Method and apparatus for producing electronic component

Abstract

This method for producing an electronic component is for obtaining an electronic component in which a resin molded product is integral with an object. The method comprises a step (S1) for putting a release film on the upper surface of a first support base to form a resin receiving portion, a step (S2) for supplying the resin receiving portion with a granular, powdery, or liquid resin material to form a resin distribution set that contains a first thickness region in which the resin material builds up to a first thickness and a second thickness region in which the resin material builds up to a second thickness greater than the first thickness, a step (S3) for lifting the resin distribution set including the release film to place the resin distribution set in a lower mold such that the resin receiving portion corresponds to the position of a cavity which is provided in the lower mold so as to have a shape corresponding to the resin molded product, and thereby creating a state in which the resin material is placed above the cavity via the release film, a step (S4) for covering the inner surface of the cavity with the release film and disposing, in the cavity, the resin material that has been in the resin receiving portion, and a step (S5) for obtaining the resin molded product by compression molding the resin material in a state in which the object is in contact with the resin material in the cavity. The resin receiving portion is a rectangle or a square as seen from the above. The second thickness region contains a plurality of first regions that are radially connected with respect to the vertices of the rectangle or the square.

Description

Manufacturing Method and Manufacturing Apparatus for Electronic Components

[0001] The present invention relates to a manufacturing method and a manufacturing apparatus for electronic components.

[0002] Patent No. 5153509 (Patent Document 1) describes a compression molding method and a mold apparatus for electronic components. In Patent Document 1, the inside of the through-hole of the resin storage plate disposed on the release film is a plate resin storage portion, and granular resin is introduced therein. By moving the resin storage plate by a horizontal movement flattening mechanism, the granular resin in the plate resin storage portion is flattened with a uniform thickness.

[0003] Patent No. 6310773 (Patent Document 2) describes a resin molding apparatus and a resin molding method. In Patent Document 2, a resin storage frame is disposed on the release film, and in a state where a resin material is introduced therein, these are held together, and the release film is pushed down by relatively lowering a lifting member disposed inside the resin storage frame with respect to the resin storage frame. By doing so, the resin material and the release film are supplied into the cavity of the lower mold together.

[0004] Patent No. 5153509, Patent No. 6310773

[0005] In Patent Document 1, since the granular resin is flattened with a uniform thickness in the plate resin storage portion, in order to prevent the granular resin from overflowing from the cavity of the lower mold, it is necessary to supply the granular resin inwardly spaced apart from the outer contour line of the cavity. Therefore, at the start of the pressing operation, there is a tendency for resin to be insufficient in the vicinity of the components on the outer peripheral portion of the substrate. As a result, there are concerns about problems such as unfilled resin in the gap under the components or the occurrence of voids.

[0006] In Patent Document 2, the resin material is arranged with a constant thickness inside the lifting member. When the resin material and release film are inserted into the cavity, the position where the resin material is placed is inward from the outer edge of the cavity by the amount of the lifting member that is placed therein. Therefore, after the lifting member is removed, there tends to be a shortage of resin material near the outer edge of the cavity. Consequently, at the start of the press operation, there tends to be a shortage of resin near the components on the outer edge of the substrate. As a result, there are concerns that problems such as incomplete resin filling in the gaps under the components and the occurrence of voids may occur.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a method and apparatus for manufacturing electronic components that can solve problems such as resin insufficiency and void generation caused by resin shortage near components on the outer periphery of a substrate.

[0008] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing an electronic component in which a resin molded body and an object are integrated, comprising: a step of laying a release film on the upper surface of a first support base to form a resin storage section; a step of supplying granular, powdered, or liquid resin material to the resin storage section to form a resin distribution set that includes a first thickness region in which the resin material is stacked to a first thickness and a second thickness region in which the resin material is stacked to a second thickness greater than the first thickness; and lifting the resin distribution set including the release film. The process includes the steps of: placing the resin distribution set on the lower mold such that the resin storage portion corresponds to the position of the cavity provided on the lower mold in a shape corresponding to the resin molded body, thereby forming a state in which the resin material is placed above the cavity via the release film; covering the inner surface of the cavity with the release film and placing the resin material that was in the resin storage portion into the cavity; and obtaining the resin molded body by compression molding the resin material with the object in contact with the resin material in the cavity. The resin storage portion is rectangular or square when viewed from above. The second thickness region includes a plurality of first regions that are radially connected to each vertex of the rectangle or square.

[0009] According to the present invention, when the resin material is compression molded, the resin material moves, and the resin material reaches even the corners of the cavity. Therefore, problems such as insufficient resin near components on the outer periphery of the substrate, resulting in unfilled areas and void formation can be eliminated.

