Supply device and film forming device

Abstract

To provide a supply device which is suppressed from supplying a prescribed amount or more of electronic components.SOLUTION: The supply device comprises: a chute 220 having a plurality of chute holes 222 through which electronic components C having one end and the other end can be passed one by one; a shutter 200, overlapped with the chute, which has a plurality of shutter holes into which the electronic components C are inserted through the chute holes; a mask 240, overlapped with the shutter, which has mask holes into which the electronic components are inserted through the shutter holes and which cover portions of the electronic components; a cradle 250 on which the mask is held and which one end of the electronic component inserted into the mask holes 242 contacts; and a moving mechanism that moves the shutter 200 between a first position at which the electronic components can be passed through the chute holes to the shutter holes and the electronic components cannot be passed through the shutter holes to the mask holes and a second position at which the shutter 200 is moved so that the electronic components cannot be passed through the chute holes to the shutter holes and the electronic components can be passed through the shutter holes to the mask holes.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a supply device and a film forming device.

Background Art

[0002] Currently, as chip-shaped electronic components used in various electronic circuits, those having external electrodes formed at both ends are widespread. For example, a chip capacitor is formed by dividing a block in which dielectric sheets with internal electrodes are laminated into rectangular parallelepiped individual pieces. Then, external electrodes are formed by a conductive material that covers both side surfaces of this rectangular parallelepiped element and is connected to the internal electrodes.

[0003] As a method for forming external electrodes, as shown in Patent Document 1, the electronic component is held by inserting one end into a holding hole of a holding plate so that one end of the electronic component is exposed, and a paste of a conductive material is attached to the exposed end to form the external electrode. In this case, the electronic components are supplied onto an alignment plate, inserted one by one into a plurality of alignment holes formed in the alignment plate, guided by the alignment holes while their postures are changed, and dropped into the holding holes of the holding plate and inserted into the holding holes.

[0004] At this time, the electronic components supplied onto the alignment plate are not always dropped into the holding holes. Therefore, in order to increase the probability that the electronic components supplied onto the alignment plate are dropped into the holding holes through the alignment holes, a number of electronic components larger than the number of holding holes are put onto the alignment plate. For example, a large number of electronic components housed in a chip hopper are taken out more than the number of holding holes and supplied onto the alignment plate. "

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0006] However, if more than a predetermined amount of such electronic components are supplied, i.e., if more electronic components than the number of holding holes are loaded onto the alignment plate, some electronic components that did not enter the holding holes (electronic components not held by the holding plate) will remain on the alignment plate. In particular, there are cases where electronic components that entered the alignment holes are placed directly on top of electronic components that are already in the holding holes. In such cases, when the alignment plate is detached from the holding plate, the electronic components remaining in the alignment holes, and furthermore, the electronic components remaining on the alignment plate, may fall through the alignment holes and land on the holding plate or on top of electronic components that are properly held by the holding plate, hindering the subsequent process of applying conductive material. Therefore, when more electronic components are supplied than the number of holding holes, a process is required to recover the electronic components that did not enter the holding holes. However, if electronic components that did not enter the holding holes are recovered using recovery means such as suction means, even the electronic components that did enter the holding holes may be recovered, requiring a resupply process and potentially reducing productivity. To prevent this, if electronic components that did not enter the holding holes are recovered one by one by hand, recovery time is required, and productivity decreases. Furthermore, since the electronic components in question are small, chip-shaped components used in various electronic circuits, if an electronic component that does not fit into the holding hole falls from the holding plate to the bottom of the supply device below, it becomes difficult to find and retrieve. Thus, if more electronic components are supplied than there are holding holes, it becomes difficult to retrieve the electronic components that do not fit into the holding holes, resulting in decreased productivity.

[0007] The present invention was proposed to solve the problems of the prior art described above, and its objective is to provide a supply device and a film deposition device that suppress the supply of electronic components exceeding a predetermined amount and improve productivity. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve the above objective, the supply device of the embodiment includes a chute having a plurality of chute holes through which one electronic component having one end and the other end can pass; a shutter on which the chute is superimposed and which has a plurality of shutter holes into which the electronic component is inserted through the chute holes; a mask on which the shutter is superimposed and which has mask holes into which the electronic component is inserted through the shutter holes and which cover a part of the electronic component; a support base that holds the mask and into which one end of the electronic component inserted into the mask hole contacts; and a moving mechanism that moves at least one of the chute, the shutter and the mask relative to a first position in which the electronic component can pass from the chute holes to the shutter holes but cannot pass from the shutter holes to the mask holes, and a second position in which the electronic component cannot pass from the chute holes to the shutter holes but can pass from the shutter holes to the mask holes.

[0009] Furthermore, the film deposition apparatus of the embodiment comprises the supply device and a film deposition processing unit for depositing a film on the electronic component. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a supply device and a film deposition device that suppress the supply of electronic components exceeding a predetermined amount and improve productivity. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] The images show a perspective view (A), a cross-sectional view (B), and a perspective view (C) of the electronic component to be supplied in the embodiment, showing it in a mask hole. [Figure 2] This is a simplified configuration diagram showing the film deposition apparatus of an embodiment. [Figure 3] A plan view (A) and a partial cross-sectional side view (B) show the supply device of the embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 3 shows a partial cross-sectional side view (A) of the electronic components in their housing state and a partial cross-sectional side view (B) of the components in their supply state. [Figure 5]The images show a plan view (A) of the chute and shutter, a cross-sectional view taken along arrow AA (B), a side view of the chute (C), a side view of the shutter (D), and a cross-sectional view taken along arrow BB (E). [Figure 6] The images show a plan view (A) and a cross-sectional view (B) taken along the BB arrow, illustrating the mask. [Figure 7] The images show a plan view (A) and a cross-sectional view (B) taken along the CC arrow, illustrating the support base. [Figure 8] This is a cross-sectional view showing the mask in standby mode (A) and the mask attached to the shutter (B). [Figure 9] This is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the suction part is positioned on the mask (A) and the state in which the electronic component has been dropped (B). [Figure 10] This is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the mask is separated from the shutter (A) and the state in which the shutter is shifted horizontally (B). [Figure 11] This is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the excess electronic components are attracted (A) and the state in which the pusher is lowered and the support base 250 is held in the holding hole (B). [Figure 12] This is an explanatory diagram showing the procedure for supplying electronic components to a mask. [Figure 13] This is an explanatory diagram showing the procedure for inverting a mask. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] An embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as this embodiment) will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0013] [Electronic components] As shown in Fig. 1(A), the electronic component C formed according to this embodiment is a chip-shaped electronic component C with electrodes E made of a conductive material formed at both ends. Thus, the electronic component C has one end and the other end where the electrodes E are formed. For example, elements such as capacitors, resistors, coils, and inductors are included in the electronic component C. The electronic component C has an outer shape of a rectangular parallelepiped shape, a cubic shape, or a thin plate shape, and the electrodes E are formed in close contact so as to box-shapedly cover a region including a pair of opposite two side surfaces. The region where this electrode E is formed is defined as an electrode formation region R.

