Compression molding device and compression molding method

Abstract

To prevent entry of a resin between a guard and a film, and leakage of the resin.SOLUTION: A compression molding method includes a step of arranging a pressing member 216 in a through hole 400a of a guard 400, mounting a resin R on the pressing member 216, sandwiching a film F between the upper surface of the guard 400 and the lower surface of a lid 218, moving the pressing member 216 and pressing the resin R toward the film F, inverting the guard 400, the pressing member 216, the resin R, the film F and the lid 218 by 180° in an up-and-down direction, heating the resin R at a temperature that is not finally cured and welding the resin R to the film F, inverting the guard 400, the pressing member 216, the resin R, the film F and the lid 218 by 180° in the up-and-down direction, removing the lid 218, moving the film F to which the resin R is welded, and sucking and holding the film F in a cavity 208 of an upper mold 204.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 16

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a compression molding apparatus and a compression molding method. [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 method using a compression molding method is known.

[0003] The compression molding method is a technology for resin-sealing by supplying a predetermined amount of resin to a sealing region (cavity) provided in a sealing mold comprising an upper mold and a lower mold, placing a workpiece in the sealing region, and clamping the upper and lower molds together. For example, when using a sealing mold with a cavity in the upper mold, a technology is known in which resin is supplied all at once to the center of the workpiece for molding. On the other hand, when using a sealing mold with a cavity in the lower mold, a technology is known in which a release film (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "film") that covers the mold surface including the cavity and resin are supplied for molding (see Patent Document 1: JP 2019-145550 A). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-145550 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] A known configuration involves placing resin on a film held by a guard and transporting it to a sealing mold, as exemplified by the compression molding apparatus and compression molding method described in Patent Document 1. However, this configuration has the problem that a minute gap occurs between the guard and the film, and resin can enter the gap, causing a deterioration in molding quality.

[0006] Furthermore, when the resin is granular, the particles pile up with gaps between them, creating a bulky structure that can easily lead to leakage from the guard or sealing mold (cavity). If the cavity depth is increased when the resin is supplied to prevent leakage, film wrinkles are likely to occur on the sides of the molded product, which can cause deterioration in molding quality. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a compression molding device and a compression molding method that can improve molding quality by preventing molding defects caused by resin entering between the guard and the film and molding defects caused by resin leakage.

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

[0009] A compression molding method according to one embodiment uses a compression molding device including a sealing mold having upper and lower molds, a dispenser for supplying resin, a guard having a through hole in the up-down direction, and a pressing member that is in close contact with the inner periphery of the through hole of the guard and is movable up and down, and seals a workpiece with the resin to form a molded product. The compression molding method includes a pressing member disposing step of disposing the pressing member at a predetermined position within the through hole of the guard, a pressing member placing step of placing the resin on the pressing member through the through hole of the guard, and a film disposing step of placing a film on the upper surface of the guard so as to cover the entire surface of the through hole, and a lid covering the film, and sandwiching the film between the upper surface of the guard and the lower surface of the lid. a resin pressing process in which the pressure member is moved upward to press the resin against the film; a pre-welding inversion process in which the guard, the pressure member, the resin, the film, and the lid are inverted 180° up and down; a heat welding process in which the resin is heated at a temperature at which the resin will not fully harden to weld it to the film; a pre-holding inversion process in which the guard, the pressure member, the resin, the film, and the lid are inverted 180° up and down; and an upper mold holding process in which the lid that fixes the film is removed, and then the film with the resin welded to it is moved upward at a position below the upper mold and suction-held in the cavity of the upper mold.

[0010] A compression molding method according to another embodiment is a compression molding method for molding a workpiece into a molded product by sealing the workpiece with resin using a compression molding device including a sealing mold having an upper mold and a lower mold, a dispenser for supplying resin, a guard having a through hole in the up-down direction, and a pressing member that is in close contact with an inner periphery of the through hole of the guard and can move up and down, a resin pressing step of moving the pressing member downward to press the resin against the film; a heat welding step of heating the resin at a temperature at which the resin will not fully harden to weld it to the film; a pre-holding inversion step of inverting the guard, the pressing member, the resin, the film, and the lid 180° up and down; and an upper mold holding step of removing the lid that has fixed the film, and then moving the film with the resin welded to it upward at a position below the upper mold and holding it by suction in the cavity of the upper mold.

[0011] According to the above embodiment, it is possible to prevent a gap from being formed between the guard and the film, and to prevent the resin from entering the gap. Furthermore, by pressing the resin, it is possible to eliminate or reduce the bulkiness of the resin, and to prevent the resin from leaking due to the bulkiness. This is particularly suitable for cases where the resin is in a granular, pulverized, or powdered form when supplied from the dispenser.

[0012] Preferably, the upper mold retaining step includes a scraping step of moving the pressing member upward to scrape out the resin adhering to the inner periphery of the guard. This prevents a portion of the resin from remaining on the inner periphery of the guard and becoming a source of dust, thereby preventing molding defects caused by the dust.

[0013] It is also preferable to further include a leveling step, prior to the resin pressing step, of vibrating the placed resin to level the layer thickness in the vertical direction. This allows the thickness of the placed granular resin to be leveled, thereby eliminating or reducing bulkiness and preventing molding defects.

[0014] It is also preferable to further include a film preheating step of heating the film after the film fixing step and before the pre-welding inversion step. This softens (melts) the resin in contact with the film, increasing its adhesive (welding) strength, thereby preventing the resin from becoming unevenly distributed within the through-holes when the pre-welding inversion step is performed. This prevents molding defects caused by uneven distribution.

