Printing device

Abstract

This printer 100 is provided with a squeegee 21, and a substrate support member placement unit 6 including support members 610 (611) for supporting a substrate Su and a mask Ma when solder is printed on the substrate Su by the squeegee 21. The support members 610 (611) include a first support member 610 including a first contact surface 6101b, and a second support member 611, different in type from the first support member 610, the second support member 611 including a second contact surface 6111c that contacts and supports from below the lower surface of the mask Ma outside the part in contact with the substrate Su, at least in the vicinity of the edge parts of the mask in a direction perpendicular to the movement direction of the squeegee 21.

Description

Printing device

[0001] This invention relates to a printing device provided with a squeegee.

[0002] Conventionally, a printing device provided with a squeegee for printing solder on a mask arranged at a working position onto a substrate arranged at a printing position is known. Such a printing device is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-7605.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-7605 discloses a screen printing machine (printing device) provided with a squeegee member (squeegee). This screen printing machine includes a substrate holding table and a substrate holding table elevating device. The squeegee member includes a main squeegee member and a sub-squeegee member. The main squeegee member is a plate-like member made of metal. The sub-squeegee member is a member formed of an elastic member such as silicone rubber. The sub-squeegee member includes a lip portion formed thinner than other portions. The sub-squeegee member is attached to both end portions in the width direction of the main squeegee member. The substrate holding table is configured to support a substrate conveyed to a predetermined position from below. The substrate holding table elevating device is a device for elevating the substrate holding table.

[0004] In the screen printing machine of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-7605, while the substrate held by the substrate holding table is pressed from below against a screen having an opening, the squeegee member presses the screen from above. In this state, by sliding the squeegee member, the cream solder on the screen is printed onto the substrate through the opening of the screen. Here, since the portion of the screen outside the substrate held by the substrate holding table is not pressed by the substrate holding table, the screen deflects downward. The lip portion of the sub-squeegee member elastically deformed when the squeegee member presses the screen from above abuts against the downwardly deflected portion. Thereby, the cream solder protruding from the portion of the screen outside the substrate held by the substrate holding table is scraped off.

[0005] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-7605

[0006] However, in the screen printing machine described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-7605, if the height of the squeegee member is not adjusted to match the downward deflection of the screen, the lip portion of the sub-squeegee member may not be able to follow the deflection of the screen. In this case, because the lip portion cannot follow the deflection, the solder paste on the part of the screen that is outside the substrate held by the substrate holder will remain on the screen. Therefore, it is desirable to suppress the remaining solder paste (solder) on the screen (on the mask) while making the adjustment work of the squeegee member (squeegee) easy.

[0007] This invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and one of its objectives is to provide a printing apparatus that can suppress unscrewed solder on the mask while making the squeegee adjustment process less complicated.

[0008] A printing apparatus according to one aspect of this invention comprises a squeegee for printing solder on a mask placed at a working position onto a substrate placed at a printing position, and a substrate support member placement unit including a support member for supporting the substrate and the mask when the squeegee prints solder onto the substrate. The support member includes a first support member including a first contact surface that contacts and supports the substrate from below, and a second contact surface that contacts and supports the lower surface of the outer part of the portion of the mask that contacts the substrate, and at least the lower surface near the end in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the squeegee, from below, and is of a different type from the first support member. Note that the term "near the end in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the squeegee" includes the end in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the squeegee and the area surrounding the end in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the squeegee.

[0009] In a printing apparatus according to one aspect of this invention, as described above, the support member includes a first support member including a first contact surface that contacts and supports the substrate from below, and a second support member of a different type from the first support member, which includes a second contact surface that contacts and supports the lower surface of the outer part of the mask that contacts the substrate, and at least the lower surface near the end in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the squeegee from below. As a result, the portion of the mask outside the substrate that is not supported by the first support member via the substrate can be supported by the second support member, thereby suppressing downward deflection of the portion of the mask outside the substrate. Therefore, printing can be performed by moving the squeegee while suppressing downward deflection of the portion of the mask outside the substrate, thereby suppressing solder that has spilled out onto the portion of the mask outside the substrate that is supported by the first support member from remaining on the mask. As a result, while keeping the squeegee adjustment work from becoming complicated, it is possible to suppress downward deflection of the portion of the mask outside the substrate, thereby suppressing solder residue on the mask. Furthermore, since it is possible to suppress residual solder, it is possible to reduce the amount of solder printed on the substrate, suppress the waste of solder when printing solder on the substrate, and suppress the false detection of the width of solder applied on the mask caused by detecting residual solder. In addition, when using the first support member, the height is insufficient by the thickness of the substrate and the mask cannot be directly supported. However, by using a second support member of a different type from the first support member, if the second support member is provided with a structure that allows the mask to be directly supported, the mask can be directly supported by the second support member. By using such a second support member of a different type from the first support member, the lower surface of the outer part of the mask that contacts the substrate, and at least the lower surface near the end in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the squeegee, can be supported from below, so that the deflection of the mask can be suppressed.

[0010] In the printing apparatus according to the first aspect described above, preferably, in the vertical direction, the support height of the second contact surface of the second support member, which is of a different type from the first support member, is higher than the support height of the first contact surface of the first support member. Here, since the first support member supports the mask via the substrate, if the support height of the second contact surface of the second support member is increased by the thickness of the substrate, the support height of the first contact surface of the first support member and the support height of the second contact surface of the second support member can be made the same. As a result, by supporting the mask with both the first and second support members, downward deflection of the mask can be suppressed, and thus the remaining solder on the mask after sliding the squeegee across the mask can be suppressed.

[0011] In the printing apparatus according to the first aspect described above, preferably, in a plan view, the area of ​​the second contact surface of the second support member is larger than the area of ​​the first contact surface. Here, the area of ​​the first contact surface of the first support member is reduced in order to support a position on the substrate that is away from the wiring pattern, etc. Since the second support member directly supports the mask, by making the area of ​​the second contact surface of the second support member larger than the area of ​​the first contact surface, it is possible to secure an area for the second support member to support the mask from below, thereby suppressing downward deflection of the mask.

[0012] In the printing apparatus according to the first aspect described above, preferably, the first support member is a first backup pin including a first contact surface, and the second support member includes a second backup pin and a support provided at the upper end of the second backup pin, which includes a second contact surface having a flat surface area larger than that of the first contact surface. With this configuration, the second support member can secure an area for supporting the mask by providing the support having the second contact surface on the second backup pin. Here, if the first backup pin and the second backup pin are of the same type, the second support member can be realized simply by adding a support, so the second support member can be easily provided.