[0010] This is a conceptual diagram of an electronic component manufacturing apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. This is a flowchart of the method for manufacturing an electronic component according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. This is an explanatory diagram showing how the resin containment section 10 is formed by laying a release film on the upper surface of the first support base as step S1 of the method for manufacturing an electronic component according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. This is a plan view showing how the resin material is placed in the cavity as step S4 of the method for manufacturing an electronic component according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. This is a cross-sectional view taken along the line V-V in Figure 4. This is an explanatory diagram showing how the lower mold first part rises as step S5 of the method for manufacturing an electronic component according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. This is an explanatory diagram showing in plan view how the resin material that was piled up in the second thickness region is pushed out and moved when it comes into contact with the component as step S5 of the method for manufacturing an electronic component according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is performed. This is an explanatory diagram showing in cross-section how the resin material that was piled up in the second thickness region is pushed out and moved when it comes into contact with the component as step S5 of the method for manufacturing an electronic component according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is performed. This is an explanatory diagram showing how the resin material fills the gaps in the cavity during step S5 of the method for manufacturing electronic components according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. This is a cross-sectional view of an electronic component obtained by the method for manufacturing electronic components according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. This is a conceptual diagram of an electronic component manufacturing apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. This is a plan view showing the first support base, the first frame member, and the second frame member provided in the electronic component manufacturing apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. This is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XIII-XIII in Figure 12. This is an explanatory diagram showing the state immediately after the completion of the first step S2 of the method for manufacturing electronic components according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. This is an explanatory diagram showing the state immediately after the completion of the second step S2 of the method for manufacturing electronic components according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. This is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the resin distribution set has been lifted from the first support base during the method for manufacturing electronic components according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. This is an explanatory diagram showing how the first frame member, the second frame member, and the resin distribution set are transported upwards to the lower mold during the method for manufacturing electronic components according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.This is an explanatory diagram showing how the resin distribution set is placed on the lower mold in the manufacturing method of an electronic component according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. This is an explanatory diagram showing how suction is performed through the gap between the first and second parts of the lower mold, and how the release film adheres to the inner surface of the cavity in the manufacturing method of an electronic component according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. This is an explanatory diagram showing how the object is placed on top of the cavity in the manufacturing method of an electronic component according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. This is an explanatory diagram showing how the upper mold is brought into contact with the upper side of the object in the manufacturing method of an electronic component according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. This is an explanatory diagram showing how the resin material in the second thickness region is pressed by the component of the object and spread outwards in the manufacturing method of an electronic component according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. This is a plan view showing a first example of the second thickness region of the resin material and surrounding members. This is a plan view showing a second example of the second thickness region of the resin material and surrounding members. This is a plan view showing a third example of the second thickness region of the resin material and surrounding members. This is a plan view showing a fourth example of the second thickness region of the resin material and surrounding members. This is a plan view showing a fifth example of the second thickness region of the resin material and surrounding members. This is a plan view showing the sixth example of the second thickness region of the resin material and the surrounding components. This is a plan view showing the seventh example of the second thickness region of the resin material and the surrounding components. This is a plan view showing the eighth example of the second thickness region of the resin material and the surrounding components. This is a plan view showing the ninth example of the second thickness region of the resin material and the surrounding components. This is a plan view showing the tenth example of the second thickness region of the resin material and the surrounding components. This is a plan view showing the eleventh example of the second thickness region of the resin material and the surrounding components. This is a plan view showing the twelfth example of the second thickness region of the resin material and the surrounding components. This is a plan view showing the thirteenth example of the second thickness region of the resin material and the surrounding components. This is a plan view showing the fourteenth example of the second thickness region of the resin material and the surrounding components.

[0011] The dimensional ratios shown in the drawings do not necessarily accurately reflect reality, and may be exaggerated for illustrative purposes. In the following explanation, the concepts of "up" or "down" do not necessarily refer to absolute up or down, but rather to relative up or down within the illustrated orientation.

[0012] When the resin material and release film are inserted into the cavity, the position where the resin material is placed is inward from the cavity's outline by the amount of space occupied by the lifting member. Therefore, after the lifting member is removed, there tends to be a shortage of resin material near the cavity's outline.

[0013] For example, suppose the object includes a substrate and multiple components mounted on one side of the substrate, and resin encapsulation is performed so that these multiple components are covered on the surface of the substrate. The object is placed on the cavity with the side on which the components are mounted facing downwards, and the upper mold is brought into contact with the upper side of the object. In this case, even though components are present near the four corners of the substrate, there may be areas near the four corners where there is no resin material. In such a situation, resin infill is likely to occur in the components mounted near the four corners of the substrate.

[0014] A known method for flattening the resin material supplied to the cavity involved placing the resin material on a flat plate with a release film in between, and then vibrating it. Vibration flattens the top surface of the resin material. However, even in this case, after the lifting member is removed, there tends to be a shortage of resin material near the outer contour of the cavity.

[0015] The inventors, taking these circumstances into consideration, have derived the following preferred configuration. (Embodiment 1) A method for manufacturing electronic components and a manufacturing apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 10.

[0016] Figure 1 shows the manufacturing apparatus 801 in this embodiment. Figure 1 is a conceptual representation of the manufacturing apparatus 801, and the shapes of each part are not necessarily as shown. The same applies when illustrating the manufacturing apparatus in the following embodiments. Figure 2 shows a flowchart of the manufacturing method for electronic components in this embodiment.

[0017] As shown in Figure 1, the manufacturing apparatus 801 comprises a resin distribution set forming apparatus 30, a compression molding apparatus 33, and a conveying apparatus 12. The resin distribution set forming apparatus 30 comprises a first support base 51 and a supply device 11. The first support base 51 has an upper surface 51a. In Figure 1, the release film is not shown, but when the manufacturing apparatus 801 is in use, the release film is placed on the upper surface 51a of the first support base 51. The release film is not part of the manufacturing apparatus 801. The release film is placed below the first frame member 41 and the second frame member 42. In this state, the supply device 11 supplies the resin material onto the release film. The resin material 4 is granular, powdery, or liquid. The resin material 4 falls downward from the supply device 11 by gravity. The conveying apparatus 12 is equipped with a suction nozzle 12a. The conveying apparatus 12 can move back and forth between the resin distribution set forming apparatus 30 and the compression molding apparatus 33. The compression molding apparatus 33 includes a mold 60. The mold 60 includes an upper mold 62 and a lower mold 61. The lower mold 61 has a cavity 7.

[0018] The processes performed by the manufacturing apparatus 801 will be described in order. First, as process S1, as shown in Figure 3, a release film 2 is laid on the upper surface 51a of the first support base 51. By laying the release film 2, a resin containment section 10 is formed. The resin containment section is rectangular or square when viewed from above. Here, as an example, a first frame member 41 and a second frame member 42 are arranged on the upper side of the release film 2. The first frame member 41 has a first through hole 41a. The second frame member 42 has a second through hole 42a. The second frame member 42 is placed inside the first through hole 41a. In this example, the internal space of the second through hole 42a is the resin containment section 10.

