Resin sealing device and resin sealing method

Abstract

To provide a resin seal device and a resin seal method, capable of improving a quality by suppressing the occurrence of warping of a molding.SOLUTION: A resin seal device 1 according to the present invention is a resin seal device for sealing a workpiece W with a resin R by using a seal metal mold 202 having an upper mold 204 and a lower mold 206 to process it to a molding Wp, and comprises: a plurality of heating chambers 402 that performs post curing of the molding Wp; and a carry-in device 102 that carries the molding Wp in / out of each heating chamber 402. Each heating chamber 402 is constructed so as to be individually set to an optional room temperature.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

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

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

[0003] The transfer molding method is a technique for resin sealing by providing a pot for supplying a predetermined amount of resin to the sealing regions (cavities) of two upper and lower dies provided in a sealing die configured with an upper die and a lower die, placing a workpiece at a position corresponding to each sealing region, clamping the workpiece with the upper die and the lower die, and pouring the resin from the pot into the cavity (Patent Document 1: see Japanese Patent No. 5716227). The compression molding method is a technique for resin sealing by supplying a predetermined amount of resin to the sealing region (cavity) provided in a sealing die configured with an upper die and a lower die, placing a workpiece in the sealing region, and clamping the workpiece with the upper die and the lower die. As an example, when a sealing die having a cavity in the upper die is used, a technique for supplying resin all at once to the center position on the workpiece and molding it is known. On the other hand, when a sealing die having a cavity in the lower die is used, a technique for supplying a film and resin covering the die surface including the cavity and molding it is known. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5716227 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] For example, when sealing a plate-shaped workpiece such as a wafer with resin, the larger the external shape of the workpiece, the more likely it is that the product (molded item) will warp after sealing (molding), and how to prevent this becomes an issue. In order to address this issue, in a conventional resin sealing apparatus as exemplified in Patent Document 1, etc., the resin is cured by applying heat and pressure inside a sealing die, and after the product is removed from the sealing die, it is placed in a post-cure oven (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as an "oven") installed inside the apparatus to perform post-cure (also called after-cure), thereby preventing warpage. Note that a configuration in which the oven is installed outside the resin sealing apparatus is also known.

[0006] Here, since warping of the molded product increases with temperature change (decrease), it is desirable to perform post-cure as soon as possible after removing the product from the molding die. However, in the post-cure process performed as the next step after the resin sealing process, the temperature starts to drop when the product is removed from the resin sealing device, and if it takes time to place the molded product in the oven, the temperature drop continues, resulting in increased warping. This is particularly noticeable when the oven is installed outside the resin sealing device.

[0007] Furthermore, the post-cure process does not simply involve heating the molded product; it is important to appropriately set the post-cure conditions (sequence of temperature, time, etc.) according to the material, shape, etc. of the molded product. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a resin sealing apparatus and a resin sealing method that enable appropriate post-cure to be performed according to the molded product, thereby suppressing the occurrence of warping of the molded product due to a drop in temperature after molding, and improving molding quality.

[0009] The present invention solves the above problems by the solution means described below as one embodiment.

[0010] The resin sealing apparatus according to the present invention is an apparatus for sealing a workpiece with resin to process it into a molded product using a sealing die having an upper die and a lower die, and has a plurality of heating chambers for post-curing the molded product. a first oven having a plurality of first oven heating chambers arranged in a row inside thereof, and a second oven having a plurality of second oven heating chambers arranged in a row inside thereof, a conveying device for conveying the molded product into and out of the heating chamber, the conveying device has a holding and moving mechanism that reciprocates in a predetermined direction along a guide rail, the first oven heating chamber is disposed on one end side of the guide rail, and the second oven heating chamber is disposed in a row in a direction intersecting a direction in which the first oven heating chambers are disposed in a row, The above First oven heating chamber and the second oven heating chamber The requirement is that the units be configured so that they can be individually set to any desired indoor temperature.

[0011] According to this, since there are multiple heating chambers for post-curing the molded product and each can be set to a different temperature, one molded product can be carried into each heating chamber in a set order and post-cured successively at different temperatures for different times. This makes it possible to perform a detailed post-cure and effectively suppress the occurrence of warping, etc., thereby improving the molding quality.

[0012] Also, The temperature can be set for each heating chamber in each oven.In addition, the temperature can be set for the entire oven as a whole, so the number of ovens used can be reduced, and the structure can be simplified and made smaller by standardizing parts.

[0013] It is also preferable that the oven has at least a first heating chamber and a second heating chamber separated from each other as the heating chamber, and is configured so that the room temperature of the first heating chamber and the room temperature of the second heating chamber can be set to either the same temperature or different temperatures. According to this, if multiple heating chambers are set to different room temperatures, the molded products can be moved sequentially to perform detailed post-curing, thereby improving molding quality. On the other hand, if multiple heating chambers are set to the same room temperature, a large number of molded products can be post-cured at once.