[0013] In this case, preferably, the area of ​​the second contact surface is larger than the area of ​​the tip surface of the second backup pin in a plan view. With this configuration, the area of ​​the second contact surface that contacts the mask can be increased, and the downward deflection of the mask can be suppressed by the amount of the increased area.

[0014] In a printing apparatus provided with a second support member including the support described above, preferably, the second contact surface has a rectangular or circular shape in plan view. With this configuration, the support can be easily provided by making the second contact surface a simple shape such as a rectangle or a circle.

[0015] In a printing apparatus in which the support height of the second contact surface of the second support member is higher than the support height of the first contact surface of the first support member, preferably, in the vertical direction, the support height of the second contact surface of the second support member is higher than the support height of the first contact surface of the first support member by the thickness of the substrate. Here, as described above, the first support member supports the mask via the substrate, so by increasing the support height of the second contact surface of the second support member by the thickness of the substrate, the height position of the upper surface of the substrate supported by the first support member can be aligned with the support height of the second contact surface of the second support member. As a result, solder printing onto the substrate can be performed with a squeegee while the mask is supported by the first and second support members, so that any remaining solder on the mask after sliding the squeegee across the mask can be more effectively suppressed.

[0016] In this case, preferably, the second support member includes a height adjustment section that can adjust the support height of the second contact surface in the vertical direction. With this configuration, there is no need to prepare a new second support member depending on the type (thickness) of the substrate, and therefore there is no need to provide multiple types of second support members to match the type of substrate. As a result, the number of types of second support members can be suppressed.

[0017] In a printing apparatus provided with a second support member including the height adjustment section described above, preferably, the height adjustment section includes a height adjustment biasing member that biases the upper end of the second support member upward in order to adjust the support height of the second contact surface. With this configuration, the height of the second contact surface can be easily adjusted using the height adjustment biasing member.

[0018] In the printing apparatus according to the first aspect described above, preferably, the substrate support member placement unit includes a support member station for pre-holding a first support member and a second support member, a first support member head for moving the first support member from the support member station while holding it, a second support member head for moving the second support member from the support member station while holding it, and a support plate on which the first support member is moved and placed by the first support member head from the support member station and the second support member is moved and placed by the second support member head. With this configuration, by providing a dedicated first support member head for the first support member and a dedicated second support member head for the second support member, it is possible to provide a first support member head having a shape that matches the first support member and a second support member head having a shape that matches the second support member, so that the first support member can be reliably held by the first support member head and the second support member can be reliably held by the second support member head.

[0019] In this case, preferably, the system further includes a control unit that controls the placement of the first support member from the support member station to the portion of the support plate corresponding to the substrate, by holding the first support member with a head for the first support member, and also controls the placement of the second support member from the support member station to the portion of the support plate corresponding to the outer lower surface of the mask, and at least the outer lower surface of the end perpendicular to the direction of movement of the squeegee. With this configuration, the control unit can automatically place the first support member and the second support member on the support plate, thus avoiding the complicated work of placing the first support pin and the second support pin on the support plate.

[0020] In the printing layer equipped with the control unit described above, preferably, a solder detection unit is further provided on the upper surface of the mask, outside the opening for printing a predetermined pattern on the substrate, to detect solder left behind by the squeegee. The control unit is configured to control the placement of a second support member by a second support member head at a location on the support plate corresponding to the lower surface outside the substrate of the mask, and at least the lower surface outside the end in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the squeegee. With this configuration, control to place the second support member is not performed when it is not necessary, thus suppressing an increase in printing time.

[0021] In the printing apparatus according to the first aspect described above, preferably, a substrate transport section is further provided for transporting the substrate in a transport direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the squeegee, and the second support member is configured to be positioned in the transport direction not only on the lower surface of the mask near the end in the direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the squeegee, but also on the lower surface from the outside of the substrate to the vicinity of the end in the direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the squeegee. With this configuration, the second support member can support the lower surface of the mask near the end in the direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the squeegee, and the portion of the mask from the outside of the substrate to the vicinity of the end in the direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the squeegee, so that the mask does not flex up to the lower surface near the end of the squeegee. As a result, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of unscrewed solder on the upper surface of the mask.

[0022] In the printing apparatus according to the first aspect described above, preferably, the first support member is a substrate surface support jig having a first contact surface, and the second support member is a mask surface support jig having a second contact surface, and the substrate surface support jig and the mask surface support jig are provided integrally with each other or separately. With this configuration, the substrate surface support jig has a large surface area for contacting and supporting the mask, and the mask support jig has a large surface area for contacting and supporting the mask, so the number of components to be placed on the substrate can be reduced compared to the case where backup pins are placed for the same area. As a result, the convenience of the placement work can be improved compared to the case where backup pins are placed. Furthermore, by providing the substrate surface support jig and the mask surface support jig integrally with each other, the number of components to be placed can be reduced. Furthermore, by providing the substrate surface support jig and the mask surface support jig separately with each other, the degree of freedom in placement can be improved.

[0023] According to the present invention, as described above, it is possible to suppress residual solder on the mask while making the squeegee adjustment process less complicated.

[0024] This is a plan view of a printing apparatus according to one embodiment. This is a cross-sectional view along line II-II in Figure 1. This is a side view of a printing apparatus according to one embodiment. This is a plan view of a printing apparatus according to one embodiment with the first support pin and the second support pin arranged. This is a block diagram showing the control configuration of a printing apparatus according to one embodiment. This is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a mask is supported by the first support pin and the second support pin in a printing apparatus according to one embodiment. This is a diagram showing a perspective view of the first support pin and an exploded perspective view of the second support pin of a printing apparatus according to one embodiment side by side. This is a plan view showing the first support pin and the second support pin of a printing apparatus according to one embodiment side by side. This is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the second support pin is arranged on the upstream and downstream sides of the substrate in a printing apparatus according to one embodiment. This is a flowchart for explaining the printing process by the control unit of a printing apparatus according to one embodiment. This is an exploded perspective view showing the second support pin of a printing apparatus according to a first modification of one embodiment. This is an exploded perspective view showing the second support pin of a printing apparatus according to a second modification of one embodiment. This is a schematic diagram showing the case in which solder residue is detected by the solder detection unit of a printing apparatus according to a third modification of one embodiment. This is a plan view showing the separately provided substrate surface support jig and mask surface support jig of a printing apparatus according to a fourth modification of one embodiment, arranged on a support plate. This is a plan view showing the integrally provided substrate surface support jig and mask surface support jig of a printing apparatus according to a fifth modification of one embodiment, arranged on a support plate.

[0025] The following describes embodiments of the present invention based on the drawings.

[0026] The configuration of the printing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 10.