[0014] Fig. 1(B) is a cross-sectional view of a multilayer ceramic capacitor in which dielectric sheets with internal electrodes En formed thereon are laminated, as the electronic component C. The pair of electrodes E formed on the outer surface of the electronic component C has a multilayer structure in which a plurality of layers of a conductive material are stacked, and is electrically connected to the internal electrodes En of the electronic component C. In this embodiment, copper (Cu), which serves as a seed layer for the electrode E, is formed on titanium (Ti), which is an underlayer for enhancing adhesion. Thereafter, by attaching copper (Cu) to the electrode formation region R by electrolytic plating using the seed layer as a seed, the electronic component C with the electrode E formed is completed. Since the underlayer and the seed layer also become part of the electrode E, hereinafter, in the description of this embodiment, the film formation of these layers is also expressed as "forming the electrode E".

[0015] In the following description, a straight line passing through the centers of the pair of two side surfaces covered by the electrode E is referred to as the axis Axc of the electronic component C. In this embodiment, for example, as the electronic component C, an extremely small-sized one can be targeted, where the length in the direction of the axis Axc is 0.6 mm, the length of the electrode E in the direction of the axis Axc is 0.2 mm, and the cross-section orthogonal to the axis Axc of the electrode E is a rectangle of 0.3 mm × 0.3 mm. However, the present invention is applicable to even smaller or larger electronic components C.

[0016] [Overview] As shown in Figure 2, the film deposition apparatus 1 of this embodiment includes a supply device 2, a film deposition processing unit 3, and a control device 4. As shown in Figure 1(C), the supply device 2 supplies the film deposition processing unit 3 with the area other than one electrode formation region R masked by inserting an electronic component C into a mask hole 242. The film deposition processing unit 3 deposits electrode material on the electrode formation region R that is exposed and not masked. In the following description, the horizontal alignment direction of the supply device 2 and the film deposition processing unit 3 is referred to as the X direction, the horizontal direction perpendicular to it is referred to as the Y direction, and the vertical direction is referred to as the Z direction. The electronic component C is inserted into the mask hole 242 so that its axis Axc is aligned with the Z direction. As will be described later, the mask hole 242 is provided in the mask 240.

[0017] [Feeding device] As shown in Figures 3(A), (B) and 4(A), (B), the supply device 2 includes a storage section 210, a chute 220, a shutter 200, a moving mechanism 270, a vibration mechanism 230, a mask 240, a support base 250, a removal mechanism 280, and a transport mechanism 290.

[0018] (Detention area) The storage section 210 houses multiple electronic components C before the formation of electrodes E, that is, before film deposition. The storage section 210 has a container 211 and a support base 212. The container 211 is a box-shaped body with an open top, and has multiple compartments 211a, which are recesses, in its horizontal inner bottom. The multiple compartments 211a are arranged in a row, and multiple electronic components C that have been pre-loaded are stored in each compartment 211a. A part of the inner surface of the container 211 is an inclined surface 211b that slopes toward the inner bottom, so that electronic components C loaded from the upper edge of the container 211 slide down toward the inner bottom. The support base 212 is a base that supports the container 211 in the horizontal direction, and as shown in Figure 3(B), it is installed on the mounting surface of the supply device 2 by four legs 212a.

[0019] (Shoot) The chute 220 guides multiple electronic components C being transported from the housing section 210 to each of the multiple mask holes 242. As shown in Figures 5(A), (B), (C), and (E), the chute 220 has a plate body 221, chute holes 222, and partition walls 223. The plate body 221 is a rectangular plate-like body. The chute holes 222 are multiple holes through which one electronic component C can pass. Each chute hole 222 penetrates the surface of the plate body 221 in a direction perpendicular to it, guiding the passing electronic component C to the mask hole 242 via the shutter hole 202 of the shutter 200, which will be described later. The chute hole 222 is a trapezoidal shape that widens toward the side into which the electronic component C is inserted, i.e., the upper end, to facilitate the entry of the electronic component C. The straight line in the Z direction passing through the center of the chute hole 222 is called axis Axs.

[0020] The partition walls 223 are erected in a grid pattern on the surface of the plate body 221. The multiple rectangular areas enclosed by the partition walls 223 constitute multiple compartments 225 arranged in a matrix. Multiple chute holes 222 are formed in a matrix within each compartment 225. In other words, the partition walls 223 include multiple chute holes 222 and form a compartment 225 into which electronic components C are supplied. The position of each compartment 225 corresponds one-to-one with the position of each compartment 211a of the housing section 210.

[0021] Because the inside of the chute 220 is divided into multiple compartments 225 by partition walls 223, even if the chute 220 vibrates as described later when guiding the electronic components C to the mask holes 242, the electronic components C supplied to each compartment 225 are prevented from moving to other compartments 225 by the partition walls 223 and enter the chute holes 222 within each compartment 225. Therefore, when the chute 220 vibrates, it is possible to suppress the movement of electronic components C to other areas and prevent an uneven distribution.

[0022] Furthermore, in order to supply and align a large number of electronic components C at once, the plate body 221 of the chute 220 has a large surface area, which may cause deflection, bending, or distortion. When deflection, bending, or distortion occurs, the electronic components C may shift unevenly to specific parts of the plate body 221, making it impossible to supply them evenly to the mask holes 242. The partition wall 223 is provided across the area of ​​the plate body 221 where the electronic components C are supplied, and acts as a beam, increasing the strength of the plate body 221 and preventing deflection, bending, and distortion.

[0023] Furthermore, the position of each compartment 225 in the chute 220 corresponds one-to-one with the position of each compartment 211a in the storage section 210. By pre-distributing and storing multiple electronic components C in each compartment 211a of the storage section 210, and then using suction to pick up the stored electronic components C according to each compartment 211a and moving them to the corresponding compartment 225 in the chute 220, it is possible to uniformly distribute multiple electronic components C within the plane of the chute 220.

[0024] (shutter) As shown in Figures 5(A), (B), (D), and (E), the shutter 200 has a plate body 201, shutter holes 202, a guide 203, and a beam portion 204. The plate body 201 is a rectangular plate-like body. Multiple shutter holes 202 are provided corresponding to each chute hole 222, so that chutes 220 are stacked and electronic components C are inserted through the chute holes 222. Each shutter hole 202 penetrates the surface of the plate body 201 in a direction perpendicular to it and is a prismatic shape in which the axis Axc of the inserted electronic component C is aligned vertically. The vertical line passing through the center of the shutter hole 202 is defined as axis Axh. The length of the shutter hole 202 in the direction of axis Axh is the same as the length of the electronic component C in the direction of axis Axc.

[0025] The size of the cross-section of the shutter hole 202 perpendicular to axis Axh should be such that the electronic component C falls in under its own weight and is inserted with axis Axc in the vertical direction. In other words, the cross-section of the shutter hole 202 perpendicular to axis Axh is slightly larger than the cross-section of the electronic component C perpendicular to axis Axc, but smaller than the size at which axis Axc would be inserted at an angle to the vertical direction. However, it is set to be larger than the size required for press-fitting.

[0026] Guide 203 is a member that supports the shutter 200 so that it can slide relative to the chute 220. Guide 203 is provided along two sides of the plate body 201 in the Y direction, gripping two opposing sides of the plate body 221 of the chute 220, and is provided to slide in the Y direction. By moving the shutter 200 relative to the chute 220 in the Y direction, the relative position between the shutter hole 202 and the chute hole 222, and the relative position between the shutter hole 202 and the mask hole 242 (described later) can be changed. Beam section 204 is a pair of plate-like bodies provided along the X direction so as to bridge both ends of guide 203, and reinforces guide 203.