[0014] Further, a resin sealing method according to the present invention is a resin sealing method for processing a workpiece having an electronic component mounted on a substrate into a molded product by sealing the workpiece with a resin using a sealing die having an upper die and a lower die, the method comprising the steps of: a first oven having a plurality of first oven heating chambers arranged in a row inside the first oven constituting a plurality of heating chambers for post-curing the molded product, a second oven having a plurality of second oven heating chambers arranged in a row inside the second oven constituting the heating chambers, and a transport device for transporting the molded product into and out of the heating chambers, the transport device having a holding and moving mechanism that reciprocates in a predetermined direction along a guide rail, the first oven heating chambers being disposed on one end side of the guide rail, and the second oven heating chambers being arranged in a row in a direction intersecting the direction in which the first oven heating chambers are arranged in a row, The method includes a post-cure step of post-curing the molded product, the post-cure step being performed by performing a post-cure process on a plurality of molded products according to post-cure conditions preset by the molded product. The above The method requires the steps of: selecting a first heating chamber to an nth heating chamber (n≧2) to be used from among the heating chambers and determining the order in which they will be used; adjusting the indoor temperatures of the first heating chamber to the nth heating chamber to be set temperatures, respectively; and transporting the molded product to the first heating chamber to the nth heating chamber in the aforementioned order, post-curing the product, and transporting the molded product out of the first heating chamber to the nth heating chamber in that order. Effect of the Invention

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to perform post-cure appropriately and precisely according to the molded product, and therefore it is possible to suppress the occurrence of warpage of the molded product caused by a temperature drop after molding, and it is possible to improve the molding quality. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating an example of a resin sealing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 is a side view showing an example of a holding and moving mechanism of the resin sealing apparatus in FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] 3 is a plan view showing an example of a hand of the holding and moving mechanism of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a sealing die of the resin sealing apparatus of FIG. 1. [Diagram 5] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of an oven of the resin sealing apparatus in FIG. 1. [Figure 6] 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of an oven of the resin sealing apparatus in FIG. 1. [Figure 7] 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of setting post-cure conditions in the resin sealing apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] (Overall composition) Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a plan view (schematic view) showing an example of a resin sealing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. For convenience of explanation, the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions of the resin sealing apparatus 1 may be explained using arrows in the drawing. In addition, in all the drawings for explaining each embodiment, members having the same function are given the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations thereof may be omitted.

[0018] The resin sealing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment is an apparatus for resin-sealing a workpiece (molded product) W by using a sealing die 202 including an upper die 204 and a lower die 206. Hereinafter, the resin sealing apparatus 1 will be described as an example of a compression molding apparatus that holds the workpiece W with the lower die 206, covers a cavity 208 (including a part of the die surface 204a) provided in the upper die 204 with a release film (hereinafter may be simply referred to as a "film") F, clamps the upper die 204 and the lower die 206, and seals the workpiece W with resin R.

[0019] First, the workpiece W to be molded has a configuration in which a plurality of electronic components Wb are mounted in a matrix on a substrate Wa. More specifically, examples of the substrate Wa include plate-like members such as resin substrates, ceramic substrates, metal substrates, carrier plates, lead frames, and wafers formed in rectangular or circular shapes. Examples of the electronic components Wb include semiconductor chips, MEMS chips, passive elements, heat sinks, conductive members, spacers, and the like. However, the present invention is not limited to these.

[0020] Examples of methods for mounting electronic components Wb on the substrate Wa include wire bonding mounting, flip chip mounting, etc. Alternatively, in the case of a configuration in which the substrate (glass or metal carrier plate) Wa is peeled off from the molded product Wp after resin sealing, there is also a method in which the electronic components Wb are attached using a thermally peelable adhesive tape or an ultraviolet-curable resin that is cured by exposure to ultraviolet light.

[0021] On the other hand, a liquid thermosetting resin (for example, an epoxy resin containing a filler) is used as an example of the resin R. The resin R is not limited to the above state, and may be in another state (shape) such as granular (used as a general term for granular, pulverized, powdered, etc.), plate-like, sheet-like, etc., and may be a resin other than an epoxy thermosetting resin.

[0022] As an example of the film F, a film material having excellent heat resistance, peelability, flexibility, and extensibility, such as PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), ETFE (polytetrafluoroethylene polymer), PET, FEP, fluorine-impregnated glass cloth, polypropylene, polyvinylidine chloride, etc., is preferably used. In this embodiment, a roll-shaped film is used as the film F. As another example, a strip-shaped film may be used (not shown).

