Resin material supply mechanism, resin molding apparatus, and method for manufacturing resin molded products

Abstract

Reduces vibrations in the resin material supply unit during acceleration or deceleration. [Solution] The resin material supply unit comprises a resin material supply unit 2 that supplies granular resin material J, and a moving mechanism 3 that moves the resin material supply unit 2. The resin material supply unit 2 includes a transport path 21 for transporting the resin material J, a vibrating unit 22 that vibrates the transport path 21 to move the resin material J along the transport path 21, a moving base unit 23 on which the transport path 21 and the vibrating unit 22 are mounted and which is moved by the moving mechanism 3, a first elastic body 4 that expands and contracts in the vertical direction to hold the vibrating unit 22 in the vertical direction relative to the moving base unit 23, and a second elastic body 5 that expands and contracts in the direction of movement of the moving base unit 23 to hold the vibrating unit 22 in the direction of movement relative to the moving base unit 23.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a resin material supply mechanism, a resin molding apparatus, and a method for manufacturing a resin molded product.

Background Art

[0002] In a conventional resin molding apparatus, as shown in Patent Document 1, there is considered a resin supply unit that drops and supplies granular resin to a workpiece as a supply target. This resin supply unit includes a trough (resin dropping part) that houses the granular resin and drops the granular resin onto the workpiece from its tip, and an electromagnetic feeder that vibrates the trough to send out and drop the granular resin to the tip side of the trough. The trough and the electromagnetic feeder are configured to be movable by a drive mechanism. By moving the trough and the electromagnetic feeder relative to the workpiece by this drive mechanism, the granular resin is supplied to the entire surface of the workpiece.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, since the electromagnetic feeder is a vibration source, it is conceivable to adopt a configuration in which the electromagnetic feeder is supported by an elastic body (for example, an anti-vibration spring) that can expand and contract in the vertical direction so as not to transmit unnecessary vibration to the constituent members of the resin supply unit other than the trough.

[0005] However, if the electromagnetic feeder is supported by an elastic body that can expand and contract vertically, the inertial force acting on the trough and electromagnetic feeder during acceleration and deceleration may cause the trough and electromagnetic feeder to sway relative to the direction of movement. When such swaying occurs, unwanted vibrations other than the original vibrations from the electromagnetic feeder are transmitted to the trough, making the transport of granular resin unstable. As a result, the amount of granular resin supplied to the workpiece may fluctuate, and the supply distribution may become uneven.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention was made to solve the above problems, and its main objective is to reduce the vibration of the resin material supply section during acceleration and deceleration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In other words, the resin material supply mechanism according to the present invention comprises a resin material supply unit for supplying granular resin material and a moving mechanism for moving the resin material supply unit, wherein the resin material supply unit comprises a transport path for transporting the resin material, a vibrating unit for vibrating the transport path to move the resin material along the transport path, a moving base unit on which the transport path and the vibrating unit are mounted and which is moved by the moving mechanism, a first elastic body that expands and contracts in the vertical direction to hold the vibrating unit vertically relative to the moving base unit, and a second elastic body that expands and contracts in the direction of movement of the moving base unit to hold the vibrating unit in the direction of movement relative to the moving base unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention configured in this way, it is possible to reduce the vibration of the resin material supply unit during acceleration and deceleration. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a resin molding apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the resin molding module of the same embodiment. [Figure 3]This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the resin supply state of the resin material supply section in the resin material supply mechanism of the same embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram of the resin material supply unit of the same embodiment, viewed from the rear in the front-to-back direction. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram of the resin material supply unit of the same embodiment, viewed from above in the vertical direction. [Figure 6] This is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing the state of the second elastic body in states where the height position of the vibration base portion of the same embodiment is different ((a) first state and (b) second state). [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram showing a first unit including the first elastic body of the same embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a schematic diagram showing a second unit including a second elastic body of the same embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the mechanism by which the second elastic body suppresses vibrations in the same embodiment. [Figure 10] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the resin material supply unit in the modified embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Next, the technology according to the present invention will be described in more detail with examples. However, the present invention is not limited to the following technologies.

[0011] The resin material supply mechanism of Technology 1 according to the present invention comprises a resin material supply unit for supplying granular resin material and a moving mechanism for moving the resin material supply unit, wherein the resin material supply unit comprises a transport path for transporting the resin material, a vibrating unit for vibrating the transport path to move the resin material along the transport path, a moving base unit on which the transport path and the vibrating unit are mounted and which is moved by the moving mechanism, a first elastic body that expands and contracts in the vertical direction to hold the vibrating unit vertically relative to the moving base unit, and a second elastic body that expands and contracts in the direction of movement of the moving base unit to hold the vibrating unit in the direction of movement relative to the moving base unit.

[0012] In this resin material supply mechanism, the first elastic body, which expands and contracts vertically, holds the vibrating part vertically relative to the moving base, so that unnecessary vibrations are not transmitted to the components of the resin material supply part other than the transport path. Furthermore, in this resin material supply mechanism, the second elastic body, which expands and contracts in the direction of movement of the moving base, holds the vibrating part in the direction of movement relative to the moving base, so that the shaking of the resin material supply part during acceleration and deceleration can be reduced. As a result, stable supply of granular resin material is possible, and the distribution of the supplied resin material can be made uniform.

