Resin sealing device, sealing mold, and resin sealing method

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a sealing mold that realizes, with a simple structure, a vertical movement mechanism for setting pins.　As a solution, a sealing mold (202) according to the present invention includes a vertically movable support plate (215) between a chase block (213) and a plate (251), wherein: the support plate (215) has support members (221) that support a workpiece (W); and a pushing pin (226) is provided so as to be supported by a plate (252), the pushing pin pushing the support plate (215) away from a cavity plate (211) when the plate (251) and the plate (252) are put in a state in which said plates are brought even closer to each other from a state in which the mold is closed.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a resin sealing apparatus, a sealing mold, and a resin sealing method for sealing a workpiece with resin. [Background technology]

[0002] As an example of a resin sealing device and resin sealing method that seals a workpiece having electronic components mounted on a substrate with sealing resin (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "resin") and processes it into a molded product, a transfer molding method is known.

[0003] The transfer molding method is a technology in which a pot is provided to supply a predetermined amount of resin to a pair of sealing areas (cavities) provided in a sealing mold consisting of an upper mold and a lower mold, and workpieces are placed in positions corresponding to each sealing area and clamped between the upper and lower molds, and resin is sealed by pouring resin from the pot into the cavity (see Patent Document 1: JP-A-6-37130, Patent Document 2: JP-A-2000-3923). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-37130 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-3923 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Workpieces to be resin-sealed have a variety of configurations, including, for example, a workpiece W in which the entire periphery of the substrate Wa and electronic part Wb (except for terminals, etc.) is sealed with resin R as shown in Fig. 8A, and a workpiece W in which one side of the substrate Wa (or electronic part Wb) is sealed with resin R so that it is exposed as shown in Fig. 8B. When sealing such workpieces with resin using the transfer molding method, it is difficult or impossible to clamp the workpiece (specifically, the substrate), which can result in the workpiece being displaced from its designated position.

[0006] To address the above issues, conventional transfer molding methods disclose a technology in which the workpiece is clamped and held in the cavity using support members (support pins) that can move up and down, and the support members are moved up and down at a predetermined timing during resin filling to release the clamping, preventing the workpiece from shifting from its predetermined position (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0007] However, in conventional devices, the up-and-down movement mechanism for the support member generally has a dedicated drive mechanism such as a motor or air cylinder, which makes the device structure complicated and increases the cost of the device. [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 device, sealing mold, and resin sealing method using a transfer molding method that has a configuration in which a workpiece is clamped and released using a support member that can move up and down to seal it with resin, and in which the mechanism for moving the support member up and down is realized by a configuration that utilizes a mold closing mechanism rather than a large-scale dedicated drive mechanism, thereby simplifying the device structure and reducing the device costs.

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

[0010] The sealing mold according to the present invention is a sealing mold having an upper mold and a lower mold, which seals a workpiece with resin and processes it into a molded product, and which comprises: a cavity plate having a cavity, which is arranged on at least one of the upper mold or the lower mold; a chase block to which the cavity plate is fixed or which is formed integrally with the cavity plate; one of the top plate or bottom plate of the upper or lower mold which applies a pushing force to the chase block in a direction to close the upper mold and the lower mold; the other plate which is arranged as a pair with the one plate and moves together to close the mold; and a support plate which is arranged between the chase block and the one plate so as to be able to move up and down, and which is arranged so as to pass through the cavity plate and the chase block and has a support member which supports the workpiece, and which is supported by a pushing pin which pushes the support plate in a direction to move it away from the cavity plate when the one plate and the other plate are brought closer together from the mold closed state.

[0011] This allows the workpiece to be clamped and held in the cavity using support members that can be moved up and down, and by moving the support members up and down at a predetermined timing during resin filling to release the clamping, the workpiece can be sealed with resin without shifting from its predetermined position. Furthermore, the mechanism for moving the support members up and down can be realized using a mold closing mechanism without relying on a large-scale dedicated drive mechanism. This simplifies the device structure and reduces device costs. Furthermore, mold underfill molding can be performed effectively.

[0012] It is also preferable to further include a support biasing member that biases the support plate in a direction to approach the chase block, whereby the position of the support plate can be maintained so that the tip of the support member can abut against the workpiece, allowing the workpiece to be clamped by the tip of the support member when the mold is closed.

[0013] It is also preferable to further include a control pin that restricts movement of the other plate when the one plate and the other plate are brought closer to each other from the mold closed state, thereby defining the amount of pushing movement of the pushing pin against the support plate. This makes it possible to set the amount of movement of the support plate, i.e., the amount of movement of the support member fixed to the support plate.

[0014] Furthermore, the support plate preferably has a set pin that is inserted through the cavity plate and the chase block and is arranged to be able to abut against the push pin and transmit the pushing force of the push pin to the support plate. Here, the set pin is preferably arranged so that the tip surface that abuts against the push pin is flush with the mold surface of the cavity plate. This allows for a configuration in which the tip of the push pin does not protrude from the mold surface when the mold is open. Therefore, the mold opening amount can be minimized, and an increase in takt time can be suppressed. Furthermore, even if a malfunction or insufficient adjustment occurs, collision between the inloader, outloader, and the push pin can be prevented.

[0015] Preferably, the mold further comprises an eject plate disposed between the chase block and the one plate and movable up and down on either the chase block side or the one plate side of the support plate, the eject plate having eject pins inserted through the cavity plate and the chase block and disposed so as to be able to contact the molded product. This allows the molded product to be removed from the cavity when the mold is opened.

[0016] Furthermore, the sealing mold according to the present invention is a sealing mold having an upper mold and a lower mold, which seals a workpiece with resin and processes it into a molded product, and which comprises: a cavity plate arranged in the upper mold and having a cavity; a chase block to which the cavity plate is fixed or which is formed integrally with the cavity plate; one of the top plate or bottom plate of the upper or lower mold which applies a pushing force to the chase block in a direction to close the upper mold and the lower mold; the other plate which is arranged as a pair with the one plate and moves together to close the mold; and a support plate which is arranged between the chase block and the one plate so as to be movable up and down, and which is arranged so as to pass through the cavity plate and the chase block and has a support member which constitutes the cavity, and which is supported by the other plate and which pushes the support plate in a direction to move it away from the cavity plate when the one plate and the other plate are brought closer together from the mold closed state. Alternatively, the sealing mold according to the present invention is a sealing mold having an upper mold and a lower mold, which seals a workpiece with resin and processes it into a molded product, and which comprises: a cavity plate arranged in the lower mold and having a cavity; a chase block to which the cavity plate is fixed or which is formed integrally with the cavity plate; one of the top plate or bottom plate of the upper or lower mold which applies a pushing force to the chase block in a direction to close the upper mold and the lower mold; the other plate which is arranged as a pair with the one plate and moves together to close the mold; and a support plate which is arranged in a position between the chase block and the other plate so as to be able to move up and down, and which is arranged so as to pass through the cavity plate and the chase block and has a support member which constitutes the cavity, and which is supported by a pushing pin which pushes the support plate in a direction to move it away from the cavity plate when the one plate and the other plate are brought closer to each other from the mold closed state.This allows the mold underfill to be formed in a suitable manner.

