Sealing mold, resin sealing device, and resin sealing method

Abstract

The present invention addresses the problem of providing: a sealing mold that is capable of molding, by using a transfer molding technique, a product which has a configuration where a transparent lens part is laminated on a colored reflector part and which inhibits light from leaking laterally from the lens part; a resin sealing device; and a resin sealing method. As a solution, a resin sealing method according to the present invention involves performing resin sealing by using a sealing mold (202) provided with an upper mold (204) and a lower mold (206), and the resin sealing method comprises: a first molding step for molding a first molded part by using a first resin (R1); a resin supply step for separating cavities (208A, 208B) provided in the upper mold (204) or the lower mold (206) relative to the first molded part, and supplying a second resin (R2) to the cavity (208B) through a flow path (208C); and a dividing step for moving a flow path dividing member (228B) relative to the first molded part and dividing the flow path (208C) for the second resin (R2).

Description

Sealing mold, resin sealing device, and resin sealing method

[0001] The present invention relates to a sealing mold, a resin sealing apparatus, and a resin sealing method.

[0002] For example, a transfer molding method is known as an example of a resin sealing device and method for sealing a workpiece (molded product) having electronic components mounted on a substrate with sealing resin (sometimes simply referred to as "resin" in this application) and processing it into a molded product.

[0003] A typical transfer molding method is a technology in which a pot is provided to supply a predetermined amount of encapsulation resin (specifically, a thermosetting resin) to a pair of encapsulation regions (cavities) provided in an encapsulation mold comprising an upper mold and a lower mold, and workpieces are placed in positions corresponding to the cavities and clamped between the upper and lower molds, and molding (resin encapsulation) is performed by pouring the encapsulation resin from the pot into the cavities (see Patent Document 1: JP 2016-016624 A). Note that molding can also be performed by pouring the encapsulation resin into the cavity without placing a workpiece. In light of this, the term "resin encapsulation" in this application refers to molding performed by pouring the encapsulation resin into the cavity, regardless of whether a workpiece is present or not.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-016624

[0005] Transfer molding is sometimes used to mold products such as optical devices. For example, a known product is one in which a reflector is molded from a colored resin (e.g., white resin) and then a lens is molded on top of it from a transparent resin.

[0006] The inventors produced a prototype product in which a colored reflector part was molded using the transfer molding method, and then a transparent lens part was molded on top of that, and when they tested it, they found that there was an issue where light leaked sideways from the lens part, degrading the product characteristics.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a sealing mold, a resin sealing device, and a resin sealing method that are capable of molding a product that has a structure in which a transparent lens portion is layered on top of a colored reflector portion using a transfer molding method, and that does not allow light to leak sideways from the lens portion.

[0008] The present invention solves the above problems by the solution means described below as one embodiment.

[0009] The resin sealing method according to the present invention is a resin sealing method for performing resin sealing using a sealing mold having an upper mold and a lower mold, and comprises: a first molding process for molding a first molding portion with a first resin; a resin supply process for separating a cavity provided in the upper mold or the lower mold from the first molding portion and supplying a second resin to the cavity through a flow path; and a separating process for moving a flow path separating member relative to the first molding portion and separating the flow path of the second resin.

[0010] More specifically, the first molding part is a reflector part molded using a colored resin material as the first resin, and the resin supplying process is a process of molding a lens part on top of the reflector part using a transparent resin material that does not contain a filler as the second resin.

[0011] Preferably, the dividing step includes a step of moving the flow path dividing member so that the mold surface of the adjacent fixed piece is flush with or protrudes from the mold surface of the flow path dividing member. This allows the dividing step to form a configuration in which the upper surface of the first resin and the upper surface of the adjacent second resin are flush with each other.

[0012] The resin supplying step is preferably performed after the first resin in the first molding part is semi-cured, which allows molding to be performed in a single mold closing step using a single type of sealing mold without mixing two different types of sealing resins.

[0013] It is also preferable that the second resin be a resin material that has a longer hardening time than the first resin under the same temperature conditions, thereby avoiding the problem of the second resin hardening before being pumped and filled.

