Printing device and printing system

Abstract

This printing device includes: a squeegee unit that performs a printing action of applying a paste to a substrate by sliding a squeegee on a mask; a cleaning unit that moves while sliding a support portion with respect to the lower surface of the mask; and a control unit. The control unit selectively executes: a printing operation of causing the squeegee unit to perform the printing action; a synchronous operation of moving the squeegee unit and the cleaning unit in the same direction in a state in which the squeegee and the support portion are in contact with each other across the mask; and an asynchronous operation of moving the cleaning unit independently of the printing action.

Description

Printing device and printing system

[0001] The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and a printing system that prints a paste on a substrate using a mask.

[0002] Conventionally, printing devices that use a mask to print paste on a substrate are known. In the printing device, the mask is brought into contact with the substrate and a squeegee is slid across the mask to apply the paste to the substrate through the opening pattern formed in the mask. After printing is complete, a cleaning device wipes and cleans the underside of the mask.

[0003] In printing devices such as those described above, it is necessary to slide a squeegee over the mask to level the paste before starting actual production. For this reason, a test print is usually performed before starting production, in which the squeegee performs a printing operation on the mask. Because the mask must be supported from below during test prints, a substrate is often placed below the mask. The paste is wiped off the substrate placed in this case after test prints, but Patent Document 1 below discloses a technology that eliminates the need to wipe off the paste after test prints by placing disposable tape between the substrate and the mask.

[0004] Japan Utility Model Publication No. 2-46628

[0005] However, when performing test printing by interposing tape between the substrate and the mask as in the conventional method, a separate facility such as a tape feed mechanism is required, which increases costs.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a printing device and a printing system that are capable of test printing paste at low cost.

[0007] The printing device of the present invention is a printing device that prints paste on a substrate using a mask, and includes a squeegee unit that performs a printing operation in which a squeegee slides over the mask to apply paste to the substrate, a moving unit that moves while sliding a support part against the underside of the mask, and a control unit that controls the operation of the squeegee unit and the moving unit, respectively, and the control unit selectively executes a printing operation in which the squeegee unit performs the printing operation, a synchronous operation in which the squeegee and the support part abut each other with the mask in between and the squeegee unit moves the squeegee unit and the moving unit in the same direction, and an asynchronous operation in which the moving unit moves independently of the printing operation by the squeegee unit.

[0008] The printing system of the present invention includes the printing device of the present invention described above, a storage device that stores the mask, and a transfer device that pulls the mask out of the storage device and supplies it to the printing device, and returns the mask from the printing device to the storage device.

[0009] According to the present invention, test printing of paste can be performed at low cost.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; (a) a perspective view of a cleaning unit provided in the printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; (b) a partially cross-sectional side view of a cleaning unit provided in the printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; (a) and (b) explanatory views of the operation of the printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; (a) and (b) explanatory views of the operation of the printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; (a) and (b) explanatory views of the cleaning operation performed by the cleaning unit provided in the printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; (a) an explanatory view of a test printing operation performed by the printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; (b) an explanatory view of a cleaning operation performed after the test printing operation; and (c) a side view of a printing system including the printing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a printing apparatus 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The printing apparatus 1 performs a printing operation by loading and positioning a circuit board KB, printing a paste Pst such as solder on an electrode pattern (not shown) on the top surface of the circuit board KB, and then loading the circuit board KB to the outside. For ease of explanation, in this embodiment, the direction in which the circuit board KB is transported (left-right as seen from the operator OP) is referred to as the X direction, the direction perpendicular to the X direction in the horizontal plane (front-rear as seen from the operator OP) is referred to as the Y direction, and the up-down direction is referred to as the Z direction. Furthermore, within the Y direction, the direction from left to right in FIG. 1 is referred to as the rear (rear side), and the side from right to left in FIG. 1 is referred to as the front (near side).

[0012] 1, the printing apparatus 1 is provided with a substrate transport and holding unit 13 mounted on a base 11 via an XYZ movement mechanism 12. A flat mask 14 is installed in a horizontal position at a predetermined mask installation position set above the substrate transport and holding unit 13. A squeegee unit 15 is provided above the mask 14 so as to be movable in the Y direction, and a cleaning unit 16 is provided below the mask 14 so as to be movable in the Y direction.

[0013] 1, the substrate transport and holding unit 13 includes a pair of conveyors 21, a lifting base 22, a lifter 23, a lower support 24, and a pair of clampers 25. The pair of conveyors 21 are arranged opposite each other in the Y direction, and transport (carry in) and position the substrate KB sent from outside in the X direction.

