Resin molding apparatus and method for manufacturing resin molded products

Abstract

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

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technology of resin molding apparatuses and methods for manufacturing resin molded products.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a resin sealing apparatus that uses a press apparatus having a mold with an upper mold and a lower mold to seal a workpiece with resin and process it into a molded product. The resin sealing apparatus described in Patent Document 1 includes a loader that conveys a workpiece to the mold and a workpiece heater that preheats the workpiece. Before conveying the workpiece before resin sealing to the mold, the loader brings the workpiece into contact with the workpiece heater to preheat the workpiece. By performing preheating, the workpiece before resin sealing can be softened, preventing the workpiece from cracking.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the technology described in Patent Document 1, since a workpiece heater is disposed inside the resin sealing apparatus, the apparatus may be enlarged and the manufacturing cost may increase.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and the problem to be solved is to provide a resin molding apparatus and a method for manufacturing a resin molded product capable of preheating a molding object at a low cost.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The problems that the present invention aims to solve are as described above, and in order to solve these problems, the present invention provides a resin molding apparatus comprising a molding die having a temperature-adjustable upper mold and a lower mold, and a transport mechanism capable of transporting a workpiece to be molded to the lower surface of the upper mold, wherein the transport mechanism comprises a lifting member that can be raised and lowered, a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the lifting member, a mounting table provided on the lifting member on which the workpiece to be molded is placed, a pin that can be raised and lowered up and down within a predetermined range of motion, and an elastic member disposed between the lifting member and the pin and applying an upward force to the pin, wherein when the pin is in the uppermost position within the range of motion, the upper end of the pin is located above the mounting table described above, and the lifting mechanism raises the lifting member when the mounting table described above is located below the upper mold.

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

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

[0009] [Figure 1] A schematic plan view showing the overall configuration of a resin molding apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] A side view showing the schematic configuration of a resin molding module. [Figure 3] A side view (partially a cross-sectional view) showing the schematic configuration of the upper mold and substrate loader. [Figure 4] A schematic diagram showing the general configuration of the lifting mechanism. [Figure 5] A diagram showing the time-dependent changes in cylinder pressure and mounting platform height. [Figure 6](a) A side view (partially a cross-sectional view) of the substrate loader with the raising of the mounting platform restricted. (b) A side view (partially a cross-sectional view) of the substrate loader with the object to be molded in contact with the upper mold. [Figure 7] (a) A diagram showing an example of increasing cylinder pressure in a curve. (b) A diagram showing an example of increasing cylinder pressure in steps. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

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

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

[0012] As shown in Figure 1, the resin molding apparatus 1 of the embodiment comprises, from right to left in the figure, a release film cutting module 10, a resin supply module 20, a resin molding module 30, and a transport module 40. Each module is separate, but they are detachable from and can be added or removed from adjacent modules. For example, the resin molding apparatus 1 can be configured with two or three resin molding modules 30 placed between the resin supply module 20 and the transport module 40.

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

[0014] The resin supply module 20 mainly comprises a resin transport mechanism 21, a film recovery mechanism 22, a liquid resin discharge mechanism 23, a film adsorption table 24, and a control unit CTR. The resin transport mechanism 21 and the film recovery mechanism 22 are integrated and can move between the release film cutting module 10 and the resin molding module 30. The resin transport mechanism 21 can transport the release film 12 to which the liquid resin 70 has been supplied to the mold 31, which will be described later. The film recovery mechanism 22 can recover the used release film 12 from inside the mold 31. The liquid resin discharge mechanism 23 can supply liquid resin 70 (see Figure 2) onto the release film 12. The film adsorption table 24 can adsorb and hold the cut release film 12. Below the film adsorption table 24, there is a weighing device (not shown) which can weigh the liquid resin 70 discharged onto the release film 12. The control unit CTR can control the operation of each part of the resin molding apparatus 1.

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

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

[0017] In addition, the upper mold 34 has suction holes (not shown) for sucking and holding the object to be molded (the pre-molded substrate 5 and the molded substrate 6). Further, heaters (not shown) for temperature control (heating) are provided in the lower mold 32 and the upper mold 34, respectively. When resin molding is performed, the lower mold 32 and the upper mold 34 are heated to appropriate temperatures according to the resin molded product, respectively.