[0014] Furthermore, the sealing mold according to the present invention is a sealing mold having a lower mold and an upper mold, which performs resin sealing, and which comprises a first cavity piece provided on one of the lower mold or the upper mold, and a second cavity piece provided on the other mold, and the second cavity piece has a fixed piece that moves toward and away from the first cavity piece, and a movable piece that is provided on a part of the fixed piece and is configured to be able to move up and down relatively to its surroundings, and a cavity is provided in the upper mold or the lower mold, and the sealing mold further comprises a flow path that supplies a second resin to the cavity while the cavity is separated from a first molding part molded from a first resin, and the flow path of the second resin is configured to be divided by moving the movable piece relative to the first molding part.

[0015] Preferably, a first cavity is formed in the first cavity piece or in the first cavity piece and the second cavity piece, a second cavity is formed in the second cavity piece or in the second cavity piece and the first cavity piece, and the first cavity and the second cavity are arranged so as not to face each other and to communicate with each other via the space when the first cavity piece and the second cavity piece are spaced apart by a predetermined distance to form a space. This makes it possible to mold a molded product in which the first resin and the second resin are connected.

[0016] A resin sealing device according to the present invention is required to include the above-described sealing mold.

[0017] According to the present invention, it is possible to use the transfer molding method to mold a product that has a structure in which a transparent lens portion is layered on top of a colored reflector portion, and in which light does not leak sideways from the lens portion.

[0018] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of a resin sealing apparatus including a sealing mold according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view showing an example of a press machine including a sealing mold according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a side cross-sectional view showing an example of a sealing mold according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a front cross-sectional view of the sealing mold shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a resin sealing method according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram continuing from FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram continuing from FIG. 6. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram continuing from FIG. 7. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram continuing from FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram continuing from FIG. 9. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram continuing from FIG. 10. FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram continuing from FIG. 11. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of a resin sealing method according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram continuing from FIG. 13. FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram continuing from FIG. 14.

[0019] (Overall Configuration) Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a plan view (schematic diagram) showing an example of a resin sealing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. For ease of explanation, arrows may be used in the drawings to indicate front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions in the resin sealing apparatus 1, etc. Furthermore, in all drawings used to explain each embodiment, components having the same function are given the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations may be omitted.

[0020] The resin sealing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment is an apparatus for molding (resin sealing) with resin R using a sealing mold 202 including an upper mold 204 and a lower mold 206. Hereinafter, the resin sealing apparatus 1 will be described as an example of a transfer molding apparatus in which the upper mold 204 and the lower mold 206 are clamped together and resin R is poured into cavities 208 formed in the lower mold 206 and the upper mold 204 for molding. While this embodiment is configured to perform resin sealing without placing a workpiece (without using the workpiece as a sealing target), a configuration in which a workpiece is placed and resin sealing may be performed (not shown). Furthermore, while both the lower mold 206 and the upper mold 204 are provided with cavities 208, a configuration in which a cavity is provided in either one of the molds may be used (not shown). Furthermore, while the cavity 208 is configured to be resin sealed without being covered with a release film, a configuration in which the cavity 208 (all or part) is covered with a release film may be used for resin sealing (not shown).

[0021] First, as an example of the resin R, a tablet-shaped (e.g., cylindrical) thermosetting resin (e.g., epoxy-based resin, etc.) is used. Note that the resin R is not limited to the above state, and may be a shape other than a cylindrical shape, and may be a resin other than an epoxy-based thermosetting resin. In this embodiment, two types of resin (first resin R1, second resin R2) are used as the resin R. Specifically, the first resin R1 is a colored, opaque (e.g., white) thermosetting resin containing a filler, and the second resin R2 is a colorless, transparent thermosetting resin containing no filler. However, the resin R is not limited to these.

[0022] Although not used in this embodiment, an example of a workpiece to be molded is generally a substrate having one or more electronic components mounted in a predetermined arrangement. Specific examples of substrates include resin substrates, ceramic substrates, metal substrates, carrier plates, lead frames, wafers, etc., formed in a rectangular, circular, or other plate shape. Examples of electronic components include semiconductor chips, MEMS chips, passive elements, heat sinks, conductive materials, spacers, etc. Furthermore, examples of methods for mounting electronic components on a substrate include wire bonding mounting, flip-chip mounting, etc.