[0013] The vibrating part is held in place by the first elastic body relative to the moving base, and the height of the vibrating part relative to the moving base fluctuates depending on the weight of the resin material in the transport path. Therefore, if the second elastic body is fixed to both the moving base and the vibrating part, a force will be applied in a direction different from the original direction of expansion and contraction of the second elastic body (i.e., the direction of movement), making it difficult to obtain the effect of holding the part in the direction of movement by the second elastic body. Therefore, in addition to the configuration of the above-described technology 1, it is desirable that the resin material transport mechanism of technology 2 according to the present invention has the second elastic body fixed to either the moving base or the vibrating part, and not fixed to the other of the moving base or the vibrating part. In this configuration, the second elastic body is fixed to either the moving base or the vibrating part, but not to the other. Therefore, even if the height of the vibrating part relative to the moving base changes, it is difficult for a force in a direction different from the original expansion and contraction direction (i.e., the direction of movement) to be applied to the second elastic body. As a result, the second elastic body can properly hold the vibrating part relative to the moving base in the direction of movement.

[0014] In addition to the configuration of the above-described technology 1 or 2, the resin material supply mechanism of technology 3 according to the present invention preferably has the second elastic body provided on the front and rear sides of the vibrating part in the direction of movement. With this configuration, vibrations in the resin material supply section during acceleration and deceleration can be further reduced.

[0015] The resin material supply mechanism of Technology 4 according to the present invention, in addition to any one of the configurations of the above Technologies 1 to 3, the vibration part has a vibration main body part connected to the upper part of the conveyance path, and a vibration base part fixed to the lower surface of the vibration main body part. The moving base part has an upper surface facing the lower surface of the vibration base part, and it is desirable that the first elastic body is provided between the upper surface of the moving base part and the lower surface of the vibration base part. With this configuration, the vibration part can be provided above the conveyance path, so it can be provided in the conveyance path and the resin material discharge port can be brought closer to the supply member such as the release film. As a result, the resin material can be stably supplied to the supply member such as the release film. Further, since the first elastic body is provided between the upper surface of the moving base part and the lower surface of the vibration base part, the vibration part can be stably held in the vertical direction, and unnecessary shaking and vibration can be suppressed.

[0016] The resin material supply mechanism of Technology 5 according to the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the above Technology 4, the moving base part has one end side facing part facing one end part in the moving direction of the vibration base part, and the other end side facing part facing the other end part in the moving direction of the vibration base part. It is desirable that the second elastic body is provided between the one end part and the one end side facing part, and between the other end part and the other end side facing part. With this configuration, the vibration base part is held in the vertical direction by the first elastic body and also held in the moving direction by the second elastic body. Therefore, the shaking of the vibration base part during acceleration and deceleration can be efficiently reduced, and the shaking of the resin material supply part can be reduced.

[0017] The resin material supply mechanism of Technology 6 according to the present invention, in addition to any one of the configurations of the above Technologies 1 to 5, it is desirable that the moving mechanism linearly reciprocates the resin material supply part so that the supply start point and the supply end point of the resin material coincide. When the moving mechanism reciprocates the resin material supply unit, the number of accelerations and decelerations increases. For example, one reciprocation of the resin material supply unit involves at least two accelerations and two decelerations. The more accelerations and decelerations occur, the more pronounced the effect of the second elastic body in holding the vibrating unit in the direction of movement becomes. Furthermore, by ensuring that the start and end points of the resin material supply coincide, the distribution of the supplied resin material can be made uniform.

[0018] The resin material supply mechanism of Technology 7 according to the present invention preferably has, in addition to the configuration of any one of the above-described technologies 1 to 6, a plurality of the first elastic bodies or a plurality of the second elastic bodies attached to a common base body and configured as a detachable unit. With this configuration, multiple first or second elastic bodies are unitized, making them easy to attach and detach. Furthermore, the need to replace the first or second elastic bodies due to aging or damage can be minimized.

[0019] The resin molding apparatus of Technology 8 according to the present invention is characterized by comprising any one of the above technologies 1 to 7, a molding die having an upper mold and a lower mold, a mold clamping mechanism for clamping the molding die, a molding object transport mechanism for transporting a molding object to the upper mold, and a resin material transport mechanism for transporting a release film supplied with the resin material by the resin material supply mechanism to the lower mold. This resin molding apparatus enables a stable supply of granular resin material through its resin material supply mechanism, and allows for a uniform distribution of the supplied resin material, thereby improving the quality of the molded resin products.

[0020] The method for manufacturing a resin molded product according to Technology 9 of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a resin molded product using the resin molding apparatus of Technology 8 described above, characterized in that the object to be molded is transported to the upper mold by the object to be molded transport mechanism, the object to be molded is placed in the upper mold, the release film supplied with the resin material by the resin material supply mechanism is transported to the lower mold, and the upper mold and the lower mold are clamped together to manufacture the resin molded product. This method of manufacturing resin molded products allows for a stable supply of granular resin material through the resin material supply mechanism, and the distribution of the supplied resin material can be made uniform, thereby improving the quality of the resin molded products.

[0021] <One Hundred Ideas> An embodiment of the resin molding apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that all the following figures are schematic representations, with some details omitted or exaggerated for clarity. The same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted as appropriate.

[0022] <Overall configuration of resin molding equipment> The resin molding apparatus 100 of this embodiment performs resin molding using a compression molding method. This resin molding apparatus 100 manufactures a resin molded product P by using a granular resin material J to encapsulate a substrate W, which is a molded object on which electronic components Wx are fixed on one surface, with resin. Hereinafter, the molded object (substrate W) before resin molding will be referred to as "pre-molding substrate W," and the molded object (substrate W) after resin molding will be referred to as "molded substrate W" or "resin molded product P."

[0023] Here, the substrate W is, for example, rectangular in plan view, and examples of substrate W include metal substrates, resin substrates, glass substrates, ceramic substrates, circuit boards, semiconductor substrates, lead frames, silicon wafers, glass wafers, etc. In addition, the substrate W may be a carrier without wiring. Furthermore, the substrate W may have other shapes, such as a circle, in plan view.