[0017] A resin sealing device according to the present invention is required to include the sealing mold.

[0018] Furthermore, a resin sealing method according to the present invention is a resin sealing method for processing a molded product by sealing a workpiece with resin using a sealing mold comprising: a cavity plate having a cavity, which is disposed in at least one of an upper mold or a lower mold constituting the sealing mold, a chase block to which the cavity plate is fixed, one of a top plate or a bottom plate of the upper or lower mold that presses the chase block, the other plate that is disposed in a pair with the one plate and moves together with the one plate to close the sealing mold, and a support plate that is disposed between the chase block and the one plate so as to be movable up and down, The method requires the steps of: using a support member to support the workpiece in a state where it is floating above the bottom of the cavity; then bringing the one plate and the other plate closer together to close the sealing mold; then filling the cavity with the resin; and then, when the filling rate of the resin in the cavity reaches an arbitrary set value between 70 and 100%, bringing the one plate and the other plate closer together from the closed state, using a pushing pin arranged on the other plate to push the support plate in a direction away from the cavity plate, thereby releasing the support of the workpiece by the support member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to the present invention, the workpiece can be clamped and released using a support member that can move up and down, allowing the workpiece to be sealed with resin without shifting from its predetermined position. Furthermore, the mechanism for moving the support member up and down can be realized using a mold closing mechanism without providing a large-scale dedicated drive mechanism, simplifying the device structure and reducing device costs. Furthermore, mold underfill molding can be performed effectively. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of a resin sealing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view taken along line II-II in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view showing an example of a sealing mold according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram (side cross-sectional view) of the operation of the resin sealing device including the sealing mold shown in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram (side cross-sectional view) of the operation following FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram (side cross-sectional view) of the operation following FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram (side cross-sectional view) of the operation following FIG. [Figure 8] 8A to 8C are cross-sectional views showing examples of workpieces to be sealed with resin. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a side cross-sectional view showing an example of a sealing mold according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram (side cross-sectional view) of the operation of the resin sealing device including the sealing mold shown in FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram (side cross-sectional view) of the operation following FIG. [Figure 12] 12A and 12B are side cross-sectional views showing examples of the cavity of the sealing mold shown in FIG. [Figure 13]13A and 13B are side cross-sectional views showing examples of the cavity of the sealing mold shown in FIG. [Figure 14] 14A and 14B are side cross-sectional views showing other examples of the cavity of the sealing mold shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] [First embodiment] (Overall composition) A first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a plan view (schematic view) showing an example of a resin sealing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. For ease of explanation, arrows may be used in the drawing to indicate the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions of the resin sealing apparatus 1. In addition, in all the drawings used to explain each embodiment, members having the same function are given the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations may be omitted.

[0022] This resin sealing apparatus 1 is an apparatus that uses a sealing mold 202 that includes an upper mold 204 and a lower mold 206 to resin-seal a workpiece (molded article) W into a molded article Wp. Hereinafter, as an example of the sealing mold 202 and resin sealing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, a transfer molding type resin sealing apparatus will be described, in which the upper mold 204 has a cavity 207 and the lower mold 206 has a cavity 208 and a pot (not shown), and the upper mold 204 and the lower mold 206 are closed together and resin R from the pot is filled into the cavities 207 and 208 to resin-seal the workpiece W. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and a configuration in which only one of the upper mold 204 or the lower mold 206 has a cavity (not shown) may also be used.

[0023] First, the workpiece W to be molded has a configuration in which multiple electronic components Wb are mounted in a predetermined arrangement on a substrate Wa. More specifically, examples of the substrate Wa include plate-like members such as rectangular, circular, or other shaped resin substrates, ceramic substrates, metal substrates, carrier plates, lead frames, wafers, and heat sinks (heat dissipation members). Examples of the electronic components Wb include, but are not limited to, semiconductor chips, MEMS chips, passive elements, conductive members, spacers, heat sinks (heat dissipation members), and combinations thereof.

[0024] 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, the electronic components Wb can be attached using a heat-peelable adhesive tape or an ultraviolet-curable resin that hardens when exposed to ultraviolet light.

[0025] On the other hand, a tablet-shaped (e.g., cylindrical) thermosetting resin (e.g., filler-containing epoxy resin) is used as an example of the resin R. Note that the resin R is not limited to the above state, and may be in a shape other than a cylindrical shape, or may be a resin other than an epoxy thermosetting resin.

[0026] Next, an overview of the resin sealing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment will be described. As shown in Fig. 1, the resin sealing apparatus 1 mainly comprises a supply unit 100A that mainly supplies the workpieces W to be sealed with resin and the resin R, a press unit 100B that mainly seals the workpieces W with resin and processes them into molded products Wp, and a storage unit 100C that mainly stores the molded products Wp after sealing with resin.

[0027] The resin sealing apparatus 1 also includes a transport mechanism 100D that moves between the units to transport the workpiece W, resin R, and molded product Wp. As an example, the transport mechanism 100D includes an inloader 122 that loads the workpiece W and resin R into the press unit 100B, an outloader 124 that loads the molded product Wp from the press unit 100B, and a guide rail 126 shared by the inloader 122 and the outloader 124. The transport mechanism 100D is not limited to the above configuration, and may also be configured to use a known pickup or the like (not shown) as appropriate. Furthermore, instead of a configuration including a loader, a configuration including an articulated robot (not shown) may also be used.

[0028] Here, the inloader 122 receives the workpieces W and resin R in the supply unit 100A and transports them to the press unit 100B. As an example of the configuration of the inloader 122, two rows of workpiece holding sections 122A and 122B are arranged side by side in the left-right direction, each capable of holding one workpiece W. In addition, a resin holding section 122C is provided between the two rows of workpiece holding sections 122A and 122B, capable of holding multiple pieces of resin R (four pieces is shown as an example, but this is not limited to this, or a single piece may also be used) along the front-rear direction. Note that the workpiece holding sections 122A, 122B and the resin holding section 122C use known holding mechanisms (for example, a clamping configuration with holding claws, a suction configuration with suction holes communicating with a suction device, etc.) (not shown).

[0029] The inloader 122 according to this embodiment is configured to move in the left-right and front-rear directions to load the workpiece W and resin R into the sealing mold 202 and place them at a predetermined position in the lower mold 206. However, this is not limited to this, and a configuration may be provided in which a loader that moves in the left-right direction to transport between units and a loader that moves in the front-rear direction to load into the sealing mold 202 are provided separately (not shown).

