JP4644473B2 - Partial plating equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a partial plating apparatus, and more particularly to a partial plating apparatus used for plating a strip-shaped member such as a lead frame or a TAB tape.

A lead frame used in a semiconductor device is obtained by processing a metal strip member, and a large number of unit lead frames are connected to the strip member.
Each unit lead frame is subjected to partial plating such as silver plating at a stage portion for mounting a semiconductor element and an inner lead tip portion where wire bonding is performed.

In order to perform partial plating on such a lead frame, a partial plating apparatus is used.
A conventional partial plating apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS.
The partial plating apparatus 10 includes a sparger 11, a rectifying plate 12 provided in the sparger 11, a nozzle plate 13 provided on one side where the sparger 11 is opened, and a plating mask 14.

The sparger 11 is a box-shaped member in which a pressurizing chamber 14 in which a plating solution is stored is formed. One side of the box-shaped sparger 11 is open, and the nozzle plate 13 and the plating mask 14 are attached to this one side.
Inside the pressurizing chamber 14 of the sparger 11 is provided a rectifying plate 12 for allowing the plating solution to flow uniformly to the nozzle plate 13. The current plate 12 is a plate-like member having a large number of small holes. In the drawing, the small holes of the current plate 12 are omitted.

Inside the sparger 11, a nozzle plate 13 is attached by a bolt 17 at a position on one side (open side) of the rectifying plate 12. The nozzle plate 13 is a plate-like member provided with a nozzle 19 that sprays the plating solution toward the opening 16 of the plating mask 14. An anode electrode plate 20 is disposed on the nozzle protruding side of the nozzle plate 13.
A plating mask 14 is attached by bolts 21 to one end (open side) of the sparger 11. The plating mask 14 is a plate-like member having an opening 16 formed at a position corresponding to a region to be plated on a lead frame (not shown) (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

The lead frame has various shapes for each product, and the shape and position of the opening 16 of the plating mask 14 and the position of the nozzle 19 provided on the nozzle plate 13 are different for each product. On the other hand, the sparger 11 can be used in common even if the product changes.
Therefore, in order to perform partial plating on different lead frames using the same sparger 11, the nozzle plate 13 and the plating mask 14 are removed from the sparger 11, and the nozzle plate 13 and the plating mask 14 corresponding to the lead frame to be plated. It is necessary to install.
JP 2001-303297 A (0023, FIG. 1 etc.)

In the conventional partial plating apparatus 10, in order to perform partial plating on different lead frames, first, bolts 21 provided at a plurality of locations of the plating mask 14 are loosened to remove the plating mask 14 from the sparger 11, and then the nozzle plate. It is necessary to remove the nozzle plate 13 from the sparger 11 by loosening the bolts 17 provided at a plurality of locations 13, and further fix the nozzle plate 13 corresponding to the lead frame to be plated with the bolts 17 at the plurality of locations. Corresponding plating masks 14 had to be fixed with bolts 21 at a plurality of locations.
As described above, in the conventional partial plating apparatus 10, each time a different lead frame is to be manufactured, the nozzle plate 13 and the plating mask 14 must be detached by the bolts 17 and 21, and it takes time to replace them. There was a problem.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the object of the present invention is to provide a partial plating apparatus that can save the trouble of replacing the nozzle plate and the plating mask when changing the product to be plated. There is to do.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises the following arrangement.
That is, a plating mask provided with an opening that is open to a plating target region of an object to be plated, a nozzle plate provided with a nozzle that sprays a plating solution toward the opening of the plating mask, and a plating solution. In the partial plating apparatus comprising a sparger for storage, the plating mask unit in which the plating mask and the nozzle plate are integrally formed is clamped by a clamp device that sandwiches and fixes the sparger and the plating mask unit. It is characterized in that it is detachable from the sparger .
By adopting this configuration, when plating different lead frames, there is no need to remove the plating mask and nozzle plate, and it is possible to handle different lead frames by simply removing the plating mask unit. This saves time. Further, the plating mask unit can be detached from the sparger simply by loosening the clamping device, and the plating mask unit can be attached to the sparger simply by tightening the clamping device. For this reason, it is possible to replace the plating mask unit with much less labor than when the plating mask unit is attached / detached via a plurality of bolts.

