sides of the ejector box block 121. The upper mold cavity blocks 122 are disposed opposite to the lower mold cavity block 112. On the bottom surface of the upper mold cavity block 122, a recess with a shape corresponding to the resin molded article is appropriately formed.

[0070] Furthermore, in this embodiment, an example is shown where the upper surface of the upper mold 120 has a sprue portion 121b or a mold cavity C formed thereon, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the sprue portion or the lower surface of the mold cavity C may be formed in the lower mold cavity block 112 of the lower mold 110.

[0071] A mold cavity C, with a shape corresponding to the resin molded article, is formed between the lower mold 110 and the upper mold 120 configured in this way. In addition, the lower mold 110 can move up and down via the mold closing mechanism 21.

[0072] <Teleportation Mechanism 130>

[0073] Figure 3 and Figure 4The conveying mechanism 130 shown supplies resin material to the mold cavity C. The conveying mechanism 130 mainly includes a conveying shaft 131, a mounting part 132, a plunger 133, and a load cell 134.

[0074] The conveyor shaft 131 is a component capable of vertical movement. The conveyor shaft 131 can move arbitrarily up and down by power transmitted from a drive source (not shown), such as a servo motor or cylinder. Multiple conveyor shafts 131 are arranged relative to a forming die (lower die 110) in a front-to-back direction (two in this embodiment) (see reference). Figure 4 ).

[0075] Mounting part 132 is used to mount plunger 133 to conveyor shaft 131. Mounting part 132 is formed in a generally cuboid shape. Mounting part 132 is provided across the upper part of multiple conveyor shafts 131.

[0076] The plunger 133 injects the resin sheet T (resin material) contained in the can 111a of the can block 111 and transfers it into the mold cavity C. The plunger 133 is configured to move up and down (lift and lower) within the can 111a. The lower part of the plunger 133 is mounted on the upper part of the mounting part 132 via the load element 150 described later. Multiple plungers 133 are arranged in a front-to-back direction (five in this embodiment) (see reference). Figure 4 ).

[0077] The load cell 134 is used to detect the load applied to the conveyor shaft 131. The load cell 134 is disposed on the upper part of the conveyor shaft 131 (between the conveyor shaft 131 and the mounting portion 132). The load cell 134 of this embodiment is disposed on one of a plurality of conveyor shafts 131. By detecting the load applied to the conveyor shaft 131 using the load cell 134, the injection force (conveyor output) of the resin material based on the conveyor mechanism 130 can be detected. The conveyor output or the movement speed of the plunger 133 can be controlled based on the detected value.

[0078] <Pressure Sensor 140>

[0079] Pressure sensor 140 is used to detect the pressure of resin material being transferred into mold cavity C. Pressure sensor 140 is one embodiment of the first sensor of the present invention that detects pressure-related values. Pressure sensor 140 can detect the pressure applied to the detection surface based on the amount of deformation of the elastically deformable detection surface (diaphragm) provided on the end face. As pressure sensor 140, for example, a thermosetting resin / mold pressure sensor (model: 6167A) manufactured by Kistler Corporation, Japan can be used.

[0080] Pressure sensor 140 is disposed in the rejecting tank section 121a of the rejecting tank block 121, facing the plunger 133. More specifically, pressure sensor 140 is disposed at a position overlapping with plunger 133 when viewed from the direction of movement of plunger 133 (vertical direction in this embodiment). In this embodiment, pressure sensor 140 and plunger 133 are disposed coaxially. That is, pressure sensor 140 is located in... Figure 3 The cross-sectional view shown is along a straight line passing through the center of the plunger 133. At this point, the pressure sensor 140 is located directly above the plunger 133. The pressure sensor 140 is positioned so that its detection surface faces downwards and is embedded in the reject tank block 121. The lower end face (detection surface) of the pressure sensor 140 is disposed approximately on the same plane as the lower surface of the reject tank portion 121a. With this configuration, the detection surface of the pressure sensor 140 can directly contact the resin material being transferred into the mold cavity C. That is, the pressure sensor 140 can directly detect the pressure of the resin material without the need for other components.