[0030] The outloader 124 receives the molded product Wp (including unnecessary resin portions such as cull portions and runner portions) in the press unit 100B and transports it to the storage unit 100C. As an example of the configuration of the outloader 124, two rows of molded product holding sections 124A and 124B are arranged side by side in the left-right direction, each capable of holding one molded product Wp. The molded product holding sections 124A and 124B use a known holding mechanism (for example, a clamping configuration with holding claws, a suction configuration with suction holes communicating with a suction device, etc.) (not shown).

[0031] The outloader 124 according to this embodiment is configured to move in the left-right and front-rear directions to carry out the molded product Wp from the sealing mold 202 and place it on the molded product table 114. However, this is not limited to this, and a configuration may be provided in which a loader that moves in the front-rear direction to carry out the molding product Wp from the sealing mold 202 and a loader that moves in the left-right direction to transport between units are separately provided (not shown).

[0032] The overall configuration of the resin sealing apparatus 1 can be changed by changing the configuration of the units. For example, the configuration shown in Fig. 1 is an example in which two press units 100B are installed, but it is also possible to install only one press unit 100B, or to install three or more press units 100B. It is also possible to install other units additionally (neither of which are shown).

[0033] (supply unit) Next, the supply unit 100A provided in the resin sealing apparatus 1 will be described.

[0034] The supply unit 100A, for example, includes a work stocker 102 used to store the workpieces W, and a work table 104 on which the workpieces W are placed. The work stocker 102 uses a known stack magazine, slit magazine, or the like, and is capable of storing a plurality of workpieces W all at once. With this configuration, the workpieces W are removed from the work stocker 102 using a known pusher or the like (not shown), and placed on the work table 104 (for example, a pair of workpieces W are placed in parallel). Next, the workpieces W placed on the work table 104 are held by an inloader 122 and transported to the press unit 100B.

[0035] Furthermore, the supply unit 100A (or another unit) is provided with a resin supply mechanism 140 that supplies the resin R at a position to the side of the work table 104. As an example, the resin supply mechanism 140 is provided with a supply section 142 that has a hopper, a feeder, etc. and supplies the resin R, and a delivery section 144 that has a transfer mechanism such as an elevator and holds multiple pieces of resin R supplied from the supply section 142 at predetermined positions. With this configuration, the multiple pieces of resin R held in the delivery section 144 are held by the inloader 122 and transported to the press unit 100B.

[0036] (Press unit) Next, a description will be given of the press unit 100B provided in the resin sealing apparatus 1. Here, Fig. 2 is a side view (schematic diagram) of the press device 250 of the resin sealing apparatus 1, and Fig. 3 is a side cross-sectional view (schematic diagram) of the sealing mold 202.

[0037] The press unit 100B includes a press device 250 that opens and closes a sealing mold 202 (details of which will be described later) to resin-seal the workpiece W. As shown in FIG. 2, the press device 250 includes a sealing mold 202 having a lower mold 206 and an upper mold 204 and disposed between a pair of stationary platens 253 and a movable platen 254, a mold closing mechanism mainly including a plurality of connecting mechanisms 256 between which the pair of platens 253, 254 are connected, a drive source (e.g., an electric motor) 260 that moves (raise and lowers) the movable platen 254, and a drive transmission mechanism (e.g., a ball screw or a toggle link mechanism) 262. In this embodiment, the upper mold 204 is assembled to the stationary platen 253, and the lower mold 206 is assembled to the movable platen 254. With this configuration, the movable platen 254 is moved in a direction approaching the fixed platen 253 (upward in this case) to bring a mold surface 204a (the lower surface of a first cavity plate 211 described below) of the upper mold 204 into contact with a mold surface 206a (the upper surface of a second cavity plate 212 described below) of the lower mold 206, thereby closing the mold. Note that the configuration is not limited to the above, and the upper mold 204 may be assembled to a movable platen and the lower mold 206 may be assembled to a fixed platen, or both the upper mold 204 and the lower mold 206 may be assembled to movable platens (neither is shown).

[0038] Next, the upper mold 204 of the sealing mold 202 will be described in detail. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the upper mold 204 includes a cavity plate (first cavity plate) 211, a chase block (first chase block) 213, and the like, which are assembled together. In this embodiment, a cavity (first cavity) 207 for accommodating the entire workpiece W or a predetermined portion thereof is provided on the lower surface of the first cavity plate 211. The first cavity plate 211 is fixed to the lower surface of the first chase block 213. The first cavity plate and the first chase block may be configured as an integrated member (not shown). The first chase block 213 is supported by a top plate 251 and fixed at a predetermined distance. However, the present invention is not limited to the above configuration.

[0039] An upper die heater (not shown) is provided on the first cavity plate 211 or the first chase block 213. This makes it possible to heat the molten resin R filled in the resin flow path (not shown) and the cavity 207 to a predetermined temperature. As an example, a known electric wire heater, sheath heater, or the like is used as the upper die heater.

[0040] The upper mold 204 also includes a support plate (first support plate) 215 that is disposed between the first chase block 213 and the top plate 251 and is movable up and down. The first support plate 215 is disposed so as to pass through the first cavity plate 211 and the first chase block 213, and includes support members (first support pins) 221 that can support the workpiece W in a state where the workpiece W is floating above the bottom of the first cavity 207. Note that, although a plurality of first support pins 221 (four, for example) are provided to support one workpiece W in this embodiment, the number of first support pins 221 is not limited to this.

[0041] Furthermore, there is provided a support biasing member (first support biasing member) 231 that biases the first support plate 215 in a direction that brings it closer to the first chase block 213. Also, a biasing member holder (first support biasing member holder) 233 that holds the first support biasing member 231 in a state in which the biasing force is generated is provided by being screwed to the first chase block 213. As a result, in the mold open state, the first support plate 215 is in a state of contact with the first chase block 213. Incidentally, as one example, a metal coil spring is used for the first support biasing member 231, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0042] Here, as a mechanism for operating the first support plate 215, a pushing pin (first support plate pushing pin) 226 that pushes the first support plate 215 in a direction to move it away from the first cavity plate 211 is supported by a bottom plate 252 (described later). As an example, the first support plate pushing pin 226 is configured to be directly supported (fixed) to the bottom plate 252, but this is not limitative, and the first support plate pushing pin 226 may be configured to be indirectly supported (fixed) via a connecting member or the like (not shown).

[0043] According to the above configuration, when the top plate 251 and the bottom plate 252 are brought closer to each other from a state in which the upper mold 204 (in this case, the first cavity plate 211) and the lower mold 206 (in this case, the second cavity plate 212) are in contact (i.e., a mold closed state), the first support plate pushing pins 226 supported (fixed) on the bottom plate 252 push the first support plate 215 in a direction away from the first cavity plate 211. This causes the first support plate 215 to move upward, and the first support pins 221 fixed to the first support plate 215 to move upward. In other words, the support of the workpiece W by the first support pins 221 can be released.