  The plating mask unit may be fixed by connecting the plating mask and the nozzle plate via a connecting means.

  According to the partial plating apparatus concerning this invention, the trouble at the time of replacement | exchange of a plating mask and a nozzle plate in the case of performing partial plating to a different to-be-plated object using the same sparger can be saved.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in detail based on the accompanying drawings.
1 is a front view of the overall configuration of the partial plating apparatus, FIG. 2 is a side view of the overall configuration of the partial plating apparatus, FIG. 3 is a plan view of the partial plating apparatus, and FIG. It is sectional drawing.
The partial plating apparatus 30 of this embodiment is an apparatus for performing plating on the lead frame 31 used in the semiconductor device. The lead frame 31 that is an object to be plated may be either a hoop shape wound around a reel or a strip shape cut to a predetermined length.

As shown in the figure, the lead frame 31 is placed vertically so that the plane portion faces the front, and is fed by the feeder device 32 in the horizontal direction (right direction in FIG. 1). The feeder device 32 is disposed before and after the lead frame 31 with respect to the partial plating device 30.
Each feeder device 32 is provided with an upper feeder roller 33a and a lower feeder roller 33b that move the lead frame 31 in contact with the upper edge 31a and the lower edge 31b of the lead frame 31.
Therefore, the lead frame 31 is positioned in the vertical direction with respect to the partial plating apparatus 30 by the lower end edge 31b.

The partial plating apparatus 30 includes a sparger 34 in which a plating solution is stored, a plating mask unit 36 provided on the front surface of the sparger 34, and a backing plate 37 at a position facing the plating mask unit 36 with the lead frame 31 interposed therebetween. have. The plating mask unit 36 is a member in which the plating mask 38 and the nozzle plate 40 are integrally formed.
The partial plating apparatus 30 is provided with two clamping devices 43 and 43 for fastening the plating mask unit 36, the backing plate 37 and the sparger 34 in order to attach the plating mask unit 36 and the backing plate 37 to the sparger 34. It has been.

Hereafter, each component mentioned above is demonstrated.
The sparger 34 is a box-shaped member in which the plating solution is stored, and one side is open. A supply hole 41 for supplying a plating solution is formed on the other side (bottom) of the sparger 34, and the plating solution pumped up by a pump (not shown) can flow into the pressurizing chamber 42 through the supply hole 41. It has become.

  The inner wall surface of the sparger 34 is formed with steps 44 and 51 having an inner diameter that expands stepwise toward one side, and a rectifying plate 46 is attached to the step 44 closest to the bottom. A space between the current plate 46 and the bottom of the sparger 34 becomes a pressurizing chamber 42 for the plating solution. A large number of small holes are formed in the rectifying plate 46, and the plating solution is provided so as to uniformly reach a plurality of nozzles 47 of the nozzle plate 40 described later. In the drawing, the small holes of the rectifying plate 46 are omitted.

As shown in FIG. 5, the plating mask unit 36 includes a nozzle plate 40 and a plating mask 38 connected by a plurality of collars 49. The collar 49 is a rod-shaped member having a predetermined length, is erected between the nozzle plate 40 and the plating mask 38, and both are connected and fixed by screwing. The nozzle plate 40 and the plating mask 38 may be connected by some connecting means such as a plate-like member in addition to the rod-like member.
The plating mask unit 36 is attached to the sparger 34 so that the end of the nozzle plate 40 is positioned at the step 51 on the inner wall surface of the sparger 34 and the end of the plating mask 38 is positioned at the end surface 52 on one side of the sparger 34. .

The nozzle plate 40 constituting the plating mask unit 36 is provided with a plurality of nozzles 47, 47... For injecting the plating solution toward the opening 50 of the plating mask 38. An anode plate 54 is disposed on the surface of the nozzle plate 40 on the plating mask side.
The plating mask 38 has a plurality of openings 50, 50... At positions corresponding to the plating regions of the lead frame 31.