[0018] In the resin molding module 30, by clamping the molding die 31 with the die clamping mechanism 35, resin molding of the pre-molded substrate 5 on which the chip as the object to be molded is mounted can be performed, and the molded substrate 6 in which the chip is resin-sealed can be formed. Examples of the substrate include semiconductor substrates such as silicon wafers, lead frames, printed wiring boards, metal substrates, resin substrates, glass substrates, and ceramic substrates. Further, the substrate may be a carrier used for FOWLP (Fan Out Wafer Level Packaging) or FOPLP (Fan Out Panel Level Packaging). Furthermore, it may be one on which wiring has already been performed, or one without wiring.

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

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

[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, the pre-molding substrate 5 on which chips are mounted is accommodated in the pre-molding substrate storage unit 45. At this time, the chips are located on the upper side of the pre-molding substrate 5. First, the suction hand 42 is inserted below the pre-molding substrate 5 in the pre-molding substrate storage unit 45, and the suction hand 42 adsorbs the pre-molding substrate 5. After the suction hand 42 adsorbs the pre-molding substrate 5, the pre-molding substrate 5 is taken out from the pre-molding substrate storage unit 45 by moving the suction hand 42 outside the pre-molding substrate storage unit 45. Here, the pre-molding substrate 5 is taken out from the pre-molding substrate storage unit 45 with the chip mounting side facing upward. <00001​Next, the pre-molded substrate 5, which is held in place by the suction hand 42, is inverted so that the chip mounting side of the pre-molded substrate 5 is facing downwards. Then, the suction hand moving mechanism 43 moves the suction hand 42, and the suction hand moving mechanism 43 places the pre-molded substrate 5 onto the substrate loader 100 with the chip mounting surface of the pre-molded substrate 5 held in place by the suction hand 42 facing downwards.

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

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

[0025] After the release film 12 is held by the film adsorption platform 24, the liquid resin dispensing mechanism 23 dispenses the liquid resin 70 onto the release film 12. The liquid resin dispensing mechanism 23 dispenses the liquid resin 70 while moving horizontally (in the X and Y directions) along a predetermined path. For example, the liquid resin dispensing mechanism 23 supplies the liquid resin 70 spirally onto the release film 12 by moving along a spiral path. The weight of the liquid resin 70 supplied onto the release film 12 is measured by a weighing device (not shown).

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

[0027] The release film 12, transported between the upper mold 34 and the lower mold 32 by the resin transport mechanism 21, is placed in a cavity 33 consisting of the side member 32a and the bottom member 32b of the lower mold 32, as shown in Figure 2. After the release film 12 is placed in the cavity 33, the lower mold 32 adsorbs the release film 12 using adsorption grooves (not shown) of the side member 32a and the bottom member 32b. Liquid resin 70 is placed on the release film 12. The liquid resin 70 is a thermosetting resin. When the liquid resin 70 is heated, its viscosity decreases temporarily. After that, the liquid resin 70 hardens. As mentioned above, the lower mold 32 is heated. When the lower mold 32 adsorbs the release film 12, the lower mold 32 heats the liquid resin 70 on the release film 12, and the viscosity of the liquid resin 70 decreases.

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

[0029] The molded substrate 6 is removed from the upper mold 34 by the substrate loader 100 shown in Figure 1 and held with the chip mounting side facing downwards. The substrate loader 100 then moves from the resin molding module 30 to the transport module 40. At this point, the release film 12 remaining in the cavity 33 is recovered by the film recovery mechanism 22 and discarded in a waste film box (not shown).

[0030] The molded substrate 6, held by the substrate loader 100, is transported to the transport module 40, where it is held by the suction hand 42 with the chip mounting side facing downwards. Subsequently, the molded substrate 6 held by the suction hand 42 is inverted so that the chip mounting side of the molded substrate 6 faces upwards, and the suction hand moving mechanism 43 moves the suction hand 42 into the molded substrate storage section 46. The suction hand 42 then stops its grip on the molded substrate 6, thereby housing the molded substrate 6 in the molded substrate storage section 46 with the chip mounting side facing upwards. In this way, a resin molded product (molded substrate 6) can be manufactured.

[0031] <Configuration of PCB loader 100> Next, we will explain the configuration of the substrate loader 100 in more detail using Figure 3.

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

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

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

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

[0036] The regulating mechanism 140 is capable of restricting the upward movement of the lifting member 120 to a predetermined position. The regulating mechanism 140 mainly comprises a housing 141, a pin 142, a spring 143, and the like.