[0044] Here, the first support plate 215 is provided with a set pin (first set pin) 223 that is inserted through the first cavity plate 211 and the first chase block 213 and is arranged so as to be able to come into contact with the first support plate pushing pin 226, and that transmits the pushing force of the first support plate pushing pin 226 to the first support plate 215. That is, in this embodiment, the first support plate 215 is not directly pushed by the first support plate pushing pin 226, but is indirectly pushed via the first set pin 223 fixed to the first support plate 215.

[0045] In this case, the first set pins 223 are preferably configured so that their tip surfaces (lower end surfaces in this case) that come into contact with the first support plate pushing pins 226 are flush with the lower surface of the first cavity plate 211 (i.e., mold surface 204a) when not in contact with the first support plate pushing pins 226. This configuration prevents the tip portions of the first support plate pushing pins 226 from protruding from the mold surface 206a in the mold open state. This minimizes the mold opening amount and prevents increases in takt time. Furthermore, even if malfunction or insufficient adjustment occurs, collisions between the inloader 122, the outloader 124, and the first support plate pushing pins 226 can be prevented. The first set pins 223 are not necessarily required. For example, the first support plate pushing pins 226 may protrude beyond the mold surface 206a and directly push the first support plate 215.

[0046] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a control pin (first support plate control pin) 228 is provided that determines the amount of movement of the first support plate 215, i.e., the amount of pushing movement of the first support plate pushing pin 226 to push the first support plate 215. As an example, the first support plate control pin 228 is configured to be directly supported (fixed) to the second chase block 214 (described later), but this is not limitative and the first support plate control pin 228 may be configured to be indirectly supported (fixed) via a connecting member or the like. Also, the first support plate control pin 228 may be configured to be supported (fixed) to the bottom plate 252 instead of the second chase block 214 (neither is shown).

[0047] According to this configuration, when the top plate 251 and the bottom plate 252 are brought closer together from the mold closed state and the first support plate 215 is pushed by the first support plate pushing pin 226 and moves upward by a predetermined amount, the first support plate control pin 228 comes into contact with the bottom plate 252, thereby restricting the movement of the bottom plate 252 (i.e., the movement of the first support plate 215). This regulates the amount of movement of the first support plate 215 (i.e., the first support pin 221). Note that in the case of a configuration in which the first support plate control pin 228 is supported (fixed) by the bottom plate 252, it comes into contact with the second chase block 214, resulting in a similar effect.

[0048] Next, the upper mold 204 is provided with an eject plate (first eject plate) 217 ​​that is disposed between the first chase block 213 and the top plate 251 and on the top plate 251 side with respect to the first support plate 215 so as to be movable up and down. Note that, as a modified example, the first eject plate 217 may be disposed on the first chase block 213 side with respect to the first support plate 215 (not shown). This first eject plate 217 is disposed so as to pass through the first cavity plate 211, the first chase block 213, and the first support plate 215, and is provided with eject pins (first eject pins) 235 that can abut against the workpiece W and eject plate operating pins 239 that can abut against the mold surface 206a of the lower mold 206.

[0049] Furthermore, an eject biasing member (first eject biasing member) 241 is provided which biases the first eject plate 217 in a direction to approach the first chase block 213 and the first support plate 215. Also, a biasing member holder (first eject biasing member holder) 243 which holds the first eject biasing member 241 in a state in which the biasing force is generated is provided by being screwed to the first chase block 213. Therefore, in the mold open state, the first eject plate 217 is in a state of contact with the first support plate 215. Incidentally, as an example, a metal coil spring is used for the first eject biasing member 241, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0050] According to the above configuration, when the upper mold 204 (in this case, the first cavity plate 211) and the lower mold 206 (in this case, the second cavity plate 212) are in contact with each other (the mold closed state), the tip end (lower end) of the eject plate operating pin 239 comes into contact with the mold surface 206a of the lower mold 206 (in this case, the upper surface of the second cavity plate 212), and the reaction force causes the first eject plate 217 to be pushed in a direction away from the first support plate 215. As a result, the first eject plate 217 moves upward, and the first eject pins 235 fixed to the first eject plate 217 also move upward. In other words, the first eject pins 235 can be prevented from coming into contact with the workpiece W when the mold is closed.

[0051] Conversely, when the state in which the upper mold 204 and the lower mold 206 are in contact with each other (mold closed state) is changed to a mold open state by moving the bottom plate 252 downward, the contact between the tip end (lower end) of the eject plate operating pin 239 and the mold surface 206a of the lower mold 206 is released, so the first eject plate 217 moves downward, and the first eject pin 235 fixed to the first eject plate 217 also moves downward. Therefore, it becomes possible to eject (remove) the resin-sealed workpiece W (i.e., molded product Wp).

[0052] The upper mold 204 has been described above. The upper mold 204 is provided with a compression coil spring 263 and a shoulder bolt 264 that constantly urge the top plate 251 and the first chase block 213 in the open direction. The shoulder bolt 264 is screwed into the first chase block 213.

[0053] Next, the lower mold 206 of the sealing mold 202 will be described in detail. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the lower mold 206 includes a cavity plate (second cavity plate) 212, a chase block (second chase block) 214, and the like, which are assembled together. In this embodiment, a cavity (second cavity) 208 that accommodates the entire workpiece W or a predetermined portion thereof is provided on the upper surface of the second cavity plate 212. The second cavity plate 212 is fixed to the upper surface of the second chase block 214. The second cavity plate and the second chase block may be configured as an integrated member (not shown). The second chase block 214 is supported by a bottom plate 252 and fixed at a predetermined distance. However, the configuration is not limited to the above.

[0054] Here, the lower mold 206 is provided with a plurality of cylindrical pots (four pots are shown as an example, but the number is not limited to four, and a single pot may also be used) along the front-to-rear direction, each of which contains resin (here, resin tablets) R. The pots are formed as through-holes that connect to the second cavity plate 212 and the second chase block 214. A plunger is disposed within the pot, and is pushed by a known transfer drive mechanism (not shown). This configuration pushes the plunger, supplying the resin R in the pot into the cavities 207 and 208. The pots and plungers are not shown, particularly in FIG. 3, etc., to make other mechanisms easier to understand.

[0055] In addition, a lower die heater (not shown) is provided on the second cavity plate 212 or the second chase block 214. This makes it possible to heat the molten resin R that is filled into the resin flow path (not shown) and the cavity 208 to a predetermined temperature. As an example, a known electric wire heater, sheath heater, etc. is used as the lower die heater.

[0056] The lower mold 206 also includes a support plate (second support plate) 216 that is disposed between the second chase block 214 and the bottom plate 252 and is movable up and down. The second support plate 216 is disposed so as to pass through the second cavity plate 212 and the second chase block 214, and includes support members (second support pins) 222 that are capable of supporting the workpiece W in a state where the workpiece W is floating above the bottom of the second cavity 208. Note that, although a plurality of second support pins 222 (four, for example) are provided to support one workpiece W in this embodiment, the number of second support pins 222 is not limited to this.

