Scribe head and scribe device

Abstract

To provide a scribe head and a scribe apparatus which can stably and securely lock a cutter wheel with a simple configuration.SOLUTION: A scribe head 10 comprises: a base member 110; support members 210 vertically movably supported to the base member 110; holders 240 with a tapered shape rotatably supported to the support members 210 with respect to a rotational axis R10; a cutter wheel 251a held to the lower faces of the holders 240 separately from the rotational axis R10; guide shafts 221 vertically movably supported to the support members 210; springs 222 biasing the guide shafts 221 upwards; pressing members 230 provided at the lower ends of the guide shafts 221 and having pressure-welding faces 231a to be pressure-welded to outer faces 241a of the holders 240 by the biasing from the springs 222; and a lower face 110a provided at the base member 110 and opposite to upper ends 221c of the guide shafts 221.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a scribing head for forming a scribe line on a substrate and a scribing apparatus including the scribing head.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a scribing apparatus for forming a scribe line on a workpiece such as a wafer has been known. Patent Document 1 below describes a scribing apparatus that supplies pressure into a cylinder chamber to push a piston rod downward against the biasing force of a biasing member and lock the scribe blade unit so as not to swing.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the scribing apparatus described in Patent Document 1 above, as a configuration for locking the scribe blade, a cylinder chamber, a piston disposed in the cylinder chamber, and a pressure air supply source for supplying air to the cylinder chamber are required, so that the structure for locking becomes complicated. Further, since the lower surface of the piston rod is pressed against the upper surface of the support shaft by the air pressure from the pressure air supply source, the stability and reliability of the lock are low.

[0005] In view of such problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a scribing head and a scribing apparatus capable of locking a cutter wheel stably and reliably with a simple configuration.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A first aspect of the present invention relates to a scribe head. The scribe head according to this aspect comprises a base member that is raised and lowered by a lifting mechanism on the scribe device side; a support member supported on the base member so as to be vertically movable within a predetermined range; a tapered holder supported on the support member so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis; a cutter wheel held on the lower surface of the holder at a distance from the rotation axis; a guide shaft supported on the support member so as to be vertically movable; a biasing member that biases the guide shaft upward; a pressing member provided at the lower end of the guide shaft and having a contact surface that is pressed against the outer surface of the holder by the biasing force from the biasing member; and a facing surface provided on the base member that faces the upper end of the guide shaft at a predetermined distance when the support member is positioned at the lower limit of the predetermined range.

[0007] According to the scribe head of this embodiment, when the support member is positioned at the lower limit of a predetermined range, the lifting mechanism on the scribe device lowers the base member, causing the cutter wheel to come into contact with the contact surface. Subsequently, when the base member is lowered further, the downward movement of the cutter wheel is restricted by the contact surface, so the support member, holder, guide shaft, and pressing member do not move, and only the base member moves. As a result, the distance between the upper end of the guide shaft and the opposing surface of the base member decreases, and they eventually come into contact. When the base member is lowered further from this state, the upper end of the guide shaft is pushed against the opposing surface, causing the guide shaft to move downward against the biasing force of the biasing member. At this time, the pressing member moves downward together with the guide shaft, and the contact surface of the pressing member separates from the outer surface of the holder. As a result, the holder becomes rotatable around the rotation axis, and the cutter wheel held in the holder also becomes rotatable. Conversely to the above process, raising the base member causes the contact surface of the pressing member to be pressed against the outer surface of the holder, locking the holder and cutter wheel in place.

[0008] Thus, with the scribe head according to this embodiment, the holder and cutter wheel can be switched between locked and unlocked with a simple configuration that only requires the addition of a guide shaft, a biasing member, and a pressing member. Furthermore, since the locking is performed by pressing the contact surface of the pressing member against the outer surface of the tapered holder by surface contact, the holder and cutter wheel can be locked stably and reliably. Moreover, the holder and cutter wheel can be switched between locked and unlocked with extremely simple control, such as raising or lowering the base member. For this reason, by raising the scribe head while the cutter wheel is running in the unlocked state, the holder and cutter wheel can be locked, and the cutter wheel can be accurately locked to the state just before locking, which allows for straight-line travel.

[0009] In the scribe head according to this embodiment, the base member has a block shape, the support member and the guide shaft are arranged below the base member, and the opposing surface is the lower surface of the base member.

[0010] With this configuration, the support member and guide shaft are positioned below the base member, allowing the structure consisting of the base member, support member, and guide shaft to be made compact. Furthermore, since the lower surface of the base member is shared with the opposing surface, the structure can be simplified.

[0011] In the scribe head according to this embodiment, the outer surface of the holder is substantially circular in plan view, with a diameter that decreases towards the bottom, and the pressing member has a circular opening into which the holder is inserted from above, and the pressure contact surface is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the opening by decreasing the diameter of the opening towards the bottom, similar to the outer surface of the holder.

[0012] With this configuration, a locking mechanism can be realized by adjusting the diameter of the outer surface of the holder and the diameter of the opening of the pressing member. Therefore, the configuration of the locking mechanism can be simplified.

[0013] In this case, the holder includes a shape in which a portion of the outer surface of the cone is cut out flat.

[0014] With this configuration, the contact area between the outer surface of the holder and the pressure contact surface can be adjusted by changing the amount of notch on the outer surface, thereby adjusting the locking force. As a result, even if a large torque is suddenly applied to the cutter wheel during scribing, the outer surface of the holder will slip against the pressure contact surface, preventing the cutter wheel from rotating in the direction of the torque and causing damage to the cutter wheel.

[0015] The scribe head according to this embodiment includes a head drive unit that drives the support member by air pressure to apply a load to the cutter wheel.

[0016] With this configuration, since the support member is not mechanically fixed to the head drive unit, when the base member is lowered further after the cutter wheel has contacted the contact surface, the base member can be lowered smoothly relative to the support member. Therefore, the locking and unlocking of the cutter wheel by raising and lowering the base member can be smoothly switched.

[0017] A second aspect of the present invention relates to a scribe device. The scribe device according to this aspect comprises a scribe head according to the first aspect, a lifting mechanism, a transfer mechanism that moves the scribe head in the scribe direction together with the lifting mechanism, and a control unit that controls the lifting mechanism and the transfer mechanism. The control unit performs a control to release the lock of the cutter wheel by lowering the base member until the cutter wheel contacts the contact surface, and then further lowering the base member until contact between the outer surface of the holder and the contact surface is released.

[0018] According to the scribe device of this embodiment, the cutter wheel can be unlocked by an extremely simple control, such as lowering the base member.

[0019] In the scribe device according to this embodiment, the control unit executes control to release the lock of the cutter wheel, and then executes control to move the scribe head in the scribe direction while raising the base member until the outer surface of the holder and the contact surface come into contact.

[0020] In the unlocked state, the cutter wheel is pressed against the contact surface. By moving the scribe head in the scribe direction from this state, the cutter wheel can be moved in a straight line in the scribe direction, and the ridge of the cutter wheel can be made parallel to the scribe direction. At this time, by moving the scribe head in the scribe direction while raising the base member until the outer surface of the holder and the contact surface come into contact, the cutter wheel can be locked while maintaining the state in which the ridge of the cutter wheel is parallel to the scribe direction. Therefore, by performing the scribe operation in this locked state thereafter, the linearity of the scribe trajectory can be maintained with high precision.

[0021] In this case, the control unit executes a control to unlock the cutter wheel, then moves the scribe head in the scribe direction, and then executes a control to raise the base member while moving the scribe head in the scribe direction until the outer surface of the holder and the contact surface come into contact.

[0022] With this configuration, the scribe head is moved in the scribe direction, ensuring that the cutter wheel moves straight in the scribe direction. Furthermore, by moving the scribe head in the scribe direction while raising the base member until the outer surface of the holder and the contact surface come into contact, the cutter wheel can be locked while maintaining the state in which the ridge of the cutter wheel is parallel to the scribe direction.

[0023] The scribing device according to this aspect includes a sensor that detects that the cutter wheel has contacted the contact surface, and the control unit lowers the base member by a predetermined amount from the position where it is detected that the cutter wheel has contacted the contact surface based on the output from the sensor, thereby releasing the contact between the outer surface of the holder and the pressure contact surface.

[0024] According to this configuration, the lock of the cutter wheel can be released smoothly and accurately.

[0025] In this case, the sensor is a load cell for detecting the load applied to the cutter wheel.

[0026] According to this configuration, since the load cell is shared as the sensor, simplification of the configuration of the scribing device and cost reduction can be achieved.

Effect of the Invention

[0027] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a scribing head and a scribing device capable of locking a cutter wheel stably and reliably with a simple configuration.

