Automatic resin material supply device

Abstract

This automatic resin material supply device comprises: a hopper (1010) that receives a granular resin material for forming a sealing resin; a feeder (1020) that receives the resin material that falls from the hopper (1010) and conveys the resin material sideways; and a container (1003) that receives the resin material that falls from the feeder (1020). The hopper (1010) includes a hopper body (1030) and a cooling portion (1040) disposed to cover at least a part of the outer peripheral surface of the hopper body (1030). The feeder (1020) includes a tray portion (1021) that receives the resin material that falls from the hopper (1010), and a vibration-imparting device (1022) that vibrates the tray portion (1021). The cooling portion (1040) includes a fluid inlet (1041a) and a fluid outlet (1041b). The inside of the cooling portion (1040) is provided with a passage (1040c) for passing cooling fluid from the fluid inlet (1041a) to the fluid outlet (1041b).

Description

Automatic resin material supply device

[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic resin material supply device.

[0002] To improve the moisture sensitivity level (MSL) of communication modules, the development and adoption of encapsulating resin materials with high adhesion and low elasticity is progressing. To achieve improved adhesion and lower elasticity, encapsulating resin materials with lower molecular weights than conventional materials are being adopted. Furthermore, the miniaturization and low profile of communication modules require the ability to easily and reliably fill narrow gaps with resin. Therefore, the development and adoption of small-diameter fillers is progressing. When fillers have a small diameter, their viscosity tends to increase. However, to suppress this increase in viscosity and ensure fluidity, there is a trend toward the adoption of low-molecular-weight resins as encapsulating resin materials.

[0003] In addition, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-29276 (Patent Document 1) describes a hopper member for food and beverages and a fluid circulation device.

[0004] JP 2008-29276 A

[0005] Low molecular weight resins tend to melt at room temperature. Resin materials made from granulated low molecular weight resins tend to solidify when melted at room temperature, resulting in a phenomenon known as "blocking." Blocking prevents the encapsulating resin material from being properly supplied. When storing such resin materials, they must be stored in a way that prevents solidification. Furthermore, to accommodate continuous production in factories, automatic continuous supply of resin materials is required.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic resin material supply device that can store granular resin material in a state where it is less likely to solidify and can perform continuous automatic supply to a degree that can accommodate continuous production in a factory.

[0007] To achieve the above object, an automatic resin material supplying device according to the present invention includes a hopper for receiving granular resin material for forming an encapsulating resin, a feeder for receiving the resin material dropping from the hopper while conveying the resin material laterally, and a container for receiving the resin material dropping from the feeder. The hopper includes a hopper body and a cooling unit arranged to cover at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the hopper body. The feeder includes a tray unit for receiving the resin material dropping from the hopper and a vibration imparting device for vibrating the tray unit. The cooling unit has a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. A passage is provided inside the cooling unit for passing a cooling fluid from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet.

[0008] According to the present invention, granular resin material can be stored in a state where it is less likely to solidify, and can be continuously and automatically supplied to an extent that is suitable for continuous production in a factory.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of an automatic resin material supplying apparatus in a first embodiment based on the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a hopper body included in the automatic resin material supplying apparatus in the first embodiment based on the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a tray unit included in the automatic resin material supplying apparatus in the first embodiment based on the present invention. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the tray unit included in the automatic resin material supplying apparatus in the first embodiment based on the present invention. FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of an operation of the automatic resin material supplying apparatus in the first embodiment based on the present invention. FIG. 6 is a first explanatory view of a first example of a resin molding apparatus that can be used in combination with the automatic resin material supplying apparatus in the first embodiment based on the present invention. FIG. 7 is a second explanatory view of the first example of a resin molding apparatus that can be used in combination with the automatic resin material supplying apparatus in the first embodiment based on the present invention. FIG. 8 is a first explanatory view of a second example of a resin molding apparatus that can be used in combination with the automatic resin material supplying apparatus in the first embodiment based on the present invention. FIG. 9 is a first explanatory view of a third example of a resin molding apparatus that can be used in combination with the automatic resin material supplying apparatus in the first embodiment based on the present invention. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a lower mold included in the third example of a resin molding apparatus that can be used in combination with the automatic resin material supplying apparatus in the first embodiment based on the present invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a passage closing member included in a third example of a resin molding apparatus that can be used in combination with the automatic resin material supplying apparatus in the first embodiment based on the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the passage closing member included in the third example of a resin molding apparatus that can be used in combination with the automatic resin material supplying apparatus in the first embodiment based on the present invention. FIG. 3 is a second explanatory diagram of the third example of a resin molding apparatus that can be used in combination with the automatic resin material supplying apparatus in the first embodiment based on the present invention. FIG. 4 is a first explanatory diagram of a fourth example of a resin molding apparatus that can be used in combination with the automatic resin material supplying apparatus in the first embodiment based on the present invention. FIG. 5 is a second explanatory diagram of the fourth example of a resin molding apparatus that can be used in combination with the automatic resin material supplying apparatus in the first embodiment based on the present invention.FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a fifth example of a resin molding device that can be used in combination with the automatic resin material supply device in the first embodiment based on the present invention.