[0057] Furthermore, a support biasing member (second support biasing member) 232 is provided which biases the second support plate 216 in a direction to approach the second chase block 214. Also, a biasing member holder (second support biasing member holder) 234 which holds the second support biasing member 232 in a state in which the biasing force is generated is provided by being screwed to the second chase block 214. As a result, in the mold open state, the second support plate 216 is in a state of contact with the second chase block 214. Incidentally, as one example, a metal coil spring is used for the second support biasing member 232, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0058] Here, as a mechanism for operating the second support plate 216, a pushing pin (pushing pin for second support plate) 225 that pushes the second support plate 216 in a direction to move it away from the second cavity plate 212 is supported by the top plate 251. As an example, the pushing pin for second support plate 225 is configured to be directly supported (fixed) to the top plate 251, but this is not limitative, and the pin may be configured to be indirectly supported (fixed) via a connecting member or the like (not shown).

[0059] According to the above configuration, when the top plate 251 and the bottom plate 252 are brought closer to each other from a state in which the upper mold 204 (in this case, the second cavity plate 212) and the lower mold 206 (in this case, the second cavity plate 212) are in contact (mold closed state), the second support plate pushing pin 225 supported (fixed) on the top plate 251 pushes the second support plate 216 in a direction away from the second cavity plate 212. This causes the second support plate 216 to move downward, and the second support pins 222 fixed to the second support plate 216 to move downward. In other words, the support of the workpiece W by the second support pins 222 can be released.

[0060] Here, the second support plate 216 is provided with a set pin (second set pin) 224 that is inserted through the second cavity plate 212 and the second chase block 214 and is arranged so as to be able to abut against the second support plate pushing pin 225, and that transmits the pushing force of the second support plate pushing pin 225 to the second support plate 216. That is, in this embodiment, the second support plate 216 is not directly pushed by the second support plate pushing pin 225, but is indirectly pushed via the second set pin 224 fixed to the second support plate 216.

[0061] In this case, the second set pins 224 are preferably configured so that their tip surfaces (in this case, their upper end surfaces) that come into contact with the second support plate pushing pins 225 are flush with the upper surface of the second cavity plate 212 (i.e., the mold surface 206a) when not in contact with the second support plate pushing pins 225. This configuration prevents the tip portions of the second support plate pushing pins 225 from protruding from the mold surface 204a in the mold open state. This minimizes the mold opening amount and prevents increases in takt time. Furthermore, even if malfunction or insufficient adjustment occurs, collisions between the inloader 122, the outloader 124, and the second support plate pushing pins 225 can be prevented. The second set pins 224 are not necessarily required. For example, the second support plate pushing pins 225 may protrude beyond the mold surface 204a and directly push the first support plate 216.

[0062] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a control pin (second support plate control pin) 227 is provided that determines the amount of movement of the second support plate 216, i.e., the amount of pushing movement of the second support plate pushing pin 225 to push the second support plate 216. As an example, the second support plate control pin 227 is configured to be directly supported (fixed) to the first chase block 213, but this is not limitative and the second support plate control pin 227 may be configured to be indirectly supported (fixed) via a connecting member or the like. Also, the second support plate control pin 227 may be configured to be supported (fixed) to the top plate 251 instead of the first chase block 213 (neither is shown).

[0063] According to this configuration, when the top plate 251 and the bottom plate 252 are brought closer to each other from the mold closed state and the second support plate 216 is pushed by the second support plate pushing pin 225 and moves downward by a predetermined amount, the second support plate control pin 227 comes into contact with the top plate 251, thereby restricting the movement of the top plate 251 (i.e., the movement of the second support plate 216). This regulates the amount of movement of the second support plate 216 (i.e., the second support pin 222). Note that in the case of a configuration in which the second support plate control pin 227 is supported (fixed) by the top plate 251, it comes into contact with the first chase block 213, resulting in a similar effect.

[0064] Next, the upper mold 204 is provided with an eject plate (second eject plate) 218 ​​that is disposed between the second chase block 214 and the bottom plate 252 and on the bottom plate 252 side with respect to the second support plate 216 so as to be movable up and down. Note that as a modified example, the second eject plate 218 may be disposed on the second chase block 214 side with respect to the second support plate 216 (not shown). This second eject plate 218 is disposed so as to pass through the second cavity plate 212, the second chase block 214, and the second support plate 216, and is provided with eject pins (second eject pins) 236 that can abut against the workpiece W.

[0065] Furthermore, an eject biasing member (second eject biasing member) 242 is provided which biases the second eject plate 218 in a direction away from the second chase block 214 and the second support plate 216. Also, a stopper 244 which regulates the amount of downward movement of the second eject plate 218 by the biasing force of the second eject biasing member 242 is provided by being screwed to the second chase block 214. Therefore, in the mold closed state and in the state immediately after the transition from mold closed to mold open, the second eject plate 218 is spaced a predetermined distance from the second support plate 216. Incidentally, as an example, a metal coil spring is used for the second eject biasing member 242, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0066] Here, as a mechanism for operating the second eject plate 218, a second eject plate pushing pin that pushes the second eject plate 218 in a direction to approach the second cavity plate 212 is provided at a position spaced a predetermined distance below the bottom plate 252 of the press device 250 (not shown). According to this configuration, when the bottom plate 252 is moved downward from a state in which the upper mold 204 and the lower mold 206 are in contact (a mold closed state) to a mold open state, and the bottom plate 252 is further moved downward by a predetermined amount, the tip end (upper end) of the second eject plate pushing pin comes into contact with the lower surface of the second eject plate 218, and the second eject plate 218 is pushed in a direction to approach the second support plate 216. As a result, the second eject plate 218 moves upward, and the second eject pin 236 fixed to the second eject plate 218 also moves upward. Therefore, it becomes possible to eject (remove) the resin-sealed workpiece W (that is, the molded product Wp).

[0067] As described above, in this embodiment, an example has been described in which both the upper mold 204 and the lower mold 206 are provided with support plates (first support plate 215 of the upper mold 204, second support plate 216 of the lower mold 206) and support members (first support pin 221 of the upper mold 204, second support pin 222 of the lower mold 206), but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, only the upper mold 204 may be provided with a support plate and support members (in which case, the lower mold 206 may adopt a conventional mold configuration, etc.). Alternatively, only the lower mold 206 may be provided with a support plate and support members (in which case, the upper mold 204 may adopt a conventional mold configuration, etc.).

[0068] The lower mold 206 has been described above. The lower mold 206 is equipped with a compression coil spring 265 and a shoulder bolt 266 that normally urge the bottom plate 252 and the second chase block 214 in the open direction. The shoulder bolt 266 is screwed into the second chase block 214.