[0023] Although not used in this embodiment, examples of release films are generally film materials that are excellent in heat resistance, ease of peeling, flexibility, and extensibility. Specifically, PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), ETFE (polytetrafluoroethylene polymer), PET, FEP, fluorine-impregnated glass cloth, polypropylene, polyvinylidine chloride, etc. are preferably used.

[0024] Next, an overview of the resin sealing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment will be described. As shown in Fig. 1, the resin sealing apparatus 1 mainly comprises a supply unit 100A that supplies resin R, a press unit 100B that seals with the resin R and processes the molded product P, and a storage unit 100C that stores the molded product P after resin sealing.

[0025] The resin sealing apparatus 1 also includes a transport mechanism 100D that moves between the units to transport the resin R and the molded product P. As an example, the transport mechanism 100D includes an inloader 122 that transports the resin R into the press unit 100B, an outloader 124 that transports the molded product P from the press unit 100B, and a guide rail 126 shared by the inloader 122 and the outloader 124. The transport mechanism 100D is not limited to the above configuration, and may also be configured to use a known pickup or the like (not shown) as appropriate. Instead of a configuration including a loader, a configuration including an articulated robot (not shown) may also be used.

[0026] Here, the inloader 122 receives the resin R in the supply unit 100A and transports it to the press unit 100B. As an example of the configuration of the inloader 122, a resin holding section 122A is provided that can hold multiple pieces of resin R (or a single piece) along the front-to-rear direction. Note that the resin holding section 122A uses a known holding mechanism (for example, a clamping configuration with holding claws, a suction configuration with suction holes communicating with a suction device, etc.) (not shown).

[0027] The inloader 122 according to this embodiment is configured to move in the left-right and front-rear directions to load the resin R into the sealing mold 202 and store it in a predetermined position (a pot, described later) in the lower mold 206. However, this is not limited to this, and a configuration may be provided in which a loader that moves in the left-right direction to transport between units and a loader that moves in the front-rear direction to load the resin into the sealing mold 202 are provided separately (not shown).

[0028] The outloader 124 also receives the molded product P in the press unit 100B and transports it to the storage unit 100C. As an example of the configuration of the outloader 124, a molded product holding section 124A capable of holding the molded product P is provided. The molded product holding section 124A uses a known holding mechanism (for example, a clamping configuration with holding claws, a suction configuration with suction holes communicating with a suction device, etc.) (not shown).

[0029] The outloader 124 according to this embodiment is configured to move in the left-right and front-rear directions to transport the molded product P out of the sealing mold 202 and place it on the molded product table 114. However, this is not limited to this, and a configuration may be provided in which a loader that moves in the front-rear direction to transport the molded product P out of the sealing mold 202 and a loader that moves in the left-right direction to transport the molded product between units are provided separately (not shown).

[0030] The overall configuration of the resin sealing apparatus 1 can be changed by changing the configuration of the units. For example, the configuration shown in Fig. 1 is an example in which two press units 100B are arranged, but a configuration in which only one press unit 100B is arranged, or three or more press units 100B is arranged, etc. Also, a configuration in which other units are added is possible (neither of these is shown).

[0031] (Supply Unit) Next, the supply unit 100A provided in the resin sealing apparatus 1 will be described.

[0032] The supply unit 100A (or another unit) includes a resin supply mechanism 140 that supplies the resin R. As an example, the resin supply mechanism 140 includes a supply section 142 that has a hopper, a feeder, or the like and supplies tablet-shaped resin R, and a delivery section 144 that has a transport mechanism such as an elevator and holds multiple pieces of resin R supplied from the supply section 142 in predetermined positions. With this configuration, the multiple pieces of resin R held in the delivery section 144 are held by the inloader 122 and transported to the press unit 100B.

[0033] (Press Unit) Next, the press unit 100B provided in the resin sealing apparatus 1 will be described.

[0034] The press unit 100B includes a press device 250 that performs resin sealing by opening and closing a sealing mold 202. Here, Fig. 2 is a side view (schematic diagram) of the press device 250. Fig. 3 is a side cross-sectional view (schematic diagram) of the sealing mold 202. Fig. 4 is a front cross-sectional view (schematic diagram) of the sealing mold 202.

