Resin molding apparatus and method for manufacturing resin molded products

Abstract

To efficiently store release films used in a plurality of molding dies in a storage box.SOLUTION: A resin molding device includes: a plurality of film supporters 3a to 3c that support both side portions of a used release film F; a film transport mechanism 20 that transports the used release film F from the plurality of molding dies 14a to 14c to the plurality of film supporters 3a to 3c; a film dropping mechanism 4 that pushes downward between both side portions of the used release film F supported by the plurality of film supporters 3a to 3c to drop the used release film F from the film supporters 3a to 3c; and a storage box 5 that is arranged below the plurality of film supporters 3a to 3c and stores the used release film F that has been dropped by the film dropping mechanism 4.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

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] As a conventional resin sealing apparatus, as shown in Patent Document 1, there is a conceivable one provided with a recovery mechanism for accommodating a release film used for resin sealing in a recovery container.

[0003] This recovery mechanism has a plate portion capable of adsorbing a used release film, an arm portion supporting this plate portion, and a drive portion connected to the arm portion and capable of driving the entire arm portion and plate portion up and down. And the plate portion of the recovery mechanism is configured to receive the used release film from the substrate conveyance portion that holds the used release film, and to invert the plate portion up and down and accommodate it in the recovery container.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] By the way, there is a resin molding apparatus in which a plurality of molds are arranged vertically, and in this resin molding apparatus, a release film is arranged on each mold. In the configuration in which the above-described recovery mechanism is provided in this resin molding apparatus, it is difficult to efficiently recover the used release film from each mold.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and its main problem is to efficiently accommodate the release films used in a plurality of molds in a storage box. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In other words, the resin molding apparatus according to the present invention is a resin molding apparatus having a plurality of molds arranged vertically, and performing resin molding by placing a release film on the plurality of molds, and is characterized by comprising: a plurality of film supports arranged vertically and supporting both sides of the used release film; a film transport mechanism for transporting the used release film from the plurality of molds to the plurality of film supports; a film detachment mechanism for pushing downward the portion between the two sides of the used release film supported by the plurality of film supports to detach the used release film from the film supports; and a storage box arranged below the plurality of film supports for storing the used release film detached by the film detachment mechanism. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention configured in this way, release films used in multiple molding dies can be efficiently stored in a storage box. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a resin molding apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] (a) a front view and (b) a side view schematically show the configuration of the resin molding module of the same embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the film recovery section of the resin material transport mechanism (film transport mechanism) of the same embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the film support, film detachment mechanism, and storage box of the same embodiment. [Figure 5] (a) a plan view, (b) a front view, (c) a side view, and (d) a cross-sectional view along line XX, showing the configuration of the film support of the same embodiment. [Figure 6]This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the interval changing mechanism of the same embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram showing the state switched between the first state and the second state by the interval changing mechanism of the same embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a schematic diagram showing (a) a flat pressing portion and (b) a rod-shaped pressing portion in the pressing member of the film detachment mechanism of the same embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a schematic diagram showing (a) the state before the release film is placed on the film support and (b) the state after the release film is placed on the film support in the same embodiment. [Figure 10] In the same embodiment, (c) is a schematic diagram showing a first state of the film support supporting the release film, and (d) is a schematic diagram showing a second state of the film support supporting the release film. [Figure 11] In this embodiment, (e) is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the pressing member of the film release mechanism is rotated to the pressed position, and (f) is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the film is stored in the storage box by the pressing member. [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 having a plurality of molds arranged vertically, and performing resin molding by placing a release film on the plurality of molds, and is characterized by comprising: a plurality of film supports arranged vertically and supporting both sides of the used release film; a film transport mechanism for transporting the used release film from the plurality of molds to the plurality of film supports; a film detachment mechanism for pushing downward the portion between the two sides of the used release film supported by the plurality of film supports to detach the used release film from the film supports; and a storage box disposed below the plurality of film supports for storing the used release film detached by the film detachment mechanism. With this resin molding apparatus, used release films after resin molding are transported to multiple film supports by a film transport mechanism, and the used release films supported by the multiple film supports are removed by a film removal mechanism and stored in a storage box. This allows for the efficient storage of release films used in multiple molding dies into the storage box.

[0012] The resin molding apparatus of Technology 2 according to the present invention, in addition to the configuration of Technology 1 described above, further comprises a spacing change mechanism that narrows the spacing between the plurality of film supports while the plurality of film supports are supporting the used release film, and preferably the film detachment mechanism detaches the used release film from the film supports after the spacing between the plurality of film supports has been narrowed by the spacing change mechanism. With this configuration, the used release film is removed after the spacing between the multiple film supports is narrowed, ensuring that the release film supported by each of the multiple film supports is reliably stored in the storage box. Furthermore, by narrowing the spacing between the multiple film supports, the range of the film removal mechanism can be made more compact, allowing the film removal mechanism to be miniaturized.

[0013] In addition to the configuration of the above-described Technique 2, the resin molding apparatus according to Technique 3 of the present invention preferably has the interval changing mechanism narrow the interval between the plurality of film supports and bring the plurality of film supports closer to the storage box. With this configuration, since the plurality of film supports with a narrowed interval approach the storage box, the used release film dropped by the film dropping mechanism can be reliably stored in the storage box.

