Resin molding device and method for manufacturing resin molded article

Abstract

The present invention improves the operation rate of a resin molding device and reduces running cost, and comprises: a carry-in unit 15 that carries in an unmolded object W to be molded to a molding die 17; a carry-out part 19 that carries out the resin molded article P from the molding die 17; a spray unit 20 that sprays a mold release agent to an upper mold 171 and / or a lower mold 172; an irradiation unit 21 that irradiates the upper mold 171 and / or the lower mold 172 with ultraviolet rays; and a cleaning unit 22 that cleans the mold surface of the upper mold 171 and / or the lower mold 172 by a brush 221.

Description

Resin molding device and method for manufacturing resin molded product

[0001] The present invention relates to a resin molding apparatus and a method for manufacturing a resin molded product.

[0002] In a conventional resin sealing apparatus such as that disclosed in Patent Document 1, a loader carries a workpiece into a mold, where the workpiece is sealed with resin, and an unloader removes the sealed workpiece from the mold.

[0003] In this resin sealing device, when resin sealing is repeatedly performed, dirt adheres to the surfaces of the upper and lower molds, which are the metal molds, and the dirt accumulates. The dirt may be wax-based dirt containing trace amounts of inorganic components or dirt from the resin material itself. If the accumulated dirt becomes thick, resin sealing cannot be performed properly, resulting in product defects. For this reason, in conventional resin sealing devices, after a certain number of resin sealing operations have been performed, the user manually cleans the surfaces of the upper and lower molds using cleaning resin or the like.

[0004] However, while the user is manually cleaning the device, the device cannot perform resin sealing, which reduces the production efficiency of resin molded products. Furthermore, this increases the running costs, such as the cost of consumables such as cleaning resin used in the cleaning process and labor costs associated with the cleaning process. Furthermore, the consumables, such as cleaning resin, used in the cleaning process end up as waste, which poses an environmental problem.

[0005] JP 2023-105582 A

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and its main object is to improve the operating rate of a resin molding apparatus and reduce running costs and waste.

[0007] That is, the resin molding apparatus according to the present invention is a resin molding apparatus that uses a molding die having an upper die and a lower die to resin mold an object to be molded, and is characterized by comprising: a loading section that loads the object to be molded into the molding die before molding; a loading section that loads the object to be molded from the molding die after molding; a spraying section that sprays a mold release agent onto both or one of the upper die and the lower die; an irradiation section that irradiates both or one of the upper die and the lower die with ultraviolet rays; and a cleaning section that cleans both or one of the upper die and the lower die with a brush.

[0008] According to the present invention configured in this way, it is possible to improve the operating rate of the resin molding device and reduce the running costs and waste.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing the configuration of a resin molding apparatus of an embodiment according to the present invention; FIG. 2 is a view schematically showing a molding die, a first moving body, a second moving body, and their peripheral structure of the embodiment, as viewed from the X direction; FIG. 3 is a view schematically showing a cable bear connected to each moving body of the embodiment, and their peripheral structure, as viewed from the X direction; FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing (a) irradiation of ultraviolet light and (b) spraying of a mold release agent in a resin molding operation of the embodiment; FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing (c) loading of a molding object / resin material, and (d) resin molding (mold clamping) in a resin molding operation of the embodiment; and FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing (e) unloading of a resin molded product and (f) cleaning with a brush in a resin molding operation of the embodiment.

[0010] Next, the technology according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to examples, although the present invention is not limited to the following technology.

[0011] The resin molding device of Technology 1 according to the present invention is a resin molding device that uses a molding die having an upper die and a lower die to resin-mold an object to be molded, and is characterized by comprising: a loading section that loads the object to be molded into the molding die before molding; a loading section that loads the object to be molded from the molding die after molding; a spraying section that sprays a mold release agent onto both or one of the upper die and the lower die; an irradiation section that irradiates both or one of the upper die and the lower die with ultraviolet light; and a cleaning section that cleans both or one of the upper die and the lower die with a brush.

[0012] This resin molding apparatus includes a spraying unit that sprays a release agent onto the mold, an irradiation unit that irradiates the mold with ultraviolet light, and a cleaning unit that cleans the mold with a brush. This eliminates the need for manual mold cleaning, as in the past. As a result, downtime associated with cleaning operations can be shortened, improving operating rates. Furthermore, consumables such as cleaning resins used in mold cleaning can be reduced, thereby reducing labor costs and thus running costs. Furthermore, the reduction in consumables such as cleaning resins can reduce waste. Furthermore, some rubber-sheet-based cleaning resins used in conventional mold cleaning operations can generate harmful gases. When harmful gases are generated, it is necessary to protect humans from these harmful gases. The resin molding apparatus of Technology 1 according to the present invention performs cleaning operations automatically without using rubber-sheet-based cleaning resins, thereby eliminating the generation of harmful gases and improving safety. Specifically, cleaning operations and release agent spraying can be performed automatically without opening the apparatus doors, and the air is vented using an exhaust unit installed in the apparatus after the operation, thereby improving safety. In addition, safety is maintained because the ultraviolet rays from the irradiating section are blocked by the device's door or housing. Furthermore, because the upper and lower dies are sprayed with a release agent, cleaned with a brush, and then irradiated with ultraviolet rays, contamination of the molding die due to resin molding can be suppressed. As a result, the quality of the resin molded product can be improved.