[0024] Furthermore, examples of electronic components Wx include electronic elements such as semiconductor chips, resistors, and capacitors, or electronic components in which at least one of these electronic elements is encapsulated in resin.

[0025] As shown in Figure 1, the resin molding apparatus 100 comprises a substrate supply / storage module A, one or more resin molding modules B, and a resin material supply module C as its components. Each component (each module A to C) is detachable and interchangeable with respect to the other component.

[0026] <Configuration of PCB supply and storage module A> The substrate supply and storage module A includes a substrate receiving section 10a for receiving unmolded substrates W from the outside, a substrate storage section 10b for storing molded substrates W (resin molded products P), a substrate transport mechanism 11 which is a molded object transport mechanism for transporting the unmolded substrates W and resin molded products P, and a transfer mechanism 12, such as a transport robot, for transporting, i.e., transferring, the unmolded substrates W and resin molded products P to the substrate transport mechanism 11.

[0027] The substrate transport mechanism 11 transports the unmolded substrate W from the substrate supply / storage module A to the resin molding module B, and in the resin molding module B, it supplies the unmolded substrate W to the mold 13. After the resin molding of the unmolded substrate W, the substrate transport mechanism 11 receives the molded product P, which is the molded substrate W after resin molding, from the mold 13 in the resin molding module B and transports it to the substrate supply / storage module A. The transfer mechanism 12 then transfers the unmolded substrate W from the substrate receiving section 10a to the substrate transport mechanism 11, and transfers the molded product P from the substrate transport mechanism 11 to the substrate storage section 10b.

[0028] Here, as shown in Figure 1, the substrate transport mechanism 11 includes a substrate supply unit 111 that supplies a substrate W to the upper mold 131, and a substrate receiving unit 112 that receives a resin molded product P from the upper mold 131. The substrate supply unit 111 and the substrate receiving unit 112 are arranged side by side, for example, in the left-right direction. The substrate transport mechanism 11 then continuously performs the receiving operation of the substrate receiving unit 112 and the supply operation of the substrate supply unit 111 with respect to the upper mold 131.

[0029] <Configuration of resin molding module B> As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the resin molding module B includes a mold 13 having an upper mold 131 and a lower mold 132, and a mold clamping mechanism 14 for clamping the upper mold and the lower mold.

[0030] The upper mold 131 holds the back surface of the substrate W (the side on which the electronic components Wx are not fixed) by suction. A suction port (not shown) is formed on the lower surface of the upper mold 131, and a suction channel (not shown) connected to the suction port is formed inside the upper mold 131. This suction channel is connected to an external suction device (not shown).

[0031] The lower mold 132 has a cavity 132C that houses electronic components Wx and resin material J fixed to the substrate W. Specifically, as shown in Figure 2, the lower mold 132 has a bottom member 132a that forms the bottom surface of the cavity 132C, and a frame-shaped side member 132b that surrounds the bottom member 132a. The cavity 132C is formed by the upper surface of the bottom member 132a and the inner circumferential surface of the side member 132b. The side member 132b is also provided so as to be movable up and down relative to the bottom member 132a. Specifically, the side member 132b is supported by a plurality of elastic members 132d such as coil springs on the base plate 132c of the lower mold 132. Furthermore, the lower mold 132 is covered with a release film F to improve the release properties of the resin molded product P. An air vent (not shown) may also be provided on the upper surface of the side member 132b to discharge air or gas.

[0032] In addition, the molding die 13 is provided with a sealing structure 133 consisting of side walls for creating a vacuum around the upper mold 131 and lower mold 132 during resin molding, and sealing members such as O-rings.

[0033] The mold clamping mechanism 14 includes an upper fixed platen 141 to which the upper mold 131 is attached, a movable platen 142 to which the lower mold 132 is attached, and a drive mechanism 143 for moving the movable platen 142 up and down.

[0034] The upper fixed plate 141 has the upper mold 131 attached to its lower surface and is fixed to the movable plate 142 at the upper ends of multiple support columns 145. The movable plate 142 has the lower mold 132 attached to its upper surface and is supported so as to be able to move up and down by multiple support columns 145 that are erected on the lower fixed plate 144. Alternatively, two plate-like members with opposing surfaces may be used instead of multiple support columns 145.

[0035] The drive mechanism 143 is located between the movable platen 142 and the lower fixed platen 144, and moves the movable platen 142 up and down to clamp the upper mold 131 and the lower mold 132. In this embodiment, the drive mechanism 143 is a linear motion type that uses a ball screw mechanism that converts rotation such as a servo motor into linear motion to move the movable platen 142 up and down, but it may also be a link type that transmits power from a power source such as a servo motor to the movable platen 142 using a link mechanism such as a toggle link.

[0036] An upper die holder 146 is provided between the upper die 131 and the upper fixed platen 141. This upper die holder 146 has a heater plate or the like, which is an upper die heating section that heats the upper die 131. The upper die holder 146 is also provided with a sealed structure 133. On the other hand, a lower die holder 147 is provided between the lower die 132 and the movable platen 142. This lower die holder 147 has a heater plate, which is a lower die heating section that heats the lower die 132. The lower die holder 147 is also provided with a sealed structure 133.

[0037] <Configuration of resin material supply module C> As shown in Figure 1, the resin material supply module C includes a resin material supply mechanism 15 that supplies resin material J to a frame 30 on which a release film F is attached, and a resin material transport mechanism 16 that transports the frame 30 on which the resin material J has been supplied to the lower mold. In this embodiment, the release film F is attached to the lower surface of the frame 30, which is roughly rectangular in shape in plan view, and the resin material J is supplied onto the release film F inside the frame 30. An empty frame 30 indicates a frame without a release film F attached. A frame 30 on which resin material J has been supplied indicates a frame on which resin material J has been supplied onto the release film F, and is hereinafter also referred to as a "resin-filled frame".