[0028] The effects or significance of the present invention will become clearer from the description of the embodiments shown below. However, the embodiments shown below are merely examples when implementing the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to those described in the following embodiments at all.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0029] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view schematically showing the configuration of a scribing device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2(a) is a plan view showing a state where a frame unit is placed on the mounting surface of a scribing table according to an embodiment. FIG. 2(b) is a cross-sectional view of the frame unit, the scribing table, and the test substrate at the A-A position in FIG. 2(a) according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a scribe head according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows a cross-section of the scribe head according to the embodiment, obtained by cutting the cutter wheel at its central position with a plane parallel to the YZ plane. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows a cross-section of the scribe head according to the embodiment, obtained by cutting the shaft at the central position with a plane parallel to the XZ plane. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a base member and the parts housed within the base member according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the support member, holder, and pressing member according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a configuration for installing a pressing member on a support member according to an embodiment. [Figure 9] Figure 9 shows a portion of the cross-section when the scribe head is cut by a plane parallel to the XZ plane at the position of the cutter wheel, according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] Figure 10(a) is a schematic side view illustrating how the pin is pushed up and down by the ball according to the embodiment. Figure 10(b) is a schematic side view illustrating how the shaft moves up and down relative to the bearing according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a scribe device according to an embodiment. [Figure 12] Figures 12(a) and 12(b) are schematic side views illustrating the origin setting operation of the scribe head according to the embodiment. [Figure 13] Figures 13(a) and 13(b) are schematic side views illustrating the rotational position adjustment of the holder according to the embodiment. [Figure 14] Figures 14(a) and (b) are schematic side views illustrating the rotational position adjustment of the holder according to the embodiment. [Figure 15] Figures 15(a) and (b) are schematic side views illustrating the rotational position adjustment of the holder according to the embodiment. [Figure 16] Figures 16(a) and 16(b) are schematic side views illustrating the scribing operation on a workpiece according to the embodiment. [Figure 17] Figures 17(a) and 17(b) are schematic side views illustrating the scribing operation on a workpiece according to the embodiment. [Figure 18] Figure 18 is a flowchart showing the origin setting process according to an embodiment. [Figure 19] Figure 19 is a flowchart showing the rotational position adjustment process of the holder according to an embodiment. [Figure 20] Figure 20 is a flowchart showing the scribe process according to an embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0030] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. For convenience, each figure is labeled with mutually orthogonal X, Y, and Z axes. The positive and negative Z directions correspond to the vertically upward and vertically downward directions, respectively, while the positive X direction is the direction in which the scribe head is moved during the scribe operation.

[0031] Figure 1 is a schematic side view showing the configuration of the scribe device 1.

[0032] As shown in Figure 1, the scribe device 1 includes a movable platform 2 that is movable in the Y-axis direction. The movable platform 2 is screwed onto a ball screw 3 that extends in the Y-axis direction. The movable platform 2 is also supported so as to be movable in the Y-axis direction by a pair of guide rails 4 that extend in the Y-axis direction. When the ball screw 3 is rotated by the drive of a motor (not shown), the movable platform 2 moves in the Y-axis direction along the pair of guide rails 4.

[0033] A scribe table 6 is mounted on the mobile platform 2 via a rotating mechanism 5. The rotating mechanism 5 is equipped with a motor and rotates the scribe table 6 about a rotation axis parallel to the Z-axis. The upper surface (mounting surface 61) of the scribe table 6 is provided with a suction structure for adsorbing the frame unit 20. The configuration of the frame unit 20 and the suction structure will be described later with reference to Figures 2(a) and (b).

[0034] Furthermore, the scribe device 1 includes a pair of support columns 7a and 7b, and a transport mechanism 8 supported by the support columns 7a and 7b. The transport mechanism 8, together with the lifting mechanism 9, transports the scribe head 10 and camera 11 in the X-axis direction. The transport mechanism 8 includes a ball screw and guide rail extending in the X-axis direction, a motor that drives the ball screw, and a support plate. The support plate is screwed into the ball screw and guided in the X-axis direction by the guide rail. The lifting mechanism 9 is mounted on the support plate. When the motor of the transport mechanism 8 is driven, the lifting mechanism 9 is transported in the X-axis direction together with the support plate. The transport mechanism 8 is configured to allow the support plate and the lifting mechanism 9 to be transported linearly and with virtually no fluctuation in the X-axis direction.

[0035] The lifting mechanism 9 raises and lowers the scribe head 10 and camera 11 in the Z-axis direction. The lifting mechanism 9 comprises a ball screw and guide rail extending in the Z-axis direction, a motor that drives the ball screw, and a support plate 9a. The support plate 9a is screwed onto the ball screw and guided in the Z-axis direction by the guide rail. The scribe head 10 and camera 11 are mounted on the front surface of the support plate 9a. When the motor of the lifting mechanism 9 is driven, the scribe head 10 and camera 11 are raised and lowered in the Z-axis direction together with the support plate 9a.

[0036] A holder unit 251 holding a cutter wheel 251a is mounted on the lower end of the scribe head 10. The camera 11 is mounted on the support plate 9a with the imaging direction facing downward. The camera 11, positioned at a predetermined imaging position by the transfer mechanism 8 and the lifting mechanism 9, images the frame unit 20 held on the upper surface (mounting surface 61) of the scribe table 6. The image captured by the camera 11 is used for position adjustment (alignment) of the frame unit 20 in the rotational direction around a rotation axis parallel to the Z-axis direction and in the Y-axis direction.

[0037] Figure 2(a) is a plan view showing the frame unit 20 placed on the mounting surface 61 of the scribe table 6. Figure 2(b) is a cross-sectional view of the frame unit 20, scribe table 6, and test substrate 66 at position AA in Figure 2(a). For convenience, the frame ring 21, workpiece 23, and test substrate 66 are hatched in Figure 2(a), showing the state in which the area behind the tape is visible through the gap 20a.

[0038] As shown in Figures 2(a) and (b), the frame unit 20 comprises a frame ring 21, a tape 22, and a workpiece 23. The frame ring 21 is a plate-shaped member of a constant thickness made of a metal material. In plan view, the frame ring 21 has a ring shape with a circular opening 21a in the center.

[0039] The tape 22 is attached to the lower surface of the frame ring 21, covering the opening 21a of the frame ring 21 from below. The tape 22 is made of, for example, a resin material. The workpiece 23 is attached to the upper surface of the tape 22 that is exposed through the opening 21a of the frame ring 21.

[0040] The workpiece 23 may be, for example, a wafer, or it may be another material such as a glass substrate. In plan view, the workpiece 23 has a disc shape with a diameter smaller than the opening 21a. The workpiece 23 is attached to the upper surface of the tape 22 so as to be approximately concentric with the opening 21a. In this way, the workpiece 23 is fixed to the opening 21a of the frame ring 21 by the tape 22. In this state, a ring-shaped gap 20a is created between the inner circumference of the opening 21a and the outer circumference of the workpiece 23. The radial width of the gap 20a is approximately constant around its entire circumference.

[0041] The scribe table 6 has a roughly square shape in plan view. The scribe table 6 is made of a metal material such as SUS. Four circular recesses 62 are formed on the mounting surface 61 at positions symmetrically with respect to the center. The frame unit 20 is placed on the mounting surface 61 such that the frame ring 21 fits approximately evenly into the four recesses 62. In this state, a groove 63 formed along the mounting surface 61 of the scribe table 6 is positioned below the gap 20a of the frame unit 20. A hole 64 is formed at the positive Y-axis end of the groove 63, penetrating the scribe table 6, and the negative Z-axis end of the hole 64 is connected to a pressure application unit 305 (see Figure 11) via piping (not shown). A gap 65 without a groove 63 is formed at the negative Y-axis end of the groove 63.

[0042] In the process of forming a scribe line on the workpiece 23, prior to the scribe operation, air in the groove 63 is sucked out by the pressure application unit 305 through the hole 64. This applies tension to the tape 22 positioned inside the groove 63, causing the tape 22 on the underside of the workpiece 23 to adhere tightly to the mounting surface 61 of the scribe table 6. At this time, the tape 22 adheres tightly sequentially from the hole 64 toward the gap 65, so that the air generated between the tape 22 on the underside of the workpiece 23 and the mounting surface 61 is smoothly released through the gap 65. In this way, the frame unit 20 is adsorbed and fixed to the mounting surface 61 of the scribe table 6.

