Substrate support method and substrate support device

Abstract

To provide a substrate support method and a substrate support device capable of supporting a narrow portion between components on a lower surface of a substrate and supporting a region where no component is mounted with a smaller number of support pins.SOLUTION: A substrate support device comprises: a base part 61; and a support pin group 62G composed of a plurality of support pins 62 for supporting a substrate KB. As the support pins 62, two types, such as a first type support pin 62a having a size of a contact surface 62T of a first size and a second type support pin 62b having a second size of the contact surface 62T larger than that of the first type support pin 62a, are prepared. One of a first substrate support method for supporting the substrate KB by using both of the first type support pin 62a and the second type support pin 62b and a second substrate support method for supporting the substrate KB only by using the second type support pin 62b is selected, and the substrate KB is supported by the selected substrate support method.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate supporting method and a substrate supporting apparatus that supports the lower surface of a substrate by means of a plurality of support pins attached to a base portion. [Background technology]

[0002] A work device that performs work on the upper surface of a board, such as a printing device that prints solder paste or the like on a board or a component mounting device that mounts components on a board, is equipped with a board support device that supports the lower surface of the board at a predetermined work position. A board support device generally has a base portion and a number of support pins that are detachably attached to the base portion, and supports the board by abutting the abutment surfaces of the upper ends of the respective support pins with the lower surface of the board. In this case, the abutment surfaces of the support pins are arranged on the base portion so as to directly abut the lower surface of the board while avoiding the components (attached objects) mounted on the lower surface of the board (for example, see Patent Document 1 below). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2012-59976 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the support pins in conventional board support devices are usually of one type, and the size of the contact surface is very small so that it can support the narrow areas between the components mounted on the underside of the board. This poses the problem that a large number of support pins are required to support the areas on the underside of the board where no components are mounted.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a board supporting method and board supporting device that are capable of supporting narrow areas between components on the underside of a board, and that can support areas where no components are mounted with a small number of support pins. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The substrate supporting method of the present invention is a substrate supporting method using a substrate supporting device comprising a base portion and a plurality of support pins which are removably attached to the base portion and support the substrate by abutting their upper end abutment surfaces against the underside of the substrate, wherein two types of support pins are provided: first type support pins having a first size of abutment surface and second type support pins having a second size of abutment surface larger than that of the first type support pins, and one of a first substrate supporting method in which the substrate is supported using both the first type support pins and the second type support pins, and a second substrate supporting method in which the substrate is supported using only the second type support pins is selected, and the substrate is supported using the selected substrate supporting method.

[0007] The substrate support device of the present invention is a substrate support device comprising a base portion and a plurality of support pins that are removably attached to the base portion and support the substrate by abutting the upper end abutment surface with the underside of the substrate, wherein two types of support pins are provided: first type support pins having a first size of abutment surface and second type support pins having a second size of abutment surface larger than that of the first type support pins, and one selected from a first support pin group consisting of the two types of support pins, the first type support pins and the second type support pins, and a second support pin group consisting of only the second type of support pins, is attached to the base portion as the support pin group. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to support narrow areas between components on the underside of a board, and also to support areas where no components are mounted with a small number of support pins. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view of a printing apparatus which is an example of a working apparatus in which a substrate supporting method according to an embodiment of the present invention is performed; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a substrate supporting unit as a substrate supporting device provided in a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a substrate support unit provided in a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a first type support pin and FIG. 2B is a perspective view of a second type support pin provided in a printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 5] FIG. 1A is a side view showing a state in which a substrate is supported using both the first type support pins and the second type support pins of a printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1B is a side view showing a state in which a substrate is supported using only the second type support pins; [Figure 6] FIG. 1A is a plan view showing a state in which a substrate is supported using both the first type support pins and the second type support pins of a printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1B is a plan view showing a state in which a substrate is supported using only the second type support pins; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 shows a printing device 1 as an example of a working device in which a substrate supporting method of the present invention is implemented. The printing device 1 is a device that carries in a substrate KB supplied from an upstream process side, prints a paste Pst such as solder on each of a plurality of electrodes (not shown) provided on the surface of the substrate KB, and carries it out to a downstream process side. For convenience of explanation, the transport direction of the substrate KB (direction perpendicular to the paper surface of Fig. 1) is defined as the X direction, the direction perpendicular to the X direction in the horizontal plane (left-right direction in Fig. 1) is defined as the Y direction, and the up-down direction is defined as the Z direction.