[0037] The housing 141 is a hollow component. The housing 141 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, for example, with its axis oriented vertically. The housing 141 has a hollow section 141a that can accommodate a spring 143 or the like inside.

[0038] The pin 142 is a component that can move up and down relative to the housing 141. The pin 142 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape with its axis oriented in the vertical direction. The pin 142 is positioned to penetrate the upper surface of the housing 141 vertically. The pin 142 is positioned to be movable up and down relative to the housing 141. A disc-shaped flange portion 142a is formed at the lower end of the pin 142. The flange portion 142a is housed inside the housing 141 (hollow portion 141a). By forming the flange portion 142a on the pin 142, it is possible to prevent the pin 142 from coming out of the housing 141. In addition, the flange portion 142a can move up and down from the upper end to the lower end of the hollow portion 141a. This allows the pin 142 to be raised and lowered within a predetermined range of motion. When the flange portion 142a is located at the upper end of the hollow portion 141a, the flange portion 142a contacts the upper wall of the housing 141, preventing the pin 142 from coming out of the housing 141.

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

[0040] The regulating mechanism 140 configured as described above is provided on the upper surface of the lifting member 120. Multiple regulating mechanisms 140 are provided around the mounting base 130. The number and arrangement of the regulating mechanisms 140 are not particularly limited. Figure 3 shows two regulating mechanisms 140 provided around the mounting base 130. As shown in Figure 3, when the pin 142, pushed up by the spring 143, is at the uppermost end of the range of motion, the upper end of the pin 142 is located above the upper surface of the mounting base 130. The state in which the flange portion 142a is in contact with the upper wall of the housing 141 is the state in which the pin 142 is at the uppermost end of the range of motion. Even when the pin 142 is at the uppermost end of the range of motion, the spring 143 is compressed in the vertical direction, applying an upward force to the pin 142.

[0041] The lifting mechanism 150 shown in Figures 3 and 4 is for raising and lowering the lifting member 120. The lifting mechanism 150 mainly comprises an air cylinder 151, a solenoid valve 152, and a pressure regulating mechanism 153, etc.

[0042] The air cylinder 151 is an actuator that can extend and retract using compressed air. The air cylinder 151 mainly comprises a cylinder body 151a and a piston rod 151b, etc.

[0043] The cylinder body 151a shown in Figure 4 is a hollow member. An upper port 151c and a lower port 151d are formed at the upper and lower ends of the cylinder body 151a, respectively. The upper port 151c and the lower port 151d are through holes that connect the inside and outside of the cylinder body 151a.

[0044] The piston rod 151b is a component that can move up and down relative to the cylinder body 151a. The piston rod 151b is positioned to pass vertically through the upper surface of the cylinder body 151a. A piston 151e is formed at the lower end of the piston rod 151b, which divides the internal space of the cylinder body 151a vertically.

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

[0046] As shown in Figure 3, the air cylinder 151 is positioned between the base member 110 and the lifting member 120. Specifically, the air cylinder 151 is positioned with its piston rod 151b facing upward so that it can extend and retract in the vertical direction. The cylinder body 151a of the air cylinder 151 is fixed to the base member 110. The upper part of the piston rod 151b of the air cylinder 151 is fixed to the lower surface of the lifting member 120. As a result, by extending and retracting the air cylinder 151, the lifting member 120 can be moved up and down (raised and lowered) relative to the base member 110.

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

[0048] The pressure regulating mechanism 153 adjusts the pressure of the compressed air supplied from the solenoid valve 152 to the lower port 151d of the air cylinder 151. For example, the pressure regulating mechanism 153 is composed of an electro-pneumatic regulator whose discharge pressure can be arbitrarily adjusted. The pressure regulating mechanism 153 is installed in the flow path of compressed air from the solenoid valve 152 to the lower port 151d of the air cylinder 151. The pressure regulating mechanism 153 can arbitrarily adjust the pressure of the compressed air supplied from the solenoid valve 152 and supply it to the lower port 151d of the air cylinder 151. The pressure of the compressed air supplied from the pressure regulating mechanism 153 to the lower port 151d is any pressure that is less than or equal to the pressure of the compressed air supplied from the solenoid valve 152 to the pressure regulating mechanism 153.

[0049] The optical sensor 160 shown in Figure 3 detects the vertical position of the mounting base 130. The optical sensor 160 can detect the distance from the object to be measured by shining light towards the object to be measured and receiving the reflected light.