[0043] On the mounting surface 61, two test boards 66 are positioned outside the frame unit 20. As shown in Figure 2(a), the test board 66 on the negative Y-axis side has a shape that extends in the X-axis direction, and the test board 66 on the negative X-axis side has a shape that extends in the Y-axis direction. As shown in Figure 2(b), the test boards 66 are placed in recesses formed in the mounting surface 61 so that their upper surfaces coincide with the upper surface of the mounting surface 61. The two test boards 66 rotate in accordance with the rotation of the scribe table 6 around the Z-axis.

[0044] The test board 66 is used when adjusting the rotational position of the holder 240, which will be described later. When adjusting the rotational position of the holder 240, the test board 66 positioned on the negative Y-axis side of the frame unit 20 is used. The rotational position adjustment will be explained later with reference to Figures 13(a) to 15(b).

[0045] Next, we will describe the configuration of scribehead 10.

[0046] Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the scribe head 10.

[0047] The plate member 101 has a flat shape parallel to the XZ plane and is installed on the support plate 9a (see Figure 1) of the lifting mechanism 9. The bracket 102 has a flat shape parallel to the horizontal plane (XY plane). The negative end of the bracket 102 on the Y axis is installed on the plate member 101, and the end of the bracket 102 near the positive side of the Y axis is installed on the upper surface of the base member 110 via the shaft member 103.

[0048] A load cell 104 is installed on the upper surface of the bracket 102. When a load is applied to the receiving portion 104a provided on the upper surface of the load cell 104, the load cell 104 converts the applied load into an electrical signal and outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the load. Pipes 105 and 106 are installed on the positive Y-axis end of the bracket 102. One end of pipe 105 is connected to a pressure application section 305 (see Figure 11) via piping (not shown), and the other end of pipe 105 is connected to one end of pipe 106. The other end of pipe 106 is connected to pipe 132 via piping (not shown).

[0049] The base member 110 has a block shape, with its top and bottom surfaces parallel to the horizontal plane, and its sides parallel to the XZ plane or the YZ plane. The negative Y-axis side of the base member 110 is placed on the plate member 101. The base member 110 is raised and lowered via the plate member 101 by the lifting mechanism 9 on the scribe device 1 side.

[0050] Pipes 121 to 124 are installed on the positive Y-axis side of the base member 110. One end of pipes 121 and 122 is connected to a pressure application section 305 (see Figure 11) via piping (not shown), and the other end is connected to two holes 116 (see Figure 6) in the base member 110. One end of pipes 123 and 124 is connected to a pressure application section 305 (see Figure 11), and the other end is connected to two holes 117 (see Figure 6) in the base member 110.

[0051] A plate member 131 extending downward is installed on the positive X-axis side of the base member 110. A pipe 132 and a nozzle 133 are installed at the lower end of the plate member 131. One end of pipe 132 is connected to pipe 106 via piping (not shown), and the other end of pipe 106 is connected to nozzle 133. Air is supplied from the pressure application unit 305 (see Figure 11) to nozzle 133 via pipes 105, 106, and 132, causing air to be blown from the tip of nozzle 133 towards the vicinity of holder unit 251. As a result, when scribing the workpiece 23, fragments and other debris near holder unit 251 are blown away, allowing for proper scribing.

[0052] The base member 110 has two cylindrical holes 115 (see Figure 6) that penetrate the base member 110 in the vertical direction. The two cylindrical holes 115 are arranged at a predetermined distance from each other in the X-axis direction. Two bearings 140 are installed in each of the two cylindrical holes 115. Two shafts 201 are passed through each of the two bearings 140. The upper and lower ends of the two shafts 201 protrude from the base member 110, respectively, in the upper and lower directions.

[0053] The upper ends of the two shafts 201 are mounted on a plate member 202. The plate member 202 has a flat plate shape parallel to the horizontal plane. Two shaft members 203 (see Figures 3 and 5) extending in the positive Z-axis direction are mounted on the upper surface of the plate member 202. A bridge member 204 is placed over the upper ends of the two shaft members 203. A push member 205 is mounted on the lower surface of the bridge member 204, and the push member 205 is positioned directly above the receiving portion 104a of the load cell 104.

[0054] The lower ends of the two shafts 201 are mounted on a support member 210. The support member 210 has a block shape, with its top and bottom surfaces parallel to the horizontal plane, and its sides parallel to the XZ plane or YZ plane. Three guide shafts 221 and three springs 222 are mounted on the support member 210 (see Figures 3 and 8). Each of the three guide shafts 221 is supported on the support member 210 so as to be vertically movable via three springs 222, and is biased upward by the three springs 222. The upper ends 221c of the three guide shafts 221 (see Figure 8) face the lower surface 110a of the base member 110.

[0055] The lower ends of the three guide shafts 221 are mounted on the pressing member 230. The guide shafts 221 are biased upward by the spring 222, and the pressing member 230 is also biased upward. A holder 240 is mounted on the lower end of the support member 210. The holder 240 is supported upward by the pressing member 230. A holder unit 251 is installed below the holder 240. The holder unit 251 is equipped with a cutter wheel 251a (see Figures 4 and 5) at its lower end.

[0056] Figure 4 shows a cross-section of the scribe head 10 cut by a plane parallel to the YZ plane at the center of the cutter wheel 251a.

[0057] An opening 211 is formed in the center of the support member 210, penetrating it vertically. The holder 240 is rotatably supported in the Z-axis direction by two bearings 261 installed within the opening 211. A cutter wheel 251a for forming a scribe line in the X-axis direction is installed at the lower end of the holder unit 251. The cutter wheel 251a is rotatably supported by the holder unit 251 in the Y-axis direction.

[0058] The flow paths 111 and 112 extend along the Y-axis from the positive Y-axis side surface of the base member 110 to near the negative Y-axis end of the base member 110. The positive Y-axis ends of the flow paths 111 and 112 are connected to two holes 116 (see Figure 6), and are connected to pipes 121 and 122 installed in the two holes 116. Near the negative Y-axis end of the base member 110, cylindrical holes 113 and 114 are formed at a predetermined interval in the vertical direction. Cylindrical hole 113 is open upward from the upper surface of the base member 110, and cylindrical hole 114 is open downward from the lower surface 110a of the base member 110. The inner surfaces of cylindrical holes 113 and 114 have a cylindrical shape extending in the Z-axis direction. The negative Y-axis ends of the flow paths 111 and 112 are connected to the positive Y-axis inner surfaces of cylindrical holes 113 and 114, respectively.

[0059] A cylindrical member 152 extending in the Z-axis direction is installed in the cylindrical hole 113. The cylindrical member 152 has a receiving hole 152a that penetrates the cylindrical member 152 vertically, and the receiving hole 152a has a cylindrical shape extending in the Z-axis direction. A spherical ball 151 is placed in the receiving hole 152a. The diameter of the receiving hole 152a is constant in the Z-axis direction and is slightly larger than the diameter of the ball 151.

[0060] Above the ball 151, a pin 153 is installed on the lower surface of the plate member 202, with the lower end of the pin 153 facing the upper end of the ball 151. When air is supplied from the pipe 121 through the flow path 111 to the receiving hole 152a, the ball 151 is pushed upward by the air. As a result, the upper end of the ball 151 pushes up the pin 153, and the plate member 202, the two shafts 201, and the support member 210 move upward together with the pin 153. In addition, as the support member 210 moves upward, the holder 240 and the holder unit 251 supported by the support member 210 also move upward.

[0061] The ball 151, the receiving hole 152a, and the flow path 111 constitute the head drive unit D1 that applies a load to the cutter wheel 251a. The head drive unit D1 moves the holder unit 251 and the cutter wheel 251a upward by moving the ball 151 upward. This causes the head drive unit D1 to reduce the load applied to the cutter wheel 251a.

[0062] A cylindrical member 162 extending in the Z-axis direction is installed in the cylindrical hole 114. A receiving hole 162a is formed in the cylindrical member 162, penetrating it vertically, and the receiving hole 162a has a cylindrical shape extending in the Z-axis direction. A spherical ball 161 is placed in the receiving hole 162a. The diameter of the receiving hole 162a is constant in the Z-axis direction and is slightly larger than the diameter of the ball 161.

[0063] Below the ball 161, a pin 163 is installed in a hole 214 (see Figure 7) on the upper surface of the support member 210, with the upper end of the pin 163 facing the lower end of the ball 161. When air is supplied from the pipe 122 through the flow path 112 to the receiving hole 162a, the ball 161 is pushed downward by the air. As a result, the lower end of the ball 161 pushes down the pin 163, and the support member 210 moves downward together with the pin 163. Furthermore, as the support member 210 moves downward, the holder 240 and the holder unit 251 supported by the support member 210 also move downward.