[0014] The lifting base 22 is made of a plate-shaped member and is supported in a horizontal position by the XYZ movement mechanism 12. The lifter 23 is attached to the lifting base 22 and moves a lower support 24 relative to the lifting base 22 in the Z direction.

[0015] The lower support 24 supports the board KB by abutting the upper ends of multiple pins extending upward with the underside of the board KB. When the lifter 23 moves the lower support 24 in the Z direction, the lower support 24 rises and falls. When the board KB is supported on the lower support 24, the board KB rises and falls together with the lower support 24.

[0016] The pair of clampers 25 are arranged opposite each other in the Y direction. The pair of clampers 25 are supported by lower supports 24 and clamp the substrate KB lifted by the lifter 23 from the Y direction. The XYZ movement mechanism 12 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 13 in the X, Y, and Z directions.

[0017] The mask 14 has a rectangular shape and is supported by a rectangular frame 14W. In this embodiment, the mask 14 is made of a plate-like member, and an opening pattern (not shown) corresponding to the electrode pattern of the substrate KB is formed in the center. Different masks 14 are prepared for each model of substrate KB, and when the model of the substrate KB is changed during production, the mask 14 is also replaced with one corresponding to the new model of substrate KB.

[0018] 1, the squeegee unit 15 has two squeegees 15S arranged opposite each other in the Y direction. Each squeegee 15S is made up of a spatula-shaped member extending in the X direction. The squeegee unit 15 is moved in the Y direction by a print head moving mechanism 15K composed of a ball screw mechanism or the like. The two squeegees 15S are individually raised and lowered by two squeegee lifting sections 15M provided in the squeegee unit 15.

[0019] 2A and 2B, the cleaning unit 16 includes a casing 16C and a feed roller 31 and a take-up roller 32 that are rotatable about an axis (X axis) extending parallel to the X direction. A sheet member 33 is stretched between the feed roller 31 and the take-up roller 32. A support portion 34 is provided between the feed roller 31 and the take-up roller 32 inside the casing 16C to support the sheet member 33 by pushing it upward from between the feed roller 31 and the take-up roller 32. A sheet feeding portion 35 is provided outside the casing 16C to feed the sheet member 33 positioned on the upper surface of the support portion 34.

[0020] The sheet member 33 slides on the underside of the mask 14 while being pushed up by the support portion 34, and wipes off the paste Pst adhering to the mask 14. At this time, the support portion 34 supports the sheet member 33 from below and presses it against the underside of the mask 14. The sheet feeding portion 35 drives the payout roller 31 and the take-up roller 32 in the same direction, and feeds the sheet member 33 in the direction of arrow A shown in FIG. 2A relative to the upper surface of the support portion 34, thereby refreshing the sheet member 33.

[0021] 2(b), a nozzle 36 having an opening 36K on the upper surface of the support portion 34 is provided within the support portion 34 of the cleaning unit 16. The nozzle 36 is connected to a vacuum suction path 37. A suction operation valve 38 is provided in the vacuum suction path 37 (FIG. 1). When the suction operation valve 38 is operated to supply vacuum pressure to the nozzle 36, a suction force (a suction force that sucks the mask 14 via the sheet member 33) is generated on the upper surface of the support portion 34. An area on the upper surface of the support portion 34 different from the opening 36K of the nozzle 36 forms a receiving portion 36S that receives the underside of the sheet member 33 (FIG. 2(b)).

[0022] As described above, in this embodiment, the cleaning unit 16 is equipped with a sheet member 33 that slides over the underside of the mask 14 to wipe off the paste Pst adhering to the mask 14, a support portion 34 that presses the sheet member 33 against the underside of the mask 14, and a sheet feed portion 35 that feeds the sheet member 33 against the upper surface of the support portion 34. The upper surface of the support portion 34 is configured to have an opening 36K of a nozzle 36 that sucks the mask 14 through the sheet member 33, and a receiving portion 36S in an area different from the opening 36K of the nozzle 36 that receives the underside of the sheet member 33.

[0023] The cleaning unit 16 is reciprocated in the Y direction below the mask 14 by a cleaning unit moving mechanism 16M (FIG. 1). The cleaning unit moving mechanism 16M is configured, for example, by a ball screw mechanism (not shown).

