Resin sealing device

Abstract

Provided is a resin sealing device capable of improving productivity and achieving simplification of the device structure. The resin sealing device uses a press device including a sealing mold having an upper mold and a lower mold and processes a workpiece into a molded product by sealing the workpiece with resin, and includes a loader that reciprocates in a left-right direction along a guide to perform conveyance of the workpiece and the molded product, the loader having a loader-in portion configured to be movable in a front-rear direction and to convey the workpiece into the sealing mold, and a loader-out portion configured to be movable in the front-rear direction and to convey the molded product out of the sealing mold, the loader-in portion and the loader-out portion being arranged side by side in the left-right direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a resin sealing device. Background Technology

[0002] As an example of a resin sealing device that seals a workpiece on which electronic components are mounted on a substrate with a sealing resin (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as "resin") to form a molded article, examples using transfer molding or compression molding are known.

[0003] The transfer molding method involves supplying a predetermined amount of resin to a pair of sealing regions (cavities) of a sealing mold comprising an upper and a lower mold, placing workpieces at positions corresponding to each sealing region, and sealing the mold cavities by injecting resin from the tank using the upper and lower molds. The compression molding method (see Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-145550) involves supplying a predetermined amount of resin to the sealing regions (cavities) of a sealing mold comprising an upper and a lower mold, placing workpieces in the sealing regions, and sealing the mold cavities by clamping them using the upper and lower molds. As an example, it is known to use a sealing mold with cavities in the upper mold, where resin is supplied to the center of the workpiece for molding. On the other hand, it is known to use a sealing mold with cavities in the lower mold, where a film and resin covering the surface of the mold containing the cavities are supplied for molding.

[0004] Existing technical documents

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-145550 Summary of the Invention

[0007] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0008] Existing resin sealing devices present the following problems. Specifically, in resin sealing devices for sealing large workpieces (e.g., 600mm square), the following process is typically performed when moving the molded product (molded article) from the sealing mold to the next workpiece to be molded. Specifically, with a single loader, the process involves moving the molded article from the sealing mold to the next process stage, and then using the loader again to move the next workpiece into the sealing mold. Therefore, during the period before moving the molded article to the next process stage, it is impossible to move the workpiece into the sealing mold and perform molding (resin sealing), resulting in reduced productivity. In particular, when two or more pressing units including sealing molds are installed, the transport distance of the molded article (and workpiece) becomes even longer, leading to a more significant reduction in productivity. On the other hand, while using two loaders (i.e., separate and independent loading and unloading structures) suppresses the reduction in productivity, it complicates the internal structure of the device and increases the cost.

[0009] To address the aforementioned issues, research has been conducted on suppressing productivity reduction by separately equipping a workpiece holding mechanism and a molded product holding mechanism on a single loader. For example, as shown in Patent Document 1, a structure was studied in which the workpiece holding mechanism and the molded product holding mechanism are arranged side-by-side in the front-rear direction of the loader (the direction consistent with the direction of loading / unloading into the sealing mold). However, since this results in a loader shape that is long in the front-rear direction, a new problem may arise if particularly large workpieces are assumed: the cantilever support structure becomes longer, requiring larger dimensions to ensure strength. On the other hand, structures in which the workpiece holding mechanism and the molded product holding mechanism are respectively provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the loader have also been studied. However, since this results in a loader shape that is thicker at the top and bottom, a new problem may arise: the distance between the upper and lower molds increases, and mold opening and closing takes longer.

[0010] Technical means to solve the problem

[0011] The present invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide a resin sealing device that can shorten the cycle time of a series of processes of using a loader to move a workpiece into a sealing mold and move the molded article out of the sealing mold, thereby improving productivity and simplifying the device structure.

[0012] The present invention solves the aforementioned problem by means of means as described below as an embodiment.

[0013] The resin sealing device of the present invention is a resin sealing device that uses a pressing device including a sealing mold having an upper mold and a lower mold to seal a workpiece with resin to process it into a molded article. A necessary condition for this device is that it includes a loader that reciprocates along a guide in the left-right direction to transport the workpiece and the molded article. The loader has: an infeed section configured to move in the front-back direction and to load the workpiece into the sealing mold; and an outfeed section configured to move in the front-back direction and to unload the molded article out of the sealing mold. The infeed section and the outfeed section are arranged side-by-side in the left-right direction.

[0014] Therefore, the molded product can be removed from the sealed mold by the unloading section while the workpiece is held in the loading section. Afterwards, by simply moving the loading section until it aligns with the sealed mold, the workpiece can be loaded into the sealed mold by the loading section. Thus, the cycle time for loading the workpiece and unloading the molded product can be shortened.