[0081] like Figure 4 As shown, multiple pressure sensors 140 are provided corresponding to multiple plungers 133. In this embodiment, one pressure sensor 140 is provided above each of the five plungers 133. Thus, by providing pressure sensors 140 corresponding to each plunger 133 in the rejection tank block 121, the resin pressure of each plunger 133 can be detected individually, thereby allowing the detection results to be flexibly used for controlling the operation of the resin molding apparatus 1 or for monitoring the state during resin molding.

[0082] The load cell 150 is used to detect the load applied to the plunger 133. The load cell 150 is one embodiment of the second sensor of the present invention for detecting force-related values. The load cell 150 is disposed at the lower part of the plunger 133 (between the plunger 133 and the mounting portion 132). In this embodiment, multiple load cells 150 are disposed corresponding to multiple plungers 133. In this embodiment, one load cell 150 is disposed at the lower part of each of the five plungers 133.

[0083] <Methods for determining curing time>

[0084] Next, the method for determining the curing time based on the detection value of pressure sensor 140 will be explained.

[0085] Figure 5 The image shows the resin molding process S20 (see reference). Figure 2 This is an example of the time change of the detection value of the pressure sensor 140 when resin material is transferred to the mold cavity C and the substrate 2 is sealed with resin. Figure 5 The horizontal axis represents the time elapsed since the point in time when the resin material was started being transferred via the conveyor mechanism 130. Figure 5The vertical axis represents the detected value of the pressure sensor 140 (i.e., the pressure of the resin material). Furthermore, for ease of explanation, the pressure of the resin material detected by the pressure sensor 140 will be referred to as "resin pressure" below.

[0086] The conveyor mechanism 130 causes the conveyor shaft 131 to rise, thus initiating the transfer of resin material. The resin material extruded from tank block 111 by the plunger 133 then immediately contacts the pressure sensor 140 located directly above the plunger 133 (see reference). Figure 3 Therefore, as Figure 5 As shown, the pressure sensor 140 can detect the resin pressure immediately after the resin material is transferred. Furthermore, Figure 5 The three lines shown are examples of detection results obtained by detecting through three of the five pressure sensors 140.

[0087] When the resin material is transferred via the conveying mechanism 130, the resin material is supplied to the mold cavity C through the ejector box 121a and the sprue 121b. Figure 5 As shown, from the start of resin material transfer to time t1, the resin pressure gradually increases while fluctuating up and down, corresponding to the flow resistance of the resin material flowing in the gating section 121b, etc.

[0088] When the resin material is injected into the mold cavity C at time t1, after time t1, until the curing time has elapsed, the conveying mechanism 130 stops the upward movement of the conveying shaft 131 while applying a predetermined pressure to the injected resin material, and maintains this state. After the curing time (in Figure 5 In the example, after time t2 is reached, the process is transferred to the outgoing process S30 (refer to...). Figure 2 The resin-sealed substrate 2 is then removed from the molding die.

[0089] From the perspective of improving the quality of resin molded products and increasing production efficiency, it is important to determine the curing time value. In this embodiment, the curing time can be determined to be an appropriate value based on the resin pressure detected by the pressure sensor 140.

[0090] like Figure 5 As shown, after the resin material is injected into the mold cavity C (after time t1), the resin pressure gradually decreases. This is because the resin material gradually hardens and shrinks, causing a decrease in the pressure applied to the pressure sensor 140. Then, after a certain period of time (after time t2), the resin pressure roughly stabilizes. This is because the hardening and shrinkage of the resin material have largely ended.

[0091] Therefore, the curing time is determined by the time t2 when the resin pressure stops decreasing and becomes approximately constant. This allows the material to be transferred to the unloading process S30 after curing without unnecessary long waiting times. The curing time can be predetermined by testing the resin molding process and monitoring the time-varying changes in resin pressure before actually starting the manufacturing of the resin molded article.

[0092] Furthermore, the curing time can also be determined automatically by the control unit 16. For example, the control unit 16 can be based on... Figure 5 The pressure sensor 140 shown automatically determines the curing time as the time from the time t1 when the resin material is injected into the mold cavity C to the time t2 when the resin pressure becomes approximately constant, based on the detection result.

[0093] <Method for detecting fouling in tank 111a>

[0094] Next, a method for detecting whether there is dirt inside tank 111a by comparing the detection values ​​of pressure sensor 140 and load cell 150 will be described.