[0015] Furthermore, one embodiment of a compression molding apparatus is a compression molding apparatus that uses a sealing mold having an upper mold and a lower mold to seal a workpiece with resin and process it into a molded product, and is required to include a dispenser that supplies the resin, a guard having a through hole formed therethrough in the vertical direction, a pressing member that is in close contact with the inner periphery of the through hole of the guard and can move up and down, and a lid that is placed over a film that is arranged to cover the entire surface of the through hole and moves together with the guard to clamp and fix the film.

[0016] Furthermore, it is preferable that the clamping portions of the guard and the lid that clamp the film are formed in a stepped or tapered shape with corresponding engaging shapes. This allows the film to be held in a taut state (a state in which tension is applied to prevent bending) by being clamped in the clamping portions. This further enhances the effect of preventing resin from entering between the guard and the film. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent resin from entering between the guard and the film, and also to prevent resin from leaking from the guard or the sealing mold (cavity), thereby preventing molding defects caused by these and improving molding quality. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view illustrating an example of a compression molding device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2 is a front cross-sectional view showing an example of a sealing mold of the compression molding apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] 2 is a front cross-sectional view showing an example of a second loader, a pressing member, and a guard of the compression molding apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 4] 2 is a plan view showing an example of a guard of the compression molding device of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 5] 1. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing another example of the guard of the compression molding apparatus of FIG. [Figure 6] 6A is a front cross-sectional view showing an example of a clamping unit of the compression molding apparatus of FIG. 1, FIG. 6A is an enlarged view of part A in FIG. 3, and FIG. 6B is an enlarged view of part B in FIG. [Figure 7] 7A and 7B are front cross-sectional views showing another example of the clamping unit of the compression molding device of FIG. 1, where FIG. 7A is an enlarged view of part A in FIG. 3 and FIG. 7B is an enlarged view of part B in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a compression molding method according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. [Figure 16]FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. [Figure 18] FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a compression molding method according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. 20. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. 21. [Figure 23] FIG. 23 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. 22. [Figure 24] FIG. 24 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. 23. [Figure 25] FIG. 25 is an explanatory diagram following FIG. 24. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] (Overall composition) Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a plan view (schematic diagram) showing an example of a compression molding apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. For ease of explanation, arrows in the drawing indicate the left-right direction (X direction), the front-rear direction (Y direction), and the up-down direction (Z direction) of the compression molding 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 of such members may be omitted.

[0020] The compression molding apparatus 1 according to this embodiment is an apparatus that performs resin sealing (compression molding) of a workpiece (molded article) W using a sealing mold 202 that includes an upper mold 204 and a lower mold 206. Hereinafter, the compression molding apparatus 1 will be described taking as an example a compression molding apparatus that collectively seals a plurality of workpieces W with resin R using a sealing mold 202 that has a plurality of cavities 208 (208A, 208B) in the upper mold 204 and a plurality of workpiece holders 205 (205A, 205B) corresponding to the lower mold 206. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration.

[0021] 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 rectangular plate-shaped components (so-called rectangular workpieces) such as resin substrates, ceramic substrates, metal substrates, carrier plates, lead frames, and wafers. Examples of the electronic components Wb include semiconductor chips, MEMS chips, passive elements, heat sinks, conductive components, spacers, and the like. Note that other examples of the substrate Wa may include components formed in a circular or square shape (not shown).

[0022] 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.

[0023] On the other hand, examples of resin R include granular (including cylindrical, etc.), pulverized, or powdered (sometimes collectively referred to as "granular" in this application) thermosetting resins (for example, filler-containing epoxy resins, etc.). Note that resin R is not limited to the above states, and may be in other states (shapes), such as liquid, plate, or sheet, and may be resins other than epoxy thermosetting resins.

[0024] As an example of the film F, a film material having excellent heat resistance, ease of peeling, 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 strip-shaped film corresponding to the strip-shaped workpiece W is used as the film F. However, the film F is not limited to this configuration.

[0025] Next, an overview of the compression molding apparatus 1 according to this embodiment will be described. As shown in Fig. 1, the compression molding apparatus 1 mainly comprises a work processing unit 100A that mainly supplies the workpiece W and stores the molded product Wp after resin sealing, a press unit 100B that mainly seals the workpiece W with resin and processes it into the molded product Wp, and a dispensing unit 100C that mainly supplies and stores (disposes of) film F and supplies resin R. In addition, a control unit 150 that controls the operation of each mechanism in each unit is disposed in the work processing unit 100A (although it may be disposed in another unit).

[0026] In this embodiment, the workpiece processing unit 100A, two press units 100B, and dispensing unit 100C are arranged in this order along a predetermined direction (for example, the X direction in FIG. 1). A number of guide rails (not shown) are linearly arranged between the units, and a first loader 210 for transporting the workpiece W and the molded product Wp, and a second loader 212 for transporting the film F, used film Fd, and resin R are arranged to be movable between the predetermined units along any of the guide rails. However, the configuration is not limited to the above. For example, the dispensing unit 100C may be arranged between the two press units 100B. Alternatively, the supply of the workpiece W and the storage of the molded product Wp may be performed by separate units. Regarding the loaders, a loader for transporting the workpiece W and a loader for transporting the molded product Wp may be separately arranged (neither is shown).

[0027] The overall configuration of the compression molding 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 arranged, but a configuration in which only one press unit 100B is arranged, or three or more press units 100B is arranged, etc. Also, a configuration in which other units are arranged (neither is shown) is possible.

[0028] (Work Processing Unit) Next, the workpiece processing unit 100A provided in the compression molding apparatus 1 will be described in detail.

