Printing device and jig for conveyance

Abstract

This printing device comprises: a lower receiving body (25) that receives a substrate from below; a support base (24) that supports the lower receiving body (25); a pair of guide rails; a mask that has both end parts supported by the pair of guide rails and is positioned above the support base (24); a lifter (23) that moves the support base (24) up and down to bring the substrate into contact with the mask; and a coating means that applies a paste to the substrate via the mask. The printing device comprises a jig (44) that conveys the lower receiving body (25). The jig (44) includes: a frame (51) that is conveyed to an upper position of the support base (24) in a state in which both end parts thereof are supported by the pair of guide rails (15); and a hoisting body (52) that is supported by the frame (51) so as to be movable up and down and that can hold the lower receiving body (25) on the lower surface side.

Description

Printing device and transport jig

[0001] The present invention relates to a printing device that applies paste to a substrate through a mask and a transport jig used in this printing device.

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a printing apparatus that applies a paste such as solder to a substrate through a mask. In the printing apparatus, the substrate is brought into contact with the mask while its underside is supported by a lower support. The lower support may support the substrate with multiple pins or may support the substrate by suction using a vacuum chuck.

[0003] Patent Document 1 listed below describes a printing apparatus configured so that a substrate support member, which supports the underside of a substrate by suction using a vacuum chuck, is automatically attached to the support table. In this printing apparatus, the substrate support member supported by the support table is held by a transport jig having a shape similar to the frame of a mask, and after the transport jig is positioned above the support table in the same manner as when installing a mask, the support table is raised and brought closer to the substrate support member, allowing the substrate support member to be transferred from the transport jig to the support table.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-100147

[0005] However, in the printing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the substrate support member (lower support body) is attached to the support table, the substrate support member remains held by the transport jig, and the support table is raised to approach the substrate support member. This inevitably increases the lifting range of the support table, posing a problem in that the mechanism for lifting the support table, and ultimately the entire printing apparatus, becomes larger.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus and a transport jig that can be made compact by miniaturizing the mechanism for raising and lowering a lower support body that supports a substrate from below.

[0007] The printing apparatus of the present invention is a printing apparatus comprising a lower support body that supports a substrate from below, a support stand that supports the lower support body, a pair of guide rails extending horizontally, a mask whose both ends are supported by the pair of guide rails and positioned above the support stand, a lifter that raises and lowers the support stand and brings the substrate supported by the lower support body into contact with the mask, and an application means that applies paste to the substrate through the mask with which the substrate is in contact, and is provided with a transport jig that transports the lower support body, the transport jig having a frame that is transported to a position above the support stand with both ends supported by the pair of guide rails, and a lifting body that is supported by the frame so as to be able to be raised and lowered freely and is capable of holding the lower support body on its underside.

[0008] The transport jig of the present invention is a transport jig that is provided in a printing device and transports the lower support, and is equipped with: a lower support that supports a substrate from below; a support base that supports the lower support; a pair of guide rails extending horizontally; a mask whose both ends are supported by the pair of guide rails and positioned above the support base; a lifter that raises and lowers the support base and brings the substrate supported by the lower support into contact with the mask; and an application means that applies paste to the substrate through the mask with which the substrate is in contact.The transport jig has: a frame that is transported to a position above the support base with both ends supported by the pair of guide rails; and a lifting body that is supported by the frame so as to be able to be raised and lowered freely and is capable of holding the lower support on its underside.

[0009] According to the present invention, the mechanism for raising and lowering the lower support body that supports the substrate from below can be made smaller, thereby making the printing device more compact.