[0014] In addition to the configuration of the above-described Technique 2 or 3, the resin molding apparatus according to Technique 4 of the present invention preferably has the interval changing mechanism include a vertical guide portion that guides vertical movement of the plurality of film supports, a support driving portion that vertically moves the uppermost film support among the plurality of film supports, and a connecting portion that connects two film supports adjacent vertically to each other so that the interval between the vertically adjacent film supports can be changed as the uppermost film support moves vertically. With this configuration, compared with a configuration in which the plurality of film supports are moved separately, a simpler configuration can be achieved and miniaturization of the interval changing mechanism becomes possible.

[0015] In addition to any one of the configurations of the above-described Techniques 2 to 4, the resin molding apparatus according to Technique 5 of the present invention preferably has the interval changing mechanism change the interval between the plurality of film supports between a first state corresponding to the interval between the plurality of molds and a second state that is an interval narrower than the interval of the first state and in which the used release film is dropped by the film dropping mechanism. With this configuration, by setting the interval between the plurality of film supports to the first state by the interval changing mechanism, the film conveyance mechanism can convey the used release film taken out from the plurality of molds to the plurality of film supports while in the taken-out state.

[0016] As a specific embodiment of the film support, in addition to any one of the configurations of the above-described Techniques 1 to 5, the resin molding apparatus according to the sixth technique of the present invention, the film support includes a first support portion and a second support portion that support both side portions of the release film, and a passage portion that is formed between the first support portion and the second support portion and through which the film dropping mechanism passes from top to bottom.

[0017] As a specific embodiment of the film dropping mechanism, in addition to any one of the configurations of the above-described Techniques 1 to 6, the resin molding apparatus according to the seventh technique of the present invention, the film dropping mechanism preferably includes a pressing member that presses the used release film supported by the film support downward, and a pressing member driving portion that moves the pressing member up and down with respect to the film support. In this configuration, the pressing member presses downward between both side portions of the release film supported by the film support, and passes through the passage portion of the film support, thereby dropping the used release film from the film support. Further, when the pressing member presses downward between both side portions of the release film, the release film is subjected to air resistance and moves to the storage box while remaining in contact with the pressing member.

[0018] The resin molding apparatus according to the eighth technique of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the above-described Technique 7, the pressing member is preferably configured to be rotatable with respect to the pressing member driving portion between a pressing position for pressing down the used release film supported by the film support and a retracted position where the pressing member retreats from the pressing position and takes a posture along the vertical direction. With this configuration, when the pressing member is in a retracted position where the pressing member takes a posture along the vertical direction from the pressing position, it is possible to prevent the conveyance of the used release film to the film support by the film conveyance mechanism.

[0019] In addition to the configuration of the above-described technology 7 or 8, the resin molding apparatus of technology 9 according to the present invention preferably has two rod-shaped pressing parts that press down the portion between the two sides of the used release film, and the position of each of the two pressing parts is adjustable. In a resin molding apparatus, if the mold is changed and the size of the object to be molded is changed, the size of the release film will also change. In the resin molding apparatus of this technology 9, the positions of each of the two pressing parts can be changed, so the positions of the two pressing parts can be changed to an appropriate position corresponding to the size of the release film.

[0020] The resin molding apparatus of Technology 10 according to the present invention, in addition to the configuration of any one of the above technologies 7 to 9, has a notch formed in the side wall of the storage box through which the vertically moving pressing member passes, and it is desirable that the pressing member enters the notch and stores the used release film in the storage box. With this configuration, the release film can be moved into the storage box while being pressed downwards by the pressing member, thus ensuring that the release film is securely stored in the storage box.

[0021] In addition to the configuration of any one of the above-described technologies 1 to 10, the resin molding apparatus of technology 11 according to the present invention preferably has a plurality of adsorption holding units in the film transport mechanism that adsorb and hold the used release film from the plurality of molding dies. With this configuration, used release films can be received simultaneously from multiple molds and transported to multiple film supports at once. As a result, used release films can be recovered efficiently.

[0022] In addition to the configuration of the above-described technology 11, the resin molding apparatus of technology 12 according to the present invention preferably has a film release portion that contacts the used release film held by the adsorption holding portion and separates it from the adsorption holding portion. With this configuration, the used release film can be reliably separated from the suction holding part and supported on the film support.

[0023] In addition to the configuration of the above-described technology 11 or 12, the resin molding apparatus of technology 13 according to the present invention preferably includes a static eliminator to remove static electricity charged on the used release film held by the adsorption holding part. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the release film from sticking to the adsorption holding part due to static electricity, and to reliably detach the release film and support it on the film support.

[0024] 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 that uses any one of the above-described resin molding apparatuses of Technology 1 to 13 to perform resin molding on an object to be molded, and is characterized by comprising: a resin molding step of placing release films in a plurality of molds and performing resin molding on the object to be molded; a film transport step of transporting the used release films after resin molding to the plurality of film supports by the film transport mechanism; and a film storage step of removing the used release films supported by the plurality of film supports by the film removal mechanism and storing them in the storage box.

[0025] <One Hundred Ideas> An embodiment of the resin molding apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Please note that all of the following diagrams are simplified and simplified for clarity. The same components are denoted by the same symbols, and explanations are omitted as appropriate.

[0026] <Overall configuration of resin molding equipment> The resin molding apparatus 100 of this embodiment manufactures a resin molded product P by resin molding a substrate W, which is a molded object on which electronic components Wx are fixed on one surface, using a resin material J. In the following, the molded object (substrate W) before resin molding will be referred to as "pre-molding substrate W," and the molded object (substrate W) after resin molding will be referred to as "molded substrate W" or "resin molded product P."