[0019] Here, the second frame member 42 is simply represented by two vertically elongated rectangles, but this is merely a schematic representation for the sake of explanation. In reality, the vertical dimension of the second frame member 42 may be longer. In reality, some kind of engagement structure may be provided on the upper part of the second frame member 42. If an engagement structure is provided on the upper part of the second frame member 42, the conveying device 12 can use this engagement structure to lift the second frame member 42. For example, a recess with a shape that recedes from the side may be provided on the upper part of the second frame member 42, while a hook with a tip that protrudes laterally may be provided on the lower part of the conveying device 12, and a structure may be adopted in which the tip of this hook can be inserted into and removed from the recess of the second frame member 42. In this way, the conveying device 12 can, as needed, insert the hook into the recess to hook and lift the second frame member 42. Alternatively, after placing the second frame member 42 in the desired location, the engagement by the hook can be released by removing the hook from the recess. Furthermore, it is preferable that the structure allows the second frame member 42 to be pushed downward by lowering the hook of the conveying device 12 while the hook is hooked into the recess of the second frame member 42. By adopting such a structure, it is preferable that only the second frame member 42 can be pushed downward without pushing the first frame member 41 downward. In this way, it is also possible to displace only the second frame member 42 in the vertical direction without displacing the first frame member 41 in the vertical direction.

[0020] If the recess provided on the upper part of the second frame member 42 is a recess that has a certain length in the vertical direction and recedes laterally, it is possible to allow vertical displacement of the second frame member 42 within a certain length range while maintaining the state in which the second frame member 42 is hooked by the hook of the conveying device 12.

[0021] The suction nozzle 12a of the conveying device 12 is positioned, for example, to correspond to the first frame member 41. For example, the first frame member 41 may be held and lifted by the suction nozzle 12a, and the second frame member 42 may be engaged and held and lifted by the hook described above. In other words, the method by which the conveying device 12 holds the first frame member 41 and the method by which the conveying device 12 holds the second frame member 42 may be different.

[0022] Next, in step S2, resin material is placed on the upper surface of the release film 2 so that it fits into the resin containment section 10 defined therein. A supply device 11 is used for this purpose. In this way, a resin distribution set is formed. However, at this point, the resin distribution set includes a first thickness region and a second thickness region. The stacked thickness of the resin material differs between the first thickness region and the second thickness region. The thickness of the resin material in the second thickness region is greater than the thickness of the resin material in the first thickness region. More details on this will be described later.

[0023] Next, in step S3, a state is formed in which the resin material is placed on top of the cavity 7 via a release film. A conveying device 12 is used for this. The conveying device 12 conveys the resin distribution set together with the first frame member 41 and the second frame member 42.

[0024] Next, in step S4, the resin material is placed in the cavity 7. Figure 4 shows the state after step S4 has been completed. Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line V-V in Figure 4.

[0025] In Figure 4, a resin distribution set 25 is placed on the lower mold 61. The resin distribution set 25 includes a release film 2 and a resin material 4. The resin distribution set 25 includes a first thickness region 71 in which the resin material 4 is stacked to a first thickness and a second thickness region 72 in which the resin material 4 is stacked to a second thickness that is thicker than the first thickness. This state in which the resin distribution set 25 includes two regions of different thicknesses can be achieved at step S2 prior to Figure 4. For example, known techniques such as a feeder can be used for this. For example, after laying out the resin material 4 to a certain thickness, the resin material 4 can be additionally supplied by a feeder only to the region that should be the second thickness region 72, thereby creating a state in which the resin material 4 includes the first thickness region 71 and the second thickness region 72 within the resin storage section 10.

[0026] For the sake of explanation, Figure 4 shows the state without the object 1, while Figure 5 shows the state with the object 1 placed on it. In this example, the object 1 includes a substrate 5 and a component 6 mounted on one side of the substrate 5. In Figure 5, the object 1 is placed on the cavity 7 with the side on which the component 6 is mounted facing downwards. Outside the cavity 7, the substrate 5 is in contact with the lower mold 61 via a release film 2. As shown in Figure 5, the lower mold 61 includes a lower mold first part 61a and a lower mold second part 61b. The lower mold first part 61a is also called the "cavity block". The lower mold second part 61b is also called the "stripper". The cavity 7 is formed by the fact that the upper surface of the lower mold first part 61a is lower than the upper surface of the lower mold second part 61b. The lower surface of the cavity 7 is defined by the upper surface of the lower mold first part 61a. The side surface of the cavity 7 is defined by the inner surface of the second portion 61b of the lower mold.

[0027] In Figure 4, the outline of the substrate 5 is shown as a dashed line. In Figure 4, the resin supply area 81 where the resin material 4 is located is shown as a solid line, and the mounting component area 82 where the component 6 is located is shown as a dashed line. The mounting component area 82 is located inside the cavity 7. The mounting component area 82 is wider than the resin supply area 81. The outline of the substrate 5 is wider than the cavity 7. Therefore, as shown in Figure 5, a part of the substrate 5 near the outer edge protrudes from the cavity 7 and rests on the upper surface of the lower mold second part 61b via the release film 2.

[0028] Next, in step S5, a resin molded body is obtained by compression molding the resin material. In step S5, as shown in Figure 6, the lower mold first portion 61a rises. Contact between the resin material 4 and the part 6 occurs first in the second thickness region 72, not in the first thickness region 71. In Figure 6, the resin material 4 in the second thickness region 72 is already in contact with the part 6. At this point, the resin material 4 in the first thickness region 71 is not yet in contact with the part 6. At this point, there may be a resin-unsupplied region 75 near the outer circumference of the cavity 7. From this state, the lower mold first portion 61a rises further. As a result, the resin material 4 that was piled up in the second thickness region 72 is pushed out by the part 6, and the movement of the resin material 4 occurs as shown by multiple arrows in Figure 7. The resin material 4 moves towards the resin-unsupplied region 75 near the outer circumference of the cavity 7. This state is also shown in Figure 8. In this state, heating and pressurization are performed between the upper mold 62 and the lower mold 61. In the example shown here, the depth of the cavity 7 is reduced by raising the first lower mold portion 61a. Pressurization is performed by reducing the volume of the cavity 7 in this way. As a result, as shown in Figure 9, the resin material 4 conforms to the shape of the object 1 within the cavity 7 and fills the gap. Since it is heated, the resin material 4 melts in this state. Heating may be performed from an earlier point, and the melting of the resin material 4 may begin at the stage shown in Figure 5.