[0029] The workpiece processing unit 100A includes a supply magazine 102 that stores a plurality of works W, and a storage magazine (not shown) that stores a plurality of molded products Wp. Here, the supply magazine 102 and the storage magazine may be a known stack magazine, slit magazine, or the like.

[0030] As an example, the workpiece processing unit 100A is provided with a supply rail 104 disposed behind the supply magazine 102, on which the workpiece W taken out from the supply magazine 102 is placed. In this embodiment, the workpiece W is supplied from the supply magazine 102 to the supply rail 104 via a relay rail 106 using a known pusher or the like (not shown). Furthermore, the workpiece processing unit 100A is provided with a supply pickup 120 that holds the workpiece W placed on the supply rail 104 and transports it to a predetermined position.

[0031] The workpiece processing unit 100A is also provided with a storage rail (not shown) disposed behind a storage magazine (not shown) on which the molded product Wp removed from the sealing mold 202 is placed. In this embodiment, the molded product Wp is stored in the storage magazine from the storage rail via a relay rail using a known pusher or the like (neither is shown). The workpiece processing unit 100A is also provided with a storage pickup 122 and a storage elevator 124 that receive the molded product Wp after resin sealing and transport it onto the storage rail (not shown).

[0032] The workpiece processing unit 100A also includes a first loader 210 that moves in the X and Y directions to transport the workpiece W and molded product Wp (in this embodiment, it is configured to be movable into the press unit 100B). As an example, the first loader 210 includes a first holding part 210A that holds the workpiece W held by the supply pickup 120 using a holding mechanism provided on one side and transports it to a predetermined holding position of the lower mold 206. The first loader 210 also includes a second holding part 210B that holds the molded product Wp held in the sealing mold 202 after resin sealing using a holding mechanism provided on one side and transports it to a predetermined position outside the sealing mold 202 (for example, a position where it is held by the storage pickup 122). However, this is not limited to this, and a configuration may also be provided in which a loader that moves in the Y direction to transport the workpiece W to the sealing mold 202 and a loader that moves in the X direction to transport the workpiece W between units are separately provided (not shown).

[0033] Here, the holding mechanism for the workpiece W in the first holding section 210A is configured to be arranged in two rows in the left-right direction so as to be able to hold two strip-shaped workpieces W. Similarly, the holding mechanism for the molded product Wp in the second holding section 210B is configured to be arranged in two rows in the left-right direction so as to be able to hold two strip-shaped molded products Wp. However, this configuration is not limited to these. Note that the holding mechanism may be a known holding mechanism (for example, a clamping configuration with holding claws, a suction configuration with suction holes communicating with a suction device for suction, etc.) (not shown).

[0034] The workpiece processing unit 100A also includes a workpiece heater 116 that heats the workpiece W from the substrate Wa side (the side on which the electronic components Wb are not mounted). As an example, a known heating mechanism (e.g., an electric wire heater, an infrared heater, etc.) is used for the workpiece heater 116. This allows the workpiece W to be preheated before being carried into the sealing mold 202 and heated. Note that the workpiece heater 116 may not be included.

[0035] (Press unit) Next, a detailed description will be given of the press unit 100B provided in the compression molding apparatus 1. Here, a front cross-sectional view (schematic view) of a sealing mold 202 provided in the press unit 100B is shown in FIG.

[0036] The press unit 100B is equipped with a sealing mold 202 having a pair of molds that can be opened and closed (for example, a combination of a plurality of mold blocks, mold plates, mold pillars, and other members made of alloy tool steel). In this embodiment, of the pair of molds, one mold on the upper side in the vertical direction is an upper mold 204, and the other mold on the lower side is a lower mold 206. This sealing mold 202 is closed and opened by the upper mold 204 and the lower mold 206 moving toward and away from each other. In other words, the vertical direction (up and down direction) is the mold opening and closing direction.

[0037] 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 is configured to include a pair of platens, a plurality of connecting mechanisms (tie bars and pillars) between which the pair of platens are supported, a drive source (for example, an electric motor) and a drive transmission mechanism (for example, a ball screw or a toggle link mechanism) that move (raise and lower) the platens (all not shown).

[0038] 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, which serves as a fixed mold, is assembled to a fixed platen (a platen fixed to the connecting mechanism), and a lower mold 206, which serves as a movable mold, is assembled to a movable platen (a platen that moves up and down along the connecting mechanism). However, this configuration is not limited to this, and the upper mold 204 may be assembled to the movable platen and the lower mold 206 may be assembled to the fixed platen, or both the upper mold 204 and the lower mold 206 may be assembled to the movable platen.

[0039] Next, the upper mold 204 of the sealing mold 202 will be described in detail. As shown in Fig. 2, 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 facing the lower mold 206).

[0040] More specifically, the cavity piece 226 is fixedly attached to the lower surface of the upper plate 222. Meanwhile, the clamper 228 is configured in an annular shape to surround the cavity piece 226, and is attached 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 innermost portion (bottom) of the cavity 208, and the clamper 228 forms the side portion of the cavity 208. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, two sets of cavities 208 are arranged side by side in the X direction in one upper mold 204 (208A, 208B in the drawing), and two workpieces W are resin-sealed (compression-molded) together. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration.

[0041] Here, a suction groove (not shown) is provided on the mold surface 206a of the lower mold 206 facing the clamper 228, and this groove is connected to a suction device (not shown). In addition, by providing a seal structure surrounding these, it becomes possible to evacuate the cavity 208 in a closed mold state by driving the suction device to reduce the pressure.

