Resin molding device and method for manufacturing resin molded product

Abstract

A resin molding device capable of inexpensively preheating an object to be molded is provided. [Solution] A resin molding device comprising a molding die having a temperature-controllable upper die and lower die, and a transport mechanism capable of transporting a molding object to the underside of the upper die, wherein the transport mechanism comprises a lifting member that can be raised and lowered, a lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the lifting member, a mounting table attached to the lifting member on which the molding object is placed, a pin that can be raised and lowered up and down within a predetermined movable range, and an elastic member positioned between the lifting member and the pin that applies an upward force to the pin, wherein when the pin is positioned at the top of the movable range, the upper end of the pin is positioned above the mounting table, and the lifting mechanism raises the lifting member when the mounting table is positioned below the upper die.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a resin molding apparatus and a method for manufacturing a resin molded product. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a resin sealing apparatus that uses a press equipped with a mold having upper and lower dies to seal a workpiece with resin and process it into a molded product. The resin sealing apparatus described in Patent Document 1 includes a loader that transports the workpiece to the mold and a work heater that preheats the workpiece. Before transporting the workpiece to the mold before resin sealing, the loader brings the workpiece into contact with the work heater to preheat the workpiece. Preheating softens the workpiece before resin sealing, preventing it from cracking. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-105331 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, since a work heater is arranged inside the resin sealing device, the device becomes larger and there is a risk of an increase in manufacturing costs.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and the problem it aims to solve is to provide a resin molding apparatus that can inexpensively preheat the object to be molded, and a method for manufacturing a resin molded product. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The problem that the present invention aims to solve is as described above, and in order to solve this problem, the resin molding apparatus of the present invention is a resin molding apparatus comprising a molding mold having a temperature-adjustable upper mold and a lower mold, and a transport mechanism capable of transporting a molding object to the underside of the upper mold, wherein the transport mechanism comprises a lifting member that can be raised and lowered, a lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the lifting member, a mounting table attached to the lifting member on which the molding object is placed, a pin that can be raised and lowered up and down within a predetermined movable range, and an elastic member that is positioned between the lifting member and the pin and applies an upward force to the pin, wherein when the pin is positioned at the top of the movable range, the upper end of the pin is positioned above the mounting table, and the lifting mechanism raises the lifting member when the mounting table is positioned below the upper mold.

[0007] In addition, the method for manufacturing a resin molded product according to the present invention is a method for manufacturing a resin molded product using the resin molding device, and includes transporting the object to be molded to the upper mold by the conveying mechanism, and clamping the molding mold to mold the resin. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, preheating of an object to be molded can be performed inexpensively. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic plan view showing the overall configuration of a resin molding apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a resin molding module. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a side view (partial cross-sectional view) showing a schematic configuration of an upper mold and a substrate loader. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of a lifting mechanism. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a graph showing changes over time in cylinder pressure and height of the mounting table. [Figure 6]1A is a side view (partial cross-sectional view) showing the substrate loader in a state where the lifting of the mounting table is restricted, and FIG. 1B is a side view (partial cross-sectional view) showing the substrate loader in a state where the molding object is in contact with the upper mold. [Figure 7] (a) A diagram showing an example of increasing the cylinder pressure in a curved manner, and (b) A diagram showing an example of increasing the cylinder pressure in a stepwise manner. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] In this application, the term "liquid" in liquid resin means that the resin is liquid at room temperature and has fluidity. In the following explanation, two directions perpendicular to each other on a horizontal plane are defined as the X direction and the Y direction, respectively, the vertical direction is defined as the Z direction, and the rotation direction around a rotation axis parallel to the Z direction is defined as the θ direction (see Figure 1).

[0011] <Overall configuration of resin molding device 1> The configuration of a resin molding apparatus 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. The resin molding apparatus 1 shown in Figure 1 performs resin molding by compression molding.

[0012] As shown in Figure 1, the resin molding apparatus 1 of this embodiment includes, from the right side of the figure, a release film cutting module 10, a resin supply module 20, a resin molding module 30, and a conveying module 40. Although each module is separate from the others, they are detachable from each other and the number of modules can be increased or decreased. For example, the resin molding apparatus 1 can be configured with two or three resin molding modules 30 arranged between the resin supply module 20 and the conveying module 40.

[0013] The release film cutting module 10 mainly comprises a roll of release film 11, a film mounting table 13, and a film gripper 14. A long length of release film is pulled out from the roll of release film 11 by the film gripper 14, and a portion of it is placed so as to cover the film mounting table 13. This can be cut into a circle using a cutter to produce a circular release film 12. The film mounting table 13 can move in the X, Y, and Z directions, and can move between the release film cutting module 10 and the resin supply module 20. The shape of the release film 12 is not particularly limited to a circular shape and may be, for example, a rectangular shape.

[0014] The resin supply module 20 mainly includes a resin conveying mechanism 21, a film recovery mechanism 22, a liquid resin discharging mechanism 23, a film suction table 24, and a control unit CTR. The resin conveying mechanism 21 and the film recovery mechanism 22 are integrally configured and can move between the release film cutting module 10 and the resin molding module 30. The resin conveying mechanism 21 can transport the release film 12, to which liquid resin 70 has been supplied, to the molding die 31 (described below). The film recovery mechanism 22 can recover used release film 12 from inside the molding die 31. The liquid resin discharging mechanism 23 can supply liquid resin 70 (see FIG. 2) onto the release film 12. The film suction table 24 can adsorb and hold the cut release film 12. A weighing scale (not shown) is provided below the film suction table 24 and can measure the weight of the liquid resin 70 dispensed onto the release film 12. The control unit CTR can control the operation of each unit of the resin molding apparatus 1.