[0010] 1 is a perspective view showing an outline of the configuration of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; 2 is a side view showing an outline of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; 3 is a side view of a printing unit included in a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; 4 is a perspective view showing a mask included in a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention together with a guide rail; (a) and (b) are views explaining an operation of a mask moving unit included in a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention to position the mask at a mask installation position; (a) and (b) are views explaining an operation of a mask moving unit included in a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention to move a mask positioned at the mask installation position toward a storage unit; and 5 is a perspective view showing a transport jig included in a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention together with a guide rail; and 6 is a perspective view of a transport jig included in a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a part of the transport jig is held by the transport jig. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a control system of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; (a) (b) side views illustrating an operation of positioning a transport jig in an embodiment of the present invention at a mask installation position; (a) (b) (c) side views illustrating an operation of a jig transferring a lower receiver to a support table of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; (a) (b) side views of a part of a transport jig in an embodiment of the present invention; (a) (b) side views illustrating an operation of the transport jig after the lower receiver is held on the support table of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; (a) (b) side views illustrating a state in which a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention has clamped a substrate with a clamper; (a) (b) (c) side views illustrating a state in which a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is applying paste to a substrate; and (a) (b) (c) views illustrating an operation in which a jig receives a lower receiver from a support table of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1 and 2 show a printing device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The printing device 1 includes a printing unit 2 and a storage unit 3 located adjacent to the printing unit 2. The printing unit 2 performs a printing operation by loading and positioning a circuit board KB, printing a solder paste Pst or other material onto the electrode patterns DK on the top surface of the circuit board KB, and then transporting the circuit board KB to the exterior. For ease of explanation, the direction in which the circuit board KB is transported (the horizontal direction as seen by the operator OP) is referred to as the X direction. The direction perpendicular to the X direction in the horizontal plane (the front-to-back direction as seen by the operator OP) is referred to as the Y direction, and the up-to-down direction is referred to as the Z direction. Furthermore, within the Y direction, the side of the printing unit 2 facing the storage unit 3 is referred to as the rear side (rear side), and the side of the storage unit 3 facing the printing unit 2 is referred to as the front side (near side).

[0012] 1 and 2, the printing unit 2 has a base 12 covered by a base cover 11. A substrate transport and holding unit 14 is provided on the base 12 via an XYZ movement mechanism 13 (see also FIG. 3). A pair of guide rails 15 extending in the Y direction are provided above the substrate transport and holding unit 14. A mask 16 is supported on the pair of guide rails 15.

[0013] 1 and 2, a print head 17 is provided above the guide rail 15 (see also FIG. 3). A mask moving unit 18 is provided in the area between the guide rail 15 and the substrate transport and holding unit 14. A movement operating unit 19 made up of a cylinder is provided above the guide rail 15 in the area behind the print head 17 (FIG. 2).

[0014] 3, the substrate transport and holding unit 14 includes a pair of conveyors 21, a lifting base 22, a lifter 23, a support table 24, a lower support body 25, and a pair of clampers 26. The pair of conveyors 21 are arranged opposite each other in the Y direction, and carry in and position the substrate KB sent from outside.

[0015] The lifting base 22 is made of a plate-shaped member and is supported in a horizontal position by the XYZ movement mechanism 13. The lifter 23 is attached to the lifting base 22 and moves a support table 24 relative to the lifting base 22 in the Z direction.

[0016] The support base 24 is made of a block-shaped member and supports the lower support body 25 from below. In this embodiment, the support base 24 is provided with a vacuum chuck mechanism on the upper surface thereof, and the lower surface of the lower support body 25 is detachably supported (held) by the vacuum chuck mechanism.

[0017] The lower support 25 is made of a block-shaped member and is provided with a vacuum chuck mechanism (not shown) on its upper surface. The lower support 25 is located below and between the pair of conveyors 21, and contacts the lower surface of the substrate KB positioned by the conveyors 21 from below, and supports the substrate KB by vacuum-adsorbing the lower surface of the substrate KB with the vacuum chuck mechanism.

[0018] When the lifter 23 moves the support base 24 in the Z direction, the lower support body 25 held by the support base 24 (and the substrate KB if supported by the lower support body 25) rises and falls.

[0019] The pair of clampers 26 are arranged opposite each other in the Y direction. The pair of clampers 26 are supported by the lower receiving body 25 and clamp the substrate KB lifted by the lifter 23 from the Y direction. The XYZ movement mechanism 13 moves the lift base 22 in the horizontal plane (XY plane) and in the Z direction, thereby moving the entire substrate transport and holding unit 14 in the X, Y, and Z directions.