[0042] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a suction mechanism is provided that suction-holds the film F (in this embodiment, with the resin R welded thereto) supplied from a dispensing unit 100C (described later) to the upper mold 204. As an example, this suction mechanism has suction paths 230a and 230b that are disposed penetrating the clamper 228 and communicate with a suction device (not shown), and a suction path 230c that is disposed penetrating the upper plate 222 and the cavity piece 226 and communicates with the suction device (not shown). Specifically, one end of the suction paths 230a, 230b, and 230c communicates with the mold surface 204a of the upper mold 204, and the other end is connected to a suction device disposed outside the upper mold 204. This allows the suction device to be driven to suck the film F through the suction paths 230a, 230b, and 230c, and to suction-hold the film F against the mold surface 204a, including the inner surface of the cavity 208.

[0043] In this way, by providing a film F that covers the inner surface of the cavity 208 and (part of) the mold surface 204a of the upper mold 204, the resin R portion 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).

[0044] A gap of a predetermined dimension provided between the inner peripheral surface of the clamper 228 and the outer peripheral surface of the cavity piece 226 constitutes part of the suction path 230a. Therefore, a seal member 234 (e.g., an O-ring) is disposed at a predetermined position in the gap to provide a seal when the film F is sucked.

[0045] 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, etc., and heating is controlled by the control unit 150 (all of which are not shown). As an example, the heater is built into the upper plate 222 or a mold 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 and adjusted to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 100°C to 200°C).

[0046] Next, the lower mold 206 of the sealing mold 202 will be described in detail. As shown in Fig. 2, 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).

[0047] In this embodiment, a workpiece holding section 205 is provided to hold the workpiece W at a predetermined position on the upper surface of the holding plate 236. As an example, the workpiece holding section 205 has a suction passage 240a that penetrates the holding plate 236 and the lower plate 224 and communicates with a suction device (not shown). Specifically, one end of the suction passage 240a is connected to the die surface 206a of the lower die 206, and the other end is connected to a suction device disposed outside the lower die 206. This allows the suction device to be driven to suck the workpiece W through the suction passage 240a, and the workpiece W can be sucked and held on the die surface 206a (here, the upper surface of the holding plate 236). Furthermore, a configuration (not shown) may be provided in parallel with the configuration that includes the suction passage 240a and that includes holding claws that clamp the outer periphery of the workpiece W. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, two sets of workpiece holding portions 205 (205A and 205B in the figure) are arranged side by side in the X direction on one lower mold 206 in correspondence with the cavity 208 of the upper mold 204, but this is not limited to this.

[0048] Furthermore, 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, etc., and heating is controlled by the control unit 150 (all of which are not shown). 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).

[0049] (Dispense unit) Next, the dispensing unit 100C provided in the compression molding apparatus 1 will be described in detail.

[0050] The dispensing unit 100C includes a film supply mechanism 306 that supplies the film F and a dispenser 312 that supplies the resin R.

[0051] As an example, the film supply mechanism 306 is configured to include two film rolls 306A, 306B with an unwinding / winding mechanism, and a cutting mechanism (for example, a known fixed blade cutter, a heat melting cutter, etc.) that cuts the long film F. The film supply mechanism 306 may be configured with a single film roll, or may be configured to unwind in the X direction (neither is shown). This allows for the supply of strip-shaped film F of a predetermined length.

[0052] The dispensing unit 100C also includes a second loader 212 that moves in the X and Y directions to transport the film F and resin R to the sealing mold 202 and transports the used film Fd from inside the sealing mold 202 (in this embodiment, it is configured to be able to move into the press unit 100B). However, this is not limiting, and a configuration may also be provided in which a loader that moves in the Y direction to transport to the sealing mold 202 and a loader that moves in the X direction to transport between units are separately provided (not shown).

[0053] As an example, the second loader 212 includes a third holding section 212A that holds the film F and resin R, transports them into the sealing mold 202, and holds them in the cavity 208 of the upper mold 204 (partially including the mold surface 204a). Also, the second loader 212 includes a fourth holding section 212B that holds the used film Fd, transports it from the sealing mold 202, and transports it to the disposer 316 for disposal.

[0054] 3, a guard 400 having a through hole 400a formed therethrough in the vertical direction is provided. A pressing member 216 is provided in close contact with the inner periphery of the through hole 400a of the guard 400 and is movable up and down. A lid 218 is provided to cover a film F arranged to cover the entire surface of the through hole 400a of the guard 400 (i.e., to close the opening of the through hole 400a) and to clamp and fix the film F in cooperation with the guard 400. The guard 400, pressing member 216, and lid 218 may all be configured to be incorporated into the second loader 212 as a single unit, or may be configured to be incorporated separately (i.e., to be engaged and disengaged as appropriate).

[0055] As shown in FIG. 4, the guard 400 according to this embodiment has a flat plate-like shape with a predetermined thickness, with the upper and lower surfaces parallel to each other, and includes a film holding portion 400A in the center that holds the film F. The film holding portion 400A also has a through-hole 400a formed vertically through the film F at a position corresponding to the film F (the position where the film F is held) so that the film F is exposed. The through-hole 400a is formed to correspond to the position and shape of the cavity 208, and the interior thereof serves as a space for containing the resin R. A plurality of suction holes 400c are provided around the through-hole 400a to apply suction force to hold the film F. The suction holes 400c are connected to a suction force generating mechanism (not shown). This mechanism allows the film F to be sucked and held at a predetermined position on the guard 400. While the guard 400 according to this embodiment has an individual configuration corresponding to each cavity 208, as a modified example, it may have an integrated configuration corresponding to multiple (in this case, two sets of) cavities 208, as shown in FIG. 5.

[0056] According to the above configuration, resin R can be contained in through-hole 400a of guard 400. At that time, film F can be fixed to guard 400 in a state in which film F is sandwiched between guard 400 and lid 218. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a gap from occurring between guard 400 and film F, thereby preventing resin from getting between guard 400 and film F, which was a problem in the past.