[0095] Figure 6 The diagram schematically illustrates the state of dirt A adhering to the inside of can 111a (the inner surface of can 111a). This can be attributed to repeated resin molding processes, such as... Figure 6 As shown, there is dirt A caused by resin material adhering to the inside of can 111a. If dirt A adheres to the inside of can 111a, the sliding of plunger 133 may be obstructed, preventing the normal transfer of resin material to mold cavity C. Therefore, it is ideal to detect the presence of dirt A inside can 111a and clean it at an appropriate time.

[0096] In this embodiment, the detection values ​​of pressure sensor 140 and load cell 150 can be compared to detect whether there is dirt A inside tank 111a. Specifically, if there is no dirt A attached inside tank 111a, when the plunger 133 is raised to inject resin material into mold cavity C (until... Figure 5 The detection value of the pressure sensor 140 (up to time t1) and the detection value of the load cell 150 corresponding to the pressure sensor 140 are related.

[0097] Conversely, when dirt A adheres to the inside of tank 111a, the sliding resistance of plunger 133 increases, thus increasing the detection value of load cell 150 relative to the detection value of pressure sensor 140. By detecting the change in the relationship between the detection value of pressure sensor 140 and the detection value of load cell 150, the adhesion of dirt A to tank 111a can be detected. Furthermore, by detecting the increase in the detection value of load cell 150 relative to the detection value of pressure sensor 140, not only the presence or absence of dirt A can be detected, but also the amount of dirt A (the degree of dirt buildup).

[0098] In this embodiment, during the manufacture of the resin molded article, the control unit 16 compares the detection value of the pressure sensor 140 with the detection value of the load cell 150 to detect changes in the sliding resistance of the plunger 133. This allows for rapid detection of contamination A in the can 111a, and the can 111a can be cleaned at an appropriate time. Here, "manufacturing the resin molded article" refers, for example, to the moment when the plunger 133 is raised and resin material is injected into the mold cavity C.

[0099] In this embodiment, in particular, since the pressure sensor 140 is positioned directly above the plunger 133 (on the extension line of the sliding direction of the plunger 133), the pressure of the resin material extruded through the plunger 133 is detected by the pressure sensor 140 without passing through the runner 121b, etc. Therefore, the detected value of the pressure sensor 140 is less affected by the flow resistance of the resin material, and the relationship between the detected value of the pressure sensor 140 and the detected value of the load cell 150 can be clearly determined. Therefore, dirt A can be detected with high accuracy.

[0100] In addition, a load cell 134 (see reference) can also be used on the conveyor axis 131. Figure 4 Instead of using the detection values ​​of the load cells 150 provided on each plunger 133 to detect the presence of dirt A in the tank 111a, the presence of dirt A in the tank 111a is detected by comparing the total detection values ​​of the load cells 134 provided on the conveying mechanism 130 with the total detection values ​​of the pressure sensor 140 that detects the pressure of the resin transferred through the conveying mechanism 130. For example, in this embodiment (see...) Figure 4 In the process, dirt A in tank 111a can be detected by comparing the detection value of a load cell 134 located on the transmission shaft 131 with the sum of the detection values ​​of five pressure sensors 140.

[0101] <Second Implementation>

[0102] Hereinafter, a modified example of the configuration of the pressure sensor 140 (second embodiment) will be described.

[0103] In the first embodiment (refer to) Figure 3 In the example shown in (etc.), a pressure sensor 140 is disposed in the rejecting pool section 121a of the rejecting pool block 121, but the configuration of the pressure sensor 140 is not limited thereto. In the second embodiment (see Figure 7 The example shown in the figure is that the pressure sensor 140 is disposed at the front end of the plunger 133.

[0104] like Figure 7As shown, in the second embodiment, the pressure sensor 140 is disposed at the center of the plunger 133 (on the axis of the plunger 133). The pressure sensor 140 is embedded in the plunger 133 with its detection surface facing upwards. The upper end surface (detection surface) of the pressure sensor 140 is disposed approximately on the same plane as the upper surface of the plunger 133. With this configuration, the detection surface of the pressure sensor 140 can directly contact the resin material transferred to the mold cavity C.

[0105] By using the pressure sensor 140 of the second embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the resin pressure can be detected immediately after the resin material is started to be transferred by the conveying mechanism 130. Furthermore, similarly to the first embodiment, the pressure sensor 140 can be used to determine the curing time and detect the contaminant A within the tank 111a.