[0027] (Configuration of the printing device) As shown in Figure 1, the printing device 100 is a device that prints solder So (solder paste) in a predetermined pattern onto a substrate Su.

[0028] The printing apparatus 100 comprises a base 1, a squeegee unit 2, a mask clamp member 3, a substrate transport unit 4, a substrate support unit 5 (see Figure 2), a substrate support member placement unit 6 (see Figure 2), and a control unit 7 (see Figure 2).

[0029] The base 1 is equipped with a mask clamp member 3, a substrate support unit 5, a substrate support member placement unit 6, and a control unit 7.

[0030] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the squeegee unit 2 is configured to move along the upper surface of the mask Ma by reciprocating in the Y direction, thereby scraping the solder So supplied onto the upper surface of the mask Ma.

[0031] Specifically, the squeegee unit 2 includes a squeegee 21, a Y-axis drive unit 22, a Z-axis drive unit 23, and an R-axis drive unit 24 (see Figure 2).

[0032] Here, the vertical direction is defined as the Z direction, with Z1 being the upward direction and Z2 being the downward direction. The direction perpendicular to the Z direction in which the substrate Su is transported is defined as the X1 direction, the opposite direction of the X1 direction is defined as the X2 direction, and the combined direction of the X1 and X2 directions is defined as the X direction. The direction perpendicular to the X and Z directions is defined as the Y direction, with one of the Y directions being defined as the Y1 direction and the other as the Y2 direction. Note that the Y direction is an example of the "direction of movement of the squeegee" in the claims.

[0033] The squeegee 21 is a component used to print solder So on a mask Ma located at the working position Pw onto a substrate Su located at the printing position Pp, while applying a predetermined printing pressure (load). The squeegee 21 is a plate-shaped component extending along the X direction. The Y-axis drive unit 22 is configured to move the squeegee 21 in the Y1 and Y2 directions. The Z-axis drive unit 23 is configured to move the squeegee 21 in the Z1 and Z2 directions. The R-axis drive unit 24 is configured to rotate the squeegee 21 in the circumferential direction around a rotation axis extending along the X direction.

[0034] The mask clamp member 3 is configured to hold the mask Ma in the working position Pw when printing solder So onto the substrate Su in a predetermined pattern using the mask Ma. Specifically, the mask clamp member 3 includes a mask support member 31 and a mask pressing member 32. The mask support member 31 is a member that supports the mask Ma from below (Z2 direction). The mask support member 31 is positioned on both the X1 direction side and the X2 direction side. The mask pressing member 32 is a member that presses the mask Ma supported by the mask support member 31 from above (Z1 direction). The mask pressing member 32 is configured to press the positions corresponding to the four corners of the mask Ma.

[0035] The substrate transport unit 4 is configured to transport the substrate Su in the X1 direction. The substrate transport unit 4 includes a pair of conveyors 41 and a drive unit (not shown). The pair of conveyors 41 are provided to extend along the X direction. The pair of conveyors 41 are arranged parallel to each other at a predetermined distance in the Y direction. The pair of conveyors 41 are configured to allow adjustment of the distance between them in the Y direction to correspond to the width of the substrate to be transported. The drive unit has a drive source for driving the pair of conveyors 41.

[0036] As shown in Figure 2, the substrate support unit 5 is configured to support the substrate Su and to align with the mask Ma.

[0037] Specifically, the substrate support unit 5 includes an X-axis movement mechanism (not shown), a Y-axis movement mechanism (not shown), an R-axis movement mechanism (not shown), a Z-axis movement mechanism 51, and a printing table 52. The X-axis movement mechanism is configured to move the printing table 52 in the X1 and X2 directions. The X-axis movement mechanism has a drive source such as a motor. The Y-axis movement mechanism is configured to move the printing table 52 in the Y1 and Y2 directions. The Y-axis movement mechanism has a drive source such as a motor. The R-axis movement mechanism is configured to rotate the printing table 52 around a rotation axis parallel to the Z direction. The R-axis movement mechanism has a drive source such as a motor. The Z-axis movement mechanism 51 is configured to move the printing table 52 in the Z1 and Z2 directions. The Z-axis movement mechanism 51 has a drive source such as a motor. A conveyor 41 is provided on the printing table 52.

[0038] (Substrate support member arrangement unit) As shown in Figure 3, the substrate support member arrangement unit 6 includes a substrate camera 601, a mask camera 602, a backup pin station 603, a support plate 604, a support plate drive unit 605, a first support pin head 606, a second support pin head 607, an X-axis movement mechanism 608, a Y-axis movement mechanism 609 (see Figure 2), a first support pin 610, and a second support pin 611.

[0039] Note that the backup pin station 603 is an example of a "support member station" within the scope of the claims. The head for the first support pin 606 is an example of a "head for the first support member" within the scope of the claims. The head for the second support pin 607 is an example of a "head for the second support member" within the scope of the claims. The first support pin 610 is an example of a "support member" and a "first support member" within the scope of the claims. The second support pin 611 is an example of a "support member" and a "second support member" within the scope of the claims.

[0040] As shown in Figure 3, the substrate camera 601 and the mask camera 602 are configured to position the substrate Su relative to the mask Ma. The substrate camera 601 is configured to recognize the relative position of the substrate Su, supported by the first support pin 610, with respect to the printing table 52. The mask camera 602 is configured to recognize the position of the mask Ma held by the mask clamp member 3. In the printing apparatus 100, after the substrate camera 601 and the mask camera 602 are used to recognize the relative position of the substrate Su with respect to the mask Ma, the X-axis movement mechanism 608, the Y-axis movement mechanism 609, and the R-axis movement mechanism of the substrate support unit 5 position the relative position of the substrate Su with respect to the mask Ma (position and inclination in the horizontal plane). Then, in the printing apparatus 100, with the relative position of the substrate Su with respect to the mask Ma positioned, the upper surface of the substrate Su is brought into contact with the lower surface of the mask Ma by the support plate drive unit 605.

[0041] As shown in Figure 4, the backup pin station 603 is configured to pre-hold a plurality of first support pins 610 and a plurality of second support pins 611. The position of each of the plurality of first support pins 610 in the backup pin station 603 is pre-stored in the storage unit 72 of the control unit 7. The position of each of the plurality of second support pins 611 in the backup pin station 603 is pre-stored in the storage unit 72 of the control unit 7.

[0042] The support plate 604 is configured to allow the first support pin 610 and the second support pin 611 to be detachably attached. Multiple mounting holes (not shown) are formed on the upper surface of the support plate 604, shaped to match the shape of the lower ends of the first support pin 610 and the second support pin 611, respectively. The support plate drive unit 605 is configured to raise and lower the support plate 604 in the Z1 and Z2 directions. The support plate drive unit 605 includes a ball screw and a motor, etc. The support plate 604 may also attract the first support pin 610 and the second support pin 611 by magnetic force.