[0020] 4, a pair of guide rails 15 are arranged opposite each other in the X direction, and each guide rail 15 is formed in an L-angle shape and extends in the Y direction. Both ends of the mask 16 in the X direction are supported by the pair of guide rails 15. Therefore, the mask 16 can be moved by sliding along the guide rails 15 (i.e., in the Y direction).

[0021] 4, the mask 16 has a rectangular shape and is supported by a rectangular frame 16W. The mask 16 is made of a plate-like member, and has a pattern opening 16K formed in the center corresponding to the electrode pattern DK of the substrate KB. Of the four sides of the frame 16W, two sides that extend in the Y direction and face each other in the X direction are supported by a pair of guide rails 15. The mask 16 is positioned at a predetermined position (referred to as the "mask installation position MSI"; see FIG. 3) above the substrate transport and holding unit 14.

[0022] 4, a plurality of fixed cylinders 31 are provided on each of the pair of guide rails 15. Each fixed cylinder 31 can make a piston rod 32 protrude downward, and a pad portion 33 is provided at the lower end of each piston rod 32.

[0023] When the fixed cylinders 31 each protrude their piston rods 32 downward while the mask 16 is positioned at the mask installation position MSI, the pad portions 33 at the lower ends of the piston rods 32 come into contact with the upper surface of the frame body 16W, and the two sides of the frame body 16W facing each other in the X direction are pressed from above against the pair of guide rails 15. As a result, the mask 16 positioned at the mask installation position MSI is fixed on the pair of guide rails 15 (FIG. 4).

[0024] In Figure 3, the print head 17 is equipped with two squeegees 17S arranged opposite each other in the Y direction. Each squeegee 17S is made up of a spatula-shaped member extending in the X direction. The print head 17 is moved in the Y direction by a print head moving mechanism 17K (Figure 3) consisting of a ball screw mechanism or the like. The two squeegees 17S are raised and lowered individually by two squeegee raising and lowering units 17M provided on the print head 17.

[0025] 1 and 2, the storage unit 3 includes a magazine 42 and a magazine elevator 43 inside a housing 41. A communication port 41B is provided in the base cover 11 of the printing unit 2 and the housing 41 of the storage unit 3, connecting the internal spaces of the two (FIG. 2). The magazine 42 is a box-shaped member that is open on both the front and back sides. The magazine 42 includes multiple slots 42S aligned in the Z direction.

[0026] 2, the magazine 42 is divided into a lower mask storage area 42a and an upper jig storage area 42b. Each slot 42S in the mask storage area 42a stores a plurality of types of masks 16 corresponding to the type of substrate KB to be produced. The jig storage area 42b stores a plurality of transport jigs (hereinafter referred to as "jigs 44"). Each of the plurality of jigs 44 holds a different type of support body 25 corresponding to the type (model) of substrate KB to be produced (details of the jigs 44 will be described later).

[0027] 1 and 2, the magazine elevator 43 has an elevation table 43B that extends along a horizontal plane. The magazine 42 is placed on the elevation table 43B, and when the magazine elevator 43 moves the elevation table 43B up and down, the magazine 42 moves up and down within the housing 41 (arrow A shown in FIG. 2).

[0028] The mask moving unit 18 moves in the Y direction in the area between the guide rails 15 and the substrate transport and holding unit 14, thereby pulling out the mask 16 stored in the storage unit 3 through the communication opening 41B of the housing 41 and placing it on the guide rails 15. The mask moving unit 18 also moves in the Y direction in the above area, thereby returning the mask 16 on the guide rails 15 to the storage unit 3 through the communication opening 41B of the housing 41.

[0029] The movement operation unit 19 is movable in the Y direction in an area behind the print head 17. The movement operation unit 19 does not have a self-propelled mechanism, and moves in the Y direction by being connected to the print head 17. The movement operation unit 19 can project an operating rod 19R (FIG. 2) downward.

[0030] The moving operation unit 19 moves the lower end of the downwardly protruding operating rod 19R toward the front while keeping it in contact with the rear surface of the frame body 16W of the mask 16 (FIG. 5(a) → FIG. 5(b)), thereby positioning the mask 16 on the guide rails 15 at the mask installation position MSI. The mask 16 positioned at the mask installation position MSI by the moving operation unit 19 is fixed onto the guide rails 15 by the multiple fixed cylinders 31, as described above.

