Method for manufacturing laminated electronic component

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component according to the present disclosure includes preparing, on an arrangement member, a laminate having a plurality of conductor layers and a plurality of dielectric layers that are alternately laminated and comprising a first surface and a second surface substantially orthogonal to the first surface, with the first surface being an open surface. Moreover, an elastic body moves in a second direction intersecting a first direction, which is substantially perpendicular to the first surface, relative to the arrangement member while pressing the first surface of the laminate in the first direction, and thereby rolls the laminate, and the second surface becomes an open surface. Further, in the second direction, at least a part of the elastic body is adjacent to at least a part of the first surface of the laminate after the rolling.

Description

Manufacturing method for laminated electronic components

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component.

[0002] A conventional method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-222999.

[0003] JP 2012-142454 A

[0004] A method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a preparation step of preparing a laminate having a plurality of alternatingly stacked conductor layers and a plurality of dielectric layers, the laminate having a first surface and a second surface substantially perpendicular to the first surface, on an arrangement member, with the first surface as an open surface; and a rolling step of rolling the laminate by using an elastic body to press the first surface of the laminate in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the first surface while moving relative to the arrangement member in a second direction intersecting the first direction, so that the second surface becomes the open surface, and in the second direction, at least a portion of the elastic body is adjacent to at least a portion of the first surface of the laminate after rolling.

[0005] Objects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description and drawings.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a laminated electronic component according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an element body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and a schematic perspective view showing each component of the element body separated, the capacitor portion, the side margin portion, and the cover portion being shown as an integrated unit.

[0018] FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of an element body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and a schematic perspective view showing each component of the element body separated, the capacitor portion, the side margin portion, and the cover portion being shown as separated.

[0019] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of ceramic sheets and conductor sheets arranged thereon according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, showing a first ceramic sheet and a first conductor sheet.

[0021] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a second ceramic sheet and a second conductor sheet.

[0022] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a third ceramic sheet.

[0023] FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view of a base laminate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of a base laminate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of an unsintered laminate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a preparation process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a thinning step according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating a thinning step according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating a thinning step according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating a rearrangement step according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically illustrating a rearrangement step according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically illustrating a rearrangement step according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically illustrating a rearrangement step according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically illustrating a stack and suction holes according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 9 is a diagram schematically illustrating a stack and suction holes according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating a stack and suction holes according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 11 is a diagram schematically illustrating a stack and suction holes according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 12 is a diagram schematically illustrating a thinning step according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in which a second attachment member is attached to the first stack, the second stack, and the third stack; FIG. 13 is a diagram schematically illustrating a state in which the first attachment member is attached to the second stack from the side opposite to the second attachment member; FIG. 14 is a diagram schematically illustrating a state in which the second stack is separated from the first stack and the third stack by the first attachment member; FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a rolling step according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in which the elastic body of the rolling member is arranged on the main surface of the stack.10A and 10B show a state in which an elastic body moves relatively in a second direction while pressing against a main surface of the laminate; FIG. 10B shows a state in which the elastic body rolls around a ridge line where a side surface located in the second direction and a main surface located in the first direction intersect as a rotation axis; FIG. 10C shows the laminate and rolling members after rolling; FIG. 10D shows a rolling process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 10E shows a rolling process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 10F shows a rolling process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 10H shows a laminate and rolling members according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 10H shows a mounting process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 10H shows a mounting process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 10I shows a schematic perspective view of a processed laminate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 10I shows a schematic perspective view of an element body precursor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; FIG. 10I shows a method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component according to a modified example of the present disclosure, showing a preparation process; FIG. 10I shows a method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component according to a modified example of the present disclosure, showing a thinning process; FIG. 10I shows a method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component according to a modified example of the present disclosure, showing a rolling process.

[0006] BACKGROUND ART An electronic component manufacturing apparatus that rotates an electronic component in a predetermined direction to apply conductive paste to a plurality of end faces of the electronic component, and a method for manufacturing an electronic component using the electronic component manufacturing apparatus are known.

[0007] Patent Document 1 describes a method in which an electronic component chip is sandwiched between a pair of opposing plates, and the pair of plates are moved relative to one another to rotate the electronic component chip.

[0008] In the conventional technology of Patent Document 1, the electronic component chips may not roll properly and may fall over, which may cause defects in the manufactured laminated electronic component.

[0009] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, a description will be given of a multilayer electronic component 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and a method for manufacturing the multilayer electronic component 1. Note that, although a multilayer ceramic capacitor will be described below as an example of the multilayer electronic component 1, the multilayer electronic component 1 to which the present disclosure is directed is not limited to a multilayer ceramic capacitor and can be applied to various other multilayer electronic components such as a multilayer piezoelectric element, a multilayer thermistor element, a multilayer coil, and a multilayer ceramic multilayer substrate.

[0010] The drawings used in the following description are schematic, and the dimensional ratios and the like in the drawings do not necessarily correspond to the actual ones. Furthermore, the embodiments described in this specification are merely illustrative, and different embodiments and modified examples may be partially substituted with each other. Furthermore, different embodiments and modified examples may be partially combined with each other.

[0011] [Laminated Electronic Component] Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a laminated electronic component 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The laminated electronic component 1 has an element body 12 and external electrodes 13. The shape of the element body 12 is set as appropriate, but as an example, the element body 12 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. As an example, the external electrodes 13 are located on a pair of end faces of the element body 12 and may be formed to extend around to other faces adjacent to the end faces. The external electrode located on one end face is referred to as external electrode 13a, and the external electrode located on the other end face is referred to as external electrode 13b.

[0012] For convenience, the drawings may be accompanied by an orthogonal coordinate system consisting of an X-axis direction, a Y-axis direction, and a Z-axis direction. In this disclosure, the stacking direction of the internal electrode layers 122 and the ceramic dielectric layers 121, which will be described later, is defined as the X-axis direction. Furthermore, the direction intersecting the X-axis direction and substantially parallel to the short-side direction of the element body 12, which has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, is defined as the Y-axis direction. Furthermore, the direction intersecting the Y-axis direction and substantially parallel to the long-side direction of the element body 12, which has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, is defined as the Z-axis direction. For convenience, the X-axis direction may be referred to as the up-down direction, the Y-axis direction as the left-right direction, and the Z-axis direction as the front-rear direction.

[0013] The element body 12 is roughly rectangular parallelepiped in shape and has six faces. The faces located at the top and bottom of the element body 12 in the X-axis direction are defined as main faces, the faces located at the left and right of the element body 12 in the Y-axis direction are defined as side faces, and the faces located at the front and back of the element body 12 in the Z-axis direction are defined as end faces.

[0014] The definitions of the main surface, side surface, and end surface are similarly defined for the capacitor portion 120, which will be described later and which constitutes the element body 12. The definitions of the main surface, side surface, and end surface are similarly defined for the element body precursor 200 before firing, which will be described later. The definitions of the main surface, side surface, and end surface are similarly defined for the laminate 50 before firing, which will be described later. The definitions of the main surface, side surface, and end surface are similarly defined for the mother laminate 500 before firing, which will be described later.