[0010] 1 to 5, an automatic resin material supplying device in a first embodiment according to the present invention will be described. The automatic resin material supplying device in this embodiment is shown in FIG.

[0011] The automatic resin material supply device includes a hopper 1010 that receives granular resin material for forming a sealing resin, a feeder 1020 that receives the resin material dropping from the hopper 1010 and conveys the resin material laterally, and a container 1003 that receives the resin material dropping from the feeder 1020. The hopper 1010 includes a hopper body 1030 and a cooling unit 1040 that is arranged to cover at least a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the hopper body 1030. FIG. 2 shows the hopper body 1030 removed alone. The feeder 1020 includes a tray unit 1021 that receives the resin material dropping from the hopper 1010 and a vibration imparting device 1022 that vibrates the tray unit 1021. FIG. 3 shows the tray unit 1021 removed alone. FIG. 4 shows the tray unit 1021 viewed from directly above. The cooling unit 1040 has a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and a passage 1040c is provided inside the cooling unit 1040 to pass the cooling fluid from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet. The container 1003 is, for example, a cup-shaped container. The shape of the container 1003 shown in this embodiment is merely an example, and is not limited to this shape.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1 , the automatic resin material supply device in this embodiment includes a weight measuring device 1004, a control unit 1005, and a fluid tank 1006. The weight measuring device may be, for example, an electronic balance. The container 1003 may be supported by the weight measuring device 1004. An output from the weight measuring device 1004 is sent to the control unit 1005. The vibration imparting device 1022 may be controlled by a signal from the control unit 1005. The fluid tank 1006 is connected to the cooling unit 1040 by piping. The cooling fluid is supplied from the fluid tank 1006 to the cooling unit 1040, and after circulating through the cooling unit 1040, the cooling fluid returns to the fluid tank 1006. The cooling fluid may be a liquid. The cooling fluid may be water.

[0013] FIG. 5 shows the operation of the automatic resin material supply device in this embodiment. FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a portion of the automatic resin material supply device shown in FIG. 1. Granular resin material 6r is stored in the hopper body 1030. The cylindrical portion 1032 is filled with the granular resin material 6r. A certain thickness of the granular resin material 6r is piled up on the bottom surface 1023. As the resin material 6r piled up on the bottom surface 1023 gradually shifts to the left in the figure due to vibration, the resin material 6r in the cylindrical portion 1032 gradually shifts downward by the amount of the newly created gap below the cylindrical portion 1032.

[0014] In this embodiment, the automatic resin material supplying device includes a cooling unit 1040 arranged to cover at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the hopper body 1030, thereby cooling the resin material 6r stored inside the hopper body 1030. In the feeder 1020, the tray unit 1021 is vibrated to gradually deliver the resin material 6r. As a result, the desired amount of resin material 6r can be dispensed into the container 1003. From the container 1003, the resin material 6r can be supplied to a desired jig or the like as needed. Therefore, the automatic resin material supplying device of this embodiment can store granular resin material in a state where it is less likely to solidify, and can automatically supply it continuously to a level suitable for continuous production in a factory.

[0015] In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the hopper body 1030 preferably includes a tapered portion 1031 whose cross-sectional area when cut horizontally decreases toward the bottom, and a cylindrical portion 1032 extending downward from the bottom end of the tapered portion 1031. The cooling portion 1040 is disposed so as to cover the outer peripheral surfaces of the tapered portion 1031 and the cylindrical portion 1032. This configuration allows the resin material to be smoothly delivered downward. Near the bottom end of the tapered portion 1031, the resin material 6r tends to concentrate in the narrow opening area, which would have been prone to solidification in conventional systems. However, in this embodiment, cooling by the cooling portion 1040 prevents solidification.

[0016] In the present embodiment, it is preferable that cooling section 1040 is divided into tapered section cooling section 1041 that covers the outer peripheral surface of tapered section 1031 and cylindrical section cooling section 1042 that covers the outer peripheral surface of cylindrical section 1032. By adopting this configuration, cooling section 1040 is divided into at least two sections, which makes maintenance easier.

[0017] The tapered portion cooling portion 1041 has a fluid inlet 1041a and a fluid outlet 1041b. The cylindrical portion cooling portion 1042 has a fluid inlet 1042a and a fluid outlet 1042b. When viewed as a whole, the fluid inlet of the cooling portion 1040 includes the fluid inlet 1041a and the fluid inlet 1042a. The fluid outlet of the cooling portion 1040 includes the fluid outlet 1041b and the fluid outlet 1042b.