[0015] The liquid resin dispensing mechanism 23 can dispense the liquid resin 70 contained in the cartridge C. Specifically, the liquid resin dispensing mechanism 23 can hold the cartridge C with a nozzle (not shown) for dispensing the liquid resin 70 facing downward. The liquid resin dispensing mechanism 23 can dispense the liquid resin 70 contained in the cartridge C downward from the nozzle by pushing it from above. The liquid resin dispensing mechanism 23 can move horizontally (X and Y directions) and vertically (Z direction) using a movement mechanism (not shown). This allows the liquid resin dispensing mechanism 23 to dispense the liquid resin 70 to any position or to move while dispensing the liquid resin 70. A cartridge installation section 26 in which a new replacement cartridge C2 is placed is provided near the film suction table 24. When the remaining amount of liquid resin 70 in the cartridge C held by the liquid resin dispensing mechanism 23 becomes low, the liquid resin dispensing mechanism 23 can replace the low-amount cartridge C with a new cartridge C2.

[0016] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the resin molding module 30 mainly comprises a molding die 31 and a mold clamping mechanism 35. The molding die 31 comprises an upper die 34 and a lower die 32 facing the upper die 34. The lower die 32 comprises a side member 32a that forms the side surface of the cavity 33 and a bottom member 32b that forms the bottom surface of the cavity 33. The side member 32a and the bottom member 32b form a recessed cavity 33 that accommodates liquid resin 70. A spring 32c that can expand and contract in the vertical direction is provided at the bottom of the side member 32a. This allows the side member 32a to move up and down relative to the bottom member 32b. The side member 32a and the bottom member 32b also have suction grooves (not shown) for adsorbing the release film 12. The release film 12 to which the liquid resin 70 has been supplied from the resin supply module 20 by the resin transport mechanism 21 is transported to the molding die 31 and placed on the cavity 33 of the lower die 32 .

[0017] The upper die 34 is provided with suction holes (not shown) for suctioning and holding the molding objects (pre-molded substrate 5 and molded substrate 6). The lower die 32 and the upper die 34 are each provided with a heater (not shown) for temperature control (heating). When resin molding is performed, the lower die 32 and the upper die 34 are each heated to an appropriate temperature according to the resin molded product.

[0018] In the resin molding module 30, by clamping the molding die 31 with the mold clamping mechanism 35, resin molding is performed on the pre-molded substrate 5 on which the chip, which is the molding object, is mounted, and a molded substrate 6 in which the chip is resin-sealed can be formed. Examples of the substrate include semiconductor substrates such as silicon wafers, lead frames, printed wiring boards, metal substrates, resin substrates, glass substrates, and ceramic substrates. The substrate may also be a carrier used in FOWLP (Fan Out Wafer Level Packaging) or FOPLP (Fan Out Panel Level Packaging). Furthermore, the substrate may be one that already has wiring or one that does not have wiring.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1 , the transfer module 40 mainly includes a substrate loader 100, a suction hand 42, a suction hand moving mechanism 43, a pre-molded substrate storage section 45, and a molded substrate storage section 46. The substrate loader 100 can hold a substrate and move between the resin molding module 30 and the transfer module 40. The suction hand 42 is provided in the suction hand moving mechanism 43, which can move the suction hand 42 in the X, Y, and Z directions and rotate it in the θ direction. Regarding rotation, the suction hand 42 can rotate horizontally around a rotation axis extending vertically, or can be rotated vertically around a rotation axis extending horizontally to invert the substrate. The suction hand 42 can suction-hold a pre-molded substrate 5 stored in the pre-molded substrate storage section 45, and the suction hand moving mechanism 43 can transport the pre-molded substrate 5 to the substrate loader 100. The suction hand 42 can suck and hold the molded substrate 6 held by the substrate loader 100 , and can store it in the molded substrate storage section 46 by the suction hand moving mechanism 43 .

[0020] <Method of manufacturing a resin molded product using the resin molding device 1> Next, an example of a method for manufacturing a resin molded product of this embodiment using the resin molding apparatus 1 will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. In this embodiment, a circular wafer is used as the pre-molded substrate 5 on which the chip is mounted, but the shape and type of the substrate are not particularly limited.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, the pre-molded substrate 5 on which the chip is mounted is housed in a pre-molded substrate storage section 45. At this time, the chip is located above the pre-molded substrate 5. First, the suction hand 42 is inserted below the pre-molded substrate 5 in the pre-molded substrate storage section 45, and the suction hand 42 picks up the pre-molded substrate 5 by suction. After the suction hand 42 has picked up the pre-molded substrate 5, the suction hand 42 is moved to the outside of the pre-molded substrate storage section 45, thereby removing the pre-molded substrate 5 from the pre-molded substrate storage section 45. Here, the pre-molded substrate 5 is removed from the pre-molded substrate storage section 45 with the chip-mounted side facing up.

[0022] Next, the pre-molded substrate 5 sucked by the suction hand 42 is turned upside down so that the chip mounting side of the pre-molded substrate 5 faces downward. Then, the suction hand moving mechanism 43 moves the suction hand 42, and the suction hand moving mechanism 43 delivers the pre-molded substrate 5 sucked by the suction hand 42 onto the substrate loader 100 with the chip mounting side of the pre-molded substrate 5 facing downward.

[0023] At this time, the release film 12 is being cut in the release film cutting module 10. The film gripper 14 pulls out the roll-shaped release film 11 onto the film mounting table 13, and the release film 11 is cut by a cutter (not shown) to form circular release films 12.