[0015] In this specification, the "main surface," "side surface," and "end surface" do not necessarily have to be strictly flat. For example, the main surface, side surface, and end surface may each have partial irregularities or may be slightly warped overall.

[0016] The external electrodes 13 are formed from a conductive material and function as terminals of the laminated electronic component 1. Examples of conductive materials that can be used to form the external electrodes 13 include metals such as nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), palladium (Pd), tin (Sn), zinc (Zn), platinum (Pt), silver (Ag), and gold (Au), as well as alloys of these metals.

[0017] The external electrode 13 may have a single-layer structure or a multi-layer structure. For example, the multi-layer external electrode 13 may have a two-layer structure consisting of a base film and a surface film, or a three-layer structure consisting of a base film, an intermediate film, and a surface film. The base film may be a baked film made of a metal or alloy thereof, primarily composed of, for example, Ni, Cu, Pd, Pt, Ag, or Au. The base film may also be formed as a plated film. The intermediate film may be a plated film made of a metal or alloy primarily composed of, for example, Pt, Pd, Au, Cu, or Ni. The surface film may be a plated film made of a metal or alloy primarily composed of, for example, Cu, Sn, Pd, Au, Zn, or the like.

[0018] 2A and 2B are schematic diagrams of the element body 12. The element body 12 has a capacitance portion 120, a side margin portion 124, and a cover portion 123. FIG. 2A is a schematic perspective view showing the capacitance portion 120, the side margin portion 124, and the cover portion 123 as a single unit, while FIG. 2B is a schematic perspective view showing the capacitance portion 120, the side margin portion 124, and the cover portion 123 in a separated state. FIGS. 2A and 2B are both diagrams showing the element body 12 before and after firing. Although the element body 12 after firing has shrunk due to firing, it has substantially the same structure as the element body 12 before firing.

[0019] The capacitor 120 has a plurality of ceramic dielectric layers 121 and a plurality of internal electrode layers 122 stacked in the X-axis direction. The plurality of ceramic dielectric layers 121 may contain various ceramic dielectrics. Examples of ceramic dielectrics include barium titanate (BaTiO ３ ) and calcium zirconate (CaZrO ３ The internal electrode layers 122 may contain various metals such as Ni, Pd, Ag, and Cu.

[0020] The multiple internal electrode layers 122 are alternately exposed from a pair of both end faces of the capacitance section 120 and connected to the external electrodes 13. Of the multiple internal electrode layers 122, those connected to the external electrode 13a are referred to as internal electrode layers 122a, and those connected to the external electrode 13b are referred to as internal electrode layers 122b.

[0021] The side margin portions 124 are located on both side surfaces of the capacitive section 120 in the Y-axis direction. The side margin portions 124 may contain various ceramic dielectric materials. For example, the main component of the side margin portions 124 may be the same as the main component of the ceramic dielectric layer 121 of the capacitive section 120. In this case, compared to a case where the main components of the ceramic dielectric layer 121 of the capacitive section 120 and the side margin portions 124 are different, manufacturing efficiency is improved and reliability is improved by reducing internal stress in the element body 12.

[0022] The cover portion 123 is located on both main surfaces of the capacitive portion 120 in the X-axis direction. The cover portion 123 may contain various ceramic dielectrics. For example, the main component of the cover portion 123 may be the same as the main component of the ceramic dielectric layer 121 of the capacitive portion 120. In this case, compared to when the main components of the ceramic dielectric layer 121 of the capacitive portion 120 and the cover portion 123 are different, manufacturing efficiency is improved and internal stress in the element body 12 is reduced, thereby improving reliability.

[0023] With the above configuration, when a voltage is applied between the external electrodes 13 a and 13 b in the laminated electronic component 1, the voltage is applied to the plurality of ceramic dielectric layers 121 between the internal electrode layers 122 a and 122 b, causing the laminated electronic component 1 to store electric charge according to the voltage between the external electrodes 13 a and 13 b.

[0024] The configuration of the laminated electronic component 1 is not limited to a specific configuration, and any known configuration can be appropriately adopted depending on the size and performance required of the laminated electronic component 1. For example, the number of stacked internal electrode layers 122 in the capacitive section 120 can be determined appropriately. For example, the longitudinal direction and lateral direction of the element body 12, which has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, may be reversed. In other words, the Y-axis direction may be the longitudinal direction, and the Z-axis direction may be the lateral direction.

[0025] [Method of Manufacturing Laminated Electronic Component] Figure 3 is a flowchart showing a method of manufacturing the laminated electronic component 1. Figures 4A to 4C, 5A and 5B, 6, 7, 8A to 8C, 9A to 9D, 10A to 10C, 11A to 11C, 12A to 12D, 13A to 13D, 14, 15A to 15C, 16, and 17 are diagrams specifically showing each step of the method of manufacturing the laminated electronic component 1. The method of manufacturing the laminated electronic component 1 will now be described with reference to Figures 4 to 17.

[0026] Note that the embodiments and modifications according to the present disclosure are merely illustrative. Therefore, different embodiments or modifications may be partially substituted with each other. Also, different embodiments or modifications may be partially combined with each other.

[0027] (Fabrication Process) In the fabrication process, a base laminate 500 having a plurality of dielectric layers 501 and a plurality of conductor layers 502 alternately stacked is prepared.

[0028] The base laminate 500 is obtained by alternately stacking a plurality of ceramic sheets 400 and a plurality of conductor sheets 410. More specifically, the base laminate 500 is formed by stacking a plurality of first ceramic sheets 401, second ceramic sheets 402, third ceramic sheets 403, first conductor sheets 411, and second conductor sheets 412.

[0029] 4A to 4C are perspective views schematically showing ceramic sheets 400 and a conductive sheet 410 disposed thereon. Fig. 4A shows a first ceramic sheet 401 and a first conductive sheet 411, Fig. 4B shows a second ceramic sheet 402 and a second conductive sheet 412, and Fig. 4C shows a third ceramic sheet 403.

[0030] The first ceramic sheet 401 and the second ceramic sheet 402 become the ceramic dielectric layer 121 of the capacitive section 120 after firing. The third ceramic sheet 403 becomes the cover section 123 after firing. The first conductor sheet 411 and the second conductor sheet 412 become the internal electrode layer 122 after firing. The first ceramic sheet 401, the second ceramic sheet 402, and the third ceramic sheet 403 may be collectively referred to as ceramic sheets 400. The first conductor sheet 411 and the second conductor sheet 412 may be collectively referred to as conductor sheets 410.

[0031] The ceramic sheet 400 is placed on, for example, a carrier film. This placement is performed using, for example, a die coater, but is not limited to this. For example, it may be performed using a doctor blade coater or a gravure coater. The thickness of the ceramic sheet 400 can be set as appropriate. For example, the thickness of the ceramic sheet 400 may be approximately 1 to 10 μm. The thinner the ceramic sheet, the greater the capacitance of the laminated electronic component 1 can be.