[0011] In Fig. 1, the printing apparatus 1 has a movable stage 12 on a base 11. A mask 13 is placed above the movable stage 12. A print head 14 is provided above the mask 13 so as to be movable in the Y direction. A camera 15 is provided between the movable stage 12 and the mask 13 so as to be movable within the XY plane.

[0012] In FIG. 1, the moving stage 12 includes a pair of conveyors 21, a holder 22, and a holder moving mechanism 23. The pair of conveyors 21 are located below the mask 13 and transport the substrate KB in the X direction. The holder 22 includes a substrate supporting unit 31 and a pair of clampers 32. The substrate supporting unit 31 functions as a substrate supporting device and supports the substrate KB carried in by the pair of conveyors 21 from below. The pair of clampers 32 are located above the pair of conveyors 21 and clamp the substrate KB, the lower surface of which is supported by the substrate supporting unit 31, from the sides. In this way, the holder 22 supports the lower surface of the substrate KB by the substrate supporting unit 31 and clamps the side surfaces of the substrate KB by the pair of clampers 32, thereby holding the substrate KB.

[0013] The holder moving mechanism 23 rotates the moving table 23T on which the substrate supporting unit 31 is placed in the XY plane direction, the Z direction, and a direction around an axis (Z axis) along the Z direction. This allows the substrate KB held by the holder 22 to be moved relative to the mask 13.

[0014] 1, mask 13 has a rectangular shape extending in the XY plane. In this embodiment, mask 13 is made of a metal plate-like member, and its four sides are supported by frame member 13W. Pattern holes (not shown) are formed in the center of mask 13 in an arrangement corresponding to the arrangement of electrodes on substrate KB.

[0015] In Fig. 1, the print head 14 includes a squeegee base 41 and two squeegees 42. The squeegee base 41 is made of a beam-shaped member extending in the X direction, and the two squeegees 42 are provided below the squeegee base 41 so as to be able to move up and down freely. Each of the two squeegees 42 is made of a spatula-shaped member extending in the X direction, and is disposed facing each other in the Y direction. A squeegee lifting unit 43 is provided on the upper surface of the squeegee base 41. The squeegee lifting unit 43 raises and lowers the two squeegees 42 individually relative to the squeegee base 41.

[0016] The squeegee base 41 is moved in the Y direction by a print head moving mechanism 44 (FIG. 1). When one of the squeegees 42 is lowered by the squeegee lifting unit 43 and the squeegee base 41 is moved in the Y direction with the lower end in contact with the mask 13, the paste Pst supplied onto the mask 13 is scraped up onto the mask 13 by the squeegee 42.

[0017] 1, a camera movement mechanism 51 consisting of an XY table is provided below the mask 13. The camera movement mechanism 51 moves the camera 15 within the XY plane. The camera 15 can capture images both above and below, and captures an image of the substrate KB held by the holder 22 from above, and captures an image of the mask 13 from below.

[0018] When the printer 1 performs a printing operation, first, the conveyor 21 receives the substrate KB supplied from outside the printer 1 and carries it to a predetermined work position. When the substrate KB is located at the work position, the substrate KB is held by the holding portion 22 (FIG. 1).

[0019] Once the substrate KB is held by the holder 22, the camera 15 is moved horizontally to capture images of the mask 13 and the substrate KB, and the relative positions of the mask 13 and the substrate KB are determined. Once the relative positions of the mask 13 and the substrate KB are determined, the holder movement mechanism 23 is actuated to bring the substrate KB into contact with the mask 13 so that the electrode pattern of the substrate KB and the pattern holes of the mask 13 overlap vertically.

[0020] When the substrate KB comes into contact with the mask 13, the squeegee lifting unit 43 operates to bring one of the two squeegees 42 into contact with the upper surface of the mask 13. When one of the squeegees 42 comes into contact with the upper surface of the mask 13, the print head moving mechanism 44 moves the squeegee base 41 in the Y direction, and the paste Pst supplied onto the mask 13 is scraped up by the squeegee 42. As a result, the paste Pst is applied to each electrode of the substrate KB through the pattern holes of the mask 13.