[0024] The film mounting table 13, which adsorbs and holds the release film 12, moves to the front of the resin conveying mechanism 21. The resin conveying mechanism 21 moves above the film mounting table 13, receives the release film 12, and conveys it to the film adsorption table 24 of the resin supply module 20. After receiving the release film 12 from the resin conveying mechanism 21, the film adsorption table 24 adsorbs and holds the release film 12.

[0025] After the release film 12 is adsorbed and held by the film adsorption table 24, the liquid resin discharging mechanism 23 discharges the liquid resin 70 onto the release film 12. The liquid resin discharging mechanism 23 discharges the liquid resin 70 while moving in the horizontal direction (X direction and Y direction) along a predetermined path. For example, the liquid resin discharging mechanism 23 moves along a spiral path, thereby supplying the liquid resin 70 in a spiral shape onto the release film 12. The weight of the liquid resin 70 supplied onto the release film 12 is measured by a weighing scale (not shown).

[0026] The release film 12, to which the target supply amount (target weight) of liquid resin 70 has been supplied, is transported to the molding die 31. The release film 12 is transported between the upper die 34 and the lower die 32 of the resin molding module 30 by the resin transport mechanism 21. Before placing the release film 12 in the molding die 31, the substrate loader 100 holding the pre-molded substrate 5 is moved between the upper die 34 and the lower die 32, and the pre-molded substrate 5 is placed in the upper die 34 so that the chip mounting side faces downward. At this time, the substrate loader 100 holds the pre-molded substrate 5 below the upper die 34 for a certain period of time, thereby heating (preheating) the pre-molded substrate 5 using the heat of the upper die 34. The method of placing the pre-molded substrate 5 in the upper die 34 using the substrate loader 100 will be described in detail later. The upper die 34 is heated by a heater, as described above.

[0027] The release film 12 transported between the upper mold 34 and the lower mold 32 by the resin transport mechanism 21 is placed in a cavity 33 formed by the side members 32a and bottom member 32b of the lower mold 32, as shown in FIG. 2. After the release film 12 is placed in the cavity 33, the lower mold 32 adsorbs the release film 12 using the suction grooves (not shown) of the side members 32a and bottom member 32b. A liquid resin 70 is placed on the release film 12. The liquid resin 70 is a thermosetting resin. When the liquid resin 70 is heated, the viscosity of the liquid resin 70 temporarily decreases. The liquid resin 70 is then hardened. As described above, the lower mold 32 is heated. When the lower mold 32 adsorbs the release film 12, the lower mold 32 heats the liquid resin 70 on the release film 12, and the viscosity of the liquid resin 70 decreases.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 2, after the release film 12 is adsorbed and held in the cavity 33, the mold 31 to which the release film 12 has been conveyed is clamped to perform resin molding. Specifically, the mold clamping mechanism 35 raises the lower mold 32. When the lower mold 32 rises to a predetermined position, the upper surface of the side member 32a comes into contact with the upper mold 34. When the lower mold 32 further rises, the spring 32c contracts, causing the bottom member 32b to rise relative to the side member 32a. This clamps the upper mold 34 and the lower mold 32 together, and the chip attached to the underside of the pre-molded substrate 5 is immersed in the liquid resin 70 with reduced viscosity within the cavity 33. While the chip is immersed in the liquid resin 70 within the cavity 33, the liquid resin 70 is further heated and hardened by the upper mold 34 and the lower mold 32. This allows the pre-molded substrate 5 to be resin-molded, and a molded substrate 6 in which the chip is resin-sealed can be produced. After the resin molding, the lower mold 32 is lowered by the mold clamping mechanism 35. As a result, the upper mold 34 and the lower mold 32 are separated from each other, and the molds are opened.

[0029] The molded substrate 6 is removed from the upper mold 34 by the substrate loader 100 shown in Fig. 1 and held with the chip-mounted side facing downward. Thereafter, the substrate loader 100 moves from the resin molding module 30 to the transfer module 40. Here, the release film 12 remaining in the cavity 33 is collected by the film collection mechanism 22 and disposed of in a waste film box (not shown).

[0030] The molded substrate 6 held by the substrate loader 100 is transported to the transport module 40, and then sucked and held by the suction hand 42 with the chip mounting side facing downward. The molded substrate 6 sucked by the suction hand 42 is then turned upside down so that the chip mounting side of the molded substrate 6 faces upward, and the suction hand moving mechanism 43 moves the suction hand 42 into the molded substrate storage section 46. Then, the suction hand 42 stops sucking the molded substrate 6, and stores the molded substrate 6 in the molded substrate storage section 46 with the chip mounting side facing upward. In this way, a resin molded product (molded substrate 6) can be manufactured.

[0031] <Configuration of the Board Loader 100> Next, the configuration of the substrate loader 100 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.

[0032] The substrate loader 100 mainly comprises a base member 110, a lifting member 120, a mounting table 130, a regulating mechanism 140, a lifting mechanism 150, an optical sensor 160, and the like.

[0033] The base member 110 supports the lifting member 120. The base member 110 is formed in an appropriate shape, such as a rectangular parallelepiped. The base member 110 can be moved at least in the horizontal direction (X direction and Y direction) by a movement mechanism (not shown).

[0034] The lifting member 120 is a member that can be raised and lowered up and down. The lifting member 120 is formed in an appropriate shape, such as a rectangular parallelepiped. The lifting member 120 is disposed above the base member 110. The lifting member 120 is supported by the base member 110 via a lifting mechanism 150. The lifting member 120 can be raised and lowered up and down relative to the base member 110 by the driving force of the lifting mechanism 150.