[0013] In addition to the configuration of the above-described Technology 1, the resin molding apparatus of Technology 2 according to the present invention preferably has the loading unit and the unloading unit enter between the upper and lower molds from one side of the mold, and the spraying unit, the irradiation unit, and the cleaning unit enter between the upper and lower molds from the other side of the mold. With this configuration, the loading and unloading units can prevent interference between the loading and unloading of the molding object into and out of the mold and the cleaning of the mold by the spraying unit, the irradiation unit, and the cleaning unit. Furthermore, the moving mechanism for moving the loading and unloading units can be separated from the moving mechanisms for moving the spraying unit, the irradiation unit, and the cleaning unit, simplifying the device configuration.

[0014] In addition to the configuration of the above-described technology 1 or 2, a resin molding apparatus according to technology 3 of the present invention is preferably configured such that the spray unit and the irradiation unit are provided on a common first movable body, the cleaning unit is provided on a second movable body separate from the first movable body, and the first movable body and the second movable body are configured to be independently movable. With this configuration, the spray unit and irradiation unit can be moved separately from the cleaning unit. For example, in the case of multiple molding molds, different treatments can be performed simultaneously on multiple molding molds, such as by moving the spray unit and irradiation unit to treat one molding mold and then moving the cleaning unit to treat another molding mold.

[0015] In addition to the configuration of any one of the above-described techniques 1 to 3, the resin molding apparatus of technique 4 according to the present invention preferably has a plurality of the molding dies arranged in a row along the horizontal direction. With this configuration, since the molding dies are arranged in a row, the production efficiency of the resin molded products can be improved. Furthermore, since the molding dies are arranged in a row, the spray unit, irradiation unit, and cleaning unit can be moved to each molding die with a simple configuration of linearly moving the spray unit, irradiation unit, and cleaning unit in the horizontal direction.

[0016] In addition to the configuration of the above-described technology 4, the resin molding apparatus of technology 5 according to the present invention preferably further includes a transport moving mechanism that moves the loading unit and the unloading unit along the arrangement direction of the molding molds, and a processing moving mechanism that moves the spraying unit, the irradiating unit, and the cleaning unit along the arrangement direction. With this configuration, the loading unit and the unloading unit can be moved to multiple molding molds, and the spraying unit, the irradiating unit, and the cleaning unit can be moved. As a result, they can be shared by multiple molding molds, simplifying the device configuration and preventing the resin molding apparatus from becoming larger.

[0017] In addition to the configuration of Technology 5, a resin molding apparatus according to Technology 6 of the present invention preferably has a plurality of molding molds disposed between the transport moving mechanism and the processing moving mechanism. With this configuration, the installation space for the transport moving mechanism and the processing moving mechanism are separated into the front and rear of the molding molds, simplifying the configuration of the moving mechanisms and their peripheral configuration. Furthermore, by incorporating the processing moving mechanism in front of the molding molds in a conventional resin molding apparatus in which the loading and unloading sections are located behind the molding molds, it becomes possible to add a spraying section, an irradiating section, and a cleaning section to the conventional resin molding apparatus without making major design changes.

[0018] In a resin molding apparatus according to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the fifth or sixth aspect described above, the processing movement mechanism preferably includes a first processing movement unit that moves the spray unit and the irradiation unit along the arrangement direction, and a second processing movement unit that moves the cleaning unit along the arrangement direction. This configuration simplifies the configuration of the processing movement mechanism, which moves the spray unit and the irradiation unit and the cleaning unit separately. As a result, in a configuration having multiple molds, different processes can be performed simultaneously on multiple molds, such as by moving the spray unit and the irradiation unit to one mold and performing a process thereon, and then moving the cleaning unit to another mold and performing a process thereon.

[0019] In addition to the configuration of the above-described technology 7, the resin molding apparatus of technology 8 according to the present invention is preferably configured such that the first processing moving unit moves the spray unit and the irradiation unit between the upper mold and the lower mold by a rack-and-pinion mechanism, and the second processing moving unit moves the cleaning unit between the upper mold and the lower mold by a rack-and-pinion mechanism. With this configuration, the configuration for moving the spray unit, irradiation unit, and cleaning unit between the upper mold and the lower mold can be simplified, and an increase in the size of the resin molding apparatus can be prevented.

[0020] A resin molding apparatus according to a ninth aspect of the present invention has the configuration of any one of the above-described technologies 5 to 8, and further, the processing movement mechanism preferably moves the spray unit, the irradiation unit, and the cleaning unit to retracted positions outside the plurality of molds along the arrangement direction. With this configuration, by moving the spray unit, the irradiation unit, and the cleaning unit to their retracted positions, it becomes possible to approach the molds, thereby ensuring operability in mold replacement and other operations.

[0021] A resin molding apparatus according to Technology 10 of the present invention has the same configuration as any one of Technology 1 to Technology 9, but preferably includes an opening / closing section in front of the mold corresponding to the mold, and the opening / closing section is configured using a shutter cover. With this configuration, the opening / closing section is configured using a shutter cover, which allows the footprint of the resin molding apparatus to be smaller than an opening / closing section that opens outward in the front. The footprint refers to the floor area occupied by the resin molding apparatus when installed. Furthermore, even if a processing movement mechanism for moving the spraying section, irradiation section, and cleaning section is provided in front of the mold, the use of a shutter cover allows the footprint to be equivalent to that of a conventional resin molding apparatus that opens outward in the front.

[0022] It is desirable that cleaning with a brush be performed after each resin molding. On the other hand, spraying of a release agent onto the molding die and irradiation of ultraviolet rays onto the molding die do not need to be performed after each resin molding. Therefore, in addition to the configuration of any one of the above-mentioned technologies 1 to 10, a resin molding apparatus according to technology 11 of the present invention has the following features: the cleaning unit cleans the molding die with the brush after each resin molding; the irradiation unit irradiates the molding die with ultraviolet rays after each predetermined number of resin moldings; and the spray unit sprays a release agent onto the molding die each time the irradiation unit irradiates ultraviolet rays, and the predetermined number of times is preferably two or more.

