Resin molding apparatus and method for manufacturing resin molded products

Abstract

To improve the operation rate of a resin molding device and reduce running cost.SOLUTION: The resin molding device comprises: a carry-in part 15 that carries in an unmolded object W to be molded to a forming mold 17; a carry-out part 19 that carries out a resin molded article P from the forming mold 17; a spray part 20 that sprays either or both of an upper mold 171 and a lower mold 172 with a mold release agent; an irradiation part 21 that irradiates either or both of the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 with ultraviolet rays; and a cleaning part 22 that cleans the mold surface of either or both of the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 by means of a brush 221.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in a resin sealing apparatus as shown in Patent Document 1, a loader carries a workpiece into a mold, resin sealing is performed in the mold, and the resin-sealed workpiece is carried out of the mold by an unloader.

[0003] In this resin sealing apparatus, when resin sealing is repeated, dirt adheres to the surfaces of the upper mold and the lower mold, which are the molds, and the dirt accumulates. The dirt includes wax-based dirt containing trace amounts of inorganic components, dirt of the resin material itself, and the like. When the thickness of the accumulated dirt becomes large, resin sealing cannot be properly performed, resulting in product defects. Therefore, in the conventional resin sealing apparatus, when resin sealing is repeated to a certain extent, the user manually cleans the surfaces of the upper mold and the lower mold using a cleaning resin or the like.

[0004] However, while the user is manually cleaning, the resin sealing apparatus cannot perform resin sealing, resulting in a decrease in the production efficiency of resin molded products. In addition, running costs such as the cost of consumables such as cleaning resin used for the cleaning operation and labor costs associated with the cleaning operation are incurred. Also, consumables such as cleaning resin used for the cleaning operation become waste, which also poses a problem in terms of the environment.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] Therefore, the present invention was made to solve the above problems, and its main objective is to improve the operating rate of resin molding equipment and reduce running costs and waste. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In other words, the resin molding apparatus according to the present invention is a resin molding apparatus that uses a mold having an upper mold and a lower mold to mold a resin object, and is characterized by comprising: a loading section for loading the object to be molded into the mold before molding; a loading section for unloading the molded object after molding from the mold; a spraying section for spraying a release agent onto both or one of the upper mold and the lower mold; an irradiation section for irradiating both or one of the upper mold and the lower mold with ultraviolet light; and a cleaning section for cleaning both or one of the upper mold and the lower mold with a brush. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention configured in this manner, it is possible to improve the operating rate of the resin molding apparatus and reduce running costs and waste. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a schematic plan view showing the configuration of a resin molding apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram, viewed from the X direction, showing the mold, first moving body, second moving body, and surrounding structure of the same embodiment. [Figure 3] This diagram, viewed from the X direction, schematically shows the cable carrier (registered trademark) and its surrounding structure connected to each mobile body of the embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram showing (a) irradiation with ultraviolet light and (b) spraying of a mold release agent in the resin molding operation of the same embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram showing (c) loading of the object to be molded and resin material, and (d) resin molding (mold clamping) in the resin molding operation of the same embodiment. [Figure 6]This is a schematic diagram illustrating (e) the removal of the resin molded product and (f) cleaning with a brush in the resin molding operation of the same 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 molding apparatus of Technology 1 according to the present invention is a resin molding apparatus that uses a mold having an upper mold and a lower mold to resin-molde an object to be molded, and is characterized by comprising: a loading section for loading the object to be molded before molding into the mold; a loading section for unloading the object to be molded after molding from the mold; a spraying section for spraying a release agent onto both or one of the upper mold and the lower mold; an irradiation section for irradiating both or one of the upper mold and the lower mold with ultraviolet light; and a cleaning section for cleaning both or one of the upper mold and the lower mold with a brush.

[0012] This resin molding apparatus has a spraying unit that sprays a release agent onto the mold, an irradiation unit that irradiates the mold with ultraviolet light, and a cleaning unit that cleans the mold with a brush. Therefore, it eliminates the need to stop the apparatus and manually clean the mold, as was done in conventional systems. As a result, downtime associated with cleaning can be reduced, and the operating rate can be improved. Furthermore, the amount of consumables such as cleaning resins used in the mold cleaning process can be reduced, and labor costs can also be lowered, thus reducing running costs. In addition, since the amount of consumables such as cleaning resins used can be reduced, waste can be reduced. Furthermore, some cleaning resins, such as rubber sheet-type resins, used in conventional mold cleaning operations generate harmful gases. When harmful gases are generated, it is necessary to protect the human body from them. The resin molding apparatus of Technology 1 according to the present invention performs cleaning automatically without using, for example, rubber sheet-type cleaning resins, thus eliminating the generation of harmful gases and improving safety. Specifically, safety can be further improved by automatically performing cleaning and mold release agent spraying without opening the device's door, and exhausting the gases through an exhaust vent provided in the device after the operation. In addition, safety is maintained because the ultraviolet rays from the irradiation area are blocked by the device's door or housing. Furthermore, by spraying a release agent onto the upper and lower molds, cleaning them with a brush, and irradiating them with ultraviolet light, contamination of the mold due to resin molding can be suppressed. As a result, the quality of the resin molded product can be improved.

[0013] In addition to the configuration of the above-described Technology 1, the resin molding apparatus of Technology 2 according to the present invention preferably has the loading section and the unloading section enter between the upper mold and the lower mold from one side of the molding die, and the spraying section, the irradiation section and the cleaning section enter between the upper mold and the lower mold from the other side of the molding die. With this configuration, the loading and unloading operations of the mold by the loading and unloading units, and the cleaning operations of the mold by the spraying, irradiation, and cleaning units, can be prevented from interfering with each other. Furthermore, the moving mechanism for the loading and unloading units and the moving mechanism for the spraying, irradiation, and cleaning units can be arranged separately, simplifying the device configuration.