[0035] The press device 250 includes the sealing mold 202 having a lower mold 206 and an upper mold 204 and disposed between a pair of platens 252, 254, a plurality of connecting mechanisms 256 between which the pair of platens 252, 254 are spanned, a drive source (e.g., an electric motor) 258 that moves (raises and lowers) the platen 254, and a drive transmission mechanism (e.g., a ball screw or a toggle link mechanism) 260. In this embodiment, the upper mold 204 is assembled to the stationary platen 252, and the lower mold 206 is assembled to the movable platen 254. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the upper mold 204 may be assembled to the movable platen and the lower mold 206 may be assembled to the stationary platen, or both the upper mold 204 and the lower mold 206 may be assembled to the movable platen.

[0036] Next, the lower mold 206 of the sealing mold 202 will be described in detail. The lower mold 206 includes a lower mold base 212, a lower chase block 216, a lower clamp block 220, and the like, which are assembled together. As an example, the lower chase block 216 is fixed onto the lower mold base 212, which is fixed onto a movable platen 254. In this embodiment, a cavity piece (first cavity piece) 226 is provided in an arrangement surrounded by the lower clamp block 220. However, the configuration is not limited to these, and multiple components may be integrated as appropriate.

[0037] The lower mold 206 also has a plurality of cylindrical pots at predetermined positions, each containing a resin (for example, a tablet-shaped resin) R. In this embodiment, first pots 231 containing a first resin R1 and second pots 232 containing a second resin R2 are alternately arranged in a line. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration.

[0038] Specifically, the first pot 231 is formed as a through-hole that communicates with the lower chase block 216 and the lower clamp block 220, and a first plunger 241 that is pushed by a known transfer drive mechanism (not shown) is disposed inside the first pot 231. With this configuration, when the first plunger 241 is pushed, the first resin R1 in the first pot 231 is supplied into the cavity 208, which will be described later. Similarly, the second pot 232 is formed as a through-hole that communicates with the lower chase block 216 and the lower clamp block 220, and a second plunger 242 that is pushed by a known transfer drive mechanism (not shown) is disposed inside the first pot 231. With this configuration, when the second plunger 242 is pushed, the second resin R2 in the second pot 232 is supplied into the cavity 208, which will be described later.

[0039] A lower mold heater (not shown) is provided on the lower mold base 212. This allows heat to be conducted to the periphery of the first pot 231, the second pot 232, the first runner 271, the cavity 208, etc. via the lower chase block 216, etc., and the resin R therein can be heated efficiently to a predetermined temperature (approximately 180°C in this embodiment) in a short time. As an example, a known electric wire heater, sheathed heater, etc. is used as the lower mold heater.

[0040] Next, the upper mold 204 of the sealing mold 202 will be described in detail. The upper mold 204 includes an upper mold base 210, an upper chase block 214, an upper clamp block 218, and the like, which are assembled together. As an example, the upper chase block 214 is fixed to the lower surface of the upper mold base 210, and the upper mold base 210 is fixed to the lower surface of a stationary platen 252. In this embodiment, a cavity piece (second cavity piece) 228 is provided in an arrangement surrounded by the upper clamp block 218. However, the present invention is not limited to these configurations, and multiple components may be integrated into one structure as appropriate.

[0041] The second cavity piece 228 in this embodiment is configured to include a fixed piece 228A that moves toward and away from the first cavity piece 226, and a movable piece 228B that is positioned in a part (a specified area) of the fixed piece 228A and is configured to be able to move up and down relative to its surroundings (i.e., adjacent fixed pieces 228A).

[0042] An upper mold heater (not shown) is also provided on the upper mold base 210. This allows heat to be conducted to the periphery of the second cull 262, the second runner 272, the cavity 208, etc. via the upper chase block 214, etc., and the resin R therein can be heated efficiently to a predetermined temperature (approximately 180°C in this embodiment) in a short time. As an example, a known electric wire heater, sheath heater, etc. is used as the upper mold heater.

[0043] Here, the cavity 208, which serves as the sealing region into which the resin R is poured, will be described in detail.

[0044] First, a cavity 208 (first cavity 208A) serving as a sealing region into which resin R (first resin R1 in this embodiment) is to flow is provided on the upper surface of the first cavity piece 226 of the lower mold 206 and the lower surface of the second cavity piece 228 of the upper mold 204 in a configuration in which they communicate with each other. Also, a runner (described below) is provided which communicates with the cavity 208 (first cavity 208A) and serves as a flow path for the resin R (first resin R1). In this embodiment, the movable piece 228B of the second cavity piece 228 is disposed at a position corresponding to (opposing) the first cavity 208A (here, a region provided on the upper surface of the first cavity piece 226 of the lower mold 206).