[0027] (moving mechanism) The moving mechanism 270 is a mechanism that moves the chute 220, shutter 200, and mask 240 relative to each other in the horizontal direction. The moving mechanism 270 changes the relative positions of the chute 220, shutter 200, and mask 240 between a first position and a second position. The first position is a position in which the electronic component C can pass from the chute hole 222 to the shutter hole 202, but cannot pass from the shutter hole 202 to the mask hole 242, as shown in Figures 8(B), 9(A), (B), 10(A), 12(A), (B), and (C). The second position is a position in which the electronic component C cannot pass from the chute hole 222 to the shutter hole 202, but can pass from the shutter hole 202 to the mask hole 242, as shown in Figures 10(B), 11(A), 12(D), and (E).

[0028] The moving mechanism 270 in this embodiment is an air cylinder provided on the plate 221 of the chute 220 and moves the shutter 200 in the Y direction by a drive rod attached to the shutter 200. The moving mechanism 270 is positioned to press approximately the central portion of the beam portion 204 that is bridged at both ends of the guide 203 (see Figure 5(A)). The moving mechanism 270 moves the shutter 200 by pushing the midpoint of the beam portion 204, which is provided along a direction (X direction) perpendicular to the direction of movement (Y direction) of the shutter 200, in the direction of movement. As a result, the moving mechanism 270 can move the shutter hole 202 located on the central side of the shutter 200 and the shutter holes 202 located on both ends by the same distance. Therefore, regardless of the position of the shutter holes 202, multiple shutter holes 202 can be moved equally in the Y direction. For example, the moving mechanism 270 moves a distance Dx that is about half the horizontal length of the mask hole 242 to align the axis Axh of the shutter hole 202 with the axis Axm of the mask hole 242 (see Figures 8(B), 10(B), 12(A), and (D)).

[0029] (vibration mechanism) The vibration mechanism 230 vibrates the chute 220, the shutter 200, and the mask 240 (described later) to facilitate the insertion of the electronic component C into the mask hole 242. As shown in Figures 3(A) and (B), the vibration mechanism 230 has a vibration table 231 and a base 232. The vibration table 231 is a horizontal plate-like body. The chute 220 is supported horizontally on the vibration table 231 via support legs 224. The support legs 224 are rectangular prism-shaped extending in the X direction and are spacers provided on both sides of the lower surface of the plate 221 that are opposite in the Y direction, fixed so that a predetermined gap is left between the plate 221 and the vibration table 231. The shutter 200 is inserted between the plate 221 and the vibration table 231 so that it can move horizontally in the Y direction. The base 232 is installed on the mounting surface of the supply device 2 and supports the vibration table 231 at a position offset in the X direction from the chute 220. In other words, it is installed alongside the transport mechanism 290, which will be described later. The vibration table 231 is supported at one end by a base 232, with one end overlapping with the mask 240 that will be transported to the transport mechanism 290 in a plan view. A housing hole 231b is provided in the portion of the vibration table 231 where the mask 240 that will be transported to the transport mechanism 290 will overlap in a plan view, into which the mask 240 and the support base 250, which will be described later, are inserted. The chute 220 and shutter 200 are supported horizontally on the vibration table 231 so as to be located above this housing hole 231b.

[0030] The vibration table 231 is designed to vibrate by operating an oscillator built into the base 232. As a result, the chute 220 supported by the vibration table 231 vibrates along with the vibration table 231. This vibration is then transmitted to the shutter 200, mask 240, and support base 250, which are in contact with the chute 220, causing them to vibrate as well. Examples of oscillators include electromagnetic coils, motors, and piezoelectric elements. The direction and intensity of the vibration can be set as appropriate.

[0031] (mask) As shown in Figures 6(A) and (B), the mask 240 has a plate body 241, mask holes 242, regulating holes 243, and beam portions 244. The plate body 241 is a circular plate-like body. The mask holes 242 are multiple holes into which electronic components C, transported from the housing section 210 and supplied to the chute 220, are inserted one by one through the chute hole 222 of the chute 220 which is superimposed on the shutter 200, and the shutter hole 202 of the shutter 200 which is superimposed on the mask 240, covering a portion of the electronic component C. Each mask hole 242 penetrates the surface of the plate body 241 in a direction perpendicular to it, and is prismatic in shape so that the axis Axc of the inserted electronic component C is aligned vertically. The vertical line passing through the center of the mask hole 242 is defined as axis Axm. The length of the mask hole 242 in the direction of axis Axm is shorter than the length of the electronic component C in the direction of axis Axc. More specifically, the length of the mask hole 242 in the axial Axm direction is the same as the length of the electronic component C in the axial Axc direction, excluding the electrode formation region R. In other words, the length of the mask hole 242 in the axial Axm direction is the same as the length of the unsputtered region of the electronic component C in the axial Axc direction (see Figure 1(C)).

[0032] The size of the cross-section of the mask hole 242 perpendicular to axis Axm should be such that the electronic component C falls in under its own weight and is inserted with axis Axc in the vertical direction. In other words, the inner diameter of the mask hole 242 is large enough for the electronic component C to pass through, and the cross-section of the mask hole 242 perpendicular to axis Axm is slightly larger than the cross-section of the electronic component C perpendicular to axis Axc, but smaller than the size at which axis Axc would be inserted at an angle to the vertical direction. However, it should be set larger than the size required for press-fitting.

[0033] Furthermore, when forming the electrode E by sputtering as described later, it is preferable that the size of the cross-section perpendicular to the axis Axm of the mask hole 242 is smaller than the size of the gap formed between the mask hole 242 and the electronic component C through which the film deposition material enters.

[0034] In this embodiment, the mask hole 242 covers the other areas while exposing only the electrode formation area R on the upper end side, as the lower end of the inserted electronic component C contacts the support base 250 (see Figure 1(C)). Multiple mask holes 242 are provided in a matrix arrangement within a plurality of matrix-like sections 245.

[0035] When the chute 220, shutter 200, and mask 240 are in the first position, the positions of the chute hole 222 and the shutter hole 202 coincide, but the positions of the shutter hole 202 and the mask hole 242 are misaligned. In other words, the axis Axs of the chute hole 222 and the axis Axh of the shutter hole 202 coincide, and the opening at the lower end of the chute hole 222 and the opening at the upper end of the shutter hole 202 coincide without any horizontal misalignment (in the XY and θ directions), allowing the electronic component C to pass through. The axis Axh of the shutter hole 202 and the axis Axm of the mask hole 242 are misaligned horizontally, and the opening at the lower end of the shutter hole 202 and the opening at the upper end of the mask hole 242 are misaligned, so the electronic component C cannot pass through. The length of this misalignment is a displacement Dx of about half the horizontal length of the mask hole 242 (see Figures 8(B) and 12(A)).

[0036] When the chute 220, shutter 200, and mask 240 are in the second position, the positions of the chute hole 222 and shutter hole 202 are misaligned, but the positions of the shutter hole 202 and mask hole 242 coincide. In other words, the axis Axs of the chute hole 222 and the axis Axh of the shutter hole 202 are misaligned horizontally, so the opening at the lower end of the chute hole 222 and the opening at the upper end of the shutter hole 202 are misaligned, and the electronic component C cannot pass through. The axis Axh of the shutter hole 202 and the axis Axm of the mask hole 242 coincide, and there is no misalignment in the horizontal direction (XY direction and θ direction), so the electronic component C can pass through. The distance the shutter 200 moves from the first position to the second position is a distance Dx that is about half the horizontal length of the mask hole 242 (see Figures 10(B) and 12(D)).