[0057] It is preferable that the guard 400 and the lid 218 have a stepped shape (see FIGS. 6A and 6B) or a tapered shape (see FIGS. 7A and 7B) in which the clamping portions 220 that clamp the film F have corresponding engaging shapes. This allows the film F to be in a taut state (a state in which tension is applied to prevent bending) simply by clamping the film F with the clamping portions 220. This further enhances the effect of preventing resin from getting between the guard 400 and the film F.

[0058] Furthermore, the second loader 212 according to this embodiment is equipped with an inversion mechanism (not shown) that collectively inverts the guard 400, the pressing member 216, and the lid 218 by 180° up and down. For example, if the film F is sandwiched between the guard 400 and the lid 218 and the inside of the through-hole 400a is closed by the pressing member 216 and the film F, the through-hole 400a can be inverted by 180° up and down while the resin R is contained in the through-hole 400a (without leaking the resin R).

[0059] On the other hand, the pressing member 216 according to this embodiment is configured to be movable up and down within the through-hole 400a of the guard 400 and has a plate surface 216a that presses the resin R toward the film F. By moving the pressing member 216, the resin R contained within the through-hole 400a of the guard 400 can be pressed toward the film F. This eliminates or reduces the bulkiness of the resin R, which occurs when particles of the resin R pile up with gaps between them. (Note: If there are areas within the through-hole 400a where the resin R is not fully distributed, this also has the effect of filling those areas with the resin R.) Furthermore, by heating the resin R to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 60°C) that does not fully harden the resin R, the resin R can be melted and welded to the film F. The plate surface 216a may also be shaped to allow molding into a resin shape that can seal even the fine details of the electronic component Wb or a resin shape that can prevent wire deformation. Here, it is preferable that the plate surface 216a is subjected to a surface treatment that prevents the resin R from adhering. This prevents the pressed resin R from adhering to the plate surface 216a. Alternatively, a cooling mechanism (not shown) may be provided to control the temperature rise of the pressing member 216, and adhesion may be prevented by treatment to increase the surface hardness. Note that a known moving mechanism (for example, a ball screw or cylinder mechanism) or the like is used (not shown) to move the pressing member 216.

[0060] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a vibration mechanism (not shown) is provided that vibrates the guard 400 in at least one direction of front-back, left-right, or up-down. This allows the thickness of the granular resin R contained in the through-hole 400a to be leveled (uniformed). Therefore, bulkiness can be eliminated or reduced, and molding defects can be prevented. Note that the configuration may not include the vibration mechanism.

[0061] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a heating mechanism (not shown) is provided that heats the film F to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 60°C) that does not completely cure the resin R. The heating mechanism may be configured to be disposed (integrated) in the second loader 212, or may be configured to be disposed in the dispensing unit 100C (or in the press unit 100B) separately from the second loader 212. As a modified example, the resin R may be directly heated.

[0062] As an example of this heating mechanism, a configuration in which a heating through-hole is formed in the lid 218 described above and the film F is heated by passing through the heating through-hole and coming into contact with or close to the film F (for example, a heater block with a built-in heating wire), or a configuration in which heat is radiated or emitted so as to pass through the heating through-hole to heat the film F (for example, an infrared heater) can be used (neither of which is shown). Alternatively, as another example, a configuration in which a heating through-hole is not formed in the lid 218, but the film F is heated indirectly by heating the lid 218 with a similar heater or the like (neither of which is shown).

[0063] According to the above configuration, the resin R can be indirectly or directly heated to a predetermined temperature (a temperature that does not cause full curing). Therefore, the resin R in contact with the film F can be softened (melted) to increase the adhesive (welding) strength, and the resin R can be welded to the film F with a uniform thickness. The resin R can be transported into the sealing mold 202 by the second loader 212 and held at a predetermined position (in the cavity 208) in the sealing mold 202 (in this embodiment, the upper mold 204).

[0064] (Compression molding method according to the first embodiment) Next, a compression molding method (first embodiment) for performing resin sealing (compression molding) using the compression molding apparatus 1 will be described.

[0065] In this embodiment, an example is given in which particulate resin R is used, such as granular (including cylindrical, etc.), pulverized, or powdered resin, when supplied from the dispenser 312. Also, an example is given in which one upper mold 204 has two sets of cavities 208, and two workpieces W (e.g., strip-shaped workpieces) are placed in one lower mold 206 and resin-sealed together to simultaneously obtain two molded products Wp. However, the present invention is not limited to these configurations. Note that FIGS. 8 to 17 are front cross-sectional views taken in the same direction as FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0066] First, 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 (e.g., 100°C to 200°C) by an upper die heating mechanism. Also, a heating step (lower die heating step) is carried out in which the lower die 206 is heated to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 100°C to 200°C) by a lower die heating mechanism.

[0067] 8, a pressing member placement step is performed in which the pressing member 216 is placed at a predetermined position in the through-hole 400a of the guard 400. At this time, the pressing member 216 is placed so that the entire outer periphery of the pressing member 216 (plate surface 216a) is surrounded by the guard 400 up to a position higher than the plate surface 216a, which is the upper surface of the pressing member 216.

[0068] 9, the guard 400 (with the pressing member 216 disposed in the through-hole 400a) is moved to a position directly below the nozzle 312a of the dispenser 312. In this state, the resin R is poured from the nozzle 312a of the dispenser 312 into the through-hole 400a of the guard 400. In this manner, a pressing member-on-placement step is performed in which the resin R is placed on the pressing member 216 (on the plate surface 216a) disposed in the guard 400.