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

[0051] The optical sensor 160 is positioned on the upper surface of the base member 110, facing the lifting member 120 in the vertical direction. The optical sensor 160 is positioned to irradiate light toward the lower surface of the upper lifting member 120, which is the object to be measured. As a result, the optical sensor 160 measures the distance from the optical sensor 160 to the lower surface of the lifting member 120, and based on the measured distance, detects the position (height) of the upper surface of the mounting base 130 as follows. The position detected by the optical sensor 160 is transmitted to the control unit CTR.

[0052] The predetermined position of the lower surface of the lifting member 120 is described as the first reference position. The first reference position is, for example, the position of the lower surface of the lifting member 120 when the piston 151e is in the lowest position within its vertical movement range. The position of the upper surface of the mounting base 130 when the lower surface of the lifting member 120 is the first reference position is described as the second reference position. The mounting base 130 is provided on the upper surface of the lifting member 120, and the position of the upper surface of the mounting base 130 does not change with respect to the position of the lower surface of the lifting member 120. For this reason, the second reference position is also a predetermined position, and the position (height) of the lower surface of the lifting member 120 with respect to the first reference position corresponds to the position (height) of the upper surface of the mounting base 130 with respect to the second reference position. The optical sensor 160 measures the position (height) from the optical sensor 160 to the lower surface of the lifting member 120. The reference distance from the optical sensor 160 to the first reference position is a constant value. The optical sensor 160 detects the position (height) of the lower surface of the lifting member 120 relative to the first reference position, that is, the position (height) of the upper surface of the mounting base 130 relative to the second reference position, by subtracting a certain reference distance from the measured distance.

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

[0054] As shown in Figure 3, the substrate loader 100 moves to the mold 31 with the unmolded substrate 5, which has been passed from the suction hand 42 (see Figure 1), placed on the upper surface of the mounting table 130. At this time, the substrate loader 100 moves so that the mounting table 130 is positioned below the upper mold 34. At this time, the air cylinder 151 is fully retracted, and the mounting table 130 is in its lowest position. This position (height) of the mounting table 130 is called the initial position H0. The second reference position mentioned above is, for example, the initial position H0.

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

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

[0057] Here, the force exerted by the springs 143 of the multiple regulating mechanisms 140 pushing the pin 142 upward is set to be greater than the first driving force from the air cylinder 151. Therefore, when the pin 142 contacts the lower surface of the upper mold 34, the upward movement of the lifting member 120 is restricted, and the lifting member 120 is held at a certain height. At this time, the upper end of the pin 142 is located above the upper surface of the mounting table 130, so a gap is formed between the upper mold 34 and the upper surface of the mounting table 130. Since this gap is set to be larger than the thickness of the pre-molded substrate 5 placed on the mounting table 130, a gap is also formed between the upper mold 34 and the pre-molded substrate 5. The position (height) of the mounting table 130 at this time is referred to as the preheating position H1.

[0058] Subsequently, the first pressure P1 is continuously applied to the air cylinder 151 for a certain period of time (until time t2 shown in Figure 5). This allows the mounting table 130 (pre-molding substrate 5) to be held in the preheating position H1. During this time, the pre-molding substrate 5 can be preheated by the heat of the upper mold 34. Preheating the pre-molding substrate 5 before resin molding softens the pre-molding substrate 5 and prevents damage (cracking, etc.) to the pre-molding substrate 5. The preheating time (from time t1 to time t2) can be changed as needed.

[0059] Next, as shown in Figure 5, the pressure adjustment mechanism 153 gradually (continuously) increases the cylinder pressure from the first pressure P1 to the third pressure P3 over time t2 to t5. In the example in Figure 5, the pressure adjustment mechanism 153 increases the cylinder pressure linearly. Hereinafter, the force that pushes up the lifting member 120 in accordance with the third pressure P3 will be referred to as the "second driving force." Also, the force that pushes up the lifting member 120 in accordance with the cylinder pressure increasing from the first pressure P1 to the third pressure P3 will be referred to as the "intermediate driving force."