[0031] After the mask 16 is released from the mask installation position MSI by the fixed cylinder 31, the movement operation unit 19 moves the mask 16 positioned at the mask installation position MSI toward the storage unit 3. At this time, the movement operation unit 19 moves toward the rear while keeping the lower end of the downwardly protruding operation rod 19R in contact with the front surface of the frame 16W of the mask 16 (FIG. 6(a) → FIG. 6(b)). The mask 16 moved toward the storage unit 3 by the movement operation unit 19 in this way is returned into the magazine 42 by the mask moving unit 18.

[0032] Next, we will explain the jig 44. The jig 44 has the function of transferring the held lower support body 25 to the support table 24 of the substrate transport and holding unit 14, and also of holding and receiving the lower support body supported by the support table 24, and as shown in Figures 7 and 8, it includes a frame 51 and an elevating body 52.

[0033] 7 and 8, the frame 51 includes two (left and right) vertical frame members 51a that extend in the Y direction and face each other in the X direction, and two (front and rear) horizontal frame members 51b that extend in the X direction and face each other in the Y direction. The frame 51 has an overall rectangular frame shape by connecting the adjacent ends of the two vertical frame members 51a and the two horizontal frame members 51b.

[0034] The X-direction dimension LGJ (FIG. 7) of the frame 51 is substantially the same as the X-direction dimension LGM (FIG. 4) of the frame body 16W of the mask 16. Therefore, like the mask 16, the jig 44 can have two opposing sides in the X direction supported by the pair of guide rails 15, and can slide in the Y direction on the guide rails 15 when the mask 16 is not on the guide rails 15.

[0035] 8 and 9(a) and 9(b), each of the two vertical frame members 51a has a shape that opens to the side. Specifically, the vertical frame member 51a has a channel shape with a web 61 extending in the vertical direction and upper and lower flanges (upper flange 62 and lower flange 63) that extend laterally inward from the upper and lower ends of the web 61 (toward the sides where the two vertical frame members 51a face each other). A guide post 64 extending in the vertical direction (Z direction) is provided between the upper flange 62 and the lower flange 63.

[0036] In Fig. 8, a plurality of guide pillars 64 are arranged in a line in the direction (Y direction) along the vertical frame member 51a. As shown in Figs. 9(a) and 9(b), a biasing spring 65 is inserted through each guide pillar 64, and the upper flange 62 is provided with a notched through-groove 66 that penetrates in the thickness direction (Z direction) (see also Fig. 8). The through-groove 66 extends in the Y direction along the upper flange 62. A stopper 67 is provided on the upper surface of the lower flange 63.

[0037] 7 and 8, the lifting body 52 is made of a plate-like member having an overall rectangular shape, and each of its two ends in the X direction is provided with a plurality of insertion holes 68 aligned in the Y direction (FIG. 8). The aforementioned guide pillars 64 are inserted into each of the insertion holes 68 (FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b)), and both ends of the lifting body 52 are biased upward by the aforementioned biasing springs 65 inserted into each guide pillar 64. Therefore, when the lifting body 52 is not pressed down by the fixed cylinder 31 as described below, it is located in a position (referred to as the "initial position") where both ends in the X direction abut from below against the lower surface of the upper flange 62.

[0038] In this embodiment, the lifting body 52 is supported by the frame 51 so as to be able to move up and down freely, and is biased upward by a biasing means (biasing spring 65) provided on the frame 51.

[0039] 7 and 8, the end of the lifting body 52 in the X direction is located below the through groove 66 (see also FIGS. 9A and 9B). When the jig 44 is located at the mask installation position MSI, each fixed cylinder 31 is located above the through groove 66 (FIG. 7).

[0040] 7 and 8, a plate-shaped lower support body holder 52a is provided on the underside of the lifting body 52 (see also FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b)). The lower support body holder 52a has approximately the same size and shape as the upper surface of the lower support body 25, and a magnet 71 is provided on its outer periphery. Meanwhile, a magnetic member 72 is provided on the outer periphery of the lower support body 25 (FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b)). Therefore, the magnetic member 72 of the lower support body 25 attracts the magnet 71 provided on the lower support body holder 52a through magnetic force, so that the lower support body 25 is held by the lower support body holder 52a (i.e., by the lifting body 52).