[0018] This embodiment preferably has the following configuration. As shown in FIG. 3 , the tray portion 1021 includes a bottom surface 1023 and a sidewall 1024 extending upward from a portion of the outer edge of the bottom surface 1023. The bottom surface 1023 includes a receiving portion 1023a located below the hopper 1010 and a pouring portion 1023b extending laterally from the receiving portion 1023a. The tip of the pouring portion 1023b does not have a sidewall 1024. As shown in FIG. 1 , the tip of the pouring portion 1023b is located above the container 1003. By adopting this configuration, the resin material 6r can be appropriately guided into the container 1003.

[0019] In this embodiment, bottom surface 1023 is preferably inclined downward from receiving portion 1023a toward the tip of pouring portion 1023b. By adopting this configuration, the resin material can smoothly advance to the tip of pouring portion 1023b. Note that in Figure 1, the inclination angle of bottom surface 1023, i.e., the inclination angle of tray portion 1021, is exaggerated for ease of explanation, but in reality, the inclination angle may be smaller.

[0020] This embodiment preferably includes a weight measuring device 1004 that measures the total weight of the container 1003 and its contents or the weight of the contents of the container 1003, and a control unit 1005 that controls the operation of the vibration imparting device 1022. If the measurement result by the weight measuring device 1004 is equal to or greater than a certain value, the control unit 1005 stops the conveying operation of the feeder 1020. By adopting this configuration, the operation of the feeder 1020 can be stopped when a certain amount of resin material 6r has been accommodated in the container 1003, and a certain amount of resin material 6r can be taken out by the container 1003.

[0021] As shown in this embodiment, it is preferable to provide a fluid tank 1006 for maintaining a cooling fluid at a temperature lower than room temperature, and to introduce the cooling fluid from the fluid tank 1006 to the fluid inlet and from the fluid outlet to the fluid tank 1006. By adopting this configuration, a cooling fluid at a temperature lower than room temperature is continuously supplied to the cooling unit 1040, and the cooling fluid whose temperature has increased in the cooling unit 1040 is successively collected in the fluid tank 1006, thereby effectively cooling the hopper body 1030. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the cooling unit 1040 has two fluid inlets, fluid inlet 1041a and fluid inlet 1042a, so the piping from the fluid tank 1006 to the fluid inlet branches midway. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the cooling unit 1040 has two fluid outlets, fluid outlet 1041b and fluid outlet 1042b, so the piping from the fluid outlet to the fluid tank 1006 merges midway.

[0022] The resin material 6r dispensed in a certain amount by the container 1003 is transported to a resin molding device and placed inside a cavity provided in the resin molding device. The cavity here refers to the space where molding takes place. Various types of resin molding devices are considered, as exemplified below.

[0023] 6 and 7, a first example of a resin molding device that can be used in combination with the automatic resin material supply device in the first embodiment based on the present invention will be described. The first example is a type in which a cavity is formed in the lower mold.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 6, this resin molding device includes a lower mold 2050 and an upper mold 2060. The lower mold 2050 includes a lower mold body 2051 and a plate material 2052. A member 2015 is arranged so as to surround the outer periphery of the plate material 2052. The member 2015 is connected to the lower mold body 2051 via a spring 2017. The member 2015 can be displaced in the height direction by elastic deformation of the spring 2017. The member 2015 is also called a clamper.

[0025] The upper surface of the plate material 2052 is located lower than the upper surface of the member 2015. The upper surface of the plate material 2052 is located lower than the upper surface of the member 2015, thereby forming a cavity 10. A lower sheet 11 is arranged to cover the inner surface of the cavity 10. The lower sheet 11 is intended to make it easier to remove the molded product from the lower mold 2050 after molding. The lower sheet 11 is a so-called release sheet.

[0026] Inside cavity 10, granular resin material 6r is disposed on lower sheet 11. A predetermined amount of this resin material 6r is supplied to a jig or the like by the automatic resin material supply device in embodiment 1 based on the present invention, and is then transferred onto plate material 2052 by a handler or the like. Object 1 is held on the lower surface of upper mold 2060. Object 1 includes substrate 1d and component 1e mounted on the surface of substrate 1d.

[0027] From the state shown in FIG. 6, the resin material 6r is heated, and the lower mold 2050 and the upper mold 2060 move relatively closer to each other. This results in the state shown in FIG. 7. The granular resin material 6r is heated, and as shown in FIG. 7, its viscosity decreases to become resin material 6e. After this, the viscosity of the resin material 6e increases further and it hardens. The end of the substrate 1d is sandwiched between the member 2015 and the upper mold 2060. The target object 1 is held by sandwiching the area of ​​the end of the substrate 1d where the component 1e is not mounted. The member 2015 is biased toward the upper mold 2060 by the action of the spring 2017. The resin material 6e fills the space within the cavity 10. In this way, the component 1e is sealed by the resin material on the surface of the substrate 1d.