[0015] Furthermore, it is preferable that the loading unit has a workpiece holding portion on its lower surface for holding the workpiece, and the unloading unit has a molded article holding portion on its lower surface for holding the molded article. Thus, in a device structure including a sealed mold with a mold cavity in the upper mold and a workpiece holding portion in the lower mold, a structure can be realized in which the workpiece holding portion for holding the workpiece and the molded article holding portion for holding the molded article are arranged side-by-side on a single loader.

[0016] Furthermore, it is preferable to include a workpiece heater for preheating the workpiece, the workpiece heater being disposed at a position lower than the loader at a predetermined location along the guide member, the loader being configured such that the workpiece held by the workpiece holding portion of the loader section protrudes towards the workpiece heater. Thus, with the workpiece held in the workpiece holding portion disposed on the lower surface of the loader section, the workpiece can be preheated using the workpiece heater.

[0017] Furthermore, the loader preferably includes: a first lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the loader section; and a pressing mechanism for pressing the workpiece held by the workpiece holding section of the loader section against the workpiece heater. This allows for preheating, particularly when pressure is applied to workpieces made of glass panels, thus preventing crack damage to the workpiece.

[0018] Furthermore, the pressing mechanism is preferably configured to allow for phased changes in the pressure applied to the workpiece against the workpiece heater during the pressing process. This further prevents crack damage, particularly when preheating workpieces made of glass panels.

[0019] Furthermore, the loader preferably includes: a second lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the loading unit; and a motor for driving both the first and second lifting mechanisms. This allows a single motor to be used as the drive source for both the first and second lifting mechanisms, thus simplifying the structure and reducing the cost of the device.

[0020] Preferably, two pressing devices are provided, and one loader is provided. The resin sealing device includes a control unit that controls the operation of the pressing devices and the loader. The control unit controls the resin sealing process of the two pressing devices to be performed in staggered time, and uses one loader to handle the loading of the workpiece and the unloading of the molded product relative to the two pressing devices. Therefore, while one pressing device is being used for molding, one loader can handle the loading of the workpiece and the unloading of the molded product from the other pressing device, eliminating the need for separate independent drives for two loaders, thus simplifying the device and reducing costs.

[0021] The effects of the invention

[0022] According to the present invention, in particular, by efficiing the loading of workpieces and unloading of molded articles using a loader, the cycle time in the series of processes for resin sealing can be shortened, thereby improving productivity. Furthermore, the device structure can be simplified. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a plan view illustrating an example of a resin sealing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2 It means Figure 1 A front cross-sectional view of an example of a sealing mold for a resin sealing device.

[0025] Figure 3 It means Figure 1 A front cross-sectional view of an example of a resin sealing device loader. Detailed Implementation

[0026] (Overall structure)

[0027] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 This is a plan view (schematic view) showing an example of the resin sealing device 1 according to this embodiment. Furthermore, for ease of explanation, arrows are sometimes used in the figures to indicate the front-back, left-right, and up-down directions of the resin sealing device 1. Additionally, in all figures used to explain each embodiment, components with the same function are labeled with the same symbols, and repeated descriptions are sometimes omitted.

[0028] The resin sealing device 1 of this embodiment is an apparatus for sealing a workpiece (molded article) W with resin using a sealing mold 202 including an upper mold 204 and a lower mold 206. Hereinafter, a compression molding apparatus will be used as an example to describe the resin sealing device 1. The compression molding apparatus holds the workpiece W with the lower mold 206, covers the mold cavity 208 (including a part of the mold surface 204a) which is correspondingly arranged in the upper mold 204 with a release film (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "film") F, performs a clamping action between the upper mold 204 and the lower mold 206, and seals the workpiece W with resin R.

[0029] First, the workpiece W, which is the object to be formed, includes the following structure: multiple electronic components Wb are mounted in a matrix on a substrate Wa. More specifically, examples of the substrate Wa include: resin substrates, ceramic substrates, metal substrates, carrier plates, lead frames, wafers, and other plate-shaped components formed in rectangular, circular, or other shapes. Examples of electronic components Wb include semiconductor chips, microelectromechanical system (MEMS) chips, passive components, heat sinks, conductive components, spacers, etc. However, it is not limited to these.

[0030] Examples of methods for mounting electronic components Wb on a substrate Wa include wire bonding mounting and flip-chip mounting. Alternatively, in cases where the self-formed part Wp is peeled off from the substrate (glass or metal tray) Wa after resin sealing, the following methods exist: the electronic component Wb is attached using a heat-removable adhesive tape or a UV-curable resin that is cured by UV irradiation.

[0031] On the other hand, as an example of resin R, a liquid thermosetting resin (e.g., an epoxy resin containing fillers) can be used. Furthermore, resin R is not limited to the aforementioned state and can be in other states (shapes) such as granules (used as a general term for particles, pulverized powder, etc.), plates, flakes, etc., or it can be a resin other than an epoxy thermosetting resin.