[0023] 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 includes a transport unit 100A that mainly transports the work W and the molded product Wp, a work supply unit 100B that mainly supplies the work W, a resin supply unit 100C that mainly supplies the resin R, a press unit 100D that mainly seals the work W with resin and processes it into the molded product Wp, a post-cure unit 100E that mainly post-cures the molded product Wp after resin sealing, a molded product storage unit 100F that mainly stores the molded product Wp after post-cure, and a control unit 100G that mainly controls each mechanism and each process.

[0024] In this embodiment, the transport unit 100A is disposed at the center of the device, and each unit is disposed so as to surround the transport unit 100A. Specifically, the work supply unit 100B, the resin supply unit 100C, and the molded product storage unit 100F are disposed in front of the transport unit 100A. The press unit 100D is disposed behind the transport unit 100A. The post cure unit 100E is disposed on the right side and the right front side of the transport unit 100A. The control unit 100G is disposed on the right rear side of the transport unit 100A. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration.

[0025] The resin sealing apparatus 1 can change the overall configuration by changing the configuration of the units. For example, the configuration shown in Fig. 1 is an example in which two press units 100D are installed, but a configuration in which only one press unit 100D is installed, or three or more press units are installed, etc. are also possible. Also, a configuration in which other units are additionally installed (neither is shown in the figures).

[0026] (Transport unit) First, the transfer unit 100A included in the resin sealing apparatus 1 will be described.

[0027] The transport unit 100A includes a transport device 102 that transports the workpiece W and the molded product Wp. As an example, the transport device 102 includes a guide rail 104, a base portion 106 that reciprocates in a predetermined direction (for example, the left-right direction) along the guide rail 104, and a holding / moving mechanism 108 that is fixed to the base portion 106 and holds and moves the workpiece W and the molded product Wp. This allows the workpiece W and the molded product Wp to be held and transported between each unit and carried in and out of each mechanism.

[0028] In this embodiment, an articulated robot is provided as the holding and moving mechanism 108. As shown in Fig. 2, the articulated robot 108 includes a vertical moving part 108A that is movable in the up and down direction, a horizontal moving and rotating part 108B that is movable and rotated within a horizontal plane, and a hand 108C that is disposed at the tip of the horizontal moving and rotating part 108B and holds the workpiece W and the molded product Wp. A servo motor (not shown) or the like is used to drive the vertical moving part 108A and the horizontal moving and rotating part 108B.

[0029] 3, the hand 108C has a suction hole 108a and a suction passage 108b communicating therewith, and is configured to suction and hold one surface (e.g., the lower surface) of the workpiece W and the molded product Wp. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the hand 108C may have a chuck to clamp and hold the workpiece W and the molded product Wp (not shown). Furthermore, the hand 108C may be configured to be rotatable (rotation around a vertical axis and / or rotation around a horizontal axis) relative to the horizontal movement and rotation part 108B (not shown).

[0030] The holding and moving mechanism 108 is not limited to the above-mentioned articulated robot, and may be configured to include a known loader device (not shown).

[0031] (Work supply unit) Next, the work supply unit 100B provided in the resin sealing apparatus 1 will be described.

[0032] The work supply unit 100B includes a work stocker 110 used to store the workpieces W. As an example, a known stack magazine, slit magazine, or the like is used for the work stocker 110, and it is possible to store a plurality of workpieces W collectively. The plurality of workpieces W are configured to be carried out one by one by a holding and moving mechanism 108.

[0033] The work supply unit 100B may be configured to include an inspection mechanism for inspecting the appearance of the work W, a work heater for preheating the work W, and the like (neither of which is shown).

[0034] In this embodiment, the transport device 102 transports the workpiece W to a unit (here, the resin supplying unit 100C) that performs the next process.

[0035] (Resin supply unit) Next, a description will be given of the resin supplying unit 100C provided in the resin sealing apparatus 1. In this resin supplying unit 100C, the resin R is supplied (placed) onto the workpiece W carried in by the transport device 102 from the workpiece supplying unit 100B.

[0036] The resin supply unit 100C is configured to include a pair of dispensers 312 that discharge and supply resin R (here, liquid resin) in a syringe 314 onto a workpiece W, and a revolver-type syringe supply unit 316 that rotatably holds a plurality of replacement syringes 314 between the pair of dispensers 312. Each dispenser 312 is configured to discharge resin R while receiving replacement syringes 314 in sequence from the shared syringe supply unit 316.

[0037] In this embodiment, the resin R is supplied onto the workpiece W while the workpiece W is held by the hand 108C of the holding and moving mechanism 108. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the workpiece W may be moved from the hand 108C onto a dispense table, and the resin R may be supplied onto the workpiece W in this state (not shown). The resin R is also not limited to liquid resin, and when granular resin is used, for example, a known granular resin stocker and granular resin dispenser may be provided (neither of which are shown).

[0038] The resin supply unit 100C may be configured to include a resin heater or the like for preheating the resin R (not shown).

[0039] In this embodiment, the conveying device 102 conveys the workpiece W (on which the resin R is placed) to a unit that performs the next process (here, the press unit 100D).