[0032] The ceramic sheet 400 may be made of various ceramic dielectric materials. As an example, the ceramic sheet 400 may be made of BaTiO ３ The ceramic powder mixture with additives added is wet-pulverized and mixed in a bead mill, and the pulverized and mixed slurry is then mixed with a polyvinyl butyral binder, a plasticizer, and an organic solvent to produce the ceramic powder mixture.

[0033] Next, as shown in Figures 4A and 4B, a first conductor sheet 411 is placed on the first ceramic sheet 401 prepared above, with a gap therebetween. The first conductor sheet 411 becomes the internal electrode layer 122a after firing. A second conductor sheet 412 is placed on the second ceramic sheet 402, with a gap therebetween. The second conductor sheet 412 becomes the internal electrode layer 122b after firing.

[0034] 4A and 4B show two types of conductor patterns with different polarities printed on a conductive sheet 410. The conductive sheet 410 can be formed by, for example, screen printing or gravure printing.

[0035] The conductive sheet 410 may be made of various conductive materials. For example, the conductive sheet 410 may be made of a conductive paste containing various conductive materials such as Ni, Pd, Ag, Cu, etc. However, the conductive sheet 410 is not limited to this example and may be made of, for example, a strongly conductive insulating material.

[0036] The third ceramic sheet 403 corresponding to the cover portion 123 after firing may not necessarily have the conductive sheet 410 formed thereon. However, this is not limiting, and for example, the third ceramic sheet 403 may have a conductive sheet 410 disposed thereon that will become a dummy electrode layer after firing. The dummy electrode layer is an electrode layer formed so that electrode layers connected to different external electrodes 13 do not overlap each other in the stacking direction and so that no electrostatic capacitance is generated.

[0037] The thickness of the conductor sheet 410 can be set as appropriate. As long as the characteristics of the multilayer ceramic capacitor are ensured, the thinner the conductor sheet 410, the more likely it is that internal defects due to internal stress will be reduced. For example, in a capacitor with a high number of layers, the thickness of the conductor sheet 410 may be 1 μm or less. Furthermore, the spacing between the first conductor sheet 411 and the second conductor sheet 412 does not necessarily have to be constant and can be set as appropriate. For example, the spacing between the first conductor sheet 411 and the second conductor sheet 412 may be different.

[0038] The first ceramic sheet 401 on which the first conductive sheet 411 is formed may be referred to as the first sheet, the second ceramic sheet 402 on which the second conductive sheet 412 is formed may be referred to as the second sheet, and the third ceramic sheet 403 may be referred to as the third sheet.

[0039] Next, the prepared first, second, and third sheets are stacked to produce a base laminate 500. Figures 5A and 5B are schematic perspective views of the base laminate 500. For ease of explanation, each ceramic sheet 400 is shown exploded in Figure 5A. However, in actuality, the base laminate 500 is formed by compressing and integrating the ceramic sheets 400 using hydrostatic pressure, uniaxial pressure, or the like. This results in a high-density base laminate 500 as shown in Figure 5B.

[0040] In the base laminate 500, first sheets and second sheets corresponding to the capacitor portions 120 after firing are alternately stacked in the X-axis direction. In addition, in the base laminate 500, third sheets corresponding to the cover portions 123 after firing are stacked on the uppermost and lowermost surfaces in the X-axis direction of the alternately stacked first and second sheets. The numbers of first sheets, second sheets, and third sheets can each be changed as appropriate.

[0041] (First Cutting Step) In the first cutting step, the base laminate 500 is cut along a plurality of cutting lines CL1 that are substantially parallel to one another, and cut into a plurality of laminates 50.

[0042] The base laminate 500 is cut along the cutting lines CL1 shown in Fig. 5A while attached to the tape, which is a holding member, to obtain a plurality of unsintered laminates 50 as shown in Fig. 6. At this time, the cut surface of the base laminate 500 formed by cutting along the cutting lines CL1 becomes the side surface 50B of the laminate 50 in the Y-axis direction. Note that the conductive sheet 410 is exposed from the side surface 50B of the laminate 50.

[0043] The configuration of the cutting blade used to cut the base laminate 500 may be changed as appropriate. For example, the cutting blade may be a push-cutting blade or a rotary blade. Furthermore, the base laminate 500 may be cut using a technique that does not require a cutting blade, such as laser cutting or water jet cutting.

[0044] The cut laminate 50 includes a plurality of dielectric layers 501 and a plurality of conductor layers 502 that are alternately stacked. The dielectric layers 501 correspond to the ceramic sheets 400 in the base laminate 500. The conductor layers 502 correspond to the conductor sheets 410 in the base laminate 500. As shown in Fig. 6 , the plurality of conductor layers 502 are exposed from both sides of a pair of side surfaces 50B of the laminate 50 formed by cutting. Furthermore, the plurality of stacked conductor layers 502 are alternately exposed from both sides of a pair of end surfaces 50C of the laminate 50 formed by cutting.

[0045] The laminate 50 has a pair of main surfaces 50A, a pair of side surfaces 50B, and a pair of end surfaces 50C. The main surfaces 50A may be referred to as the first surface, the side surfaces 50B as the second surface, and the end surfaces 50C as the third surface. The pair of main surfaces 50A face each other in the X-axis direction, for example. The pair of side surfaces 50B face each other in the Y-axis direction, for example. The pair of end surfaces 50C face each other in the Z-axis direction, for example.

[0046] The main surface 50A, the side surface 50B, and the end surface 50C are generally perpendicular to each other. Note that "substantially perpendicular" does not necessarily mean that they are strictly perpendicular. For example, it is acceptable for one surface to be inclined at an angle of 10° or less relative to the other surface.

[0047] As an example, the laminate 50 in one embodiment of the present disclosure has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. The distance between a pair of main surfaces 50A of the laminate 50 is defined as T, the distance between a pair of side surfaces 50B is defined as W, and the distance between a pair of end surfaces 50C is defined as L. The sizes of L, W, and T may be set appropriately. For example, as in one embodiment of the present disclosure, T<W<L may be satisfied.

[0048] Note that "substantially rectangular parallelepiped" does not necessarily mean that the shape is rectangular parallelepiped in the strict sense; for example, each surface may have some irregularities or may be curved. For example, if the main surface 50A is not strictly flat and there are multiple Ts, the largest distance can be defined as T. Also, if the side surface 50B is not strictly flat and there are multiple Ws, it can be defined in the same way as T. Also, if the end surface 50C is not strictly flat and there are multiple Ls, it can be defined in the same way as T.

[0049] The process of cutting the base laminate 500 and preparing a plurality of laminates 50 in this manner may be referred to as a preparation process. In the preparation process, as shown in Fig. 7 , a plurality of laminates 50 are placed on a placement member 6. The placement member 6 has a placement surface 60 on which the plurality of laminates 50 are placed. For example, the placement member 6 shown in Fig. 7 has an upper surface and a lower surface, and a plurality of laminates 50 are placed on the upper surface, which is the placement surface 60.