[0037] The restricting hole 243 is a through-hole into which the restricting portion 253 of the support base 250, described later, is inserted to align the mask 240 with the support base 250 and prevent misalignment. In this embodiment, the restricting hole 243 is cylindrical in shape, corresponding to the shape of the restricting portion 253. The beam portion 244 is a thin plate fixed to the lower surface of the plate body 241 such that the area other than the section 245 is thicker, thereby increasing the strength of the plate body 241 and preventing bending and distortion.

[0038] (Support stand) The support base 250 holds the mask 240 and is a base to which one end of the electronic component C inserted into the mask hole 242 makes contact. In this embodiment, since the electronic component C is inserted vertically into the mask hole 242, one end of the electronic component C that is in contact with the support base 250 is downward, and the other end on the opposite side is upward. In the following description, one end of the electronic component C and the corresponding end of the mask hole 242 will be called the lower end, and the other end of the electronic component C and the corresponding end of the mask hole 242 will be called the upper end, but the orientation of the electronic component C and the mask hole 242 is not limited to this. Also, both ends of the electronic component C can be either one end (lower end) or the other end (upper end).

[0039] As shown in Figures 7(A) and (B), the support base 250 has a plate 251, a support portion 252, and a restricting portion 253. The plate 251 is a circular plate-shaped member with the same diameter as the mask 240. The support portion 252 is a rectangular plate-shaped body fixed to one side of the plate 251. The support portion 252 is positioned to close the lower end of the mask holes 242 in each section 245 when the mask 240 is superimposed on the support base 250. The support portion 252 is positioned so as not to overlap with the beam portion 244 of the mask 240.

[0040] The regulating part 253 is a cylindrical pin. The regulating part 253 is positioned to correspond to the regulating hole 243 of the mask 240, and by being inserted into the regulating hole 243, it aligns the support base 250 and the mask 240 and prevents misalignment.

[0041] (Lifting mechanism) As shown in Figures 3(A) and (B), the lifting mechanism 260 is a mechanism that raises and lowers the support base 250 and the mask 240 between a storage position in which they are housed in the storage hole 231b (a position in which the mask 240 is in contact with the shutter 200) and a position separated downward from the storage position (a position in which the mask 240 is separated from the shutter 200 and waiting).

[0042] The lifting mechanism 260 includes a pusher 261 and a drive source 262. The pusher 261 has a mounting base 261a on which the support base 250 is mounted, and a shaft 261b that supports the mounting base 261a. The drive source 262 is a motor that raises and lowers the shaft 261b.

[0043] (removal mechanism) The removal mechanism 280 is a mechanism for removing electronic components C other than those inserted into the mask hole 242 from the chute 220. As shown in Figures 3(A), (B), and 4(A), (B), the removal mechanism 280 includes a pickup mechanism 281 and a guide mechanism 282.

[0044] The pickup mechanism 281 is a mechanism for picking up electronic components C from the storage section 210 or the chute 220. The pickup mechanism 281 has a movable body 283, a suction part 284, and a suction force applying part 285. The movable body 283 moves between the storage section 210 and the chute 220. The movable body 283 has a shape with a rectangular prism on top of a flared pyramidal pyramid, and is a base member on which the suction part 284 and the suction force applying part 285 are mounted. The movable body 283 is provided to move between the storage section 210 and the chute 220 by a guide mechanism 282.

[0045] The suction unit 284 is a unit for picking up electronic components C by adsorbing them. The suction unit 284 has an adsorption plate 284a, a support plate 284b, and a support column 284c. The adsorption plate 284a is the member on which the electronic components C are adsorbed. The adsorption plate 284a is a rectangular plate-like body positioned at a location corresponding to each section 225 of the chute 220, and adsorbs the electronic components C by magnetic force applied from the adsorption force application unit 285, which will be described later. The size of the horizontal surface of the adsorption plate 284a is smaller than the area surrounded by the partition wall 223 so that it can approach the chute hole 222 of each section 225. The position of each adsorption plate 284a also corresponds to each section 211a of the container 211.

[0046] The support plate 284b is a rectangular plate-like body to which the suction plate 284a is attached. The support plate 284b is sized to cover the entire area where the chute hole 222 of the chute 220 is formed. The suction plate 284a and the support plate 284b are formed to have a thickness that allows magnetic force to pass through. The material of the suction plate 284a and the support plate 284b is not particularly limited and may be metal or a non-metal such as resin. For example, stainless steel may be used for the suction plate 284a and the support plate 284b. The support column 284c is a support column that fixes the support plate 284b to the mobile body 283. The upper end of the support column 284c is fixed to the bottom of the mobile body 283 and the lower end is fixed to the support plate 284b. As a result, the support plate 284b is supported horizontally at a distance from the bottom surface of the mobile body 283.

[0047] The suction force applying unit 285 applies suction force to the suction plate 284a. The suction force applying unit 285 applies magnetic force to the surface of the suction plate 284a facing the housing portion 210 via the support plate 284b to attract the electronic component C. The suction force applying unit 285 includes a magnetic member 285a, a holding plate 285b, and a contact / detachment mechanism 285c. The magnetic member 285a is, for example, a permanent magnet. The size of the horizontal surface of the magnetic member 285a is about the same as that of the suction plate 284a. The holding plate 285b is about the same size as the support plate 284b of the suction unit 284 and is positioned between the support plate 284b and the bottom of the movable body 283. The magnetic members 285a are attached to the holding plate 285b at positions corresponding to each suction plate 284a, with the support plate 284b in between.

[0048] The attachment / detachment mechanism 285c attaches and detaches the electronic component C by moving the magnetic member 285a and the suction plate 284a relative to each other. In this embodiment, the attachment / detachment mechanism 285c is provided at the bottom of the movable body 283 and supports the magnetic member 285a so that it can move up and down. For example, an air cylinder is used as the attachment / detachment mechanism 285c. The attachment / detachment mechanism 285c supports the holding plate 285b in the horizontal direction and lowers the magnetic member 285a to bring it into contact with the support plate 284b, thereby applying a magnetic attraction force to the suction plate 284a via the support plate 284b. The attachment / detachment mechanism 285c also removes the magnetic attraction force on the suction plate 284a by raising the magnetic member 285a and separating it from the support plate 284b.

[0049] The guide mechanism 282 is a mechanism for moving the movable body 283 between the housing section 210 and the chute 220. The guide mechanism 282 has a support column section 286, an arm section 287, and a guide section 288. The support column section 286 is a pair of rectangular prism members erected on the support base 212 of the housing section 210. The arm section 287 is a horizontal rectangular prism member supported by the support column section 286, extending from a position above the container 211 to a position above the housing hole 231b of the vibration table 231. The guide section 288 is a two-axis moving mechanism combining linear guides in the X and Z directions, and is provided on the arm section 287. The movable body 283 is supported by the guide section 288 via a slider. As a result, the guide mechanism 282 can transfer the electronic component C, which has been attracted to the suction section 284, between the housing section 210 and the chute 220.

[0050] (Conveying mechanism) As shown in Figures 3(A) and (B), the transport mechanism 290 is a mechanism for transporting the mask 240, in which electronic components C are inserted into the mask holes 242, between the supply device 2 and the film deposition processing unit 3. The transport mechanism 290 in this embodiment has a rotary table 292 that rotates intermittently by a motor 291. The rotary table 292 has a plurality of holding holes 292a, which are through holes, formed at equal intervals. The support base 250 is held by these holding holes 292a.