[0024] 1, a control unit 40 provided in the printing apparatus 1 controls each of the operations of transporting the substrate KB by the conveyor 21 provided in the substrate transport and holding unit 13, raising and lowering the lower receiving body 24 by the lifter 23, clamping the substrate KB by the clamper 25, and moving the substrate transport and holding unit 13 in the X, Y, and Z directions by the XYZ movement mechanism 12. The control unit 40 also controls the movement of the squeegee unit 15 by the print head movement mechanism 15K and the raising and lowering of the squeegee 15S by the squeegee lifting and lowering unit 15M provided in the squeegee unit 15.

[0025] The control unit 40 also controls the movement of the cleaning unit 16 by the cleaning unit moving mechanism 16M, the feeding of the sheet member 33 by the sheet feeding unit 35 provided in the cleaning unit 16, and the supply of vacuum pressure into the nozzle 36 by the suction operation valve 38.

[0026] Next, the operation of the printing apparatus 1 will be described. When performing a printing operation to print the paste Pst on the board KB, the control unit 40 first operates the conveyor 21 of the board transport and holding unit 13 to transport and position the board KB from outside. Once the board KB has been positioned, the lifter 23 raises the lower support body 24, causing the lower support body 24 to support the board KB from below. Once the lower support body 24 has supported the board KB from below, the lifter 23 raises the lower support body 24 (and therefore the board KB) (arrow B shown in FIG. 3( a)), and when the top surface of the board KB is at the same height as the top surface of the clamper 25, the raising of the lower support body 24 is stopped.

[0027] After the control unit 40 stops the lifting of the substrate KB, it activates the clamper 25 to clamp both ends of the substrate KB (arrow C shown in FIG. 3A). Then, after the substrate KB has been clamped by the clamper 25, it causes the XYZ movement mechanism 12 to lift the entire substrate transport and holding unit 13 (arrow D shown in FIG. 3B) so that the upper surface of the substrate KB comes into contact with the lower surface of the mask 14.

[0028] When the substrate KB comes into contact with the mask 14, the control unit 40 causes the squeegee unit 15 to perform a printing operation of the paste Pst. To do this, the paste Pst is first supplied to the upper surface of the mask 14. 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 14, the control unit 40 activates the squeegee lifting unit 15M to lower one of the two squeegees 15S (arrow E1 shown in FIG. 4A) so that the lower end of the squeegee 15S abuts against the upper surface of the mask 14.

[0029] When the lower end of the squeegee 15S comes into contact with the upper surface of the mask 14, the control unit 40 moves the squeegee unit 15 in the Y direction (arrow F shown in FIG. 4A), causing the squeegee 15S to scrape up the paste Pst on the mask 14. This causes the paste Pst to fill the opening pattern, and the paste Pst is applied to the electrode pattern on the substrate KB.

[0030] Once the paste Pst has been applied to the electrode pattern on the substrate KB, the control unit 40 raises the squeegee 15S that is in contact with the mask 14 (arrow E2 shown in FIG. 4(b)). Then, the XYZ movement mechanism 12 lowers the substrate transport and holding unit 13 (arrow G shown in FIG. 4(b)), separating the substrate KB from the mask 14 (separating 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.

[0031] The printing device 1 performs mask cleaning by wiping off the paste Pst adhering to the back side of the mask 14 using the cleaning unit 16 every time it performs printing work on several to a dozen (or several tens) of substrates KB using the above procedure.

[0032] When performing mask cleaning, the control unit 40 first controls the operation of the cleaning unit moving mechanism 16M to move the cleaning unit 16, and brings the sheet member 33, which is pushed up by the support portion 34 of the cleaning unit 16, into contact with the cleaning start position, which is the rearmost position on the underside of the mask 14 (FIG. 5A). Once the sheet member 33 has contacted the cleaning start position, the suction operation valve 38 is actuated to supply vacuum pressure into the nozzle 36, causing the nozzle 36 to suck the mask 14 while moving the cleaning unit 16 forward (arrow H shown in FIG. 5B). As a result, the paste Pst adhering to the underside of the mask 14 is wiped off by the sheet member 33, which is pushed up by the support portion 34 (cleaning operation).

[0033] In this cleaning operation, the sheet member 33 is not moved up against the upper surface of the support portion 34. That is, the sheet member 33 wipes off the paste Pst while sliding against the underside of the mask 14 while the cleaning unit 16 is moving forward. Then, when the sheet member 33, which is pushed up by the support portion 34, reaches the frontmost position (cleaning end position) on the underside of the mask 14 ( FIG. 5C ), the cleaning operation ends.

[0034] Such a cleaning operation is an operation in which the cleaning unit 16 is moved independently of the squeegee unit 15, and is an "asynchronous operation" for the cleaning unit 16. Note that the printing operation performed by the squeegee unit 15 is a "printing operation."