[0045] Next, a cavity 208 (second cavity 208B) serving as a sealing region into which the resin R (second resin R2 in this embodiment) flows is provided on the underside of the second cavity piece 228. This second cavity 208B is positioned so as not to face the first cavity 208A. A runner (described later) is provided in communication with the cavity 208 (second cavity 208B) to serve as a flow path for the resin R. In this embodiment, a space created by separating the first cavity piece 226 and the second cavity piece 228 by a predetermined distance also serves as a sealing region (third cavity 208C) into which the resin R (second resin R2) flows, which will be described in detail in the "Resin Sealing Operation" section below.

[0046] Next, the runners and the like that serve as flow paths for the resin R will be described in detail.

[0047] First, a first cull 261 is formed on the lower surface of the upper mold 204 as a flow path for the first resin R1 extruded from the first pot 231 by the first plunger 241. Furthermore, a first runner 271 that communicates from the first cull 261 to the cavity 208 (first cavity 208A) is formed on the upper surface of the lower mold 206, and is arranged so as to be covered by the lower surface of the upper mold 204 when the molds are closed (i.e., so as to form a space that forms a flow path).

[0048] Next, a second cull 262 is formed on the lower surface of the upper mold 204 as a flow path for the second resin R2 extruded from the second pot 232 by the second plunger 242. Furthermore, a second runner 272 that communicates from the second cull 262 to the cavities 208 (second cavity 208B, third cavity 208C) is formed on the lower surface of the upper mold 204 and is arranged so as to be covered by the upper surface of the lower mold 206 when the molds are closed (i.e., so as to form a space that forms a flow path).

[0049] According to the above configuration, molding can be performed using two different types of sealing resin (thermosetting resin) R1 and R2 in a single mold closing step (the molding operation will be described in detail later).

[0050] The above-described configuration of the sealing mold 202 is merely an example, and other configurations may be adopted. For example, a configuration in which the cavity 208 is provided in only one of the lower mold 206 or the upper mold 204 may be adopted. A configuration in which the workpiece is to be sealed with resin may also be adopted. Furthermore, a configuration in which an intermediate mold is used between the lower mold 206 and the upper mold 204 may also be adopted (neither of these is shown).

[0051] (Storage Unit) Next, the storage unit 100C provided in the resin sealing apparatus 1 will be described.

[0052] The storage unit 100C, for example, includes a molded product table 114 (also referred to as a molded product loading pallet) on which the molded product P is placed, a degating mechanism 116 that removes unwanted resin from the molded product P, and a molded product stocker 112 used to store the molded product P from which the unwanted resin has been removed. The molded product stocker 112 uses a known stack magazine, slit magazine, or the like, and is capable of storing multiple molded products P at once. With this configuration, molded products P (including unwanted resin) transported from the press unit 100B using an outloader 124 or the like are placed on the molded product table 114. Next, the molded products P are transferred to the degating mechanism 116 using a known pickup or the like (not shown), where the unwanted resin is removed, and then stored in the molded product stocker 112 using a known pusher or the like (not shown). The molded product table 114 itself, with the molded product P loaded thereon, may move forward and backward to the degating mechanism 116.

[0053] (Resin sealing operation) Next, the operation of performing resin sealing using the resin sealing apparatus 1 equipped with the sealing mold 202 according to this embodiment (i.e., the resin sealing method according to this embodiment) will be described. As an example, a configuration will be given in which resin sealing is performed using two types of resin R (first resin R1, second resin R2) without placing a workpiece, to obtain a molded product P. However, this configuration is not limiting. Here, FIGS. 5 to 12 are explanatory diagrams of each process. Note that FIG. 5 is a view from the same direction as FIG. 3, and FIGS. 6 to 12 are views from the same direction as FIG. 4.

[0054] As a preparation step, a heating step (upper die heating step) is carried out in which the upper die 204 is heated to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 100°C to 200°C) using an upper die heater. Also, a heating step (lower die heating step) is carried out in which the lower die 206 is heated to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 100°C to 200°C) using a lower die heater. Note that a step of setting a release film on one or both die surfaces may be included.