[0023] A resin molding apparatus according to a twelfth aspect of the present invention preferably has the same configuration as any one of the first to eleventh aspects, but further includes: a spray unit that enters between the upper and lower molds in a mold-open state before resin molding to spray the release agent; and a loading unit that loads the pre-molded object between the upper and lower molds after the spray unit retracts from between the upper and lower molds. This configuration simplifies the operation of the resin molding apparatus, particularly the opening of the upper and lower molds, since spraying of the release agent and loading of the pre-molded object are performed consecutively during a single mold-opening operation. Furthermore, resin molding can be performed immediately after spraying the release agent, without impairing the function of the release agent. Furthermore, spraying of the release agent can be performed immediately before loading of the pre-molded object, preventing a decrease in operating rate due to the spraying of the release agent.

[0024] A resin molding apparatus according to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention has the same configuration as any one of the first to twelfth aspects, and further includes: a discharge unit that enters between the upper and lower molds when the molds are open after resin molding to discharge the molded object; and a cleaning unit that enters between the upper and lower molds and cleans with the brush in conjunction with or after the discharge unit retracts from between the upper and lower molds. This configuration simplifies the operation of the resin molding apparatus, particularly the mold opening operation of the upper and lower molds. Furthermore, the brush cleaning operation can be performed immediately after the molded object is discharged, preventing a decrease in operating rate due to the brush cleaning operation.

[0025] Furthermore, a manufacturing method of a resin molded product according to Technology 14 of the present invention is a manufacturing method of a resin molded product using the resin molding apparatus of any one of Technologies 1 to 13, characterized in that a pre-molded object is loaded into the open upper and lower dies, the upper and lower dies into which the pre-molded object has been loaded are clamped to resin mold the object, the molded object is unloaded from the open upper and lower dies after the resin molding, a mold release agent is sprayed onto the open upper and lower dies before the pre-molded object is loaded, and the open upper and lower dies are irradiated with ultraviolet light after the molded object is unloaded after the resin molding. With this manufacturing method of a resin molded product, the upper and lower dies are sprayed with a mold release agent or irradiated with ultraviolet light before the pre-molded object is loaded, and the upper and lower dies are cleaned with a brush after the molded object is unloaded, thereby suppressing contamination of the molds due to resin molding. As a result, the quality of the resin molded product can be improved.

[0026] <One embodiment of the present invention> Hereinafter, one embodiment of a resin molding apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that in all of the drawings shown below, parts are appropriately omitted or exaggerated for clarity. Identical components are given the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

[0027] <Overall Configuration of Resin Molding Apparatus 100> The resin molding apparatus 100 of this embodiment resin-moldes a molding object W to which an electronic component (not shown) is connected by transfer molding using a resin material J.

[0028] Here, the molding object W may be, for example, a metal substrate, a resin substrate, a glass substrate, a ceramic substrate, a circuit board, a semiconductor substrate, a wiring board, a lead frame, or the like, with or without wiring. The resin material J for resin molding is, for example, a composite material containing a thermosetting resin, and the resin material J may be in the form of granules, powder, liquid, sheet, tablet, or the like. Furthermore, the electronic component (not shown) connected to the upper surface of the molding object W may be, for example, an electronic element such as a bare chip, a resistor element, or a capacitor element, or at least one of these electronic elements sealed with resin.

[0029] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1 , the resin molding apparatus 100 includes a supply module 100A that supplies a molding object W (hereinafter simply referred to as the “molding object W”) and a resin material J before molding, a molding module 100B having a molding die 17 for resin molding, and a storage module 100C that stores the molding object W (hereinafter referred to as the “resin molded product P”) after molding. The supply module 100A, molding module 100B, and storage module 100C can be attached to, detached from, and replaced with the other components. While the present embodiment includes two molding modules 100B, the number of each component can be increased or decreased, such as by using one or three or more molding modules 100B.

[0030] The operation of the resin molding apparatus 100, which includes the modules 100A to 100C described below, is controlled, for example, by a control unit CTL provided in the supply module 100A. The control unit CTL has a processing element such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and controls the operation by executing a program stored in a storage unit (not shown). The control unit CTL may be provided in modules 100B and 100C other than the supply module 100A. The control unit CTL may also have multiple processing elements. In this case, the processing elements of the control unit CTL may be arranged in at least two of the modules 100A to 100C.

[0031] Supply module 100A supplies workpieces W to molding module 100B and also supplies resin material J to molding module 100B. Specifically, supply module A has a workpiece supply section 11 that supplies workpieces W, a workpiece placement section 12 that delivers the workpieces W, a resin material accommodation section 13 that accommodates resin material J, a resin material alignment section 14 that aligns the resin material J, and a loader 15 (hereinafter referred to as "loader 15") that transports the workpieces W from workpiece placement section 12 to molding module 100B and transports resin material J from the resin material alignment section 14 to resin molding module B. Here, loader 15 is movable at least in the X and Y directions by a transport movement mechanism 16.

[0032] The two molding modules 100B use the molding object W and resin material J transported by the loader 15 to resin-mold the molding object W. Each molding module 100B includes a molding die 17 that forms a cavity C into which the resin material J is filled, and a clamping mechanism (not shown) that clamps the molding die 17. In this embodiment, the molding dies 17 provided in the two molding modules 100B are arranged in a row along the X direction.