[0035] These printing and cleaning operations are repeated, and when it is decided to change the type of substrate KB to be produced, the operator OP replaces the mask 14. When the mask 14 is replaced, the paste Pst is supplied to the replaced mask 14, and then a test printing operation of the paste Pst is performed for the purpose of leveling the supplied paste Pst, etc.

[0036] The test printing operation of the paste Pst is performed by moving the squeegee unit 15 and the cleaning unit 16 in the same direction (rearward in this case) with the squeegee 15S of the squeegee unit 15 and the support part 34 of the cleaning unit 16 sandwiching the mask 14 from above and below (in contact with each other) (arrows J and K shown in FIG. 6(a)). At this time, the squeegee unit 15 and the cleaning unit 16 are moved in the same direction in synchronization, so the test printing operation of the paste Pst is a "synchronous operation" for the cleaning unit 16.

[0037] When performing this synchronized operation (test printing operation), the control unit 40 controls the sheet feeding unit 35 so that the sheet member 33 does not slide against the lower surface of the mask 14. In detail, the control unit 40 rotates the feed roller 31 and the take-up roller 32 in the same direction in accordance with the movement speed of the cleaning unit 16 relative to the mask 14 so that the sheet member 33 does not move relative to the lower surface of the mask 14.

[0038] In test printing of this paste Pst, the squeegee 15S abuts against the receiving portion 36S rather than the opening 36K of the nozzle 36. Therefore, even if the squeegee 15S presses the mask 14 with the same printing pressure as during normal printing, the mask 14 does not bend downward, and test printing can be performed with the same printing pressure as when test printing is performed using a test printing substrate KB as in the conventional method.

[0039] After the control unit 40 executes the synchronized operation (test printing operation) described above, it executes a cleaning operation by the cleaning unit 16 (arrow L shown in FIG. 6(b)). During the test printing operation, the paste Pst flows around and adheres to the underside of the mask 14 through the opening pattern of the mask 14, and if the paste Pst is not wiped off from the underside of the mask 14 after the test printing, the substrate KB to be produced will be contaminated with the paste Pst in the subsequent substrate production work.

[0040] Here, the timing for starting the synchronous operation (test printing operation) can be, for example, when the printing apparatus 1 includes a reception unit that receives an instruction from the operator OP to start synchronous operation, when the reception unit receives the instruction to start synchronous operation. Also, when the printing apparatus 1 includes a timer that measures the time elapsed since the printing operation by the squeegee unit 15 is completed, when the time measured by the timer exceeds a predetermined time, the control unit 40 may be configured to always execute the synchronous operation (test printing operation) after the printing operation by the squeegee 15S is completed and before the next printing operation by the squeegee 15S is started.

[0041] As described above, the printing apparatus in this embodiment includes the squeegee unit 15 that performs a printing operation in which the squeegee 15S slides over the mask 14 to apply the paste Pst to the substrate KB, the cleaning unit 16 that serves as a moving unit that moves while sliding the support portion 34 against the underside of the mask 14, and the control unit 40 that controls the operation of each of the squeegee unit 15 and the cleaning unit 16. The control unit 40 is configured to selectively perform a printing operation in which the squeegee unit 15 performs a printing operation, a synchronous operation (test printing operation) in which the squeegee unit 15 and the moving unit (cleaning unit 16) move in the same direction with the squeegee 15S and the support portion 34 abutting against each other with the mask 14 sandwiched between them, and an asynchronous operation (cleaning operation) in which the cleaning unit 16 moves independently of the printing operation by the squeegee unit 15.

[0042] As described above, in the present embodiment, instead of the conventional method of supporting the squeegee 15S with a test printing substrate to perform test printing of the paste Pst, the squeegee 15S is supported by the cleaning unit 16 to perform test printing of the paste Pst. Therefore, the printing device 1 of the present embodiment does not require the test printing substrate that was previously required, and since the cleaning unit 16 is an existing device, no special device is required. Therefore, the printing device 1 of the present embodiment allows test printing of the paste Pst at low cost.

[0043] Furthermore, when test printing is performed on a test printing substrate, it is necessary to remove the test printing substrate after the test printing and wipe off the paste Pst adhering to the substrate, but in this embodiment, such work is not necessary, and it is sufficient to simply operate the sheet feeding section 35 of the cleaning unit 16 and refresh the portion pushed up by the support section 34 (the portion that comes into contact with the mask 14). For this reason, as shown in Figure 7, for example, the printing apparatus 1 in this embodiment is equipped with a storage device 41 that stores the mask 14 in the printing apparatus 1, and a transfer device 42 that pulls out the mask 14 from the storage device 41 and supplies it to the printing apparatus 1, and returns the mask 14 from the printing apparatus 1 to the storage device 41, and is more effective when applied to a highly automated printing system 1S that minimizes manual labor.