[0014] In addition to the configuration of Technology 1 or 2 described above, the resin molding apparatus of Technology 3 according to the present invention preferably has the spraying unit and the irradiation unit provided on a common first mobile body, the cleaning unit provided on a second mobile body separate from the first mobile body, and the first mobile body and the second mobile body each being configured to be movable independently. With this configuration, the spraying unit, the irradiation unit, and the cleaning unit can be moved separately. For example, when there are a plurality of molding dies, the spraying unit and the irradiation unit can be moved to one molding die for processing, and the cleaning unit can be moved to another molding die for processing. Thus, different processes can be performed simultaneously and in parallel on a plurality of molding dies.

[0015] The resin molding apparatus according to Technology 4 of the present invention preferably has a plurality of the molding dies arranged in a row along the horizontal direction in addition to any one of the configurations of the above-described Technologies 1 to 3. With this configuration, since there are a plurality of molding dies, the production efficiency of resin molded products can be improved. Further, since the plurality of molding dies are arranged in a row, the spraying unit, the irradiation unit, and the cleaning unit can be moved to each molding die by a simple configuration in which the spraying unit, the irradiation unit, and the cleaning unit are linearly moved in the horizontal direction.

[0016] The resin molding apparatus according to Technology 5 of the present invention preferably further includes a transport moving mechanism for moving the loading unit and the unloading unit along the arrangement direction of the molding dies, and a processing moving mechanism for moving the spraying unit, the irradiation unit, and the cleaning unit along the arrangement direction in addition to the configuration of the above-described Technology 4. With this configuration, the loading unit and the unloading unit can be moved to a plurality of molding dies, and the spraying unit, the irradiation unit, and the cleaning unit can also be moved. As a result, they can be commonly used in a plurality of molding dies, the apparatus configuration can be simplified, and an increase in the size of the resin molding apparatus can be prevented.

[0017] The resin molding apparatus according to Technology 6 of the present invention preferably has a plurality of the molding dies arranged between the transport moving mechanism and the processing moving mechanism in addition to the configuration of the above-described Technology 5. With this configuration, since the installation space for the conveyance moving mechanism and the installation space for the processing moving mechanism are separated before and after the molding die, the configuration of these moving mechanisms and the peripheral configuration of these moving mechanisms can be simplified. Further, by incorporating the processing moving mechanism on the front side of the molding die with respect to a conventional resin molding apparatus in which the loading section and the unloading section are provided on the rear side of the molding die, it becomes possible to add a spraying section, an irradiation section, and a cleaning section to the conventional resin molding apparatus without making a major design change.

[0018] In addition to the configuration of the resin molding apparatus of Technology 5 or 6 described above, in the resin molding apparatus of Technology 7 according to the present invention, it is desirable that the processing moving mechanism includes a first processing moving section that moves the spraying section and the irradiation section along the arrangement direction, and a second processing moving section that moves the cleaning section along the arrangement direction. With this configuration, it is possible to simplify the configuration in which the spraying section, the irradiation section, and the cleaning section are separately moved in the processing moving mechanism. As a result, in the case of a configuration having a plurality of molding dies, different processes can be performed simultaneously and in parallel on the plurality of molding dies, such as moving the spraying section and the irradiation section to one molding die for processing and moving the cleaning section to another molding die for processing.

[0019] In addition to the configuration of the resin molding apparatus of Technology 7 described above, in the resin molding apparatus of Technology 8 according to the present invention, it is desirable that the first processing moving section allows the spraying section and the irradiation section to enter between the upper mold and the lower mold by a rack and pinion mechanism, and the second processing moving section allows the cleaning section to enter between the upper mold and the lower mold by a rack and pinion mechanism. With this configuration, it is possible to simplify the configuration in which the spraying section, the irradiation section, and the cleaning section enter between the upper mold and the lower mold, and it is possible to prevent the resin molding apparatus from becoming large-sized.

[0020] In addition to any one of the configurations of Technologies 5 to 8 described above, in the resin molding apparatus of Technology 9 according to the present invention, it is desirable that the processing moving mechanism moves the spraying section, the irradiation section, and the cleaning section to a retracted position outside the plurality of molding dies along the arrangement direction. With this configuration, the spraying unit, irradiation unit, and cleaning unit can be moved to a retracted position, allowing access to the mold and ensuring efficient operation for tasks such as mold replacement.

[0021] The resin molding apparatus of Technology 10 according to the present invention preferably has, in addition to the configuration of any one of the above technologies 1 to 9, an opening and closing section corresponding to the molding die provided on the front side of the molding die, and the opening and closing section is preferably configured using a shutter cover. With this configuration, since the opening and closing mechanism is made using a shutter cover, the footprint of the resin molding device can be reduced compared to an opening and closing mechanism that opens outwards and forwards. The footprint is the area occupied on the floor by the resin molding device when it is installed. Furthermore, even if a processing movement mechanism is provided in front of the mold to move the spraying unit, irradiation unit, and cleaning unit, using a shutter cover allows the footprint to be the same as that of a conventional resin molding device with an opening configuration that opens outwards and forwards.

[0022] It is desirable to clean the mold with a brush after each resin molding. On the other hand, it is not necessary to spray a release agent onto the mold and irradiate the mold with ultraviolet light after each resin molding. Therefore, the resin molding apparatus of Technology 11 according to the present invention, in addition to the configuration of any one of the above technologies 1 to 10, preferably has the following features: the cleaning unit cleans the mold with a brush after each resin molding; the irradiation unit irradiates the mold with ultraviolet light after a predetermined number of resin moldings; and the spraying unit sprays a release agent onto the mold each time the irradiation unit irradiates with ultraviolet light, with the predetermined number of times being 2 or more.