[0051] A step is formed on the inner edge of the holding hole 292a to hold the support base 250 on which the mask 240 is placed (see Figures 8(A) and (B)). The holding hole 292a comes to be directly below the housing hole 231b of the vibration table 231 each time the rotary table 292 stops due to intermittent rotation. The pusher 261 of the lifting mechanism 260 moves the support base 250 on which the mask 240 is placed between the holding hole 292a and the housing hole 231b of the rotary table 292.

[0052] [Film deposition processing] The film deposition processing unit 3 is a device that uses plasma to deposit a film on the portion exposed from the mask hole 242 of the electronic component C, i.e., the electrode formation region R. As shown in Figure 2, the film deposition processing unit 3 has a chamber 31, a transport unit 32, a pre-processing unit 33, and film deposition units 34 and 35. The chamber 31 is a container that can be made into a vacuum by exhausting by an exhaust unit 311. The exhaust unit 311 has piping and an exhaust circuit (not shown) connected to the exhaust port. The transport unit 32 has a rotary table 321, a drive source 322, a sealing body 323, and a pusher 324.

[0053] The rotary table 321 is a circular table that intermittently rotates to move the support base 250, which has been brought into the chamber 31, to various parts such as the pre-processing section 33, the film deposition section 34, 35, and the load lock section described later. The sealing body 323 is a component that seals each part and isolates it from the chamber 31. The sealing body 323 is held in holding holes provided at equal intervals on the rotary table 321 on which the support base 250 is placed. The pusher 324 raises and lowers the sealing body 323 to positions corresponding to each part of the film deposition processing section 3.

[0054] The film deposition processing unit 3, although not shown in the diagram, includes an loading / unloading unit for loading and unloading the support stand 250 on which the mask 240 is mounted into and out of the chamber 31, and a load lock unit that allows the loading / unloading unit to load and unload the support stand 250 on which the mask 240 is mounted into and out of the chamber 31 while maintaining a vacuum inside the chamber 31.

[0055] The pre-treatment unit 33 performs surface treatment on the electrode formation region R using plasma. The surface treatment is, for example, an ion bombardment treatment in which the surface of the electrode formation region R is cleaned by ions generated in the process gas by the plasma. The pre-treatment unit 33 is located on the ceiling side of the chamber 31 and has a processing chamber 331 that is sealed by a raised sealing body 323, and in which surface treatment is performed on the electrode formation region R exposed from the mask 240.

[0056] The film deposition units 34 and 35 perform film deposition on the electrode formation region R of the electronic component C by sputtering. Sputtering is a process in which film deposition material, knocked out from targets 342 and 352 by ions generated in the sputtering gas by plasma, is deposited on the surface of the electrode formation region R. The film deposition units 34 and 35 are located on the ceiling side of the chamber 31 and have film deposition chambers 341 and 351 that are sealed by a raised sealant 323 and in which film deposition is performed on the electrode formation region R exposed from the mask 240.

[0057] The deposition chambers 341 and 351 are provided with targets 342 and 352 containing the deposition material. The targets 342 and 352 are components formed from the deposition material, which is deposited on the electronic component C by sputtering to form a film. The targets 342 and 352 are held by a backing plate (not shown) and connected to a power supply via electrodes. For example, Ti is used as the deposition material for the underlayer, and for example, Cu, Au, Ag, etc., are used as the seed layer for the electrode E. However, various materials can be used as long as they can be deposited by sputtering. In this embodiment, the underlayer is deposited in the deposition section 34, and the seed layer for the electrode E is deposited in the deposition section 35. For example, titanium (Ti) is used as the material for the underlayer, and copper (Cu) is used as the material for the seed layer for the electrode E.

[0058] Furthermore, in this embodiment, two film-forming sections 34 and 35 are provided to form two layers: a base layer and a seed layer. However, if a base layer is not required, only one film-forming section may be provided. Also, if further layers need to be formed, two or more film-forming sections may be provided.

[0059] [Control device] The control device 4 is a device that controls each part of the film deposition apparatus 1 (see Figure 2). This control device 4 can be configured, for example, by a computer that operates with a predetermined program. The control contents of the control device 4 are programmed and executed by a processing unit such as a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) or a CPU (Central Processing Unit).

[0060] For example, the control device 4 controls, using a program as described above, the vibration of the vibration table 231 by the vibration mechanism 230, the raising and lowering of the support base 250 and mask 240 by the lifting mechanism 260, the movement of the shutter 200 by the moving mechanism 270, the loading and removal of electronic components C by the removal mechanism 280, the transport of the support base 250 by the transport mechanism 290, the loading and unloading of the support base 250 into and out of the chamber 31 by the loading and unloading unit, plasma processing by the pre-processing unit 33, film deposition processing by the film deposition unit 35, and the transport of the support base 250 by the transport unit 32.

[0061] [Operation] The process of forming a film on an electronic component C using the film deposition apparatus 1 according to this embodiment will be explained with reference to the explanatory diagrams in Figures 8 to 13, in addition to Figures 1 to 7 described above. Figures 8 to 12 correspond to a part of the cross-section viewed along the α-α arrow in Figure 3. As a premise for the explanation, as shown in Figure 4(A), multiple electronic components C are placed in the container 211 of the housing section 210 in advance, and multiple electronic components C are housed in each section 211a. The number of electronic components C housed in each section 211a is greater than the number of chute holes 222 in each section 225 of the chute 220, the number of shutter holes 202 in the shutter 200, and the number of mask holes 242 in each section 245 of the mask 240. Furthermore, the positions of the electronic components C housed in each section 211a may be leveled out to be nearly uniform within each section 211a by leveling with a flat plate or the like.

[0062] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8(A), a support base 250 on which the mask 240 is mounted is placed on the mounting base 261a of the pusher 261. At this time, the restricting portion 253 of the support base 250 is inserted into the restricting hole 243 of the mask 240, thereby aligning the mask 240 and the support base 250 and preventing misalignment. Then, as shown in Figure 8(B), as the mounting base 261a is raised by the pusher 261, the mask 240 comes into contact with the lower surface of the shutter 200. At this time, the shutter 200 is in a first position where the shutter hole 202 aligns with the chute hole 222, and the shutter hole 202 is shifted in the X direction from the mask hole 242. Also, at this time, the area where the shutter hole 202 and the chute hole 222 overlap is larger than the area of ​​the surface F (see Figure 1(c)) in the direction perpendicular to the axis Axc of the electronic component C.

[0063] (Supply operation) First, let's explain the supply operation of the electronic component C. As shown in Figure 4(A), the guide mechanism 282 moves the movable body 283 of the pickup mechanism 281 horizontally, positioning it above the container 211. At this time, the contact / separation mechanism 285c lowers the holding plate 285b, causing the magnetic member 285a to come into contact with the support plate 284b, and thus a magnetic attraction force acts on the suction plate 284a via the support plate 284b.

[0064] Next, the guide mechanism 282 lowers the movable body 283 of the pickup mechanism 281, causing each suction plate 284a to approach each compartment 211a of the container 211. As a result, each suction plate 284a magnetically attracts and holds multiple electronic components C. Then, the guide mechanism 282 raises the movable body 283 of the pickup mechanism 281, and the electronic components C are picked up from the container 211. After this, the movable body 283 is moved horizontally by the guide mechanism 282 and positioned above the chute 220. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4(B), 9(A), and 12(A), the movable body 283 lowers, causing the suction plates 284a to approach each compartment 225 of the chute 220.