[0044] As described above, with the printing device 1 of this embodiment, during test printing, the cleaning unit 16, which is an existing device, moves below the mask 14 in synchronization with the movement direction of the squeegee 15S, supporting the mask 14 from below. Therefore, a test printing substrate KB is not required, and no special device is also required. Therefore, with the printing device 1 of this embodiment, test printing of the paste Pst can be performed at low cost.

[0045] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above and various modifications are possible. For example, in the above-described embodiments, the moving unit that moves while sliding the support portion against the underside of the mask 14 is the cleaning unit 16 that removes the paste Pst adhering to the underside of the mask 14, but the moving unit does not necessarily have to be the cleaning unit 16.

[0046] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, during synchronous operation (test printing operation), the control unit 40 controls the sheet feeding unit 35 so that the sheet member 33 does not slide against the underside of the mask 14. However, as in the case of asynchronous operation (cleaning operation), the control unit 40 may also control the sheet feeding unit 35 so that the sheet member 33 slides against the underside of the mask 14 (moving the cleaning unit 16 with both the pay-out roller 31 and the take-up roller 32 stopped).

[0047] 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.

[0048] This disclosure is based on a Japanese patent application (Patent Application No. 2023-172379) filed on October 3, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0049] To provide a printing device and a printing system capable of test printing a paste at low cost.

[0050] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Printing device 1S Printing system 14 Mask 15 Squeegee unit 15S Squeegee 16 Cleaning unit (moving unit) 40 Control unit 31 Feed roller 32 Winding roller 33 Sheet member 34 Support unit 35 Sheet feeding unit 36 ​​Nozzle 36K Opening 36S Receiving unit 41 Storage device 42 Transfer device Pst Paste KB Board OP Worker

Claims

1. A printing device which prints paste on a substrate using a mask, comprising: a squeegee unit which performs a printing operation of sliding a squeegee over the mask to apply paste to the substrate; a moving unit which moves while sliding a support part against the underside of the mask; and a control unit which controls the operation of the squeegee unit and the moving unit, wherein the control unit selectively executes a printing operation in which the squeegee unit performs the printing operation, a synchronous operation in which the squeegee unit and the moving unit move in the same direction with the squeegee and the support part abutting each other with the mask in between, and an asynchronous operation in which the moving unit moves independently of the printing operation by the squeegee unit.

2. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the moving unit is a cleaning unit that removes paste adhering to the lower surface of the mask.

3. A printing device as described in claim 2, wherein the cleaning unit comprises a sheet member that slides over the underside of the mask to wipe off paste adhering to the mask, a support section that supports the sheet member from below and presses it against the underside of the mask, and a sheet feed section that feeds the sheet member against the upper surface of the support section.

4. A printing device as described in claim 3, wherein the upper surface of the support portion has a nozzle opening for sucking the mask through the sheet member, and a receiving portion in an area different from the opening for receiving the underside of the sheet member, and during the synchronous operation, the squeegee is abutted against the receiving portion with the mask sandwiched between them.

5. The printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control unit controls the sheet feed unit so that the sheet member does not slide against the lower surface of the mask during the synchronous operation.

6. The printing device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit, when the mask is replaced, executes the synchronous operation after paste is supplied to the replaced mask.

7. A printing device as described in claim 1, further comprising a reception unit that receives an instruction from an operator to start the synchronous operation, and wherein the control unit executes the synchronous operation when the reception unit receives an instruction to start the synchronous operation.

8. A printing device as described in claim 1, further comprising a timing unit that measures the elapsed time since the printing operation by the squeegee is completed, and the control unit executes the synchronous operation when the elapsed time measured by the timing unit exceeds a predetermined time.

9. The printing device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit executes the synchronous operation after a printing operation is performed by the squeegee unit and before a next printing operation by the squeegee is started.

10. The printing device according to claim 3, wherein the control unit executes the asynchronous operation after executing the synchronous operation.

11. The printing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control unit controls the sheet feeding unit so that the sheet member slides against the lower surface of the mask during the synchronous operation.

12. A printing system comprising: a printing device according to any one of claims 1 to 11; a storage device for storing the mask; and a transfer device for drawing out the mask from the storage device and supplying it to the printing device, and returning the mask from the printing device to the storage device.

Images