[0032] Furthermore, as an example of membrane F, a membrane material with excellent heat resistance, ease of peeling, flexibility, and stretchability can preferably be used, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) (a polytetrafluoroethylene polymer), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), fluorinated glass cloth, polypropylene, polyvinylidene chloride, etc. In this embodiment, a roller-shaped membrane can be used as membrane F. Alternatively, as another example, a structure using a short strip-shaped membrane (not shown) can also be used.

[0033] Next, a general overview of the resin sealing device 1 of this embodiment will be described. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the resin sealing device 1 includes the following components as its main structure: a workpiece unit 100A, which mainly supplies the workpiece W and resin R, which are the objects of resin sealing (including feeding from the previous process); a pressing unit 100B, which mainly processes the molded product Wp by sealing the workpiece W with resin; and a molded product unit 100C, which mainly stores the resin-sealed molded product Wp (including sending it to the next process). Furthermore, a conveying mechanism 100D is included, which moves between the units to convey the workpiece W, resin R, and molded product Wp. In addition, a control unit 150 for controlling the operation of each mechanism is disposed in the workpiece unit 100A, but mechanisms disposed in other units may also be used.

[0034] Furthermore, the resin sealing device 1 can be modified in its overall structural form by changing the structure of the unit. For example, Figure 1 The structure shown is an example with two pressing units 100B, but it can also be configured with only one pressing unit 100B or with three or more pressing units 100B. Additionally, structures with additional units can also be configured (not shown).

[0035] (Workpiece Unit)

[0036] Next, the workpiece unit 100A included in the resin sealing device 1 will be described in detail.

[0037] As an example, the workpiece unit 100A includes a workpiece stocker 102 for storing workpieces W and a supply table 104 for placing workpieces W. This allows for the use of a known pusher or the like (not shown) to retrieve workpieces W from the workpiece stocker 102 and place them on the supply table 104. Furthermore, the workpiece stocker 102 can accommodate multiple workpieces W simultaneously using known stack magazines, slotted magazines, or the like.

[0038] Alternatively, as another example, a structure can be adopted in which a moving device (conveyor, etc.) is used to transport the workpiece W from another unit that has performed the previous process and place it on the supply table 104 (not shown).

[0039] Additionally, a distributor (not shown) is provided in the workpiece unit 100A (or other unit), which supplies resin R to the upper surface of the workpiece W placed on the supply worktable 104 (or alternatively, a resin distributing worktable). The workpiece W, with resin R on its upper surface, is transported to the sealing mold 202 by the loader 122. However, this is not a limitation; a resin loader (not shown) that directly loads resin R into the sealing mold 202, unlike the workpiece W, may also be used.

[0040] Furthermore, in workpiece unit 100A and the like, a structure including an inspection mechanism for performing visual inspection of workpiece W may also be adopted (neither shown in the figure).

[0041] (Suppression Unit)

[0042] Next, the pressing unit 100B included in the resin sealing device 1 will be described in detail. Here, Figure 2 The diagram shows a front cross-sectional view (schematic view) of the sealing mold 202 of the resin sealing device 1.

[0043] The pressing unit 100B includes a sealing mold 202, having a pair of molds that can be opened and closed (e.g., assembled from multiple blocks, plates, columns, or other components). In this embodiment, the pair of molds includes an upper mold 204 on the upper side in the vertical direction and a lower mold 206 on the lower side. The upper mold 204 and the lower mold 206 are positioned to close and open by moving closer and further apart from each other. That is, the vertical direction (up and down direction) is the mold opening and closing direction.

[0044] Furthermore, the sealing mold 202 is opened and closed by a known pressing device 250. For example, the pressing device 250 comprises: a pair of platens, multiple connecting mechanisms (tie bars or columns) for mounting the pair of platens, a drive source (e.g., an electric motor) for moving (lifting) the platens, and a drive transmission mechanism (e.g., a ball screw or toggle link mechanism), etc. (none shown). The sealing mold 202 is disposed between the pair of platens of the pressing device 250. In this embodiment, the upper mold 204, which is a fixed mold, is assembled to the fixed platen (the platen fixed to the connecting mechanism), and the lower mold 206, which is a movable mold, is assembled to the movable platen (the platen that rises and falls along the connecting mechanism). However, the structure is not limited to this.

[0045] Next, the upper mold 204 of the sealing mold 202 will be described in detail. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the upper mold 204 includes an upper plate 222, a mold cavity insert 226, a clamping device 228, etc., and is assembled from these components. In this embodiment, a mold cavity 208 is provided on the lower surface of the upper mold 204 (the surface on the side of the lower mold 206).

