Resin sealing apparatus and resin sealing method

Abstract

To provide a resin sealing apparatus and a resin sealing method capable of suppressing and removing generation of dust during resin supply.SOLUTION: A resin sealing apparatus 1 that performs resin sealing using granular or powdery resin comprises a dispenser 106 that supplies the resin. The dispenser 106 includes a storage unit 120 that stores the resin, a transport unit 130 that pneumatically transports the resin received from the storage unit 120, a separation unit 140 that separates dust from the resin transported from the transport unit 130, and a suction unit 160 that sucks dust within the separation unit 140. The separation unit 140 includes a cylindrical portion 142 to which the transport unit 130 is connected from a tangential direction, and a conical tubular portion 144 whose diameter decreases as heading downward from a lower end of the cylindrical portion 142. The suction unit 160 has a suction port 162 arranged coaxially with the cylindrical portion 142 and within an internal space of the cylindrical portion 142.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a resin sealing apparatus and a resin sealing method. [Background technology]

[0002] Examples of resin sealing devices and methods that seal a workpiece having electronic components mounted on a substrate with sealing resin (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "resin") and process it into a molded product include those that use transfer molding and compression molding.

[0003] The compression molding method is a technology for resin sealing by supplying a predetermined amount of resin to a sealing area (cavity) provided in a sealing mold comprising an upper mold and a lower mold, placing a workpiece in the sealing area, and clamping the upper and lower molds together (see Patent Document 1: 2019-145548). Note that molding can also be performed by pouring resin into the cavity without placing a workpiece. Based on this, "resin sealing" in this application refers to molding performed by pouring resin into the cavity, regardless of whether a workpiece is present or not. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-145548 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the conventional compression molding exemplified in Patent Document 1, a vibrating dispenser is used to supply granular resin. The vibrating dispenser is configured to include a hopper that stores the granular resin, a measuring meter that measures the granular resin to be dropped, a vibrating feeder that delivers the measured granular resin, and a nozzle that regulates the dropping position of the granular resin dropped from the vibrating feeder.

[0006] When a vibrating dispenser is used, vibrations are applied to the granular resin, which inevitably causes the granular resin to rub against one another and generates dust due to the scattering of fine powder that had previously adhered to the surface (for example, during the production of the granular resin).The generation of dust within the resin sealing equipment can lead to a deterioration in the quality of the molded product and malfunctions of the equipment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a resin sealing apparatus and a resin sealing method that can suppress and remove the generation of dust when resin is supplied.

[0008] The present invention solves the above problems by the solution means described below as one embodiment.

[0009] A resin sealing device according to one embodiment is a resin sealing device that performs resin sealing using granular or powdered resin, and includes a dispenser that supplies the resin. The dispenser includes a storage section that stores the resin, a conveying section that pneumatically conveys the resin received from the storage section, a separation section that separates dust from the resin conveyed from the conveying section, and a suction section that sucks up the dust in the separation section. The separation section includes a cylindrical section to which the conveying section is connected in a tangential direction, and a conical tube section that narrows in diameter as it extends downward from the lower end of the cylindrical section. The suction section is required to be coaxial with the cylindrical section and have a suction port arranged in the internal space of the cylindrical section.

[0010] It is also preferable that a spiral guide for guiding the flow of the resin is formed in the internal space of the separation section.

[0011] Preferably, the transport section includes an airflow generating device that generates an airflow toward the separation section.

[0012] Furthermore, it is preferable that the separation section further includes a nozzle that ejects the separated resin and an opening / closing means that opens and closes the nozzle, and that the opening / closing means is configured to be movable up and down through the upper surface of the suction section.

[0013] The nozzle preferably has a resin recovery port connected to a suction device below the position that is closed by the opening / closing means when the nozzle is closed.

[0014] A resin sealing method according to one embodiment is a resin sealing method that uses granular or powdered resin to perform resin sealing, and includes a resin supplying step for supplying the resin, the resin supplying step including a conveying step for conveying the resin through air, and a separation step for separating dust from the resin by rotating and lowering the resin.