[0055] Next, a process is carried out in which tablet-shaped resin R is transported one by one from the supply section 142 using a known feeder, elevator, etc. (not shown), and multiple pieces of resin R (for example, four pieces of the first resin R1 in a row and four pieces of the second resin R2 in a row next to them) are held at a predetermined position in the transfer section 144.

[0056] Next, the inloader 122 is moved to a position directly above the delivery section 144. At this position, the delivery section 144 is raised (or the inloader 122 is lowered), and a step of holding the resin R (first resin R1, second resin R2) by the resin holding section 122A is performed.

[0057] Next, the resin R (first resin R1, second resin R2) is transported by the inloader 122 into the sealing mold 202 of the press unit 100B, and a process is performed in which a plurality of (four in this embodiment) first resins R1 are placed one by one in the corresponding first pots 231, and a plurality of (four in this embodiment) second resins R2 are placed one by one in the corresponding second pots 232 (see FIG. 5). Note that during the transport, a process of preheating the resin R (preheating process) may be performed using a heater (not shown) provided in the inloader 122.

[0058] Next, the sealing mold 202 is closed, and a process (mold closing process) of molding the molded product P by resin sealing is carried out.

[0059] The mold closing step will now be described in detail. Figure 6 shows the state before the mold closing step is performed. From this state, the drive source 258 and the drive transmission mechanism 260 are driven to move the movable platen 254 upward. This causes the lower mold 206 to move toward the upper mold 204 (i.e., upward). As the lower mold 206 continues to move upward, the lower mold 206 and the upper mold 204 come into contact with each other (see Figure 7).

[0060] At this time, the second cavity piece 228 is in a state where the lower surface of the movable piece 228B is positioned above the lower surface of the fixed piece 228A, creating a space below the lower surface of the movable piece 228B. This space constitutes a portion (upper portion) of the first cavity 208A. In this state, the transfer drive mechanism is operated to push the first plunger 241 toward the upper mold 204, causing the molten first resin R1 to pass from the first pot 231 through the first cull 261 and the first runner 271 and be pressure-fed into the cavity 208 (first cavity 208A) (first filling step) (see FIG. 8 ). For example, the portion of the first resin R1 pressure-fed into the first cavity 208A becomes the first molded portion (note that in this application, the step of molding the first molded portion using the first resin R1 may be referred to as the “first molding step”).

[0061] After the first resin R1 filled in the first cavity 208A is semi-cured (i.e., cured before reaching full curing), the first cavity piece 226 is lowered a predetermined distance (several μm to several mm). In this manner, the first cavity piece 226 and the second cavity piece 228 are separated by a predetermined distance (specifically, enough to form a gap between the semi-cured first resin R1 and the second cavity piece 228) to form a space (a space forming process) (see FIG. 9 ). This space forms a cavity 208 (third cavity 208C) that communicates with both the first cavity 208A and the second cavity 208B. However, depending on the shape of the molded product P, the space forming process may not be performed (i.e., the third cavity 208C may not be provided) (not shown). As mentioned above, there may be cases where either the first cavity 208A or the second cavity 208B is not provided (not shown). In the above embodiment, after the first resin R1 is semi-cured, the first cavity piece 226 is lowered a predetermined distance (several μm to several mm) to form the space, but the space may also be formed by moving the second cavity piece 228. That is, it is sufficient that the space is formed by separating the cavity 208 (the first cavity 208A or the second cavity 208B) from the first molding part.

[0062] In the above state, the transfer drive mechanism is operated to push the second plunger 242 toward the upper mold 204, and the molten second resin R2 is forced from the second pot 232 through the second cull 262 and the second runner 272, and then pressure-fed into the second cavity 208B and the third cavity 208C (second filling process) (see Figure 10) (note that in this application, the process of supplying (and molding) the second resin R2 through the flow path (space) may be referred to as the "resin supply process").