[0043] (First support pin head and second support pin head) As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the first support pin head 606 is configured to grip and hold the first support pin 610. The first support pin head 606 moves horizontally by the X-axis movement mechanism 608 and the Y-axis movement mechanism 609 (see Figure 2). The first support pin head 606 is configured to move to a predetermined position on the support plate 604 while gripping and holding the first support pin 610, which is held by the backup pin station 603, using its nozzle. The first support pin head 606 is then configured to release the grip of the nozzle and position the first support pin 610 at the predetermined position on the support plate 604. The first support pin head 606 is also configured to move from the predetermined position on the support plate 604 to a predetermined position on the backup pin station 603 while gripping and holding the first support pin 610, which is positioned on the support plate 604, using its nozzle. The first support pin head 606 is configured to release the nozzle from its grip and position the first support pin 610 in a predetermined location on the backup pin station 603.

[0044] The second support pin head 607 is configured to attract and hold the second support pin 611. The second support pin head 607 moves horizontally by the X-axis movement mechanism 608 and the Y-axis movement mechanism 609. The second support pin head 607 is configured to move to a predetermined position on the support plate 604 while attracting and holding the second support pin 611, which is held by the backup pin station 603, using its nozzle. The second support pin head 607 is then configured to release the nozzle's suction and position the second support pin 611 at the predetermined position on the support plate 604. The second support pin head 607 is also configured to move to a predetermined position on the backup pin station 603 while attracting and holding the second support pin 611, which is positioned on the support plate 604, using its nozzle. The second support pin head 607 is then configured to release the nozzle's suction and position the second support pin 611 from the predetermined position on the support plate 604 to the predetermined position on the backup pin station 603.

[0045] In this way, on the support plate 604, the first support pin 610 is moved and arranged from the backup pin station 603 by the head 606 for the first support pin, and the second support pin 611 is moved and arranged from the backup pin station 603 by the head 607 for the second support pin. Also, on the backup pin station 603, the first support pin 610 is moved and arranged from the support plate 604 by the head 606 for the first support pin, and the second support pin 611 is moved and arranged from the support plate 604 by the head 607 for the second support pin.

[0046] The X-axis movement mechanism 608 is configured to move the substrate camera 601, the mask camera 602, the head 606 for the first support pin, and the head 607 for the second support pin in the X1 direction and the X2 direction. The X-axis movement mechanism 608 has a drive source such as a motor. The Y-axis movement mechanism 609 is configured to move the substrate camera 601, the mask camera 602, the head 606 for the first support pin, and the head 607 for the second support pin in the Y1 direction and the Y2 direction. The Y-axis movement mechanism 609 has a drive source such as a motor.

[0047] (First support pin and second support pin) As shown in FIG. 4, the first support pin 610 is configured to support the substrate Su when printing the solder So on the substrate Su by the squeegee 21. The second support pin 611 is configured to support the mask Ma when printing the solder So on the substrate Su by the squeegee 21. The first support pin 610 and the second support pin 611 will be described in detail later.

[0048] (Control Unit) As shown in FIG. 5, the control unit 7 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 71, a storage unit 72 having an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) and an SSD (Solid State Drive), etc., and a memory having a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. A control program for controlling the printing apparatus 100 is stored in the storage unit 72. The control unit 7 is electrically connected to each of the squeegee unit 2, the mask clamping member 3, the substrate transfer unit 4, the substrate support unit 5, and the substrate support member arrangement unit 6.

[0049] (Detailed Configuration of the First Support Pin and the Second Support Pin) As shown in FIG. 6, in the printing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, a plurality of first support pins 610 support the substrate Su from below (the Z2 direction side), and a plurality of second support pins 611 support the portion of the mask Ma outside the substrate Su.

[0050] <First Support Pin> As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the first support pin 610 is a backup pin for supporting the substrate Su. The first support pin 610 is a metal pin. The first support pin 610 has an installation portion 610a and a pin main body portion 610b. The installation portion 610a is a portion installed on the support plate 604. The installation portion 610a has an engaging portion (not shown) engaged with the mounting hole of the support plate 604. The pin main body portion 610b projects in the Z1 direction from the upper surface of the installation portion 610a. The pin main body portion 610b has a first contact surface 6101b as the upper (Z1 direction side) end surface. The first contact surface 6101b is a surface that contacts and supports the lower surface of the substrate Su from below (the Z2 direction side). The first contact surface 6101b has a circular shape in plan view. Note that the first support pin 610 (the configuration combining the installation portion 610a and the pin main body portion 610b) is an example of the "first backup pin" in the claims.

[0051] <Second Support Pin> The second support pin 611 is a backup pin that supports the mask Ma. The second support pin 611 is a metal pin. The second support pin 611 has an installation portion 611a, a pin body portion 611b, and a support body 611c. The installation portion 611a is the part that is installed on the support plate 604. The installation portion 611a has an engaging portion (not shown) that engages with a mounting hole in the support plate 604. The pin body portion 611b protrudes from the upper surface of the installation portion 611a in the Z1 direction. The pin body portion 611b has an upper (Z1 direction side) tip surface 6111b. The tip surface 6111b is the part that is inserted into the inside of the support body 611c from below (Z2 direction side). In plan view, the tip surface 6111b has a circular shape. The configuration comprising the mounting portion 611a and the pin body portion 611b is an example of the "second backup pin" as defined in the claim.

[0052] The support 611c has a second contact surface 6111c, an insertion portion 6112c, and a fastening member 6113c.

[0053] The second contact surface 6111c is provided at the upper ends of the mounting portion 611a and the pin body portion 611b. That is, the second contact surface 6111c is provided on the support 611c attached to the upper ends of the mounting portion 611a and the pin body portion 611b. The second contact surface 6111c is a surface that contacts and supports the lower surface of the mask Ma from below (Z2 direction side). In plan view (viewed from the Z1 direction side), the second contact surface 6111c has a rectangular shape.

[0054] The insertion portion 6112c is the portion into which the upper part (Z1 direction side portion) of the pin body portion 611b of the second support pin 611 is inserted. An insertion hole recessed upward (Z1 direction) is formed on the lower surface (Z2 direction side surface) of the insertion portion 6112c. A fastening hole is formed on the side surface (outer peripheral surface around the central axis extending in the Z direction) that penetrates to the insertion hole. A fastening member 6113c is screwed into the fastening hole.