[0033] The molding die 17 has an upper die 171 and a lower die 172 arranged opposite to each other, and a recess that forms a cavity C is formed in one or both of the upper die 171 and the lower die 172. A pot 17a that contains a resin material J is formed in the lower die 172. Furthermore, a resin passage (not shown) that connects the pot 17a to the cavity C is formed in the upper die 171 or the lower die 172. In addition, an air vent (not shown) is formed in the upper die 171 on the side opposite to the pot 17a.

[0034] Then, with the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 clamped together by the mold clamping mechanism, the molten resin material J is extruded from the pot 17a by a plunger (not shown), and the molten resin material J passes through the resin passage and is injected into the cavity C. Then, the electronic components of the molding object W housed in the cavity C are sealed with resin.

[0035] A ceramic layer containing yttrium oxide, nitrogen, and cations of a Group 4A element is formed on the surface of the upper mold 171 and the surface of the lower mold 172. Here, the surface of the upper mold 171 and the surface of the lower mold 172 refer to the surfaces of the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 that face each other (the lower surface of the upper mold 171 and the upper surface of the lower mold 172). This makes the surfaces of the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 excellent in releasability and low adhesion (anti-fouling properties). Note that the Group 4A element may be, for example, at least one element selected from the group consisting of titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf), and rutherfordium (Rf).

[0036] As shown in FIG. 1 , the storage module 100C has a storage section 18 that stores the resin molded product P, and an unloading section 19 (hereinafter referred to as the "unloader 19") that receives the resin molded product P from the molding module 100B and unloads it to the storage section 18. The resin molded product P stored in the storage section 18 can be removed from outside the device. The unloader 19 is movable in at least the X and Y directions by a transfer mechanism 16. In this embodiment, the loader 15 and the unloader 19 are movable by a common transfer mechanism 16. This transfer mechanism 16 is provided along the arrangement direction (X direction) of the multiple molding dies 17, and in this embodiment, is provided on one side, i.e., the rear side, of the molding dies 17.

[0037] <Automatic Cleaning Function of Resin Molding Apparatus 100> The resin molding apparatus 100 of this embodiment has a function of automatically cleaning the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172. The components that perform the automatic cleaning function described below may be modularized, and the cleaning modules may be configured to be detachable from each of the modules 100A to 100C. Note that when the cleaning modules are configured to be detachable, the control units of the cleaning modules may be provided inside or outside the cleaning modules.

[0038] Specifically, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the resin molding apparatus 100 includes a spraying unit 20 that sprays a release agent onto the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172, an irradiation unit 21 that irradiates the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 with ultraviolet rays, and a cleaning unit 22 that cleans the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 with a brush 221.

[0039] The spraying unit 20 sprays a release agent onto the surface of the upper mold 171 and the surface of the lower mold 172. The spraying unit 20 mainly reduces contamination caused by resin molding on the inner surface of the recess that will become the cavity C of the upper mold 171 and / or the inner surface of the recess that will become the cavity C of the lower mold 172.

[0040] The release agent may be, for example, a fluorine coating liquid or an oil-based release agent that is liquid at room temperature. The fluorine coating liquid has, for example, a three-part structure consisting of a fluorine-based polymer part that has releasability, a functional group part that adheres to the mold surface, and a junction part that connects them, and is obtained by dissolving a reactive fluorine-based compound in a fluorine-based volatile solvent. The oil-based release agent may, for example, be silicone-free, halogen-free, water-free, and have a viscosity of 100 mPa·s (cP) or less.

[0041] Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the spraying unit 20 has a nozzle 20a that sprays the release agent and a supply unit 20b that supplies the release agent to the nozzle 20a. The spraying unit 20 in this embodiment is configured to spray the release agent onto the surfaces of the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 using a common nozzle 20a. In this case, the spraying unit 20 can switch the direction of the release agent sprayed from the nozzle 20a between the surface of the upper mold 171 and the surface of the lower mold 172. The spraying unit 20 may also have an upper mold nozzle that sprays the release agent onto the surface of the upper mold 171 and a lower mold nozzle that sprays the release agent onto the surface of the lower mold 172. When the spraying unit 20 enters the opened upper mold 171 and lower mold 172, it sprays the release agent onto the surfaces of the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172. The spray unit 20 is provided on a first moving body 23 that is moved by a processing moving mechanism 25 described later.

[0042] The irradiation unit 21 irradiates the surfaces of the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 with ultraviolet light to remove dirt adhering to these surfaces. Here, the dirt adhering to the surfaces is mainly composed of wax contained in the resin. The irradiation unit 21 mainly vaporizes and removes wax-based dirt adhering to the inner surface of the recess that will become the cavity C of the upper mold 171 and / or the inner surface of the recess that will become the cavity C of the lower mold 172.

[0043] Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the irradiation unit 21 includes an upper mold irradiation unit 21a that irradiates the surface of the upper mold 171 with ultraviolet light and a lower mold irradiation unit 21b that irradiates the surface of the lower mold 172 with ultraviolet light. The upper mold irradiation unit 21a has a plurality of ultraviolet LEDs arranged in a plane, and the lower mold irradiation unit 21b has a plurality of ultraviolet LEDs arranged in a plane. The ultraviolet LEDs emit ultraviolet light in a wavelength band of, for example, 400 nm or less. When the irradiation unit 21 enters between the opened upper mold 171 and lower mold 172, the upper mold irradiation unit 21a irradiates ultraviolet light toward the surface of the upper mold 171, and the lower mold irradiation unit 21b irradiates ultraviolet light toward the surface of the lower mold 172. The irradiation unit 21 is provided on the first movable body 23 on which the spray unit 20 is provided. In other words, the spray unit 20 and the irradiation unit 21 are provided on the same first movable body 23.