[0065] Subsequently, as shown in Figures 9(B) and 12(B), the holding plate 285b rises due to the contact / separation mechanism 285c, and the magnetic member 285a separates from the support plate 284b, thereby releasing the magnetic force acting on each suction plate 284a. As a result, the electronic components C that were attracted to each suction plate 284a fall into the respective compartments 225 of the chute 220. Then, the moving body 283 rises due to the guide mechanism 282, causing the suction plates 284a to move away from the respective compartments 225 of the chute 220. In this way, the electronic components C are supplied to the chute 220. After that, the holding plate 285b descends due to the contact / separation mechanism 285c, and the magnetic member 285a comes into contact with the support plate 284b, returning the magnetic force to act on each suction plate 284a.

[0066] Then, the vibration mechanism 230 vibrates the vibration table 231, causing the chute 220, shutter 200, mask 240, and support base 250 to vibrate. As a result, as shown in Figures 10(A) and 12(C), the electronic components C housed in each compartment 225 of the chute 220 enter one by one from the upper end of the chute hole 222, and are guided so that their axis Axc becomes vertical as they pass through the chute hole 222, before falling into the shutter hole 202.

[0067] Since the shutter 200 is in the first position, the electronic component C that enters the shutter hole 202 does not fall into the mask hole 242 because its lower end is in contact with the upper surface of the mask 240, which is offset from the mask hole 242. In addition, there is a case where the electronic component C that enters the chute hole 222 rests on top of the electronic component C that enters the shutter hole 202. Since the length of the shutter hole 202 in the axial Axh direction is the same as the length of the axis Axc of the electronic component C, the boundary between the electronic component C that enters the chute hole 222 and the electronic component C that enters the shutter hole 202 is flush with the lower surface of the chute 220, so the chute 220 can move horizontally.

[0068] Then, as shown in Figures 10(B) and 12(D), the shutter 200 is moved in the Y direction by the moving mechanism 270. The distance Dx of this movement is approximately half the horizontal length of the mask hole 242. As a result, the axis Axh of the shutter hole 202 and the axis Axs of the chute hole 222 are misaligned, preventing the electronic component C that entered the chute hole 222 from falling out, as the electronic component C that entered the shutter hole 202 prevents it from falling out. Also, since the axis Axh of the shutter hole 202 and the axis Axm of the mask hole 242 coincide, the electronic component C that was in the shutter hole 202 falls into the mask hole 242. In this way, the lower end of the electronic component C that entered the mask hole 242 is in contact with the support portion 252 of the receiving base 250, so that only the electrode formation region R on the upper end side is exposed from the mask hole 242. However, the electrode formation region R exposed from the mask hole 242 is located inside the shutter hole 202.

[0069] Furthermore, the travel distance Dx is not limited to approximately half the horizontal length of the mask hole 242. It is sufficient that the electronic component C does not fall out of the chute hole 222, and the distance to which the electronic component C moves is such that the area of ​​the overlapping surface between the chute hole 222 and the shutter hole 202 is smaller than the area of ​​the surface F perpendicular to the axis Axc of the electronic component C, so that the electronic component C cannot move between the chute hole 222 and the shutter hole 202.

[0070] In this state, as shown in Figures 11(A) and 12(E), the guide mechanism 282 moves the mobile body 283 above the chute 220 and then descends, causing the suction plates 284a to descend and approach each section 225 of the chute 220. As a result, each suction plate 284a magnetically attracts and holds the electronic components C in each section 225. At this time, the magnetic force that attempts to attract the electronic components C enters not only the chute hole 222 but also the mask hole 242 acts on them. However, the electronic components C enters the mask hole 242 are not attracted because their movement is restricted by the chute 220. Then, the guide mechanism 282 raises the mobile body 283, and the electronic components C are picked up and removed from the chute 220. After this, the mobile body 283 is moved horizontally by the guide mechanism 282 and moves horizontally above the container 211. Furthermore, the mobile body 283 descends, and the suction plate 284a approaches each compartment 211a of the container 211 (see Figures 4(B) and (A)).

[0071] Subsequently, the contact / separation mechanism 285c raises the holding plate 285b, causing the magnetic member 285a to separate from the support plate 284b, thereby releasing the magnetic force acting on each suction plate 284a. As a result, the electronic components C that were attracted to each suction plate 284a fall into the respective compartments 211a of the container 211. Furthermore, the guide mechanism 282 raises the moving body 283, causing the suction plates 284a to retract from the respective compartments 211a of the container 211. In this way, the electronic components C are removed from the chute 220.

[0072] In parallel with the removal of the electronic component C remaining in the chute 220, as shown in Figures 11(B) and 12(F), the mounting base 261a of the pusher 261 descends, causing the support base 250 on which the mask 240 is placed to descend and be held in the holding hole 292a of the rotary table 292. As a result, the mask 240, with the electronic component C inserted into the mask hole 242, remains on the support base 250.

[0073] Then, the pusher 261 moves down, retracting from the support base 250 and the rotary table 292. Furthermore, as the rotary table 292 rotates intermittently, the support base 250, held in the holding hole 292a, comes to a position where it can be loaded by the loading / unloading unit. The loading / unloading unit then loads the support base 250 into the chamber 31 via the load lock unit and places it on the sealing body 323 on the rotary table 321.

[0074] As shown in Figure 2, the rotary table 321 transports the support base 250 to the pre-processing section 33, and the pusher 324 raises the sealing body 323, thereby sealing the support base 250, which is equipped with the mask 240 into which the electronic component C is inserted, while housing it in the processing chamber 331. In the processing chamber 331, surface treatment is performed on the electrode formation region R of the electronic component C exposed through the mask hole 242.

[0075] Furthermore, the rotary table 321 sequentially transports the support base 250 to the film deposition section 34 and then to the film deposition section 35. Similarly to the above, the sealant 323 is sealed by raising it with the pusher 324, and film deposition is carried out in the electrode formation region R within the film deposition chambers 341 and 351. In this embodiment, titanium is deposited in the film deposition section 34, and copper is deposited in the film deposition section 35.

[0076] Subsequently, the rotary table 321 transports the support base 250 to the loading / unloading position, and the loading / unloading unit unloads the support base 250 from the chamber 31 via the load lock unit. The unloaded support base 250 is then held in the holding hole 292a of the rotary table 292.

[0077] Next, the electronic component C is inverted in order to deposit a film on the electrode formation region R opposite to the electrode formation region R where the electronic component C has been deposited. The mask 240 and the support base 250, into which the electronic component C with the film deposited in the electrode formation region R is inserted, are transported by the rotary table 292 to a predetermined position for inversion. At this predetermined position, as shown in Figure 13(A), a separately prepared support base 250 is placed on top of the mask 240 on the support base 250 positioned in the predetermined position, and then inverted as shown in Figure 13(B). The regulating portion 253 of the newly placed support base 250 enters the regulating hole 243 of the mask 240, aligning it and preventing misalignment. In addition, the spacing between the two support bases 250 is defined by the regulating portions 253 of the two placed support bases 250 touching each other.