[0015] Preferably, the resin supplying step further includes a recovery step of recovering the supplied resin. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] The resin sealing apparatus and resin sealing method according to the present invention can suppress and remove dust generated during resin supply, thereby preventing deterioration in the quality of molded products and malfunctions of the apparatus due to dust. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view illustrating an example of a resin sealing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating an example of a dispenser of the resin sealing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the dispenser shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating an example of a press device of the resin sealing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a plan view (schematic diagram) showing an example of a resin sealing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. For ease of explanation, arrows in the drawing indicate the left-right direction (X direction), the front-rear direction (Y direction), and the up-down direction (Z direction) of the resin sealing apparatus 1. In addition, in all the drawings used to explain each embodiment, members having the same function are given the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations thereof may be omitted.

[0019] The resin sealing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment is an apparatus that seals a workpiece (molded product) with resin using a sealing mold 202 that includes an upper mold 204 and a lower mold 206. Hereinafter, the resin sealing apparatus 1 will be described taking as an example a compression molding apparatus that holds a workpiece with a workpiece holder 205 provided on the lower mold 206, covers a cavity 208 (including part of the mold surface) provided on the upper mold 204 in a corresponding arrangement with a release film (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "film") F, clamps the upper mold 204 and the lower mold 206, and seals the workpiece with resin. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

[0020] First, as an example of the resin used to seal the workpiece, a thermosetting resin (for example, an epoxy resin containing a filler) is used, and granular resin or powdered resin is particularly suitable. While there is no strict definition of "granular resin" or "powdered resin," generally, a resin having a particle size of 0.1 mm to 3.0 mm is referred to as granular resin, and a resin having a particle size of less than 0.1 mm is referred to as powdered resin. In this embodiment, the resin may be in the form of small pieces such as tablet resin, crushed resin, or sheet resin.

[0021] On the other hand, the workpiece to be molded has a configuration in which electronic components are mounted on a substrate (all not shown). More specifically, examples of substrates include plate-shaped members such as resin substrates, ceramic substrates, metal substrates, carrier plates, lead frames, and wafers. Examples of electronic components include semiconductor chips, MEMS chips, passive elements, heat sinks, conductive members, spacers, and coil sheets. The shape of the substrate may be rectangular (strip-shaped), square, circular, or the like. The number of electronic components mounted on one substrate may be one or multiple (for example, in a matrix).

[0022] Examples of methods for mounting electronic components on a substrate include wire bonding mounting, flip chip mounting, etc. Alternatively, in the case of a configuration in which the substrate (glass or metal carrier plate) is peeled off from the molded product after resin sealing, electronic components can be attached using a heat-peelable adhesive tape or an ultraviolet-curable resin that hardens when exposed to ultraviolet light.

[0023] As examples of film F, film materials having excellent heat resistance, ease of peeling, flexibility, and extensibility, such as PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), ETFE (polytetrafluoroethylene polymer), PET, FEP, fluorine-impregnated glass cloth, polypropylene, and polyvinylidine chloride, are preferably used.

[0024] Next, an overview of the resin sealing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the resin sealing apparatus 1 mainly comprises a supply unit 100A that supplies workpieces and resin, a press unit 100B that seals the workpieces with resin and processes them into molded products, and a storage unit 100C that stores the molded products. As an example, the supply unit 100A, the press unit 100B, and the storage unit 100C are arranged in this order along the X direction in FIG. 1. However, the arrangement is not limited to the above, and the equipment configuration within the unit, the number of units (particularly the number of press units), the arrangement order of the units, and the like can be changed. Furthermore, a configuration including units other than those described above (all not shown) is also possible.

[0025] Furthermore, the resin sealing apparatus 1 has a guide rail 300 linearly provided between each unit, and a transport device (first loader) 302 for transporting the workpiece and resin, and a transport device (second loader) 304 for transporting the molded product are provided so as to be movable between predetermined units along the guide rail 300. However, the configuration is not limited to the above, and a configuration may also be adopted in which a common (single) transport device (loader) is provided for transporting the workpiece and the molded product (not shown). Furthermore, the transport device may be configured to include a robot hand or the like instead of a loader.