[0038] The resin material supply mechanism 15 supplies the resin material J onto the release film F using the frame 30. The specific configuration of the resin material supply mechanism 15 will be described later.

[0039] As shown in Figure 1, the resin material transport mechanism 16 moves back and forth between the resin material supply module C and the resin molding module B, and moves along a rail 101 that spans both the resin material supply module C and the resin molding module B. The resin material transport mechanism 16 receives the resin-filled frame 30 placed on the film placement shelf 17 and transports it to the lower mold 132 of the resin molding module B, where it removes the release film F on which the resin material J is placed from the frame 30. This allows the resin molding module B to supply the release film F and the resin material J to the lower mold 132. After that, the resin material transport mechanism 16 transports the empty frame 30, which has been used to supply the resin material J, from the resin molding module B to the resin material supply module C, and places the empty frame 30 on the frame placement shelf 18.

[0040] Here, as shown in Figure 1, the resin material transport mechanism 16 includes a resin material transport supply unit 161 that supplies resin material J and a release film F before use to the lower mold 132, and a film recovery unit 162 that recovers the used release film F from the lower mold 132. The resin material transport supply unit 161 and the film recovery unit 162 are arranged side by side, for example, in the left-right direction. The resin material transport mechanism 16 continuously performs the recovery operation of the film recovery unit 162 and the supply operation of the resin material transport supply unit 161 to the lower mold 132. The used release film F recovered by the film recovery unit 162 is disposed of in a waste box (not shown).

[0041] <Specific configuration of the resin material supply mechanism 15> Furthermore, as shown in Figures 3 to 5, the resin material supply mechanism 15 of this embodiment includes a resin material supply unit 2 that drops the resin material J from the discharge port 2H, and a moving mechanism 3 that moves the resin material supply unit 2.

[0042] The resin material supply unit 2 supplies the resin material J by dropping it onto the release film F placed in the release film placement unit 6 (see Figure 3). The resin material supply mechanism 15 of this embodiment is configured to supply the resin material J onto the release film F mounted on the frame 30, and the frame 30 with the release film F mounted on it is placed in the release film placement unit 6.

[0043] Here, the release film placement unit 6 is placed on the weighing platform of the supply weighing device 7, and the supply weighing device 7 weighs the resin material J supplied onto the release film F. The supply weighing device 7 can be configured, for example, using an electronic balance. The release film placement unit 6 may be integrated with the weighing platform of the supply weighing device 7.

[0044] The resin material supply unit 2 is a vibrating feeder. Specifically, as shown in Figures 3 to 5, the resin material supply unit 2 includes a cylindrical transport path 21 in which the resin material J is contained and transported, a vibrating unit 22 that vibrates the transport path 21 to move the resin material J along the transport path 21, and a moving base unit 23 on which the transport path 21 and the vibrating unit 22 are mounted and which is moved by a moving mechanism 3.

[0045] Both ends of the transport path 21 are open. As shown in Figure 3, the transport path 21 includes a first portion 21a extending vertically, a second portion 21b extending in the front-rear direction with its front end connected to the lower end of the first portion 21a, and a third portion 21c extending vertically with its upper end connected to the rear end of the second portion 21b. The transport path 21 has a discharge port 2H for discharging resin material J formed on the lower end surface of the third portion 21c, and a storage section 24 for storing resin material J is connected to the upper end of the first portion 21a. The second portion 21b of the transport path 21 extends horizontally. The vibrating unit 22 vibrates the second portion 21b of the transport path 21, thereby moving the resin material J along the transport path 21 (see Figure 3). Resin material J is replenished in the storage section 24 from a stocker (not shown) located above the resin material supply unit 2.

[0046] As mentioned above, the discharge port 2H of the transport path 21 opens downwards. The opening width of the discharge port 2H (the opening dimension in the left-right direction in Figure 4) is substantially the same as or slightly smaller than the opening width of the frame 30 (the opening dimension of the frame 30 in the left-right direction). With this configuration, the resin material J can be supplied to almost the entire surface of the release film F inside the frame 30 simply by moving the resin material supply unit 2 in the front-back direction, without moving it in the left-right direction.

[0047] Furthermore, the discharge port 2H may be provided with a chute (not shown) for guiding the resin material J falling from the discharge port 2H. This chute is provided so as to be movable in the vertical direction relative to the transport path 21, and the opening of the chute may be configured to bring it closer to the frame 30 or the release film F attached to the frame 30 when supplying the resin material J.

[0048] The vibrating unit 22 vibrates the transport path 21 and the storage section 24, moving the resin material J from the storage section 24 towards the discharge port 2H along the transport path 21. This vibrating unit 22 is located at the top of the second section 21b of the transport path 21 (see Figure 3). The vibrating unit 22 vibrates the transport path 21 and the storage section 24 in an inclined direction having components in the vertical direction and the transport direction, thereby transporting the resin material J to the discharge port 2H.

[0049] Specifically, the vibrating unit 22 has a vibrating main body 221 connected to the upper part of the second portion 21b of the transport path 21, and a vibrating base 222 to which the vibrating main body 221 is fixed to the lower surface. The vibrating main body 221 has an oscillator (not shown), which is driven at a predetermined frequency and voltage (current) to impart a predetermined vibration to the transport path 21. The vibrating base 222 has a rectangular shape in plan view (see Figure 5), and in this embodiment, it has a longitudinal direction along the second portion 21b of the transport path 21.