[0035] The mounting table 130 is a place on which the molding object (pre-molded substrate 5 and molded substrate 6) is placed. The mounting table 130 is provided on the upper surface of the lifting member 120. The molding object can be placed on the upper surface of the mounting table 130. The mounting table 130 can also be provided with a holding member for holding the molding object on the mounting table 130, an alignment member for aligning the position of the molding object relative to the mounting table 130, and the like.

[0036] The restriction mechanism 140 is capable of restricting the elevation of the lifting member 120 at a predetermined position. The restriction mechanism 140 mainly includes a housing 141, a pin 142, a spring 143, and the like.

[0037] The housing 141 is a hollow member. The housing 141 is formed, for example, in a substantially cylindrical shape with its axis oriented in the vertical direction. The housing 141 has a hollow portion 141a formed therein so that the spring 143 and the like can be housed therein.

[0038] The pin 142 is a member that can move up and down relative to the housing 141. The pin 142 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape with its axis facing the up-down direction. The pin 142 is arranged so as to penetrate the top surface of the housing 141 from top to bottom. The pin 142 is arranged so as to be movable up and down relative to the housing 141. A disk-shaped flange portion 142a is formed at the lower end of the pin 142. The flange portion 142a is housed inside the housing 141 (hollow portion 141a). By forming the flange portion 142a on the pin 142, it is possible to prevent the pin 142 from coming off the housing 141. Furthermore, the flange portion 142a can move up and down from the upper end to the lower end of the hollow portion 141a. This allows the pin 142 to be raised and lowered within a predetermined movable range. When the flange portion 142a is located at the upper end of the hollow portion 141a, the flange portion 142a abuts against the upper wall of the housing 141, preventing the pin 142 from coming out of the housing 141.

[0039] The spring 143 is an elastic member that applies an upward force to the pin 142. The spring 143 is formed of a compression coil spring. The spring 143 is housed in a hollow portion 143a of the housing 141. The spring 143 is arranged below the flange portion 142a of the pin 142 in a state where it is compressed in the vertical direction. The restoring force of the spring 143 applies an upward force to the pin 142. The spring 143 is arranged between the pin 142 and the lifting member 120.

[0040] The restriction mechanism 140 configured as described above is provided on the upper surface of the lifting member 120. A plurality of restriction mechanisms 140 are provided around the mounting table 130. The number and arrangement of the restriction mechanisms 140 are not particularly limited. FIG. 3 shows two restriction mechanisms 140 provided around the mounting table 130. As shown in FIG. 3, when the pin 142 is pushed up by the spring 143 and positioned at the uppermost end of its movable range, the upper end of the pin 142 is positioned above the upper surface of the mounting table 130. The state in which the flange portion 142a abuts against the upper wall of the housing 141 is the state in which the pin 142 is positioned at the uppermost end of its movable range. Even when the pin 142 is positioned at the uppermost end of its movable range, the spring 143 is compressed in the vertical direction and applies an upward force to the pin 142.

[0041] 3 and 4 is for raising and lowering the lifting member 120. The lifting mechanism 150 mainly includes an air cylinder 151, an electromagnetic valve 152, a pressure adjustment mechanism 153, and the like.

[0042] The air cylinder 151 is an actuator that can expand and contract using compressed air, and mainly includes a cylinder body 151a and a piston rod 151b.

[0043] 4 is a hollow member. An upper port 151c and a lower port 151d are formed at the upper and lower ends of the cylinder body 151a, respectively. The upper port 151c and the lower port 151d are each a through-hole that connects the inside and outside of the cylinder body 151a.

[0044] The piston rod 151b is a member that can move up and down relative to the cylinder body 151a. The piston rod 151b is arranged to penetrate the upper surface of the cylinder body 151a from top to bottom. A piston 151e that divides the internal space of the cylinder body 151a into upper and lower sections is formed at the lower end of the piston rod 151b.

[0045] In the air cylinder 151 configured in this manner, when compressed air is supplied from the lower port 151d to the cylinder body 151a, a force is applied to the lower surface of the piston 151e, causing the piston rod 151b to move upward relative to the cylinder body 151a. When compressed air is supplied from the upper port 151c to the cylinder body 151a, a force is applied to the upper surface of the piston 151e, causing the piston rod 151b to move downward relative to the cylinder body 151a. In this way, the air cylinder 151 can be extended and retracted using compressed air.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 3, air cylinder 151 is disposed between base member 110 and lifting member 120. Specifically, air cylinder 151 is disposed with piston rod 151b facing upward so that it can extend and retract in the vertical direction. A cylinder body 151a of air cylinder 151 is fixed to base member 110. An upper portion of piston rod 151b of air cylinder 151 is fixed to the lower surface of lifting member 120. This allows lifting member 120 to move up and down (lift and lower) relative to base member 110 by extending and retracting air cylinder 151.

[0047] 4 is used to switch the flow direction of compressed air. The solenoid valve 152 can supply air compressed by a compressor (not shown) to the air cylinder 151. More specifically, the solenoid valve 152 can supply compressed air to any of the upper port 151c and the lower port 151d of the air cylinder 151 by switching the flow path of the compressed air.

[0048] The pressure adjustment mechanism 153 adjusts the pressure of the compressed air supplied from the solenoid valve 152 to the lower port 151d of the air cylinder 151. For example, the pressure adjustment mechanism 153 is configured by an electropneumatic regulator that can arbitrarily adjust the discharge pressure. The pressure adjustment mechanism 153 is provided in the compressed air distribution path from the solenoid valve 152 to the lower port 151d of the air cylinder 151. The pressure adjustment mechanism 153 can arbitrarily adjust the pressure of the compressed air supplied from the solenoid valve 152 and supply it to the lower port 151d of the air cylinder 151. The pressure of the compressed air supplied from the pressure adjustment mechanism 153 to the lower port 151d is an arbitrary pressure that is equal to or lower than the pressure of the compressed air supplied from the solenoid valve 152 to the pressure adjustment mechanism 153.