[0046] More specifically, the cavity insert 226 is fixedly assembled relative to the lower surface of the upper plate 222. On the other hand, the clamp 228 is configured as a ring surrounding the cavity insert 226, and is assembled to move vertically away from (float) the lower surface of the upper plate 222 via the force-applying member 232. The cavity insert 226 forms the inner portion (bottom) of the cavity 208, and the clamp 228 forms the side portion of the cavity 208. Furthermore, in this embodiment, one cavity 208 is provided on one upper mold 204. However, this structure is not limited to this; multiple cavities arranged side-by-side in the left-right (or front-back) direction may also be used.

[0047] In addition, this embodiment includes an adsorption mechanism for holding the membrane F supplied by the membrane supply mechanism 214 (described later) in the upper mold 204. As an example, the adsorption mechanism communicates with a suction device (not shown) via suction paths 230a and 230b that pass through the clamp 228 and suction path 230c that passes through the upper plate 222 and the mold cavity insert 226. Furthermore, a sealing member 234 (e.g., an O-ring) is provided between the inner circumferential surface of the clamp 228 and the outer circumferential surface of the mold cavity insert 226.

[0048] Thus, by providing a film F covering the inner surface of the mold cavity 208 and a portion of the mold surface 204a of the upper mold 204, the portion of resin R on the upper surface of the molded article Wp can be easily peeled off, thereby allowing the molded article Wp to be easily removed from the sealing mold 202 (upper mold 204).

[0049] In addition, in this embodiment, an upper mold heating mechanism is provided to heat the upper mold 204 to a predetermined temperature. The upper mold heating mechanism includes a heater (e.g., an electric heating wire heater), a temperature sensor, a power supply, etc. (none shown), and heating is controlled by a control unit 150. As an example, the heater has the following structure (described later): it is built into the upper plate 222 or the mold base (not shown) that houses these components, and mainly applies heat to the entire upper mold 204 and the resin R. Thus, the upper mold 204 is adjusted and heated to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 100°C to 200°C).

[0050] In this embodiment, a film supply mechanism 214 is provided, which conveys (supplyes) a roller-shaped film F without openings (holes) on the sheet surface into the sealing mold 202. The film supply mechanism 214 is structured such that unused film F is fed from the roll-out section 214A and supplied to the opened sealing mold 202. After being used for resin sealing by the sealing mold 202, the used film F is wound by the winding section 214B. Furthermore, the roll-out section 214A and the winding section 214B may also be arranged oppositely in the left-right direction (not shown).

[0051] Next, the lower mold 206 of the sealing mold 202 will be described in detail. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the lower mold 206 includes a lower plate 224, a retaining plate 236, etc., and is constructed by assembling these components. Here, the retaining plate 236 is fixedly assembled relative to the upper surface of the lower plate 224 (the surface on the side of the upper mold 204).

[0052] In this embodiment, a workpiece holding part 205 is provided, which holds the workpiece W at a predetermined position on the upper surface (i.e., mold surface 206a) of the holding plate 236. As an example, the workpiece holding part 205 is connected to a suction device (not shown) via a suction path 240a that passes through the holding plate 236 and the lower plate 224. Alternatively, a structure may be adopted that includes a holding claw (not shown) that clamps the outer periphery of the workpiece W, arranged parallel to the structure including the suction path 240a.

[0053] In this embodiment, the structure is such that, corresponding to the structure of the upper mold 204 (which has a mold cavity 208), a workpiece holding part 205 is provided in a lower mold 206 to seal each workpiece W with resin. However, it is not limited to this structure.

[0054] In addition, this embodiment includes a lower mold heating mechanism for heating the lower mold 206 to a predetermined temperature. The lower mold heating mechanism includes a heater (e.g., an electric heating wire heater), a temperature sensor, a power supply, etc. (none shown), and heating is controlled by a control unit 150. As an example, the heater is built into the lower plate 224 or the mold base (not shown) that houses it, and primarily applies heat to the lower mold 206 as a whole and the workpiece W. This adjusts and heats the lower mold 206 to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 100°C to 200°C).

[0055] Additionally, the pressing unit 100B includes a workpiece heater 116 (alternatively, a structure excluding the workpiece heater 116 may also be used), which heats the workpiece W transported by the loader 122 (details will be described below) from the lower surface side (substrate Wa side). In this embodiment, the workpiece heater 116 is disposed at a predetermined position along the left-right direction of the guide 120 (in this embodiment, the loading portion 124 of the loader 122 and the sealing mold 202 are aligned in the left-right direction) and is located below the loader 122 in the vertical direction.