[0050] The vibrating main unit 221 is controlled by a vibration control unit (not shown). The vibration control unit controls the vibration unit 22 of the resin material supply unit 2 based on the weighing result of the supply weighing device 7. When the vibration unit 22 is controlled, the resin material J is discharged and falls from the discharge port 2H. The vibration control unit also acquires weighing data from the supply weighing device 7, and when the amount of resin material J supplied to the release film F (weight (g)) reaches the target value, it stops the vibration of the vibration unit 22. The vibration control unit may be operated by a control device CTL described later, or it may be operated by a separate computer.

[0051] The movable base section 23 holds the vibrating section 22. By holding the vibrating section 22, the transport path 21 and the vibrating section 22 are mounted on the movable base section 23. The movable base section 23 is also moved linearly in the horizontal direction (forward and backward direction) by the moving mechanism 3. This movable base section 23 is positioned between the vibrating base section 222 of the vibrating section 22 and the transport path 21 (see Figure 3). In addition, a through hole 231 is formed in the center of the movable base section 23, which penetrates vertically and through which the vibrating body section 221 is inserted (see Figures 3 and 4). Within this through hole 231, the movable base section 23 is configured to surround the vibrating body section 221.

[0052] The moving mechanism 3 moves the resin material supply unit 2 linearly in a predetermined direction along the horizontal plane. In this embodiment, the moving mechanism 3 moves the resin material supply unit 2 linearly along the transport direction (in this case, the front-to-back direction) of the transport path 21. Specifically, as shown in Figures 3 to 5, the moving mechanism 3 includes a guide rail 31 extending along the front-to-back direction, a slider 32 that moves along the guide rail 31 and is equipped with the resin material supply unit 2, and a linear drive unit 33 that moves the slider 32 along the guide rail 31. The linear drive unit 33 can be configured, for example, using a motor and a ball screw mechanism or a rack and pinion mechanism, a linear motor, or an air cylinder.

[0053] The moving mechanism 3 moves the resin material supply unit 2 linearly back and forth along the guide rail 31. Here, the moving mechanism 3 can move the resin material supply unit 2 back and forth so that the supply start point and supply end point of the resin material J on the release film F coincide. For example, the moving mechanism 3 can move the resin material supply unit 2 back and forth within the frame 30 so that the central part of the frame 30 becomes the supply start point and supply end point. Alternatively, the moving mechanism 3 can move the resin material supply unit 2 back and forth within the frame 30 so that the front or rear part of the frame 30 becomes the supply start point and supply end point.

[0054] In the above configuration, the resin material supply mechanism 15 supplies the resin material J from the discharge port 2H by vibrating the vibration unit 22 while moving the resin material supply unit 2 linearly in the front-rear direction (longitudinal direction of the frame 30) with respect to the release film F placed in the release film placement unit 6 using the movement mechanism 3.

[0055] <Structure to suppress shaking in the direction of movement of the resin material supply unit 2> Furthermore, as shown in Figures 3 to 6, the resin material supply mechanism 15 of this embodiment has a first elastic body 4 and a second elastic body 5 interposed between the movable base portion 23 and the vibrating portion 22.

[0056] The first elastic body 4, for example, includes a spring and expands and contracts in the vertical direction to hold the vibrating part 22 in the vertical direction relative to the movable base part 23. Specifically, the first elastic body 4 elastically holds the vibrating base part 222 of the vibrating part 22 in the vertical direction at multiple points relative to the movable base part 23.

[0057] Furthermore, the first elastic body 4 is provided at two locations on each of the opposing sides (left side 222a and right side 222b) of the vibration base portion 222 (see Figure 5). Here, the movable base portion 23 has an upper surface that faces the lower surface of the vibration base portion 222. The first elastic body 4 is provided between the lower surface of the vibration base portion 222 and the upper surface of the movable base portion 23, as shown in Figures 3 and 6.

[0058] The second elastic body 5, for example, includes a spring and expands and contracts in the direction of movement of the movable base portion 23, thereby holding the vibrating portion 22 relative to the movable base portion 23 in the direction of movement. Specifically, the second elastic body 5 elastically holds the vibrating base portion 222 of the vibrating portion 22 relative to the movable base portion 23 from both the front and rear sides in the direction of movement of the movable base portion 23. In addition, instead of springs, rubber may be used in the first elastic body 4 and the second elastic body 5, respectively.

[0059] Here, as shown in Figures 3 and 5, the movable base portion 23 has a one-end opposing portion 232a that faces one end 222c in the direction of movement of the vibrating base portion 222, and a other-end opposing portion 232b that faces the other end 222d in the direction of movement of the vibrating base portion 222. The second elastic body 5 is provided between the one end 222c and the one-end opposing portion 232a, and between the other end 222d and the other-end opposing portion 232b. The second elastic body 5 is provided in a contracted state between these two points. In this embodiment, the second elastic body 5 is provided in two locations on both the one end and the other end of the vibrating base portion 222 (see Figure 5), but it may be one location or three or more locations.

[0060] Furthermore, the second elastic body 5 is fixed to either the movable base portion 23 or the vibrating portion 22, but not to the other of the movable base portion 23 or the vibrating portion 22. In this embodiment, multiple second elastic bodies 5 are fixed to the movable base portion 23, but not to the vibrating portion 22. Specifically, as shown in Figure 6, multiple second elastic bodies 5 are fastened and fixed to either the opposing portion 232a on one end side or the opposing portion 232b on the other end side of the movable base portion 23, and are configured to press and contact the front or rear end surface of the vibrating base portion 222 of the vibrating portion 22 without being fixed. With this configuration, as shown in Figure 6(a) first state and (b) second state, even if the height position of the vibrating base portion 222 changes relative to the movable base portion 23, the second elastic body 5 is less likely to deform in the vertical direction, and a force in a direction different from the original expansion and contraction direction (i.e., the direction of movement) of the second elastic body 5 is less likely to be applied. Therefore, the second elastic body 5 can appropriately hold the vibrating part 22 relative to the movable base part 23 in the direction of movement. In the second elastic body 5, the points where it is fixed to the movable base part 23 or the vibrating part 22 are one end or the other end in the direction of extension and contraction. Here, the one end and the other end are the front and rear ends, respectively.