[0021] Once the paste Pst has been applied to each electrode of the substrate KB, the squeegee lifting unit 43 is actuated to raise the squeegee 42 that had been in contact with the mask 13, and the holder moving mechanism 23 is actuated to lower the holder 22, separating (detaching) the substrate KB from the mask 13. This completes the printing of the paste Pst onto the substrate KB, and the conveyor 21 is actuated to transport the substrate KB to the outside of the printer 1.

[0022] 2 and 3, the substrate supporting unit 31 as a substrate supporting device in the printing apparatus 1 includes a base portion 61 and a support pin group 62G consisting of a plurality of support pins 62. The upper surface of the base portion 61 has a flat shape, and the entirety of the base portion 61 or at least a certain area including the upper surface is made of a magnetic material.

[0023] 4(a) and (b), each support pin 62 has a base 71 and a support portion 72 extending upward from the base 71. The base 71 and the support portion 72 each have a cylindrical shape, and the radius of the support portion 72 (referred to as the "support portion radius DS") is smaller than the radius of the base 71 (referred to as the "base portion radius DK").

[0024] 4(a) and (b), a magnet 73 is provided near the bottom surface within the base 71 of the support pin 62. Therefore, each support pin 62 can be attached to any position on the top surface of the base part 61 by bringing the bottom surface of the base part 71 into contact with the top surface of the base part 61 (by utilizing the mutual attraction between the magnet 73 and the magnetic body) (FIG. 3).

[0025] 4(a) and (b), the upper end of the support portion 72 of each support pin 62 serves as a contact surface 62T that contacts the lower surface of the substrate KB. In this embodiment, since the support portion 72 is cylindrical, the contact surface 62T has a circular shape.

[0026] In this embodiment, two types of support pins 62 are provided: a first type support pin 62a (FIG. 4(a)) in which the size of the abutment surface 62T (here, the support portion radius DS) is a first size "D1", and a second type support pin 62b (FIG. 4(b)) in which the size of the abutment surface 62T is a second size "D2" larger than the first size. As shown in FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b), the height HT of the support pin 62 (the distance in the Z direction from the bottom surface of the base 71 to the abutment surface 62T at the upper end of the support portion 72) is "H0" (HT=H0) regardless of the type of support pin 62 (both the first type support pin 62a and the second type support pin 62b).

[0027] As the support pin group 62G to be attached to the base portion 61, it is possible to select one of a first support pin group G1 (FIGS. 5(a) and 6(a)) consisting of two types of support pins 62, the first type support pins 62a and the second type support pins 62b, and a second support pin group G2 (FIGS. 5(b) and 6(b)) consisting of only one type of support pins 62, the second type support pins 62b. That is, it is possible to attach to the base portion 61 one selected from the first support pin group G1 and the second support pin group G2 as the support pin group 62G. As a result, in this embodiment, it is possible to select one of a substrate supporting method (first substrate supporting method) in which the substrate KB is supported by a mixture of both the first type support pins 62a and the second type support pins 62b (two types) and a substrate supporting method (second substrate supporting method) in which the substrate KB is supported by only the second type support pins 62b (one type), and to support the substrate KB by the selected substrate supporting method.

[0028] In this embodiment, the selection of whether to support the substrate KB using the first or second substrate supporting method, i.e., the selection of whether to attach the first or second support pin group G1 or G2 to the base portion 61, is made based on the mounting status of the components BH on the underside of the substrate KB to be supported (presence or absence of the components BH on the underside of the substrate KB, etc.) For example, when the components BH are mounted on the underside of the substrate KB, the first support pin group G1 is mounted to the base portion 61 (the substrate KB is supported by the first type support pins 62a and the second type support pins 62b), and when the components BH are not mounted on the underside of the substrate KB, the second support pin group G2 is mounted to the base portion 61 (the substrate KB is supported only by the second type support pins 62b).

[0029] The work of attaching the selected support pin group 62G to the base portion 61 is performed manually by an operator. If a device for automatically attaching each support pin 62 to the base portion 61 is prepared, the support pin group 62G may be attached to the base portion 61 by that device.