[0106] As described above, the resin molding apparatus 1 of the embodiment includes: a lower mold 110 having a container 111a for holding resin material; an upper mold 120 having an upper mold facing the lower mold 110 and having a scraping pool portion 121a formed in the portion facing the container 111a; a plunger 133 capable of transferring the resin material contained in the container 111a; and a pressure sensor 140 (first sensor) disposed in the upper mold 120 at a position facing the plunger 133 (see reference). Figure 3 ) or the front end of the plunger 133 (refer to Figure 7 ), and detect values ​​related to pressure.

[0107] With this configuration, the resin pressure can be precisely controlled. Specifically, by using a pressure sensor 140 located opposite the plunger 133 or at the front end of the plunger 133, the resin pressure can be detected immediately after the resin material is transferred through the plunger 133. Based on the resin pressure detected in this manner, the curing time or the cleaning period of the tank 111a can be determined, etc.

[0108] Furthermore, assuming a pressure sensor is directly installed in the mold cavity C to detect resin pressure, traces of the pressure sensor will be formed on the surface of the resin-molded product. When the resin-sealed product is single-piece manufactured into the final product, the existence of products with and without traces of the pressure sensor may lead to the perception that these are products of different quality, which is undesirable. In contrast, in this embodiment (first and second embodiments), since the pressure sensor 140 is not directly installed in the mold cavity C, the quality of the product is not affected.

[0109] Alternatively, to accurately measure resin pressure, a structure could be conceived as follows: a pressure sensor is installed on the ejector pin facing the mold cavity C to detect the pressure applied to the ejector pin, thereby detecting the resin pressure. However, due to the sliding resistance of the ejector pin, the actual resin pressure will deviate from the value detected by the pressure sensor, making it difficult to detect the correct resin pressure. In contrast, in this embodiment (the first and second embodiments), since the pressure sensor 140 is installed at the part that directly contacts the resin material (such as the front end of the plunger 133), no error occurs, and the resin pressure can be detected with high accuracy.

[0110] In addition, products (resin molding apparatus 1) that do not have a pressure sensor or ejector pin in the mold cavity C are also common. In such products, it is useful to have a structure such as that of providing a pressure sensor 140 at the front end of the plunger 133, as in this embodiment (first embodiment and second embodiment).

[0111] In addition, the pressure sensor 140 is a component that is provided in multiple ways corresponding to the multiple plungers 133.

[0112] With this configuration, the pressure of the resin transferred through each plunger 133 can be detected individually, thereby allowing for a more detailed understanding of the resin pressure.

[0113] In addition, the resin molding apparatus 1 also includes a control unit 16 that determines the curing time based on the detection value of the pressure sensor 140.

[0114] With this configuration, the curing time can be easily determined. In particular, as in the described embodiment, the curing time can be determined using the resin pressure detected in detail by the pressure sensor 140, thus allowing for the setting of a suitable curing time.

[0115] In addition, the resin molding apparatus 1 also includes a load cell 150 (second sensor), which is disposed in a portion of the plunger 133 that is different from the front end and detects a value related to the force applied to the plunger 133. The control unit 16 compares the detection value of the pressure sensor 140 with the detection value of the load cell 150.

[0116] With this configuration, the value of the resin pressure relative to the load applied to the plunger 133 can be determined by comparison. Furthermore, the comparison result can be used as information to assess the state of the resin molding apparatus 1 (e.g., whether there are any abnormalities in the resin pressure).

[0117] In addition, the control unit 16 detects the sliding resistance of the plunger 133 by comparing the detection value of the pressure sensor 140 with the detection value of the load cell 150.

[0118] With this configuration, it is possible to detect whether there is dirt inside the tank 111a, which is equipped with plunger 133. Therefore, the tank 111a can be cleaned at an appropriate time.

[0119] In addition, the load element 150 is a component that is provided in multiple ways corresponding to the multiple plungers 133.

[0120] With this configuration, the load applied to each plunger 133 can be individually detected. Thus, the presence of dirt or grime in each tank 111a can be individually detected.

[0121] Furthermore, the method for manufacturing resin molded articles in this embodiment involves using a resin molding apparatus 1 to perform resin molding on the object to be molded.