[0023] The resin molding apparatus of Technology 12 according to the present invention preferably has, in addition to the configuration of any one of the above technologies 1 to 11, the spray unit enters between the upper mold and the lower mold in the open state before resin molding and sprays the release agent, and after the spray unit retracts from between the upper mold and the lower mold, the loading unit loads the object to be molded before molding between the upper mold and the lower mold. With this configuration, the release agent spraying and the loading of the workpiece before molding are performed consecutively during a single mold opening operation, simplifying the operation of the resin molding apparatus, especially the opening of the upper and lower molds. Furthermore, resin molding can be performed immediately after spraying the release agent, without impairing the function of the release agent. In addition, the release agent spraying operation can be performed immediately before loading the workpiece before molding, preventing a decrease in operating rate associated with the release agent spraying operation.

[0024] The resin molding apparatus of Technology 13 according to the present invention preferably has, in addition to the configuration of any one of the above technologies 1 to 12, the discharge unit enters between the upper mold and the lower mold in the open state after resin molding to discharge the molded object, and in conjunction with or after the discharge unit retracts from between the upper mold and the lower mold, the cleaning unit enters between the upper mold and the lower mold from the front and cleans with the brush. With this configuration, the molded object and cleaning with a brush are performed consecutively during a single mold opening operation, simplifying the operation of the resin molding machine, especially the opening of the upper and lower molds. Furthermore, the cleaning operation with a brush can be performed immediately after the molded object is unloaded, preventing a decrease in operating efficiency associated with the cleaning operation.

[0025] Furthermore, the method for manufacturing a resin molded product according to Technology 14 of the present invention is a method for manufacturing a resin molded product using any one of the resin molding apparatuses of Technology 1 to 13 described above, characterized in that: an object to be molded before molding is loaded into the upper mold and the lower mold which have been opened; the upper mold and the lower mold into which the object to be molded before molding is loaded are clamped together to resin mold the object; the molded object is removed from the upper mold and the lower mold which have been opened after resin molding; a release agent is sprayed onto the upper mold and the lower mold which have been opened before the object to be molded before molding is loaded, or ultraviolet light is irradiated onto them; and the upper mold and the lower mold which have been opened after the molded object is removed after resin molding is cleaned with a brush. With this method of manufacturing resin molded products, a release agent is sprayed onto the upper and lower molds or irradiated with ultraviolet light before the object to be molded is brought in, and the upper and lower molds are cleaned with a brush after the molded object is removed. This suppresses contamination of the molds due to resin molding. As a result, the quality of the resin molded products can be improved.

[0026] <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, for the sake of clarity, all the following figures are schematic representations, with some parts omitted or exaggerated as appropriate. The same reference numerals are used for identical components, and their descriptions are omitted as appropriate.

[0027] <Overall configuration of resin molding apparatus 100> The resin molding apparatus 100 of this embodiment performs resin molding of an object W to be molded, to which electronic components (not shown) are connected, by transfer molding using a resin material J.

[0028] Here, the object to be molded W can be, for example, a metal substrate, a resin substrate, a glass substrate, a ceramic substrate, a circuit board, a semiconductor substrate, a wiring board, a lead frame, etc., regardless of whether or not it has wiring. The resin material J for resin molding can be, for example, a composite material containing a thermosetting resin, and the form of the resin material J can be granular, powdery, liquid, sheet-like, or tablet-like. Furthermore, the electronic components (not shown) connected to the upper surface of the object to be molded W can be, for example, bare chips, resistors, capacitors, or at least one of these electronic components in a resin-encapsulated state.

[0029] Specifically, as shown in Figure 1, the resin molding apparatus 100 comprises a supply module 100A for supplying the object to be molded W (hereinafter simply referred to as "object to be molded W") and resin material J before molding, a molding module 100B having a mold 17 for resin molding, and a storage module 100C for housing the molded object W (hereinafter referred to as "resin molded product P") after molding. The supply module 100A, the molding module 100B, and the storage module 100C can be attached to and detached from each other and can be replaced. In this embodiment, there are two molding modules 100B, but the number of each component can be increased or decreased, such as having one or three or more molding modules 100B.

[0030] The operation control of the resin molding apparatus 100, which includes the modules 100A to 100C shown below, is performed, for example, by a control unit CTL provided in the supply module 100A. The control unit CTL has processing elements such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and performs operation control by executing a program stored in a memory unit (not shown). The control unit CTL may also be provided in modules 100B and 100C other than the supply module 100A. Furthermore, the control unit CTL may have multiple processing elements. In this case, the processing elements of the control unit CTL may be placed in at least two of the modules 100A to 100C.

[0031] The supply module 100A supplies the object to be molded W to the molding module 100B, and also supplies resin material J to the molding module 100B. Specifically, the supply module A includes an object to be molded supply unit 11 for supplying the object to be molded W, an object to be molded placement unit 12 for receiving the object to be molded W, a resin material storage unit 13 for storing the resin material J, a resin material alignment unit 14 for aligning the resin material J, and a loading unit 15 (hereinafter referred to as "loader 15") for transporting the object to be molded W from the object to be molded placement unit 12 to the molding module 100B and loading the resin material J from the resin material alignment unit 14 to the resin molding module B. Here, the loader 15 is movable in at least the X and Y directions by a transport movement mechanism 16.

[0032] The two molding modules 100B use the object to be molded W and the resin material J, which are transported by the loader 15, to perform resin molding on the object to be molded W. Each molding module 100B includes a mold 17 that forms a cavity C into which the resin material J is filled, and a clamping mechanism (not shown) that clamps the mold 17. In this embodiment, the molds 17 provided in the two molding modules 100B are arranged in a line along the X direction.