[0040] (Press unit) Next, a description will be given of the press unit 100D included in the resin sealing apparatus 1. In this press unit 100D, the workpiece W (on which the resin R is placed) carried in by the transport device 102 from the resin supply unit 100C is subjected to resin sealing.

[0041] The press unit 100D is equipped with a sealing die 202 having a pair of dies (for example, a combination of a plurality of die blocks, die plates, die pillars, etc.) that can be opened and closed. The press unit 100D is also equipped with a transport loader 210 that loads and unloads the workpiece W and the molded product Wp. The transport loader 210 receives the workpiece W from the transport device 102, transports it, and delivers it to the sealing die 202, and also receives the molded product Wp from the sealing die 202, transports it, and delivers it to the transport device 102. Note that a known holding mechanism (for example, a clamping configuration with holding claws, a suction configuration with suction holes communicating with a suction device, etc.) is used to hold the workpiece W and the molded product Wp (not shown).

[0042] The conveying loader 210 is also equipped with a heater (not shown) for heating the workpiece W and the molded product Wp. As an example, a known heating mechanism (e.g., an electric wire heater, an infrared heater, etc.) is used as the heater. This allows the workpiece W to be preheated before being carried into the sealing mold 202 and heated. Also, it is possible to suppress a decrease in temperature from when the molded product Wp is carried out of the sealing mold 202 until it is transferred to the conveying device 102. Note that a configuration without a heater is also possible.

[0043] Moreover, the sealing mold 202 according to this embodiment includes a pair of molds, an upper mold 204 on the vertically upper side and a lower mold 206 on the lower side. The upper mold 204 and the lower mold 206 move toward and away from each other to close and open the mold. That is, the vertical direction (up and down direction) is the mold opening and closing direction.

[0044] The sealing mold 202 is opened and closed by a known mold opening and closing mechanism (not shown). For example, the mold opening and closing mechanism includes a pair of platens, a plurality of connecting mechanisms (tie bars and columns) between which the pair of platens are supported, a drive source (e.g., an electric motor) that moves (raise and lower) the platens, and a drive transmission mechanism (e.g., a ball screw and a toggle link mechanism) (all not shown).

[0045] Here, the sealing mold 202 is disposed between a pair of platens of the mold opening and closing mechanism. In this embodiment, an upper mold 204 serving as a fixed mold is assembled to a fixed platen (a platen fixed to the connecting mechanism), and a lower mold 206 serving as a movable mold is assembled to a movable platen (a platen that rises and falls along the connecting mechanism). However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration.

[0046] Next, the upper mold 204 of the sealing mold 202 will be described in detail. As shown in Fig. 4, the upper mold 204 includes an upper plate 222, a cavity piece 226, a clamper 228, etc., which are assembled together. In this embodiment, a cavity 208 is provided on the lower surface of the upper mold 204 (the surface on the lower mold 206 side).

[0047] More specifically, the cavity piece 226 is fixedly attached to the lower surface of the upper plate 222. On the other hand, the clamper 228 is configured in an annular shape so as to surround the cavity piece 226, and is attached to the lower surface of the upper plate 222 via a biasing member 232 so as to be spaced apart (floating) from the lower surface of the upper plate 222 and movable up and down. The cavity piece 226 forms the inner part (bottom part) of the cavity 208, and the clamper 228 forms the side part of the cavity 208. In this embodiment, one cavity 208 is provided in one upper mold 204. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and a configuration in which a plurality of cavities 208 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction (or the front-rear direction) may be used.

[0048] In this embodiment, a suction mechanism is provided that suction-holds the film F supplied from a film supply mechanism 250 (described later) to the upper mold 204. As an example, this suction mechanism is connected to a suction device (not shown) via suction paths 230a, 230b disposed penetrating the clamper 228 and suction path 230c disposed penetrating the upper plate 222 and the cavity piece 226. A seal member 234 (e.g., an O-ring) is disposed between the inner peripheral surface of the clamper 228 and the outer peripheral surface of the cavity piece 226.

[0049] In this way, by providing a film F that covers the inner surface of the cavity 208 and a part of the mold surface 204a of the upper mold 204, the portion of the resin R on the upper surface of the molded product Wp can be easily peeled off, making it possible to easily remove the molded product Wp from the sealing mold 202 (upper mold 204).

[0050] In this embodiment, an upper die heating mechanism is provided that heats the upper die 204 to a predetermined temperature. This upper die heating mechanism includes a heater (e.g., an electric wire heater), a temperature sensor, a power source, and the like (none of which are shown), and heating is controlled by the control unit 150. As an example, the heater is built into the upper plate 222 or a die base (not shown) that houses them, and is configured to apply heat mainly to the entire upper die 204 and the resin R (described later). As a result, the upper die 204 is heated to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 100°C to 200°C).