[0069] (storage unit) Next, the container unit 100C provided in the resin sealing apparatus 1 will be described.

[0070] The storage unit 100C, for example, includes a molded product table 114 on which the molded product Wp is placed, a gate breaking section 116 that removes unnecessary resin portions such as culls, runners, and gates from the molded product Wp, and a molded product stocker 112 used to store the molded product Wp from which the unnecessary resin portions have been removed. The molded product stocker 112 uses a known stack magazine, slit magazine, or the like, and is capable of storing multiple molded products Wp at once. With this configuration, molded products Wp (connected via the unnecessary resin portions) transported from the press unit 100B using an outloader 124 or the like are placed on the molded product table 114. Next, the molded products Wp are transferred to the gate breaking section 116 using a known pickup or the like (not shown), where the unnecessary resin portions are removed, and then stored in the molded product stocker 112 using a known pusher or the like (not shown).

[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, an example will be given in which two workpieces W (e.g., rectangular workpieces) are arranged in parallel and resin-sealed together using the resin sealing apparatus 1 having two pairs of cavities 207, 208 in one sealing mold 202, thereby simultaneously obtaining two molded products Wp. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the number of workpieces W and cavities 207, 208 can be set as appropriate.

[0072] As a preparation step, a heating step (upper die heating step) is carried out in which the upper die 204 is heated to a predetermined temperature (for example, 100°C to 200°C) by an upper die heater. Also, a heating step (lower die heating step) is carried out in which the lower die 206 is heated to a predetermined temperature (for example, 100°C to 200°C) by a lower die heater.

[0073] Next, a process is performed in which the workpieces W are carried out one by one from the workpiece stocker 102 by a known pusher or the like (not shown) and placed on the upper surface of the worktable 104 (note that a known pickup mechanism or the like may be used in combination). Also, a process is performed in which tablet-shaped resin R is carried out one by one from the supply unit 142 by a known feeder, elevator or the like (not shown) and a plurality of pieces (four pieces, as an example) of resin R are held at predetermined positions in the delivery unit 144.

[0074] Next, the inloader 122 is moved to directly above the work table 104 (it may be waiting in the same position beforehand). At that position, the work table 104 is raised (or the inloader 122 is lowered), and the workpieces W are held by the workpiece holders 122A and 122B (in this embodiment, each of the workpiece holders 122A and 122B holds one workpiece W).

[0075] Next, the inloader 122 is moved to directly above the delivery section 144. At that position, the delivery section 144 is raised (or the inloader 122 is lowered), and a process is performed in which the resin holding section 122C holds the resin R (in this embodiment, the resin holding section 122C holds four pieces of resin R).

[0076] Next, the inloader 122 transports a plurality of workpieces W (two in this embodiment) and a plurality of resin pieces R (four in this embodiment) into the sealing mold 202 of the press unit 100B in one process, and performs a process of placing each workpiece W at a predetermined position in the lower mold 206 (workpiece placing process) and a process of storing resin R in each of a plurality of pots (four in this embodiment) (resin storing process) in the lower mold 206. Note that during the transport, a process of preheating the workpieces W and resin R (preheating process) may be performed using a heater (not shown) provided in the inloader 122.

[0077] In the workpiece placement process according to this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, a process is carried out in which the workpiece W is placed on the upper surface of the tip (upper end) of the second support pin 222, whose tip (upper end) protrudes into the second cavity 208, in the lower mold 206 in the mold open state.

[0078] 5, the movable platen 254 is raised and the fixed platen 253 and the movable platen 254 are brought closer to each other, thereby bringing the mold surface 204a of the upper mold 204 and the mold surface 206a of the lower mold 206 into contact with each other, thereby closing the sealing mold 202. At this time, with respect to the upper mold 204, the tip end (lower end) of the eject plate operating pin 239 comes into contact with the mold surface 206a of the lower mold 206, the first eject plate 217 moves upward, and the first eject pin 235 moves upward (not in contact with the workpiece W). In addition, the lower surface of the tip end (lower end) of the first support pin 221, whose tip end (lower end) protrudes into the first cavity 207, comes into contact with the workpiece W. Therefore, the workpiece W is clamped between the first support pin 221 and the second support pin 222 and held within the cavities 207, 208 in a state where it is lifted off the bottom of both the first cavity 207 and the second cavity 208.

[0079] In this state, a transfer drive mechanism (not shown) is operated to push a plunger (not shown) toward the upper mold 204, and the molten sealing resin is pressure-fed through resin flow paths (not shown) such as the culls and runners of the upper mold 204 to fill the cavities 207 and 208 (resin filling process).

[0080] 6, when the filling rate of the resin R in the cavities 207, 208 reaches an arbitrary set value (for example, set appropriately between 70 and 100%), a step is carried out in which the fixed platen 253 and the movable platen 254 are brought closer to each other from the mold closed state. The timing of this second mold closing may be switched at the height position of the transfer that pushes up the plunger, or may be switched based on the time from when the plunger starts to be pressed, but is not limited to these.

[0081] At this time, the first support plate 215 is pushed in a direction away from the first cavity plate 211 by the first support plate pushing pins 226 supported (fixed) on the bottom plate 252 connected (coupled) to the movable platen 254. As a result, the first support plate 215 moves upward, and the first support pins 221 fixed to the first support plate 215 move upward. That is, support of the workpiece W by the first support pins 221 is released. Similarly, the second support plate 216 is pushed in a direction away from the second cavity plate 212 by the second support plate pushing pins 225 supported (fixed) on the top plate 251 connected (coupled) to the fixed platen 253. As a result, the second support plate 216 moves downward, and the second support pins 222 fixed to the second support plate 216 move downward. That is, support of the workpiece W by the second support pins 222 is released.

[0082] According to the above configuration, when the resin R reaches an appropriate filling rate (e.g., a set value between 70% and 100%) in the cavities 207 and 208 and the workpiece W in the cavities 207 and 208 is covered with the resin R to the extent that it does not shift, the first support pin 221 can be moved upward and the second support pin 222 can be moved downward to release the support (clamping) of the workpiece W. This prevents the supported (clamped) portion of the workpiece W from being left exposed and not sealed with resin, which could cause problems. It also solves the problem of workpiece W that is difficult or impossible to clamp shifting from its predetermined position during the resin filling process. In particular, in this embodiment, the above process can be performed using a configuration that utilizes a drive mechanism for mold closing without providing a large-scale dedicated drive mechanism, thereby simplifying the device structure and reducing the device cost.

[0083] Next, after the cavities 207, 208 are filled 100% with the resin R, the workpiece W is heated for a predetermined time, and the resin is sealed to form a molded product Wp.