[0029] In this way, the resin material 4 melts and solidifies into a shape that matches the shape of the cavity 7. The upper mold 62 and the lower mold 61 are separated from each other and the product is removed. As a result, the electronic component 80 shown in Figure 10 is obtained. This completes step S5. In the example shown in Figure 10, multiple components 6 are mounted on one surface of the substrate 5, and these components 6 are sealed by a resin molded body 8. The resin molded body 8 is formed by the melting and solidification of the resin material 4.

[0030] Here, the method for manufacturing electronic components in this embodiment can be expressed as follows.

[0031] The method for manufacturing an electronic component in this embodiment is a method for manufacturing an electronic component 80 in which a resin molded body 8 and an object 1 are integrated, comprising: step S1 of forming a resin storage section 10 by laying a release film 2 on the upper surface of a first support base 51; step S2 of forming a resin distribution set 25 by supplying granular, powdered, or liquid resin material 4 to the resin storage section 10, thereby forming a resin distribution set 25 that includes a first thickness region 71 in which the resin material 4 is stacked to a first thickness and a second thickness region 72 in which the resin material 4 is stacked to a second thickness that is thicker than the first thickness; and a resin distribution set 2 including the release film 2 Step S3 includes lifting 5 and placing the resin distribution set 25 on the lower mold 61 so that the resin storage section 10 corresponds to the position of the cavity 7 provided on the lower mold 61 in a shape corresponding to the resin molded body 8, thereby forming a state in which the resin material 4 is placed on the upper part 7 of the cavity via the release film 2; Step S4 includes covering the inner surface of the cavity 7 with the release film 2 and placing the resin material 4 that was in the resin storage section 10 into the cavity 7; and Step S5 includes obtaining the resin molded body 8 by compression molding the resin material 4 with the object 1 in contact with the resin material 4 in the cavity 7. The resin storage section 10 is rectangular or square when viewed from above. The second thickness region 72 includes a plurality of first regions 121 that are radially connected to each vertex of the rectangle or square. In the following description, the case in which the resin storage section 10 is rectangular when viewed from above will be used as an example, but the resin storage section 10 may be square when viewed from above.

[0032] On the other hand, the electronic component manufacturing apparatus 801 in this embodiment can be described as follows.

[0033] The electronic component manufacturing apparatus 801 is an electronic component manufacturing apparatus for obtaining an electronic component 80 in which a resin molded body 8 and an object 1 are integrated, and comprises a resin distribution set forming apparatus 30 which forms a resin distribution set 25 by supplying granular, powdered, or liquid resin material 4 to a resin storage section 10 formed on a release film 2, thereby including a first thickness region 71 in which the resin material 4 is stacked to a first thickness and a second thickness region 72 in which the resin material 4 is stacked to a second thickness that is thicker than the first thickness; a conveying apparatus 12 which lifts the resin distribution set 25 including the release film 2 and places the resin distribution set 25 on the lower mold 61 such that the resin storage section 10 corresponds to the position of the cavity 7 provided on the lower mold 61 in a shape corresponding to the resin molded body 8; and a compression molding apparatus 33 which compresses the resin material 4 with the object 1 in contact with the resin material 4 in the cavity 7. When the conveying device 12 places the resin distribution set 25 on the lower mold 61, the release film 2 covers the inner surface of the cavity 7, and the resin material 4 that was in the resin storage section 10 is placed inside the cavity 7. The resin storage section 10 is rectangular or square when viewed from above. The second thickness region 72 includes a plurality of first regions 121 that are radially connected to each vertex of the rectangle or square.

[0034] In the method for manufacturing electronic components in this embodiment, the resin distribution set 25 includes a first thickness region 71 in which the resin material 4 is thinly stacked and a second thickness region 72 in which the resin material 4 is thickly stacked. The second thickness region includes a plurality of first regions 121 that are radially connected to each vertex of the resin housing 10. Therefore, when the resin material is compressed and molded in step S5, the resin material 4 moves as shown in Figure 7, and the resin material 4 reaches even the corners of the cavity 7. As a result, the resin molded body 8 of the electronic component 80 can be formed with the resin material 4 sufficiently filling even the corners of the cavity 7. The same can be said for the electronic component manufacturing apparatus 801 in this embodiment.

[0035] As described above, the resin material 4 can be spread to the corners of the cavity 7. Therefore, according to the manufacturing method and apparatus for electronic components in this embodiment, problems such as insufficient resin near the components on the outer periphery of the substrate, resulting in unfilled resin and void formation can be eliminated.

[0036] In the method for manufacturing electronic components according to this embodiment, preferably, the step S1 for forming the resin housing 10 includes the step of placing a first frame member 41 and a second frame member 42 on the release film 2, wherein the first frame member 41 has a first through hole 41a corresponding to the shape of the cavity 7, and the second frame member 42 is placed inside the first through hole 41a and has a second through hole 42a, the second through hole 42a becoming the resin housing 10, and the step S4 for placing the resin material 4 in the cavity 7 includes the step of pushing the release film 2 into the cavity 7 with the second frame member 42 lowered relative to the first frame member 41. By adopting this method, the resin distribution set 25 can be smoothly formed and appropriately placed in the cavity 7.

[0037] This preferred configuration can be expressed with a focus on the electronic component manufacturing apparatus 801 as follows. In the electronic component manufacturing apparatus 801 in this embodiment, preferably, the resin distribution set forming apparatus 30 includes a first frame member 41 and a second frame member 42 arranged on the release film 2. The first frame member 41 has a first through hole 41a corresponding to the shape of the cavity 7, and the second frame member 42 is arranged inside the first through hole 41a and has a second through hole 42a, the second through hole 42a becoming the resin containment portion 10. The manufacturing apparatus 801 includes a mechanism for pushing the release film 2 into the cavity 7 with the second frame member 42 lowered relative to the first frame member 41. By adopting this configuration, the resin distribution set 25 can be smoothly formed and appropriately placed in the cavity 7.