[0033] The molding die 17 has an upper mold 171 and a lower mold 172 arranged opposite each other, and recesses for forming a cavity C are formed in both or one of the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172. In addition, a pot 17a for containing the resin material J is formed in the lower mold 172. Furthermore, a resin passage (not shown) is formed in either the upper mold 171 or the lower mold 172 to connect the pot 17a and the cavity C. In addition, an air vent (not shown) is formed in the upper mold 171 on the side opposite to the pot 17a.

[0034] Then, with the upper mold 171 and lower mold 172 clamped together by the mold clamping mechanism, the molten resin material J is pushed out from the pot 17a by a plunger (not shown), and the molten resin material J is injected into the cavity C through the resin passage described above. The electronic components of the molded object W housed in the cavity C are then resin-sealed.

[0035] A ceramic layer containing yttrium oxide, nitrogen, and cations of group 4A elements is formed on the surface of the upper mold 171 and the surface of the lower mold 172. Here, the surface of the upper mold 171 and the surface of the lower mold 172 refer to the surfaces that face each other in the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 (the bottom surface of the upper mold 171 and the top surface of the lower mold 172). This provides the surfaces of the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 with excellent release properties and low adhesion (anti-fouling properties). As for the group 4A elements, at least one element selected from the group consisting of titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf), and rusthordium (Rf) can be used.

[0036] As shown in Figure 1, the storage module 100C has a storage section 18 for storing resin molded products P, and an unloading section 19 (hereinafter referred to as "unloader 19") that receives resin molded products P from the molding module 100B and unloads them into the storage section 18. Here, the resin molded products P stored in the storage section 18 can be removed from outside the device. The unloader 19 is also movable in at least the X and Y directions by a transport movement mechanism 16. In this embodiment, the loader 15 and the unloader 19 are movable by a common transport movement mechanism 16. This transport movement mechanism 16 is provided along the arrangement direction (X direction) of the multiple molds 17, and in this embodiment, it is provided on the rear side, which is one side of the molds 17.

[0037] <Automatic cleaning function of resin molding machine 100> The resin molding apparatus 100 of this embodiment has a function to automatically clean the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172. The parts that perform the automatic cleaning function shown below may be modularized, and the cleaning modules may be configured to be detachable from each module 100A to 100C. If the cleaning modules are configured to be detachable, the control unit of the cleaning module may be provided inside the cleaning module or outside the cleaning module.

[0038] Specifically, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the resin molding apparatus 100 includes a spraying unit 20 for spraying a release agent onto the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172, an irradiation unit 21 for irradiating the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 with ultraviolet light, and a cleaning unit 22 for cleaning the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 with a brush 221.

[0039] The spray unit 20 sprays a release agent onto the surface of the upper mold 171 and the surface of the lower mold 172. The spray unit 20 primarily reduces resin molding contamination on the inner surface of the recess that forms the cavity C of the upper mold 171 and / or the inner surface of the recess that forms the cavity C of the lower mold 172.

[0040] Here, as a mold release agent, for example, a fluorine coating liquid or an oily mold release agent that is liquid at room temperature can be used. The fluorine coating liquid has, for example, a fluorine-based polymer portion that has mold release properties, a functional group portion that adheres to the mold surface, and a junction portion that connects them, and is a reactive fluorine-based compound dissolved in a fluorine-based volatile solvent. The oily mold release agent is, for example, silicone-free and halogen-free and does not contain water, and has a viscosity of 100 mPa·s (cP) or less.

[0041] Specifically, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the spraying unit 20 has a nozzle 20a for spraying a release agent and a supply unit 20b for supplying the release agent to the nozzle 20a. In this embodiment, the spraying unit 20 is configured to spray a release agent onto the surface of the upper mold 171 and the surface of the lower mold 172 using a common nozzle 20a. In this case, the spraying unit 20 can switch the direction of the release agent sprayed from the nozzle 20a between the surface of the upper mold 171 and the surface of the lower mold 172. The spraying unit 20 may also have an upper mold nozzle for spraying the release agent onto the surface of the upper mold 171 and a lower mold nozzle for spraying the release agent onto the surface of the lower mold 172. When this spraying unit 20 enters the opened upper mold 171 and lower mold 172, it sprays the release agent onto the surface of the upper mold 171 and the surface of the lower mold 172. This spray unit 20 is provided on the first mobile body 23, which is moved by a processing mobile mechanism 25, which will be described later.

[0042] The irradiation unit 21 irradiates the surface of the upper mold 171 and the surface of the lower mold 172 with ultraviolet light to remove dirt adhering to those surfaces. Here, the dirt adhering to the surfaces is mainly wax contained in the resin. The irradiation unit 21 primarily vaporizes and removes wax-based dirt adhering to the inner surface of the recess that becomes cavity C of the upper mold 171 and / or the inner surface of the recess that becomes cavity C of the lower mold 172.

[0043] Specifically, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the irradiation unit 21 has an upper mold irradiation unit 21a that irradiates the surface of the upper mold 171 with ultraviolet light, and a lower mold irradiation unit 21b that irradiates the surface of the lower mold 172 with ultraviolet light. The upper mold irradiation unit 21a has a plurality of ultraviolet LEDs arranged in a planar manner, and the lower mold irradiation unit 21b also has a plurality of ultraviolet LEDs arranged in a planar manner. The ultraviolet LEDs emit ultraviolet light in a wavelength band of, for example, 400 nm or less. When this irradiation unit 21 enters between the opened upper mold 171 and lower mold 172, the upper mold irradiation unit 21a irradiates the surface of the upper mold 171 with ultraviolet light, and the lower mold irradiation unit 21b irradiates the surface of the lower mold 172 with ultraviolet light. This irradiation unit 21 is provided on the first mobile body 23 on which the spray unit 20 is provided. In other words, the spray unit 20 and the irradiation unit 21 are provided on a common first mobile body 23.