Next, the clamp device will be described.
When viewed from the side, the clamp device 43 is configured such that the constituent members are connected in a square shape, and is provided so that at least one of the sides of the square can be opened.
Specifically, the clamp device 43 includes a back plate 56 provided so as to contact the surface of the backing plate 37, a lower support member 58 extending from the back plate 56 in the direction of the sparger 34, and a sparger of the lower support member 58. A bottom support member 60 extending upward from the end in the 34 direction side, a rotating member 62 extending in the direction of the back plate 56 from the upper end of the bottom support member 60, and a sparger 34 extending from the bottom support member 60 in the direction of the sparger 34. And a toggle clamp 66 having a presser portion 64 that presses the bottom surface.

Among the components of the clamp device 43, the back plate 56 and the lower support member 58 are firmly fixed so as not to move with each other, but the rotating member 62 is a rotation provided at the upper end of the bottom surface support member 60. It is provided so as to be rotatable in a vertical plane around the moving shaft 69. Further, the bottom surface support member 60 is provided so as to be rotatable in a vertical plane around a rotation shaft 61 provided at the bottom surface side end portion of the lower support member 58.
The distal end portion 70 of the rotating member 62 is formed in a hook shape so as to be hooked on the surface side of the back plate 56, and the hook-shaped tip portion 70 is hooked on the surface side of the back plate 56. The backing plate 37, the plating mask unit 36, and the sparger 34 are sandwiched between 56 and the pressing portion 64.

A gap is formed between the lower surface of the rotating member 62 and the upper surface of the plating mask unit 36. In order to fill this gap, an upper cover member 63 is disposed above the plating mask unit 36. Has been.
Similarly, a lowering member 65 is disposed below the plating mask unit 36 in order to fill a gap between the upper surface of the lower support member 58 and the lower surface of the plating mask unit 36.

The configuration and operation of the toggle clamp will be described with reference to FIGS.
The toggle clamp 66 includes an operation handle 72 provided to be rotatable between a vertically downward direction and a vertically upward direction within a vertical plane, and a rod provided to be movable in the horizontal direction via the operation handle 72 and the link mechanism 73. 64, and is attached to a toggle clamp attachment plate 80 provided on the bottom surface support member 60.
The rod 64 corresponds to the presser portion 64 described above.

A cylindrical bearing portion 78 that holds the midway portion of the rod 64 is fixed to the toggle clamp mounting plate 80. The bearing portion 78 holds the rod 64 so that the rod 64 can protrude in the direction of the sparger 34.
Two side plates 79, 79 are provided on the bearing portion 78 so as to protrude in a direction opposite to the sparger 34, and a rotation shaft 74 of the operation handle 72 is provided between the side plates 79, 79. In this way, the operation handle 72 is rotatably fixed to the side plates 79 and 79.

  The link mechanism 73 includes a rotation shaft 74 of the operation handle 72 itself, a link portion 75 extending in a direction substantially orthogonal to the extending direction of the operation handle 72, and a rotation shaft 76 at the tip of the link portion 75. The second link portion 77 is rotatably attached to the link portion 75. The distal end portion of the second link portion 77 is connected to the rear end portion of the rod 64 via the rotation shaft 85.

In such a toggle clamp 66, when the operation handle 72 is rotated vertically upward, the link portion 75 of the link mechanism 73 is rotated clockwise in the drawing, and the rod 64 is moved via the second link portion 77. Move away from the sparger 34.
Further, by rotating the operation handle 72 vertically downward, the link portion 75 of the link mechanism 73 rotates counterclockwise on the drawing and moves the rod 64 in the direction of the sparger 34 via the second link portion 77. Let

  When the operation handle 72 is positioned vertically downward, the tip of the rod 64 can press the bottom surface of the sparger 34 with an appropriate pressing force. Further, in order to prevent the operation handle 72 from returning counterclockwise when the operation handle 72 is positioned vertically downward, a stopper mechanism for preventing the return of the operation handle 72 may be provided (not shown). )

The replacement operation of the plating mask unit 36 in the partial plating apparatus 30 having the above-described configuration will be described.
The operator turns the operation handle 72 of the toggle clamp 66 vertically upward to loosen the force with which the presser portion 64 presses the sparger 34. Then, the rotating member 62 hooked on the back plate 56 is loosened and can be rotated. The operator rotates the rotating member 62 to remove the bowl-shaped tip portion 70 from the back plate 56.