[0069] In the above-described pressing member placement step, when the resin R is dropped from the nozzle 312a, it is preferable to move the guard 400 (in a state where the pressing member 216 is placed in the through-hole 400a) along an arbitrary pattern. This allows the resin R to be supplied without creating too much bulk in the through-hole 400a. It is also possible to configure the guard 400 not to move in this way.

[0070] Next, as shown in Fig. 10, a leveling step is carried out in which vibrations are applied to the resin R placed on the pressing member 216 to level (uniform) the layer thickness in the vertical direction. This makes it possible to level the thickness of the granular resin R placed on the pressing member 216. Therefore, bulkiness is eliminated or reduced, and molding defects can be prevented. It is also possible to configure the system without including this leveling step.

[0071] 11, a film F is placed on the upper surface of the guard 400 so as to cover the entire surface of the through-hole 400a (i.e., so as to block the upper opening of the through-hole 400a), and then the lid 218 is placed over the film F to sandwich and fix the film F between the upper surface of the guard 400 and the lower surface of the lid 218, in a film fixing process. This makes it possible to hold the film F without creating a gap between the guard 400 and the film F. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the resin R contained in the through-hole 400a from entering between the guard 400 and the film F, thereby preventing molding defects caused by the resin entering. The film fixing process may be performed before the above-mentioned leveling process.

[0072] 12, a resin pressing step is performed in which the pressing member 216 is moved upward to continuously or discontinuously (instantaneously) press the resin R against the film F. This allows the resin R to be leveled (or maintained in a leveled state) within the through-hole 400a.

[0073] Next, as shown in Figure 13, a pre-welding inversion process is carried out in which the guard 400 (with the resin R contained in the through hole 400a), the pressing member 216 placed in the through hole 400a of the guard 400, and the film F and lid 218 fixed to the guard 400 are all inverted 180° up and down.

[0074] It is preferable to carry out a film preheating step before the pre-welding reversing step (or before the resin pressing step described above), in which the film F is heated to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 60°C) at which the resin R will not fully harden. For example, the film F may be heated directly, or the film F may be heated indirectly by heating the lid 218 that contacts (or is close to) the film F. This softens (melts) the resin R that contacts the film F, increasing its adhesive (welding) strength, thereby preventing the resin R from becoming unevenly distributed within the through-hole 400a when the pre-welding reversing step is carried out. This prevents molding defects caused by uneven distribution. It is also possible to omit the film preheating step.

[0075] Next, as shown in FIG. 14 , a heat welding process is performed in which the resin R is heated to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 60°C) that does not fully harden the resin R, thereby welding the resin R to the film F. For example, the resin R may be heated directly, or the film F on which the resin R is held (placed) may be heated to indirectly heat the resin R. When heating the film F, the film F may be heated directly, as in the above-described method, or the film F may be heated indirectly by heating the lid 218 that contacts (or is close to) the film F. This softens (melts) the resin R and welds it to the film F. It is also preferable to perform a resin pressing process in which a pressing member 216 is moved downward to press the resin R against the film F continuously or discontinuously (instantaneously). This allows for efficient supply of heat to the resin R and thermal insulation of the pressing member 216.

[0076] 15, a pre-holding inversion step is performed in which the guard 400 (with the resin R contained in the through-hole 400a), the pressing member 216 disposed in the through-hole 400a of the guard 400, and the film F and lid 218 fixed to the guard 400 are all inverted 180° up and down at once. At this time, it is preferable to perform this step after moving the pressing member 216 upward, but it may also be performed without moving it upward.

[0077] 16, after the lid 218 fixing the film F is removed from the guard 400, the film F with the resin R welded thereto is moved upward from a position below the upper mold 204 by, for example, moving the pressing member 216 upward, and is then accommodated in a predetermined position (including part of the mold surface 204a) within the cavity 208 of the upper mold 204 and held by suction, thereby carrying out an in-mold holding step. This allows the amount of resin R required for one step to be supplied and held within the cavity 208 together with the film F.

[0078] In the above-described upper mold retaining step, it is preferable to carry out a scraping step in which the pressing member 216 is moved upward to scrape out the resin R adhering to the inner periphery of the guard 400 (i.e., the inner periphery of the through-hole 400a). This prevents a portion of the resin R from remaining on the inner periphery of the guard 400 and becoming a source of dust, thereby preventing molding defects caused by the dust. At this time, a resin pressing step in which the resin R is discontinuously (instantaneously) pressed against the film F may be carried out. This raises the temperature to a temperature higher than the preheating temperature, which promotes melting of the resin R and further reduces "bulkiness."

[0079] Next, the second loader 212 (third holding section 212A) is moved to transport (carry out) the guard 400, the pressing member 216, and the lid 218 to the outside of the sealing mold 202.

[0080] Next, a workpiece carrying-in step is performed in which the first loader 210 (first holding unit 210A) carries (carries) the workpiece W into the sealing mold 202. It is preferable to preheat the workpiece W in advance using the workpiece heater 116, and then hold the workpiece W carried into the sealing mold 202 by the first loader 210 at a predetermined position in the lower mold 206 as shown in FIG. 17 (however, preheating may be omitted). In this embodiment, two workpieces W are held side by side. Note that this workpiece carrying-in step may be performed before the above-mentioned holding step in the upper mold.

[0081] The subsequent steps are the same as those in conventional compression molding methods, and include closing the sealing mold 202 and clamping the two workpieces W between the upper mold 204 and the lower mold 206. At this time, the cavity pieces 226 in each of the two sets of cavities 208 descend relatively to one another to heat and pressurize the resin R onto the two workpieces W. This thermally hardens the resin R, completing resin sealing (compression molding). Next, the sealing mold 202 is opened, and the two molded products Wp and the used film Fd are separated. Next, the first loader 210 (second holding unit 210B) transports (carries out) the two molded products Wp from the sealing mold 202. The second loader 212 (fourth holding unit 212B) transports (carries out) the two used films Fd from the sealing mold 202.