[0055] The fastening member 6113c is fastened to the fastening hole and is configured to press the upper portion (Z1 direction side portion) of the pin body 611b against the inner surface of the insertion hole from the side. In this way, the support 611c is attached to the pin body 611b. The support 611c can also be removed from the pin body 611b by reducing the pressure applied by the fastening member 6113c. In this way, the support 611c is detachably attached to the pin body 611b. That is, the second support pin 611 has a configuration in which the support 611c is attached to the first support pin 610.

[0056] Furthermore, the second support pin 611 is a different type of pin from the first support pin 610 in the following respects, by attaching the support body 611c to the first support pin 610.

[0057] <Height> In other words, as shown in Figure 6, in the vertical direction (Z direction), the support height H2 of the second contact surface 6111c of the second support pin 611, which is of a different type from the first support pin 610, is higher than the support height H1 of the first contact surface 6101b of the first support pin 610. In other words, in the vertical direction (Z direction), the support height H2 of the second contact surface 6111c of the second support pin 611 is higher than the support height H1 of the first contact surface 6101b of the first support pin 610 by the thickness Th of the substrate Su. Here, depending on the thickness Th of the substrate Su, second support pins 611 with different heights may be arranged in the backup pin station 603.

[0058] <Area> Furthermore, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the second contact surface 6111c is a flat surface with a larger area than the first contact surface 6101b in a plan view. That is, the area Ar2 of the second contact surface 6111c is larger than the area Ar1 of the first contact surface 6101b of the first support pin 610 in a plan view. Also, in a plan view, the area Ar2 of the second contact surface 6111c of the second support pin 611 is larger than the area Ar3 of the tip surface 6111b.

[0059] (Position of the first and second support pins) The first support pin 610 and the second support pin 611, having the structure described above, are arranged on the support plate 604 as shown in Figures 6 and 9.

[0060] In other words, as shown in Figure 6, the multiple first support pins 610 support the mask Ma via the substrate Su. The multiple first support pins 610 are arranged on the support plate 604 in corresponding portions below the substrate Su (on the Z2 direction side). The first contact surface 6101b is the surface that contacts and supports the lower surface of the substrate Su by raising the support plate 604.

[0061] Furthermore, the multiple second support pins 611 directly support the mask Ma. The second contact surface 6111c is the lower surface outside the portion of the mask Ma that contacts the substrate Su, and is a surface that contacts and supports the lower surface near the end in the direction perpendicular to the movement direction of the squeegee 21 (Y direction) (X direction) from below.

[0062] Therefore, the second support pins 611 are configured to be arranged in multiples in the transport direction (X1 direction) on the lower surface of the mask Ma, outside the substrate Su, and extending to the lower surface portion near the end in the direction perpendicular to the movement direction of the squeegee 21 (X direction). In other words, the second support pins 611 are configured to be arranged on the lower surface of the mask Ma, outside the substrate Su, and extending to the lower surface portion near the end of the squeegee 21 on the X1 direction side. Furthermore, the second support pins 611 are configured to be arranged on the lower surface of the mask Ma, outside the substrate Su, and extending to the lower surface portion near the end of the squeegee 21 on the X2 direction side.

[0063] Thus, the second support pin 611 is configured to be positioned not only on the lower surface near the end of the mask Ma in the direction perpendicular to the movement direction of the squeegee 21 (Y direction) (X direction) in the transport direction (X1 direction), but also on the lower surface portion from the outside of the substrate Su to the vicinity of the end in the direction perpendicular to the movement direction of the squeegee 21 (Y direction) (X direction).

[0064] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, the multiple second support pins 611 are configured to be positioned on both the upstream and downstream sides of the substrate Su that has been transported to a predetermined position Pd by the substrate transport unit 4 in the transport direction (X1 direction). In addition, in the transport direction (X1 direction), the second support pins 611 are configured to be positioned between the substrate Su supported by the first support pins 610 and the substrate Su-side end of the second support pins 611 with a gap Ce1 in between. The gap Ce1 is approximately 10 mm. However, the gap Ce1 is not limited to approximately 10 mm. That is, in the transport direction (X1 direction), a gap Ce1 is provided between the substrate Su-side end of the multiple second support pins 611 on the upstream side and the substrate Su. Also, in the transport direction (X1 direction), a gap Ce1 is provided between the substrate Su-side end of the multiple second support pins 611 on the downstream side and the substrate Su.

[0065] Here, a gap Ce2 is provided between the multiple second support pins 611, each having a rectangular second contact surface 6111c. That is, a gap Ce2 is provided between the multiple second support pins 611, each having a rectangular second contact surface 6111c, in both the X1 direction and the Y direction. The gap Ce2 is approximately 5 mm. Note that the gap Ce2 may be approximately 0 mm or more and less than 5 mm, or greater than 5 mm.

[0066] Thus, gap Ce1 is larger than gap Ce2. This is because, although the relative positions of the second support pins 611 located on the support plate 604 are constant, the relative positions of the second support pins 611 and the substrate Su change depending on the alignment of the substrate Su and the mask Ma. Therefore, in order to suppress interference between the substrate Su and the second support pins 611, gap Ce1 is larger than gap Ce2.

[0067] (Printing Control) Printing control is performed using the first support pin 610 and the second support pin 611 described above. Specifically, the control unit 7 controls the first support pin 610 to be held by the first support pin head 606 and positioned from the backup pin station 603 to the portion of the support plate 604 corresponding to the substrate Su. The control unit 7 also controls the second support pin 611 to be held by the second support pin head 607 and positioned from the backup pin station 603 to the portion of the support plate 604 corresponding to the outer lower surface of the mask Ma, on the outer lower surface of the outer edge of the substrate Su, and at least the portion of the outer lower surface of the edge in the direction perpendicular to the movement direction of the squeegee 21 (X direction). At this time, the control unit 7 controls the calculation of a predetermined position for the second support pin 611 based on the difference between the width of the squeegee 21 in the X direction and the width of the substrate Su in the X direction. The control unit 7 may also perform control to acquire a predetermined position for the second support pin 611 based on a predetermined position set by the user.

[0068] The control unit 7 controls the transport of the substrate Su to a predetermined position Pd by the substrate transport unit 4. The control unit 7 controls the holding of the mask Ma at the working position Pw by the mask clamp member 3. The control unit 7 controls the alignment of the relative positions of the substrate Su and the mask Ma. The control unit 7 controls the raising of the substrate Su and pressing it against the mask Ma. The control unit 7 controls the raising of the support plate 604, pressing the substrate Su by bringing the first support pin 610 into contact with the substrate Su from below, and pressing the mask Ma by bringing the second support pin 611 into contact with the mask Ma from below. The control unit 7 controls the printing of solder So onto the substrate Su by pressing the squeegee 21 against the upper surface of the mask Ma from above and sliding it in the Y1 and Y2 directions.