Then, the tightening of the sparger 34 and the plating mask unit 36 that has been tightened and fixed by the toggle clamp 66 is loosened, and the plating mask unit 36 becomes removable from the sparger 34.
The operator removes the upper application member 63, the plating mask unit 36, and the lower application member 65 from the sparger 34. Then, the operator arranges a new plating mask unit 36 on the front surface on the open side of the sparger 34, and also arranges the upper and lowering members 63 and 65 on the upper and lower surfaces of the new plating mask unit 36.

The operator rotates the rotating member 62 and hooks the hook-shaped tip 70 on the upper end of the back plate 56.
Next, the operator rotates the operation handle 72 of the toggle clamp 66 vertically downward and pushes the presser portion 64 in the direction of the sparger 34. Then, the pressing portion 64 presses the bottom surface of the sparger 34, and the sparger 34, the plating mask unit 36, and the backing plate 37 are firmly tightened between the pressing portion 64 of the toggle clamp 66 and the back plate 56.
In this way, the plating mask unit 36 is attached to the sparger 34.

In the embodiment described above, the sparger 34 and the plating mask unit 36 are attached by the clamp device 43. However, in the present invention, the plating mask unit 36 may be fixed with bolts as usual, or may be by other methods.
Further, even when the clamp device 43 is employed, the mechanism is not limited to the mechanism using the toggle clamp 66, and the sparger 34 and the sparger 34 can be formed by screwing the presser 64 in the direction of the sparger 34. The plating mask unit 36 may be attached by being sandwiched between the pressing portion 64 and the back plate 56, or the plating mask unit 36 may be attached to the sparger 34 using an actuator such as a cylinder.
Further, the number of the clamping devices 43 is not limited to two, and may be one or two or more.

  The method of fixing the plating mask 38 and the nozzle plate 40 in the plating mask unit 36 is not limited to the method using the rod-like collar 49 as described above, but may be a plate-like member or other member having a different shape. There may be.

  While the present invention has been described in detail with reference to a preferred embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and it goes without saying that many modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. .

It is a front view of a partial plating apparatus. It is a side view of a partial plating apparatus. It is a top view of a partial plating apparatus. It is sectional drawing of the sparger part of a partial plating apparatus. It is explanatory drawing which shows the removal | desorption of a plating mask unit. It is sectional drawing of the conventional partial plating apparatus. It is a front view of the conventional partial plating apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

30 Partial Plating Device 31 Lead Frame 32 Feeder Device 33a Upper Feeder Roller 33b Lower Feeder Roller 34 Sparger 36 Plating Mask Unit 37 Backing Plate 38 Plating Mask 40 Nozzle Plate 41 Supply Hole 42 Pressure Chamber 43 Clamping Device 44, 51 Step 46 Rectification Plate 47 Nozzle 49 Collar 50 Opening 52 End face 54 Anode electrode plate 56 Back plate 58 Lower support member 60 Bottom support member 62 Rotating member 63 Upper support member 64 Presser (rod)
65 Underlying member 66 Toggle clamp 69, 74, 76, 85 Rotating shaft 70 Front end 72 Operation handle 73 Link mechanism 75 Link portion 77 Second link portion 78 Bearing 79 Side plate 80 Mounting plate

Claims (2)

A plating mask provided with an opening that is open to the plating target area of the object to be plated;
A nozzle plate provided with a nozzle for injecting a plating solution toward the opening of the plating mask;
In a partial plating apparatus comprising a sparger for storing a plating solution,
The plating mask unit in which the plating mask and the nozzle plate are integrally formed is provided to be detachable from the sparger by a clamp device that sandwiches and fixes the sparger and the plating mask unit. Partial plating equipment characterized by. The plating mask unit is
2. The partial plating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plating mask and the nozzle plate are connected and fixed via a connecting means.

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