[0056] As an example, the workpiece heater 116 has a heating table 117 with a planar upper surface capable of heating and maintaining a predetermined temperature. According to this structure, the lower surface of the workpiece W can be brought into contact with the heating table 117 using the loader 122, thereby heating the workpiece W. Therefore, preheating can be performed before the workpiece W is moved into the sealing mold 202. Furthermore, known heating mechanisms (e.g., electric heating wire heaters, armored heaters, etc.) can be used as the mechanism for heating the heating table 117.

[0057] Alternatively, as another example, the workpiece heater 116 may include an infrared heater or an electric heating wire heater on its upper surface, and adopt a structure that heats the workpiece W held in the loader 122 in a non-contact manner (not shown).

[0058] (Molded product unit)

[0059] Next, the molded product unit 100C included in the resin sealing device 1 will be described in detail.

[0060] As an example, the molding unit 100C includes a receiving worktable 114 for holding molded articles Wp and a molding memory 112 for holding molded articles Wp. Thus, the structure is such that molded articles Wp, transported by the loader 122, are placed on the receiving worktable 114 using a known picker or the like (not shown), and then moved into the molding memory 112 using a known pusher or the like (not shown). Furthermore, the molding memory 112 can use known stacking boxes, slotted boxes, etc., to hold multiple molded articles Wp simultaneously.

[0061] Alternatively, as another example, the following structure (not shown) may be used: the molded article Wp is transported from the receiving worktable 114 using a moving device (conveyor, etc.) to another unit where the next process is carried out.

[0062] Furthermore, in the molded product unit 100C, a structure including an inspection mechanism for performing visual inspection of the molded product Wp may also be adopted (not shown).

[0063] (Transportation agency)

[0064] Next, the conveying mechanism 100D included in the resin sealing device 1 will be described in detail.

[0065] As an example, the conveying mechanism 100D includes a loader 122, which is configured to reciprocate along the guide 120 in the left-right direction, carrying the workpiece W and resin R into the pressing unit 100B and carrying the molded article Wp out of the pressing unit 100B. Here, Figure 3 The front cross-sectional view of the loader 122 is shown in the figure. Figure 1 (Sectional view along line III-III).

[0066] Specifically, the loader 122 includes an infeed section 124 for holding the workpiece W and an outfeed section 126 for holding the molded product Wp. Thus, the loader 122 serves to receive the workpiece W (containing resin R) in the workpiece unit 100A (for example, the supply table 104) and transport it to the pressing unit 100B. Furthermore, it serves to receive the molded product Wp in the pressing unit 100B and transport it to the molded product unit 100C (for example, the receiving table 114). Alternatively, a known pick-up mechanism may be appropriately used.

[0067] Here, the loader section 124 has a workpiece holding section 125 capable of holding the workpiece W, and is configured to be movable in the front-rear direction relative to the main body of the loader 122. Thus, the workpiece W (with resin R placed on it) held on the supply table 104 can be received and held by the workpiece holding section 125, thereby being moved into the sealing mold 202 and placed on the lower mold 206.

[0068] Furthermore, the ejector section 126 has a molded article holding section 127 capable of holding the molded article Wp, and is configured to be movable in the front-rear direction relative to the main body of the loader 122. Thus, the molded article Wp held on the upper mold 204 can be received and held through the molded article holding section 127, thereby being moved out of the sealing mold 202 and placed on the receiving worktable 114.

[0069] Furthermore, such as Figure 1 As shown, the loader section 124 and the effervescent section 126 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction (i.e., arranged in the left-right direction).

[0070] The aforementioned problem can be solved by the loader 122 including the aforementioned structure. Specifically, by arranging the loader 122 with the loading section 124 and the unloading section 126 side-by-side in the left-right direction, the molded product Wp can be removed from the sealing mold 202 by the unloading section 126 while the workpiece W is held in the loading section 124. Subsequently, by only slightly moving (i.e., by the distance between the centers of the loading section 124 and the unloading section 126) until the loading section 124 and the sealing mold 202 are aligned in the left-right direction, the workpiece W can be loaded into the sealing mold 202 via the loading section 124. Therefore, compared to the existing structure, which uses a single loader with a holding section for both workpiece loading and molded product unloading, the cycle time in a series of processes can be significantly shortened, thereby improving productivity. In particular, the more the number of pressing units 100B increases, the greater the effect.