[0082] The above are the main steps of the compression molding method (first embodiment) performed using the compression molding apparatus 1. However, the above order of steps is just one example, and the order of steps can be changed or performed in parallel as long as there is no problem. For example, in this embodiment, an apparatus configuration is adopted that includes multiple (two, for example) press units 100B, and therefore, by performing the above operations in parallel, efficient formation of molded products is possible.

[0083] (Compression molding method according to the second embodiment) Next, a compression molding method (second embodiment) for performing resin sealing (compression molding) using the above-mentioned compression molding apparatus 1 will be described. This embodiment differs from the above-mentioned first embodiment in that it has a configuration in which resin R supplied from a dispenser 312 is placed on a film F held by a guard 400, and a series of steps compatible with this are included. The following mainly describes these differences. Note that this embodiment also uses granular resin R, and takes as an example a configuration in which one upper mold 204 has two sets of cavities 208. Also, Figures 18 to 25 are front cross-sectional views taken in the same direction as Figures 2 and 3.

[0084] First, 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 (e.g., 100°C to 200°C) by an upper die heating mechanism. Also, a heating step (lower die heating step) is carried out in which the lower die 206 is heated to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 100°C to 200°C) by a lower die heating mechanism.

[0085] 18, a film F is placed on the lower surface of guard 400 so as to cover the entire surface of through-hole 400a (i.e., so as to block the lower opening of through-hole 400a), and then lid 218 is placed from below the film F to sandwich and fix the film F between the lower surface of guard 400 and the upper surface of lid 218, in a film fixing step. This makes it possible to hold the film F without generating a gap between guard 400 and film F. Therefore, it is possible to prevent resin R contained in through-hole 400a from entering between guard 400 and film F, and therefore it is possible to prevent molding defects caused by the resin R entering between guard 400 and film F.

[0086] 19, the guard 400 (with the film F fixed thereto) is moved to a position directly below the nozzle 312a of the dispenser 312. In this state, the resin R is poured from the nozzle 312a of the dispenser 312 into the through-hole 400a of the guard 400. In this manner, a film-on-placement step is performed in which the resin R is placed on the film F fixed to the guard 400 (on the surface of the film F exposed in the through-hole 400a).

[0087] In the above-described film-mounting step, it is preferable to move the guard 400 (with the film F fixed thereto) along an arbitrary pattern when dropping the resin R from the nozzle 312a. This allows the resin R to be supplied without creating too much bulk in the through-hole 400a. It is also possible to configure the guard 400 not to move in this manner.

[0088] Next, as shown in Fig. 20, a leveling step is carried out in which vibrations are applied to the resin R placed on the film F to level (uniform) the layer thickness in the vertical direction. This makes it possible to level the thickness of the granular resin R placed on the film F. Therefore, bulkiness is eliminated or reduced, and molding defects can be prevented. It is also possible to configure the system without the leveling step.

[0089] 21, a pressing member placement step is performed in which the pressing member 216 is placed at a predetermined position in the through-hole 400a of the guard 400. At this time, the inside of the through-hole 400a is made to be a space closed by the pressing member 216 and the film F.

[0090] 22, a resin pressing step is performed in which the pressing member 216 is moved downward to continuously or discontinuously (instantaneously) press the resin R against the film F. This allows the resin R to be leveled (or maintained in a leveled state) within the through-hole 400a. Note that moving to the next step in a pressed state is more effective in preventing the resin R from becoming uneven.

[0091] Next, as shown in FIG. 23 , a heat welding process is performed in which the resin R is heated to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 60°C) that does not fully harden the resin R, thereby welding the resin R to the film F. For example, the resin R may be heated directly, or the film F on which the resin R is held (placed) may be heated to heat the resin R indirectly. When heating the film F, the film F may be heated directly, or the film F may be heated indirectly by heating the lid 218 that contacts (or is close to) the film F. This softens (melts) the resin R and welds it to the film F. It is also preferable to perform a resin pressing process in which a pressing member 216 is moved downward to press the resin R against the film F continuously or discontinuously (instantaneously). This allows for efficient supply of heat to the resin R and efficient insulation of the pressing member 216.

[0092] 24, a pre-holding inversion step is performed in which the guard 400 (with the resin R contained in the through-hole 400a), the pressing member 216 disposed in the through-hole 400a of the guard 400, and the film F and lid 218 fixed to the guard 400 are all inverted 180° up and down at once. At this time, it is preferable to perform this step after moving the pressing member 216 upward, but it may also be performed without moving it upward.

[0093] 25, after lid 218 fixing film F is removed from guard 400, pressing member 216 is moved upward, for example, to move film F with resin R welded thereto upward from a position below upper mold 204, and an upper mold holding step is performed in which film F is accommodated in a predetermined position (including part of mold surface 204a) within cavity 208 of upper mold 204 and held by suction. This allows the amount of resin R required for one step to be supplied and held within cavity 208 together with film F.

[0094] In the above-described upper mold retaining step, it is preferable to carry out a scraping step in which the pressing member 216 is moved upward to scrape out the resin R adhering to the inner periphery of the guard 400 (i.e., the inner periphery of the through-hole 400a). This prevents a portion of the resin R from remaining on the inner periphery of the guard 400 and becoming a source of dust, thereby preventing molding defects caused by the dust. At this time, a resin pressing step in which the resin R is discontinuously (instantaneously) pressed against the film F may be carried out. This raises the temperature to a temperature higher than the preheating temperature, which promotes melting of the resin R and further reduces "bulkiness."