[0027] Here, the substrate W is rectangular in shape when viewed from above, and examples include metal substrates, resin substrates, glass substrates, ceramic substrates, circuit boards, semiconductor substrates, lead frames, silicon wafers, glass wafers, etc. In addition, the substrate W may be a carrier without wiring.

[0028] Examples of resin materials J include powdered resins (including granular resins) and liquid resins. Examples of electronic components Wx include semiconductor chips, resistors, capacitors, and other electronic elements, or electronic components in which at least one of these electronic elements is encapsulated in resin.

[0029] As shown in Figure 1, the resin molding apparatus 100 comprises a substrate supply / storage module A, two resin molding modules B, and a resin material supply module C as its components. Each component (modules A to C) is detachable and interchangeable with respect to the other component.

[0030] The substrate supply and storage module A includes a substrate receiving section 10a for receiving unmolded substrates W from the outside, a substrate storage section 10b for storing molded substrates W (resin molded products P), a substrate transport mechanism 11 for transporting the unmolded substrates W and resin molded products P, and a transfer mechanism 12, such as a transport robot, for transporting, i.e., transferring, the unmolded substrates W and resin molded products P to the substrate transport mechanism 11.

[0031] The substrate transport mechanism 11 transports the unmolded substrate W from the substrate supply / storage module A to the resin molding module B, and in the resin molding module B, it supplies the unmolded substrate W to the molding dies 14a to 14c. After the resin molding of the unmolded substrate W, the substrate transport mechanism 11 receives the molded resin product P, which is the molded substrate W after resin molding, from the molding dies 14a to 14c in the resin molding module B and transports it to the substrate supply / storage module A. The transfer mechanism 12 then transfers the unmolded substrate W from the substrate receiving section 10a to the substrate transport mechanism 11, and transfers the molded resin product P from the substrate transport mechanism 11 to the substrate storage section 10b.

[0032] Here, as shown in Figure 1, the substrate transport mechanism 11 includes a substrate supply unit 111 that supplies substrates W to the upper mold 141, and a substrate receiving unit 112 that receives resin molded products P from the upper mold 141. The substrate supply unit 111 and the substrate receiving unit 112 are provided in accordance with the upper molds 141 of the multiple molding dies 14a to 14c, which will be described later, and they are arranged side by side in the left-right direction. The substrate transport mechanism 11 then continuously performs the receiving operation of the substrate receiving unit 112 and the supply operation of the substrate supply unit 111 with respect to the upper mold 141.

[0033] As shown in Figure 2, each resin molding module B has a plurality of molds 14a to 14c arranged vertically, and a mold clamping mechanism 15 for clamping these plurality of molds 14a to 14c. In this embodiment, each resin molding module B has a configuration having three molds 14a to 14c using two intermediate plates 16c and 16d positioned between a fixed platen 16a and a movable platen 16b that moves up and down by the mold clamping mechanism 15. The intermediate plates 16c and 16d are slidably supported by a pair of side wall members 16e and 16f that support the fixed platen 16a, by a lifting and lowering sliding mechanism (not shown) consisting of a linear rail and a slider.

[0034] Each mold 14a to 14c consists of an upper mold 141 that adsorbs and holds the substrate W, and a lower mold 142 in which a cavity 142C is formed. In the uppermost mold 14a, the upper mold 141 is provided on the lower surface of the fixed platen 16a, and the lower mold 142 is provided on the upper surface of the upper intermediate plate 16c. In the second mold 14b, the upper mold 141 is provided on the lower surface of the upper intermediate plate 16c, and the lower mold 142 is provided on the upper surface of the lower intermediate plate 16d. In the third mold 14c, the upper mold 141 is provided on the lower surface of the lower intermediate plate 16d, and the lower mold 142 is provided on the upper surface of the movable platen 16b.

[0035] Furthermore, in each molding die 14a to 14c, the upper die 141 and the lower die 142 are configured to slide in a direction intersecting the clamping direction (specifically, the front-to-back direction) by a moving mechanism (not shown). Specifically, the upper die 141 and the lower die 142 slide between a clamping position where they are clamped by the clamping mechanism 15 and an ejection position located outside the clamping mechanism 15 in the sliding direction. Here, the substrate W and the resin molded product P are transported by the substrate transport mechanism 11 relative to the upper die 141 in the ejection position. Furthermore, the resin material J and the release film F are transported to the lower mold 142, which is in the protruding position, by the resin material transport mechanism 20, which will be described later.

[0036] The clamping mechanism 15 in this embodiment is a linear motion type that uses a ball screw mechanism, such as a servo motor, to convert rotation into linear motion to raise and lower the movable platen. Alternatively, the clamping mechanism 15 may also be a link-type mechanism that transmits power from a servo motor or other power source to the movable platen using a link mechanism such as a toggle link.

[0037] Furthermore, the mold clamping mechanism 15 clamps multiple molds 14a to 14c by linking the raising and lowering of the movable platen 16b with the raising and lowering of the intermediate plates 16c and 16d. By clamping the multiple molds 14a to 14c with the mold clamping mechanism 15, resin molding is performed on the substrate W before molding in the multiple molds 14a to 14c. Specifically, the mold clamping mechanism 15 has a pantograph mechanism 151 that extends and retracts with the raising and lowering of the movable platen 16b. One end 151b of this pantograph mechanism 151 is fixed to the fixed platen 16a, and the other end 151c is fixed to the movable platen 16b. In addition, the two intersecting link portions 151a of the pantograph mechanism 151 are connected to the intermediate plates 16c and 16d, respectively.