[0061] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 7, a plurality of first elastic bodies 4 are attached to a common first base body 41, forming a detachable first unit 40. The first unit 40 is formed by attaching two first elastic bodies 4 to the first base body 41. One end of each first elastic body 4 is fastened and fixed to the first base body 41 of the first unit 40. The first base body 41 is also fastened and fixed to the movable base portion 23. The other end of each first elastic body 4 of the first unit 40 is fastened and fixed to the vibration base portion 222.

[0062] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, a plurality of second elastic bodies 5 are attached to a common second base body 51, forming a detachable second unit 50. The second unit 50 is formed by attaching two second elastic bodies 5 to the second base body 51. One end of each second elastic body 5 is fastened and fixed to the second base body 51 of the second unit 50. The second base body 51 is composed of either an opposing part 232a on one end or an opposing part 232b on the other end, and is fastened and fixed to the movable base part 23. The other end of each second elastic body 5 of the second unit 50 is pressed and in contact with the vibrating base part 222.

[0063] <Mechanism for suppressing vibrations by the second elastic body 5> Next, the mechanism by which the second elastic body 5 suppresses vibration will be briefly explained. When the resin material supply unit 2 is stopped moving or moving at a constant velocity, the total force exerted by one or more second elastic bodies 5 on the front side pushing the vibration base unit 222 backward is equal to the total force exerted by one or more second elastic bodies 5 on the rear side pushing the vibration base unit 222 forward.

[0064] When the resin material supply unit 2 is accelerated by the moving mechanism 3, as shown in Figure 9(a), the vibrating unit 22, which is held by the moving base unit 23 via the first elastic body 4, receives an inertial force in the opposite direction to the direction of travel in accordance with the acceleration. As a result, the second elastic bodies 5 provided on the front and rear sides of the vibrating base unit 222 absorb the inertial force applied to the vibrating unit 22 and suppress the shaking of the vibrating unit 22. Here, the second elastic bodies 5 on the side opposite to the direction of travel of the vibrating base unit 222 mainly absorb the inertial force. Specifically, among the multiple second elastic bodies 5, the force of the second elastic body 5 that pushes the vibrating base unit 222 in the direction of travel increases, and the inertial force is absorbed. As a result, vibrations other than those of the vibrating main body 221 are less likely to be transmitted to the transport path 21, and the distribution of the resin material J supplied onto the release film F can be made uniform.

[0065] On the other hand, when the resin material supply unit 2 is decelerated by the moving mechanism 3, as shown in Figure 9(b), the vibrating unit 22, which is held by the moving base unit 23 via the first elastic body 4, receives an inertial force in the direction of travel in accordance with the deceleration. As a result, the second elastic bodies 5 provided on the front and rear sides of the vibrating base unit 222 absorb the inertial force applied to the vibrating unit 22 and suppress the shaking of the vibrating unit 22. Here, the second elastic bodies 5 on the direction of travel side of the vibrating base unit 222 mainly absorb the inertial force. Specifically, among the multiple second elastic bodies 5, the force of the second elastic body 5 that pushes the vibrating base unit 222 in the opposite direction of travel increases, and the inertial force is absorbed. As a result, vibrations other than those of the vibrating main body 221 are less likely to be transmitted to the transport path 21, and the distribution of the resin material J supplied onto the release film F can be made uniform.

[0066] <Other components of the resin material supply mechanism 15> In addition to the resin material supply unit 2 and the moving mechanism 3, the resin material supply mechanism 15 of this embodiment includes, as shown in Figure 1, a frame loading unit 15a for loading empty frame bodies 30, a frame cleaning unit 15b for cleaning the empty frame bodies 30, a film mounting unit 15c for attaching release film F to the empty frame bodies 30, a frame unloading unit 15d for unloading the frame bodies 30 to which the resin material J has been supplied, and a frame moving unit 15e for moving the empty frame bodies 30, the frame bodies 30 to which the release film F has been attached, and the frame bodies 30 to which the resin material J has been supplied.

[0067] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the resin material supply mechanism 15 includes an input area R1 into which an empty frame 30 is input by a frame input section 15a, an output area R2 from which the frame 30 supplied with resin material J is output, and a number of work areas R3 to R5 located between the input area R1 and the output area R2, where work related to the supply of resin material J is performed, all arranged in one direction (left to right).

[0068] Here, the multiple work areas R3 to R5 include a cleaning area R3 where the empty frame 30 is cleaned by the frame cleaning unit 15b, a mounting area R4 where the release film F is mounted on the empty frame 30 by the film mounting unit 15c, and a supply area R5 where the resin material supply unit 2 supplies resin material J to the release film F mounted on the frame 30. In this embodiment, the loading area R1, cleaning area R3, mounting area R4, supply area R5, and unloading area R2 are arranged in a straight line from left to right. A release film placement unit 6 is provided in the supply area R5.

[0069] The frame loading section 15a is a frame retrieval section that retrieves empty frame bodies 30 from the frame placement shelves 18. It holds the empty frame bodies 30 placed on the frame placement shelves 18 and places (loads) them into the loading area R1. Specifically, the frame loading section 15a is a so-called pick-and-place unit that uses suction or gripping to pick up empty frame bodies 30 from the frame placement shelves 18 and places them in the loading area R1.