[0064] The ball 161, the receiving hole 162a, and the flow path 112 constitute the head drive unit D2 that applies a load to the cutter wheel 251a. The head drive unit D2 moves the holder unit 251 and the cutter wheel 251a downward by moving the ball 161 downward. This causes the head drive unit D2 to increase the load applied to the cutter wheel 251a.

[0065] Figure 5 shows a cross-section of the scribe head 10, obtained by cutting it with a plane parallel to the XZ plane at the central position of the shaft 201.

[0066] The bearing 140 is installed in a cylindrical hole 115 formed in the base member 110. The cylindrical hole 115 is cylindrical in shape and penetrates the base member 110 vertically. The shaft 201 is housed in an opening 141 formed in the bearing 140. The opening 141 is cylindrical in shape and penetrates the bearing 140 vertically. The diameter of the opening 141 is constant in the Z-axis direction and is slightly larger than the diameter of the shaft 201. The upper end of the shaft 201 is attached to the plate member 202 by a screw 206, and the lower end of the shaft 201 is attached to the support member 210 by a screw 207.

[0067] The plate member 101, base member 110, bracket 102, and load cell 104 move up and down together in accordance with the vertical movement of the support plate 9a by the lifting mechanism 9 shown in Figure 1. On the other hand, the pin 153 (see Figure 4), plate member 202, two shaft members 203, bridge member 204, push member 205, two shafts 201, support member 210, and pin 163 (see Figure 4) move up and down together in accordance with the vertical movement of pins 153 and 163 by the head drive units D1 and D2. In other words, the pin 153, plate member 202, two shaft members 203, bridge member 204, push member 205, two shafts 201, support member 210, and pin 163 are supported by the base member 110 so as to be able to move up and down within a predetermined range.

[0068] Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the base member 110 and the parts housed within the base member 110.

[0069] The outer surface of the bearing 140 is made of aluminum, and a hole 142 is formed on the positive Y-axis side of the bearing 140. The inner surface of the opening 141 formed in the bearing 140 is made of a porous material, and the hole 142 is connected to numerous holes formed in the porous material. The bearing 140 is installed in the cylindrical hole 115 of the base member 110. This connects the hole 117 formed on the positive Y-axis side of the base member 110 with the hole 142 of the bearing 140. Then, the shaft 201 is passed through the opening 141. When air is supplied to the two holes 117 via pipes 123 and 124 (see Figure 3), air is blown out from the numerous holes formed on the inner surface of the opening 141 toward the central axis of the opening 141. This allows the shaft 201 to move up and down without contacting the inner surface of the opening 141.

[0070] A cylindrical member 152 is placed from above into a cylindrical hole 113 formed on the upper surface of the base member 110, and a ball 151 is positioned in the receiving hole 152a of the cylindrical member 152. After assembly, as described above, the upper end of the ball 151 is positioned at the lower end of the pin 153. Similarly, a cylindrical member 162 is placed from below into a cylindrical hole 114 formed on the lower surface of the base member 110, and a ball 161 is positioned in the receiving hole 162a of the cylindrical member 162. After assembly, as described above, the lower end of the ball 161 is positioned at the upper end of the pin 163.

[0071] Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the support member 210, the holder 240, and the pressing member 230.

[0072] The support member 210 has an opening 211 in the center, as well as two recesses 212, three openings 213, and a hole 214. The recess 212 is shaped to accommodate the lower end of the shaft 201. A hole 212a is formed on the lower surface of the recess 212, penetrating the support member 210 vertically. The three openings 213 penetrate the support member 210 vertically and are formed opposite the three holes 232 of the pressing member 230. Three screw receivers 271 are fitted into the lower ends of each of the three openings 213.

[0073] The holder 240 comprises a frustoconical portion 241 and a shaft portion 242 extending upward from the upper surface of the frustoconical portion 241. The frustoconical portion 241 has a tapered shape that narrows towards the tip (lower end). The side surface of the frustoconical portion 241 has an outer surface 241a and two flat surfaces 241b. The outer surface 241a is approximately circular in plan view, and its diameter decreases towards the bottom. The two flat surfaces 241b are planes parallel to the XZ plane. In other words, the holder 240 includes a shape in which a portion of the outer surface 241a of a cone is flattened and cut out.

[0074] The bearing 261 has a cylindrical shape, and a hole 261a is formed in the center of the bearing 261, passing through the bearing 261 vertically.

[0075] The pressing member 230 has a shape in which the vertices of an equilateral triangle are rounded in a plan view and has a predetermined thickness in the vertical direction. An opening 231 is formed in the center of the pressing member 230, penetrating it vertically. The opening 231 has a circular shape in a plan view, and a pressure contact surface 231a is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the opening 231. The pressure contact surface 231a is formed by decreasing the diameter of the opening 231 as it goes downwards. The holder 240 is inserted into the opening 231 from above. Three holes 232 are formed near the three vertices of the pressing member 230, each penetrating it vertically.

[0076] During assembly, one bearing 261 is installed into the opening 211 from above, and the other bearing 261 is installed into the opening 211 from below. Next, the shaft portion 242 of the holder 240 is passed through the hole 261a of the lower bearing 261, and then through the hole 261a of the upper bearing 261. Then, a screw 262 is installed in the hole 242a of the shaft portion 242. The outer diameter of the screw 262 is larger than the diameter of the hole 261a of the upper bearing 261. This prevents the holder 240 from coming out downward. In this way, the holder 240 is prevented from moving vertically relative to the support member 210, while being able to rotate with the Z-axis direction as the central axis of rotation.

[0077] Subsequently, the opening 231 of the pressing member 230 is fitted into the frustoconical portion 241 of the holder 240. This causes the contact surface 231a of the pressing member 230 and the outer surface 241a of the holder 240 to be pressed together.

[0078] Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the configuration for installing the pressing member 230 on the support member 210.

[0079] A stepped portion 213a (see Figure 4) is formed in the opening 213. Referring to Figure 4, the diameter of the portion of the opening 213 above the stepped portion 213a is larger than the diameter of the portion of the opening 213 below the stepped portion 213a. The outer diameter of the spring 222 is approximately the same as the diameter of the portion of the opening 213 above the stepped portion 213a. Therefore, when the three springs 222 are inserted into the opening 213 from above, the lower ends of the springs 222 are supported upward by the stepped portion 213a.

[0080] The guide shaft 221 comprises a shaft portion 221a and a head portion 221b provided at the upper end of the shaft portion 221a. The upper end 221c of the guide shaft 221 is a plane parallel to the XY plane. The diameter of the shaft portion 221a is smaller than the inner diameter of the opening 231 and the spring 222, and the diameter of the head portion 221b is larger than the outer diameter of the spring 222. Therefore, when the guide shaft 221 is inserted from above into the spring 222 installed in the opening 213, the lower surface of the head portion 221b is supported upward by the upper end of the spring 222.

[0081] After the guide shaft 221 and spring 222 are inserted into the opening 213, the lower end of the guide shaft 221 is passed through the hole 232, and the lower end of the guide shaft 221 is set in the hole 232 of the pressing member 230 by the screw 272. As a result, as shown in Figure 4, the pressing member 230 is biased upward by the spring 222, and the contact surface 231a of the pressing member 230 is pressed against the outer surface 241a of the holder 240.

[0082] Figure 9 shows a portion of the cross-section when the scribe head 10 is cut by a plane parallel to the XZ plane at the position of the cutter wheel 251a.

[0083] As described above, the holder 240 is rotatably supported about the rotation axis R10 by the bearing 261 and the support member 210. The rotation axis R10 of the holder 240 passes through the center of the holder 240 and is parallel to the Z-axis direction. The rotation axis R10 coincides with the center of the shaft portion 242.

[0084] As described above, the pressing member 230 is biased upward by the spring 222 via the guide shaft 221. As a result, as shown in Figure 9, the contact surface 231a of the pressing member 230 is pressed against the outer surface 241a of the holder 240. At this time, the holder 240's rotation is restricted by the pressing member 230. Furthermore, as will be described later, when the upper end 221c of the guide shaft 221 is pushed downward by the lower surface 110a of the base member 110, the pressing member 230 moves downward against the biasing force of the spring 222. This releases the pressure on the contact surface 231a of the pressing member 230 against the outer surface 241a of the holder 240. At this time, the holder 240 can rotate freely around the rotation axis R10 without being restricted by the pressing member 230.

[0085] An opening 243 is formed on the lower surface of the holder 240, opening downwards. A magnet 244 is installed at the upper end of the opening 243. A positioning pin 245 is also positioned inside the opening 243, extending in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis R10 (the Y-axis direction in the state shown in Figure 9). The upper end of the holder unit 251 is made of a magnetic material. When the holder unit 251 is inserted into the opening 243, the upper end of the holder unit 251 is attracted to the magnet 244, and the inclined upper surface of the holder unit 251 comes into contact with the positioning pin 245. As a result, the holder unit 251 and the cutter wheel 251a are held on the lower surface of the holder 240 with the rotation axis direction of the cutter wheel 251a aligned with the direction in which the positioning pin 245 extends.