[0028] After the resin material 6e has hardened, the lower mold 2050 and the upper mold 2060 are moved relatively far apart, and the material on the upper side of the lower sheet 11 is removed, thereby obtaining a product in which the part 1e is covered with sealing resin.

[0029] 8 and 9, a second example of a resin molding apparatus that can be used in combination with the automatic resin material supply apparatus in the first embodiment based on the present invention will be described. The second example is a type in which a cavity is formed in the upper mold.

[0030] As shown in Fig. 8, this resin molding device includes a lower mold 3050 and an upper mold 3060. The upper mold 3060 includes an upper mold body 3061 and a plate material 3062. A member 3015 is arranged so as to surround the outer periphery of the plate material 3062. The member 3015 is connected to the upper mold body 3061 via a spring 3017. The member 3015 can be displaced in the height direction by elastic deformation of the spring 3017. The member 3015 is also called a clamper.

[0031] The lower surface of the plate material 3062 is located higher than the lower surface of the member 3015. The lower surface of the plate material 3062 is located higher than the lower surface of the member 3015, thereby forming a cavity 10. An upper sheet 12 is arranged to cover the inner surface of the cavity 10. The upper sheet 12 is intended to make it easier to remove the molded product from the upper mold 3060 after molding. The upper sheet 12 is a so-called release sheet.

[0032] Directly below cavity 10, granular resin material 6r is placed on object 1. A predetermined amount of this resin material 6r is supplied to a jig or the like by the automatic resin material supply device in embodiment 1 based on the present invention, and is then transferred by a handler or the like. Object 1 is held by the upper surface of lower mold 3050. Object 1 includes substrate 1d and component 1e mounted on the surface of substrate 1d. Resin material 6r is placed on object 1.

[0033] From the state shown in FIG. 8, the resin material 6r is heated, and the lower mold 3050 and the upper mold 3060 move relatively closer to each other. As a result, the state shown in FIG. 9 is obtained. The granular resin material 6r has been heated and has already become a low-viscosity resin material 6e in FIG. 9. The end of the substrate 1d is sandwiched between the lower mold 3050 and the member 3015. The target object 1 is held by sandwiching the area of ​​the end of the substrate 1d where the component 1e is not mounted. The member 3015 is biased toward the lower mold 3050 by the action of the spring 3017. The resin material 6e fills the space within the cavity 10. In this way, the component 1e is sealed by the resin material on the surface of the substrate 1d.

[0034] After the resin material 6e has hardened, the lower mold 3050 and the upper mold 3060 are moved relatively far apart, and the material above the lower mold 3050 is removed, thereby obtaining a product in which the part 1e is covered with sealing resin.

[0035] 10 to 14, a third example of a resin molding device that can be used in combination with the automatic resin material supply device in the first embodiment based on the present invention will be described. The third example is a type in which excess resin material leaks out by deforming a part of the lower mold.

[0036] As shown in Figure 10, this resin molding device includes a lower mold 4050 and an upper mold 4060. The lower mold 4050 includes a lower mold body 4051 and a plate material 4052. A stripper portion 4033 is arranged to surround the outer periphery of the plate material 4052. The stripper portion 4033 is connected to the lower mold body 4051 via a spring 4037. The stripper portion 4033 can be displaced in the height direction by elastic deformation of the spring 4037. The stripper portion 4033 has several through holes 4007. A stroke amount limiting member 4034 is inserted into the through hole 4007.

[0037] Several notches are provided in part of the inner periphery of the stripper portion 4033. The passage closure member 4035 is disposed inside these notches. The cavity 10 is formed by the inner periphery side surface of the stripper portion 4033, the side surface of the passage closure member 4035 opposite the stripper portion 4033, and the upper surface of the plate material 4052. The stripper portion 4033 has a pocket portion, which is a recessed portion, outside the cavity 10 to accommodate the resin material that has flowed out of the cavity 10. The pocket portion is not shown in FIG. 10 .

[0038] The resin material 6r placed inside the cavity 10 is supplied in a predetermined amount to a jig or the like by an automatic resin material supply device in embodiment 1 based on the present invention, and is then transferred onto the plate material 4052 by a handler or the like.

[0039] FIG. 11 shows the lower mold 4050 alone. In this example, two pockets 4036 are provided near the cavity 10, and a total of four passage closure members 4035 are arranged around the cavity 10. FIG. 12 shows a passage closure member 4035 taken out alone. The passage closure member 4035 has two upper surfaces 4035a and 4035b with different heights. The passage closure member 4035 can be displaced up and down. The passage closure member 4035 can be in at least two positions: a raised state and a lowered state. In FIGS. 10 and 11, the passage closure member 4035 is in the raised state. As shown in FIG. 11, the cavity 10 and the pockets 4036 are separated by the passage closure member 4035.