[0044] The cleaning unit 22 cleans the surface of the upper mold 171 and the surface of the lower mold 172 with a brush 221. The cleaning unit 22 primarily removes resin adhering to the surfaces of the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 and the air vent.

[0045] Specifically, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the cleaning unit 22 has an upper mold cleaning unit 22a that cleans the surface of the upper mold 171 with a brush 221, and a lower mold cleaning unit 22b that cleans the surface of the lower mold 172 with a brush 221. The cleaning unit 22 also has a dust collection mechanism (not shown) for collecting the resin removed by the brush 221. When the cleaning unit 22 enters the opened upper mold 171 and lower mold 172, it cleans the surfaces of the upper mold 171 and lower mold 172 with the brush 221. This cleaning unit 22 is located on a second mobile body 24, which is separate from the first mobile body 23 on which the spray unit 20 and irradiation unit 21 are provided. The second mobile body 24 is moved by a processing mobile mechanism 25, which will be described later.

[0046] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the spray unit 20, irradiation unit 21, and cleaning unit 22 are configured to enter between the opened upper mold 171 and lower mold 172 from the front side, which is the other side of the mold 17. The first mobile body 23, on which the spray unit 20 and irradiation unit 21 are provided, and the second mobile body 24, on which the cleaning unit 22 is provided, are configured to move independently of each other.

[0047] Specifically, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the resin molding apparatus 100 is equipped with a processing movement mechanism 25 that moves the spraying unit 20, the irradiation unit 21, and the cleaning unit 22 along the arrangement direction (X direction) of the multiple molding dies 17. This processing movement mechanism 25 is provided on the front side of the multiple molding dies 17. The transport movement mechanism 16 that moves the loader 15 and the unloader 19 is provided on the rear side of the multiple molding dies 17, as described above (see Figure 1).

[0048] As shown in Figure 2, the processing mobile mechanism 25 includes a first processing mobile unit 25a that moves a first mobile body 23, which is equipped with a spray unit 20 and an irradiation unit 21, along the arrangement direction (X direction), and a second processing mobile unit 25b that moves a second mobile body 24, which is equipped with a cleaning unit 22, along the arrangement direction (X direction). Here, the first processing mobile unit 25a is provided below the second processing mobile unit 25b.

[0049] As shown in Figure 2, the first processing mobile unit 25a includes an X-direction guide rail 25a1 provided along the X-direction in front of the molding die 17, and a drive unit (not shown) that moves the first mobile body 23 along the X-direction guide rail 25a1. The drive unit can be configured using, for example, a motor and an idler belt. As the first mobile body 23 moves along the X-direction guide rail 25a1, the spray unit 20 and the irradiation unit 21 move to each molding die 17. In addition, a Z-direction mobile unit 26 is provided interposed between the X-direction guide rail 25a1 and the first mobile body 23 to move the first mobile body 23 in the vertical direction (Z-direction). The Z-direction moving section 26 moves along the X-direction guide rail 25a1 and includes a Z-direction guide rail 261 provided along the Z-direction, a Z-direction slider 262 that slides along the Z-direction guide rail 261, and a drive unit (not shown) that moves the Z-direction slider 262 along the Z-direction guide rail 261. Furthermore, the first moving body 23 has a Y-direction moving section 27 for moving in the forward and backward direction (Y-direction) relative to the molding die 17.

[0050] Here, the Y-direction moving section 27 uses a rack and pinion mechanism and has racks 27a and 28, a pinion 27b that meshes with the racks 27a and 28, and a motor (not shown) that rotates the pinion 27b. Rack 27a is fixed to the Z-direction slider 262 of the Z-direction moving section 26. Rack 28 is provided on the molding die 17 or its surrounding members. The pinion 27b is provided on the first moving body 23. In addition, the first moving body 23 is provided with support rollers 27c and 27d, such as cam followers, to support the load of the first moving body 23 relative to the racks 27a and 28. These support rollers 27c and 27d are in contact with the upper surfaces of the racks 27a and 28.

[0051] Then, the first moving body 23 is moved in the X direction along the X-direction guide rail 25a1 together with the Z-direction moving part 26, and the Z-direction moving part 26 moves the first moving body 23 and rack 27a in the Z direction, moving the first moving body 23 in front of the molding die 17. At this time, rack 28 and rack 27a are in close proximity to each other and aligned in a straight line. When the pinion 27b is rotated by the motor in this state, the pinion 27b moves along racks 27a and 28, and the first moving body 23 enters between the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172. During this entry, the rack that the pinion 27b meshes with switches from rack 27a to rack 28. Also, the support rollers 27c and 27d move from rack 27a to rack 28. In other words, the first mobile unit 23 is configured to move back and forth between the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 on its own, eliminating the need to provide a drive mechanism for movement in the front-rear direction in the first processing mobile unit 25a, thus reducing the footprint.

[0052] As shown in Figure 2, the second processing mobile unit 25b includes an X-direction guide rail 25b1 provided along the X-direction in front of the molding die 17, and a drive unit (not shown) that moves the second mobile body 24 along the X-direction guide rail 25b1. The drive unit can be configured using, for example, a motor and an idler belt. As the second mobile body 24 moves along the X-direction guide rail 25b1, the cleaning unit 22 moves to each molding die 17. In addition, a Z-direction mobile unit 29 is provided interposed between the X-direction guide rail 25b1 and the second mobile body 24 to move the second mobile body 24 in the vertical direction (Z-direction). The Z-direction moving section 29 moves along the X-direction guide rail 25b1 and includes a Z-direction guide rail 291 provided along the Z-direction, a Z-direction slider 292 that slides along the Z-direction guide rail 291, and a drive unit (not shown) that moves the Z-direction slider 292 along the Z-direction guide rail 291. Furthermore, the second moving body 24 has a Y-direction moving section 30 for moving in the forward and backward direction (Y-direction) relative to the molding die 17.