[0063] Before the second resin R2 filled in the second cavity 208B and the third cavity 208C is semi-cured, the movable piece 228B is moved (lowered) until it abuts against the first resin R1 (semi-cured state) filled in the first cavity 208A. In this way, the flow path (space) is divided, in other words, the second resin R2 filled in the second cavity 208B and the third cavity 208C is divided (i.e., a "divided portion d" is formed where the second resin R2 is not layered on the first resin R1) (dividing process). Note that the movable piece 228B is an example of a flow path dividing member.

[0064] More specifically, the movement (lowering) of the movable piece 228B is a relative movement, and in this embodiment, it is performed in combination with the movement (raising) of the lower mold 206 (first cavity piece 226). As an example, the movable piece 228B is moved (lowered) to a position where the lower surface of the movable piece 228B and the lower surface of the fixed piece 228A are at the same height (i.e., flush). Next, the lower mold 206 (first cavity piece 226) is moved (raised) to a position where the lower surface of the movable piece 228B abuts against the upper surface of the first resin R1. In this way, the first resin R1 and the second resin R2 are filled in a predetermined shape (particularly, a shape where the upper surface of the first resin R1 and the upper surface of the adjacent second resin R2 are at the same height (flush)) (see FIG. 11 ). As described above, the second resin R2 is separated by the relative movement of the movable piece 228B in the separating process, but since the second resin R2 can be separated by the relative movement of the movable piece 228B with respect to its surroundings, the second resin R2 can be separated by the movable piece 228B by moving one or more of the movable piece 228B, the first cavity piece 226, and the second cavity piece 228. In other words, the second resin R2 can be separated by the movement of the movable piece 228B (flow path separating member) with respect to the first molding part.

[0065] In this state, heating and pressurization are performed for a predetermined time, whereby the resin R (first resin R1, second resin R2) is thermally cured (mainly cured), resulting in resin sealing and molding of a molded product P. In this embodiment, resin sealing is ultimately performed with the first cavity 208A and the second cavity 208B in communication with each other via the third cavity 208C, resulting in a molded product P in which the first resin R1 and the second resin R2 are continuous (connected). Note that in the above example, the second filling step and the cutting step are performed after the first molding portion is molded through the first filling step. However, as another example, the first molding portion may be molded in a separate step. For example, a member having a first molding portion may be transported to this device, and the second filling step and the cutting step may be performed on the first molding portion. As yet another example, the cutting step may be performed using a second cavity piece 228 that does not have a movable piece 228B, as shown in FIG. 13 . In this case, the second filling step is performed after the first molding portion has been molded in a separate step (see FIG. 14), and then the second cavity piece 228 is moved relatively to the first resin R1 (in a semi-cured state) to separate the flow paths (spaces), i.e., to separate the second resin R2 filled in the second cavity 208B and the third cavity 208C (see FIG. 15). Note that in this case, the second cavity piece 228 is an example of a flow path separating member.

[0066] In this embodiment, in particular, a dividing portion d can be formed, and a configuration can be formed in which the top surface of the first resin R1 and the top surface of the second resin R2 at the adjacent position at the dividing portion d are at the same height. That is, by configuring the first resin R1 region as a reflector portion and the second resin R2 region as a lens portion, it is possible to mold a product in which light does not leak sideways from the second resin R2 region, i.e., the lens portion. Incidentally, the final product is in a state in which the first resin R1 region (position of the dividing portion d) of the molded product P is cut into individual pieces.

[0067] In this way, by adopting the transfer molding method, it is possible to mold a product (such as an optical device product having the reflector portion and lens portion) in which two different types of resin (thermosetting resin) R1 and R2 are connected, through a single mold closing process using one type of sealing mold 202. Therefore, not only can the above-mentioned problems be solved, but also the cost of the equipment can be reduced and the process time can be shortened.

[0068] While the types of the first resin R1 and the second resin R2 are not limited, it is preferable to use a resin material for the second resin R2 that has slower thermal curing properties than the first resin R1 (i.e., a longer curing time under the same temperature conditions). This allows the second resin R2 to be pumped and filled after the first resin R1, thereby avoiding the problem of the second resin R2 curing during waiting. Therefore, a single mold closing process using a single type of sealing mold 202 can be performed to achieve molding (resin sealing) without mixing the two different sealing resins R1 and R2. Furthermore, it is preferable to use a resin material that does not contain fillers for the second resin R2. This avoids the problem of thin burrs remaining on the top surface of the first resin R1 at the separation portion d due to the second resin R2.