[0070] The frame cleaning unit 15b cleans the underside and inner circumferential surface of the empty frame 30 placed in the cleaning area R3. This frame cleaning unit 15b cleans the underside and inner circumferential surface of the empty frame 30 in the cleaning area R3 from below. Specifically, the frame cleaning unit 15b has a brush (not shown) for cleaning the underside and inner circumferential surface of the frame 30. This brush comes into contact with the underside and inner circumferential surface and removes dust and debris adhering to them. The frame cleaning unit 15b also has a dust collection mechanism (not shown) for collecting the removed dust and debris.

[0071] The film mounting section 15c is used to mount the release film F onto the empty frame 30 placed in the mounting area R4. The frame 30 in this embodiment has a clamp portion (not shown) that holds the release film F in place and secures it to the lower surface of the frame. Specifically, the film mounting section 15c releases the release film F onto the lower surface of the empty frame 30 in the mounting area R4 by opening the clamp portion of the empty frame 30.

[0072] As shown in Figure 1, the frame unloading unit 15d holds the resin-filled frame 30 placed in the unloading area R2 and places (unloads) it onto the film arrangement shelf 17. This frame unloading unit 15d transfers (loads) the resin-filled frame 30 onto the film arrangement shelf 17. Specifically, the frame unloading unit 15d is a so-called pick-and-place unit, which uses suction or gripping to place the resin-filled frame 30 in the unloading area R2 onto the film arrangement shelf 17.

[0073] As shown in Figure 1, the frame movement unit 15e lifts each of the multiple frame bodies 30 located in the loading area R1 and the multiple work areas R3 to R5 and moves them to the next areas R2 to R5. In other words, with a single movement operation by the frame movement unit 15e, an empty frame body 30 in the loading area R1 moves to the cleaning area R3, an empty frame body 30 in the cleaning area R3 moves to the mounting area R4, a frame body 30 with the release film F attached in the mounting area R4 moves to the supply area R5, and a frame body 30 with the resin material J supplied in the supply area R5 moves to the unloading area R2. Specifically, the frame movement unit 15e comprises an up-and-down moving body that lifts a pair of opposing sides (front side and rear side) of each of the multiple frame bodies 30, an up-and-down drive unit that moves the up-and-down moving body up and down, and a horizontal drive unit that moves the up-and-down moving body horizontally. The up-and-down drive unit 152 can be, for example, one using an air cylinder, one using a ball screw mechanism, or one using a rack and pinion mechanism. Furthermore, the horizontal drive unit 154 can be configured, for example, using a rack and pinion mechanism.

[0074] <An example of operation of the resin molding apparatus 100> Next, an example of the operation of the resin molding apparatus 100 will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. The operation described below is performed by a control device CTL provided in the substrate supply and storage module A, for example, controlling each part of the resin molding apparatus 100. The control device CTL is a dedicated or general-purpose computer having a CPU, internal memory, input / output interface, AD converter, etc.

[0075] With the upper mold 131 and lower mold 132 open by the mold clamping mechanism 14, the substrate transport mechanism 11 loads and holds the unmolded substrate W into the upper mold 131. The resin material supply mechanism 15 supplies the resin material J onto the release film F mounted on the frame 30. Then, the resin material transport mechanism 16 houses the release film F and resin material J into the cavity 132C of the lower mold 132. In this way, the unmolded substrate W, release film F, and resin material J are supplied to the molding die 13 (see Figure 2). Here, the resin material J is thermosetting and is heated by the upper mold 131 and lower mold 132 while housed in the cavity 132C. As a result, the viscosity of the resin material J temporarily decreases. As described above, the upper mold 131 and lower mold 132 are heated by the upper mold heating section and the lower mold heating section, respectively.

[0076] Next, the upper mold 131 and the lower mold 132 are clamped together by the clamping mechanism 14, and this state is maintained for a predetermined time, causing the temperature of the resin material J to rise and the resin material J to harden. After the set time has elapsed, the resin molding is completed. Note that a thermoplastic material may be used as the resin material J. In this case, the resin material J is hardened by cooling.

[0077] After this resin molding, the mold clamping mechanism 14 opens the upper mold 131 and the lower mold 132. Then, the resin molded product P is stored in the substrate storage section 10b by the substrate supply and storage module A (see Figure 1). Also, the used release film F is discarded by the resin material supply module C.

[0078] <Effects of this embodiment> In the resin molding apparatus 100 of this embodiment, the vibrating part 22 is held vertically relative to the moving base part 23 by the first elastic body 4 which expands and contracts vertically, so that unnecessary vibrations are not transmitted to the components of the resin material supply part 2 other than the transport path 21. Furthermore, with this resin material supply mechanism 15, the vibrating part 22 is held in the direction of movement relative to the moving base part 23 by the second elastic body 5 which expands and contracts in the direction of movement of the moving base part 23, so that the shaking of the resin material supply part 2 during acceleration and deceleration can be reduced. As a result, stable supply of granular resin material J is possible, and the distribution of the supplied resin material J can be made uniform.

[0079] <Other modified embodiments> However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above.

[0080] For example, the second elastic body 5 may be configured to hold the vibration base portion 222 from either the front or rear side in the direction of movement of the movable base portion 23. In this case, the second elastic body 5 may be configured to be fixed to both the movable base portion 23 and the vibration portion 22. Specifically, the second elastic body 5 may be fastened and fixed to either the opposing portion 232a or the opposing portion 232b at one end of the movable base portion 23, and to either the front end portion 222c or the rear end portion 222d of the vibration base portion 222 of the vibration portion 22.

[0081] Furthermore, in a configuration in which the second elastic body 5 holds the vibration base portion 222 from both the front and rear sides in the direction of movement of the movable base portion 23, the second elastic body 5 may be fixed to both the movable base portion 23 and the vibration portion 22. In this case, the second elastic body 5 may be positioned only on the front side or only on the rear side of the vibration base portion 222.