[0053] Here, the Y-direction moving section 30 uses a rack and pinion mechanism and has racks 30a and 28, a pinion 30b that meshes with the racks 30a and 28, and a motor (not shown) that rotates the pinion 30b. Rack 30a is fixed to the Z-direction slider 292 of the Z-direction moving section 29. Rack 28 is provided on the molding die 17 or its surrounding members. The pinion 30b is provided on the second moving body 24. In addition, the second moving body 24 is provided with support rollers 30c and 30d, such as cam followers, to support the load of the second moving body 23 relative to the racks 30a and 28. These support rollers 30c and 30d are in contact with the upper surfaces of the racks 30a and 28.

[0054] Then, the second moving body 24 is moved in the X direction along the X-direction guide rail 25b1 together with the Z-direction moving part 29, and the Z-direction moving part 29 moves the second moving body 24 and rack 30a in the Z direction, moving the second moving body 24 in front of the molding die 17. At this time, rack 28 and rack 30a are close to each other and aligned in a straight line. When the motor rotates the pinion 30b in this state, the pinion 30b moves along rack 28 and rack 30a, and the second moving body 24 enters between the upper die 171 and the lower die 172. During this entry, the rack that the pinion 30b meshes with switches from rack 30a to rack 28. Also, the support rollers 30c and 30d move from rack 30a to rack 30. In other words, the second mobile unit 24 is configured to move back and forth between the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 on its own, eliminating the need to provide a drive mechanism for movement in the front-rear direction in the second processing mobile unit 25b, thus reducing the footprint.

[0055] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, the processing mobile mechanism 25 can move the spraying unit 20, the irradiation unit 21, and the cleaning unit 22 to a retracted position EP outside the multiple molds 17 along the arrangement direction (X direction). In this embodiment, the retracted position EP is set on the supply module 100A side of the molds 17. Specifically, the first processing mobile unit 25a of the processing mobile mechanism 25 extends to the front of the supply module 100A. The first processing mobile unit 25a can move the spraying unit 20 and the irradiation unit 21 to the retracted position EP by moving the first mobile body 23 to the retracted position EP. Also, the second processing mobile unit 25b of the processing mobile mechanism 25 extends to the front of the supply module 100A. The second processing mobile unit 25b can move the cleaning unit 22 to the retracted position EP by moving the second mobile body 24 to the retracted position EP.

[0056] In this embodiment, with the spray unit 20, irradiation unit 21, and cleaning unit 22 moved to the retracted position EP by the processing movement mechanism 25, the opening / closing sections 31, which are provided corresponding to each molding die 17, can be opened. Here, the opening / closing sections 31 are provided on the front side of the device, and as shown in Figures 1 and 3, they are provided on the front of the housing 33 that houses the processing movement mechanism 25, each movable body 23, 24, and the cable carriers 32a, 32b connected to each movable body 23, 24. The opening / closing sections 31 in this embodiment are configured using a shutter cover. This shutter cover may be configured to be opened and closed manually, or it may be configured to be opened and closed automatically using an actuator such as a rodless cylinder.

[0057] The cable carriers 32a and 32b are configured to move along the X-direction together with the respective moving bodies 23 and 24, and deform in accordance with the Y-direction movement of the respective moving bodies 23 and 24. In addition, another cable carrier (not shown) is connected to the device-side end of the cable carriers 32a and 32b (the end opposite to the moving bodies), and deforms in accordance with the X-direction movement of the cable carriers 32a and 32b.

[0058] Furthermore, the cable carrier 32a of the first mobile body 23 and the cable carrier 32b of the second mobile body 24 are configured not to interfere with each other. Specifically, as shown in Figure 3, when viewed from the X direction, the cable carrier 32b of the second mobile body 24, which moves above, is positioned inside the cable carrier 32a of the first mobile body 23, which moves below. Each cable carrier 32a and 32b extends upward from each mobile body 23 and 24 and is positioned along the front and top surfaces of the device body. Note that each cable carrier 32a and 32b does not necessarily have to be positioned along the top surface of the device body.

[0059] <Method for manufacturing resin molded product P> Next, the operation of the resin molding apparatus 100 of this embodiment, along with the method for manufacturing the resin molded product P, will be described with reference to Figures 4 to 6. Note that the following operations are performed, for example, by a control unit CTL provided in the supply module 100A controlling each part.

[0060] Before the loader 15 loads the object to be molded W and the resin material J into the mold 17, ultraviolet light is irradiated by the irradiation unit 21, as shown in Figure 4(a). Specifically, the first mobile body 23 moves in front of the mold 17, which is in an open state before resin molding. In this embodiment, the height position of the first mobile body 23 when it moves left and right (X direction) is set, and when it moves left and right (X direction), it first moves up and down (Z direction) to the set height position, and then moves left and right (X direction). Then, the first mobile body 23 enters from the front between the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172. While the first mobile body 23 is moving between the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172, the irradiation unit 21 irradiates the surface of the upper mold 171 and the surface of the lower mold 172 with ultraviolet light.