[0038] As shown in Figure 1, the resin material supply module C includes a movable table 17, a resin material storage unit 18 placed on the movable table 17, a resin material input mechanism 19 that weighs and puts resin material J into the resin material storage unit 18, and a resin material transport mechanism 20 that transports the resin material storage unit 18 and supplies the resin material J to the cavity 142C of the lower mold 142. Here, the resin material storage unit 18 is constructed using a holding frame that holds a release film F, and the resin material J is put onto the release film F held in the holding frame by the resin material input mechanism 19.

[0039] The moving table 17 moves within the resin material supply module C between the resin material input position by the resin material input mechanism 19 and the transport position for transferring the resin material storage unit 18 to the resin material transport mechanism 20. The resin material transport mechanism 20 then transports the resin material storage unit 18 containing the resin material J from the resin material supply module C to the resin molding module B, where it supplies the release film F and the resin material J to the lower molds 142 of the multiple molding dies 14a to 14c. After that, the resin material transport mechanism 20 transports the resin material storage unit 18, after the resin material J has been supplied, from the resin molding module B back to the resin material supply module C. The release film F prevents the resin material J from adhering to the lower molds 142.

[0040] Here, as shown in Figure 1, the resin material transport mechanism 20 includes a resin material supply unit 201 that supplies resin material J and release film F before use to the lower mold 142, and a film recovery unit 202 that recovers the used release film F from the lower mold 142. In other words, the resin material transport mechanism 20 also functions as a film transport mechanism that transports the used release film F. The resin material supply unit 201 and the film recovery unit 202 are provided corresponding to the lower molds 142 of a plurality of molding dies 14a to 14c arranged in the vertical direction. The resin material supply unit 201 and the film recovery unit 202 are provided side by side in the left-right direction. The resin material transport mechanism 20 then continuously performs the recovery operation of the film recovery unit 202 and the supply operation of the resin material supply unit 201 to the lower mold 142. The resin material transport mechanism 20 transports the used release film F recovered by the film recovery unit 202 to the film supports 3a to 3c, which will be described later.

[0041] Specifically, the film recovery unit 202 is an adsorption and holding unit that adsorbs and holds used release film F from multiple molds 14a to 14c. As shown in Figure 3, these multiple film recovery units 202 are provided corresponding to the spacing between the lower molds 142 in the multiple molds 14a to 14c that have been opened. Each film recovery unit 202 adsorbs and holds the peripheral portion of the used release film F (the portion located outside the cavity 142C). Each film recovery unit 202 has multiple adsorption pads 202a for adsorbing the release film F, and suction sources (not shown) are connected to the multiple adsorption pads 202a.

[0042] <Specific configuration for recovering used release film F> Furthermore, the resin molding apparatus 100 of this embodiment has the function of collecting used release films F from each of the multiple molds 14a to 14c, storing them in a storage box 5, and disposing of them.

[0043] Specifically, as shown in Figures 1 and 4, the resin material supply module C comprises a plurality of film supports 3a to 3c arranged vertically to support used release films F, a film detachment mechanism 4 for detaching the used release films F supported by the plurality of film supports 3a to 3c from the film supports 3a to 3c, and a storage box 5 located below the plurality of film supports 3a to 3c.

[0044] <Film support 3a~3c> Multiple film supports 3a to 3c are arranged along the vertical direction and support both sides of the used release film F. Specifically, as shown in Figure 5, each film support 3a to 3c has a first support portion 31a and a second support portion 31b that support the first end and second end of the release film F, respectively, and a passage portion 32. The first end and the second end of the release film F face each other, and the first end and the second end correspond to both sides of the release film F. The first support portion 31a and the second support portion 31b support both sides of the release film F. The passage portion 32 is a space formed between the first support portion 31a and the second support portion 31b. The film release mechanism 4 passes through the passage portion 32 from top to bottom.

[0045] The release film F in this embodiment has a rectangular shape in plan view. In this case, the first end of the release film F is one end in the longitudinal direction of the release film F, and the second end is the other end in the longitudinal direction of the release film F. Therefore, the first support portion 31a and the second support portion 31b support each of the opposing sides of the release film F. Thus, the release film F is placed so as to span across the first support portion 31a and the second support portion 31b.

[0046] Furthermore, the passage portion 32 formed between the first support portion 31a and the second support portion 31b is, for example, a rectangular space in a plan view. The pressing member 41, which will be described later, passes through the passage portion 32 without making contact. In addition, a return portion 33 is formed at the front end of the film support 3a to 3c to prevent the release film F placed on the first support portion 31a and the second support portion 31b from coming out. This return portion 33 protrudes upward from the first support portion 31a and the second support portion 31b to the extent that it does not interfere with the forward transport of the release film F by the resin material transport mechanism 20 (film transport mechanism) (see Figure 5(c)).

[0047] Here, each of the multiple film supports 3a to 3c has multiple film release parts 34 that contact the release film F held by the film recovery part 202 (adsorption holding part) and separate it from the film recovery part 202. As shown in Figures 5(b) and (c), each film release part 34 is provided facing the first support part 31a and the second support part 31b of the film supports 3a to 3c on the upper side. The film release parts 34 are also provided in a position where they can contact the release film F on the side of the adsorption pad 202a of the film recovery part 202a. Each adsorption pad 202a passes between two film release parts 34. In some cases, the release film F does not separate from the adsorption pad 202a even when the suction of the adsorption pad 202a is released. In this case, when the suction pad 202a is moved upward, the suction pad 202a passes between the two film release sections 34, while the release film F attached to the suction pad 202a comes into contact with the film release section 34. As a result, the release film F is separated from the suction pad 202a.