[0122] This configuration allows for precise control of resin pressure. Furthermore, by determining the appropriate curing time or checking for contamination in tank 111a, the quality of resin-molded products and production efficiency can be improved.

[0123] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments, and appropriate modifications can be made within the scope of the technical concept of the invention as described in the claims.

[0124] For example, the constituent elements (supply module 10, etc.) used in the resin molding apparatus 1 of the above embodiment are examples that can be appropriately installed, removed, or replaced. For example, the number of resin molding modules 20 can be changed. In addition, the structure or operation of the constituent elements (supply module 10, etc.) used in the resin molding apparatus 1 of this embodiment are examples that can be appropriately modified.

[0125] Furthermore, while an example of using sheet-like resin material (resin sheet T) has been shown in the described embodiment, the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, not only sheet-like resin materials can be used, but also resin materials in any form, such as powdered (including granular and powdery) or liquid, can be used.

[0126] Furthermore, the number of the transmission shaft 131, plunger 133, tank 111a, etc., illustrated in the above embodiment is not limited and can be arbitrarily changed. In addition, the number of various sensors (load element 134, pressure sensor 140, and load element 150) is also not particularly limited and can be arbitrarily changed.

[0127] Furthermore, in the described embodiment, an example is shown where multiple pressure sensors 140 are provided corresponding to multiple plungers 133, but the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, it is not necessary to provide the same number of pressure sensors 140 as the number of plungers 133; the number of pressure sensors 140 can be less or more than the number of plungers 133. For example, it is also possible to provide only one pressure sensor 140 corresponding to any one plunger 133. Similarly, regarding the load cell 150, it is not necessary to provide the same number as the multiple plungers 133; the number can be arbitrarily set.

[0128] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, an example is shown in which the pressure sensor 140 is disposed in the rejection tank block 121 (rejection tank section 121a), but the present invention is not limited thereto. The pressure sensor 140 is any component that is disposed in a position facing the plunger 133 or at the front end of the plunger 133 and that can detect the resin pressure immediately after the resin material is started to be transferred; there is no limitation on the component that is installed.

[0129] Furthermore, in the aforementioned embodiments, examples are shown of placing the pressure sensor 140 at a position opposite to the plunger 133 (rejection tank block 121) (see reference). Figure 3 (See also) an example of placing the pressure sensor 140 at the front end of the plunger 133 (see) Figure 7 However, the present invention is not limited thereto. That is, the pressure sensor 140 may be provided not only in either the scrap tank block 121 or the plunger 133, but also in both.

[0130] Furthermore, in the described embodiment, an example is shown where the control unit 16 determines the curing time or detects the sliding resistance of the plunger 133 (presence or absence of dirt A). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the curing time, etc., can also be determined by human judgment. In this case, for example, the control unit 16 can also be configured such that it reports the information required for determining the curing time, etc., to a human by outputting the detection value of the pressure sensor 140, etc., or the comparison result of the detection value of the pressure sensor 140 and the detection value of the load cell 150, etc., to an output device such as a display.

[0131] In addition, although a pressure sensor 140 is used in the above embodiment, the pressure can also be calculated based on the value detected by a sensor that detects force and the area.

[0132] In addition, in the above embodiment, a load cell 134 for detecting load is used, but a sensor for detecting force can also be used instead.

Claims

1. A resin molding apparatus, comprising: The lower mold is used to form a container for holding resin material; The upper mold is disposed facing the lower mold and has a scraping pool portion formed in the part facing the tank; A plunger capable of conveying the resin material contained in the can; The first sensor is located in the upper mold at a position opposite to the plunger or at the front end of the plunger, and detects pressure-related values. A second sensor is disposed in a portion of the plunger that is different from the front end, and detects a value related to the force applied to the plunger; as well as The control unit detects the sliding resistance of the plunger by comparing the detection value of the first sensor with the detection value of the second sensor.

2. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, A plurality of the first sensors are provided corresponding to the plurality of plungers.

3. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The control unit determines the curing time based on the detection value of the first sensor.

4. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, A plurality of second sensors are provided corresponding to the plurality of plungers.

5. A method for manufacturing a resin molded article, wherein a resin molding object is resin molded using a resin molding apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 4.

Images