[0050] The direction from the top surface of the placement member 6 to the bottom surface is defined as the first direction. In other words, the first direction is the direction from the placement surface 60 of the placement member 6 to the surface located opposite the placement surface 60. The direction intersecting the first direction is defined as the second direction. The direction intersecting the first and second directions is defined as the third direction. Note that the first, second, and third directions do not change direction before and after the rolling of the stack 50. Furthermore, unlike the X-axis direction, Y-axis direction, and Z-axis direction, the first, second, and third directions indicate only one orientation.

[0051] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in Figure 7, a pair of main surfaces 50A of a laminate 50 are approximately perpendicular to a first direction, a pair of side surfaces 50B are approximately perpendicular to a second direction, and a pair of end surfaces 50C are approximately perpendicular to a third direction. Note that "approximately perpendicular" does not necessarily mean that they are strictly perpendicular. For example, the main surfaces 50A are allowed to be inclined at 10° or less with respect to the first direction. For example, the side surfaces 50B are allowed to be inclined at 10° or less with respect to the second direction. For example, the end surfaces 50C are allowed to be inclined at 10° or less with respect to the third direction.

[0052] In the preparation step, the plurality of laminates 50 are arranged on the arrangement surface 60 so that one of the pair of main surfaces 50A is an open surface. The "open surface" refers to a surface that can be observed when the arrangement surface 60 is viewed from above. Viewing the arrangement surface 60 from above means viewing the arrangement surface 60 in a first direction.

[0053] In addition, it is possible to appropriately change the number of the plurality of laminates 50 prepared in the preparation step. For example, in the example shown in Fig. 7, the plurality of laminates 50 include a first laminate 51, a second laminate 52, a third laminate 53, a fourth laminate 54, and a fifth laminate 55, which are arranged in this order in the second direction.

[0054] (Thinning-out Step) In the thinning-out step, the adhesive member 7 adheres to the second stack 52 and the fourth stack 54 and separates them from the first stack 51 , the third stack 53 and the fifth stack 55 .

[0055] 8A to 8C are diagrams illustrating the thinning process in cross section from a third direction. The thinning process proceeds in the order of FIG. 8A to FIG. 8C. First, as shown in FIG. 8A, an attachment member 7 is prepared. The attachment member 7 has attachment portions 70 to which the stacks 50 are attached. Next, as shown in FIG. 8B, the attachment member 7 approaches the multiple stacks 50 and the arrangement member 6, and the attachment portions 70 of the attachment member 7 attach to some of the stacks 50. Then, as shown in FIG. 8C, the attachment member 7 moves away from the arrangement member 6, and of the multiple stacks 50, only the stacks 50 attached to the attachment member 7 are separated from the arrangement member 6.

[0056] In this way, by using the attachment member 7 to separate some of the stacks 50 from the arrangement member 6 and the other stacks 50, it is possible to create spaces between the stacks 50. In the rolling step described below, it is possible to ensure spaces for the stacks 50 to roll.

[0057] Here, for example, when a space is provided between the stacks by expanding the positioning member 6 using an expanding device, as in the prior art, it is difficult to uniformly expand the positioning member 6, and therefore the stacks may be shifted obliquely after expansion. In other words, the positioning member 6 expands by different amounts in different parts, and therefore the orientation and angle of the stacks may be shifted after expansion.

[0058] If the orientation and angle of the laminate are misaligned in this way, the subsequent rolling of the laminate will fail, increasing the likelihood of defects. Also, if a cutting step is included after the process, the cutting lines will be misaligned between the laminates, resulting in the manufactured laminated electronic component having an uneven shape, increasing the likelihood of defects.

[0059] On the other hand, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, because spaces are created between the stacks 50 using the attachment member 7, the possibility of the orientation and angle of the stacks 50 remaining on the placement member 6 being misaligned is reduced compared to conventional techniques. Furthermore, even for the stacks 50 attached to the attachment member 7, spaces are created between the stacks 50 without using an expanding device, so the possibility of the orientation and angle of the stacks 50 being misaligned is reduced compared to conventional techniques.

[0060] As a result, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the possibility of the orientation and angle of the laminate 50 being misaligned can be reduced compared to conventional technology, thereby reducing the possibility of the laminate failing to roll and causing malfunctions when rolling the laminate.

[0061] The adhesive portion 70 of the adhesive member 7 is not particularly limited as long as it has the function of adhering to the laminate 50. For example, the adhesive portion 70 may be an adhesive. The adhesive portion 70 may also be a protrusion that adheres by biting into the laminate 50. However, the adhesive portion 70 is not limited to these examples. For example, the adhesive portion 70 may be a suction hole 71 that sucks in air or the laminate 50, as shown in FIGS. 8A to 8C.

[0062] 8B and 8C , the arrows indicate the direction of suction by the suction holes 71. The suction holes 71 suck the stack 50, causing the stack 50 to adhere to the attachment member 7. When the attachment portion 70 is the suction holes 71, it is possible to control the attachment and detachment of the stack 50 by adjusting the suction force.

[0063] Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 9A to 9D , it is possible to reposition the stack 50 once attached to the attachment member 7 on the placement member 6. This process may be referred to as a repositioning process. In the repositioning process, for example, as shown in FIG. 9A , the suction holes 71 suck the second stack 52, separating the second stack 52 from the first stack 51 and the third stack 53. Next, as shown in FIGS. 9B and 9C , the second stack 52 is moved next to the third stack 53 and to the side opposite the side where the first stack 51 is located. Finally, as shown in FIG. 9D , the suction by the suction holes 71 is stopped or the suction force is weakened, allowing the second stack 52 to be repositioned on the placement surface 60 of the placement member 6.

[0064] In this way, by placing the second laminate 52, which has been sucked once, on the placement member 6 again, the rolling step and second cutting step, which will be described later, can be performed together with the first laminate 51 and the third laminate 53. Specifically, in the second cutting step, which will be described later, the first laminate 51, the second laminate 52, and the third laminate 53 can be cut simultaneously or in the same step. As a result, by including the rearrangement step, the manufacturing efficiency of laminated electronic components can be improved.

[0065] The number and shape of the suction holes 71 may be set as appropriate. Figures 10A to 10C are plan views of the stack 50 placed on the placement member 6 and the shape of the suction holes 71 that suck the stack 50. Note that, for simplicity of illustration, the placement member 6 and the attachment member 7 are omitted in Figures 10A to 10C.

[0066] 10A to 10C, the suction holes 71 apply suction to the open surface of the laminate 50. The surface of the laminate 50 to which the attachment member 7 is attached may be referred to as the attachment surface 56. For example, in one embodiment shown in FIGS. 10A to 10C, the attachment surface 56 is the main surface 50A of the laminate 50.