[0048] <Interval adjustment mechanism> As shown in Figures 4, 6, and 7, the multiple film supports 3a to 3c in this embodiment are configured so that their vertical spacing can be changed by the spacing changing mechanism 6.

[0049] The spacing adjustment mechanism 6 narrows the vertical spacing between the multiple film supports 3a to 3c while they are supporting the release film F. In addition to narrowing the vertical spacing between the multiple film supports 3a to 3c, the spacing adjustment mechanism 6 also moves the multiple film supports 3a to 3c downwards, bringing them closer to the storage box 5.

[0050] The spacing change mechanism 6 of this embodiment changes the vertical spacing between the multiple film supports 3a to 3c between a first state (see (first state) in Figures 5 and 7) which corresponds to the spacing between the multiple molds 14a to 14c, and a second state (see (second state) in Figures 6 and 7) in which the spacing is narrower than that of the first state and the release film F is removed by the film removal mechanism 4. In the second state, the lowest film support 3c is closer to the storage box 5 compared to the first state.

[0051] Specifically, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the spacing change mechanism 6 includes an upper and lower guide section 61 that guides the vertical movement of the multiple film supports 3a to 3c, a support drive section 62 that moves the uppermost film support 3a among the multiple film supports 3a to 3c vertically, and a connecting section 63 that connects the vertically adjacent film supports 3a to 3c in a way that changes the spacing between them as the uppermost film support 3a moves vertically.

[0052] The upper and lower guide section 61 includes a guide rail 611 extending in the vertical direction and a slider (not shown) that moves along the guide rail 611 and to which each of the multiple film supports 3a to 3c is connected. In this embodiment, the guide rail 611 and slider are provided on the rear end side (opposite side from the film loading side) of the multiple film supports 3a to 3c. In addition, two guide rails 611 are provided, one on the left and one on the right, for the multiple film supports 3a to 3c.

[0053] The support drive unit 62 moves the uppermost film support 3a up and down along the upper and lower guide unit 61. The support drive unit 62 in this embodiment can be configured using, for example, a rodless cylinder. The slider 621 of this support drive unit 62 is connected to the uppermost film support 3a (see Figure 7). In addition to a rodless cylinder, the support drive unit 62 may also use, for example, a ball screw mechanism and motor, a rack and pinion mechanism and motor, or an air cylinder.

[0054] The connecting portion 63 connects vertically adjacent film supports 3a to 3c, and when the vertically adjacent film supports 3a to 3c expand to a predetermined distance, it restrains them so that the distance between them does not expand any further. Specifically, as shown in Figure 7, the connecting portion 63 can be composed of, for example, projections 63a provided on each film support 3a to 3c and a frame 63b spanning across the projections 63a provided on the vertically adjacent film supports 3a to 3c. In addition to the configuration having projections 63a and a frame 63b, the connecting portion 63 may also be configured to interlock with each other so that the distance between the vertically adjacent film supports 3a to 3c does not expand any further.

[0055] In the first state, the adjacent film supports 3a to 3c are constrained by the connecting portion 63 to form a predetermined interval (see Figure 7 (First State)). This predetermined interval is the same as the interval between the upper and lower molds 142 adjacent to each other in the opened molds 14a to 14c.

[0056] When the top film support 3a is lowered from this first state, the second and third film supports 3b and 3c are lowered. The third film support 3c is then placed on the stopper member 64, and the gap between the third film support 3c and the second film support 3b is narrowed (see Figure 7(1)). The stopper member 64 is located above the storage box 5. When the top film support 3a is lowered again, the second film support 3b is lowered. The second film support 3b is then placed on the third film support 3c, and the gap between the second film support 3b and the top film support 3a is narrowed (see Figure 7(2)). Subsequently, the top film support 3a is lowered until it is placed on the second film support 3b. As a result, the multiple film supports 3a to 3c enter the second state (see Figure 7 (second state)). Furthermore, cushioning members may be provided between each film support 3a to 3c to absorb impact.

[0057] On the other hand, when the uppermost film support 3a is raised from the second state, the uppermost film support 3a and the second film support 3b spread to a predetermined distance apart, and the distance between them is constrained by the connecting part 63, causing the second film support 3b to rise. Subsequently, when the uppermost film support 3a is raised again, the second film support 3b and the third film support 3c spread to a predetermined distance apart, and the distance between them is constrained by the connecting part 63, causing the third film support 3c to rise. As a result, the multiple film supports 3a to 3c return to the first state.

[0058] <Film detachment mechanism 4> The film detachment mechanism 4 pushes downward between both sides of the used release film F, which is supported by multiple film supports 3a to 3c, causing the used release film F to detach from the film supports 3a to 3c.

[0059] The film detachment mechanism 4 of this embodiment pushes the longitudinal center of the rectangular release film F downwards, causing the used release film F to detach from the passage section 32 of the film supports 3a to 3c. Furthermore, the film detachment mechanism 4 detaches the used release film F from the multiple film supports 3a to 3c all at once after the spacing between the multiple film supports 3a to 3c has been narrowed by the spacing changing mechanism 6 (after being placed in the second state).

[0060] Specifically, as shown in Figures 4, 6, and 8, the film release mechanism 4 includes a pressing member 41 that pushes the used release film F supported by the film supports 3a to 3c downwards, and a pressing member drive unit 42 that moves the pressing member 41 up and down relative to the film supports 3a to 3c.