[0086] As shown in Figure 9, when the holder unit 251 is mounted on the holder 240, the center of the cutter wheel 251a is located away from the rotation axis R10. As a result, when the scribe head 10 moves in the X-axis direction relative to the upper surface of the test substrate 66 during the rotation position adjustment of the holder 240 described later, the holder 240 rotates around the rotation axis R10 like a caster, and the cutter wheel 251a is positioned behind the holder 240 in the direction of travel.

[0087] Figure 10(a) is a schematic side view illustrating how the pins 153 and 163 are pushed up and down by the balls 151 and 161. For convenience, the airflow in Figure 10(a) is indicated by dotted arrows.

[0088] As described above, the head drive unit D1 is composed of a ball 151, a receiving hole 152a, and a flow path 111. The head drive unit D2 is composed of a ball 161, a receiving hole 162a, and a flow path 112.

[0089] When air is supplied to the receiving hole 152a via the flow path 111, the ball 151 is pushed upward by the air, and the pin 153 is pushed upward by the ball 151. At this time, because the diameter of the ball 151 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the receiving hole 152a of the cylindrical member 152, the air supplied from the flow path 111 passes through the gap G1 between the ball 151 and the inner surface of the cylindrical member 152, and an air gap is formed in the gap G1. As a result, the ball 151 can move up and down without coming into contact with the inner surface of the cylindrical member 152.

[0090] Similarly, when air is supplied to the receiving hole 162a via the flow path 112, the ball 161 is pushed downward by the air, and the pin 163 is pushed downward by the ball 161. At this time, because the diameter of the ball 161 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the receiving hole 162a of the cylindrical member 162, the air supplied from the flow path 112 passes through the gap G2 between the ball 161 and the inner surface of the cylindrical member 162, and an air gap is formed in the gap G2. As a result, the ball 161 can move up and down without coming into contact with the inner surface of the cylindrical member 162.

[0091] Figure 10(b) is a schematic side view illustrating the vertical movement of the shaft 201 relative to the bearing 140. For convenience, the airflow in Figure 10(b) is indicated by dotted arrows.

[0092] When air is supplied to the hole 142 of the bearing 140 through the hole 116, air is simultaneously blown out from the numerous holes formed in the porous material that constitutes the inner surface of the opening 141. At this time, because the diameter of the shaft 201 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the inner surface of the opening 141, the air blown out from the inner surface of the opening 141 passes through the gap G3 between the shaft 201 and the inner surface of the bearing 140, forming an air gap in the gap G3. As a result, the shaft 201 can move up and down without coming into contact with the inner surface of the bearing 140.

[0093] As shown in Figure 10(a), when balls 151 and 161 move up and down, and as shown in Figure 10(b), when shaft 201 moves up and down relative to bearing 140, the support member 210 moves up and down in accordance with the movement of ball 151 or ball 161. Specifically, when ball 151 is pushed upward, shaft 201 moves upward via pin 153 and plate member 202, and therefore the support member 210 installed on shaft 201 also moves upward. Also, when ball 161 is pushed downward, support member 210 moves downward via pin 163.

[0094] Therefore, when the lower end of the cutter wheel 251a contacts the contact surface (the workpiece 23 and the upper surface of the test substrate 66), if air is supplied so that the ball 151 is pushed upward, the load on the cutter wheel 251a due to the weight of the pins 153, 163, shaft 201 and support member 210 can be reduced. On the other hand, if air is supplied so that the ball 161 is pushed downward, the load on the cutter wheel 251a can be increased in addition to the weight of the pins 153, 163, shaft 201 and support member 210 can be reduced.

[0095] Figure 11 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the scribe device 1.

[0096] The scribe device 1 comprises a control unit 301, a table drive unit 302, a head transfer unit 303, a head lifting unit 304, and a pressure application unit 305.

[0097] The control unit 301 includes an arithmetic processing circuit such as a CPU and a storage unit such as ROM, RAM, hard disk, or SSD, and controls each unit according to the program stored in the storage unit.

[0098] The table drive unit 302 includes the ball screw 3 and rotation mechanism 5 shown in Figure 1. The table drive unit 302 moves the scribe table 6 in the Y-axis direction or rotates the scribe table 6 about a rotation axis parallel to the Z-axis in response to control from the control unit 301. The head transfer unit 303 includes the transfer mechanism 8 shown in Figure 1 and moves the scribe head 10 and camera 11 in the X-axis direction in response to control from the control unit 301. The head lifting unit 304 includes the lifting mechanism 9 shown in Figure 1 and lifts the scribe head 10 and camera 11 in the Z-axis direction in response to control from the control unit 301.

[0099] The pressure application unit 305 includes a valve and the like to adjust the air pressure supplied from the pneumatic source. The pressure application unit 305 supplies the air pressure supplied from the pneumatic source to each part of the scribe head 10 individually by adjusting the valve and the like. Specifically, the pressure application unit 305 applies negative pressure to the groove 63 (see Figure 2(a)) via the hole 64 in response to control from the control unit 301. The pressure application unit 305 supplies air to the nozzle 133 (see Figure 3) via the pipes 105, 106, and 132 in response to control from the control unit 301. The pressure application unit 305 supplies air to the cylindrical hole 113 (see Figure 3) via the pipe 121 in response to control from the control unit 301. The pressure application unit 305 supplies air to the cylindrical hole 114 (see Figure 3) via the pipe 122 in response to control from the control unit 301. The pressure application unit 305 supplies air into the two bearings 140 (see Figure 6) via pipes 123 and 124 (see Figure 3) in response to control from the control unit 301.

[0100] Next, the origin setting operation of the scribe head 10, the rotational position adjustment of the holder 240, and the scribe operation will be explained in order. In Figures 12(a) to 17(b) below, the scribe head 10 is shown in a simplified form for convenience.

[0101] Figures 12(a) and (b) are schematic side views illustrating the origin setting operation of the scribe head 10.

[0102] The origin setting operation is performed to obtain the height position of the scribe head 10 when the tip of the cutter wheel 251a makes contact with the upper surface of the workpiece 23. Such origin setting operations are performed based on the rules of the facility operating the scribe device 1, for example, when the holder unit 251 is replaced, when the lot of workpieces 23 is changed, or when the workpiece 23 is changed.

[0103] As shown in Figure 12(a), in the origin setting operation, the scribe head 10 is first positioned above the margin of the workpiece 23. The reason for using the margin of the workpiece 23 is to avoid damaging the part of the workpiece 23 that will actually be used as the finished product. The combined thickness of the workpiece 23 and the tape 22 is d1, and the top surface of the workpiece 23 is separated from the mounting surface 61 of the scribe table 6 by a distance d1 in the upward direction.

[0104] When the scribe head 10 is positioned above the margin of the workpiece 23, for example, the ball 161 is pushed slightly downward, and the head drive unit D2 is driven so that the detected load of the load cell 104 becomes minute. In this state, the base member 110 is moved downward by the lifting mechanism 9 (see Figure 1).

[0105] As shown in Figure 12(b), when the tip of the cutter wheel 251a touches the upper surface of the workpiece 23, the downward movement of the holder 240, support member 210, and pushing member 205 stops. At this time, if the base member 110 descends further in response to the drive of the lifting mechanism 9, the detected load of the load cell 104 decreases. If the height position of the scribe head 10 is shown in downward (negative Z-axis) coordinates, the position of the lower surface 110a of the base member 110 at this time becomes the origin position H0.

[0106] Subsequently, the base member 110 is moved upward, and the scribe head 10 is returned to the same position as in Figure 12(a). This completes the origin setting operation.

[0107] Figures 13(a) to 15(b) are schematic side views illustrating the rotational position adjustment of the holder 240.

[0108] The rotational position adjustment of the holder 240 is performed to adjust the rotational position of the holder 240, which rotates around the rotation axis R10, so that the direction of the blade of the cutter wheel 251a is aligned with the X-axis direction, that is, so that the ridge of the cutter wheel 251a is parallel to the X-axis direction. Such rotational position adjustment is performed after the origin setting operation shown in Figures 12(a) and (b), for example, when the holder unit 251 is replaced, or when a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the last rotational position adjustment, based on the rules of the facility operating the scribe device 1.

[0109] As shown in Figure 13(a), in adjusting the rotational position of the holder 240, the scribe head 10 is first positioned above the test substrate 66 located on the negative Y-axis side of the frame unit 20 (see Figure 2(a)). At this time, the ball 161 is pushed downward, and the head drive unit D2 is driven so that the detected load of the load cell 104 becomes a predetermined load.