[0026] In addition, in the resin sealing apparatus 1, a control unit 180 that controls the operation of each mechanism in each unit is disposed in the supply unit 100A (it may be disposed in another unit).

[0027] (supply unit) The supply unit 100A includes a work supply magazine 102 that stores a plurality of workpieces, and a work table 104 on which the workpieces are placed. With this configuration, a workpiece is removed from the work supply magazine 102 using a known pusher or the like (not shown) and placed on the work table 104. Note that a known stack magazine, slit magazine, or the like is used as the work supply magazine 102.

[0028] The supply unit 100A (or another unit) also includes a dispenser 106 that supplies resin. In this embodiment, the dispenser 106 supplies (discharges) a set amount of resin onto the upper surface of a workpiece placed on the worktable 104. The worktable 104 is provided with a weighing meter (not shown) that measures the amount of resin supplied (a subtraction-type weighing meter may be provided in the dispenser 106, which will be described later). The workpiece to which the resin has been supplied is held by the first loader 302, and is transported from the supply unit 100A to the press unit 100B and set at a predetermined position in the sealing mold 202.

[0029] Here, a specific configuration of the dispenser 106 will be described. Fig. 2 is a side view of the dispenser 106 (the internal structure is shown by dotted and dashed lines). Fig. 3 is a plan view of the dispenser 106. As shown in Fig. 2, the dispenser 106 is configured to include a storage section 120, a conveying section 130, a separating section 140, and a suction section 160.

[0030] The storage unit 120 is a box-shaped body that stores resin, and has an opening 122 at the bottom for supplying (dropping) the stored resin to the conveying unit 130. As the storage unit 120, for example, a hopper, a bottle, a tank, or the like is used.

[0031] The conveying section 130 is a pipe that pneumatically conveys the resin received from the storage section 120 to the separation section 140. The conveying section 130 has an air vent 134 at the end opposite the separation section 140 (i.e., on the side of the resin receiving section 132 that receives the resin directly below the storage section 120 (opening 122)).

[0032] The separating section 140 forms a so-called cyclone and separates dust from the resin transported from the transporting section 130. The separating section 140 includes a cylindrical section 142 to which the transporting section 130 is connected in the tangential direction, and a conical section 144 whose diameter decreases downward from the lower end of the cylindrical section 142. The separating section 140 also includes a nozzle 150 that discharges the separated resin.

[0033] The suction section 160 sucks up dust (air) inside the separation section 140, and is equipped with a suction pipe 164 that is coaxial with the cylindrical section 142 and has a suction port 162 arranged in the internal space of the cylindrical section 142, and a first suction device (not shown) connected to the suction pipe 164.

[0034] The operation of supplying resin using the dispenser 106 having the above configuration (resin supplying step) will be described. When the first suction device is activated, the pressure inside the separation section 140 becomes negative, generating an airflow that flows from the conveying section 130 (vent 134) to the separation section 140. As a result, the resin supplied (dropped) from the storage section 120 (opening 122) to the conveying section 130 (resin receiving section 132) is conveyed by air to the separation section 140 (conveying step). The air containing the resin that has flowed into the separation section 140 swirls and descends in the circumferential direction along the inner circumferential surface 140A of the separation section 140 (the inner circumferential surface 142A of the cylindrical section 142 and the inner circumferential surface 144A of the conical tube section 144), and is separated into the resin and air containing dust generated from the resin during conveyance (or previously attached to the resin surface) (separation step). Specifically, the resin collides with the inner circumferential surface 140A of the separation section 140 due to centrifugal force, loses rotational energy, and settles to the bottom of the separation section 140 due to gravity. A set amount of the settled resin is discharged through the nozzle 150 to a predetermined position (in this embodiment, the upper surface of the workpiece placed on the work table 104). Meanwhile, the air containing the dust rises while circling around the vortex center, is sucked into the suction port 162 through the suction pipe 164, and is exhausted outside the resin sealing apparatus 1. A mesh filter 166 with mesh smaller than the diameter of the resin is attached to the suction port 162, and can capture resin that could not be separated by the separation section 140.