[0040] A cross section of the passage closure member 4035 and its vicinity is shown in Figure 13. In Figure 13, the passage closure member 4035 is in a lowered state. In Figure 13, the passage 9 is opened due to the passage closure member 4035 being lowered. The resin material is reduced in viscosity by being heated. The reduced-viscosity resin material 6e overflows from the cavity 10 and can flow through the passage 9 toward the pocket portion 4036 as shown by arrow 92.

[0041] 14 is created when the passage closure member 4035 is lowered and the resin material 6e overflows from the cavity 10. In this state, the passage closure member 4035 may be raised again. By raising the passage closure member 4035 until the upper surface of the passage closure member 4035 abuts against the lower surface of the substrate 1d, the passage 9 is closed again and further outflow of the resin material 6e from the cavity 10 can be prevented. In this state, the resin material is cured.

[0042] After the resin material has hardened, the lower mold 4050 and the upper mold 4060 are moved relatively far apart, and the upper part of the lower sheet 11 is removed, thereby obtaining a product in which the part 1e is covered with sealing resin.

[0043] 15 to 17, a fourth example of a resin molding device that can be used in combination with the automatic resin material supply device in the first embodiment based on the present invention will be described. The fourth example is a type that uses a simple structure to allow excess resin material to leak out.

[0044] This resin molding apparatus is shown in Figure 15. Although the object 1, resin material 6r, etc. are not part of the resin molding apparatus, for ease of explanation, the object 1, resin material 6r, etc. are also shown in Figure 15. The object 1 is, for example, a substrate 1d on which a component 1e is mounted. In Figure 15, the component 1e is mounted on the underside of the substrate 1d. The resin material 6r shown in Figure 15 is in granular form.

[0045] This resin molding apparatus includes a lower mold 5050, an upper mold 5060, and one or more frame members 5004. The lower mold 5050 has a lower mold head surface 5050u facing upward. The upper mold 5060 has an upper mold head surface 5060u facing the lower mold head surface 5050u. The upper mold 5060 is disposed above the lower mold 5050. The one or more frame members 5004 are disposed on the lower mold head surface 5050u so as to surround the outside of the object 1 at a distance from the object 1. A cavity is formed by being surrounded by the upper mold head surface 5060u and the frame member 5004. Here, the term "one or more frame members 5004" is used, but for ease of explanation, the following description will be continued using an example of a configuration including only one frame member 5004. In reality, a plurality of frame members 5004 may be arranged on one upper die head surface 5060u, thereby simultaneously forming a plurality of cavities.

[0046] The lower mold 5050 includes a lower mold body 5051, a cemented carbide plate 5052, and a jig 5053. The jig 5053 is a plate-shaped member. The upper mold 5060 includes an upper mold body 5061 and a cemented carbide plate 5062. A member 5015 is connected to the upper mold 5060 via a spring 5017. The member 5015 is a frame-shaped member. The spring 5017 elastically deforms, allowing the member 5015 to be displaced in the vertical direction relative to the upper mold body 5061. A member 5016 is connected to the upper mold 5060. The member 5016 is a frame-shaped member. A seal ring 5014 is arranged between the members 5015 and 5016. A seal ring 5013 is arranged at the lower end of the member 5015. This resin molding device is configured so that when the upper mold 5060 and the lower mold 5050 are brought close to each other, a space that can be evacuated is formed by being surrounded by the upper mold 5060, the lower mold 5050, members 5015, members 5016, etc.

[0047] The set 5040 is prepared as a single unit at a separate location. The set 5040 is brought in and placed on top of the lower mold 5050. However, a portion of the lower mold 5050 is also part of the set 5040. The set 5040 includes a jig 5053, a frame member 5004, a lower sheet 11, a resin material 6r, an object 1, an upper sheet 12, and an intervening member 5005. The intervening member 5005 is a plate member formed of an elastic material. The intervening member 5005 is formed, for example, of rubber. More preferably, the intervening member 5005 is formed, for example, of silicone rubber. The lower sheet 11 is a release sheet. The same is true for the upper sheet 12. The presence of the intervening member 5005 is not essential. The presence of the lower sheet 11 and the upper sheet 12 is also not essential. However, in reality, the lower sheet 11 and the upper sheet 12 would likely be arranged as shown in FIG. 15 before work is performed.

[0048] Because the lower sheet 11 and the upper sheet 12 are thin, hereinafter, when referring to members "contacting" each other, the presence of one or both of the lower sheet 11 and the upper sheet 12 will be ignored. For example, when it is said that "member A and member B contact each other," this includes not only cases where member A and member B actually contact each other directly, but also cases where member A and member B contact each other indirectly with one or both of the lower sheet 11 and the upper sheet 12 interposed therebetween.