[0078] The distance between the two overlapping support bases 250 is set to be the same as, or slightly larger than, the axial length of the electronic component C. The two support bases 250 are the same shape and size. Therefore, the protrusion amount of the restricting portion 253 of each support base 250 is the same. Also, the protrusion amount of the support portion 252 of each support base 250 is the same. For this reason, twice the difference in the protrusion amounts between the restricting portion 253 and the support portion 252 is set to be the same as, or slightly larger than, the axial length of the electronic component C. In other words, the difference in the protrusion amounts between the restricting portion 253 and the support portion 252 is set to be half the length set to be the same as or slightly larger than the axial length of the electronic component C. Furthermore, the thickness of the plate body 241 of the mask 240 is thicker than the difference in the protrusion amounts between the restricting portion 253 and the support portion 252, and thinner than twice the difference in the protrusion amounts between the restricting portion 253 and the support portion 252. This is the thickness at which the electrode formation region R of the electronic component C is exposed when it is superimposed on the support portion 252. Because of these dimensional relationships, the restricting portion 253 of the other support base 250 can be inserted into the restricting hole 243 provided in the plate 241 of the mask 240 placed on one support base 250. Furthermore, even if the two superimposed support bases 250 are inverted (turned inside out), the electrode formation region R of the other end of the electronic component C, which has one end in contact with the other support base 250, will remain the same as the amount of exposure before inversion.

[0079] This inversion also inverts the mask 240, causing it to descend and come into contact with the lower support base 250. As a result, the electrode formation region R on the side of the electronic component C opposite to the film-deposited side is exposed from the upper end of the mask hole 242. Then, as shown in Figure 13(C), the upper support base 250 is removed. In this state, the support base 250 is brought into the chamber 31 of the film deposition processing unit 3, as described above, and film deposition is performed on the exposed electrode formation region R. As a result, electrodes E are formed in the electrode formation regions R at both ends of the electronic component C. Note that the stacking and removal of the support base 250 can be done by an operator or by a robot or the like.

[0080] [effect] (1) The supply device 2 of this embodiment includes a chute 220 having multiple chute holes 222 through which one electronic component C having one end and the other can pass; a shutter 200 on which the chute 220 is superimposed and which has multiple shutter holes 202 into which the electronic component C is inserted via the chute holes 222; a mask 240 on which the shutter 200 is superimposed and into which the electronic component C is inserted via the shutter holes 202 and which has mask holes 242 that cover a part of the electronic component C; and a device that holds the mask 240 and inserts into the mask holes 242. The device includes a support base 250 to which one end of the electronic component C is in contact, and a moving mechanism 270 that moves the shutter 200 between a first position in which the electronic component C can pass from the chute hole 222 to the shutter hole 202 but cannot pass from the shutter hole 202 to the mask hole 242, and a second position in which the electronic component C cannot pass from the chute hole 222 to the shutter hole 202 but can pass from the shutter hole 202 to the mask hole 242.

[0081] Therefore, this can be used as a supply device and film deposition device that suppresses the supply of electronic components in excess of a predetermined amount and improves productivity. Specifically, by moving the electronic component C from the chute hole 222 to the shutter hole 202 at the first position, and moving the electronic component C from the shutter hole 202 to the mask hole 242 at the second position, the electronic component C can be supplied from the chute 220 to the mask 240. At the second position, the shutter hole 202 and the mask hole 242 are in communication, but the chute hole 222 and the shutter hole 202 are not in communication, so even if there are electronic components C remaining in the chute 220, it is possible to prevent excess electronic components C from falling. Therefore, the supply of electronic components C in excess of a predetermined amount is suppressed.

[0082] Furthermore, the chute 220 can be detached from the mask 240 regardless of whether or not the electronic component C remaining on the chute 220 is removed from the chute 220. In other words, the mask 240 holding the electronic component C can proceed to the film deposition process without waiting for the removal of the remaining electronic component C, thus shortening the cycle time.

[0083] More specifically, when inserting electronic components C into mask holes 242, more electronic components C are supplied to the chute 220 than the number of mask holes 242 in order to increase the insertion rate. As a result, naturally, some electronic components C will not fit into the mask holes 242 and will remain on the chute 220. At this time, there may also be electronic components C present in the chute holes 222 where electronic components C have been inserted into mask holes 242. When the mask 240 is separated from the chute 220, the electronic components C present in these chute holes 222 will fall from the chute 220 and scatter on the mask 240. In addition, electronic components C remaining on the chute 220 may fall from the chute 220 through the chute holes 222 and scatter on the mask 240. These electronic components C that have fallen onto the mask 240 can scatter within the film deposition apparatus 1, causing malfunctions or interfering with film deposition.

[0084] Therefore, before the mask 240 is separated from the chute 220, any excess electronic components C present in the chute holes 222 must also be removed. If suction or adsorption is used for this removal, the electronic components C inserted into the mask holes 242 may also be removed, reducing the insertion rate and decreasing productivity.

[0085] In this embodiment, when the supply device 2 uses the removal mechanism 280 to suck up (adsorb) electronic components C that have fallen onto the chute 220 or into the chute hole 222, electronic components C inserted into the mask hole 242 are offset from the hole in the chute 220, so they are not sucked out through the chute hole 222. In other words, the movement of electronic components C within the mask hole 242 is restricted. Therefore, electronic components C inserted into the mask hole 242 remain inserted, and the removal mechanism 280 can reliably remove only the extra electronic components C other than those inserted into the mask hole 242. As a result, productivity is not reduced, and electronic components C scattered on the mask 240 are eliminated, preventing malfunctions caused by extra electronic components C or interference with film formation.

[0086] (2) The length of the shutter hole 202 in the axial Axh direction is the length of the electronic component C in the axial Axc direction. Therefore, the shutter 200 can move even when the electronic component C remains in the shutter hole 202.

[0087] (3) The moving mechanism 270 moves only the shutter 200. Therefore, a simple mechanism enables relative movement of the chute 220, shutter 200, and mask 240, making it easy to position them to the first and second positions.

[0088] (4) The supply device 2 has a removal mechanism 280 that removes electronic components C other than those inserted into the mask hole 242 from the chute 220. Since the movement of electronic components C inserted into the mask hole 242 is restricted, they are not sucked out through the chute hole 222. Therefore, only electronic components C that are not in the mask hole 242 and remain in the chute 220 and chute hole 222 can be removed by the removal mechanism 280. This prevents the supply of more than a predetermined amount of electronic components C to the mask 240 when the chute 220 is detached from the mask 240.

[0089] (5) The removal mechanism 280 has an adsorption part 284 that adsorbs and holds the electronic component C. Therefore, the electronic component C remaining in the chute 220 and chute hole 222 can be adsorbed, held, and removed.

[0090] (6) The adsorption unit 284 has an adsorption plate 284a on which the electronic component C is adsorbed, and an adsorption force applying unit 285 that applies an adsorption force to the adsorption plate 284a. The adsorption force applying unit 285 has a magnetic member 285a and a contact / release mechanism 285c that adsorbs and releases the electronic component C by moving the magnetic member 285a and the adsorption plate 284a relative to each other.

[0091] Therefore, by moving the magnetic member 285a relative to the suction plate 284a, the suction and release of electronic components C across the entire surface of the chute 220 and multiple compartments 211a of the housing section 210 can be switched instantaneously, reducing bias in the suction and drop positions of the electronic components C. Furthermore, compared to suction by negative pressure, the routing of piping and other components is unnecessary, simplifying the configuration.