[0110] When the head drive unit D2 is driven in this manner, as shown in Figure 13(a), the support member 210 is positioned at the position furthest downward from the lower surface 110a of the base member 110. In other words, the support member 210 is positioned at the lower limit of a predetermined range of vertical movement. At this time, the lower surface 110a of the base member 110 faces the upper end 221c of the guide shaft 221 at a predetermined distance d2.

[0111] From the state shown in Figure 13(a), the base member 110 is moved downward by the lifting mechanism 9 until its lower surface 110a contacts the upper end 221c of the guide shaft 221, as shown in Figure 13(b). Here, the upper surface of the test substrate 66 is at the same height as the mounting surface 61, and the workpiece 23 and tape 22 have a predetermined thickness d1 (see Figure 12(a)). Also, when the cutter wheel 251a contacts the upper surface of the test substrate 66, the distance between the lower surface 110a of the base member 110 and the upper end 221c of the guide shaft 221 is a known d2 (see Figure 13(a)). Therefore, at this time, the base member 110 is lowered to a position H1 which is d1+d2 further down than the origin position H0 obtained in the origin setting operation. As a result, the lower surface 110a of the base member 110 contacts the upper end 221c of the guide shaft 221.

[0112] From the state shown in Figure 13(b), the base member 110 is moved further downward, and when the lower surface 110a of the base member 110 descends to position H2, the two guide shafts 221 are pushed downward by the base member 110, as shown in Figure 14(a), and the pressing member 230 also moves downward. As a result, the contact surface 231a of the pressing member 230, which was pressed against the outer surface 241a of the holder 240 by the spring 222, separates from the outer surface 241a, and a small gap is created between the contact surface 231a and the outer surface 241a.

[0113] As the base member 110 is moved further downward from the state shown in Figure 14(a), and the lower surface 110a of the base member 110 descends to position H3, the gap between the contact surface 231a and the outer surface 241a increases, as shown in Figure 14(b). This causes the pressing member 230 and the holder 240 to be separated. If the distance from the origin position H0 to position H3 is d3, then this separated state between the pressing member 230 and the holder 240 is expressed as d3 > d1 + d2.

[0114] From the state shown in Figure 14(b), when the lifting mechanism 9 is moved in the X-axis direction by the transfer mechanism 8, the scribe head 10 moves in the positive X-axis direction relative to the test substrate 66, as shown in Figure 15(a). As a result, the holder 240 rotates around the rotation axis R10 like a caster, and the cutter wheel 251a is positioned on the negative X-axis side of the rotation axis R10. Also, because the scribe head 10 is moving in the X-axis direction, the direction in which the cutter wheel 251a extends (scribe direction) is aligned with the X-axis direction.

[0115] From the state shown in Figure 15(a), the base member 110 is moved upward by the lifting mechanism 9 while the transfer mechanism 8 maintains the movement of the lifting mechanism 9 in the X-axis direction. When the lower surface 110a of the base member 110 rises to position H1, the gap between the contact surface 231a and the outer surface 241a disappears, and the rotation of the holder 240 is locked by the pressing member 230.

[0116] Subsequently, the base member 110 is moved further upward, and the scribe head 10 is returned to the same position as in Figure 13(a). This completes the rotational position adjustment of the holder 240.

[0117] Figures 16(a) to 17(b) are schematic side views illustrating the scribing operation on the workpiece 23.

[0118] The scribe operation is performed after the rotational position of the holder 240, as shown in Figures 13(a) to 15(b), has been adjusted. Therefore, at the start of the scribe operation, the scribe direction of the cutter wheel 251a is properly aligned with the X-axis direction.

[0119] As shown in Figure 16(a), in the scribing operation, the scribe head 10 is first positioned above the workpiece 23. At this time, either the head drive unit D1 or the head drive unit D2 is driven so that the load detected by the load cell 104 becomes a predetermined load. When neither the head drive units D1 nor D2 are driven, the load detected by the load cell 104 becomes a predetermined value (self-weight) due to the self-weight of the pins 153, 163, shaft 201, and support member 210. When applying a load smaller than the self-weight, the head drive unit D1 is driven, and when applying a load larger than the self-weight, the head drive unit D2 is driven.

[0120] From the state shown in Figure 16(a), the base member 110 is moved downward by the lifting mechanism 9 so that its lower surface is positioned at the origin position H0, as shown in Figure 16(b). As a result, the tip of the cutter wheel 251a makes contact with the upper surface of the workpiece 23.

[0121] From the state shown in Figure 16(b), the base member 110 is moved downward by the lifting mechanism 9 until the load detected by the load cell 104 becomes zero and the tip of the cutter wheel 251a enters the workpiece 23 to a desired depth d4. As a result, the load set by the head drive unit D1 or head drive unit D2 is applied from the cutter wheel 251a to the workpiece 23. At this time, as shown in Figure 17(a), the lower surface 110a is positioned at a position H4, which is d4 below the origin position H0.

[0122] Also, at this time, the lower surface 110a of the base member 110 does not descend to the position H1 where it contacts the upper end 221c of the guide shaft 221, and the descending position of the lower surface 110a is set to a position H5 between the origin position H0 and the position H4. The position H5 is the position of the lower surface 110a when the lower surface 110a of the base member 110 and the upper end 221c of the guide shaft 221 come into contact when the base member 110 is continuously lowered with respect to the workpiece 23. The distance from the origin position H0 to the position H5 is d2 shown in Fig. 13(a). Therefore, the distance d4 from the origin position H0 to the position H5 is represented by d4 < d2. Thereby, it is possible to avoid a situation where the lower surface 110a of the base member 110 pushes down the upper end 221c of the guide shaft 221 and the rotational position of the holder 240 fluctuates unintentionally.

[0123] From the state of Fig. 17(a), when the elevating mechanism 9 is transferred in the X-axis direction by the transfer mechanism 8, as shown in Fig. 17(b), the scribe head 10 is transferred in the positive X-axis direction with respect to the workpiece 23. Thereby, scribing on the workpiece 23 is performed.

[0124] Fig. 18 is a flowchart showing the origin setting process.

[0125] Before the origin setting process, the frame unit 20 is installed on the placement surface 61 of the scribe table 6. Also, the scribe head 10 is positioned above the margin portion of the frame unit 20.

[0126] As shown in Fig. 12(a), the control unit 301 drives the head drive unit D1 or the head drive unit D2 above the margin portion of the frame unit 20 to set the detected load of the load cell 104 to a predetermined value (S11). Subsequently, as shown in Fig. 12(b), the control unit 301 controls the elevating mechanism 9 to lower the base member 110 (S12), and continues to lower the base member 110 until the detected load of the load cell 104 changes (S13).

[0127] When the detected load of the load cell 104 changes (S13:YES), the control unit 301 stores the position of the lower surface 110a of the base member 110 at the time the detected load changed as the origin position H0 (see Figure 12(b)) (S14). The control unit 301 controls the lifting mechanism 9 to return the scribe head 10 to the position above the excess portion of the frame unit 20 (S15). Thus, the origin setting process is completed.

[0128] Figure 19 is a flowchart showing the rotational position adjustment process for holder 240.

[0129] Before the rotational position adjustment process for the holder 240, the control unit 301 performs the origin setting process shown in Figure 18 to obtain the origin position H0. In addition, the test board 66 used for rotational position adjustment is positioned on the negative Y-axis side of the frame unit 20, and the scribe head 10 is positioned above the test board 66.

[0130] As shown in Figure 13(a), the control unit 301 drives the head drive unit D1 or head drive unit D2 at an upper position of the test board 66 to set the detected load of the load cell 104 to a predetermined value (S21). Subsequently, as shown in Figure 13(b), the control unit 301 controls the lifting mechanism 9 to lower the base member 110 to position H1 (S22). Position H1 is the position obtained by adding the distance d2 shown in Figure 13(a) to the origin position H0.

[0131] As shown in Figure 14(b), the control unit 301 controls the lifting mechanism 9 to further lower the base member 110 to position H3, thereby releasing the lock on the holder 240, i.e., releasing the state in which the contact surface 231a and the outer surface 241a are in close contact (S23).

[0132] As shown in Figure 15(a), the control unit 301 controls the transfer mechanism 8 to move the scribe head 10 in the positive X-axis direction (S24). Subsequently, as shown in Figure 15(b), the control unit 301 controls the transfer mechanism 8 to move the scribe head 10 in the positive X-axis direction while controlling the lifting mechanism 9 to raise the base member 110 (S25). As a result, the control unit 301 locks the holder 240, that is, the contact surface 231a and the outer surface 241a are in close contact (S26). The control unit 301 controls the lifting mechanism 9 to return the scribe head 10 to the upper position of the test substrate 66 (S27). Thus, the rotational position adjustment process of the holder 240 is completed.