[0051] Furthermore, in this embodiment, there is provided a film supply mechanism 250 that transports (supplies) a roll-shaped film F that has no openings (holes) on its sheet surface into the inside of the sealing die 202. This film supply mechanism 250 is configured such that unused film F is sent out from an unwinding section 252 and supplied to the opened sealing die 202, and after being used for resin sealing in the sealing die 202, it is wound up by a winding section 254 as used film F. Note that the unwinding section 252 and the winding section 254 may be arranged in reverse in the left-right direction (not shown).

[0052] Next, the lower mold 206 of the sealing mold 202 will be described in detail. As shown in Fig. 4, the lower mold 206 includes a lower plate 224, a holding plate 236, etc., which are assembled together. Here, the holding plate 236 is fixed to and assembled on the upper surface of the lower plate 224 (the surface on the upper mold 204 side).

[0053] In this embodiment, a workpiece holding section 205 is provided to hold the workpiece W at a predetermined position on the lower surface of the holding plate 236. As an example, the workpiece holding section 205 is connected to a suction device (not shown) via a suction passage 240a disposed penetrating the holding plate 236 and the lower plate 224. Note that a configuration including holding claws (not shown) for clamping the outer periphery of the workpiece W may be provided in parallel with the configuration including the suction passage 240a.

[0054] In this embodiment, one workpiece holding portion 205 is provided on one lower die 206 in correspondence with the above-mentioned configuration of the upper die 204 (configuration in which one cavity 208 is provided), and the workpieces W are simultaneously sealed with resin one by one. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration.

[0055] In this embodiment, a lower die heating mechanism is provided that heats the lower die 206 to a predetermined temperature. This lower die heating mechanism includes a heater (e.g., an electric wire heater), a temperature sensor, a power source, and the like (none of which are shown), and heating is controlled by the control unit 150. As an example, the heater is built into the lower plate 224 or a die base (not shown) that houses them, and is configured to apply heat mainly to the entire lower die 206 and the workpiece W. As a result, the lower die 206 is heated and adjusted to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 100°C to 200°C).

[0056] In this embodiment, the transfer device 102 transfers the resin-sealed molded product Wp to a unit that performs the next process (here, a post-cure unit 100E).

[0057] (Postcure unit) Next, a description will be given of the post-cure unit 100E provided in the resin sealing apparatus 1. In this post-cure unit 100E, post-cure is performed on the molded product Wp carried in by the transport device 102 from the press unit 100D.

[0058] The post-cure unit 100E has a plurality of heating chambers 402 that hold the molded product Wp carried in by the transport device 102 and heat it at a set temperature to perform post-cure. The plurality of heating chambers 402 are configured so that they can be individually set to any room temperature. With this configuration, since the plurality of heating chambers 402 can be provided and each can be set to a different temperature, one molded product Wp can be carried into each heating chamber 402 in a set order and post-cured continuously at different temperatures for different times. This allows for fine post-cure, and in particular the occurrence of warping can be suppressed, improving molding quality.

[0059] As described above, when multiple heating chambers 402 are provided, it is preferable to have a configuration including one or multiple ovens (post-cure ovens) 400 each having multiple heating chambers 402. With this configuration, the temperature can be set for each heating chamber in each oven 400. If necessary, the temperature can also be set collectively for the entire oven. Furthermore, compared to a configuration using multiple ovens each having one heating chamber, it is possible to simplify and miniaturize the configuration by standardizing parts.

[0060] In this embodiment, the system is configured to include a plurality of ovens 400 (two, for example) each having a plurality of heating chambers 402 (two, for example). Specifically, the first oven 400 (400A) has a first heating chamber 402 (402Aa) and a second heating chamber 402 (402Ab) that are partitioned from each other. The second oven 400 (400B) has a first heating chamber 402 (402Ba) and a second heating chamber 402 (402Bb) that are partitioned from each other. The number of ovens 400 is not limited to two, and the number of heating chambers 402 in each oven 400 is not limited to two.

[0061] Here, the configuration of the oven 400 will be described with reference to FIG. 5 (a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. 1) and FIG. 6 (a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 5). The configuration of the oven 400A will be described as an example, but the configuration of the oven 400B is similar. As described above, the oven 400A has two heating chambers 402 (402Aa, 402Ab) that are partitioned from each other. The basic configuration of each heating chamber 402 is the same, and slit-shaped molded product holding sections 410 that are arranged opposite each other are provided in the chamber at a predetermined pitch in the vertical direction. In addition, a heater (not shown) that can adjust the temperature of the chamber to a predetermined temperature (for example, in the range of 50° C. to 250° C.) is provided. As a result, the molded product Wp carried into the chamber can be held by the molded product holding section 410 and heated (post-cured) at a predetermined temperature. As an example, six molded product holding sections 410 are provided in each heating chamber 402. The heater may be a known heating mechanism (for example, an electric wire heater, a sheath heater, etc.), but is not limited to these configurations.