[0049] 3 detects the vertical position of the mounting table 130. The optical sensor 160 irradiates light onto the measurement object and receives the reflected light, thereby detecting the distance from the optical sensor 160 to the measurement object.

[0050] As an example of optical sensor 160, a configuration for detecting the distance to a measurement object based on the light-receiving position of reflected light will be described. For example, optical sensor 160 includes a light emitter that irradiates light, a light receiver that receives the light, a first convex lens, and a second convex lens. The light emitter emits light toward the measurement object via the first convex lens. The light reflected by the measurement object is received by the light receiver via the second convex lens. The light-receiving position of the light receiver changes depending on the distance between the first convex lens and the measurement object. Based on this light-receiving position, the distance from the first convex lens to the measurement object can be calculated. Note that the configuration of optical sensor 160 is not limited to the configuration including a light emitter, a light receiver, a first convex lens, and a second convex lens as described above, as long as it is configured to emit light to the measurement object and receive reflected light.

[0051] The optical sensor 160 is disposed on the upper surface of the base member 110 at a position facing the lifting member 120 in the vertical direction. The optical sensor 160 is disposed so as to irradiate light toward the lower surface of the upper lifting member 120, which is the measurement target. In this way, the optical sensor 160 measures the distance from the optical sensor 160 to the lower surface of the lifting member 120, and detects the position (height) of the upper surface of the mounting table 130 based on the measured distance as follows. The position detected by the optical sensor 160 is transmitted to the control unit CTR.

[0052] A predetermined position of the lower surface of the lifting member 120 is referred to as a first reference position. The first reference position is, for example, the position of the lower surface of the lifting member 120 when the piston 151e is positioned at the lowest point within its vertical movement range. The position of the upper surface of the mounting table 130 when the lower surface of the lifting member 120 is at the first reference position is referred to as a second reference position. The mounting table 130 is provided on the upper surface of the lifting member 120, and the position of the upper surface of the mounting table 130 does not fluctuate based on the position of the lower surface of the lifting member 120. Therefore, the second reference position is also a predetermined position, and the position (height) of the lower surface of the lifting member 120 based on the first reference position corresponds to the position (height) of the upper surface of the mounting table 130 based on the second reference position. The optical sensor 160 measures the position (height) from the optical sensor 160 to the lower surface of the lifting member 120. The reference distance from the optical sensor 160 to the first reference position is a constant value. The optical sensor 160 detects the position (height) of the lower surface of the lifting member 120 based on the first reference position, i.e., the position (height) of the upper surface of the mounting table 130 based on the second reference position, by subtracting a certain reference distance from the measured distance.

[0053] <Operation of the board loader 100> 3 to 6, a method for placing the pre-molded substrate 5 on the upper mold 34 using the substrate loader 100 will be described. Note that Fig. 5 shows an example of the time change in the pressure of compressed air (hereinafter simply referred to as "cylinder pressure") supplied to the air cylinder 151 for raising and lowering the mounting table 130, and the time change in the height of the mounting table 130 in response to the change in cylinder pressure.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 3, the substrate loader 100 moves to the molding die 31 with the pre-molded substrate 5 delivered from the suction hand 42 (see FIG. 1) placed on the top surface of the mounting table 130. At this time, the substrate loader 100 moves so that the mounting table 130 is positioned below the upper die 34. At this time, the air cylinder 151 is fully retracted and the mounting table 130 is in the lowest position. This position (height) of the mounting table 130 is defined as the initial position H0. The second reference position described above is, for example, the initial position H0.

[0055] Next, as shown in Fig. 5, compressed air at a first pressure P1 is supplied to the lower port 151d of the air cylinder 151 by the solenoid valve 152 and the pressure adjustment mechanism 153. In this embodiment, it is assumed that compressed air at the first pressure P1 is supplied at time t1. When compressed air is supplied to the lower port 151d shown in Fig. 4, the piston rod 151b rises and the air cylinder 151 extends.

[0056] 6(a), when the air cylinder 151 is extended, the lifting member 120 is pushed up by a force corresponding to the first pressure P1 (hereinafter referred to as the "first driving force"). The mounting table 130 and the regulating mechanism 140 also rise together with the lifting member 120. When the mounting table 130 rises to a certain height, the upper end of the pin 142 of the regulating mechanism 140 comes into contact with the lower surface of the upper mold 34.

[0057] Here, the force with which the springs 143 of the multiple regulating mechanisms 140 push the pins 142 upward is set to be greater than the first driving force of the air cylinder 151. Therefore, when the pins 142 come into contact with the lower surface of the upper mold 34, the upward movement of the lifting member 120 is restricted, and the lifting member 120 is maintained at a constant height. At this time, the upper ends of the pins 142 are positioned above the upper surface of the mounting table 130, so a gap is formed between the upper mold 34 and the upper surface of the mounting table 130. This gap is set to be larger than the thickness of the pre-molded substrate 5 placed on the mounting table 130, so a gap is also formed between the upper mold 34 and the pre-molded substrate 5. The position (height) of the mounting table 130 at this time is referred to as the pre-heating position H1.