[0041] In this manner, in this embodiment, the lifting body 52 holds the lower receiving body 25 by magnetic force.

[0042] 10 shows the control system of the printing apparatus 1. As shown in FIG. 10, a control unit 80 included in the printing apparatus 1 controls each of the following operations: transportation of the substrate KB by the conveyor 21 included in the substrate transport and holding unit 14; lifting and lowering of the support table 24 by the lifter 23; clamping of the substrate KB by the clamper 26; and movement of the substrate transport and holding unit 14 in the X, Y, and Z directions by the XYZ movement mechanism 13. The control unit 80 also controls each of the following operations: lifting and lowering of the squeegee 17S by the squeegee lifting and lowering unit 17M included in the print head 17; movement of the print head 17 by the print head moving mechanism 17K; movement of the mask 16 by the mask moving unit 18 (including movement of the jig 44, as described below); movement of the mask 16 by the movement operating unit 19 (including movement of the jig 44, as described below); fixing of the mask 16 by the fixed cylinder 31 (including pressing of the lifting body 52, as described below); and lifting and lowering of the magazine 42 by the magazine elevator 43.

[0043] 10, the control unit 80 includes a memory unit 81. The control unit 80 outputs commands to the above-mentioned units in accordance with a task execution program 82 stored in the memory unit 81. Each unit operates in accordance with the commands output from the control unit 80, causing the printing device 1 to perform the following printing tasks and also to perform the automatic replacement of the mask 16 and the lower support body 25.

[0044] Next, the operation of the printing device 1 will be described. When executing a printing job to print paste Pst on the substrate KB, the control unit 80 first reads the work execution program 82 from the memory unit 81, and reads the type of mask 16 specified in the work execution program 82 and the type of lower support body 25 corresponding to that type of mask 16. The control unit 80 then removes the jig 44 holding the lower support body 25 of the read type from the storage unit 3 and places it at the mask installation position MSI by raising and lowering the magazine 42 using the magazine elevator 43, and positions the target jig 44 at the height of the communication opening 41B.

[0045] Once the jig 44 is positioned at the height of the communication port 41B, the control unit 80 actuates the mask moving unit 18, which pulls the jig 44 out of the magazine 42 and places it on the guide rails 15. Once the jig 44 is on the guide rails 15, the movement operation unit 19 is connected to the print head 17, and the jig 44 is positioned at the mask installation position MSI in the same manner as the previously described manner of positioning the mask 16 at the mask installation position MSI ( FIG. 11( a ) → FIG. 11( b )).

[0046] When the jig 44 is positioned at the mask installation position MSI such that the lower support 25 held by the jig 44 is positioned above the support table 24 (FIG. 12(a)), the control unit 80 causes the lifter 23 to raise the support table 24 (arrow B shown in FIG. 12(b)), and stops the raising of the support table 24 when the upper surface 24M of the support table 24 reaches the target height HT (FIGS. 12(a) and 12(b)). Here, the target height HT refers to the height at which the lower surface 25M of the lower support 25 held by the lifting body 52 is positioned when the lifting body 52 is pressed down against the frame 51 (FIGS. 12(a), 12(b), and 12(c)).

[0047] After stopping the lifting of the support base 24, the control unit 80 causes the piston rods 32 of each fixed cylinder 31 to protrude downward. As a result, the pad portions 33 provided at the lower ends of the piston rods 32 descend through the through grooves 66 provided in the vertical frame members 51a and press down the X-direction end portions of the lifting body 52 against the biasing force of the biasing springs 65, so that the lifting body 52 moves downward together with the lower support body 25 (FIG. 13(a) → FIG. 13(b)). The lifting body 52 then stops when pressed against the stopper 67 (FIG. 13(b)), and the lower surface 25M of the lower support body 25 comes into contact with the upper surface 24M of the support base 24 from above (FIG. 12(c)).