[0060] When the cylinder pressure reaches a predetermined pressure (second pressure P2) (time t3), if the force pushing the lifting member 120 upward by the air cylinder 151 (intermediate driving force) becomes greater than the force pushing the pin 142 upward by the spring 143 (see Figure 3), the pin 142 is then pushed down by the upper mold 34 against the force of the spring 143. As the pin 142 is pushed down, the restriction on the upward movement of the lifting member 120 is released, and the lifting member 120 (mounting table 130) begins to rise again. Since the mounting table 130 rises gradually (continuously) in response to the increase in cylinder pressure, it is possible to prevent the mounting table 130 from rising rapidly. This prevents the pre-molded substrate 5 from being subjected to a large impact and damaged when it comes into contact with the upper mold 34, as will be described later. Furthermore, by using an air cylinder 151 and a pressure adjustment mechanism 153, etc., as in this embodiment, the lifting mechanism 150 can be constructed relatively inexpensively and compactly.

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

[0062] After the mounting table 130 reaches the transfer position H2, the pre-molding substrate 5 placed on the mounting table 130 is held in place by the upper mold 34. As a result, the pre-molding substrate 5 is transferred from the substrate loader 100 to the upper mold 34, and the pre-molding substrate 5 is placed on the upper mold 34.

[0063] After the upper mold 34 holds the substrate 5 before molding, compressed air at a first pressure P1 is supplied from the solenoid valve 152 to the upper port 151c, causing the piston rod 151b to descend and the air cylinder 151 to retract (see Figure 4). This allows the mounting table 130 to be lowered. Subsequently, the substrate loader 100 is retracted from the molding mold 31.

[0064] As described above, the substrate loader 100 can place the unmolded substrate 5 in the upper mold 34. In the resin molding apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, when the unmolded substrate 5 is transferred from the substrate loader 100 to the upper mold 34, the heat of the upper mold 34 can be used to preheat the unmolded substrate 5. This eliminates the need to place a separate preheating mechanism (heater) inside the resin molding apparatus 1, thereby reducing costs and enabling miniaturization of the resin molding apparatus 1.

[0065] Furthermore, as described above, when transferring the unmolded substrate 5 from the substrate loader 100 to the upper mold 34, the position of the mounting table 130 in the vertical direction is detected by the optical sensor 160. The position of the mounting table 130 detected by the optical sensor 160 is stored in the control unit CTR. In this way, data related to the detection results of the position of the mounting table 130 can be accumulated. This allows for the accumulation of information such as the height at which the mounting table 130 transfers the unmolded substrate 5 to the upper mold 34 each time resin molding is performed on the unmolded substrate 5. In addition, the position of the mounting table 130 detected by the optical sensor 160 can be continuously displayed on a display device (not shown), such as a monitor, provided in the resin molding apparatus 1. The control unit CTR is a computer and is equipped with processing elements such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and memory.

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

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

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

[0069] For example, if the control unit CTR determines that the position of the mounting table 130 is abnormal, it can notify the operator that an abnormality has occurred. An abnormal position of the mounting table 130 might occur, for example, when the position where the unmolded substrate 5 is transferred to the upper mold 34 (transfer position H2) differs significantly from the position that was anticipated beforehand. In such cases, the control unit CTR can use a buzzer, display device, etc. (not shown) to inform the operator that an abnormality has occurred.

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

[0071] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, an example was shown in which the cylinder pressure is increased linearly by the pressure adjustment mechanism 153. However, the method of increasing the cylinder pressure is not limited to this and can be set arbitrarily. For example, as shown in Figure 7(a), it is also possible to increase the cylinder pressure curvilinearly. As shown in Figure 7(a), by gradually decreasing the rate of increase of the cylinder pressure toward the third pressure P3, the impact when the unmolded substrate 5 comes into contact with the upper mold 34 can be effectively reduced.

[0072] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7(b), for example, it is also possible to increase the cylinder pressure in stages. This also reduces the impact when the unmolded substrate 5 comes into contact with the upper mold 34. In the example shown, the cylinder pressure is increased in three stages from the first pressure P1 to the third pressure P3, but the number of stages is not particularly limited.

[0073] Furthermore, Figure 7(b) shows an example where the cylinder pressure is increased stepwise from the first pressure P1 to the third pressure P3, but it is not always necessary to increase it stepwise; it is also possible to increase it all at once from the first pressure P1 to the third pressure P3.

[0074] Although embodiments and modifications of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the invention as described in the claims.

[0075] For example, the components (each module) of the resin molding apparatus 1 in the above embodiment are just examples, and can be added, modified, or replaced as appropriate. Furthermore, the configuration and operation of the components (each module) used in the resin molding apparatus 1 in the above embodiment are just examples, and can be modified as appropriate.