[0069] (Printing Process) Now, with reference to Figure 10, the printing process performed in the control unit 7 will be described.

[0070] In step S1, the first support pin 610 and the second support pin 611 are positioned at predetermined locations on the support plate 604. In step S2, the substrate Su is transported to a predetermined position Pd. In step S3, the mask Ma is fixed at the working position Pw. In step S4, the substrate Su is raised and pressed against the mask Ma. In step S5, the support plate 604 is raised, the first support pin 610 is brought into contact with the substrate Su and pressed, and the second support pin 611 is brought into contact with the mask Ma and pressed. In step S6, the squeegee 21 is slid to print solder So onto the substrate Su, then the support plate 604 and the substrate Su are lowered in that order, the printed substrate Su is unloaded, and the printing process is terminated. This printing procedure is repeated the required number of times.

[0071] (Effects of this embodiment) In this embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.

[0072] In this embodiment, as described above, the support member includes a first support pin 610 which includes a first contact surface 6101b that contacts and supports the substrate Su from below. The support member includes a second contact surface 6111c which contacts and supports the lower surface of the mask Ma, which is on the outer side of the portion that contacts the substrate Su, and at least the portion of the lower surface near the end in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the squeegee 21 (Y direction) (X direction), and includes a second support pin 611 which is of a different type from the first support pin 610. As a result, the portion of the mask Ma on the outside of the substrate Su that is not supported by the first support pin 610 via the substrate Su can be supported by the second support pin 611, so that downward deflection of the portion of the mask Ma on the outside of the substrate Su can be suppressed. Therefore, printing can be performed by moving the squeegee 21 while suppressing the downward deflection of the mask Ma portion outside the substrate Su, thereby preventing solder So that has spilled out of the mask Ma portion outside the substrate Su supported by the first support pin 610 from remaining on the mask Ma. As a result, while keeping the adjustment work of the squeegee 21 from becoming complicated, the downward deflection of the mask Ma portion outside the substrate Su can be suppressed, thereby suppressing the residue of solder So on the mask Ma. Furthermore, since the residue of solder So can be suppressed, the amount of solder So printed on the substrate Su can be reduced, the waste of solder So when printing solder So on the substrate Su can be suppressed, and the erroneous detection of the width of solder So applied on the mask Ma caused by detecting the residue of solder So can be suppressed. Furthermore, when the first support pin 610 is used, the height is insufficient by the thickness Th of the substrate Su, making it impossible to directly support the mask Ma. However, by using a second support pin 611 of a different type than the first support pin 610, if the second support pin 611 is provided with a structure that allows for direct support of the mask Ma, the mask Ma can be directly supported by the second support pin 611.By using a second support pin 611 of a different type from the first support pin 610, the lower surface of the outer part of the portion of the mask Ma that contacts the substrate Su, and at least the lower surface near the end in the direction perpendicular to the movement direction of the squeegee 21 (Y direction) (X direction), can be supported from below, thereby suppressing deflection of the mask Ma.

[0073] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, in the vertical direction, the support height H2 of the second contact surface 6111c of the second support pin 611, which is of a different type from the first support pin 610, is higher than the support height H1 of the first contact surface 6101b of the first support pin 610. Here, since the first support pin 610 supports the mask Ma via the substrate Su, if the support height H2 of the second contact surface 6111c of the second support pin 611 is increased by the thickness Th of the substrate Su, the support height H1 of the first contact surface 6101b of the first support pin 610 and the support height H2 of the second contact surface 6111c of the second support pin 611 can be made the same. As a result, by supporting the mask Ma with both the first support pin 610 and the second support pin 611, downward deflection of the mask Ma can be suppressed, and the remaining solder So on the mask Ma after sliding the squeegee 21 over the mask Ma can be suppressed.

[0074] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, in a plan view, the area of ​​the second contact surface 6111c of the second support pin 611 is larger than the area of ​​the first contact surface 6101b. Here, the first support pin 610 has a smaller area of ​​the first contact surface 6101b in order to support a position on the substrate Su that is away from the wiring pattern, etc. Since the second support pin 611 directly supports the mask Ma, by making the area of ​​the second contact surface 6111c of the second support pin 611 larger than the area of ​​the first contact surface 6101b, it is possible to secure an area for the second support pin 611 to support the mask Ma from below, thereby suppressing downward deflection of the mask Ma.

[0075] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the first support pin 610 is an installation portion 610a including a first contact surface 6101b and a pin body portion 610b (first backup pin). The second support pin 611 includes an installation portion 611a and a pin body portion 611b (second backup pin), and a support 611c provided at the upper end of the installation portion 611a and the pin body portion 611b (second backup pin), which includes a second contact surface 6111c having a flat surface area larger than that of the first contact surface 6101b. As a result, the second support pin 611 can secure an area for supporting the mask Ma by providing the support 611c having the second contact surface 6111c on the installation portion 611a and the pin body portion 611b (second backup pin). Here, if the mounting portion 610a and the pin body portion 610b (first backup pin) and the mounting portion 611a and the pin body portion 611b (second backup pin) are of the same type of backup pin, the second support pin 611 can be realized simply by adding the support body 611c, thus making it easy to provide the second support pin 611.

[0076] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the area Ar2 of the second contact surface 6111c is larger than the area Ar3 of the mounting portion 611a and the tip surface 6111b of the pin body portion 611b (second backup pin) in a plan view. As a result, the area in contact with the mask Ma at the second contact surface 6111c can be increased, and the downward deflection of the mask Ma can be suppressed by the amount by which the area has been increased.

[0077] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the second contact surface 6111c has a rectangular shape in plan view. By making the second contact surface 6111c a simple rectangular shape, the support 611c can be easily provided.

[0078] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, in the vertical direction, the support height H2 of the second contact surface 6111c of the second support pin 611 is higher than the support height H1 of the first contact surface 6101b of the first support pin 610 by the thickness Th of the substrate Su. Here, as described above, since the first support pin 610 supports the mask Ma via the substrate Su, by increasing the support height H2 of the second contact surface 6111c of the second support pin 611 by the thickness Th of the substrate Su, the height position of the upper surface of the substrate Su supported by the first support pin 610 at support height H1 can be aligned with the support height H2 of the second contact surface 6111c of the second support pin 611. As a result, since the solder So can be printed onto the substrate Su using the squeegee 21 while the mask Ma is supported by the first support pins 610 and the second support pins 611, the amount of solder So left on the mask Ma after the squeegee 21 has been slid across the mask Ma can be suppressed more effectively.