[0049] A frame member 5004 is placed on the upper surface of the jig 5053. Granular resin material 6r is placed inside the frame member 5004. As described above, when the set 5040 is pre-assembled outside the mold, the resin material 6r may be directly supplied onto the jig 5053 by an automatic resin material supply device such as that described in embodiment 1. Alternatively, the set 5040 may be assembled on the lower mold 5050. In this case, the resin material 6r may be supplied in a predetermined amount to the jig or the like by the automatic resin material supply device such as that described in embodiment 1, and then transferred onto the jig 5053 by a handler or the like. The object 1 is placed on the resin material 6r.

[0050] When the resin molding apparatus includes one or more frame members 5004, attention is focused on each of them. Granular resin material 6r is placed in the space serving as a cavity surrounded by the lower mold head surface 5050u and the frame member 5004. The target object 1 is placed above the resin material 6r.

[0051] By bringing the lower mold 5050 and the upper mold 5060 close to each other to a certain extent, the seal ring 5013 comes into contact with the lower mold body 5051. The resin material 6r is heated to reduce its viscosity. Heating of the resin material 6r can be performed through the lower mold 5050.

[0052] When the lower mold 5050 and the upper mold 5060 are brought closer to each other, the state becomes as shown in FIG. 16 . That is, the upper mold 5060 comes into contact with the interposing member 5005. When the upper mold 5060 is lowered in this state, the target object 1 is pressed against the resin material 6e. In FIG. 16 , the resin material 6r has already been reduced in viscosity to form the resin material 6e. When the lower mold 5050 and the upper mold 5060 are brought closer to each other, the state becomes as shown in FIG. 17 . That is, a first portion 6e1, which is a part of the resin material 6e, fills the space inside the frame member 5004, and a second portion 6e2 of the resin material 6e, which is different from the first portion 6e1, can overflow outside the frame member 5004 through the gap between the frame member 5004 and the upper mold 5060. When the resin material overflows, it may overflow all at once from the entire circumference of the frame member 5004, or it may overflow from a partial section of the outer circumference of the frame member 5004. For example, if the frame member 5004 is rectangular when viewed from above, the resin material may overflow from all four sides or only from some of the sides.

[0053] The frame member 5004 and the interposed member 5005 come closer to each other, narrowing the gap between them, thereby stopping the resin material 6e from spilling out. In this state, the resin material 6e hardens. As a result, a product is obtained in which the component 1e is covered with the sealing resin. The product includes the substrate 1d, the component 1e, and the sealing resin.

[0054] 17, in this resin molding device, excess resin material supplied overflows outside the frame member 5004, and the amount of resin material remaining inside the frame member 5004 is automatically adjusted. Therefore, even if there is variation in the thickness of the substrate 1d, the thickness of the product obtained inside the frame member 5004 will be constant.

[0055] Furthermore, this resin molding device does not directly press down and clamp the object 1, thereby avoiding damage to the object 1. This resin molding device can be used whether the substrate 1d included in the object 1 is a PCB substrate or an LTCC substrate.

[0056] Furthermore, in this resin molding device, the area in which the sealing resin is formed is larger than the area of ​​the object 1, so if the object 1 is a substrate with components mounted on it, as in the example shown here, a large area can be secured in which the components can be mounted.

[0057] As shown in Figure 17, this resin molding device is based on the assumption that a certain amount of the resin material placed inside the frame member 5004 will leak out through the gap, so there is no need to strictly control the amount of resin supplied.

[0058] 15 to 17 show an example in which the intervening member 5005 is present, but a configuration without the intervening member 5005 is also possible. In this case, when the lower mold 5050 and the upper mold 5060 are brought close to each other, the frame member 5004 abuts against the upper mold 5060. It is preferable that the frame member 5004 abuts against the upper mold head surface 5060u, thereby defining the closest distance between the lower mold head surface 5050u and the upper mold head surface 5060u. By adopting this configuration, the closest distance between the lower mold head surface 5050u and the upper mold head surface 5060u is almost directly the thickness of the product, making it possible to accurately achieve the thickness of the product with a simple configuration.

[0059] The frame member 5004 may be fixed to the jig 5053 by magnetic force.

[0060] As shown in this example, the mold includes an elastic intervening member 5005, which is disposed between the upper mold head surface 5060u and the lower mold head surface 5050u and above the target object 1. When the lower mold 5050 and the upper mold 5060 are brought closer to each other, the intervening member 5005 preferably contacts the target object 1 and the frame member 5004 while abutting against the upper mold 5060. By adopting this configuration, even if the surface of the target object 1 is uneven, the unevenness can be absorbed and damage to the target object 1 can be avoided. As in the example shown here, when the target object 1 includes a mounted component 1e and the component 1e is sealed with resin, the use of the intervening member 5005 distributes the load, thereby preventing excessive load concentration on the component 1e and preventing damage to the mounted component 1e.