[0067] The attachment surface 56 is divided into three in the third direction into a first divided attachment surface 561, a second divided attachment surface 562, and a third divided attachment surface 563. In other words, the attachment surface 56 is divided into three in the direction along the cutting line CL1 into a first divided attachment surface 561, a second divided attachment surface 562, and a third divided attachment surface 563.

[0068] 10A , the suction holes 71 may suck each of the first divided attachment surface 561, the second divided attachment surface 562, and the third divided attachment surface 563. In such a configuration, the sucked stack 50 is firmly fixed to the attachment member 7, thereby reducing the possibility of the stack 50 moving and shifting during the thinning process and the rearrangement process.

[0069] 10A shows an example in which one laminate 50 has one suction hole 71, but this is not limiting. For example, as shown in FIG. 10B, one laminate 50 may have multiple suction holes 71. In this case, one or more suction holes 71 may be located on each of the first divided attachment surface 561, the second divided attachment surface 562, and the third divided attachment surface 563. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 10C, one or more suction holes 71 may be located on each of the first divided attachment surface 561 and the third divided attachment surface 563.

[0070] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8A to 8C , the multiple stacks 50 arranged on the arrangement member 6 are thinned out one by one by the attachment member 7. In other words, one stack 50 is thinned out among the stacks 50 remaining on the arrangement member 6. However, the thinning process of the present disclosure is not limited to this example. The stacks thinned out by the attachment member 7 may be multiple stacks. In other words, multiple stacks 50 may be thinned out among the stacks 50 remaining on the arrangement member 6.

[0071] 8A to 8C, when the first stack 51, the second stack 52, the third stack 53, the fourth stack 54, and the fifth stack 55 are arranged on the arrangement member 6, the first stack 51 and the fifth stack 55 may remain on the arrangement member 6, and the second stack 52, the third stack 53, and the fourth stack 54 may be attached to the attachment member 7 and thinned out. In this case, the distance between the stacks 50 remaining on the arrangement member 6 becomes larger, and a larger space for rolling can be secured.

[0072] The form of the positioning member 6 can be changed as appropriate. For example, the positioning member 6 may be an attachment member 8 that adheres to the plurality of stacked bodies 50 prepared in the preparation step. The attachment member 8 adheres to the plurality of stacked bodies 50, thereby fixing the plurality of stacked bodies 50. In order to distinguish the attachment member 8 from the above-described attachment member 7, the attachment member 7 may be called the first attachment member, and the attachment member 8 may be called the second attachment member.

[0073] 11A to 11C show an example in which the positioning member 6 is an adhesive member 7. As shown in FIG. 11A, the second adhesive member adheres to the first stack 51, the second stack 52, and the third stack 53, fixing them together. Next, as shown in FIG. 11B, the first adhesive member adheres to the second stack 52 from the side opposite to the second adhesive member. Then, as shown in FIG. 11C, the second stack 52 is pulled away from the first stack 51 and the third stack 53 by the first adhesive member.

[0074] Furthermore, since the second laminate 52 adheres to both the first adhesive member and the second adhesive member, in order to separate the second laminate 52 from the first adhesive member, the adhesive force of the first adhesive member must be greater than the adhesive force of the second adhesive member.

[0075] In this way, by fixing multiple stacks 50 including the second stack 52 to the second adhesive member before thinning out the second stack 52 using the first adhesive member, the possibility of the second stack 52 or the first stack 51 and third stack 53 adjacent to the second stack 52 becoming misaligned during thinning can be reduced.

[0076] The attachment member 8 may have an adhesive. In other words, an adhesive may be used as a method for fixing the laminate 50 to the attachment member 8. However, the attachment member 8 of the present disclosure is not limited to this example. For example, the attachment member 8 may have a sheet 81 and a magnet 82, as shown in FIGS. 11A to 11C .

[0077] The sheet 81 has an arrangement surface 60, and a plurality of laminates 50 are arranged on the arrangement surface 60. The magnet 82 is located on the opposite side of the sheet 81 from the arrangement surface 60. The plurality of laminates 50 have conductive layers 502, which are magnetic materials, inside, and are therefore attracted to the magnet 82 and fixed to the sheet 81.

[0078] If the second attachment member is an adhesive, there is a possibility that the dielectric layer 501 in contact with the adhesive may be damaged when the first attachment member adheres to the laminate 50 and is pulled up during the thinning process. On the other hand, according to one embodiment shown in Figures 11A to 11C of the present disclosure, the dielectric layer 501 is not adhesively fixed to the second attachment member, and therefore the possibility of the dielectric layer 501 being damaged when the first attachment member adheres to the laminate 50 and is pulled up can be reduced.

[0079] (Rolling step) In the rolling step, the plurality of laminates 50 are rolled using the rolling members 9, and the cut surfaces obtained in the first cutting step become open surfaces. More specifically, the rolling members 9 press the main surfaces 50A of the laminates 50 in a first direction while moving in a second direction relative to the arrangement members 6, thereby rolling the laminates 50 and making the side surfaces 50B become open surfaces.

[0080] 12A to 12D show a rolling process according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, in which the stack 50, the arrangement member 6, and the rolling member 9 (described later) are cross-sectional views taken from a third direction.

[0081] First, as shown in FIG. 12A , a rolling member 9 is prepared. The rolling member 9 has an elastically deformable elastic body 90. Next, as shown in FIG. 12B , the elastic body 90 presses the main surface 50A, which is the open surface of the laminate 50, in a first direction. Next, as shown in FIG. 12C , the elastic body 90 presses the laminate 50 in the first direction while moving relative to the arrangement member 6 in a second direction. As the elastic body 90 moves, the position on the main surface 50A of the laminate 50 where pressure is applied from the elastic body 90 moves closer to the end in the second direction. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 12C , the laminate 50 rolls around a ridgeline R1, which is the axis of rotation between the side surface 50B of the pair of side surfaces 50B located in the second direction and the main surface 50A of the pair of main surfaces 50A located in the first direction. Then, as shown in FIG. 12D , one side surface 50B of the laminate 50 becomes an open surface.

[0082] 12D shows the state of the laminate 50 and the rolling member 9 after rolling. As shown in Fig. 12D, at least a portion of the elastic body 90 is adjacent to at least a portion of the main surface 50A of the laminate 50 in the second direction after rolling. In other words, after rolling, at least a portion of the elastic body 90 is located further in the first direction than the side surface 50B of the laminate 50 and further in the second direction than the main surface 50A.

[0083] Here, for example, when a stack is rolled using two flat elastic layers, as in the prior art, after the stack has rolled, no elastic layer is positioned next to the stack in the direction in which the elastic layers move.

[0084] In this way, if the elastic layer is not positioned next to the laminate, when the elastic layer moves too much, the laminate may rotate too much in the direction of the elastic layer's movement, increasing the possibility of tipping over. As a result, there is a high possibility that problems such as the desired surface cannot be properly processed in the subsequent mounting process and the cutting line between the laminates may become misaligned in the cutting process may occur.