[0058] Thereafter, the first pressure P1 continues to be applied to the air cylinder 151 for a certain period of time (until time t2 shown in FIG. 5). This allows the mounting table 130 (pre-molded substrate 5) to be held at the pre-heating position H1. During this time, the pre-molded substrate 5 can be pre-heated by the heat of the upper mold 34. By pre-heating the pre-molded substrate 5 before resin molding, the pre-molded substrate 5 can be softened and damage (such as cracking) to the pre-molded substrate 5 can be prevented. The pre-heating time (the time from time t1 to time t2) can be changed as desired.

[0059] Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the pressure adjustment mechanism 153 gradually (continuously) increases the cylinder pressure from the first pressure P1 to the third pressure P3 over the period from time t2 to time t5. In the example of FIG. 5, the pressure adjustment mechanism 153 increases the cylinder pressure linearly. Hereinafter, the force with which the lifting member 120 is pushed up in response to the third pressure P3 will be referred to as the "second driving force." Furthermore, the force with which the lifting member 120 is pushed up in response to the cylinder pressure increasing from the first pressure P1 to the third pressure P3 will be referred to as the "intermediate driving force."

[0060] At the point (time t3) when the cylinder pressure reaches a predetermined pressure (second pressure P2), the force (intermediate driving force) pushing up the lifting member 120 by the air cylinder 151 becomes greater than the force of the spring 143 (see FIG. 3 ) pushing the pin 142 upward. Thereafter, the pin 142 is pushed down by the upper mold 34 against the force of the spring 143. When the pin 142 is pushed down, the restriction on the lifting member 120's upward movement is released, and the lifting member 120 (mounting table 130) begins to rise again. The mounting table 130 rises gradually (continuously) as the cylinder pressure increases, preventing the mounting table 130 from rising suddenly. This prevents the pre-molded substrate 5 from being damaged by a large impact when it comes into contact with the upper mold 34, as described below. Furthermore, by using the air cylinder 151 and the pressure adjustment mechanism 153 as in this embodiment, the lifting mechanism 150 can be configured relatively inexpensively and compactly.

[0061] Then, as shown in FIG. 5, at time t4, when the mounting table 130 rises to a certain height, the pre-molded substrate 5 placed on the mounting table 130 comes into contact with the underside of the upper mold 34 (see FIG. 6(b)). This restricts the lifting of the mounting table 130. The position (height) of the mounting table 130 at this time is referred to as the transfer position H2. After the mounting table 130 reaches the transfer position H2, the cylinder pressure increases until time t5. At time t5, the cylinder pressure reaches a third pressure P3, and the lifting member 120 is pushed up by the second driving force, but because the mounting table 130 (pre-molded substrate 5) is in contact with the upper mold 34, the mounting table 130 does not rise.

[0062] After the mounting table 130 reaches the transfer position H2, the pre-molded substrate 5 placed on the mounting table 130 is sucked and held by the upper mold 34. This allows the pre-molded substrate 5 to be transferred from the substrate loader 100 to the upper mold 34, and the pre-molded substrate 5 is placed in the upper mold 34.

[0063] After the upper mold 34 holds the pre-molded substrate 5, compressed air at a first pressure P1 is supplied from the solenoid valve 152 to the upper port 151c, causing the piston rod 151b to descend and the air cylinder 151 to contract (see FIG. 4). This allows the mounting table 130 to descend. Thereafter, the substrate loader 100 retreats from the molding mold 31.

[0064] As described above, the substrate loader 100 can place the pre-molded substrate 5 on the upper mold 34. In the resin molding apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, when the pre-molded substrate 5 is transferred from the substrate loader 100 to the upper mold 34, the pre-molded substrate 5 can be pre-heated using the heat of the upper mold 34. This eliminates the need to provide a separate pre-heating mechanism (heater) within the resin molding apparatus 1, thereby reducing costs and enabling the resin molding apparatus 1 to be made more compact.

[0065] Furthermore, when the pre-molded substrate 5 is transferred from the substrate loader 100 to the upper mold 34 as described above, the optical sensor 160 detects the vertical position of the mounting table 130. The position of the mounting table 130 detected by the optical sensor 160 is stored in the control unit CTR. In this manner, data related to the detection results of the position of the mounting table 130 can be accumulated. This allows, for example, information such as the height at which the mounting table 130 transfers the pre-molded substrate 5 to the upper mold 34 each time resin molding is performed on the pre-molded substrate 5 to be accumulated. The position of the mounting table 130 detected by the optical sensor 160 can also be constantly displayed on a display device (not shown) such as a monitor provided in the resin molding apparatus 1. The control unit CTR is a computer and includes a processing element such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory, etc.

[0066] <Modification> Next, a modified example of the resin molding apparatus 1 will be described.

[0067] For example, the control unit CTR can store the position of the mounting table 130 detected by the optical sensor 160 in association with other information. Specifically, it can store the cylinder pressure, time, the position of the mounting table 130, and the like in association with each other. This makes it possible to graph each piece of information and display it on a display device (not shown), for example, as shown in FIG. 5.

[0068] Furthermore, the control unit CTR can also perform various controls based on the position of the mounting table 130 detected by the optical sensor 160.

[0069] For example, if the control unit CTR determines that the position of the mounting table 130 is abnormal, it can notify the worker that an abnormality has occurred. An example of an abnormal position of the mounting table 130 is when the position (transfer position H2) at which the pre-molded substrate 5 is handed over to the upper mold 34 is significantly different from the position expected in advance. In such a case, the control unit CTR can notify the worker that an abnormality has occurred using a buzzer, a display device, or the like (not shown).