[0061] As shown in Figure 8(a), the pressing member 41 of this embodiment has a flat pressing portion 411 that presses down between the two sides (central part) of the used release film F. The flat pressing portion 411 is sized to pass through the passage portion 32 of the film support 3a to 3c.

[0062] The configuration of the pressing member 41 is not limited to a configuration having a flat pressing portion 411. For example, as shown in Figure 8(b), the pressing member 41 may have a configuration having multiple (in this case, two) rod-shaped pressing portions 411 that press down between the two sides (center) of the used release film F. All rod-shaped pressing portions 411 are configured to pass through the passage portions 32 of the film support 3a to 3c. When there are two rod-shaped pressing portions 411, the position of each of the two pressing portions 411 is configured to be changeable. Specifically, the position of each of the two pressing portions 411 is changeable in the left-right direction, i.e., in the horizontal direction. This allows the left-right position of the two pressing portions 411 to be changed to an appropriate position even when the size of the substrate W and the release film F is changed by changing the molding die 14a to 14c.

[0063] As shown in Figure 4, the pressing member drive unit 42 includes a guide rail 421 that guides the pressing member 41 in the vertical direction, and a drive actuator 422 that moves the pressing member 41 up and down along the guide rail 421.

[0064] The guide rail 421 guides the base end of the pressing member 41 in the vertical direction. This guide rail 421 is provided opposite to a plurality of film supports 3a to 3c. The drive actuator 422 has a movable part 422a that contacts the base end of the pressing member 41, and the movable part 422a lifts the pressing member 41 along the guide rail 421, thereby moving the pressing member 41 up and down. This drive actuator 422 may be, for example, a rodless cylinder, a ball screw mechanism and motor, a rack and pinion mechanism and motor, or an air cylinder.

[0065] As shown in Figure 4, the pressing member 41 is configured to be rotatable with respect to the pressing member drive unit 42 between a pressing position S, which presses down the used release film F supported by the film supports 3a to 3c, and a retracted position T, which is retracted from the pressing position S and assumes a position aligned in the vertical direction. The pressing position S is the position in which the flat pressing portion 411 or the rod-shaped pressing portion 411 assumes a position aligned in the horizontal direction. Specifically, a rotating portion 43 is provided at the base end of the pressing member 41 to rotate the pressing member 41 around a rotation axis aligned in the horizontal direction (X direction). This rotating portion 43 can be configured using an actuator such as a motor.

[0066] <Storage Box 5> As shown in Figures 4, 6, and 7, the storage box 5 is positioned beneath a plurality of film supports 3a to 3c and stores the used release film F that has been detached by the film detachment mechanism 4. The storage box 5 has an opening at the top, and the size of this opening in plan view is larger than the size of the used release film F in plan view.

[0067] As shown in Figure 6, a notch 51a is formed in the side wall 51 of the storage box 5 (the side wall 51 on the film release mechanism 4 side) through which the vertically moving pressing member 41 passes. This notch 51a extends downward from the upper end of the side wall 51 of the storage box 5. This notch 51a allows the pressing member 41 to enter the notch 51a and store the used release film F in the storage box 5.

[0068] <Recovery operation of used release film F> Next, the operation for collecting the used release film F in the resin molding apparatus 100 of this embodiment will be described. The operation described below is performed by a control unit COM, provided in the substrate supply and storage module A, controlling each part of the resin molding apparatus 100. The control unit COM is a dedicated or general-purpose computer having a CPU, internal memory, input / output interface, AD converter, etc.

[0069] After the resin molding process, the used release film F is recovered from the lower mold 142 of the multiple molds 14a to 14c that have been opened by the multiple film recovery units 202 of the resin material transport mechanism 20 (film transport mechanism) (see Figure 3). The resin material transport mechanism 20 then transports the used release film F to the multiple film supports 3a to 3c (see Figure 9(a), film transport process). At this time, the multiple film supports 3a to 3c are in the first state.

[0070] Here, the resin material transport mechanism 20 slides multiple film recovery units 202 over multiple film supports 3a to 3c. Then, with the release film F positioned above the first support portion 31a and the second support portion 31b of the film supports 3a to 3c, the suction of the suction pad 202a is released. As a result, the release film F falls onto the first support portion 31a and the second support portion 31b of the film supports 3a to 3c. The resin material transport mechanism 20 also moves the multiple film recovery units 202 upward over the multiple film supports 3a to 3c. Note that even after releasing the suction of the suction pad 202a, the release film F may stick to the suction pad 202a due to the pressure difference inside and outside the suction pad 202a. In this case, when the multiple film recovery units 202 move upward relative to the multiple film supports 3a to 3c, the suction pad 202a passes between the two film release units 34, while the release film F attached to the suction pad 202a comes into contact with the film release unit 34. As a result, the release film F is separated from the suction pad 202a and falls onto the first support unit 31a and the second support unit 31b of the film supports 3a to 3c. Consequently, both longitudinal sides of the used release film F are supported on each film support 3a to 3c (see Figure 9(b)).

[0071] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the static electricity charged on the release film F is removed by the static eliminator 7 while the release film F is adsorbed onto the adsorption pads 202a of the multiple film recovery units 202 (see Figure 6). Note that the static eliminator 7 is omitted in Figures 4, 7, and 9 to 11. Specifically, the static eliminator 7 is provided corresponding to each of the multiple film recovery units 202. Each static eliminator 7 removes static electricity by blowing ions onto the release film F to prevent it from sticking to the lower surface of the film recovery unit 202 due to static electricity. The timing of static elimination by the static eliminator 7 is before or during the process of storing the release film F in the film supports 3a to 3c.