[0133] Figure 20 is a flowchart showing the scribe process.

[0134] Before the scribe process, the origin setting process shown in Figure 18 and the rotational position adjustment process of the holder 240 shown in Figure 19 are performed. As shown in Figure 16(a), the control unit 301 controls the transfer mechanism 8 and the lifting mechanism 9 to position the scribe head 10 above the workpiece 23 (S31).

[0135] Here, if the target load applied to the workpiece 23 by the cutter wheel 251a is less than or equal to the threshold (S32: YES), the control unit 301 controls the upper head drive unit D1 to set the detected load of the load cell 104 to the target load (S33). On the other hand, if the target load is greater than the threshold (S32: NO), the control unit 301 controls the lower head drive unit D2 to set the detected load of the load cell 104 to the target load (S34). The threshold in step S32 is, for example, the weight of the pins 153, 163, the shaft 201, and the support member 210. Through the control in steps S32 to S34, if the target load is less than or equal to the above weight, the upper head drive unit D1 is used, and if the target load is greater than the above weight, the lower head drive unit D2 is used.

[0136] Next, as shown in Figure 16(b), the control unit 301 controls the lifting mechanism 9 to lower the base member 110 to the origin position H0 (S35). Furthermore, as shown in Figure 17(a), the control unit 301 controls the lifting mechanism 9 to lower the base member 110 by the target scribe depth d4 (S36). As shown in Figure 17(b), the control unit 301 controls the transfer mechanism 8 to transfer the scribe head 10 in the positive X-axis direction (S37). The control unit 301 controls the lifting mechanism 9 to return the scribe head 10 to the position above the workpiece 23 (S38). Thus, the scribe process is completed.

[0137] <Effects of the Embodiment> According to this embodiment, the following effects are achieved.

[0138] As shown in Figure 13(a), when the support member 210 is positioned at the lower limit of a predetermined range, the lifting mechanism 9 on the scribe device 1 side lowers the base member 110, causing the cutter wheel 251a to come into contact with the upper surface (contact surface) of the test substrate 66. Subsequently, when the base member 110 is lowered further, the descent of the cutter wheel 251a is restricted by the upper surface (contact surface) of the test substrate 66, so the support member 210, holder 240, guide shaft 221, and pressing member 230 do not descend, and only the base member 110 descends. As a result, as shown in Figure 13(b), the distance between the upper end 221c of the guide shaft 221 and the lower surface 110a (opposing surface) of the base member 110 decreases and eventually they come into contact. If the base member 110 is lowered further from this state, the upper end 221c of the guide shaft 221 is pressed against the lower surface 110a (opposing surface) of the base member 110, causing the guide shaft 221 to move downward against the biasing force of the spring 222 (biasing member). At this time, as shown in Figures 14(a) and (b), the pressing member 230 moves downward together with the guide shaft 221, and the contact surface 231a of the pressing member 230 separates from the outer surface 241a of the holder 240. As a result, the holder 240 becomes rotatable around the rotation axis R10, and the cutter wheel 251a held by the holder 240 also becomes rotatable. Conversely to the above process, by raising the base member 110, as shown in Figure 15(b), the contact surface 231a of the pressing member 230 is pressed against the outer surface 241a of the holder 240, locking the holder 240 and the cutter wheel 251a.

[0139] Thus, according to this embodiment, the holder 240 and cutter wheel 251a can be switched between locked and unlocked with a simple configuration that only requires the addition of a guide shaft 221, a spring 222 (biasing member), and a pressing member 230. Furthermore, since locking is performed by pressing the contact surface 231a of the pressing member 230 against the outer surface 241a of the tapered holder 240 by surface contact, the holder 240 and cutter wheel 251a can be locked stably and reliably. Moreover, the holder 240 and cutter wheel 251a can be switched between locked and unlocked with extremely simple control, such as raising or lowering the base member 110. Therefore, by raising the scribe head 10 while the cutter wheel 251a is running in the unlocked state, the holder 240 and cutter wheel 251a can be locked, and the cutter wheel 251a can be accurately locked to a state where it can run in a straight line just before locking.

[0140] The base member 110 has a block shape, the support member 210 and the guide shaft 221 are positioned below the base member 110, and the surface of the base member 110 facing the upper end 221c of the guide shaft 221 is the lower surface 110a of the base member 110. With this configuration, since the support member 210 and the guide shaft 221 are positioned below the base member 110, the structure consisting of the base member 110, the support member 210 and the guide shaft 221 can be made compact. In addition, since the lower surface 110a of the base member 110 is shared as the opposing surface, the structure can be simplified.

[0141] As shown in Figure 7, the outer surface 241a of the holder 240 is approximately circular in plan view, with its diameter decreasing towards the bottom. The pressing member 230 has a circular opening 231 into which the holder 240 is inserted from above. By making the diameter of the opening 231 decrease towards the bottom, similar to the outer surface 241a of the holder 240, a pressure contact surface 231a is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the opening 231. With this configuration, a locking mechanism can be realized by adjusting the diameter of the outer surface 241a of the holder 240 and the diameter of the opening 231 of the pressing member 230. Therefore, the configuration of the locking mechanism can be simplified.

[0142] As shown in Figure 7, the holder 240 includes a shape in which a portion of the outer surface of the cone is flattened out. With this configuration, the contact area between the outer surface 241a of the holder 240 and the pressure contact surface 231a can be adjusted by the amount of the cutout on the outer surface of the cone, and the locking force can be adjusted. As a result, even if a large torque is suddenly applied to the cutter wheel 251a during the scribing operation, the outer surface 241a of the holder 240 will slide against the pressure contact surface 231a, preventing the cutter wheel 251a from rotating in the direction of the torque and thus preventing damage to the cutter wheel 251a.

[0143] The head drive units D1 and D2 drive the support member 210 by air pressure to apply a load to the cutter wheel 251a. With this configuration, since the support member 210 is not mechanically fixed to the head drive units D1 and D2, when the base member 110 is lowered further after the cutter wheel 251a has come into contact with the upper surface (contact surface) of the test substrate 66, the base member 110 can be lowered smoothly relative to the support member 210. Therefore, the locking and unlocking of the cutter wheel 251a can be smoothly switched by raising and lowering the base member 110.

[0144] As shown in Figure 13(b), the control unit 301 performs the following control to release the lock on the cutter wheel 251a: first, it lowers the base member 110 until the cutter wheel 251a contacts the upper surface (contact surface) of the test substrate 66; and then it further lowers the base member 110 until contact is released between the outer surface 241a of the holder 240 and the contact surface 231a of the pressing member 230 (S23 in Figure 19). This process allows the lock on the cutter wheel 251a to be released with an extremely simple control, such as lowering the base member 110.

[0145] After executing control to unlock the cutter wheel 251a, the control unit 301 executes control to move the scribe head 10 in the positive X-axis direction (scribe direction) while raising the base member 110 until the outer surface 241a of the holder 240 and the contact surface 231a come into contact (S25 in Figure 19). In the unlocked state, the cutter wheel 251a is pressed against the upper surface (contact surface) of the test substrate 66, so by moving the scribe head 10 in the scribe direction from this state, the cutter wheel 251a can be moved in a straight line in the scribe direction, and the ridge of the cutter wheel 251a can be made parallel to the scribe direction. At this time, by moving the scribe head 10 in the scribe direction and raising the base member 110 until the outer surface 241a of the holder 240 and the contact surface 231a come into contact, the cutter wheel 251a can be locked while maintaining the state in which the ridge of the cutter wheel 251a is parallel to the scribe direction. Therefore, by performing the scribe operation in this locked state thereafter, the linearity of the scribe trajectory can be maintained with high precision.

[0146] After executing control to unlock the cutter wheel 251a, the control unit 301 moves the scribe head 10 in the positive X-axis direction (scribe direction), as shown in Figure 15(a), and then, as shown in Figure 15(b), executes control to raise the base member 110 until the outer surface 241a of the holder 240 and the contact surface 231a come into contact (S24, S25 in Figure 19). This control ensures that the cutter wheel 251a moves straight in the scribe direction as the scribe head 10 is moved in the scribe direction. From this state, by further raising the base member 110 until the outer surface 241a of the holder 240 and the contact surface 231a come into contact while moving the scribe head 10 in the scribe direction, the cutter wheel 251a can be locked while maintaining the state in which the ridge of the cutter wheel 251a is parallel to the scribe direction.