[0070] Furthermore, for example, the control unit CTR can also control the operation (cylinder pressure) of the air cylinder 151 based on the position of the mounting table 130. For example, when the position (height) of the mounting table 130 becomes constant (e.g., after time t4 shown in FIG. 5 ) while increasing the cylinder pressure to raise the mounting table 130, the control unit CTR can infer that the pre-molded substrate 5 has come into contact with the upper mold 34. The fact that the height of the mounting table 130 has become constant can be determined, for example, by whether the height of the mounting table 130 detected by the optical sensor 160 remains constant for a predetermined period of time. In this case, the control unit CTR quickly stops increasing the cylinder pressure and controls the lifting mechanism 150 (pressure adjustment mechanism 153) to maintain the cylinder pressure constant. This prevents excessive load from being applied to the pre-molded substrate 5 and prevents damage to the pre-molded substrate 5.

[0071] In the above embodiment, as shown in Fig. 5, an example was shown in which the cylinder pressure was increased linearly by the pressure adjustment mechanism 153, but the method of increasing the cylinder pressure is not limited to this and can be set arbitrarily. For example, as shown in Fig. 7(a), it is also possible to increase the cylinder pressure in a curved manner. As shown in Fig. 7(a), by gradually reducing the rate of increase of the cylinder pressure toward the third pressure P3, it is possible to effectively reduce the impact when the pre-molded substrate 5 comes into contact with the upper mold 34.

[0072] 7(b), it is also possible to increase the cylinder pressure in stages. This also reduces the impact when the pre-molded substrate 5 comes into contact with the upper die 34. Note that, although the illustrated example shows an example in which the cylinder pressure is increased in three stages from the first pressure P1 to the third pressure P3, the number of stages is not particularly limited.

[0073] Also, Figure 7(b) shows an example in which the cylinder pressure is increased in stages from the first pressure P1 to the third pressure P3, but it is not necessarily required to increase the pressure in stages, and it is also possible to increase the pressure from the first pressure P1 to the third pressure P3 all at once.

[0074] The above describes the embodiments and modifications of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and appropriate modifications are possible within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the invention described in the claims.

[0075] For example, the components (each module) of the resin molding apparatus 1 of the above embodiment are examples and can be added, changed, replaced, etc. as appropriate. Furthermore, the configurations and operations of the components (each module) used in the resin molding apparatus 1 of the above embodiment are examples and can be changed as appropriate.

[0076] In the above embodiment, the resin sealing is performed using a liquid resin, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it is also possible to perform the resin sealing using, for example, a thermosetting granular resin, in which case the granular resin is scattered instead of the liquid resin.

[0077] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which an optical sensor 160 was used as a detection mechanism for detecting the position of the mounting table 130, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the position of the mounting table 130 can be detected using various other mechanisms.

[0078] In addition, in the above embodiment, the spring 143 configured by a compression coil spring is exemplified as an elastic member that applies force to the pin 142, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various other elastic members (e.g., a leaf spring, etc.) can also be used.

[0079] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the lifting mechanism 150 is exemplified as being capable of changing the driving force when lifting the mounting table 130 by adjusting the cylinder pressure of the air cylinder 151, but the present invention is not limited to this, and other configurations can be adopted as the lifting mechanism 150. For example, instead of the air cylinder 151, a motor, a hydraulic cylinder, or the like can be adopted as a configuration for changing the driving force when lifting the mounting table 130.

[0080] In addition, if the mounting table 130 is raised and lowered using a servo motor or the like that can stop extension and contraction at any position, the regulating mechanism 140 (pin 142, spring 143, etc.) illustrated in the above embodiment is not necessary.

[0081] <Additional Notes> The resin molding apparatus 1 according to the first aspect of the present disclosure includes: A molding die 31 having a temperature-controllable upper die 34 and a lower die 32; a transfer mechanism (substrate loader 100) capable of transferring a molding object (pre-molding substrate 5) to the lower surface of the upper mold 34; A resin molding apparatus 1 comprising: The transport mechanism includes: a lifting member 120 that can be raised and lowered; a lifting mechanism 150 for lifting and lowering the lifting member 120; a mounting table 130 provided on the lifting member 120 and on which the molding object is placed; A pin 142 that can move up and down within a predetermined movable range; an elastic member (spring 143) disposed between the lifting member 120 and the pin 142 and applying an upward force to the pin 142; Equipped with When the pin 142 is positioned at the top of the movable range, the upper end of the pin 142 is positioned above the mounting table 130, The lifting mechanism 150 lifts the lifting member 120 while the mounting table 130 is positioned below the upper mold 34 . According to the resin molding apparatus 1 of the first aspect of the present disclosure, preheating of the molding object can be performed inexpensively. That is, by restricting the elevation of the lifting member 120 (mounting table 130) with the pin 142 and the spring 143, the molding object placed on the mounting table 130 can be preheated using the heat of the upper mold 34. This eliminates the need to provide a separate preheating mechanism (heater) within the resin molding apparatus 1, thereby reducing costs and enabling the resin molding apparatus 1 to be made more compact.

[0082] In a resin molding apparatus 1 of a second aspect according to the first aspect, The lifting mechanism 150 is capable of adjusting the magnitude of the driving force for lifting the lifting member 120, When the lifting mechanism 150 lifts the lifting member 120 by a first driving force, the lowering of the pin 142 is restricted by the elastic member (spring 143) at the position where the pin 142 contacts the upper die 34, thereby restricting the lifting of the lifting member 120, When the lifting mechanism 150 raises the lifting member 120 with a second driving force greater than the first driving force, the pin 142 descends against the force of the elastic member, causing the lifting member 120 to rise. According to the resin molding apparatus 1 of the second aspect of the present disclosure, the pin 142 and the elastic member (spring 143) can restrict the ascent of the lifting member 120 at a predetermined position. This allows the molding object to be held in a fixed position while preheating. Furthermore, because the pin 142 and the elastic member can restrict the ascent of the lifting member 120 at a predetermined position, there is no need for the lifting mechanism 150 to precisely control the ascent of the lifting member 120, which simplifies the configuration.