[0038] (Embodiment 2) A method for manufacturing electronic components and a manufacturing apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 11 to 22.

[0039] Figure 11 shows the manufacturing apparatus 802 in this embodiment. As shown in Figure 11, the manufacturing apparatus 802 comprises a resin distribution set forming apparatus 30i, a compression molding apparatus 33, and a conveying apparatus 12. The resin distribution set forming apparatus 30i has the same basic configuration as the resin distribution set forming apparatus 30 shown in Embodiment 1. The resin distribution set forming apparatus 30i also includes a first support base 51, but the first support base 51 of the resin distribution set forming apparatus 30i has a different structure from the first support base 51 shown in Embodiment 1. The first support base 51 of the resin distribution set forming apparatus 30i has a groove 56 on its upper surface 51a. Furthermore, the first support base 51 of the resin distribution set forming apparatus 30i has a structure that can generate vibrations. The first support base 51 and its surroundings are shown in detail in Figures 12 and 13. Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XIII-XIII in Figure 12. As shown in Figure 13, the first support base 51 comprises an upper plate 511, a lower plate 512, a spring 513, and a vibrator 514. The upper plate 511 is connected to the lower plate 512 via the spring 513. The vibrator 514 can vibrate the upper plate 511. A first frame member 41 and a second frame member 42 are arranged above the upper plate 511. The structure of the first frame member 41 and the second frame member 42 is the same as that shown in Embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 12, a groove 56 is provided in an X shape on the upper surface 51a of the upper plate 511.

[0040] The method for manufacturing electronic components in this embodiment is similar to the method for manufacturing electronic components described in Embodiment 1 in terms of its basic configuration, but differs in the following respects.

[0041] In the method for manufacturing electronic components according to this embodiment, step S2 for forming the resin distribution set 25 includes a first step of supplying resin material 4 into the resin housing 10, and a second step of vibrating the first support base 51 with the resin housing 10 placed on the upper surface 51a of the first support base 51 to spread the distribution of resin material 4. The upper surface a of the first support base 51 has grooves 56 corresponding to the second thickness region 72.

[0042] The state immediately after the first step is shown in FIG. 14. The upper region of the release film 2 inside the second through-hole 42a of the second frame member 42 forms the resin storage portion 10. The resin material 4 is supplied to the resin storage portion 10 and is stacked. At this point, the upper surface of the resin material 4 does not have to be flat yet.

[0043] As the second step, the upper plate 511 is vibrated by the action of the vibrator 514. By doing so, as shown in FIG. 15, the upper surface of the resin material 4 becomes flat. Up to this point is the process S2 of forming the resin distribution set 25.

[0044] Next, as shown in FIG. 16, the resin distribution set 25 is lifted from the first support base. As shown by the arrow 92, the resin distribution set 25 rises. To perform this, the first frame member 41 and the second frame member 42 are lifted. The first frame member 41 sucks the release film 2 as shown by the arrow 93. The first frame member 41 may be sucked and lifted by the transfer device 12. The suction shown by the arrow 93 may be by the suction nozzle 12a of the transfer measure 12, which sucks the release film 2 through a through-hole (not shown) provided in the first frame member 41.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 16, in the state where the resin distribution set 25 is being lifted, the second frame member 42 may be in a state of being displaced downward compared to the first frame member 41. Since the resin material 4 is held by the release film 2 and the second frame member 42, it does not fall. Even at this point, the resin material 4 has a first thickness region 71 with a small thickness and a second thickness region 72 with a large thickness. Since the lower surface of the resin material 4 is held by the release film 2 to be substantially in the same plane, the difference between the first thickness region 71 and the second thickness region 72 is represented as the difference in the height of the upper surface of the resin material 4. That is, the upper surface of the resin material 4 in the second thickness region 72 is at a higher position than the upper surface of the resin material 4 in the first thickness region 71.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 17, the first frame member 41, the second frame member 42, and the resin distribution set 25 are conveyed upward of the lower mold 61. This conveyance is performed by the conveying device 12. The lower mold 61 is the same as that shown in the first embodiment in that it includes a lower mold first portion 61a and a lower mold second portion 61b. In the example shown here, an annular elastic body 66 is disposed on the upper surface of the lower mold second portion 61b. A suction groove 65 is provided on the upper surface of the lower mold second portion 61b. When viewed from above, the suction groove 65 is inside the elastic body 66.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 18, the first frame member 41, the second frame member 42, and the resin distribution set 25 descend. Thus, the resin distribution set 25 is placed on the lower mold 61. This operation may be performed by lowering the conveying device 12. Up to this point is step S3 in the present embodiment. The suction indicated by arrow 93 (see FIG. 17) is stopped, and the suction indicated by arrow 94 is started. The central portion of the resin distribution set 25 drops into the cavity 7 according to gravity. The suction indicated by arrow 94 is performed through the suction groove 65. The release film 2, which is a part of the resin distribution set 25, is thus fixed to the lower mold second portion 61b.

[0048] Actually, as shown in FIG. 18, immediately after being placed, the central portion of the resin distribution set 25 may drop into the cavity 7 even before the suction indicated by arrow 93 is stopped. The phenomenon that the central portion of the resin distribution set 25 drops into the cavity 7 is not limited to dropping by natural fall due to gravity, and may be realized, for example, by actively pushing it downward by some member.

[0049] As shown in Figure 19, suction indicated by arrow 95 is initiated. The suction indicated by arrow 95 is performed through the gap between the lower mold first portion 61a and the lower mold second portion 61b. By this point, the first frame member 41 and the second frame member 42 have been removed. Due to the suction indicated by arrow 95, the release film 2 is positioned along the inner surface of the cavity 7 and is in close contact with the inner surface of the cavity 7. That is, the release film 2 is in close contact with the upper surface of the lower mold first portion 61a and the side surface of the lower mold second portion 61b. This completes step S4 in this embodiment. Even at this point, the resin material 4 still has a first thickness region 71 with a small thickness and a second thickness region 72 with a large thickness.