[0044] The cleaning unit 22 cleans the surfaces of the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 with a brush 221. The cleaning unit 22 mainly removes resin adhering to the surfaces of the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 and to the air vents.

[0045] 1 and 2, the cleaning unit 22 has an upper mold cleaning unit 22a that cleans the surface of the upper mold 171 with a brush 221, and a lower mold cleaning unit 22b that cleans the surface of the lower mold 172 with the brush 221. The cleaning unit 22 also has a dust collection mechanism (not shown) for collecting the resin removed by the brush 221. When the cleaning unit 22 enters the opened upper mold 171 and lower mold 172, it cleans the surfaces of the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 with the brush 221. The cleaning unit 22 is provided on a second moving body 24 that is separate from the first moving body 23 on which the spraying unit 20 and the irradiating unit 21 are provided. The second moving body 24 is moved by a processing moving mechanism 25, which will be described later.

[0046] 1 and 2, the above-mentioned spray unit 20, irradiation unit 21, and cleaning unit 22 are configured to enter between the opened upper mold 171 and lower mold 172 from the front side, which is the other side of the molding die 17. Furthermore, the first moving body 23 provided with the spray unit 20 and irradiation unit 21, and the second moving body 24 provided with the cleaning unit 22 are configured to be able to move independently of each other.

[0047] 1 and 2, the resin molding apparatus 100 includes a processing moving mechanism 25 that moves the spraying unit 20, the irradiating unit 21, and the cleaning unit 22 along the arrangement direction (X direction) of the plurality of molding dies 17. The processing moving mechanism 25 is provided in front of the plurality of molding dies 17. As mentioned above, the transport moving mechanism 16 that moves the loader 15 and the unloader 19 is provided behind the plurality of molding dies 17 (see FIG. 1).

[0048] 2, the processing movement mechanism 25 has a first processing movement part 25a that moves the first movement body 23, on which the spray part 20 and the irradiation part 21 are provided, along the arrangement direction (X direction), and a second processing movement part 25b that moves the second movement body 24, on which the cleaning part 22 is provided, along the arrangement direction (X direction). Here, the first processing movement part 25a is provided below the second processing movement part 25b.

[0049] 2, the first processing moving unit 25a has an X-direction guide rail 25a1 provided along the X direction in front of the forming mold 17, and a drive unit (not shown) that moves the first moving body 23 along the X-direction guide rail 25a1. The drive unit may be configured using, for example, a motor and an idler belt. As the first moving body 23 moves along the X-direction guide rail 25a1, the spray unit 20 and the irradiation unit 21 move to each forming mold 17. In addition, a Z-direction moving unit 26 is provided between the X-direction guide rail 25a1 and the first moving body 23 and moves the first moving body 23 up and down (in the Z direction). The Z-direction moving unit 26 moves along the X-direction guide rail 25a1 and includes a Z-direction guide rail 261 provided along the Z direction, a Z-direction slider 262 that slides on the Z-direction guide rail 261, and a drive unit (not shown) that moves the Z-direction slider 262 along the Z-direction guide rail 261. Furthermore, the first moving body 23 includes a Y-direction moving unit 27 for moving in the front-rear direction (Y direction) toward and away from the forming die 17.

[0050] Here, the Y-direction moving unit 27 uses a rack-and-pinion mechanism and has racks 27a, 28, a pinion 27b that meshes with the racks 27a, 28, and a motor (not shown) that rotates the pinion 27b. The rack 27a is fixed to a Z-direction slider 262 of the Z-direction moving unit 26. The rack 28 is provided on the forming die 17 or a peripheral member thereof. The pinion 27b is provided on the first moving body 23. In addition, the first moving body 23 is provided with support rollers 27c, 27d, such as cam followers, that support the load of the first moving body 23 against the racks 27a, 28. The support rollers 27c, 27d contact the upper surfaces of the racks 27a, 28.

[0051] Then, the first moving body 23 is moved in the X direction together with the Z direction moving unit 26 along the X direction guide rail 25a1, and the first moving body 23 and rack 27a are moved in the Z direction by the Z direction moving unit 26, so that the first moving body 23 is moved forward of the forming die 17. At this time, the rack 28 and the rack 27a are close to each other and aligned in a straight line. When the pinion 27b is rotated by the motor in this state, the pinion 27b advances on the rack 27a and the rack 28, and the first moving body 23 enters between the upper die 171 and the lower die 172. During this entry, the rack with which the pinion 27b meshes switches from the rack 27a to the rack 28. In addition, the support rollers 27c and 27d also transfer from the rack 27a to the rack 28. In other words, the first moving body 23 is self-propelled and moves back and forth between the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172, so there is no need to provide a drive mechanism in the first processing moving section 25a for moving it back and forth, and the footprint can be made smaller.

[0052] 2, the second processing moving unit 25b has an X-direction guide rail 25b1 provided along the X direction in front of the forming mold 17, and a drive unit (not shown) that moves the second moving body 24 along the X-direction guide rail 25b1. The drive unit may be configured, for example, using a motor and an idler belt. The cleaning unit 22 moves to each forming mold 17 as the second moving body 24 moves along the X-direction guide rail 25b1. In addition, a Z-direction moving unit 29 is provided between the X-direction guide rail 25b1 and the second moving body 24 to move the second moving body 24 up and down (in the Z direction). The Z-direction moving unit 29 moves along the X-direction guide rail 25b1 and includes a Z-direction guide rail 291 provided along the Z direction, a Z-direction slider 292 that slides on the Z-direction guide rail 291, and a drive unit (not shown) that moves the Z-direction slider 292 along the Z-direction guide rail 291. Furthermore, the second moving body 24 includes a Y-direction moving unit 30 that moves in the front-to-rear direction (Y direction) toward and away from the forming die 17.