[0079] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the substrate support member placement unit 6 includes a backup pin station 603 that pre-holds the first support pin 610 and the second support pin 611. The substrate support member placement unit 6 includes a first support pin head 606 that moves the first support pin 610 from the backup pin station 603 while holding it, and a second support pin head 607 that moves the second support pin 611 from the backup pin station 603 while holding it. The substrate support member placement unit 6 includes a support plate 604 to which the first support pin 610 is moved and placed by the first support pin head 606, and to which the second support pin 611 is moved and placed by the second support pin head 607. As a result, by providing a dedicated first support pin head 606 for the first support pin 610 and a dedicated second support pin head 607 for the second support pin 611, it is possible to provide a first support pin head 606 with a shape that matches the first support pin 610 and a second support pin head 607 with a shape that matches the second support pin 611. Therefore, the first support pin 610 can be securely held by the first support pin head 606 and the second support pin 611 can be securely held by the second support pin head 607.

[0080] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the control unit 7 controls the first support pin 610 to be held by the first support pin head 606 and positioned from the backup pin station 603 to the portion of the support plate 604 corresponding to the substrate Su, and controls the second support pin 611 to be held by the second support pin head 607 and positioned from the backup pin station 603 to the portion of the support plate 604 corresponding to the outer lower surface of the mask Ma, on the outer side of the substrate Su, and at least the outer lower surface of the end in the direction perpendicular to the movement direction of the squeegee 21 (X direction). As a result, the control unit 7 can automatically position the first support pin 610 and the second support pin 611 on the support plate 604, thus preventing the work of positioning each of the first support pin 610 and the second support pin 611 on the support plate 604 from becoming complicated.

[0081] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the printing apparatus 100 includes a substrate transport unit 4 that transports the substrate Su in a transport direction (X1 direction) perpendicular to the direction of movement (Y direction) of the squeegee 21. The second support pin 611 is configured to be positioned not only on the lower surface near the end of the mask Ma in the direction perpendicular to the direction of movement (Y direction) of the squeegee 21 (X direction), but also on the lower surface portion from the outside of the substrate Su to the vicinity of the end in the direction perpendicular to the direction of movement (Y direction) of the squeegee 21 (X direction) in the transport direction (X1 direction). As a result, the second support pin 611 can support the lower surface near the end of the mask Ma in the direction perpendicular to the direction of movement (Y direction) of the squeegee 21 (X direction), and the portion from the outside of the substrate Su to the vicinity of the end in the direction perpendicular to the direction of movement (Y direction) of the squeegee 21 (X direction), so that the mask Ma does not bend up to the lower surface portion near the end of the squeegee 21. As a result, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of residual solder So on the upper surface of the mask Ma.

[0082] [Modifications] It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims rather than the description of the embodiments above, and further includes all modifications (modifications) within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims.

[0083] For example, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which, in a plan view, the area of ​​the second contact surface 6111c of the second support pin 611 (second support member) is larger than the area of ​​the first contact surface 6101b, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the area of ​​the second contact surface of the second support member may be less than or equal to the area of ​​the first contact surface.

[0084] Furthermore, although the above embodiment shows an example where the second contact surface 6111c is rectangular in plan view, the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, as shown in the first modified example in Figure 11, the second contact surface 7111c may be circular.

[0085] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which second support pins 611 (second support members) of different heights may be arranged in the backup pin station 603 (support member station) according to the thickness Th of the substrate Su, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In the present invention, the second support member 811 may have a height adjustment portion 811d that can adjust the support height of the second contact surface 6111c in the vertical direction. The height adjustment portion 811d has a height adjustment biasing member 8111d that biases the upper end of the second support member 811 upward in order to adjust the support height H2 of the second contact surface 6111c. The height adjustment portion 811d also has a housing portion 8112d that houses the height adjustment biasing member 8111d and into which the pin body portion 611b is press-fitted. The support body 811c also has an insertion portion 8112c into which the housing portion 8112d is inserted. Here, the biasing force generated by the contraction of the mask Ma, which is deflected downward by the height-adjusting biasing member 8111d, is greater than or equal to the downward deflection force of the mask Ma.

[0086] As described above, the second support pin 611 includes a height adjustment portion 811d that can adjust the support height H2 of the second contact surface 6111c in the vertical direction. This eliminates the need to prepare a new second support pin 611 depending on the type (thickness) of the substrate Su, and therefore eliminates the need to provide multiple types of second support pins 611 to match the type of substrate Su. As a result, the number of types of second support pins 611 can be suppressed.

[0087] Furthermore, the height adjustment section 811d includes a height adjustment biasing member 8111d that biases the upper end of the second support pin 611 upward in order to adjust the support height H2 of the second contact surface 6111c. This makes it easy to adjust the height of the second contact surface 6111c using the height adjustment biasing member 8111d.

[0088] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the control unit 7 is shown to control the placement of the first support pin 610 to the portion of the support plate 604 corresponding to the substrate Su before placing the mask Ma, and to place the second support pin 611 to the corresponding portion of the support plate 604 on the mask Ma. However, the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, as shown in the third modified example in Figure 13, the control unit 907 may, based on the detection of solder So1 and solder So2 left behind by the solder detection unit 924, control the placement of the second support pin 611 by the second support pin head 607 to the portion of the support plate 604 corresponding to the lower surface outside the substrate Su of the mask Ma, and at least the lower surface outside the end in the direction perpendicular to the movement direction (Y direction) of the squeegee 21 (X direction). Here, the solder detection unit 924 is configured to detect solder So left behind by the squeegee 21 outside the opening for printing a predetermined pattern on the substrate Su on the upper surface of the mask Ma. The solder detection unit 924 is, for example, a laser detection unit. The solder detection unit 924 is configured to be movable in the X direction to match the width of the squeegee 21. The solder detection unit 924 may also be a camera, or it may be configured to move together with the solder supply unit.

[0089] As described above, the printing apparatus 900 is equipped with a solder detection unit 924 on the upper surface of the mask Ma, outside the opening for printing a predetermined pattern on the substrate Su, which detects solder So left behind by the squeegee 21. Based on the detection of leftover solder So by the solder detection unit 924, the control unit 907 is configured to control the placement of a second support pin 611 by the second support pin head 607 at a location on the support plate 604 that corresponds to the lower surface outside the substrate Su of the mask Ma, and at least to the outer lower surface portion of the end in the direction perpendicular to the movement direction of the squeegee 21 (X direction). As a result, control to place the second support pin 611 is not performed when it is not necessary, so an increase in printing time can be suppressed.