[0048] When the lower surface 25M of the lower support 25 comes into contact with the upper surface 24M of the support base 24, the control unit 80 causes the support base 24 to attract the lower support 25. Then, the lifter 23 lowers the support base 24 (arrow C shown in FIG. 14( a)), and the lower support 25 is separated from the lifting body 52 (i.e., from the jig 44) ( FIG. 14( a)). This results in the lower support 25 being supported by the support base 24. Note that, in order for the lower support 25 to be supported by the support base 24 through this procedure, the attraction force of the support base 24 to attract the lower support 25 needs to be adjusted so that the force with which the support base 24 attracts the lower support 25 is greater than the force (magnetic force) with which the magnet 71 attracts the magnetic member 72.

[0049] Once the lower support body 25 is supported by the support base 24 as described above, the piston rods 32 of the fixed cylinders 31 are raised. As a result, the lifting body 52 moves upward by the biasing force of the biasing spring 65 and returns to its initial position (arrow D shown in FIG. 14B ), and then the control unit 80 actuates the movement operation unit 19 to move the jig 44, which is located at the mask installation position MSI, to the rear side (toward the storage unit 3). Once the jig 44 has moved to the rear side, the control unit 80 actuates the mask moving unit 18 to return the jig 44 to the magazine 42.

[0050] Once the jig 44 has been returned to the magazine 42, the control unit 80 operates the mask moving unit 18 and the movement operating unit 19 so that a mask 16 of the type designated in the work execution program 82 is taken out of the magazine 42 and positioned at the mask installation position MSI (FIG. 5(a) → FIG. 5(b)). Once the mask 16 is positioned at the mask installation position MSI, the control unit 80 operates the fixing cylinder 31 to press and fix the mask 16 against the guide rails 15 (FIG. 4).

[0051] Once the mask 16 is fixed at the mask installation position MSI, the control unit 80 causes the conveyor 21 to carry the substrate KB, which has been sent from outside, and positions it. Once the substrate KB has been positioned, the lifter 23 raises the lower support body 25 (directly raising the support table 24), and the substrate KB is adsorbed and supported by the lower support body 25. Once the lower support body 25 has supported the substrate KB from below, the lifter 23 raises the lower support body 25 (and therefore the substrate KB) (arrow E shown in FIG. 15 ), and the raising of the lower support body 25 is stopped when the upper surface of the substrate KB reaches the same height as the upper surface of the clamper 26.

[0052] After stopping the lifting of the substrate KB, the control unit 80 causes the clamper 26 to clamp both ends of the substrate KB (arrow F shown in FIG. 15). Then, once the substrate KB is clamped, the XYZ movement mechanism 13 raises the entire substrate transport and holding unit 14, bringing the upper surface of the substrate KB into contact with the lower surface of the mask 16 (arrow G shown in FIG. 16).

[0053] When the substrate KB comes into contact with the mask 16, the control unit 80 causes the print head 17 to apply the paste Pst. To do this, the paste Pst is first supplied to the upper surface of the mask 16. The paste Pst is supplied manually by the operator OP or by a paste supply device (not shown) provided in the printing apparatus 1. Once the paste Pst has been supplied to the mask 16, the control unit 80 activates the squeegee lifting unit 17M to lower one of the two squeegees 17S so that the lower end of the squeegee 17S abuts against the upper surface of the mask 16.

[0054] When the lower end of the squeegee 17S comes into contact with the upper surface of the mask 16, the control unit 80 moves the print head 17 in the Y direction (arrow H shown in FIG. 16 ), causing the squeegee 17S to scrape up the paste Pst on the mask 16. This causes the paste Pst to fill the pattern openings 16K, and the paste Pst is applied to the electrode patterns DK on the substrate KB.

[0055] Once the paste Pst has been applied to the electrode pattern DK on the substrate KB, the control unit 80 lowers the substrate transport and holding unit 14 using the XYZ movement mechanism 13 to separate the substrate KB from the mask 16 (to separate the mask). Once the substrate KB has been separated from the mask, the conveyor 21 is operated to transport the substrate KB to the outside. This completes the printing operation for one substrate KB.