[0053] Here, the Y-direction moving unit 30 uses a rack-and-pinion mechanism and has racks 30a, 28, a pinion 30b that meshes with the racks 30a, 28, and a motor (not shown) that rotates the pinion 30b. The rack 30a is fixed to a Z-direction slider 292 of the Z-direction moving unit 29. The rack 28 is provided on the forming die 17 or a peripheral member thereof. The pinion 30b is provided on the second moving body 24. In addition, the second moving body 24 is provided with support rollers 30c, 30d, such as cam followers, that support the load of the second moving body 23 against the racks 30a, 28. The support rollers 30c, 30d contact the upper surfaces of the racks 30a, 28.

[0054] Then, the second moving body 24 is moved in the X direction together with the Z direction moving unit 29 along the X direction guide rail 25b1, and the Z direction moving unit 29 moves the second moving body 24 and rack 30a in the Z direction, moving the second moving body 24 forward of the forming die 17. At this time, the rack 28 and rack 30a are close to each other and aligned in a straight line. When the pinion 30b is rotated by the motor in this state, the pinion 30b advances on the rack 28 and rack 30a, and the second moving body 24 enters between the upper die 171 and the lower die 172. During this entry, the rack with which the pinion 30b meshes switches from rack 30a to rack 28. In addition, the support rollers 30c and 30d also transfer from rack 30a to rack 30. In other words, the second moving body 24 is self-propelled and moves back and forth between the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172, so there is no need to provide a drive mechanism in the second processing moving section 25b for moving it back and forth, and the footprint can be made smaller.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 1 , the processing movement mechanism 25 can move the spray unit 20, the irradiation unit 21, and the cleaning unit 22 to a retracted position EP located outside the plurality of forming molds 17 along the arrangement direction (X direction). In this embodiment, the retracted position EP is set closer to the supply module 100A than the forming molds 17. Specifically, the first processing movement unit 25a of the processing movement mechanism 25 extends to the front of the supply module 100A. The first processing movement unit 25a can move the spray unit 20 and the irradiation unit 21 to the retracted position EP by moving the first moving body 23 to the retracted position EP. The second processing movement unit 25b of the processing movement mechanism 25 extends to the front of the supply module 100A. The second processing movement unit 25b can move the second moving body 24 to the retracted position EP by moving the cleaning unit 22 to the retracted position EP.

[0056] In this embodiment, when the spray unit 20, the irradiation unit 21, and the cleaning unit 22 are moved to the retracted position EP by the moving processing mechanism 25, the opening / closing units 31 provided corresponding to each molding die 17 can be opened. Here, the opening / closing units 31 are provided on the front side of the apparatus, and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 , are provided on the front side of a housing 33 that houses the moving processing mechanism 25, the moving bodies 23 and 24, and the cable bears 32 a and 32 b connected to the moving bodies 23 and 24. The opening / closing units 31 in this embodiment are configured using a shutter cover. This shutter cover may be configured to be opened and closed manually, or may be configured to be opened and closed automatically using an actuator such as a rodless cylinder.

[0057] The cable bears 32a and 32b are configured to be movable in the X direction together with the movable bodies 23 and 24, and deform in accordance with the Y direction movement of the movable bodies 23 and 24. In addition, another cable bear (not shown) that deforms in accordance with the X direction movement of the cable bears 32a and 32b is connected to the device side ends (ends opposite the movable bodies) of the cable bears 32a and 32b.

[0058] Furthermore, the cable bear 32a of the first moving body 23 and the cable bear 32b of the second moving body 24 are configured so as not to interfere with each other. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 3, when viewed from the X direction, the cable bear 32b of the second moving body 24, which moves above, is arranged inside the cable bear 32a of the first moving body 23, which moves below. Each cable bear 32a, 32b extends upward from each moving body 23, 24, and is arranged so as to follow the front and top surfaces of the device main body. Note that each cable bear 32a, 32b does not have to be arranged so as to follow the top surface of the device main body.

[0059] <Method for manufacturing resin molded product P> Next, the operation of the resin molding apparatus 100 according to this embodiment and the method for manufacturing the resin molded product P will be described with reference to Figures 4 to 6. Note that the following operations are performed by, for example, a control unit CTL provided in the supply module 100A controlling each unit.

[0060] Before the loader 15 loads the molding object W and the resin material J into the molding die 17, as shown in FIG. 4A , the irradiation unit 21 irradiates ultraviolet light. Specifically, a first moving body 23 moves in front of the molding die 17, which is in an open state before resin molding. In this embodiment, a height position for the first moving body 23 when moving left and right (X direction) is set. When moving left and right (X direction), the first moving body 23 first moves up and down (Z direction) to the set height position and then moves left and right (X direction). The first moving body 23 then enters between the upper die 171 and the lower die 172 from the front. While the first moving body 23 moves between the upper die 171 and the lower die 172, the irradiation unit 21 irradiates ultraviolet light onto the surfaces of the upper die 171 and the lower die 172.