[0069] After the above mold closing step, a mold opening step of the sealing mold 202 is carried out (see FIG. 12).

[0070] Next, the outloader 124 removes the molded product P (including unnecessary resin portions such as the cull portion, runner portion, and gate portion) from the sealing mold 202 and places it on the molded product table 114 (a known pickup mechanism or the like may be used in combination). Next, the degating mechanism 116 removes unnecessary resin portions such as the cull portion, runner portion, and gate portion from the molded product P (a degating process). Next, a known pusher or the like (not shown) is used to transport the molded products P (from which unnecessary resin portions have been removed) one by one into the molded product stocker 112. Note that a post-cure process for the molded products P may be performed prior to these processes.

[0071] The above are the main operations of resin sealing performed using the resin sealing apparatus 1. However, the above process order is only an example, and the order of the steps can be changed or the steps can be performed in parallel as long as there are no problems. For example, in this embodiment, since the configuration includes two press units 100B, performing the above operations in parallel enables efficient molding of molded products.

[0072] As explained above, according to the present invention, it is possible to use the transfer molding method to mold a product that has a structure in which a transparent lens portion is layered on top of a colored reflector portion, and in which light does not leak sideways from the lens portion.

[0073] In the above embodiment, the second resin R2 is separated by relatively moving the movable piece 228B to a position where the lower surface of the movable piece 228B contacts the upper surface of the first resin R1 in the separating process, but the fixed piece 228A and the movable piece 228B may be integral as shown in Fig. 13. In this case, the second cavity piece 228 is an example of a flow path separating member, and the second resin R2 is separated by relatively moving the second cavity piece 228 to a position where the lower surface of the second cavity piece 228 contacts the upper surface of the first resin R1 in the separating process, as shown in Figs.

[0074] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. Specifically, the configuration in which the first resin region is a reflector portion and the second resin region is a lens portion has been described as an example, but the present invention can also be applied to other configurations. Furthermore, the resin sealing that does not use a workpiece has been described as an example, but the present invention can also be applied to resin sealing that uses a workpiece.

Claims

1. A resin sealing method for resin sealing using a sealing mold having an upper mold and a lower mold, comprising: a first molding step of molding a first molded part with a first resin; a resin supply step of separating a cavity provided in the upper mold or the lower mold from the first molded part and supplying a second resin to the cavity through a flow path; and a separating step of moving a flow path separating member relative to the first molded part to separate the flow path of the second resin.

2. The resin sealing method according to claim 1, wherein the first molding part is a reflector part molded using a colored resin material as the first resin, and the resin supplying process is a process of molding a lens part on top of the reflector part using a transparent resin material that does not contain filler as the second resin.

3. The resin sealing method according to claim 1, wherein the dividing step includes a step of moving the flow path dividing member so that the mold surface of the adjacent fixed piece is flush with or protrudes from the mold surface of the flow path dividing member.

4. The resin sealing method according to claim 1, characterized in that the resin supplying process is carried out after the first resin in the first molding part has semi-cured.

5. The resin sealing method described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the second resin is made of a resin material that takes a longer time to harden than the first resin under the same temperature conditions.

6. A sealing mold comprising a lower mold and an upper mold for resin sealing, comprising a first cavity piece provided on one of the lower mold or the upper mold, and a second cavity piece provided on the other, wherein the second cavity piece has a fixed piece that moves towards and away from the first cavity piece, and a movable piece that is provided on a part of the fixed piece and is configured to be able to move up and down relatively to its surroundings, wherein a cavity is provided in the upper mold or the lower mold, and further comprising a flow path that supplies a second resin to the cavity while the cavity is separated from a first molding part molded with a first resin, wherein the flow path for the second resin is cut off by moving the movable piece relative to the first molding part.

7. A sealing mold according to claim 6, characterized in that a first cavity is formed in the first cavity piece, or in the first cavity piece and the second cavity piece, a second cavity is formed in the second cavity piece, or in the second cavity piece and the first cavity piece, and the first cavity and the second cavity are arranged so as not to face each other, and are arranged so as to communicate with each other via the space when the first cavity piece and the second cavity piece are separated by a predetermined distance to form a space.

8. A resin sealing device comprising the sealing mold according to claim 6 or 7.

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