[0084] 7, the movable platen 254 is lowered to separate the stationary platen 253 and the movable platen 254, thereby opening the sealing mold 202. At this time, with respect to the upper mold 204, the contact between the tip end (lower end) of the eject plate operating pin 239 and the mold surface 206a of the lower mold 206 is released, and the first eject plate 217 moves downward. Therefore, the first eject pin 235 fixed to the first eject plate 217 moves downward. As a result, the resin-sealed molded product Wp is ejected from the first cavity 207. Meanwhile, with respect to the lower mold 206, the movable platen 254 is lowered a predetermined amount, and the second eject plate pushing pin (not shown) comes into contact with the lower surface of the second eject plate 218, and the second eject plate 218 moves upward. The movable platen 254 and the bottom plate 252 have through holes through which the second eject plate pushing pins are inserted. Therefore, the second eject pins 236 fixed to the second eject plate 218 move upward (not shown). This causes the resin-sealed molded product Wp to be ejected from the second cavity 208.

[0085] Next, the outloader 124 performs a process of removing multiple (two in this embodiment) molded products Wp (including unnecessary resin parts such as cull parts and runner parts, and connected via them) from the opened sealing mold 202 in one process.

[0086] Next, the outloader 124 places the molded product Wp (including the cull portion, runner portion, etc.) on the molded product table 114 (a known pickup mechanism or the like may also be used). Next, the gate break section 116 removes unnecessary resin portions such as the cull portion and runner portion from the molded product Wp. Next, a known pusher or the like (not shown) carries the molded products Wp (with the unnecessary resin portions removed) one by one into the molded product stocker 112. Before these steps, a post-cure step may be performed on the molded products Wp.

[0087] 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 the steps can be changed or the steps can be performed in parallel as long as there are no problems. For example, in this embodiment, since the configuration includes two press units 100B, performing the above operations in parallel enables efficient formation of molded products.

[0088] [Second embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. This embodiment is suitable for a flip-chip or BGA type workpiece W having a space between the substrate Wa and the electronic component Wb, as shown in FIG. 8C, and differs from the first embodiment in the configuration of the sealing die 202. The following description will focus on these differences. Here, a side cross-sectional view (schematic diagram) of the sealing die 202 according to the second embodiment is shown in FIG.

[0089] First, the upper mold 204 of the sealing mold 202 according to this embodiment will be described. As shown in Fig. 9, the upper mold 204 includes a support plate (first support plate) 215 disposed between the first chase block 213 and the top plate 251 so as to be movable up and down. The first support plate 215 is disposed so as to pass through the first cavity plate 211 and the first chase block 213, and includes a support member (support block) 229 that constitutes the cavity 207. The support block 229 has a front end surface 229a that abuts against the substrate Wa of the workpiece W (see Fig. 13A), or, as a modified example, does not abut against the substrate Wa (see Fig. 14A), and is formed in a block shape (for example, a hollow rectangular prism corresponding to the shape of the electronic component Wb) such that an inner peripheral surface 229b can cover the peripheral portion of the electronic component Wb over a predetermined range (for example, the entire circumference excluding the runner portion). The eject pin for removing the molded product Wp may be provided so as to penetrate the support block 229, or so as to press the upper surface of the molded product Wp, or so as to press the substrate Wa (all not shown).

[0090] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the bottom of cavity 207 is configured as a separate member (cavity bottom member 207a) having a T-shaped cross section, and a cavity bottom biasing member 249 is provided to bias cavity bottom member 207a toward lower die 206. This allows cavity bottom member 207a to abut against the upper surface of electronic component Wb of workpiece W while being biased by cavity bottom biasing member 249.

[0091] Next, the lower mold 206 of the sealing mold 202 according to this embodiment will be described. As shown in Fig. 9, the lower mold 206 includes a cavity plate (second cavity plate) 212 that is integral with a chase block (second chase block). Note that the second support plate, second eject plate, etc. according to the first embodiment described above are not essential.

[0092] As a modification of the sealing mold 202, the upper mold 204 and the lower mold 206 may be arranged upside down (not shown).

[0093] The operation of resin sealing using the resin sealing apparatus 1 equipped with the sealing mold 202 according to the present embodiment (i.e., the resin sealing method according to the present embodiment) differs from the first embodiment described above in particular in the following steps.

[0094] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 10 , when the upper mold 204 (in this case, the first cavity plate 211) and the lower mold 206 (in this case, the second cavity plate 212) are in contact with each other (i.e., in a mold closed state), the substrate Wa is sandwiched between the lower surface (mold surface 204a) of the first cavity plate 211 and the upper surface (mold surface 206a) of the second cavity plate 212, thereby supporting the workpiece W. Furthermore, the cavity bottom member 207a is moved upward by the thickness of the electronic component Wb and the flip-chip bonding portion, causing the biasing member 249 to bend, and the inner peripheral surface 229b of the support block 229 to cover the peripheral portion of the electronic component Wb over a predetermined range. The space 207A formed at this time becomes the first mode of the cavity 207. Here, as enlarged views of the cavity 207 of the first embodiment, Figure 12A shows a configuration in which the workpiece W is not shown, Figure 13A shows a configuration in which the workpiece W is shown but the tip surface 229a of the support block 229 abuts on the upper surface of the base material Wa, and Figure 14A shows a modified example in which the workpiece W is shown but the tip surface 229a of the support block 229 does not abut on the upper surface of the base material Wa.

[0095] In this state, the transfer drive mechanism (not shown) is operated to push the plunger (not shown) toward the upper mold 204, and the molten resin R is pressure-fed through resin flow paths (not shown) such as culls and runners of the upper mold 204, thereby filling the cavity 207 of the first mode with the resin R. Therefore, with the peripheral edge of the electronic component Wb covered, the resin R can be filled into the narrow space between the substrate Wa and the electronic component Wb without creating any voids. Note that the top surface of the electronic component Wb, which is in contact with the cavity bottom member 207a, is formed in an exposed state.

[0096] When the top plate 251 and the bottom plate 252 are brought closer to each other from the above state (i.e., the mold closed state) as shown in FIG. 11 , the first support plate pushing pin 226 supported (fixed) on the bottom plate 252 pushes the first support plate 215 in a direction away from the first cavity plate 211. This moves the first support plate 215 upward, and the support block 229 fixed to the first support plate 215 also moves upward. Therefore, the state in which the inner peripheral surface 229b of the support block 229 covers the peripheral edge of the electronic component Wb is released. (Note that in this embodiment, the state in which the cavity bottom member 207a abuts against the top surface of the electronic component Wb is not released.) At this time, the additionally formed space 207B and the aforementioned space 207A are mated to form the second state of the cavity 207. Here, as enlarged views of the cavity 207 of the second embodiment, Figure 12B shows a configuration in which the workpiece W is not shown, Figure 13B shows a configuration in which the workpiece W is shown but the tip surface 229a of the support block 229 abuts on the upper surface of the base material Wa, and Figure 14B shows a modified example in which the workpiece W is shown but the tip surface 229a of the support block 229 does not abut on the upper surface of the base material Wa.