[0071] Furthermore, the existing structure, which separately equips the workpiece holding mechanism and the molded product holding mechanism on a single loader, also yields advantageous results. For example, compared to the existing structure where these are arranged in the front-rear direction of the loader, the device structure can be miniaturized and simplified, thereby reducing the device cost. Alternatively, compared to the existing structure where these are arranged on the upper and lower surfaces of the loader, the mold opening and closing time can be shortened, thereby shortening the cycle time. In particular, when using two or more pressing devices 250 to perform resin sealing (molding) of large workpieces W, the molding time is approximately 3 to 10 minutes. Regarding the above aspects, according to this embodiment, during molding using one pressing device 250, the workpiece W in other pressing devices 250 can be loaded and the molded product Wp can be unloaded using one loader 122, thus eliminating the need for structures such as independently driving two loaders (loading unit and unloading unit). Thus, the ability to load workpieces W and molded articles Wp from other pressing devices 250 during the molding process of one pressing device 250 becomes a significant advantage. Therefore, even in the case of three or more pressing devices (not shown), by staggering the timing of the resin sealing process in each pressing device, it is possible to use a single loader for loading (loading workpieces W and unloading molded articles Wp).

[0072] Here, as Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the loader 122 has a workpiece holding portion 125 for holding the workpiece W on the lower surface of the loader portion 124, and a molded product holding portion 127 for holding the molded product Wp on the lower surface of the unloader portion 126. For example, the workpiece holding portion 125 has a structure that clamps the workpiece W with a clamping plate 125A and a support portion (frame, etc.) 125B, and the molded product holding portion 127 has a structure that clamps the molded product Wp with a clamping plate 127A and a support portion (frame, etc.) 127B. However, it is not limited to this, and a structure with a suction hole communicating with a suction device for adsorption may also be used (not shown). In addition, although a structure that holds one workpiece W and one molded product Wp respectively is used, it is not limited to this, and a structure that holds multiple workpieces W and multiple molded products Wp may also be used (not shown).

[0073] According to the structure described above, in the device structure of the sealing mold 202 including the upper mold 204 with a mold cavity 208 and the lower mold 206 with a workpiece holding part 205, it is possible to realize a structure in which the workpiece holding part 125 for holding the workpiece W and the molded article holding part 127 for holding the molded article Wp are arranged in a parallel manner on a loader 122.

[0074] Furthermore, the loader 122 includes the following structure for preheating the workpiece W by means of the workpiece heater 116 disposed on the pressing unit 100B. Specifically, the loader 122 is configured such that the workpiece W (in this case, the lower surface) held by the workpiece holding portion 125 of the loader portion 124 is exposed toward the workpiece heater 116. According to this structure, the workpiece W held by the workpiece holding portion 125 can be heated (preheated) by the heat emitted by the workpiece heater 116.

[0075] As described above, the workpiece heater 116 of this embodiment includes a heating worktable 117 that heats the lower surface of the workpiece W by contacting it. Corresponding to the structure described above, the loader 122 of this embodiment includes: a first lifting mechanism 131 that moves the loader section 124 (either as a whole or the workpiece holding section 125) up and down; and a pressing mechanism 133 that presses the workpiece W held by the workpiece holding section 125 of the loader section 124 against the workpiece heater 116 (in this case, the upper surface of the heating worktable 117). According to the structure described above, especially when the workpiece W is made of a glass panel, preheating can be performed under pressure, thereby preventing the workpiece W from cracking and breaking. Furthermore, as a variation, a structure in which the first lifting mechanism also serves as the pressing mechanism can be adopted, or a structure that does not include the pressing mechanism can be adopted (not shown).

[0076] Furthermore, the pressing mechanism 133 is preferably configured to periodically change the pressure applied to the workpiece W against the workpiece heater 116 during the pressing process (in other words, the control unit 150 is configured to control the periodic change of the pressure applied to the workpiece W against the workpiece heater 116 during the pressing process). This allows for the preheating of the workpiece W while the pressure is periodically changed, thus further preventing cracking and breakage, especially for workpieces W made of glass panels as described above.

[0077] On the other hand, the loader 122 includes a second lifting mechanism 132 that moves the ejector section 126 (either the whole or the molded article holding section 127) up and down. As a result, the resin-sealed molded article Wp held in the sealing mold 202 (in this case, the upper mold 204) can be received, held, and transported.

[0078] In this embodiment, the following structure can be adopted: both the first lifting mechanism 131 and the second lifting mechanism 132 are driven by a single drive source (for example, a motor 134). According to this structure, the drive source for both the first lifting mechanism 131 and the second lifting mechanism 132 can share a single motor 134, thus simplifying the device structure and reducing costs. However, this is not a limitation; a structure where the first lifting mechanism 131 and the second lifting mechanism 132 are driven by different drive sources (not shown) can also be adopted.

[0079] (Resin sealing action)

[0080] Next, the operation of resin sealing using the resin sealing device 1 of this embodiment will be described. Here, the following structure is used as an example: a set of mold cavities 208 are provided on an upper mold 204, and a workpiece W is disposed on a lower mold 206 for resin sealing to obtain a molded product Wp. However, the structure is not limited to the above structure, and a structure in which multiple workpieces W are disposed for resin sealing can also be used.