[0147] As shown in Figure 12(b), the scribe device 1 is equipped with a load cell 104 (sensor) that detects when the cutter wheel 251a comes into contact with the upper surface (contact surface) of the workpiece 23. As shown in Figure 14(b), the control unit 301 lowers the base member 110 by d3 (a predetermined amount) from the origin position H0 where it was detected that the cutter wheel 251a had come into contact with the upper surface (contact surface) of the workpiece 23, based on the output from the load cell 104 (sensor), thereby releasing the contact between the outer surface 241a of the holder 240 and the pressure contact surface 231a (S23 in Figure 19). With this configuration, the lock on the cutter wheel 251a can be released smoothly and accurately.

[0148] The sensor that detects when the cutter wheel 251a comes into contact with the upper surface (contact surface) of the workpiece 23 is a load cell 104 for detecting the load applied to the cutter wheel 251a. With this configuration, since the load cell 104 is shared as a sensor, the configuration of the scribe device 1 can be simplified and costs can be reduced.

[0149] <Variation> In the above embodiment, the guide shaft 221 and the pressing member 230 may be integrally formed.

[0150] In the above embodiment, three guide shafts 221 are arranged around the holder 240, but the configuration is not limited to this. Two guide shafts 221 may be arranged on either side of the holder 240, or four or more guide shafts may be arranged around the holder 240. However, from the viewpoint of stably holding the pressing member 230 with respect to the support member 210 and simplifying the configuration, it is preferable that three guide shafts 221 are arranged as described above.

[0151] In the above embodiment, the lower surface 110a of the base member 110 is positioned opposite the upper end 221c of the guide shaft 221, but the portion opposite the upper end 221c is not limited to the lower surface 110a. For example, in a plan view, if the guide shaft 221 is outside the base member 110, the lower surface of a projection located on the side surface of the base member 110 may be positioned opposite the upper end 221c of the guide shaft 221. In this case, the upper end 221c is pushed downward by the lower surface of the projection located on the side surface of the base member 110.

[0152] In the above embodiment, balls 151 and 161 were spherical, but are not limited to this and may be ellipsoidal. For example, balls 151 and 161 may be ellipsoidal spheres that are circular in plan view. If balls 151 and 161 are circular in plan view, the air supplied from the flow path 111 to the cylindrical hole 113 can be evenly directed onto ball 151, and the air supplied from the flow path 112 to the cylindrical hole 114 can be evenly directed onto ball 161. As a result, ball 151 can smoothly push the pin 153, and ball 161 can smoothly push the pin 163.

[0153] In the above embodiment, contact between the cutter wheel 251a and the upper surface (contact surface) of the workpiece 23 was detected by the load detected by the load cell 104, but it may also be detected by a photoelectric sensor or a camera.

[0154] In the above embodiment, the contact area between the outer surface 241a of the holder 240 and the pressure contact surface 231a of the pressing member 230 is adjusted by forming a flat surface 241b by cutting out a part of the outer surface 241a. However, the invention is not limited to this, and the contact area between the outer surface 241a and the pressure contact surface 231a may also be adjusted by forming a flat surface on the pressure contact surface 231a. Furthermore, the notches formed on the outer surface 241a and the pressure contact surface 231a do not have to be flat surfaces, but may be other shapes such as curved surfaces.

[0155] In the above embodiment, the upper surface of the test substrate 66 is positioned at the same height as the mounting surface 61 of the scribe table 6, but it may be positioned at a different height from the mounting surface 61. In this case, based on the thickness d1 of the workpiece 23 and tape 22, the height difference between the upper surface of the test substrate 66 and the mounting surface 61, and the distance d2 between the lower surface 110a of the base member 110 and the upper end 221c of the guide shaft 221, the base member 110 is lowered to a position H1 where the lower surface 110a of the base member 110 contacts the upper end of the guide shaft 221, as shown in Figure 13(b).

[0156] In the above embodiment, after the cutter wheel 251a is unlocked, a first operation is performed to move the scribe head 10 in the positive X-axis direction, as shown in Figure 15(a). Then, a second operation is performed to raise the base member 110 while moving the scribe head 10 in the positive X-axis direction until the cutter wheel 251a is locked, as shown in Figure 15(b). However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and the first operation may be omitted, with only the second operation being performed. However, performing the second operation after the first operation, as in the above embodiment, allows the cutter wheel 251a to move in a straight line in the X-axis direction, and ensures that the ridge of the cutter wheel 251a is parallel to the X-axis direction.

[0157] In the above embodiment, during the scribe operation, as shown in steps S32 to S34 of Figure 20, either the head drive unit D1 or D2 was driven according to the target load. However, both head drive units D1 and D2 may be driven to set the target load. However, as in the above embodiment, driving either the head drive unit D1 or D2 allows for more accurate setting of the target load.

[0158] In the above embodiment, the configuration of the scribe device 1 is not limited to the configuration shown in Figure 1. For example, in the configuration of Figure 1, the scribe head 10 is transported in the X-axis direction by the transport mechanism 8, but instead of transporting the scribe head 10, the scribe table 6 may be transported in the X-axis direction.

[0159] In addition, the embodiments of the present invention can be modified in various ways as appropriate within the scope of the technical idea set forth in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0160] 1. Scribe device 8 Transfer mechanism 9. Lifting mechanism 10 Scribehead 104 Load cell (sensor) 110 Base member 110a Bottom surface (opposite surface) 210 Support member 221 Guide shaft 222 Spring (Biasing Member) 221c top end 230 Pressing member 231 Aperture 231a Pressure contact surface 240 holder 241a External surface 251a Cutter Wheel 301 Control Unit D1, D2 Head drive unit R10 Rotation axis

Claims

1. A base member that is raised and lowered by the lifting mechanism on the scribe device side, A support member supported on the base member so as to be able to move up and down within a predetermined range, A tapered holder supported by the support member so as to be rotatable around the axis of rotation, A cutter wheel is held on the lower surface of the holder, spaced apart from the rotating shaft, A guide shaft is supported by the aforementioned support member so as to be able to move up and down, A biasing member that biases the guide shaft upward, A pressing member provided at the lower end of the guide shaft and having a contact surface that is pressed against the outer surface of the holder by the biasing force from the biasing member, The base member is provided with an opposing surface that is positioned at a predetermined distance from the upper end of the guide shaft when the support member is positioned at the lower limit of the predetermined range, A scribe head characterized by the following features.

2. In the scribe head described in claim 1, The base member has a block shape, The support member and the guide shaft are positioned below the base member. The opposing surface is the lower surface of the base member. A scribe head characterized by the following features.

3. In the scribe head described in claim 1, The outer surface of the holder is approximately circular in shape when viewed from above, and its diameter decreases as it goes downwards. The pressing member has a circular opening into which the holder is inserted from above. By making the diameter of the opening smaller as it goes downward, similar to the outer surface of the holder, the pressure contact surface is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the opening. A scribe head characterized by the following features.

4. In the scribe head described in claim 3, The holder includes a shape in which a part of the outer surface of a cone is cut out flat, A scribe head characterized by the following features.

5. In the scribe head described in claim 1, The head drive unit is provided, which drives the support member by air pressure to apply a load to the cutter wheel. A scribe head characterized by the following features.

6. A scribe head according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The aforementioned lifting mechanism, A transfer mechanism that moves the scribe head in the scribe direction together with the lifting mechanism, The system comprises a control unit that controls the lifting mechanism and the transport mechanism, The control unit, as a control to release the lock on the cutter wheel, After lowering the base member until the cutter wheel contacts the contact surface, the control is executed to further lower the base member until contact between the outer surface of the holder and the pressure contact surface is released. A scribe device characterized by the following features.

7. In the scribe device described in claim 6, The control unit, after executing control to unlock the cutter wheel, executes control to move the scribe head in the scribe direction while raising the base member until the outer surface of the holder and the contact surface come into contact. A scribe device characterized by the following features.

8. In the scribe device according to claim 7, The control unit, after executing control to unlock the cutter wheel, moves the scribe head in the scribe direction, and then, while moving the scribe head in the scribe direction, executes control to raise the base member until the outer surface of the holder and the contact surface come into contact. A scribe device characterized by the following features.

9. In the scribe device described in claim 6, The system includes a sensor that detects when the cutter wheel comes into contact with the surface to be contacted, The control unit lowers the base member by a predetermined amount from the position where contact with the contact surface is detected based on the output from the sensor, thereby releasing the contact between the outer surface of the holder and the contact surface. A scribe device characterized by the following features.

10. In the scribe device according to claim 9, The sensor is a load cell for detecting the load applied to the cutter wheel. A scribe device characterized by the following features.

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