[0092] (7) The supply device 2 has a storage section 210 for accommodating multiple electronic components C, and the removal mechanism 280 has a guide mechanism 282 for transferring the electronic components C between the storage section 210 and the chute 220. Therefore, the supply and removal of electronic components C can be performed with a common mechanism.

[0093] [Differentiation] This embodiment can also be modified in the following ways. (1) In the above embodiment, the moving mechanism 270 moved only the shutter 200 to position the chute 220, shutter 200 and mask 240 to position 1 and 2. However, it is sufficient to move at least one of the chute 220, shutter 200 and mask 240 relative to each other. For example, the chute 220, shutter 200 and mask 240 may be moved to position 1 and 2 or all of them. Note that the section 225 of the chute 220 and the corresponding section 211a of the housing section 210 and the section 245 of the mask 240 may be one or more.

[0094] (2) In the above embodiment, the magnetic member 285a of the adsorption force applying unit 285 was a permanent magnet, but an electromagnet may also be used. In this case, there is no need to provide a mechanism for bringing the magnetic member 285a into contact with or away from it, and the presence or absence of magnetic attraction can be switched by turning the current on and off. Even if the magnetic member 285a is an electromagnet, it may be combined with a mechanism for bringing the magnetic member 285a into contact with or away from it. In this case as well, the mechanism for bringing the magnetic member 285a into contact with or away from it reliably blocks the influence of the magnetic force, and even small and lightweight electronic components C can be reliably released from being held by magnetism.

[0095] The suction unit may have a suction port that attracts and holds the electronic component C using negative pressure, and a suction pipe that supplies negative pressure to the suction port. In this case, the suction force application unit is connected to the suction pipe as a negative pressure generating circuit that applies suction force using negative pressure. This allows even electronic components C made of materials or with shapes that are difficult to attract by magnetic force to be attracted and held by negative pressure, and the suction can be released by stopping the negative pressure, thereby supplying the electronic component C. The opening area of ​​the suction port should be less than or equal to the area of ​​the smallest surface of the electronic component C. The suction port may be a number of holes formed in the suction plate, or the suction port may be covered with a porous material that allows for airflow. This makes the suction port smaller and prevents the electronic component C from being sucked into the suction pipe.

[0096] (3) The film deposition processing unit 3 is not limited to an apparatus that performs film deposition by sputtering. It may be an apparatus that forms electrodes E by applying a conductive material to the electrode formation region R exposed from the mask holes 242 of the mask 240, or an apparatus that forms electrodes E by immersing the electrode formation region R in a conductive material.

[0097] There may be at least one section 225 in the chute 220; that is, there may be one or more. There may be at least one section 245 in the mask 240 and at least one section 211a in the containment section 210; that is, there may be one or more.

[0098] (4) The support base 250 may not have a support portion 252 and may have a flat surface. The mask 240 may consist only of a plate 241 and not have a beam portion 244, and may have a flat surface. The support base 250 and the mask 240 may be fixed together or formed integrally. The restricting portion 253 may be a member such as the pin described above, or it may be a wall surrounding the mask 240.

[0099] (5) The electrode formation region R is a region on the outer surface of the electronic component C that is electrically connected to the internal electrode En, and it does not need to be a region at at least one end of the electronic component C. For example, the electrode formation region R may be a region at both ends or only one end in the axial direction Axc of the electronic component C. In other words, the film formation processing unit 3 only needs to be capable of forming a film on at least one end of the electronic component C.

[0100] Furthermore, the electrode formation region R may be any part of the electronic component C, for example, it may be a box-shaped region including the plane F in the direction of the axis Axc of the electronic component C, or it may be only the plane F in the direction of the axis Axc of the electronic component C (see Figure 1). In other words, the mask hole 242 only needs to cover a part of the electronic component C, and in particular, it includes a configuration in which it covers a part or all of the side surface (the surface along the axis Axc) of the electronic component C. When the mask hole 242 covers the entire side surface of the electronic component C, the electronic component C is held in the mask hole 242 with only the plane F perpendicular to the axis Axc exposed.

[0101] [Other embodiments] Although embodiments and modifications of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments and modifications are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments described above can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, combinations, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the invention described in the claims. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0102] 1 Film deposition equipment 2 Feeding device 3. Film deposition processing 4. Control device 31 Chambers 32 Conveying section 33 Pre-processing section 34, 35 Film forming section 200 shutters 201 Plate 202 Shutter holes 203 Guide 204 Beam section 210 Storage Unit 211 Container 211a plot 211b Slope 212 Support stand 212a Legs 220 shots 221 Plate 222 Window Holes 223 Bulkhead 225 plots 230 Vibration mechanism 231 Vibration Table 231b Intake 232 base 240 masks 241 Plate 242 mask holes 243 Restriction hole 244 Beam section 245 plots 250 Stand 251 Plate 252 Support part 253 Regulatory Department 260 Lifting mechanism 261 Pusher 261a Mounting platform 261b shaft 262 Power source 270 Moving mechanism 280 Removal mechanism 281 Pickup mechanism 282 Information Mechanism 283 Mobile Unit 284 Adsorption part 284a Suction plate 284b Support plate 284c strut 285 Adsorption force application section 285a Magnetic material 285b Holding plate 285c Approach / separation mechanism 286 Pillar section 287 Arm section 288 Guide Section 290 Conveying mechanism 291 Motor 292 Rotating Table 292a Retaining hole 321 Rotating Table 322 Power source 323 Sealing body 324 Pusher 331 Processing Room 341, 351 Deposition chamber

Claims

1. a chute having a plurality of chute holes through which electronic components having one end and the other end can pass one by one; a shutter having a plurality of shutter holes into which the electronic components are inserted via the chute holes, the shutter being overlapped with the chute; a mask having a mask hole into which the electronic component is inserted through the shutter hole and which covers a part of the electronic component, the mask being overlaid with the shutter; a receiving base that holds the mask and that contacts one end of the electronic component inserted into the mask hole; a moving mechanism that, after the electronic component is supplied to the chute hole, moves the shutter to a first position where the electronic component can pass from the chute hole to the shutter hole but cannot pass from the shutter hole to the mask hole, thereby moving the electronic component to the shutter hole, and moves the shutter to a second position where the electronic component cannot pass from the chute hole to the shutter hole but can pass from the shutter hole to the mask hole, thereby moving the electronic component to the mask hole; A feeding device having:

2. A supply device as described in claim 1, wherein, when the shutter is in the second position, the electronic component moves to the mask hole, and then the chute is disconnected from the mask.

3. 2. The supply device according to claim 1, wherein the axial length of the shutter hole is the same as the axial length of the electronic component.

4. 2. The supplying device according to claim 1, further comprising a removal mechanism for removing the electronic components other than the electronic components inserted into the mask holes from the chute.

5. 5. The supply device according to claim 4, wherein the removal mechanism has a suction portion that sucks and holds the electronic component.

6. The adsorption unit is an adsorption plate onto which the electronic component is adsorbed; an adsorption force imparting unit that imparts an adsorption force to the adsorption plate; and 6. The supply device according to claim 5, wherein the attraction force applying section has a magnetic member and a contact / separation mechanism that attracts and releases the electronic component by moving the magnetic member and the attraction plate relative to each other.

7. a housing portion that houses a plurality of the electronic components; 5. The supply device according to claim 4, wherein the removal mechanism includes a guide mechanism for transferring the electronic components between the storage section and the chute.

8. A supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 7; a film forming processing unit that forms a film on the electronic component; A film forming apparatus comprising:

Images