[0062] Each heating chamber 402 is provided with an inner door 412 for carrying in and out the molded product Wp. The inner door 412 has a plurality of openings 412a (six in this example) having an area large enough for the molded product Wp to pass through, corresponding to the molded product holding sections 410. Rotary shutters 414 are also provided to open and close each opening 412a. With this configuration, the molded product Wp can be carried in and out of the heating chamber 402 by opening and closing the shutters 414 individually. This makes it possible to suppress heat radiation from the openings 412a and prevent a drop in temperature inside the heating chamber 402.

[0063] In this embodiment, the first oven 400 (400A) is configured so that the indoor temperature of the first heating chamber 402 (402Aa) and the indoor temperature of the second heating chamber 402 (402Ab) can be set to either the same temperature or different temperatures. Similarly, the second oven 400 (400B) is configured so that the indoor temperature of the first heating chamber 402 (402Ba) and the indoor temperature of the second heating chamber 402 (402Bb) can be set to either the same temperature or different temperatures.

[0064] According to this configuration, various post-cure conditions can be set. Specifically, if the multiple heating chambers 402 (four heating chambers 402Aa, 402Ab, 402Ba, and 402Bb in the above example) are set to different room temperatures, the molded products Wp can be moved in sequence to perform detailed post-cure, and the molding quality can be improved. On the other hand, if the multiple heating chambers 402 are set to the same room temperature, a large number of molded products Wp can be post-cured at once. If multiple ovens each having one heating chamber are used, it is impossible (extremely difficult) to adjust the room temperature of all the ovens to be completely the same, and the molding quality will vary. In this regard, according to the configuration of this embodiment, the multiple heating chambers 402 installed in the same oven 400 can be used, so completely uniform temperature adjustment is possible, and it is possible to prevent variation in molding quality. A specific example of a control method (setting method) will be described later.

[0065] In this embodiment, the transport device 102 transports the post-cured molded product Wp to a unit that performs the next process (here, the molded product storage unit 100F).

[0066] (Molded product storage unit) Next, a description will be given of the molded product storage unit 100F provided in the resin sealing apparatus 1. In this molded product storage unit 100F, the molded product Wp carried in by the transport device 102 from the post-cure unit 100E is stored.

[0067] The molded product storage unit 100F includes a molded product stocker 112 used to store the molded products Wp. As an example, a known stack magazine, slit magazine, or the like is used for the molded product stocker 112, and it is possible to store a plurality of molded products Wp at once. The plurality of molded products Wp are carried in one by one by a holding and moving mechanism 108.

[0068] The molded product storage unit 100F may be configured to include an inspection mechanism (not shown) for inspecting the appearance of the molded product Wp.

[0069] (Control Unit) Next, a description will be given of the control unit 100G provided in the resin sealing apparatus 1. The control unit 100G is configured to include an operation unit 152 through which an operator inputs operating conditions of the resin sealing apparatus 1, and a control unit 150 that controls the operation of each mechanism in the resin sealing apparatus 1 according to the operating conditions input by the operator and pre-stored operating conditions. The operation unit 152 is not limited to being disposed in the control unit 100G, and may be disposed in another unit or adjacent thereto.

[0070] The resin sealing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment is particularly characterized by a control method for performing post-cure on the molded product Wp in the post-cure step, which will be described in detail later in the section "Resin sealing operation."

[0071] (Resin sealing operation) Next, the operation of resin sealing using the resin sealing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment (i.e., the resin sealing method according to this embodiment) will be described. Here, a configuration is taken as an example in which one upper die 204 is provided with a set of cavities 208, one workpiece W is placed in one lower die 206, resin sealing is performed, and one molded product Wp is obtained. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and a configuration in which multiple workpieces W are resin sealed at once may also be used.

[0072] As a preparation step, a heating step (upper die heating step) is performed in which the upper die 204 is adjusted to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 100°C to 200°C) and heated by the upper die heating mechanism. Also, a heating step (lower die heating step) is performed in which the lower die 206 is adjusted to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 100°C to 200°C) and heated by the lower die heating mechanism. Furthermore, a step (film supplying step) is performed in which the film F is transported (sent out) from the unwinding section 252 to the winding section 254 by the film supplying mechanism 250 and the film F is supplied to a predetermined position in the sealing mold 202 (a position between the upper die 204 and the lower die 206).

[0073] Next, the transfer device 102 carries out the workpieces W one by one from the workpiece stocker 110 and transfers them to the resin supply unit 100C.

[0074] Next, the conveying device 102 conveys the workpiece W to a position directly below the syringe 314 of the dispenser 312, and a process is performed in which a specified amount of resin R is supplied (discharged) from the syringe 314 onto the upper surface of the workpiece W and placed on it. In this process, the resin R in the syringe 314 is heated (preheated) by a resin heater (not shown). The heating temperature at this time is set to a temperature at which the resin R does not harden (for example, 60°C to 80°C). The preheating process may be omitted.