[0061] Then, after the irradiation of ultraviolet light by the irradiation unit 21 is completed, a release agent is sprayed onto the open upper mold 171 and lower mold 172, as shown in Figure 4(b). Specifically, the first mobile body 23 moves in front of the mold 17, which is in an open state before resin molding. The first mobile body 23 then enters between the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 from the front. While the first mobile body 23 is moving between the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172, the spray unit 20 sprays the release agent onto the surface of the upper mold 171 and the surface of the lower mold 172. The ceramic layers on the surface of the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 have a textured surface (microscopic irregularities), and the spraying of the release agent supplies the release agent into the recesses of this textured surface. This reduces the anchoring effect caused by the recesses of the textured surface in the ceramic layer, reducing adhesion and improving release properties.

[0062] After the spray unit 20 retracts forward from between the open upper mold 171 and lower mold 172, the loader 15 loads the object to be molded W and the resin material J from the rear between the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172, as shown in Figure 5(c). Here, after spraying the release agent and before loading the object to be molded W and the resin material J, the space between the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 is exhausted by a dust collection unit (not shown) to remove the atomized release agent. In Figure 5(c), the first mobile body 23 and the second mobile body 24 are lowered when the object to be molded W and the resin material J are loaded (the second mobile body 24 is located in front of the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172). However, the first mobile body 23 and the second mobile body 24 may also lower after the object to be molded W and the resin material J have been loaded, or at the latest, the first mobile body 23 and the second mobile body 24 may have lowered before the unloader 19 enters and unloads the molded resin product P.

[0063] Then, as shown in Figure 5(d), the upper mold 171 and lower mold 172, into which the object to be molded W and the resin material J are loaded, are clamped together by a mold clamping mechanism to perform resin molding on the object to be molded W.

[0064] After resin molding, when the mold clamping mechanism opens the upper mold 171 and lower mold 172, as shown in Figure 6(e), the unloader 19 enters from the rear between the opened upper mold 171 and lower mold 172 to unload the resin molded product P. At this time, the second movable body 24 moves in front of the molding die 17. In this embodiment, the height position of the second movable body 24 when it moves left and right (in the X direction) is set, and when it moves left and right (in the X direction), it first moves up and down (in the Z direction) to the set height position (different from the height position of the first movable body 23), and then moves left and right (in the X direction).

[0065] As the unloader 19 retracts backward from between the opened upper mold 171 and lower mold 172, or after it has retracted, the second moving body 24 enters between the upper mold 171 and lower mold 172 from the front, as shown in Figure 6(f). While the second moving body 24 is moving between the upper mold 171 and lower mold 172, the cleaning unit 22 cleans the surface of the upper mold 171 and the surface of the lower mold 172 with the brush 221.

[0066] Subsequently, the next resin molding operation (loading of the object to be molded and resin material → resin molding (mold clamping) → unloading of the molded resin product → cleaning with a brush) is performed a predetermined number of times. Here, the predetermined number of times is two or more, for example, 300 times. After the predetermined number of resin molding operations have been performed, ultraviolet irradiation and mold release agent spraying are performed again in succession. Thus, in the resin molding apparatus 100 of this embodiment, cleaning of the cleaning unit 22 with a brush is performed after each resin molding. In addition, ultraviolet irradiation by the irradiation unit 21 and mold release agent spraying by the spraying unit 20 are performed after a predetermined number of times (for example, 300 times) of resin molding. Note that since the resin material J contains wax that functions as a mold release agent, it is not necessary to spray the mold release agent by the spraying unit 20 after each resin molding.

[0067] <Effects of this embodiment> According to the resin molding apparatus 100 of this embodiment, since it has a spraying unit 20 for spraying a release agent onto the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172, an irradiation unit 21 for irradiating the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 with ultraviolet light, and a cleaning unit 22 for cleaning the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 with a brush 221, it is possible to eliminate the need to stop the apparatus and manually clean the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 as in the conventional method. As a result, downtime can be shortened and the operating rate can be improved.

[0068] Furthermore, the amount of consumables such as cleaning resin used in the cleaning of the upper mold 171 and lower mold 172 can be reduced, and labor costs can also be reduced, thus lowering running costs. In addition, since the amount of consumables such as cleaning resin used can be reduced, waste can be reduced.

[0069] Furthermore, safety can be improved by performing the cleaning work automatically without using cleaning resins, such as rubber sheets, which are used for cleaning the upper mold 171 and lower mold 172. Specifically, safety can be improved by performing the cleaning work and spraying the mold release agent automatically without opening the opening / closing section 31 of the resin molding apparatus 100, and exhausting the exhaust through the dust collection section of the resin molding apparatus 100 after the work is completed. In addition, safety is maintained because the ultraviolet rays from the irradiation section 21 are blocked by the opening / closing section 31 or the housing 33 of the apparatus.

[0070] Furthermore, by spraying a release agent onto the upper mold 171 and lower mold 172, cleaning the upper mold 171 and lower mold 172 with a brush 221, and irradiating them with ultraviolet light, contamination of the upper mold 171 and lower mold 172 due to resin molding can be suppressed. As a result, the quality of the resin molded product P can be improved.

[0071] <Other modified embodiments> However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above.

[0072] For example, the spraying unit 20 may be configured to spray the release agent onto only one of the upper mold 171 or the lower mold 172. Alternatively, the spraying unit 20 may switch which mold to spray the release agent onto, for example, the upper mold 171 or the lower mold 172, for each resin molding.

[0073] The irradiation unit 21 may be configured to irradiate only one of the upper mold 171 or the lower mold 172 with ultraviolet light. Alternatively, the irradiation unit 21 may switch which mold is irradiated with ultraviolet light, for example, the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172, for each resin molding.