[0097] In this state, the transfer drive mechanism (not shown) is further operated to push the plunger (not shown) toward the upper die 204, and the molten resin R is pressure-fed through resin flow paths (not shown) such as culls and runners of the upper die 204, thereby filling the resin R into the second-state cavity 207. Therefore, the base material Wa can be sealed with the resin R so that predetermined portions of the electronic component Wb are covered.

[0098] As described above, the sealing mold 202 according to this embodiment can perform so-called mold underfill molding in an appropriate manner. Specifically, the first-stage configuration shown in FIG. 10 allows the resin R to be reliably filled between the substrate Wa and the electronic component Wb, where the resin R is difficult to fill, without creating any voids. Then, the second-stage configuration shown in FIG. 11 allows the resin R to be sealed so that predetermined portions of the electronic component Wb with their upper surfaces exposed are covered, allowing the electronic component Wb to be processed into a final product (i.e., a molded product Wp). Therefore, the quality of the product (molded product Wp) can be further improved.

[0099] The other configurations according to this embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment described above, and therefore, repeated explanations will be omitted. Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the workpiece W has one electronic component Wb arranged on the substrate Wa, but in the case of a workpiece W having a plurality of electronic components Wb arranged in a matrix on the substrate Wa, the support block 229 may be provided independently for each electronic component Wb, or may be provided as an integrated structure having cavities 207 (i.e., cavity bottom members 207a) at positions corresponding to each electronic component Wb (neither of which is shown).

[0100] As described above, the resin sealing device, sealing mold, and resin sealing method according to the present invention can clamp and release the workpiece using a support member that can move up and down, allowing the workpiece to be sealed without shifting from its predetermined position. Furthermore, the mechanism for moving the support member up and down can be realized by using the mold closing mechanism of the press machine, without requiring a large-scale dedicated drive mechanism, thereby simplifying the device structure and reducing device costs. Furthermore, mold underfill molding can be performed effectively.

[0101] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention. Specifically, in the first embodiment, a configuration in which both the upper and lower molds are provided with support plates and support members has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a configuration in which only the upper mold or only the lower mold has them. Furthermore, in the second embodiment, a configuration in which only the upper mold is provided with support plates and support members has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a configuration in which only the lower mold or both the upper and lower molds have them.

[0102] In addition, although the first eject plate is disposed above the first support plate in the upper mold, they may be disposed upside down. Similarly, although the second eject plate is disposed below the second support plate in the lower mold, they may be disposed upside down.

Claims

1. A sealing mold having an upper mold and a lower mold, which seals a workpiece with resin and processes it into a molded product, a cavity plate disposed in at least one of the upper mold and the lower mold and having a cavity; a chase block to which the cavity plate is fixed or which is integrally formed with the cavity plate; One of a top plate and a bottom plate of the upper and lower molds that applies a pushing force to the chase block in a direction in which the upper mold and the lower mold are closed; another plate that is disposed in a pair with the one plate and cooperates with the other plate to close the mold; a support plate disposed between the chase block and the one plate so as to be movable up and down; the support plate has a support member that is disposed to pass through the cavity plate and the chase block and supports the workpiece; A pushing pin is supported by the other plate and provided to push the support plate in a direction away from the cavity plate when the one plate and the other plate are brought closer to each other from the mold closed state. The sealing mold is characterized by the above.

2. Further provided is a support biasing member that biases the support plate in a direction to approach the chase block. The sealing mold according to claim 1,

3. The mold may further include a control pin that regulates the movement of the other plate when the one plate and the other plate are brought closer to each other from the mold closed state, and that determines the amount of pushing movement of the pushing pin against the support plate.

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

4. The support plate has a set pin that is inserted through the cavity plate and the chase block and is arranged to be able to abut against the pushing pin, and that transmits the pushing force of the pushing pin to the support plate.

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

5. The set pin is arranged so that the tip surface that comes into contact with the pushing pin is in the same plane as the mold surface of the cavity plate. The sealing mold according to claim 4, wherein

6. an eject plate disposed between the chase block and the one plate and movable up and down on either the chase block side or the one plate side with respect to the support plate; The eject plate has an eject pin that is inserted through the cavity plate and the chase block and is arranged so as to be able to come into contact with the molded product.

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

7. A sealing mold having an upper mold and a lower mold, which seals a workpiece with resin and processes it into a molded product, a cavity plate disposed in the upper mold and having a cavity; a chase block to which the cavity plate is fixed or which is integrally formed with the cavity plate; One of a top plate and a bottom plate of the upper and lower molds that applies a pushing force to the chase block in a direction in which the upper mold and the lower mold are closed; another plate that is disposed in a pair with the one plate and cooperates with the other plate to close the mold; a support plate disposed between the chase block and the one plate so as to be movable up and down; the support plate has a support member that is disposed to pass through the cavity plate and the chase block and that forms the cavity; A pushing pin is supported by the other plate and provided to push the support plate in a direction away from the cavity plate when the one plate and the other plate are brought closer to each other from the mold closed state. The sealing mold is characterized by the above.

8. A sealing mold having an upper mold and a lower mold, which seals a workpiece with resin and processes it into a molded product, a cavity plate disposed in the lower mold and having a cavity; a chase block to which the cavity plate is fixed or which is integrally formed with the cavity plate; One of a top plate and a bottom plate of the upper and lower molds that applies a pushing force to the chase block in a direction in which the upper mold and the lower mold are closed; another plate that is disposed in a pair with the one plate and cooperates with the other plate to close the mold; a support plate disposed between the chase block and the other plate so as to be movable up and down; the support plate has a support member that is disposed to pass through the cavity plate and the chase block and that forms the cavity; A pushing pin is supported by the one plate and provided to push the support plate in a direction away from the cavity plate when the one plate and the other plate are brought closer to each other from the mold closed state. The sealing mold is characterized by the above.

9. A resin sealing device comprising the sealing mold according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. a cavity plate disposed in at least one of an upper mold and a lower mold constituting a sealing mold and having a cavity; A resin sealing method for sealing a workpiece with resin to form a molded product using a resin sealing device including: a chase block to which the cavity plate is fixed; one of an upper and lower top plate and a bottom plate that pushes the chase block; a second plate that is arranged in a pair with the first plate and moves together with the first plate to close the sealing mold; and a support plate that is arranged between the chase block and the first plate so as to be movable up and down, a step of supporting the workpiece in a state where the workpiece is floating above the bottom of the cavity using a support member disposed on the support plate; Next, a step of closing the sealing mold by bringing the one plate and the other plate close to each other; Next, a step of filling the cavity with the resin; Next, when the filling rate of the resin in the cavity reaches an arbitrary set value between 70 and 100%, the one plate and the other plate are brought closer to each other from the mold closed state, and a pushing pin disposed on the other plate is used to push the support plate in a direction away from the cavity plate, thereby releasing support of the workpiece by the support member. A resin sealing method characterized by the above.

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