[0095] The subsequent steps are the same as those in the first embodiment, and therefore will not be described again.

[0096] The above are the main steps of the compression molding method (second embodiment) performed using the compression molding apparatus 1. However, the above order of steps is just one example, and the order of steps can be changed or performed in parallel as long as there is no problem. For example, in this embodiment, an apparatus configuration is adopted that includes multiple (two, for example) press units 100B, and therefore, by performing the above operations in parallel, efficient formation of molded products is possible.

[0097] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent a gap from occurring between the guard and the film, and to prevent resin from entering the gap. Furthermore, by pressing the resin, it is possible to eliminate or reduce the bulkiness of the resin, and to prevent resin leakage due to the bulkiness. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent film wrinkles from easily occurring on the side surfaces of the molded product when the cavity depth is increased during resin supply to prevent resin leakage. Therefore, molding defects caused by resin entering between the guard and the film and molding defects caused by resin leakage can be prevented, thereby improving molding quality.

[0098] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. In particular, although the sealing resin has been described as a particulate thermosetting resin such as granular, pulverized, or powdered, the present invention is not limited to this, and can also be applied to configurations using resin in liquid, plate, sheet, or other form. [Explanation of symbols]

[0099] 1. Compression molding equipment 204 Upper mold 206 Lower mold 208 Cavity 216 Pressing member 218 Lid 400 Guard F release film R Sealing resin double work

Claims

1. A compression molding method for molding a workpiece into a molded product by sealing the workpiece with resin using a compression molding device including a sealing mold having an upper mold and a lower mold, a dispenser for supplying resin, a guard having a through hole in the up-down direction, and a pressing member that is in close contact with an inner periphery of the through hole of the guard and is movable up and down, a pressing member disposing step of disposing the pressing member at a predetermined position within the through hole of the guard; a pressing member placing step of placing the resin on the pressing member through the through hole of the guard; a film fixing step of placing a film on the upper surface of the guard so as to cover the entire surface of the through-hole, placing a lid on top of the film, and sandwiching and fixing the film between the upper surface of the guard and the lower surface of the lid; a resin pressing step of moving the pressing member upward to press the resin against the film; a pre-welding inversion process of inverting the guard, the pressing member, the resin, the film, and the lid 180° up and down; a heat welding step of heating the resin at a temperature at which the resin does not fully cure, thereby welding the resin to the film; a pre-holding inversion step of inverting the guard, the pressing member, the resin, the film, and the lid up and down by 180°; and an upper mold holding step of removing the lid that fixes the film, and then moving the film with the resin welded thereto upward from a position below the upper mold and holding it by suction in the cavity of the upper mold. A compression molding method characterized by:

2. A compression molding method for molding a workpiece into a molded product by sealing the workpiece with resin using a compression molding device including a sealing mold having an upper mold and a lower mold, a dispenser for supplying resin, a guard having a through hole in the up-down direction, and a pressing member that is in close contact with an inner periphery of the through hole of the guard and is movable up and down, a film fixing step of placing a film on the lower surface of the guard so as to cover the entire surface of the through-hole, placing a lid on the film from below, and sandwiching and fixing the film between the lower surface of the guard and the upper surface of the lid; a film-on-placement step of placing the resin on the film through the through-hole of the guard; a pressing member disposing step of disposing the pressing member at a predetermined position within the through hole of the guard; a resin pressing step of moving the pressing member downward to press the resin against the film; a heat welding step of heating the resin at a temperature at which the resin does not fully cure, thereby welding the resin to the film; a pre-holding inversion step of inverting the guard, the pressing member, the resin, the film, and the lid up and down by 180°; and an upper mold holding step of removing the lid that fixes the film, and then moving the film with the resin welded thereto upward from a position below the upper mold and holding it by suction in the cavity of the upper mold. A compression molding method characterized by:

3. The resin is in the form of particles, granules, pulverized particles, or powder when dispensed from the dispenser.

3. The compression molding method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:

4. The upper mold holding step includes a scraping step of moving the pressing member upward to scrape out the resin adhering to the inner peripheral portion of the guard.

3. The compression molding method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:

5. The method further includes a leveling step of leveling the thickness of the laminated resin in the vertical direction by vibrating the resin placed thereon before the resin pressing step.

3. The compression molding method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein:

6. The method further includes a film preheating step of heating the film after the film fixing step and before the pre-welding inversion step. The compression molding method according to claim 1,

7. A compression molding apparatus that uses a sealing mold having an upper mold and a lower mold to seal a workpiece with resin and process it into a molded product, a dispenser for supplying the resin; a guard having a through hole formed therethrough in the vertical direction; a pressing member that is in close contact with an inner periphery of the through hole of the guard and is movable up and down; a cover that covers a film disposed so as to cover the entire surface of the through-hole and that cooperates with the guard to clamp and fix the film. A compression molding device characterized by:

8. The guard and the lid have clamping portions that clamp the film and are formed in a stepped or tapered shape with corresponding engaging shapes.

8. The compression molding apparatus according to claim 7,

9. A reversing mechanism is provided that can turn the guard, the pressing member, and the lid up and down by 180 degrees.

9. The compression molding apparatus according to claim 7 or 8, wherein:

10. The lid has a heating through hole formed therethrough in the vertical direction, Further comprising a heating mechanism for heating the film through the heating through-hole of the lid.

9. The compression molding apparatus according to claim 7 or 8, wherein:

11. The resin is in the form of particles, granules, pulverized particles, or powder when dispensed from the dispenser.

9. The compression molding apparatus according to claim 7 or 8, wherein:

Images