[0074] The cleaning unit 22 may be configured to clean only one of the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 with the brush 221. Alternatively, the cleaning unit 22 may switch which mold to clean with the brush 221, for example, between the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172, after each resin molding. When switching between the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 in this way, it is conceivable to move the cleaning unit 22 up and down using an up and down drive mechanism (not shown) to ensure that the cleaning unit 22 contacts only the mold to be cleaned. Furthermore, in addition to being configured to clean with the brush 221 after each resin molding, the cleaning unit 22 may also be configured to clean with the brush 221 after a predetermined number of resin molding cycles.

[0075] In the above embodiment, the spray unit 20 and the irradiation unit 21 were provided on the first mobile body, but the spray unit 20 and the irradiation unit 21 may be provided on separate mobile bodies. Alternatively, the spray unit 20, the irradiation unit 21 and the cleaning unit 22 may be provided on a single mobile body. Furthermore, the spray unit 20 and the cleaning unit 22 may be provided on a single mobile body, or the irradiation unit 21 and the cleaning unit 22 may be provided on a single mobile body.

[0076] In the above embodiment, the processing movement mechanism 25 was configured to have a first processing movement section 25a and a second processing movement section 25b, but it is also possible to configure it so that the first moving body 23 and the second moving body 24 are moved by a single processing movement section.

[0077] In the above embodiment, the loader 15 and the unloader 19 are movable by a common transport mechanism 16, but the loader 15 and the unloader 19 may be configured to be movable by separate transport mechanisms.

[0078] In the above embodiment, a resin molding apparatus that performs resin molding by transfer molding was described, but it can also be applied to a resin molding apparatus that performs resin molding by compression molding.

[0079] 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]

[0080] 100...Resin molding equipment W ···Object to be molded before molding P...The molded object after molding (resin molded product) 15 ···Loading section (loader) 16 ··· Transport and moving mechanism 17...molding mold 171...upper mold 172...lower mold 19 ···Unloading section (unloader) 20...Spray part 21 ···Irradiation area 22...Cleaning Department 221...brush 23 ···First Mobile Unit 24 ···Second Mobile Unit 25 ···Processing and conveying mechanism 31 ···Opening / Closing Section

Claims

1. A resin molding apparatus that uses a mold having an upper mold and a lower mold to perform resin molding on an object to be molded, Multiple molds arranged in a row along the horizontal direction, The aforementioned mold includes a loading section for loading the object to be molded before molding, A discharge unit for discharging the molded object after molding from the mold, A spray unit for spraying a release agent onto both or one of the upper and lower molds, An irradiation unit that irradiates ultraviolet light onto both or one of the upper mold and the lower mold, A cleaning unit for cleaning both or one of the upper and lower molds with a brush, A transport mechanism for moving the loading section and the unloading section along the arrangement direction of the mold, A resin molding apparatus comprising a processing moving mechanism for moving the spraying unit, the irradiation unit, and the cleaning unit along the aforementioned arrangement direction.

2. The loading section and the unloading section enter between the upper mold and the lower mold from one side of the molding die. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the spraying unit, the irradiation unit, and the cleaning unit enter between the upper mold and the lower mold from the other side of the molding die.

3. The spraying unit and the irradiation unit are provided on a common first moving body. The cleaning unit is provided on a second mobile body, which is separate from the first mobile body. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first movable body and the second movable body are each configured to be movable independently.

4. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the molding dies are arranged between the transport mechanism and the processing mechanism.

5. The aforementioned processing mobile mechanism is A first processing moving unit moves the spraying unit and the irradiation unit along the arrangement direction, The resin molding apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second processing moving unit for moving the cleaning unit along the arrangement direction.

6. The first processing mobile unit moves the spray unit and the irradiation unit between the upper mold and the lower mold by a rack and pinion mechanism. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second processing mobile unit moves the cleaning unit between the upper mold and the lower mold by a rack and pinion mechanism.

7. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing moving mechanism moves the spraying unit, the irradiation unit, and the cleaning unit to a retracted position outside the plurality of molding dies along the arrangement direction.

8. An opening and closing section is provided on the front side of the molding die, corresponding to the molding die. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opening and closing section is configured using a shutter cover.

9. The spray unit enters between the upper and lower molds in the open state before resin molding and sprays the release agent. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the spraying unit retracts from between the upper mold and the lower mold, and then the loading unit loads the object to be molded before molding between the upper mold and the lower mold.

10. The unloading section enters between the upper and lower molds in the opened state after resin molding, and unloads the molded object after molding. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, in conjunction with or after the discharge unit retracts from between the upper and lower molds, the cleaning unit enters between the upper and lower molds and cleans with the brush.

11. A resin molding apparatus for molding an object using a mold having an upper mold and a lower mold, The aforementioned mold includes a loading section for loading the object to be molded before molding, A discharge unit for discharging the molded object after molding from the mold, A spray unit for spraying a release agent onto both or one of the upper and lower molds, An irradiation unit that irradiates ultraviolet light onto both or one of the upper mold and the lower mold, The system includes a cleaning unit that cleans both or one of the upper and lower molds with a brush, The cleaning unit cleans the mold with the brush after each resin molding cycle. The irradiation unit irradiates the mold with ultraviolet light after each predetermined number of resin molding cycles. The spraying unit sprays a release agent onto the mold each time the irradiation unit irradiates with ultraviolet light. A resin molding apparatus in which the predetermined number of times is two or more.

12. A method for manufacturing a resin molded product using a resin molding apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11, The object to be molded before molding is placed into the opened upper and lower molds. The upper and lower molds into which the object to be molded before molding is brought are clamped together to perform resin molding on the object to be molded. After resin molding, the molded object is removed from the upper and lower molds after the molds have been opened. Before the object to be molded is brought in, a release agent is sprayed onto the opened upper and lower molds, or ultraviolet light is irradiated onto them. A method for manufacturing a resin molded product, comprising cleaning the upper and lower molds with the brush after the molded product has been removed following resin molding.

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