[0035] Alternatively, as another example, an airflow generating device (e.g., a fan) may be connected to the ventilation port 134 (not shown). In this case, the pressure inside the conveying section 130 becomes positive, generating an airflow that flows from the conveying section 130 (ventilation port 134) to the separation section 140, thereby pneumatically conveying the resin.

[0036] That is, the dispenser 106 according to this embodiment can suppress the generation of dust when supplying resin by conveying the resin by air, and can separate and remove (collect) the dust by the action of a cyclone (separation unit 140). Therefore, by using the resin discharged from the nozzle 150, it is possible to prevent problems such as deterioration in the quality of molded products and malfunctions of the resin sealing device 1 caused by dust. Furthermore, it is possible to have a simpler structure than conventional vibration-type dispensers, which in turn allows for easier maintenance and lower costs.

[0037] Here, a spiral guide 146 is formed in the internal space of the separation section 140. The guide 146 guides the resin-containing air flowing in from the conveying section 130, promoting a smooth swirling downward movement, thereby enhancing the cyclone effect (i.e., allowing for more accurate separation of resin and dust). In this embodiment, the guide 146 is formed in a plate shape that runs between the outer circumferential surface 164A of the suction pipe 164 and the inner circumferential surface 142A of the cylindrical section 142. However, this is not limited thereto, and the guide 146 may be formed in a rib-like or feather-like shape on either the outer circumferential surface 164A of the suction pipe 164 or the inner circumferential surface 140A of the separation section 140, or both (not shown). The pitch of the guide 146 (spiral) is not particularly limited, but is preferably set to be larger than the diameter of the resin to prevent resin clogging. Note that the guide 146 only needs to be formed for at least one revolution.

[0038] The separating unit 140 also includes an opening / closing device 154 that opens and closes the nozzle 150. As an example, the opening / closing device 154 is composed of a rod 156 that penetrates the upper surface 164B of the suction tube 164 and a stopper 158 that is attached to the lower end of the rod 156, and is driven up and down by a drive device (not shown). By moving the opening / closing device 154 downward, the stopper 158 closes the nozzle 150, restricting the discharge of resin (the nozzle 150 is closed), and by moving the opening / closing device 154 upward, the stopper 158 moves away from the nozzle 150, allowing the resin to be discharged (the nozzle 150 is opened). In this way, by moving the opening / closing device 154 in the direction in which the nozzle 150 discharges the resin to open and close the nozzle 150, it is possible to prevent the resin from getting caught when the nozzle 150 is closed.

[0039] As an example, the nozzle 150 has a resin recovery port 152 below the position that is blocked by a stopper 158 when the nozzle 150 is closed. The resin recovery port 152 is connected to a second suction device (not shown). This allows the discharged resin to be recovered at a predetermined position (in this embodiment, the upper surface of the workpiece placed on the work table 104) by operating the second suction device when the nozzle 150 is closed. Therefore, for example, if more resin than a set amount is discharged from the nozzle 150, a recovery process for recovering the resin can be carried out to recover the excess amount and adjust the amount of resin.

[0040] (Press unit) The press unit 100B is equipped with a sealing mold 202 having a pair of molds that can be opened and closed (for example, a combination of a plurality of mold blocks, mold plates, and other components made of alloy tool steel). The press unit 100B is also equipped with a press device 250 that opens and closes the sealing mold 202 to seal the workpiece with resin. As an example, the press unit 100B is configured to include one press device 250, but may also include multiple press devices (not shown). Here, FIG. 4 is a side view (schematic diagram) of the press device 250.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 4 , the press apparatus 250 includes a pair of platens 254, 256, a plurality of tie bars 252 between which the pair of platens 254, 256 are supported, and a drive device for moving (raising and lowering) the platen 256. Specifically, the drive device includes a drive source (e.g., an electric motor) 260 and a drive transmission mechanism (e.g., a ball screw or a toggle link mechanism) 262 (but is not limited to this). In this embodiment, the upper platen 254 in the vertical direction is set as a fixed platen (a platen fixed to the tie bars 252), and the lower platen 256 is set as a movable platen (a platen slidably held by the tie bars 252 and raised and lowered). However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the platens may be set upside down, i.e., the upper platen may be set as a movable platen and the lower platen as a fixed platen, or both the upper and lower platens may be set as movable platens (all not shown).