[0061] Then, immediately after the irradiation of ultraviolet light by the irradiation unit 21 is completed, as shown in FIG. 4B , a release agent is sprayed onto the open upper and lower mold dies 171 and 172. Specifically, the first moving body 23 moves forward of the molding die 17 in the open state prior to resin molding. The first moving body 23 then enters between the upper and lower mold dies 171 and 172 from the front. While the first moving body 23 moves between the upper and lower mold dies 171 and 172, the spraying unit 20 sprays the release agent onto the surfaces of the upper and lower mold dies 171 and 172. The ceramic layers on the surfaces of the upper and lower mold dies 171 and 172 have a textured surface (fine irregularities), and the spraying of the release agent supplies the release agent into the recesses of this textured surface. This reduces the anchor effect caused by the recesses of the textured surface of the ceramic layer, reducing adhesion and improving releasability.

[0062] After the spraying unit 20 retreats forward from between the opened upper and lower dies 171 and 172, the loader 15 carries the molding object W and the resin material J from the rear into the space between the upper and lower dies 171 and 172, as shown in Fig. 5(c) . After the release agent is sprayed and before the molding object W and the resin material J are carried in, the space between the upper and lower dies 171 and 172 is evacuated by a dust collector (not shown) to remove the atomized release agent. In Figure 5 (c), the first moving body 23 and the second moving body 24 are lowered when the molding object W and the resin material J are being transported (the second moving body 24 is positioned in front between the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172), but the first moving body 23 and the second moving body 24 may also be lowered after the molding object W and the resin material J are transported, or at the latest, the first moving body 23 and the second moving body 24 may be lowered before the unloader 19 enters and transports the resin molded product P.

[0063] Then, as shown in FIG. 5D, the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 into which the molding object W and the resin material J have been carried are clamped by a clamping mechanism, and the molding object W is resin-molded.

[0064] When the mold clamping mechanism opens the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 after resin molding, as shown in Figure 6(e), the unloader 19 enters between the opened upper mold 171 and lower mold 172 from the rear and carries out the resin molded product P. At this time, the second moving body 24 moves forward of the molding die 17. In this embodiment, the height position of the second moving body 24 when moving left and right (X direction) is set, and when moving left and right (X direction), the second moving body 24 first moves up and down (Z direction) to the set height position (different from the height position of the first moving body 23) and then moves left and right (X direction).

[0065] As shown in Fig. 6(f), in conjunction with or after the unloader 19 retreats rearward from between the opened upper and lower dies 171 and 172, the second moving body 24 advances from the front between the upper and lower dies 171 and 172. While the second moving body 24 is moving between the upper and lower dies 171 and 172, the cleaning unit 22 cleans the surfaces of the upper and lower dies 171 and 172 with the brush 221.

[0066] Thereafter, the next resin molding operation (delivery of molding object / resin material → resin molding (mold clamping) → delivery of resin molded product → cleaning with a brush) is performed a predetermined number of times. Here, the predetermined number is two or more, for example, 300 times. After the predetermined number of resin molding operations have been performed, ultraviolet irradiation and spraying of a mold release agent are performed again in succession. As described above, in the resin molding apparatus 100 of this embodiment, cleaning with a brush by the cleaning unit 22 is performed for each resin molding. Furthermore, irradiation of ultraviolet rays by the irradiation unit 21 and spraying of a mold release agent by the spray unit 20 are performed for each predetermined number of resin moldings (for example, 300 times). Note that, since the resin material J contains wax that functions as a mold release agent, spraying of a mold release agent by the spray unit 20 does not need to be performed for each resin molding.

[0067] <Effects of this embodiment> The resin molding apparatus 100 of this embodiment includes the spraying unit 20 that sprays a release agent onto the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172, the irradiation unit 21 that irradiates the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 with ultraviolet rays, and the cleaning unit 22 that cleans the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 with the brush 221. This eliminates the need to stop the apparatus and manually clean the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172, as was done in the past. As a result, downtime can be reduced and the operating rate can be improved.

[0068] Furthermore, it is possible to reduce consumables such as cleaning resin used in the cleaning work of the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172, and it is also possible to reduce labor costs, thereby reducing running costs. Furthermore, since it is possible to reduce the amount of consumables such as cleaning resin used, it is also possible to reduce waste.

[0069] Furthermore, safety can be improved because the cleaning work is performed automatically without using, for example, a rubber sheet-based cleaning resin that is used in the cleaning work of the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172. Specifically, safety can be improved by automatically performing the cleaning work and spraying the mold release agent without opening the opening / closing unit 31 of the resin molding apparatus 100, and venting the air using the dust collection unit of the resin molding apparatus 100 after the work. Also, safety is maintained because the ultraviolet rays from the irradiation unit 21 are blocked by the opening / closing unit 31 or the housing 33 of the apparatus.

[0070] Furthermore, by spraying a mold release agent onto the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172, cleaning the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 with the brush 221, and irradiating them with ultraviolet light, it is possible to suppress contamination of the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 due to resin molding, and as a result, the quality of the resin molded product P can be improved.

[0071] Other Modified Embodiments The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments.

[0072] For example, the spraying unit 20 may be configured to spray the release agent onto only one of the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172. Furthermore, the spraying unit 20 may switch between the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 to spray the release agent, for example, for each resin molding.

[0073] The irradiation unit 21 may be configured to irradiate ultraviolet light onto only one of the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172. Furthermore, the irradiation unit 21 may switch between the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 to irradiate ultraviolet light, for example, for each resin molding.