[0075] Next, the workpiece W (with the resin R placed on the upper surface) is transported by the transport device 102 to the press unit 100D, and a process of transferring the workpiece W to the transport loader 210 is performed.

[0076] Next, a step of transporting the workpiece W into the sealing die 202 by the transport loader 210 is performed. In this step, the workpiece W is preheated by a heater provided on the transport loader 210, and then the workpiece W transported into the sealing die 202 by the transport loader 210 is placed on the workpiece holding portion 205 of the lower die 206. This allows the workpiece W to be preheated before being transported into the sealing die 202 and heated, thereby improving molding quality. The preheating step may be omitted.

[0077] Next, the sealing mold 202 is closed, and the workpiece W is clamped between the upper die 204 and the lower die 206 to perform a process of resin sealing (resin sealing process). At this time, in the cavity 208, the cavity piece 226 is lowered relatively to heat and pressurize the resin R against the workpiece W. This causes the resin R to thermally harden, performing resin sealing (compression molding), and forming the molded product Wp.

[0078] Next, the sealing mold 202 is opened, and the molded product Wp is removed from the sealing mold 202 by the conveying loader 210. In this step, the removed molded product Wp is heated (post-molding heating) by a heater provided on the conveying loader 210. This makes it possible to suppress a decrease in temperature of the molded product Wp from being carried out of the sealing mold 202 until it is delivered to the conveying device 102. The post-molding heating step may be omitted.

[0079] Next, the transfer device 102 receives the molded product Wp from the transfer loader 210 and transfers it to the post-cure unit 100E.

[0080] In parallel with this (or afterwards), a step of feeding out the used film F is carried out by transporting the film F from the unwinding section 252 to the winding section 254 by the film supply mechanism 250.

[0081] Next, the molded product Wp is carried into a predetermined oven 400 by the conveying device 102, and a process of post-cure (heating after molding) is performed (post-cure process). Here, a specific example of control performed by the control unit 150 in the post-cure process is shown below. First, according to the post-cure conditions set in advance for each molded product (i.e., corresponding to the type, shape, material, etc. of the molded product Wp), the first heating chamber to the nth heating chamber (n≧2) to be used is selected from the multiple heating chambers 402, and the order of use is determined. Next, the indoor temperatures of the first heating chamber to the nth heating chamber are adjusted to the set temperatures, respectively. Next, the molded product Wp is carried into the first heating chamber to the nth heating chamber in the above order, heated (post-cure) for the set time, and carried out. The operation of this is performed continuously. The selection of the heating chamber 402 includes both cases based on the operator's decision and cases based on the control unit 150's decision.

[0082] As an example, in a post-cure process using the resin sealing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment that includes four heating chambers 402 (specifically, 402Aa, 402Ab, 402Ba, and 402Bb), the room temperatures of the heating chambers 402 are adjusted to different set temperatures. By setting the multiple heating chambers 402 to different room temperatures, detailed post-cure can be performed. 7(a), all of the four heating chambers 402 (402Aa, 402Ab, 402Ba, 402Bb) can be selected to be used in that order, and the first heating chamber 402Aa can be set to an indoor temperature of 200° C. and a heating time of 60 minutes, the second heating chamber 402Ab to be used to be set to an indoor temperature of 150° C. and a heating time of 60 minutes, the third heating chamber 402Ba to be used to be set to an indoor temperature of 120° C. and a heating time of 60 minutes, and the fourth heating chamber 402Bb to be used to be set to an indoor temperature of 100° C. and a heating time of 10 minutes. This is an example of a case where the set temperature is gradually lowered to perform post-cure on the molded product Wp after it is carried out from the sealing mold 202. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 7(b), three of the four heating chambers 402 (402Aa, 402Ab, 402Ba) can be selected to be used in that order, and the first heating chamber 402Aa can be set to an indoor temperature of 150° C. and a heating time of 30 minutes, the second heating chamber 402Ab can be set to an indoor temperature of 180° C. and a heating time of 30 minutes, and the third heating chamber 402Ba can be set to an indoor temperature of 120° C. and a heating time of 60 minutes (the heating chamber 402Bb is not used). This is an example of a case in which the set temperature is gradually increased and then decreased to perform post-cure on the molded product Wp after it is carried out from the sealing mold 202. In this way, the multiple heating chambers 402 can be set to appropriate indoor temperatures and heating times according to the type of molded product Wp, and detailed post-cure can be performed, so that the effect of suppressing the occurrence of warping and the like can be significantly improved compared to conventional devices, and molding quality can be improved. It is also possible to set some of the multiple heating chambers 402 to the same room temperature.