[0085] On the other hand, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, after rolling, at least a portion of the elastic body 90 is located adjacent to the main surface 50A of the laminate 50 in the second direction, thereby partially filling the space adjacent to the laminate 50, thereby reducing the possibility of the laminate 50 rotating too much and tipping over compared to the conventional technology. As a result, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of defects in subsequent processes compared to the conventional technology, and ultimately reduce the possibility of defects occurring in the manufactured laminate electronic component 1.

[0086] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, in the second direction, it is sufficient that at least a portion of the elastic body 90 is adjacent to at least a portion of the main surface 50A of the laminate 50 after rolling, and it is not necessarily required that the elastic body 90 be in close contact with the main surface 50A.

[0087] 12D , after rolling, at least a portion of the elastic body 90 may be in contact with the main surface 50A of the laminate 50. In this case, movement of the laminate 50 in the second direction after rolling can be limited, further reducing the possibility of the laminate 50 rotating too much and tipping over. The portion of the elastic body 90 that comes into contact with the main surface 50A of the laminate 50 after rolling may be referred to as a stopper portion 900.

[0088] 12B , when elastic body 90 presses against main surface 50A of laminate 50, the end of elastic body 90 in the direction opposite to the second direction may be positioned further in the second direction than the end of laminate 50 in the direction opposite to the second direction. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 12B , the end of elastic body 90 in the direction opposite to the second direction is stopper portion 900, and the end of laminate 50 in the direction opposite to the second direction is side surface 50B.

[0089] In this way, when the stopper portion 900 is positioned further in the second direction than the side surface 50B of the laminate 50 in the direction opposite to the second direction, the stopper portion 900 is more likely to come into contact with the main surface 50A of the laminate 50 after rolling. As a result, the possibility of the laminate 50 tipping over due to excessive rotation can be reduced.

[0090] 12B to 12D , when the elastic body 90 moves in the second direction, at least a portion of the elastic body 90 may be in contact with the positioning member 6. For example, a portion of the elastic body 90 located further in the second direction than the stack 50 may be in contact with the positioning member 6. The portion of the elastic body 90 located further in the second direction than the stack 50 and in contact with the positioning member 6 may be referred to as a contact portion 901.

[0091] In this way, when elastic body 90 moves in the second direction, contact portion 901 comes into contact with arrangement member 6, thereby more reliably applying pressure to the end portion of main surface 50A in the second direction. As a result, as shown in FIG. 12C , elastic body 90 can easily roll around ridge line R1 as the rotation axis.

[0092] 12A to 12D show an example in which the tip of the elastic body 90 in the first direction is flat, but this is not limiting. For example, the tip of the elastic body 90 in the first direction may be arc-shaped. Figures 13A to 13D show a rolling process according to a modified example of the present disclosure, progressing in the order of Figures 13A to 13D. Note that Figures 13A to 13D are cross-sectional views of the laminate 50, the arrangement member 6, and the rolling member 9 according to the modified example, viewed from the third direction.

[0093] In a rolling member 9 according to one modified example, the elastic body 90 has an arc shape in the first direction. The end of the elastic body 90 in the first direction may be referred to as a tip portion 902. As shown in FIG. 13D , after rolling, the tip portion 902 of the elastic body 90 is adjacent to at least a portion of the main surface 50A of the laminate 50 after rolling. In other words, the tip portion 902 is located further in the first direction than the side surface 50B of the laminate 50 and further in the second direction than the main surface 50A. In this case, the tip portion 902 limits the movement of the laminate 50 in the second direction after rolling, thereby reducing the possibility of the laminate 50 rotating too much and tipping over.

[0094] 13B , when the elastic body 90 presses against the main surface 50A of the laminate 50, the main surface 50A may come into contact with a region located in the opposite direction to the second direction from the end of the elastic body 90 in the first direction. In other words, the laminate 50 rolls while a region located in the opposite direction to the second direction from the tip end 902 of the elastic body 90 comes into contact with the main surface 50A. The region located in the opposite direction to the second direction from the tip end 902 of the elastic body 90 may be referred to as an inclined region 903. The inclined region 903 is indicated by a dotted line in FIGS. 13A to 13D .

[0095] In this way, when the main surface 50A of the laminate 50 rolls while contacting the inclined region 903, after rolling, the tip end 902 of the arc-shaped elastic body 90 is likely to be positioned adjacent to the main surface 50A of the laminate 50 in the second direction. As a result, the possibility of the laminate 50 tipping over due to excessive rotation can be further reduced.

[0096] 13D , after rolling, the inclined region 903 of the elastic body 90 may be in contact with the ridgeline R2 of the laminate 50. Note that the ridgeline R2 is the ridgeline where, before rolling, one of the pair of side surfaces 50B, which is located in the opposite direction from the second direction, intersects with one of the pair of main surfaces 50A, which is located in the opposite direction from the first direction. In other words, the ridgeline R2 is the ridgeline located diagonally to the ridgeline R1 in a cross-sectional view from the third direction. In this case, the movement of the laminate 50 in the second direction after rolling can be limited, further reducing the possibility of the laminate 50 rotating too much and tipping over.

[0097] The shape of the elastic body 90 is not limited to the examples shown in Figures 12A to 12D and 13A to 13D. For example, the elastic body 90 may have an inclined portion that is inclined with respect to the second direction when viewed in a cross section from the third direction. Specifically, the inclined portion may have a slope shape such that the distance to the arrangement member 6 decreases as the inclined portion advances in the second direction. In such a case, after rolling, at least a portion of the elastic body 90 is located adjacent to the main surface 50A of the stack 50 in the second direction, thereby reducing the possibility of the stack 50 rotating too much and tipping over.

[0098] Furthermore, after rolling, the inclined portion may contact the ridge line R2. In this case, the movement of the stack 50 in the second direction after rolling can be limited, further reducing the possibility that the stack 50 will rotate too much and tip over.

[0099] The arrangement of the arranging member 6 can be set as appropriate. For example, the arrangement member 6 in the thinning process and the arrangement member 6 in the rolling process may be separate members. In other words, multiple stacks 50 may be transferred to a new arrangement member 6 after the thinning process. However, the arrangement member 6 is not limited to this example. For example, the arrangement member 6 may be the same member in the thinning process and the rolling process. In this case, the task of transferring the stacks 50 is not required, thereby improving manufacturing efficiency.

[0100] The material of the positioning member 6 can be set as appropriate. For example, the positioning member 6 may be an elastic member. When the positioning member 6 is an elastic member, the stack 50 rolls while being sandwiched between two elastic members, making it easier to roll compared to when there is only one elastic member.

[0101] The width of the elastic body 90 in the third direction may be set as appropriate. For example, the width of the elastic body 90 in the third direction may be shorter than the width of the laminate 50. Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the laminate 50, the elastic body 90, and the positioning member 6 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Fig. 14, the width E of the elastic body 90 in the third direction is smaller than the distance L between a pair of end surfaces 50C of the laminate 50. In this case, the contact area between the elastic body 90 and the laminate 50 is reduced.