[0083] In a resin molding apparatus 1 of a third aspect according to the second aspect, The lifting mechanism 150 is an air cylinder 151 that extends and retracts to raise and lower the lifting member 120; a pressure adjustment mechanism 153 capable of adjusting the pressure of air supplied to the air cylinder 151; Equipped with The lifting mechanism 150 is capable of raising the lifting member 120 with the first driving force, the second driving force, and an intermediate driving force between the first driving force and the second driving force by adjusting the pressure of the air supplied to the air cylinder 151 using the pressure adjustment mechanism 153. According to the resin molding apparatus 1 of the third aspect of the present disclosure, by raising the lifting member 120 with an intermediate driving force that is smaller than the second driving force, it is possible to prevent a sudden rise of the lifting member 120. This makes it possible to reduce the impact when the molding object comes into contact with the upper die 34, and to prevent damage to the molding object.

[0084] In a resin molding apparatus 1 of a fourth aspect according to the third aspect, The lifting mechanism 150 is capable of continuously increasing the intermediate driving force (see FIGS. 5 and 7(a)). According to the resin molding apparatus 1 of the fourth aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress a sudden rise of the lifting member 120. This suppresses the impact when the molding object comes into contact with the upper die 34, and prevents damage to the molding object.

[0085] In a resin molding apparatus 1 of a fifth aspect according to the third aspect, The lifting mechanism is capable of increasing the intermediate driving force in stages (see FIG. 7(b)). According to the resin molding apparatus 1 of the fifth aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to suppress a sudden rise of the lifting member 120. This suppresses the impact when the molding object comes into contact with the upper die 34, and prevents damage to the molding object.

[0086] A resin molding apparatus 1 according to a sixth aspect of the first to fifth aspects, The transport mechanism (substrate loader 100) further includes a detection mechanism (optical sensor 160) capable of detecting the position of the mounting table 130 in the vertical direction. According to the resin molding apparatus 1 of the sixth aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to acquire information relating to the position of the mounting table 130. The acquired information can be used to detect abnormalities in resin molding, control each part of the resin molding apparatus 1, etc.

[0087] In a resin molding apparatus 1 of a seventh aspect according to a sixth aspect, The detection mechanism is configured by an optical sensor 160 . According to the resin molding apparatus 1 of the seventh aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to acquire information about the position of the mounting table 130 with a simple configuration.

[0088] A method for producing a resin molded product according to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure includes: A method for manufacturing a resin molded product using a resin molding apparatus 1 of any one of the first to seventh aspects, transporting the molding object to the upper mold 34 by the transport mechanism (substrate loader 100); clamping the molding die 31 to mold a resin; It includes: According to the method for manufacturing a resin molded product according to the eighth aspect of the present disclosure, the object to be molded can be preheated at low cost. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] 1 Resin molding equipment 32 Lower mold 34 Upper mold 100 Board Loader 120 Lifting member 130 Mounting table 142 pins 143 Spring 150 Lifting mechanism 151 Air cylinder 153 Pressure adjustment mechanism 160 Optical Sensor

Claims

1. a molding die having a temperature-controllable upper die and a lower die; a conveying mechanism capable of conveying a molding object to a lower surface of the upper mold; A resin molding apparatus comprising: The transport mechanism includes: A lifting member that can be raised and lowered; a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the lifting member; a mounting table provided on the lifting member and on which the molding object is placed; A pin that can move up and down within a predetermined movable range; an elastic member disposed between the lifting member and the pin, and applying an upward force to the pin; Equipped with When the pin is positioned at the top of the movable range, the upper end of the pin is positioned above the mounting table, the lifting mechanism lifts the lifting member while the mounting table is positioned below the upper mold. Resin molding equipment.

2. the lifting mechanism is capable of adjusting the magnitude of a driving force for lifting the lifting member; When the lifting mechanism lifts the lifting member by a first driving force, the lowering of the pin is restricted by the elastic member at a position where the pin contacts the upper die, thereby restricting the lifting of the lifting member, When the lifting mechanism lifts the lifting member with a second driving force greater than the first driving force, the pin descends against the force of the elastic member, thereby lifting the lifting member. The resin molding device according to claim 1 .

3. The lifting mechanism includes: an air cylinder that extends and retracts to raise and lower the lifting member; a pressure adjustment mechanism capable of adjusting the pressure of air supplied to the air cylinder; Equipped with The lifting mechanism is capable of lifting the lifting member with the first driving force, the second driving force, and an intermediate driving force between the first driving force and the second driving force by adjusting the pressure of the air supplied to the air cylinder with the pressure adjustment mechanism. The resin molding device according to claim 2 .

4. The lifting mechanism is capable of continuously increasing the intermediate driving force. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 3 .

5. The lifting mechanism is capable of increasing the intermediate driving force in a stepwise manner. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 3 .

6. the transport mechanism further includes a detection mechanism capable of detecting the vertical position of the mounting table. The resin molding apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The detection mechanism is composed of an optical sensor. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 6.

8. A method for manufacturing a resin molded product using the resin molding apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, transporting the molding object to the upper mold by the transport mechanism; clamping the molding die to mold a resin; A method for producing a resin molded product comprising the steps of:

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