[0050] As shown in Figure 20, the object 1 is placed on the cavity 7. In Figure 20, the object 1 is placed on the cavity 7 in a position where the side with the mounted components 6 is facing downwards. Outside the cavity 7, the substrate 5 is in contact with the lower mold 61 via the release film 2.

[0051] As shown in Figure 21, the upper mold 62 is brought into contact with the upper side of the object 1. Here, the object 1 is placed first and then the upper mold 62 is brought into contact with the upper side of the object 1. However, as an alternative method, for example, the object 1 may be held by the upper mold 62 and then the upper mold 62 may be brought closer to place the object 1 on top of the cavity 7.

[0052] In the state shown in Figure 21, heating and pressurization are performed between the upper mold 62 and the lower mold 61. The resin material 4 melts when heated. Even immediately after melting, the resin material 4 has a first thickness region 71 with a small thickness and a second thickness region 72 with a large thickness. Vacuuming is performed as shown by arrow 96. As shown by arrow 97 in Figure 22, the first part 61a of the lower mold is brought relatively closer to the upper mold 62. By doing so, the volume inside the cavity 7 gradually decreases. Pressurization is performed by reducing the volume of the cavity 7 in this way. The second thickness region 72 of the resin material 4 protrudes more than the first thickness region 71, so it first comes into contact with the part 6 of the object 1. The resin material 4 that was piled up high in the second thickness region 72 is pushed by the part 6 and spread out to the surroundings as shown in Figure 22. In this way, the same movement of the resin material 4 as described with reference to Figure 7 in Embodiment 1 occurs.

[0053] Furthermore, the resin material 4 conforms to the shape of the object 1 within the cavity 7, filling the gaps. The resin material 4 melts and solidifies into a shape that matches the shape of the cavity 7. The upper mold 62 and the lower mold 61 are separated, and the product is removed. As a result, an electronic component 80 similar to the one described in Embodiment 1 with reference to Figure 10 is obtained. This completes step S5.

[0054] On the other hand, the electronic component manufacturing apparatus 802 in this embodiment can be described as follows. In the electronic component manufacturing apparatus 802, the resin distribution set forming apparatus 30i includes a first support base 51 having an upper surface 51a, on which a release film 2 is placed to form a resin storage section 10, and a supply device 11 for supplying resin material 4 into the resin storage section 10. The first support base 51 is used to spread the distribution of resin material 4 by vibrating the first support base 51 with the resin storage section 10 placed on the upper surface 51a, and the upper surface 51a of the first support base 51 has a groove 56 corresponding to the second thickness region.

[0055] In the electronic component manufacturing method and apparatus of this embodiment, the upper surface a of the first support base 51 has a groove 56 corresponding to the second thickness region 72. The presence of the groove 56 increases the thickness of the resin material 4 in the second thickness region 72. Since the step S2 for forming the resin distribution set includes a second step of widening the distribution of the resin material 4 by vibrating the first support base 51, a desired resin distribution set can be obtained with simple operation.

[0056] (Modification of the second thickness region) In embodiments 1 and 2, the second thickness region 72 included a plurality of first regions 121 that were radially connected to each vertex of a rectangle or square, which is a shape that can be grasped when viewing the resin housing 10 from above. Embodiments 1 and 2 showed an example in which the second thickness region 72 spread out in an X shape, but as long as there are a plurality of first regions 121 that are radially connected to each vertex of a rectangle or square, as shown in Figure 23, for example, a certain effect can be achieved regarding the filling of the resin material 4 at the four corners of the cavity 7. The shape of the plurality of first regions 121 shown in Figure 23 is just one example. The plurality of first regions 121 may be separated from each other. It is not necessary for the plurality of first regions 121 that are radially connected to each vertex to be connected in the center.

[0057] Figures 4 and 23 onward show a top-down view of the resin distribution set 25 installed on the lower mold 61. In these figures, the first thickness region 71 and the second thickness region 72 are represented as regions with different heights on the upper surface of the resin material 4 contained in the resin distribution set 25. Each of these variations can be realized by providing grooves 56 of the corresponding shape on the upper surface 51a of the first support base 51. Depending on the shape of the grooves 56, a second thickness region 72 of a desired shape can be formed.

[0058] In the example shown in Figure 23, the second thickness region 72 was arranged as a plurality of first regions 121 separated from each other. However, in reality, as shown in Figure 24, it is preferable that the second thickness region 72 is in an X shape connected in the center. That is, in the manufacturing method of electronic components described in each of the embodiments above, it is preferable that the second thickness region 72 includes a second region 122 that connects a plurality of first regions 121 together at the center of the rectangle or square. In the manufacturing apparatus of electronic components described in each of the embodiments above, it is preferable that the second thickness region 72 includes a second region 122 that connects a plurality of first regions 121 together at the center of the rectangle or square.

[0059] Furthermore, if the shape of the resin containment section when viewed from above is a rectangle having a long side and a short side, the following can also be said. As shown in Figure 25, the second thickness region 72 may include a region 124 that reaches the middle of the short side of the rectangle. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 26, the second thickness region 72 may include a region 125 that reaches the middle of the long side of the rectangle. As shown in Figure 27, the second thickness region 72 may include both a region 124 that reaches the middle of the short side of the rectangle and a region 125 that reaches the middle of the long side of the rectangle.