[0102] For example, the conductive layer 502 is exposed on the side surface 50B of the laminate 50, which becomes an open surface after the rolling process. Therefore, if the side surface 50B comes into contact with the elastic body 90, dust or the like may adhere to the side surface 50B, increasing the possibility of defects such as short circuits occurring after firing. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 14, if the contact area between the elastic body 90 and the side surface 50B of the laminate 50 is small, the possibility of defects occurring in the laminate 50 due to contact with the elastic body 90 can be reduced.

[0103] (Attaching Step) In the attaching step, processing is performed on the surface of the laminate 50. For example, as shown in Figures 15A to 15C, a functional member 404 is attached to the side surface 50B of the laminate 50.

[0104] 15A to 15C are diagrams schematically illustrating the attachment process, and the process proceeds in the order of FIGS. 15A to 15C. First, as shown in FIG. 15A, functional member 404 is placed on a flat plate. One side surface 50B of laminate 50, which was made open in the rolling process, is attached to adhesive sheet 10, and the other side surface 50B is placed facing functional member 404. The flat plate may be made of a rigid material such as metal or resin, or an elastic material such as rubber, and can be selected appropriately depending on the characteristics of functional member 404.

[0105] Examples of functional member 404 include a protective ceramic green sheet, a protective ceramic paste, and a terminal electrode paste. For example, functional member 404 may be made of various ceramic dielectric materials, similar to ceramic sheet 400. In one example, functional member 404 is made of the same material as ceramic sheet 400. Functional member 404 is formed into a sheet using, for example, a roll coater or a doctor blade.

[0106] Next, as shown in FIG. 15B , the side surface 50B of the laminate 50 is pressed against the functional member 404. This causes the functional member 404 to adhere to the side surface 50B of the laminate 50. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 15C , when the laminate 50 is lifted up from the functional member 404, only the functional member 404 attached to the side surface 50B is separated from the elastic body and remains on the laminate 50 side. Alternatively, the flat plate may be made of an elastic material so that the functional member 404 is punched out when the side surface 50B of the laminate 50 is pressed against the functional member 404. This allows the functional member 404 to be provided on one side surface 50B of the laminate 50, which will become the side margin portion 124 after firing.

[0107] Next, a functional member 404 is provided on the other side surface 50B of the laminate 50 by the same or a similar process. Through the above process, a processed laminate 300 as shown in FIG. 16 can be obtained. In the processed laminate 300, the functional member 404 is provided on both side surfaces of the laminate 50. Therefore, in the processed laminate 300, the conductive layer 502 is exposed from the end surface 50C.

[0108] The first laminate 51 having the functional members 404 attached to both side surfaces thereof in the attaching process may be referred to as the first processed laminate 301. The third laminate 53 having the functional members 404 attached to both side surfaces thereof in the attaching process may be referred to as the third processed laminate 303. The fifth laminate 55 having the functional members 404 attached to both side surfaces thereof in the attaching process may be referred to as the fifth processed laminate 305.

[0109] The processed laminate 300 is divided into individual pieces by the second cutting step described below. In this way, according to the method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the functional members 404 can be attached integrally to the laminate 50 at the stage before it is divided into individual pieces.

[0110] The corners of the laminate are weak and easily deformed. Therefore, if the functional members 404 are attached after singulation, the corners may deform, potentially causing defects such as short circuits. On the other hand, if the functional members 404 are attached at the laminate 50 stage before singulation, the corners formed by subsequent singulation are less likely to deform. Therefore, according to the method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the possibility of defects such as short circuits occurring can be reduced.

[0111] (Second Cutting Step) In the second cutting step, the plurality of processed laminates 300 are cut along cutting lines CL2 that intersect with the cutting lines CL1 to form individual pieces. Figure 16 shows the plurality of processed laminates 300 and the cutting lines CL2. By the second cutting step, individual piece element precursors 200 are obtained, as shown in Figure 17.

[0112] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, as described above, the laminate 50 is thinned out by the adhesive member 7 in the thinning step, thereby ensuring space for rolling. This reduces the possibility of deviations in the orientation and angle of the laminate 50 located next to the thinned laminate 50. As a result, in the second cutting step as well, the processed laminate 300 can be cut while reducing deviations in orientation and angle.

[0113] In the thinning step, by thinning out the second laminate 52 and the fourth laminate 54, spaces were created between the first laminate 51, the third laminate 53, and the fifth laminate 55. These spaces are maintained even after the rolling step, so as shown in Fig. 16, spaces still exist between the first processed laminate 301, the third processed laminate 303, and the fifth processed laminate 305 in the second cutting step.

[0114] (Firing Step) In the firing step, the obtained unfired element precursor 200 is fired to produce the element 12 as shown in Fig. 2. The firing can be carried out, for example, in a reducing atmosphere or a low oxygen partial pressure atmosphere.

[0115] (Terminal Forming Step) In the terminal forming step, the external electrodes 13 are formed on the end faces 50C of the element body 12 obtained in the firing step.

[0116] First, unsintered electrode material is applied to cover both end faces 50C in the Z-axis direction of the element body 12. The unsintered electrode material applied to the element body 12 is baked, for example, in a reducing atmosphere or a low-oxygen partial pressure atmosphere, to form a base film on the element body 12. Then, an intermediate film and a surface film are formed on the base film baked on the element body 12 by a plating process such as electrolytic plating, thereby completing the external electrode 13.

[0117] It is also possible to perform some of the processing in the terminal formation step before the firing step. For example, before the firing step, unfired electrode material may be applied to both end faces in the Z-axis direction of the unfired element precursor 200, and in the firing step, the unfired electrode material may be baked while the element precursor 200 shown in FIG. 17 is fired to form an undercoat film for the external electrode 13. The undercoat film may also be formed by a plating process. The plating process may be electrolytic plating or electroless plating. Through the above-described steps, the laminate electronic component 1 shown in FIG. 1 can be obtained.

[0118] As described above, the method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes the above-described fabrication step, first cutting step, thinning step, rolling step, attachment step, second cutting step, firing step, and terminal formation step. Therefore, the method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can reduce the possibility of defects occurring in the laminated electronic component.

[0119] (Modification) The shape of the laminate 50 can be modified as appropriate. For example, the end surface 50C of the laminate 50 may be a substantially rectangular shape having a pair of long sides and a pair of short sides. Figures 18A to 18C show the preparation process, thinning process, and rolling process for a plurality of laminates 50 according to one modification of the present disclosure. Note that the "substantially rectangular shape" does not necessarily have to be a strict rectangular shape; for example, each side may have some irregularities or may be curved.

[0120] 18A shows a preparation process. The multiple laminates 50 include a first laminate 51, a second laminate 52, and a third laminate 53. In the examples of FIGS. 18A to 18C, the length of the long side of the laminate 50 is the same as W, and the length of the short side is the same as T.