[0042] On the other hand, the sealing mold 202 includes an upper mold 204 and a lower mold 206 as a pair of molds disposed between the pair of platens 254, 256 of the press device 250. The upper mold 204 is assembled to the platen (fixed platen in this embodiment) 254 that is on the upper side in the vertical direction, and a cavity 208 is provided on the lower surface of the upper mold 204 (the surface facing the lower mold 206). The lower mold 206 is assembled to the platen (movable platen in this embodiment) 256 that is on the lower side, and a workpiece holding portion 205 that holds a workpiece in a predetermined position is provided on the upper surface of the lower mold 206 (the surface facing the upper mold 204). The workpiece transported from the supply unit 100A is held by the workpiece holding portion 205 of the lower mold 206, and is sealed with resin and molded into a molded product by performing a clamping operation between the upper mold 204 and the lower mold 206.

[0043] In addition, in this embodiment, as an example, a film supply mechanism 211 is provided that transports (supplies) a roll-shaped film F into the sealing mold 202. Note that, depending on the configuration of the workpiece, a strip-shaped film F may be used instead of a roll-shaped film F.

[0044] (storage unit) The storage unit 100C is equipped with a storage magazine 112 that stores a plurality of molded products. A known stack magazine, slit magazine, or the like is used as the storage magazine 112. The molded products formed in the press unit 100B are held by the second loader 304, transported from the press unit 100B to the storage unit 100C, and stored in the storage magazine 112.

[0045] As described above, the resin sealing apparatus and resin sealing method according to the present invention can suppress and remove dust generated during resin supply, thereby preventing deterioration in the quality of molded products and malfunctions of the apparatus due to dust.

[0046] The press device 250 according to this embodiment has been described using an example in which a sealing mold 202 having a cavity 208 is attached to the upper mold 204, but the present invention is not limited to this and can be similarly applied to a case in which a sealing mold 202 having a cavity is attached to the lower mold 206 (not shown). [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 1 Resin sealing equipment 106 Dispenser 120 Storage unit 130 Conveying section 140 Separation section 142 Cylindrical part 144 Conical tube section 146 Guide 160 Suction part

Claims

1. A resin sealing device that performs resin sealing using granular or powdered resin, a dispenser for supplying the resin; The dispenser includes a storage unit that stores the resin, a conveying unit that pneumatically conveys the resin received from the storage unit, a separating unit that separates dust from the resin conveyed from the conveying unit, and a suction unit that sucks the dust in the separating unit, the separation unit includes a cylindrical portion to which the conveying unit is connected in a tangential direction, and a conical portion whose diameter decreases downward from a lower end of the cylindrical portion, The suction portion is coaxial with the cylindrical portion, and a suction port is disposed in the internal space of the cylindrical portion. A resin sealing device characterized by the above.

2. A spiral guide for guiding the flow of the resin is formed in the internal space of the separation section.

2. The resin sealing device according to claim 1, wherein:

3. The transport unit includes an airflow generating device that generates an airflow toward the separation unit.

3. The resin sealing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:

4. the separating unit further includes a nozzle for discharging the separated resin, and an opening / closing means for opening and closing the nozzle, The opening and closing means is configured to be movable up and down through the upper surface of the suction part.

3. The resin sealing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:

5. The nozzle has a resin recovery port connected to a suction device below the position that is closed by the opening / closing means when the nozzle is closed.

5. The resin sealing device according to claim 4, wherein:

6. A resin sealing method for performing resin sealing using a granular or powdered resin, a resin supplying step of supplying the resin, The resin supplying step includes: a conveying step of pneumatically conveying the resin; a separation step of rotating and lowering the resin to separate dust from the resin. A resin sealing method characterized by the above.

7. The resin supplying step further includes a recovery step of recovering the supplied resin.

7. The resin sealing method according to claim 6, wherein

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