[0030] 5(a) and 6(a), when supporting a board KB having components BH mounted on its underside, the first supporting method is selected (i.e., the first support pin group G1 is selected), and the board KB is supported by both the first type support pins 62a and the second type support pins 62b (two types). When supporting the board KB by the first support pin group G1, the narrow areas between the components BH on the underside of the board KB are supported by the first type support pins 62a having a relatively small size of the abutment surface 62T (support portion radius DS), and the areas where the components BH are not densely packed are supported by the second type support pins 62b having a relatively large size of the abutment surface 62T.

[0031] 5(b) and 6(b), when supporting a board KB with no components BH mounted on its underside, the second supporting method is selected (i.e., the second support pin group G2 is selected), and the board KB is supported only by the second type support pins 62b (one type). When supporting the board KB by the second support pin group G2, an arbitrary point on the underside of the board KB is supported by the second type support pins 62b, the size of which is relatively large (compared to the first type support pins 62a).

[0032] In this manner, in the substrate supporting unit 31, which is the substrate supporting device in this embodiment, the first type support pins 62a having a first size of the abutment surface 62T and the second type support pins 62b having a second size of the abutment surface 62T larger than the first type support pins 62a are prepared in advance as the support pins 62 for supporting the substrate KB, and one of the first support method of supporting the substrate KB using a mixture of both the first type support pins 62a and the second type support pins 62b and the second substrate support method of supporting the substrate KB using only the second type support pins 62b is selected, and the substrate KB is supported by the selected substrate support method. In this embodiment, one selected from the first support pin group G1 consisting of two types of support pins 62, the first type support pins 62a and the second type support pins 62b, and the second support pin group G2 consisting of only one type of support pins 62, the second type support pins 62b, is attached to the base portion 61 as the support pin group 62G.

[0033] For this reason, it is possible to support the board KB to be supported in accordance with the mounting status of the components BH on the underside of the board KB (for example, the presence or absence of components BH on the underside of the board KB). For example, when supporting a board KB having components BH mounted on its underside, a first board supporting method is selected in which a mixture of first type support pins 62a having a relatively small size of the abutment surface 62T and second type support pins 62b having a relatively larger size of the abutment surface 62T than the first type support pins 62a is used, and the narrow area between components BH is supported by the first type support pins 62a and the wide area between components BH is supported by the second type support pins 62b. This ensures that the narrow areas between components BH on the underside of the board KB are supported reliably, while the areas where components BH are not mounted can be supported with a reduced number of support pins 62.

[0034] Furthermore, when supporting a board KB that does not have components BH mounted on its underside, there is no particular need to use the first type support pins 62a with a small abutment surface 62T, so the second board supporting method can be selected and the entire underside of the board KB can be supported using only the second type support pins 62b with a large abutment surface 62T, thereby making it possible to support the board KB with a smaller number of support pins 62.

[0035] 2 and 6(a) and (b) show a state in which a part of the edge FC of the lower surface of the substrate KB (an edge facing the X direction, not an edge facing the Y direction, which is clamped by the clamper 32) is supported by a part of the contact surface 62T of the second-type support pin 62b. In this case, the second-type support pin 62b supporting the edge FC of the lower surface of the substrate KB is positioned so as to protrude outside the substrate KB in a plan view. In this way, by supporting the edge FC of the lower surface of the substrate KB by a part of the contact surface 62T of the second-type support pin 62b positioned so as to protrude outside the substrate KB in a plan view, the edge FC can be stably supported over a wider area than when the same portion is supported by the entire contact surface 62T of the first-type support pin 62a. Note that, although an example is shown here in which a portion of the edge FC of the underside of the substrate KB is supported by the second type support pin 62b, which is the support pin 62 with the relatively larger abutment surface 62T, depending on the situation, it may also be supported by the first type support pin 62a, which is the support pin 62 with the relatively smaller abutment surface 62T.