[0081] As a preparation step, a heating step is performed in which the upper mold 204 is adjusted and heated to a specified temperature (e.g., 100°C to 200°C) by the upper mold heating mechanism (upper mold heating step). Additionally, a heating step is performed in which the lower mold 206 is adjusted and heated to a specified temperature (e.g., 100°C to 200°C) by the lower mold heating mechanism (lower mold heating step). Next, the following step (film supply step) is performed: the film F is conveyed (delivered) from the winding section 214A to the winding section 214B by the film supply mechanism 214, and supplied to a specified position in the sealing mold 202 (the position between the upper mold 204 and the lower mold 206).

[0082] Next, a process is performed in which workpieces W are moved out one by one from the workpiece storage 102 and placed onto the supply table 104 by a known pusher or the like (not shown) (or a known pick-up mechanism or the like may be used). Alternatively, as described above, a process can be performed in which workpieces W are fed into the previous process unit and placed onto the supply table 104.

[0083] Next, a process is performed in which a predetermined amount of resin R is supplied to the upper surface of the workpiece W placed on the supply worktable 104 by a self-distributor (not shown) and the workpiece is placed thereon (resin supply process). Alternatively, the resin supply process may not be performed on the supply worktable 104, but may be performed on a separate resin distributing worktable (not shown), or it may be performed in other units (e.g., the unit that performed the previous process).

[0084] Next, the process of conveying the workpiece W to the pressing unit 100B via the loader 122 (workpiece conveying process) is performed. More specifically, the loader 122 moves so that the loading unit 124 is aligned with the supply table 104 in the left-right direction. Then, the loading unit 124 holds the workpiece W (in this embodiment, it is in a state where resin R is loaded) placed on the supply table 104. Next, the loader 122 moves so that the loading unit 124 is aligned with the workpiece heater 116 in the left-right direction (in this embodiment, it is also aligned with the position of the sealing mold 202 in the left-right direction). Then, in the stopped state of the loader 122, the loading unit 124 moves so that the workpiece holding unit 125 is aligned with the workpiece heater 116 in the front-back direction (or, it may be set so that the workpiece holding unit 125 is aligned with the workpiece heater 116 when the loader 122 is stopped). Subsequently, the first lifting mechanism 131 and pressing mechanism 133 of the loading unit 124 are driven to lower the workpiece W, causing its lower surface to abut against the upper surface of the heating table 117 of the workpiece heater 116, applying pressure corresponding to the workpiece W (which may also vary in stages) to preheat the workpiece W. At this time, the heating table 117 is preheated to a predetermined temperature corresponding to the workpiece W. Alternatively, the preheating process can be omitted.

[0085] Next, the process of loading the workpiece W into the sealing mold 202 and placing it on the lower mold 206 via the loader 122 is performed (workpiece setting process). More specifically, the loader 124 is moved so that the workpiece holding part 125 is positioned in the same front-rear direction as the sealing mold 202 (lower mold 206 in this embodiment). Then, the workpiece W held by the workpiece holding part 125 of the loader 124 is placed on the workpiece holding part 205 of the lower mold 206.

[0086] Next, a process is performed whereby the workpiece W is held in place by the upper mold 204 and the lower mold 206 and sealed with resin during the mold closing process of the sealing mold 202 (resin sealing process). At this time, the mold cavity insert 226 is lowered relative to the workpiece W in the mold cavity 208, and the resin R is heated and pressurized. As a result, the resin R is thermo-hardened and resin sealing (compression molding) is performed to form the molded product Wp.

[0087] In this embodiment, a second workpiece transfer process is performed during the resin sealing process.

[0088] Next, the process of opening the sealing mold 202 and removing the molded article Wp from the sealing mold 202 via the loader 122 is performed (molded article removal process). More specifically, the loader 122 moves so that the ejector section 126 is aligned with the sealing mold 202 in the left-right direction. Then, the ejector section 126 moves so that the molded article holding section 127 is aligned with the sealing mold 202 (upper mold 204 in this embodiment) in the front-back direction. Then, the molded article holding section 127 of the ejector section 126 receives and holds the molded article Wp held in the upper mold 204. Then, the ejector section 126, holding the molded article Wp, moves to return to the predetermined receiving position (forward position) of the loader 122. According to the above structure, the molded article Wp can be removed from the sealing mold 202 by the ejector section 126 while the workpiece W is held in the loader section 124.

[0089] In addition, in parallel with (or after) the molding product removal process, a process is performed in which the used film F is delivered by using the film supply mechanism 214 to transport the film F from the roll-out section 214A to the winding section 214B.