[0076] Furthermore, although the above embodiment shows an example of resin sealing using a liquid resin, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, resin sealing can also be performed using a thermosetting powdered or granular resin. In this case, instead of supplying a liquid resin, the powdered or granular resin is sprinkled.

[0077] Furthermore, although the above embodiment shows an example in which an optical sensor 160 is used as a detection mechanism for detecting the position of the mounting table 130, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is possible to detect the position of the mounting table 130 using various other mechanisms.

[0078] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a spring 143 made of a compression coil spring was exemplified as the elastic member that applies force to the pin 142, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various other elastic members (for example, leaf springs, etc.) can also be used.

[0079] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a lifting mechanism 150 was illustrated in which the driving force for raising the mounting platform 130 can be changed by adjusting the cylinder pressure of the air cylinder 151. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other configurations can be adopted as the lifting mechanism 150. For example, instead of the air cylinder 151, a motor, hydraulic cylinder, or the like can be used to change the driving force for raising the mounting platform 130.

[0080] Furthermore, if the mounting platform 130 is raised and lowered using a servo motor or the like that can stop extending and retracting at any desired position, the restricting mechanism 140 (pin 142 and spring 143, etc.) exemplified in the above embodiment is unnecessary.

[0081] <Note> The resin molding apparatus 1 in the first aspect of this disclosure is A molding die 31 having a temperature-adjustable upper mold 34 and a lower mold 32, The lower surface of the upper mold 34 is provided with a transport mechanism (substrate loader 100) capable of transporting the object to be molded (substrate 5 before molding), A resin molding apparatus 1 comprising, The aforementioned transport mechanism is A lifting member 120 that can be raised and lowered, A lifting mechanism 150 for raising and lowering the aforementioned lifting member 120, A mounting platform 130 is provided on the lifting member 120 on which the object to be molded is placed, A pin 142 that can move up and down within a predetermined range of motion, An elastic member (spring 143) is positioned between the lifting member 120 and the pin 142, and applies an upward force to the pin 142, Equipped with, When the pin 142 is in the uppermost position within the range of motion, the upper end of the pin 142 is located above the base 130 described above. The lifting mechanism 150 raises the lifting member 120 when the base 130 described above is located below the upper mold 34. According to the resin molding apparatus 1 of the first aspect of this disclosure, preheating of the object to be molded can be performed inexpensively. Specifically, by restricting the rise of the lifting member 120 (mounting table 130) with a pin 142 and a spring 143, the object to be molded placed on the mounting table 130 can be preheated using the heat of the upper mold 34. As a result, it is not necessary to place a separate preheating mechanism (heater) inside the resin molding apparatus 1, which reduces costs and allows for miniaturization of the resin molding apparatus 1.

[0082] In a resin molding apparatus 1 with a second side conforming to the first side, The lifting mechanism 150 is capable of adjusting the magnitude of the driving force for raising the lifting member 120. When the lifting mechanism 150 raises the lifting member 120 with the first driving force, the downward movement of the pin 142 is restricted by the elastic member (spring 143) at the position where the pin 142 contacts the upper mold 34, thereby restricting the upward movement of the lifting member 120. When the lifting mechanism 150 raises the lifting member 120 with a second driving force greater than the first driving force, the pin 142 descends against the force of the elastic member, causing the lifting member 120 to rise. According to the resin molding apparatus 1 of the second aspect of this disclosure, the upward movement of the lifting member 120 can be restricted at a predetermined position by the pin 142 and the elastic member (spring 143). This allows the object to be molded to be held in a fixed position for preheating. Furthermore, since the upward movement of the lifting member 120 can be restricted at a predetermined position by the pin 142 and the elastic member, fine control of the upward movement of the lifting member 120 by the lifting mechanism 150 becomes unnecessary, and the configuration can be simplified.

[0083] In a resin molding apparatus 1 with a third side corresponding to the second side, The aforementioned lifting mechanism 150 is An air cylinder 151 that raises and lowers the lifting member 120 by extending and retracting, A pressure adjustment mechanism 153 capable of adjusting the pressure of the air supplied to the air cylinder 151, Equipped with, The lifting mechanism 150 can raise the lifting member 120 with the first driving force, the second driving force, and an intermediate driving force between the first and second driving forces by adjusting the pressure of the air supplied to the air cylinder 151 by the pressure adjustment mechanism 153. According to the resin molding apparatus 1 of the third aspect of this disclosure, by raising the lifting member 120 with an intermediate driving force smaller than the second driving force, it is possible to suppress the rapid raising of the lifting member 120. This suppresses the impact when the object to be molded comes into contact with the upper mold 34, and prevents damage to the object to be molded.