[0072] After the resin material transport mechanism 20 transports the used release film F to the film supports 3a to 3c, it moves to a predetermined standby position, which is retracted from between the multiple film supports 3a to 3c and the film detachment mechanism 4 (see Figure 10(c)).

[0073] Subsequently, the spacing mechanism 6 narrows the spacing between the multiple film supports 3a to 3c (see Figure 10(d)). Specifically, the support drive unit 62 of the spacing mechanism 6 moves the uppermost film support 3a downwards, thereby putting the multiple film supports 3a to 3c into the second state. Furthermore, by narrowing the spacing between the multiple film supports 3a to 3c using the spacing mechanism 6, the multiple film supports 3a to 3c move closer to the storage box 5. During the transport operation of the release film F to the film supports 3a to 3c and the operation of narrowing the spacing between the film supports 3a to 3c, the pressing member 41 of the film detachment mechanism 4 is in the retracted position T.

[0074] After the spacing between the multiple film supports 3a to 3c is narrowed by the spacing change mechanism 6 (after being placed in the second state), the pressing member 41 of the film detachment mechanism 4 is rotated to the pressed position S (see Figure 11(e)). The pressing member 41 in the pressed position S is located above the multiple film supports 3a to 3c. Subsequently, the pressing member drive unit 42 moves the pressing member 41 downward to detach the used release film F from the film supports 3a to 3c (see Figure 11(f)). Specifically, the pressing member 41 pushes downward between both sides (the central part) of the release film F supported by the film supports 3a to 3c, and as it passes through the passage section 32 of the film supports 3a to 3c, the used release film F is detached from the passage section 32 of the film supports 3a to 3c. At this time, the used release film F moves to the storage box 5 while remaining in contact with the pressing member 41 due to air resistance. As a result, the used release film F is stored in the storage box 5 (film storage process).

[0075] In this embodiment, the base end of the pressing member 41 is placed on the movable part 422a of the drive actuator 422. When the base end of the pressing member 41 is placed on the movable part 422a, when the pressing member drive unit 42 moves the movable part 422a vertically, the pressing member 41 moves along with the movement of the movable part 422a. If the pressing member 41 is placed on an object other than the movable part 422a, the pressing member 41 will not move vertically even if the pressing member drive unit 42 moves the movable part 422a vertically. In this embodiment, the base end of the pressing member 41 is placed on the movable part 422a when the pressing member 41 of the film release mechanism 4 is rotated to the pressed position S. Then, when the pressing member drive unit 42 moves the movable part 422a downward, the pressing member 41 rests on the used release film F inside the storage box 5 while the movable part 422a is moving downward. After that, the downward movement of the pressing member 41 stops, and only the movable part 422a moves downward. As a result, the movable part 422a of the drive actuator 422 and the pressing member 41 separate, and the used release film F is pressed down from above by the weight of the pressing member 41. This prevents the release film F stored inside the storage box 5 from being pushed in and becoming bulky. Also, no excessive force is applied to the used release film F inside the storage box 5.

[0076] The pressing member drive unit 42 moves the movable part 422a downward, and then moves the movable part 422a upward. While the movable part 422a is moving upward, the base end of the pressing member 41 is placed on the movable part 422a. Subsequently, the pressing member 41 moves upward along with the movement of the movable part 422a. As described above, the pressing member drive unit 42 moves the pressing member 41 upward by moving the movable part 422a upward, thereby removing the pressing member 41 from the storage box 5, and moves the pressing member 41 and the movable part 422a to a height position (standby position) where the next film removal operation can be performed. After the pressing member 41 has moved to the standby position, the pressing member 41 is rotated to the retracted position T.

[0077] After the operation of the pressing member 41 described above, the support drive unit 62 moves the uppermost film support 3a upward, placing the multiple film supports 3a to 3c at intervals (first state) that allow for the next film retrieval operation.

[0078] <Effects of this embodiment> According to the resin molding apparatus 100 of this embodiment, after resin molding, the used release film F is transported to a plurality of film supports 3a to 3c by a film transport mechanism (resin material transport mechanism 20), and the used release film F supported by the plurality of film supports 3a to 3c is removed by a film removal mechanism 4 and stored in a storage box 5. Therefore, the release film F used in the plurality of molding dies 14a to 14c can be efficiently stored in the storage box 5.

[0079] Furthermore, since the film detachment mechanism 4 detaches the used release film F from the film supports 3a to 3c after the spacing between the multiple film supports 3a to 3c has been narrowed by the spacing changing mechanism 6, the release film F supported by each of the multiple film supports 3a to 3c can be reliably stored in the storage box 5. In addition, by narrowing the spacing between the multiple film supports 3a to 3c, the range of the detachment operation by the film detachment mechanism 4 (specifically, the stroke amount of the pressing member 41) can be made more compact, and the film detachment mechanism 4 can be made smaller.

[0080] Furthermore, the spacing adjustment mechanism 6 narrows the spacing between the multiple film supports 3a to 3c and brings them closer to the storage box 5, thereby ensuring that the used release film F that has been removed by the film removal mechanism 4 is reliably stored in the storage box 5.

[0081] <Other modified embodiments> However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above.

[0082] For example, the spacing adjustment mechanism 6 was configured to narrow the spacing between the multiple film supports 3a to 3c and bring them closer to the storage box 5, but it is not necessary to have a configuration that brings the multiple film supports 3a to 3c closer to the storage box 5. In this case, a height position adjustment mechanism may be provided to adjust the height position of the storage box 5, thereby bringing the storage box 5 closer to the multiple film supports 3a to 3c (the lowest film support 3c).