[0083] As another example, in the post-cure step, the room temperatures of the heating chambers 402 are adjusted to different set temperatures. By setting all of the heating chambers 402 to the same room temperature, it is possible to post-cure a large number of molded products Wp at once.

[0084] After the post-cure step, the transfer device 102 carries out a step of removing the molded products Wp from the heating chamber 402 of the oven 400 that was last used, and transferring them to the molded product storage unit 100F. Next, the transfer device 102 carries the molded products Wp one by one into the molded product stocker 112.

[0085] The above are the main operations of resin sealing performed using the resin sealing apparatus 1. However, the above process order is only an example, and the order of steps can be changed or steps can be performed in parallel as long as there is no problem. For example, in this embodiment, since the configuration includes two press units 100D, the above operations can be performed in parallel to efficiently form a molded product.

[0086] As described above, the resin sealing device and resin sealing method according to the present invention enable appropriate and detailed post-cure to be performed according to the molded product. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of warping of the molded product caused by a drop in temperature after molding, and it is possible to improve the molding quality.

[0087] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. In particular, the sealing resin is described as a liquid thermosetting resin, but the present invention is not limited to this, and may be applied to a configuration using a resin in a granular, crushed, powdered, plate-like, or sheet-like form. The number of workpieces molded in one press is also not limited to one.

[0088] In the above embodiment, the compression molding apparatus having a cavity in the upper mold is taken as an example, but the present invention can also be applied to a compression molding apparatus having a cavity in the lower mold. Also, the present invention can be applied to a resin sealing apparatus using a transfer molding method. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] 1 Resin sealing equipment 100E Post cure unit 102 Transport device 202 Sealing mold 400 Oven 402 Heating chamber Wp molded product

Claims

1. A resin sealing apparatus that uses a sealing die having an upper die and a lower die to seal a workpiece with resin and process it into a molded product, a first oven having a plurality of first oven heating chambers arranged in a row inside the first oven, which constitute a plurality of heating chambers for post-curing the molded product; and a second oven having a plurality of second oven heating chambers arranged in a row inside the second oven, which constitute the heating chambers; a conveying device that conveys the molded product into and out of the heating chamber, The conveying device has a holding and moving mechanism that reciprocates in a predetermined direction along a guide rail, the first oven heating chamber is disposed on one end side of the guide rail, and the second oven heating chamber is disposed in a row in a direction intersecting a direction in which the first oven heating chambers are disposed in a row, The first oven heating chamber and the second oven heating chamber are configured so that the chamber temperatures can be set individually to any desired values. A resin sealing device characterized by the above.

2. The first oven has a first oven first heating chamber and a first oven second heating chamber which are partitioned from each other, The indoor temperature of the first heating chamber of the first oven and the indoor temperature of the second heating chamber of the first oven can be set to either the same temperature or different temperatures.

2. The resin sealing device according to claim 1,

3. A control unit for controlling a step of post-curing the molded product is further provided, The control unit adjusts the indoor temperatures of a first heating chamber to an n-th heating chamber (n≧2) selected as a heating chamber to be used from among the plurality of heating chambers in accordance with a post-cure condition preset by the molded product, so that the indoor temperatures are set to respective set temperatures, and controls the conveying device to convey the molded product to the first heating chamber to the n-th heating chamber in a set order, to post-cure the product, and to convey the product out of the first heating chamber to the n-th heating chamber.

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

4. A resin sealing method for processing a workpiece having electronic components mounted on a substrate into a molded product by sealing the workpiece with resin using a sealing die having an upper die and a lower die, a first oven having a plurality of first oven heating chambers arranged in a row inside the first oven constituting a plurality of heating chambers for post-curing the molded product, a second oven having a plurality of second oven heating chambers arranged in a row inside the second oven constituting the heating chambers, and a transport device for transporting the molded product into and out of the heating chambers, the transport device having a holding and moving mechanism that reciprocates in a predetermined direction along a guide rail, the first oven heating chambers being arranged on one end side of the guide rail, and the second oven heating chambers being arranged in a row in a direction intersecting the direction in which the first oven heating chambers are arranged in a row, A post-cure step of post-curing the molded product is provided, The post-cure step includes a step of selecting a first heating chamber to an n-th heating chamber (n≧2) to be used from among the plurality of heating chambers in accordance with post-cure conditions preset for the molded product, and determining the order of use; a step of adjusting the indoor temperatures of the first heating chamber to the n-th heating chamber to be set temperatures, respectively; and a step of carrying the molded product into the first heating chamber to the n-th heating chamber in the order, carrying the molded product thereinto, post-curing the molded product therein, and carrying the molded product out of the first heating chamber to the n-th heating chamber. The resin sealing method is characterized by the above.

5. The post-cure step includes a step of adjusting the indoor temperatures of the first heating chamber to the nth heating chamber to different set temperatures.

5. The resin sealing method according to claim 4,

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