[0060] In the methods for manufacturing electronic components described in the embodiments described above, it is preferable that the second region 122 includes a region that occupies a certain extent at the center of the rectangle or square. In the manufacturing apparatus for electronic components described in the embodiments described above, it is preferable that the second region 122 includes a region that occupies a certain extent at the center of the rectangle or square. That is, the second thickness region 72 may have a shape as shown in Figures 28 to 31. In Figures 28 to 31, the second region 122 that connects a plurality of first regions 121 together at the center of the rectangle or square includes a circular region at the center of the rectangle or square. In this way, by including a region that occupies a certain extent at the center of the rectangle or square in the second region 122, the resin material 4 can be received in the center and then smoothly spread to the periphery. Note that the shape of the region that occupies a certain extent at the center of the rectangle or square is not limited to a circle, but may be other shapes.

[0061] In the methods for manufacturing electronic components described in the embodiments described above, it is preferable that the second thickness region 72 includes a third region 123 along at least a portion of the outline of the rectangle or square. In the manufacturing apparatus for electronic components described in the embodiments described above, it is preferable that the second thickness region 72 includes a third region 123 along at least a portion of the outline of the rectangle or square. That is, the second thickness region 72 may have the shape shown in Figure 32. In Figure 32, the third region 123 includes areas near the four corners of the outline of the rectangle or square. In Figure 32, the third region 123 only follows a portion of the outline of the rectangle or square, but as shown in Figures 33 to 36, it is preferable that the third region 123 follows the entire circumference of the outline of the rectangle or square. By including a third region 123 along at least a portion of the outline of the rectangle or square in this way, it becomes easier to sufficiently distribute the resin material 4 not only in the four corners of the space in the cavity 7 but also in the peripheral areas.

[0062] Furthermore, multiple embodiments of the above-described embodiments may be used in appropriate combinations. The embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and are not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, including all modifications within the meaning and scope of equivalences to the claims.

[0063] (Note 1) A method for manufacturing an electronic component in which a resin molded body and an object are integrated, comprising: a step of forming a resin storage section by laying a release film on the upper surface of a first support base; a step of forming a resin distribution set by supplying granular, powdered, or liquid resin material to the resin storage section, thereby including a first thickness region in which the resin material is stacked to a first thickness and a second thickness region in which the resin material is stacked to a second thickness greater than the first thickness; a step of lifting the resin distribution set including the release film and placing the resin distribution set on the lower mold so that the resin storage section corresponds to the position of a cavity provided in the lower mold in a shape corresponding to the resin molded body, thereby forming a state in which the resin material is placed above the cavity via the release film; and a step of covering the inner surface of the cavity with the release film and placing the resin material that was in the resin storage section into the cavity. A method for manufacturing an electronic component, comprising the steps of obtaining a resin molded body by compression molding the resin material while the object is in contact with the resin material in the cavity, wherein the resin housing portion is rectangular or square when viewed from above, and the second thickness region includes a plurality of first regions radially connected to each vertex of the rectangle or square.

[0064] (Note 2) The method for manufacturing an electronic component according to Note 1, wherein the step of forming the resin distribution set includes the steps of supplying the resin material into the resin housing and spreading the distribution of the resin material by vibrating the first support while the resin housing is placed on the upper surface of the first support, and the upper surface of the first support has grooves corresponding to the second thickness region.

[0065] (Note 3) The method for manufacturing an electronic component according to Note 1 or 2, wherein the second thickness region includes a second region that connects the plurality of first regions together at the center of the rectangle or square.

[0066] (Note 4) The method for manufacturing an electronic component according to Note 3, wherein the second region includes a region that occupies a certain extent at the center of the rectangle or square.

[0067] (Note 5) The method for manufacturing an electronic component according to any one of Notes 1 to 4, wherein the second thickness region includes a third region along at least a portion of the outline of the rectangle or square.

[0068] (Note 6) The method for manufacturing an electronic component according to any one of Notes 1 to 5, wherein the step of forming the resin housing portion includes the step of arranging a first frame member and a second frame member on the release film, the first frame member having a first through hole corresponding to the shape of the cavity, the second frame member being arranged inside the first through hole and having a second through hole, the second through hole becoming the resin housing portion, and the step of arranging the resin material in the cavity includes the step of pushing the release film into the cavity while the second frame member is lowered relative to the first frame member.

[0069] (Note 7) An electronic component manufacturing apparatus for obtaining an electronic component in which a resin molded body and an object are integrated, comprising: a resin distribution set forming apparatus that forms a resin distribution set by supplying granular, powdered, or liquid resin material to a resin containment portion formed on a release film, thereby forming a resin distribution set that includes a first thickness region in which the resin material is stacked to a first thickness and a second thickness region in which the resin material is stacked to a second thickness greater than the first thickness; a conveying apparatus that lifts the resin distribution set including the release film and places the resin distribution set on the lower mold so that the resin containment portion corresponds to the position of a cavity provided in the lower mold in a shape corresponding to the resin molded body; and a compression molding apparatus that compresses the resin material with the object in contact with the resin material in the cavity, wherein when the conveying apparatus places the resin distribution set on the lower mold, the release film covers the inner surface of the cavity and the resin material that was in the resin containment portion is placed inside the cavity. An electronic component manufacturing apparatus wherein the resin housing portion is rectangular or square when viewed from above, and the second thickness region includes a plurality of first regions that are radially connected to each vertex of the rectangle or square.

[0070] (Note 8) The resin distribution set forming apparatus includes a first support base having an upper surface on which the release film is placed to form the resin storage portion, and a supply device for supplying the resin material into the resin storage portion, wherein the first support base is vibrated while the resin storage portion is placed on its upper surface to spread the distribution of the resin material, and the upper surface of the first support base has a groove corresponding to the second thickness region, as described in Note 7.

[0071] (Note 9) The electronic component manufacturing apparatus according to Note 7 or 8, wherein the second thickness region includes a second region that connects the plurality of first regions collectively at the center of the rectangle or square.

[0072] (Note 10) The electronic component manufacturing apparatus according to Note 9, wherein the second region includes a region that occupies a certain extent at the center of the rectangle or square.

[0073] (Note 11) The apparatus for manufacturing electronic components according to any one of Notes 7 to 10, wherein the second thickness region includes a third region along at least a portion of the outline of the rectangle or square.