[0083] Furthermore, the distance between the first support portion 31a and the second support portion 31b of the film support 3a to 3c (i.e., the width of the passage portion) may be made changeable. With this configuration, for example, the distance between the first support portion 31a and the second support portion 31b can be adjusted according to the type of release film F, and the release film F can be reliably supported.

[0084] Furthermore, the width of the flat pressing portion 411 of the pressing member 41 or the spacing between the multiple rod-shaped pressing portions 411 may be changed. With this configuration, for example, depending on the type of release film F, the configuration can be adjusted to ensure that the release film F is reliably detached from the film supports 3a to 3c.

[0085] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, one release film F was transported to each film support 3a to 3c before being stored in the storage box 5. However, it is also possible to transport two or more release films F to each film support 3a to 3c before being stored in the storage box 5.

[0086] Although the release film F in the above embodiment was rectangular in plan view, it may have various shapes, such as a circular shape in plan view. When the release film F is circular in plan view, both ends of the release film F are two ends that are radially opposite to each other.

[0087] In the above embodiment, a resin molding apparatus 100 having three molds 14a to 14c in one resin molding module B was described. However, the configuration of the resin molding apparatus 100 may also be such that one resin molding module B has two molds, or four or more molds. In these configurations, it is conceivable to match the number of suction holding units and film supports of the film transport mechanism to the number of molds.

[0088] The film transport mechanism in the above embodiment is configured using a resin material transport mechanism 20, but it may also be provided separately from the resin material transport mechanism 20.

[0089] 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]

[0090] 100...Resin molding equipment W... Pre-molding substrate (object to be molded) P... Resin molded product (object to be molded) 14a~14c...Multiple molds F... Release film 20. Film transport mechanism (resin material transport mechanism) 202... Adsorption holding section (film recovery section) 3a~3c...Multiple film supports 4. Film detachment mechanism 5. Storage Box 6. Interval change mechanism 61... Upper and lower guide section 62. Support drive unit 63...Connection part 31a...1st support part 31b...Second support part 32...passing section 34...Film release section 41. Pressing Member 42. Pressing member drive unit S... Press position T...Evacuation position 411... Pressed part 51a... Notch

Claims

1. A resin molding apparatus having multiple molds arranged vertically, and performing resin molding by placing release films on these multiple molds, Multiple film supports are arranged vertically and support both sides of the used release film, A film transport mechanism for transporting the used release film from the plurality of molds to the plurality of film supports, A film detachment mechanism that pushes downward the portion between the two sides of the used release film, which is supported by the plurality of film supports, to detach the used release film from the film supports, A resin molding apparatus comprising a storage box disposed beneath the plurality of film supports for storing the used release film that has been detached by the film detachment mechanism.

2. The plurality of film supports support the used release film, and the system further includes a spacing adjustment mechanism for narrowing the spacing between the plurality of film supports. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the film removal mechanism removes the used release film from the film support after the spacing between the plurality of film supports has been narrowed by the spacing changing mechanism.

3. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the spacing changing mechanism narrows the spacing between the plurality of film supports and brings the plurality of film supports closer to the housing box.

4. The aforementioned interval changing mechanism is A vertical guide section that guides the vertical movement of the plurality of film supports, A support drive unit that moves the uppermost of the plurality of film supports up and down, The resin molding apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a connecting portion that connects two vertically adjacent film supports so as the uppermost film support moves up and down, the spacing between the vertically adjacent film supports can be changed.

5. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the spacing changing mechanism changes the spacing between the plurality of film supports between a first state corresponding to the spacing between the plurality of molds and a second state in which the spacing is narrower than the spacing in the first state and the used release film is removed by the film removal mechanism.

6. The aforementioned film support is The release film has a first support portion and a second support portion that support both sides of the film, The resin molding apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a passage formed between the first support portion and the second support portion, through which the film detachment mechanism passes from top to bottom.

7. The aforementioned film removal mechanism is A pressing member that presses the used release film supported by the film support downwards, The resin molding apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a pressing member drive unit for moving the pressing member up and down relative to the film support.

8. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the pressing member is configured to be rotatable with respect to the pressing member drive unit between a pressing position in which it presses down the used release film supported by the film support and a retracted position in which it moves away from the pressing position and assumes an orientation along the vertical direction.

9. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the pressing member has two rod-shaped pressing parts that press down the portion between the two sides of the used release film, and the position of each of the two pressing parts is changeable.

10. The side wall of the aforementioned storage box has a notch formed therein through which the vertically moving pressing member passes. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the pressing member enters the notch and causes the used release film to be stored in the storage box.

11. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the film transport mechanism has a plurality of adsorption and holding units that adsorb and hold the used release film from the plurality of molding dies.

12. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of film supports have film release portions that contact the used release film held by the adsorption holding portion and separate it from the adsorption holding portion.

13. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a static eliminator that removes static electricity charged on the used release film held by the adsorption holding unit.

14. A method for manufacturing a resin molded product by resin molding an object to be molded using a resin molding apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 13, A resin molding process in which release films are placed in multiple molds and resin molding is performed on the object to be molded, A film transport step in which the used release film after resin molding is transported to the plurality of film supports by the film transport mechanism, A method for manufacturing a resin molded product, comprising: a film storage step of removing the used release film, which is supported by the plurality of film supports, by the film removal mechanism and storing it in the storage box.

Images