[0061] Furthermore, it is preferable that the closest distance between the lower die head surface 5050u and the upper die head surface 5060u be defined by the frame member 5004 abutting against and sinking into the intervening member 5005. Because the tubular member 5005 is elastic, it sinks to a certain extent when the frame member 5004 abuts against it, but it is possible to define the closest distance between the lower die head surface 5050u and the upper die head surface 5060u taking into account the amount of sinking at this time, and by defining the distance in this way, the thickness of the product can be made to be the desired thickness without being affected by variations in the substrate.

[0062] (Fifth Example of Resin Molding Apparatus) A fifth example of a resin molding apparatus that can be used in combination with the automatic resin material supply apparatus in the first embodiment based on the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 18. The fifth example is a type in which a stopper member is added to the fourth example.

[0063] This resin molding apparatus is shown in FIG. 18 . The basic configuration of this resin molding apparatus is the same as that of the resin molding apparatus described in the fourth example. The resin molding apparatus as the fifth example includes a stopper member 5007 disposed on at least one of the lower mold 5050 and the upper mold 5060 outside the frame member 5004. When the lower mold 5050 and the upper mold 5060 are brought close to each other, the stopper member 5007 abuts against either of the members, thereby defining the closest distance between the lower mold 5050 and the upper mold 5060. In the example shown in FIG. 18 , the stopper member 5007 abuts against a cemented carbide plate 5062, which is part of the upper mold 5060, thereby defining the closest distance between the lower mold 5050 and the upper mold 5060.

[0064] When the lower mold 5050 and the upper mold 5060 are brought close to each other, the resin material 6e that spills out of the frame member 5004 is contained in the gap between the frame member 5004 and the stopper member 5007. In Fig. 18, for ease of explanation, the vertical dimensions are exaggerated and the horizontal dimensions are reduced. In reality, the aspect ratio of the gap between the frame member 5004 and the stopper member 5007 is not necessarily as shown in Fig. 18.

[0065] The stopper member 5007 may be of a type that is fixed to the jig 5053 by magnetic force. The stopper member 7 may be a frame-shaped member.

[0066] In this example, the stopper member 5007 determines the closest distance between the lower mold 5050 and the upper mold 5060, so even if there is variation in the thickness of the substrate 1d, the thickness of the product obtained inside the frame member 5004 will be constant.

[0067] 18 shows an example without the intervening member 5005 to illustrate a configuration including the stopper member 5007 as a fifth example, but the intervening member 5005 may be provided as shown in FIGS. 15 to 17. In this case, the upper end of the stopper member 5007 abuts against the intervening member 5005, thereby defining the closest distance between the lower mold 5050 and the upper mold 5060.

[0068] Therefore, according to the fifth example of the resin molding device, the thickness of the product can be made to the desired thickness without being affected by variations in the substrate, and a resin molding device can be realized that does not damage the substrate.

[0069] Up to this point, an example has been described in which the number of frame members 5004 is one. The area inside the frame member 5004 is the area where the target object 1 is sealed with a resin material. The number of frame members 5004 may be two or more. In other words, two or more frame members 5004 may be arranged on one jig 5053.

[0070] The above-described embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and are not limiting. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, and includes all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0071] (Notes) (Note 1) An automatic resin material supplying device comprising: a hopper that receives granular resin material for forming a sealing resin; a feeder that receives the resin material dropping from the hopper while conveying the resin material laterally; and a container that receives the resin material dropping from the feeder, wherein the hopper includes a hopper body and a cooling section arranged to cover at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the hopper body, the feeder includes a tray section that receives the resin material dropping from the hopper, and a vibration imparting device that vibrates the tray section, and the cooling section has a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and a passage is provided inside the cooling section for passing a cooling fluid from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet.

[0072] (Appendix 2) The automatic resin material supply device described in Appendix 1, wherein the hopper body includes a tapered portion whose cross-sectional area when cut in a horizontal plane decreases as it approaches the bottom, and a cylindrical portion extending downward from the lower end of the tapered portion, and the cooling portion is arranged to cover the outer peripheral surface of the tapered portion and the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion.

[0073] (Appendix 3) An automatic resin material supply device according to Appendix 2, wherein the cooling section includes a tapered portion cooling portion that covers the outer peripheral surface of the tapered portion and a cylindrical portion cooling portion that covers the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion, the cooling portion being separate.

[0074] (Appendix 4) An automatic resin material supply device described in any one of Appendices 1 to 3, wherein the tray portion includes a bottom surface and a side wall extending upward from a portion of the outer edge of the bottom surface, the bottom surface includes a receiving portion located below the hopper and a pouring portion extending laterally from the receiving portion, the tip of the pouring portion does not have the side wall and the tip of the pouring portion is positioned above the container.