[0074] (Note 12) The resin distribution set forming apparatus comprises a first frame member and a second frame member disposed on the release film, the first frame member having a first through hole corresponding to the shape of the cavity, the second frame member being disposed inside the first through hole and having a second through hole, the second through hole being the resin containment portion, and the manufacturing apparatus includes a mechanism for pushing the release film into the cavity with the second frame member lowered relative to the first frame member, the manufacturing apparatus of an electronic component according to any one of Notes 7 to 11.

[0075] 1 Object, 2 Release film, 4 Resin material, 5 Substrate, 6 Component, 7 Cavity, 8 Resin molded body, 10 Resin containment section, 11 Supply device, 12 Conveying device, 12a Suction nozzle, 25 Resin distribution set, 30, 30i Resin distribution set forming device, 33 Compression molding device, 41 First frame member, 41a First through hole, 42 Second frame member, 42a Second through hole, 51 First support base, 51a Top surface, 56 Groove, 60 Mold, 61 Lower mold, 61a First part of lower mold, 61b Second part of lower mold, 62 Upper mold, 65 Suction groove, 66 Elastic body, 71 First thickness region, 72 Second thickness region, 75 Unsupplied resin region, 80 Electronic component, 81 Resin supply area, 82 Mounting component area, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97 Arrow, 121 First area, 122 Second area, 123 Third area, 124, 125 Area, 511 Upper plate, 512 Lower plate, 513 Spring, 514 Vibrator, 801, 802 Manufacturing equipment.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing an electronic component in which a resin molded body and an object are integrated, comprising: a step of forming a resin storage section by laying a release film on the upper surface of a first support base; a step of forming a resin distribution set by supplying granular, powdered, or liquid resin material to the resin storage section, thereby including a first thickness region in which the resin material is stacked to a first thickness and a second thickness region in which the resin material is stacked to a second thickness greater than the first thickness; a step of lifting the resin distribution set including the release film and placing the resin distribution set on the lower mold so that the resin storage section corresponds to the position of a cavity provided in the lower mold in a shape corresponding to the resin molded body, thereby forming a state in which the resin material is placed above the cavity via the release film; and a step of covering the inner surface of the cavity with the release film and placing the resin material that was in the resin storage section into the cavity. A method for manufacturing an electronic component, comprising the steps of obtaining a resin molded body by compression molding the resin material while the object is in contact with the resin material in the cavity, wherein the resin housing portion is rectangular or square when viewed from above, and the second thickness region includes a plurality of first regions radially connected to each vertex of the rectangle or square.

2. The method for manufacturing an electronic component according to claim 1, wherein the step of forming the resin distribution set includes the steps of supplying the resin material into the resin housing and spreading the distribution of the resin material by vibrating the first support while the resin housing is placed on the upper surface of the first support, and the upper surface of the first support has grooves corresponding to the second thickness region.

3. The method for manufacturing an electronic component according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second thickness region includes a second region that connects the plurality of first regions collectively at the center of the rectangle or square.

4. The method for manufacturing an electronic component according to claim 3, wherein the second region includes a region that occupies a certain extent at the center of the rectangle or square.

5. The method for manufacturing an electronic component according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the second thickness region includes a third region along at least a portion of the outline of the rectangle or square.

6. The method for manufacturing an electronic component according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the step of forming the resin housing portion includes the step of arranging a first frame member and a second frame member on the release film, the first frame member having a first through hole corresponding to the shape of the cavity, the second frame member being arranged inside the first through hole and having a second through hole, the second through hole becoming the resin housing portion, and the step of arranging the resin material in the cavity includes the step of pushing the release film into the cavity while the second frame member is lowered relative to the first frame member.

7. An electronic component manufacturing apparatus for obtaining an electronic component in which a resin molded body and an object are integrated, comprising: a resin distribution set forming apparatus that forms a resin distribution set by supplying granular, powdered, or liquid resin material to a resin containment portion formed on a release film, thereby forming a resin distribution set that includes a first thickness region in which the resin material is stacked to a first thickness and a second thickness region in which the resin material is stacked to a second thickness greater than the first thickness; a conveying apparatus that lifts the resin distribution set including the release film and places the resin distribution set on the lower mold so that the resin containment portion corresponds to the position of a cavity provided in the lower mold in a shape corresponding to the resin molded body; and a compression molding apparatus that compresses and molds the resin material with the object in contact with the resin material in the cavity, wherein when the conveying apparatus places the resin distribution set on the lower mold, the release film covers the inner surface of the cavity and the resin material that was in the resin containment portion is placed inside the cavity. An electronic component manufacturing apparatus wherein the resin housing portion is rectangular or square when viewed from above, and the second thickness region includes a plurality of first regions that are radially connected to each vertex of the rectangle or square.

8. The resin distribution set forming apparatus includes a first support base having an upper surface for forming the resin storage portion by placing the release film on the upper surface, and a supply device for supplying the resin material into the resin storage portion, wherein the first support base is vibrated while the resin storage portion is placed on the upper surface to spread the distribution of the resin material, and the upper surface of the first support base has a groove corresponding to the second thickness region, the electronic component manufacturing apparatus according to claim 7.

9. The apparatus for manufacturing electronic components according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the second thickness region includes a second region that connects the plurality of first regions collectively at the center of the rectangle or square.

10. The apparatus for manufacturing electronic components according to claim 9, wherein the second region includes a region that occupies a certain extent at the center of the rectangle or square.

11. The apparatus for manufacturing an electronic component according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the second thickness region includes a third region along at least a portion of the outline of the rectangle or square.

12. The resin distribution set forming apparatus comprises a first frame member and a second frame member disposed on the release film, the first frame member having a first through hole corresponding to the shape of the cavity, the second frame member being disposed inside the first through hole and having a second through hole, the second through hole being the resin containment portion, and the manufacturing apparatus includes a mechanism for pushing the release film into the cavity while the second frame member is lowered relative to the first frame member, according to any one of claims 7 to 11.

Images