[0090] Furthermore, although the above embodiment shows an example in which the substrate support member arrangement unit 6 includes a first support pin 610 and a second support pin 611, the present invention is not limited thereto. In the present invention, as shown in the fourth modified example in Figure 14, the substrate support member arrangement unit 6 may have a substrate surface support jig 1611 and a mask surface support jig 1612. Each of the substrate surface support jig 1611 and the mask surface support jig 1612 is arranged on the support plate 604. The substrate surface support jig 1611 has a first contact surface 1611a. The mask surface support jig 1612 has a second contact surface 1612a. The substrate surface support jig 1611 and the mask surface support jig 1612 are integrally provided with each other. Here, a groove (recess) having the width of a gap Ce1 is formed between the substrate surface support jig 1611 and the mask surface support jig 1612. Furthermore, as shown in the fifth modified example in Figure 15, the substrate surface support jig 1711 and the mask surface support jig 1712 are integrally provided with each other. Here, the substrate surface support jig 1711 has a first contact surface 1711a. The mask surface support jig 1712 has a second contact surface 1712a.

[0091] As described above, the first support member is a substrate surface support jig 1611 (1711) having a first contact surface 6101b. The second support member is a mask surface support jig 1612 (1712) having a second contact surface 6111c. The substrate surface support jig 1611 (1711) and the mask surface support jig 1612 (1712) are provided as an integral part of each other or separately. As a result, the substrate surface support jig 1611 (1711) has a large surface area that contacts and supports the mask Ma, and the mask Ma support jig has a large surface area that contacts and supports the mask Ma, so the number of members to be placed on the support plate 604 can be reduced compared to the case where backup pins are placed over the same area. As a result, the convenience of the placement work can be improved compared to the case where backup pins are placed. Furthermore, by providing the substrate surface support jig 1611 and the mask surface support jig 1612 separately, the degree of freedom in placement can be improved. Also, by providing the substrate surface support jig 1711 and the mask surface support jig 1712 integrally, the number of components to be placed can be reduced.

[0092] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the plurality of second support pins 611 (second support members) are arranged on the upstream and downstream sides of the substrate Su that has been transported to a predetermined position Pd by the substrate transport unit 4 in the transport direction, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the second support members only need to be arranged on at least one of the upstream or downstream sides of the substrate that has been transported to a predetermined position by the substrate transport unit in the transport direction.

[0093] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, for the sake of explanation, an example was shown in which the control processing of the control unit 7 was explained using a flow-driven flowchart that processes sequentially according to the processing flow, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the control processing of the control unit may be performed by event-driven processing that executes processing on an event-by-event basis. In this case, it may be performed as a completely event-driven system, or a combination of event-driven and flow-driven systems may be used.

[0094] 4. Substrate transport unit 6. Substrate support member placement unit 7, 907. Control unit 21. Squeegee 100, 900. Printing device 603. Backup pin station (support member station) 604. Support plate 606. Head for first support pin (head for first support member) 607. Head for second support pin (head for second support member) 610. First support pin (first support member) 611. Second support pin (second support member) Installation part 611a, pin body part 611b (second backup pin) 611c, 811c. Support body 811. Second support member 811d. Height adjustment unit 924. Solder detection unit 1611, 1711. Substrate surface receiving jig 1611a, 1711a. First contact surface 1612, 1712. Mask surface receiving jig 1612a, 1712a Second contact surface 6101b First contact surfaces 6111c, 7111c Second contact surface 8111d Height adjustment biasing member Ar1 Area (of the first contact surface) Ar2 Area (of the second contact surface) Ar3 Area (of the tip surface of the second backup pin) H1, H2 Support height Ma Mask Pp Printing position Pw Working position So, So1, So2 Solder Su Substrate Th Th Thickness

Claims

1. A printing apparatus comprising: a squeegee for printing solder on a mask placed at a working position onto a substrate placed at a printing position; and a substrate support member placement unit including a support member for supporting the substrate and the mask when the squeegee prints the solder onto the substrate, wherein the support member includes: a first support member including a first contact surface for supporting the substrate by contacting it from below; and a second support member of a different type from the first support member, which includes a second contact surface for supporting the lower surface of the mask, which is outside the portion of the mask that contacts the substrate, and which contacts and supports at least the lower surface near the end in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the squeegee from below.

2. In the vertical direction, the support height of the second contact surface of the second support member, which is of a different type from the first support member, is higher than the support height of the first contact surface of the first support member, as described in claim 1.

3. In a plan view, the area of ​​the second contact surface of the second support member is larger than the area of ​​the first contact surface, as described in claim 1.

4. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first support member is a first backup pin including the first contact surface, and the second support member includes a second backup pin and a support provided at the upper end of the second backup pin and including the second contact surface having a flat surface with a larger area than the first contact surface.

5. The printing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the area of ​​the second contact surface is larger than the area of ​​the tip surface of the second backup pin in a plan view.

6. The printing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second contact surface has a rectangular or circular shape in a plan view.

7. The printing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, in the vertical direction, the support height of the second contact surface of the second support member is higher than the support height of the first contact surface of the first support member by the thickness of the substrate.

8. The printing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the second support member includes a height adjustment part that can adjust the support height of the second contact surface in the vertical direction.

9. The printing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the height adjustment section includes a height adjustment biasing member that biases the upper end of the second support member upward in order to adjust the support height of the second contact surface.

10. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate support member placement unit includes a support member station for pre-holding the first support member and the second support member; a first support member head for moving the first support member from the support member station while holding it; a second support member head for moving the second support member from the support member station while holding it; and a support plate for supporting the substrate and the mask, wherein the first support member is moved from the support member station by the first support member head and positioned thereon, and the second support member is moved from the support member station by the second support member head and positioned thereon.

11. The printing apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a control unit that controls the first support member to be held by the first support member head and positioned from the support member station to the portion of the support plate corresponding to the substrate, and the second support member to be held by the second support member head and positioned from the support member station to the portion of the support plate corresponding to the outer lower surface of the mask, and at least the outer lower surface of the end of the squeegee in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the squeegee.

12. The printing apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a solder detection unit for detecting solder left behind by the squeegee on the upper surface of the mask outside the opening for printing a predetermined pattern on the substrate, wherein the control unit is configured to control the position of the second support member by the head for the second support member on the lower surface of the mask outside the substrate, and at least on the lower surface outside the end of the squeegee in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the squeegee.

13. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a substrate transport unit for transporting the substrate in a transport direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the squeegee, wherein the second support member is configured to be positioned in the transport direction not only on the lower surface of the mask near the end in the direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the squeegee, but also on the lower surface portion from the outside of the substrate to near the end in the direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the squeegee.

14. The printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first support member is a substrate surface support jig having the first contact surface, the second support member is a mask surface support jig having the second contact surface, and the substrate surface support jig and the mask surface support jig are provided integrally with each other or separately from each other.

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