[0036] As described above, in the substrate supporting method of this embodiment, two types of support pins 62 are provided as the plurality of support pins 62 which are removably attached to the base portion 61 and support the substrate KB by abutting the upper end abutment surface 62T with the underside of the substrate KB: first type support pins 62a having a first size of abutment surface 62T and second type support pins having a second size of abutment surface 62T larger than that of the first type support pins; and one of a first substrate supporting method in which both the first type support pins 62a and the second type support pins 62b are used to support the substrate KB, and a second substrate supporting method in which only the second type support pins 62b are used to support the substrate KB is selected, and the substrate KB is supported by the selected substrate supporting method. Therefore, by selecting either the first substrate supporting method or the second substrate supporting method to support the substrate KB based on the mounting status of the components BH on the underside of the substrate KB to be supported (for example, the presence or absence of components BH on the underside of the substrate KB), the narrow areas between the components BH on the underside of the substrate KB can be reliably supported by the support pins 62 (first type support pins 62a), while the areas where the components BH are not mounted can be supported by a reduced number of support pins 62 (second type support pins 62b).

[0037] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described so far, the present invention is not limited to the above, and various modifications are possible. For example, in the above embodiment, the "attachment status of attachments (components BH) on the underside of the board KB" that is the criterion for selecting whether to support the board KB using the first board support method or the second board support method is "attachment status of attachments on the underside of the board KB (presence or absence)", but the "attachment status of attachments on the underside of the board KB" is not limited to "presence or absence of attachments on the underside of the board KB", and may be based on the density or number of attachments attached to the board KB, etc.

[0038] In the above embodiment, the contact surface 62T of the support pin 62 is circular, but the contact surface 62T is not limited to a circular shape and may be other shapes such as a rectangular shape or an elliptical shape. The support pin 62 is attached to the base part 61 by the magnet 73 provided on the base part 71 and the magnetic part of the base part 61 attracting each other by magnetic force, but the support pin 62 may be attached to the base part 61 by being selectively inserted into a plurality of pin insertion holes formed in a matrix on the upper surface of the base part 61. The work device to which the board supporting method and board supporting device of the present invention (board supporting unit 31 in the above embodiment) are applied is not limited to a printing device, and may be other devices (for example, a component mounting device that mounts components BH on a board KB, etc.). [Industrial Applicability]

[0039] To provide a substrate supporting method and a substrate supporting device capable of supporting narrow areas between components on the lower surface of a substrate and supporting an area where no components are mounted with a small number of support pins. [Explanation of symbols]

[0040] 1 Printing device 31 Substrate support unit (substrate support device) 61 Base 62 Support pin 62T contact surface 62a Type 1 support pin 62b Type 2 support pin 62G Support pin group 71 Base 72 Support part 73 Magnet G1 First support pin group G2 Second support pin group DK base radius DS support radius Pst paste KB board FC edge BH Parts (attachment)

Claims

1. 1. A substrate supporting method using a substrate supporting apparatus including a base portion and a plurality of support pins detachably attached to the base portion and supporting a substrate by bringing upper end abutment surfaces into contact with a lower surface of the substrate, the method comprising: The support pins are prepared in two types, namely, a first type support pin having a first size of the abutment surface and a second type support pin having a second size of the abutment surface larger than that of the first type support pin; a first substrate supporting method in which the substrate is supported using both the first type support pins and the second type support pins, and a second substrate supporting method in which the substrate is supported using only the second type support pins, are selected, and the substrate is supported by the selected substrate supporting method.

2. 2. The substrate supporting method according to claim 1, wherein the selection of the first substrate supporting method or the second substrate supporting method to support the substrate is made based on the attachment status of an attachment on the underside of the substrate to be supported.

3. 3. The substrate supporting method according to claim 2, wherein the first substrate supporting method is selected when an attachment is attached to the underside of the substrate, and the second substrate supporting method is selected when no attachment is attached to the underside of the substrate.

4. 4. The substrate supporting method according to claim 1, wherein an edge portion of the lower surface of the substrate is supported by a portion of the abutment surface of the first type support pin or a portion of the abutment surface of the second type support pin that is positioned outside the substrate in a planar view.

5. A substrate support device comprising: a base portion; and a plurality of support pins that are detachably attached to the base portion and support a substrate by bringing an abutment surface at an upper end into contact with a lower surface of the substrate, The support pins are prepared in two types, namely, a first type support pin having a first size of the abutment surface and a second type support pin having a second size of the abutment surface larger than that of the first type support pin; A substrate support device, in which one selected from a first support pin group consisting of two types of support pins, the first type support pins and the second type support pins, and a second support pin group consisting of only one type of support pin, the second type support pins, is attached to the base portion as the support pin group.

Images