[0090] Here, in this embodiment, a second workpiece setting process is performed after the molded product removal process. At this time, due to the molded product removal process, the loader 122 stops at a position where the ejector section 126 and the sealing mold 202 are aligned in the left-right direction. With the start of the second workpiece setting process, the loader 122 moves to a position where the infeeder section 124 and the sealing mold 202 are aligned in the left-right direction. According to this structure, by moving the loader 122 only a small distance (the distance between the centers of the infeeder section 124 and the ejector section 126) until the infeeder section 124 is aligned with the sealing mold 202, the workpiece W can be moved into the sealing mold 202 via the infeeder section 124. Therefore, compared to the existing structure that uses a single loader with a holding section for both workpiece loading and molded product unloading, the cycle time in a series of processes can be significantly shortened, thereby improving productivity. In particular, the more the number of pressing units 100B increases, the greater the effect.

[0091] Next, a process is performed in which the molded article Wp is transferred to the molding unit 100C via the loader 122 (molded article transfer process). More specifically, the loader 122 moves so that the ejector section 126, which holds the molded article Wp, is aligned with the receiving table 114 in the left-right direction. Then, the ejector section 126 places the molded article Wp onto the receiving table 114 (or, alternatively, a known pick-up mechanism may be used). Furthermore, a post-curing process for the molded article Wp may be performed midway through the molded article transfer process.

[0092] Next, a process is performed in which the molded article Wp is moved into the molded article memory 112 by a known pusher or the like (not shown). Alternatively, as described above, a process may be performed in which the molded article Wp on the receiving worktable 114 is sent to the execution unit of the next process.

[0093] The above describes a series of resin sealing operations performed using the resin sealing device 1. However, this is just one example, and the order or parallel execution of these operations can be changed as long as there are no obstacles. For example, in this embodiment, since it includes a structure with two pressing units 100B, the molded product can be formed efficiently by performing the operations in parallel. Specifically, in this embodiment, which is equipped with two pressing units 100B (i.e., two pressing devices 250) and a loader 122, the control unit 150 performs the following control: each resin sealing operation performed by the two pressing devices 250 is performed at staggered times (not at exactly the same time), and the loading of the workpiece W and the unloading of the molded product Wp relative to the two pressing devices 250 are performed at staggered times (not at exactly the same time).

[0094] As explained above, the resin sealing device according to the present invention, in particular by efficiing the loading of workpieces and unloading of molded articles using a loader, can shorten the cycle time in a series of resin sealing processes, thereby improving productivity. Furthermore, the device structure can be simplified.

[0095] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, a compression molding apparatus including a cavity in the upper mold has been described as an example, but it is not limited thereto. For example, it can also be applied to a structure in which a workpiece is held on a loader and supplied to the upper mold, and the molded article is taken out from the upper mold. Furthermore, it can also be applied to resin sealing devices of the transfer molding method, etc. In addition, the number of workpieces formed by one compression is not limited to one.

Claims

1. A resin sealing device, comprising a pressing device including a sealing mold having an upper mold and a lower mold, and processing a workpiece into a molded article by sealing it with resin, the resin sealing device being characterized in that it comprises: The loader reciprocates along the guide in the left-right direction to transport the workpiece and the shaped article. The loader includes: an infeed section configured to move in the front-rear direction and load the workpiece into the sealed mold; and an outfeed section configured to move in the front-rear direction and unload the molded article out of the sealed mold. The loading unit and the loading unit are arranged side by side along the left-right direction.

2. The resin sealing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The loader section has a workpiece holding section on its lower surface for holding the workpiece. The ejector section has a molded article holding section on its lower surface for holding the molded article.

3. The resin sealing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, Also includes: A workpiece heater is used to preheat the workpiece. The workpiece heater is positioned below the loader at a predetermined location along the guide. The loader is configured such that the workpiece held by the workpiece holding part of the loader section is exposed toward the workpiece heater.

4. The resin sealing device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The loader includes: a first lifting mechanism for lifting the loader section up and down; and a pressing mechanism for pressing the workpiece held by the workpiece holding section of the loader section against the workpiece heater.

5. The resin sealing device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The pressing mechanism is configured to change the pressure applied to the workpiece by pressing it against the workpiece heater in stages during the pressing process.

6. The resin sealing device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The loader includes: a second lifting mechanism for lifting the loader section up and down; and a motor for driving both the first lifting mechanism and the second lifting mechanism.

7. The resin sealing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pressing device is equipped with two units. The loader is equipped with one unit. The resin sealing device includes a control unit that controls the operation of the pressing device and the loader. The control unit performs the following control: staggering the resin sealing process of each of the two pressing devices in time, and using one of the loaders to carry out the loading of the workpiece and the unloading of the molded product relative to the two pressing devices.

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