[0074] The cleaning unit 22 may be configured to clean only one of the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 with the brush 221. Furthermore, the cleaning unit 22 may switch between the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 to be cleaned with the brush 221, for example, for each resin molding. When switching between the upper mold 171 and the lower mold 172 in this manner, it is possible to move the cleaning unit 22 up and down with a vertical drive mechanism (not shown) so that the cleaning unit 22 comes into contact with only the mold to be cleaned. Furthermore, the cleaning unit 22 may be configured to clean with the brush 221 after each resin molding, or after a predetermined number of resin moldings.

[0075] In the above embodiment, the spray unit 20 and the irradiation unit 21 are provided on the first moving body, but the spray unit 20 and the irradiation unit 21 may be provided on separate moving bodies. Also, the spray unit 20, the irradiation unit 21, and the cleaning unit 22 may be provided on one moving body. Furthermore, the spray unit 20 and the cleaning unit 22 may be provided on one moving body, or the irradiation unit 21 and the cleaning unit 22 may be provided on one moving body.

[0076] In the above embodiment, the processing moving mechanism 25 was configured to have a first processing moving part 25a and a second processing moving part 25b, but it may also be configured so that the first moving body 23 and the second moving body 24 are moved by a single processing moving part.

[0077] In the above embodiment, the loader 15 and the unloader 19 are movable by the common transfer mechanism 16, but the loader 15 and the unloader 19 may be configured to be movable by separate transfer mechanisms.

[0078] In the above embodiment, the resin molding apparatus that performs resin molding by transfer molding has been described, but the present invention can also be applied to a resin molding apparatus that performs resin molding by compression molding.

[0079] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0080] According to the present invention, it is possible to improve the operating rate of a resin molding device and reduce running costs.

[0081] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Resin molding apparatus W Molding object before molding P Molding object after molding (resin molded product) 15 Loading section (loader) 16 Transport moving mechanism 17 Molding mold 171 Upper mold 172 Lower mold 19 Transporting section (unloader) 20 Spraying section 21 Irradiation section 22 Cleaning section 221 Brush 23 First moving body 24 Second moving body 25 Processing transport mechanism 31 Opening / closing section

Claims

1. A resin molding device that uses a molding die having an upper die and a lower die to mold a resin into an object to be molded, comprising: a loading section that loads the object to be molded into the molding die before molding; a loading section that loads the object to be molded out of the molding die after molding; a spraying section that sprays a mold release agent onto both or one of the upper die and the lower die; an irradiation section that irradiates both or one of the upper die and the lower die with ultraviolet light; and a cleaning section that cleans both or one of the upper die and the lower die with a brush.

2. A resin molding device as described in claim 1, wherein the loading section and the unloading section enter between the upper and lower molds from one side of the molding mold, and the spraying section, the irradiation section and the cleaning section enter between the upper and lower molds from the other side of the molding mold.

3. A resin molding device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the spray unit and the irradiation unit are provided on a common first moving body, the cleaning unit is provided on a second moving body separate from the first moving body, and the first moving body and the second moving body are configured to be able to move independently of each other.

4. A resin molding apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a plurality of said molding dies arranged in a row along the horizontal direction.

5. A resin molding device as described in claim 4, further comprising: a transport moving mechanism that moves the loading section and the unloading section along the arrangement direction of the molding molds; and a processing moving mechanism that moves the spray section, the irradiation section, and the cleaning section along the arrangement direction.

6. The resin molding apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of said molding dies are arranged between said transport moving mechanism and said processing moving mechanism.

7. A resin molding device as described in claim 5 or 6, wherein the processing movement mechanism has a first processing movement part that moves the spray part and the irradiation part along the arrangement direction, and a second processing movement part that moves the cleaning part along the arrangement direction.

8. A resin molding apparatus as described in claim 7, wherein the first processing moving unit moves the spray unit and the irradiation unit between the upper mold and the lower mold using a rack and pinion mechanism, and the second processing moving unit moves the cleaning unit between the upper mold and the lower mold using a rack and pinion mechanism.

9. A resin molding device described in any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the processing movement mechanism moves the spray unit, the irradiation unit, and the cleaning unit along the arrangement direction to a retracted position outside the multiple molding molds.

10. A resin molding device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein an opening and closing section is provided on the front side of the molding die in correspondence with the molding die, and the opening and closing section is constructed using a shutter cover.

11. A resin molding device as described in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the cleaning unit cleans the molding mold with the brush after each resin molding, the irradiation unit irradiates the molding mold with ultraviolet light after each predetermined number of resin moldings, and the spray unit sprays a mold release agent onto the molding mold each time the irradiation unit irradiates ultraviolet light, and the predetermined number of times is two or more.

12. A resin molding device as described in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the spraying unit enters between the upper and lower molds in an open state prior to resin molding to spray the release agent, and after the spraying unit retreats from between the upper and lower molds, the loading unit loads the pre-molding object between the upper and lower molds.

13. A resin molding device as described in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the discharge unit enters between the upper and lower molds in the mold-open state after resin molding to discharge the molded object after molding, and the cleaning unit enters between the upper and lower molds and cleans with the brush in conjunction with or after the discharge unit retracts from between the upper and lower molds.

14. A method for manufacturing a resin molded product using the resin molding apparatus described in any one of claims 1 to 13, comprising: carrying a pre-molded object into the opened upper and lower molds; clamping the upper and lower molds into which the pre-molded object has been carried to resin mold the object; carrying out the molded object from the opened upper and lower molds after resin molding; spraying a mold release agent onto the opened upper and lower molds before the pre-molded object is carried in or irradiating them with ultraviolet rays; and cleaning the opened upper and lower molds with the brush after the molded object has been carried out after resin molding.

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