[0056] If such printing operations are repeated and a change in model is required to change the type of substrate KB being produced, the control unit 80 replaces the lower support 25 and then replaces the mask 16 according to the model being changed. To replace the lower support 25, the control unit 80 first releases the mask 16 from the fixed cylinders 31 and activates the mask moving unit 18 to return the used mask 16 to the magazine 42. Next, to remove the lower support 25 supported by the support table 24, the control unit 80 pulls out the jig 44 that does not hold the lower support 25 from the magazine 42 and places it at the mask installation position MSI, and then raises the support table 24 with the lifter 23 (arrow J shown in FIG. 17( a)). Then, when the upper surface 24M of the support table 24 reaches the target height HT, the control unit 80 stops raising the support table 24 ( FIG. 17( a)).

[0057] After stopping the lifting of the support base 24, the control unit 80 actuates the fixed cylinder 31 to lower the lifting body 52 ( FIG. 17( b) ). When the lower support body holding portion 52a held by the lifting body 52 comes into contact with the upper surface of the lower support body 25, the support base 24 releases the attachment of the lower support body 25, and the lifter 23 lowers the support base 24 ( FIG. 17( b) → FIG. 17( c) ). When the lower support body holding portion 52a comes into contact with the upper surface of the lower support body 25, the magnet 71 on the lower support body holding portion 52a side (i.e., the jig 44 side) and the magnetic member 72 on the lower support body 25 side attract each other by magnetic force. Therefore, when the support base 24, which has released the attachment of the lower support body 25, is lowered, the lower support body 25 remains on the lower support body holding portion 52a side, and the lower support body 25 is separated from the support base 24.

[0058] Once the lower support body 25 has been separated from the support base 24, the control unit 80 operates the movement operation unit 19 and the mask movement unit 18 to store the jig 44 in the magazine 42 in the reverse order of placing the jig 44 removed from the magazine 42 at the mask placement position MSI. Then, after the lower support body 25 corresponding to the new board KB is supported on the support base 24 by the procedure described above, the mask 16 corresponding to the new board KB is placed at the mask placement position MSI, thereby replacing the mask 16. Once the replacement of the mask 16 is complete, the operation of applying the paste Pst to the new board KB is performed.

[0059] As described above, the printing apparatus 1 in this embodiment comprises a lower support 25 that supports the substrate KB from below, a support table 24 that supports the lower support 25, a pair of guide rails 15 extending horizontally, a mask 16 whose both ends are supported by the pair of guide rails 15 and which is positioned at a mask installation position MSI above the support table 24, a lifter 23 that raises and lowers the support table 24 and brings the substrate KB supported from below on the lower support 25 into contact with the mask 16, and a squeegee 17S as application means that applies paste Pst to the substrate KB via the mask 16 with which the substrate KB is in contact, and further comprises a jig 44 as a transport jig that transports the lower support 25.

[0060] Here, the jig 44 includes a frame 51 that is transported to a position above the support table 24 with both ends supported by a pair of guide rails 15, and an elevator 52 that is supported by the frame 51 so as to be able to move up and down and that can hold the lower receiver 25 on its underside. When the lower receiver 25 held by the jig 44 is transferred to the support table 24 and the lower receiver 25 supported by the support table 24 is received by the jig 44, not only is the support table 24 raised but the lower receiver 25 is also lowered, allowing the support table 24 and the lower receiver 25 to approach each other. Therefore, compared to a conventional configuration in which the lower receiver 25 held by the jig 44 cannot be brought close to the support table 24, the range over which the support table 24 can be raised and lowered can be made smaller, and the lifter 23, which is the lifting mechanism for the support table 24 (and ultimately the entire printing apparatus 1) can be made smaller.

[0061] As described above, according to the printing device 1 (jig 44) of this embodiment, the range over which the support table 24 is raised and lowered can be reduced, thereby making the lifting mechanism for the support table 24 (and ultimately the entire printing device 1) more compact.

[0062] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above and can be modified in various ways, etc. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the means for pressing the lifting body 52 of the jig 44 from above is a mask fixing cylinder (fixed cylinder 31) that presses the mask 16 positioned above the support base 24 against the pair of guide rails 15 to fix it, but the means for pressing the lifting body 52 downward may be a cylinder other than the fixed cylinder 31, or may even be a means other than a cylinder (for example, a link mechanism driven by a driving means not shown).