[0082] Furthermore, the resin material supply unit 2 may have a height adjustment mechanism 9 for adjusting the height position of the vibrating unit 22, as shown in Figure 10. In this case, the movable base unit 23 has a lower movable base unit 23a and an upper movable base unit 23b. The lower movable base unit 23a is provided on the slider 32. The upper movable base unit 23b holds the vibrating unit 22 via a first elastic body 4 and a second elastic body 5. The height adjustment mechanism 9 adjusts the height position of the vibrating unit 22 by adjusting the height position of the upper movable base unit 23b relative to the lower movable base unit 23a. Specifically, the height adjustment mechanism 9 has a first bolt member 91 that screws into a female screw hole 23a1 formed in the lower movable base unit 23a, and a second bolt member 92 that fastens and fixes the upper movable base unit 23b to the head 911 of the first nut member 91. The height position of the upper movable base portion 23b can be adjusted by adjusting the amount the first bolt member 91 is screwed into the lower movable base portion 23a. A nut member 93 is screwed onto the first bolt member 91, and the first bolt member 91 is fixed to the lower movable base portion 23a by tightening the nut member 93 into the lower movable base portion 23a after adjusting the amount the first bolt member 91 is screwed into. The second bolt member 92 is fastened to the female screw hole 911a formed in the head 911 of the first nut member 91 via a through hole 23b1 formed in the upper movable base portion 23b.

[0083] The resin material supply mechanism 15 may be configured to supply resin material J to a frame 30 that adsorbs the release film F, or it may be configured to supply resin material J to a resin material storage section formed by arranging the release film F and the frame 30 on a moving stage.

[0084] Furthermore, the resin molding module B may be configured to have multiple molds 13 (upper mold and lower mold) arranged vertically. In this case, the substrate supply section 111 and the substrate receiving section 112 of the substrate transport mechanism 11 are provided in accordance with the number of molds. Also, the resin material transport supply section 161 and the film recovery section 162 of the resin material transport mechanism 16 are provided in accordance with the number of molds.

[0085] Furthermore, the resin molding apparatus 100 may have a configuration that includes multiple resin molding modules B, or one resin molding module B may have a configuration that includes multiple resin molding mechanisms.

[0086] Furthermore, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible without departing from its spirit. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0087] 100...Resin molding equipment W... Pre-molding substrate (object to be molded) P... Resin molded product (object to be molded) F... Release film J...Resin material 11. Substrate transport mechanism (molding object transport mechanism) 13...Molding mold 131...upper mold 132...lower mold 14. Clamping mechanism 15...Resin material supply mechanism 16. Resin material transport mechanism 2...Resin material supply section 21... Conveyor Route 22.. Vibration section 221...Vibration main unit 222...Vibration base section 222c...Front end 222d...Rear end 23. Mobile base section 232a...One end side opposing part 232b...Other end side opposing part 3...Moving mechanism 4. First elastic body 40...Unit 1 41...First base unit 5. Second elastic body 50...Unit 2 51...Second base unit

Claims

1. A resin material supply unit that supplies granular resin material, The system includes a moving mechanism for moving the resin material supply unit, The aforementioned resin material supply unit is A transport path for transporting the aforementioned resin material, A vibrating unit that vibrates the transport path to move the resin material along the transport path, The transport path and the vibrating unit are mounted on a mobile base unit which is moved by the moving mechanism, A first elastic body that expands and contracts in the vertical direction to hold the vibrating part vertically relative to the movable base part, A resin material supply mechanism comprising a second elastic body that expands and contracts in the direction of movement of the movable base portion to hold the vibrating portion relative to the movable base portion in the direction of movement.

2. The resin material supply mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the second elastic body is fixed to either the movable base portion or the vibrating portion, and is not fixed to the other of the movable base portion or the vibrating portion.

3. The resin material supply mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the second elastic body is provided on the front and rear sides of the vibrating portion in the direction of movement.

4. The vibrating part is, A vibrating body connected to the upper part of the transport path, The vibration body portion has a vibration base portion fixed to the lower surface, The movable base portion has an upper surface that faces the lower surface of the vibrating base portion. The resin material supply mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the first elastic body is provided between the upper surface of the movable base and the lower surface of the vibrating base.

5. The aforementioned movable base portion is The vibration base portion has a one-end opposing portion that faces one end in the direction of movement, The vibration base portion has a facing portion on the other end facing the other end in the direction of movement, The resin material supply mechanism according to claim 4, wherein the second elastic body is provided between the one end and the opposing portion on the one end side, and between the other end and the opposing portion on the other end side.

6. The resin material supply mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the moving mechanism moves the resin material supply unit back and forth in a straight line so that the starting point and ending point of the resin material supply coincide.

7. The resin material supply mechanism according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the first elastic bodies or a plurality of the second elastic bodies are attached to a common base body and configured as a detachable unit.

8. A resin material supply mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 7, A molding die having an upper mold and a lower mold, A mold clamping mechanism for clamping the aforementioned mold, The above-mentioned upper mold includes a molding object transport mechanism for transporting the object to be molded, A resin molding apparatus comprising a resin material conveying mechanism for conveying a release film supplied with the resin material by the resin material supply mechanism to the lower mold.

9. A method for manufacturing a resin molded product using the resin molding apparatus described in claim 8, The molding object transport mechanism transports the molding object to the upper mold, and the molding object is placed in the upper mold. The resin material supply mechanism delivers the release film to the lower mold, A method for manufacturing a resin molded product, comprising clamping the upper mold and the lower mold together to produce the resin molded product.

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