[0121] 18B shows the thinning process. The second stack 52 is separated from the first stack 51 and the third stack 53 by the adhesive member 7. At this time, a space of distance W corresponding to the length of the long side of the second stack 52 is created between the first stack 51 and the third stack 53. The distance W between the first stack 51 and the third stack 53 is greater than T, which corresponds to the height of the first stack 51. In other words, W>T.

[0122] 18C shows the rolling process. Note that the rolling member 9 is omitted in FIG. 18C. Due to the rolling, one of the pair of short sides is positioned on the open surface side. At this time, since W>T, the center of gravity of the stack 50 is higher after rolling than before rolling, making it more likely to tip over. The rolling process according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can reduce the possibility of the stack 50 tipping over after rolling, and is therefore suitable for rolling a stack 50 having such a substantially rectangular end face.

[0123] According to the method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component as described above, it is possible to reduce the possibility of defects occurring in the laminated electronic component.

[0124] The present disclosure can be implemented in the following configurations (1) to (11).

[0125] (1) A method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component, comprising: a preparation step of preparing a laminate on an arrangement member, the laminate having a plurality of alternately stacked conductor layers and a plurality of dielectric layers, the laminate having a first surface and a second surface substantially perpendicular to the first surface, with the first surface as an open surface; and a rolling step of using an elastic body to press the first surface of the laminate in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the first surface while moving the elastic body relative to the arrangement member in a second direction intersecting the first direction, thereby rolling the laminate so that the second surface becomes the open surface, wherein at least a portion of the elastic body is adjacent to at least a portion of the first surface of the laminate after rolling in the second direction.

[0126] (2) The method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component according to the above configuration (1), wherein at least a portion of the elastic body contacts the first surface of the laminate after rolling.

[0127] (3) The method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component according to the above configuration (1) or (2), wherein, in a cross-sectional view from a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction, the elastic body has an inclined portion inclined with respect to the second direction, and the inclined portion is in contact with a ridge line where the first surface and the second surface of the laminate intersect after rolling.

[0128] (4) A method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component according to any one of the above configurations (1) to (3), wherein, in a cross-sectional view from a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction, the elastic body is arc-shaped, and when the elastic body presses the laminate, the first surface before rolling comes into contact with an area located in the opposite direction to the second direction than the end of the elastic body in the first direction.

[0129] (5) A method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component according to any one of the above configurations (1) to (4), wherein, in a cross-sectional view from a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction, when the elastic body presses the laminate, an end of the elastic body in a direction opposite to the second direction is positioned in the second direction further than the second surface before rolling.

[0130] (6) The method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component according to any one of the above configurations (1) to (5), wherein, in the rolling step, when the elastic body moves relative to the arrangement member in the second direction, at least a portion of the elastic body comes into contact with the arrangement member.

[0131] (7) The method for producing a laminated electronic component according to any one of the above configurations (1) to (6), wherein the laminate has a plurality of conductive layers exposed from the second surface.

[0132] (8) The method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component according to any one of the above configurations (1) to (7), wherein the width of the elastic body is shorter than the width of the laminate in a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction.

[0133] (9) The method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component according to any one of the above configurations (1) to (8), wherein the laminate further includes a third surface that is substantially perpendicular to the first surface and the second surface, the third surface being substantially rectangular with a pair of long sides and a pair of short sides, and one of the pair of short sides is located on the open surface side after rolling in the rolling step.

[0134] (10) The method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component according to any one of the above configurations (1) to (9), wherein the arrangement member is an elastic member.

[0135] (11) The method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component according to any one of the above configurations (1) to (10), further comprising: a mounting step of mounting a functional member on a surface of the laminate; and a firing step of firing the laminate.

[0136] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and improvements are possible within the scope of the gist of the present disclosure. It goes without saying that all or part of the components constituting each of the above-described embodiments can be combined as appropriate within the scope of not contradicting each other.

[0137] 1: Laminated electronic component 12: Element body 13: External electrode 120: Capacitor portion 121: Ceramic dielectric layer 122: Internal electrode layer 123: Cover portion 124: Side margin portion 200: Element body precursor 300: Processed laminate 400: Ceramic sheet 404: Functional member 410: Conductive sheet 50: Laminate 50A: Main surface 50B: Side surface 50C: End surface 501: Dielectric layer 502: Conductive layer 500: Base laminate 51: First laminate 52: Second laminate 53: Third laminate 54: Fourth laminate 55: Fifth laminate 56: Attachment surface 561: First divided attachment surface 562: Second divided attachment surface 563: Third divided attachment surface 6: Arrangement member 60: Arrangement surface 7: Attachment member (first attachment member) 70: Adhering portion 71: Suction hole 8: Adhering member (second adhering member) 81: Sheet 82: Magnet 9: Rolling member 90: Elastic body 900: Stopper portion 901: Contact portion 902: Tip portion 10: Adhesive sheet

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component, comprising: a preparation step of preparing a laminate on an arrangement member, the laminate having a plurality of alternating conductive layers and a plurality of dielectric layers, the laminate having a first surface and a second surface generally perpendicular to the first surface, the first surface being an open surface; and a rolling step of rolling the laminate by using an elastic body to press the first surface of the laminate in a first direction generally perpendicular to the first surface, while moving relatively to the arrangement member in a second direction intersecting the first direction, thereby rolling the laminate and making the second surface the open surface, wherein in the second direction, at least a portion of the elastic body is adjacent to at least a portion of the first surface of the laminate after rolling.

2. The method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the elastic body contacts the first surface of the laminate after rolling.

3. A method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein, when viewed in a cross-sectional view from a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction, the elastic body has an inclined portion inclined with respect to the second direction, and the inclined portion is in contact with a ridge line where the first surface and the second surface of the laminate intersect after rolling.

4. A method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, when viewed in cross-section from a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction, the elastic body is arc-shaped, and when the elastic body presses the laminate, the first surface before rolling comes into contact with an area that is located in the opposite direction to the second direction rather than the end of the elastic body in the first direction.

5. A method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, when viewed in a cross-sectional view from a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction, when the elastic body presses the laminate, an end of the elastic body in a direction opposite to the second direction is positioned in the second direction further than the second surface before rolling.

6. A method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein in the rolling step, when the elastic body moves relative to the arrangement member in the second direction, at least a portion of the elastic body comes into contact with the arrangement member.

7. The method for producing a laminated electronic component according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the laminate has a plurality of conductive layers exposed from the second surface.

8. A method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein in a third direction intersecting the first direction and the second direction, the width of the elastic body is shorter than the width of the laminate.

9. A method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the laminate further comprises a third surface generally perpendicular to the first surface and the second surface, the third surface being generally rectangular having a pair of longer sides and a pair of shorter sides, and after rolling in the rolling step, one of the pair of shorter sides is located on the open surface side.

10. The method for manufacturing a laminated electronic component according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the arrangement member is an elastic member.

11. The method for producing a laminated electronic component according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising a mounting step of mounting a functional member on a surface of the laminate, and a firing step of firing the laminate.

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