[0075] (Supplementary Note 5) The automatic resin material supply device according to Supplementary Note 4, wherein the bottom surface is inclined downward from the receiving portion toward the tip of the pouring portion.

[0076] (Appendix 6) An automatic resin material supplying device according to any one of Appendices 1 to 5, comprising a weight measuring device that measures the total weight of the container and its contents or the weight of the contents of the container, and a control unit that controls the operation of the vibration imparting device, wherein the control unit stops the conveying operation of the feeder if the measurement result by the weight measuring device is equal to or greater than a certain value.

[0077] (Appendix 7) An automatic resin material supply device according to any one of Appendices 1 to 6, further comprising a fluid tank for maintaining the cooling fluid at a temperature lower than room temperature, wherein the cooling fluid is guided from the fluid tank to the fluid inlet and from the fluid outlet to the fluid tank.

[0078] 1 Object, 1d Substrate, 1e Part, 6e (Low viscosity) resin material, 6e1 First part, 6e2 Second part, 6r (Granular) resin material, 9 Passage, 10 Cavity, 11 Lower sheet, 12 Upper sheet, 92 Arrow, 1003 Container, 1004 Weight measuring device, 1005 Control unit, 1006 Fluid tank, 1010 Hopper, 1020 Feeder, 1021 Tray portion, 1022 Vibration imparting device, 1023 Bottom surface, 1023a Receiving portion, 1023b Pouring portion, 1024 Side wall, 1030 Hopper body, 1031 Tapered portion, 1032 Cylindrical portion, 1040 Cooling portion, 1040c Passage, 1041 Tapered portion cooling portion, 1041a Fluid inlet (of tapered portion cooling portion), 1041b Fluid outlet (of tapered portion cooling portion), 1042 Cylindrical portion cooling portion, 1042a Fluid inlet (of cylindrical portion cooling portion), 1042b Fluid outlet (of cylindrical portion cooling portion), 2015 Member, 2017 Spring, 2050 Lower mold, 2051 Lower mold body, 2052 Plate material, 2060 Upper mold, 3015 Member, 3017 Spring, 3050 Lower mold, 3060 Upper mold, 3061 Upper mold body, 3062 Plate material, 4007 Through hole, 4010 Cavity, 4011 Lower sheet, 4033 Stripper portion, 4034 Stroke amount regulating member, 4035 Passage closing member, 4037 Elastic body, 4050 Lower mold, 4051 Upper die body, 4052 plate material, 4060 upper die, 5004 frame member, 5005 intervening member, 5007 stopper member, 5013, 5014 seal rings, 5015, 5016 member, 5017 spring, 5040 set, 5050 lower die, 5050u lower die head surface, 5051 lower die body, 5052 cemented carbide plate, 5053 jig, 5060 upper die, 5060u lower die head surface, 5061 upper die body, 5062 cemented carbide plate.

Claims

1. A resin material automatic supply device, comprising: a hopper for receiving a granular resin material for forming a sealing resin; a feeder for receiving the resin material falling from the hopper and laterally conveying the resin material; and a container for receiving the resin material falling from the feeder. The hopper includes a hopper body and a cooling part disposed so as to cover at least a part of the outer peripheral surface of the hopper body. The feeder includes a tray part for receiving the resin material falling from the hopper and a vibration applying device for vibrating the tray part. The cooling part has a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and a passage for passing a cooling fluid from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet is provided inside the cooling part.

2. The resin material automatic supply device according to claim 1, wherein the hopper body includes a tapered part whose cross-sectional area becomes smaller when cut by a horizontal plane as it approaches downward, and a cylindrical part extending downward from the lower end of the tapered part, and the cooling part is disposed so as to cover the outer peripheral surface of the tapered part and the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical part.

3. The resin material automatic supply device according to claim 2, wherein a tapered part cooling part covering the outer peripheral surface of the tapered part and a cylindrical part cooling part covering the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical part in the cooling part are separated.

4. The tray part according to claim 1 to 3, wherein the tray part includes a bottom surface and a side wall extending upward from a part of the outer edge of the bottom surface. The bottom surface includes a receiving part located below the hopper and a pouring part extending laterally from the receiving part. There is no side wall at the tip of the pouring part, and the tip of the pouring part is disposed above the container.

5. The resin material automatic supply device according to claim 4, wherein the bottom surface is inclined so as to descend from the receiving part toward the tip of the pouring part.

6. The resin material automatic supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a weight measuring device for measuring the total weight of the container and its contents or the weight of the contents of the container, and a control part for controlling the operation of the vibration applying device. The control part stops the conveying operation of the feeder if the measurement result by the weight measuring device is equal to or greater than a certain value.

7. The resin material automatic supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising a fluid tank for maintaining the cooling fluid at a temperature lower than room temperature, wherein the cooling fluid is guided from the fluid tank to the fluid inlet and from the fluid outlet to the fluid tank.

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