[0084] In the resin molding apparatus 1 of the fourth side following the third side, The lifting mechanism 150 is capable of continuously increasing the intermediate driving force (see Figures 5 and 7(a)). According to the resin molding apparatus 1 of the fourth aspect of this disclosure, the rapid upward movement of the lifting member 120 can be suppressed. This suppresses the impact when the object to be molded comes into contact with the upper mold 34, and prevents damage to the object to be molded.

[0085] In a resin molding apparatus 1 with a fifth side corresponding to the third side, The lifting mechanism is capable of gradually increasing the intermediate driving force (see Figure 7(b)). According to the resin molding apparatus 1 of the fifth aspect of this disclosure, the rapid upward movement of the lifting member 120 can be suppressed. This suppresses the impact when the object to be molded comes into contact with the upper mold 34, and prevents damage to the object to be molded.

[0086] In a resin molding apparatus 1 with a sixth side corresponding to the first to fifth sides, The transport mechanism (substrate loader 100) further comprises a detection mechanism (optical sensor 160) capable of detecting the vertical position of the aforementioned mounting base 130. According to the resin molding apparatus 1 of the sixth aspect of this disclosure, information regarding the position of the mounting table 130 can be obtained. The obtained information can be used for detecting abnormalities in resin molding, controlling various parts of the resin molding apparatus 1, and so on.

[0087] In the resin molding apparatus 1 of the seventh side following the sixth side, The detection mechanism is comprised of an optical sensor 160. According to the resin molding apparatus 1 of the seventh aspect of this disclosure, information regarding the position of the mounting table 130 can be obtained with a simple configuration.

[0088] The eighth aspect of this disclosure is the method for manufacturing a resin molded article, A method for manufacturing a resin molded product using a resin molding apparatus 1 on any of the first to seventh sides, The transport mechanism (substrate loader 100) transports the object to be molded to the upper mold 34, The molding die 31 is clamped and resin is molded, It includes. According to the method for manufacturing resin molded articles described in the eighth aspect of this disclosure, preheating of the object to be molded can be performed at low cost. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0089] 1 Resin molding equipment 32 Lower mold 34 Upper mold 100 PCB loader 120 Lifting member 130 Mounting platform 142 pins 143 Spring 150 Lifting mechanism 151 Air Cylinder 153 Pressure regulation mechanism 160 Light Sensors

Claims

1. A molding die having a temperature-controlled upper mold and a lower mold, A conveying mechanism capable of conveying the object to be molded is provided on the lower surface of the upper mold, A resin molding apparatus comprising, The aforementioned transport mechanism is A lifting member that can be raised and lowered, A lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the aforementioned lifting member, A mounting platform is provided on the lifting member on which the object to be molded is placed, A pin that can move up and down within a predetermined range of motion, An elastic member is positioned between the lifting member and the pin and applies an upward force to the pin, Equipped with, When the pin is in the uppermost position within the range of motion, the upper end of the pin is located above the base described above. The lifting mechanism raises the lifting member when the aforementioned base is located below the upper mold. Resin molding equipment.

2. The lifting mechanism is capable of adjusting the magnitude of the driving force for raising the lifting member. When the lifting mechanism raises the lifting member with the first driving force, the downward movement of the pin is restricted by the elastic member at the position where the pin contacts the upper mold, thereby restricting the upward movement of the lifting member. When the lifting mechanism raises the lifting member with a second driving force greater than the first driving force, the pin descends against the force of the elastic member, causing the lifting member to rise. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned lifting mechanism is An air cylinder that raises and lowers the lifting member by extending and retracting, A pressure adjustment mechanism capable of adjusting the pressure of the air supplied to the air cylinder, Equipped with, The lifting mechanism can raise the lifting member with a first driving force, a second driving force, and an intermediate driving force between the first and second driving forces by adjusting the pressure of the air supplied to the air cylinder by the pressure adjustment mechanism. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 2.

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

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

6. The transport mechanism further comprises a detection mechanism capable of detecting the vertical position of the aforementioned platform. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 1.

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

8. A method for manufacturing a resin molded product using a resin molding apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The conveying mechanism conveys the object to be molded to the upper mold, The aforementioned mold is clamped and resin is molded, A method for manufacturing resin molded products containing [a specific component].

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