[0063] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the lifting body 52 holds the lower receiving body 25 by magnetic force, but this is one example, and the lifting body 52 may hold the lower receiving body 25 by a method other than magnetic force. Furthermore, the lower receiving body 25 is held by being attracted to the support base 24, but it may be held by, for example, a clamp or the like. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the means (applicator) for applying the paste Pst to the substrate KB through the mask 16 while the substrate KB is in contact with the mask 16 is the squeegee 17S, but the applicator does not necessarily have to be a squeegee, and may be, for example, a device that pushes the paste Pst into the pattern opening 16K of the mask 16 to apply the paste Pst to the substrate KB.

[0064] Although various embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications or alterations within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the components of the above-described embodiments may be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0065] The present invention is based on a Japanese patent application (Patent Application No. 2023-172378) filed on October 3, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0066] A printing device and a transport jig are provided that can be made compact by miniaturizing a mechanism for raising and lowering a lower support body that supports a substrate from below.

[0067] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Printing device 2 Printing section 3 Storage section 13 XYZ movement mechanism 14 Substrate transport and holding section 15 Guide rail 16 Mask 16W Frame body 17 Print head 17S Squeegee (coating means) 23 Lifter 24 Support base 25 Lower support body 31 Fixed cylinder (cylinder) 32 Piston rod 44 Jig (transport jig) 51 Frame 52 Lifting body 52a Lower support body holding section 65 Biasing spring (biasing means) HT Target height KB Substrate Pst Paste

Claims

1. A printing apparatus comprising a lower support that supports a substrate, a support stand that supports the lower support, a pair of guide rails extending horizontally, a mask positioned above the support stand with both ends supported by the pair of guide rails, a lifter that raises and lowers the support stand to bring the substrate supported by the lower support into contact with the mask, and an application means that applies paste to the substrate through the mask with which the substrate is in contact, wherein the printing apparatus further comprises a transport jig that transports the lower support, the transport jig having: a frame that is transported to a position above the support stand with both ends supported by the pair of guide rails; and a lifting body that is supported by the frame so as to be freely raised and lowered, and is capable of holding the lower support on its underside.

2. A printing device as described in claim 1, wherein the lifting body is pressed from above and lowered to transfer the lower support held by the lifting body to the support table, and the lower support supported by the lower support is held and received by the lifting body.

3. The printing device according to claim 1, wherein the lifting body is pressed by a cylinder.

4. A printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said cylinder is a mask fixing cylinder that presses and fixes said mask positioned above said support table against said pair of guide rails.

5. A printing device as described in claim 1, wherein said lifting body is urged upward by a urging means provided on said frame, and said lifting body is pressed downward against the urging force of said urging means.

6. The printing device according to claim 1, wherein the lifting body holds the lower support body by magnetic force.

7. The printing device according to claim 1, wherein said support table supports said lower support body in an adsorbed state.

8. A transport jig for transporting a lower support provided in a printing device which includes a lower support for supporting a substrate, a support stand which supports the lower support, a pair of guide rails extending horizontally, a mask whose both ends are supported by the pair of guide rails and which is positioned above the support stand, a lifter which raises and lowers the support stand to bring the substrate supported by the lower support into contact with the mask, and an application means which applies paste to the substrate through the mask with which the substrate is in contact, the transport jig having: a frame which is transported to a position above the support stand with both ends supported by the pair of guide rails; and a lifting body which is supported by the frame so as to be freely raised and lowered, and which is capable of holding the lower support on its underside.

9. A transport jig as described in claim 8, in which the lifting body is pressed from above and lowered to transfer the lower support held by the lifting body to the support base, and the lower support supported by the lower support is held and received by the lifting body.

10. The transport jig according to claim 8, wherein the lifting body is pressed by a cylinder.

11. A transport jig as described in claim 8, wherein the lifting body is biased upward by a biasing means provided on the frame, and the lifting body is pressed downward against the biasing force of the biasing means.

12. The transport jig according to claim 8, wherein the lifting body holds the lower support body by magnetic force.

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